Microsoft

Microsoft's hands-free peripheral, the Kinect , has already proven a runaway hit amongst consumers. Shoppers bought up an estimated 1 million units during the product's first ten days of availability, in what proved to be a very busy week for the ... video game industry. According to a report from Microsoft released on Monday, Kinect's 1 million unit plateau puts the device on pace to beat a projected target of 5 million sales by year's end. For those who haven't been paying attention, Kinect is a video game peripheral for Microsoft's Xbox 360 video game console. It uses a camera to track a ... (view more)

Following in the footsteps of millions of American home and business users, the United States Air Force has begun the process of migrating all of its computer systems from Windows XP and Windows Vista to the new Windows 7 operating system (OS). The ... Air Force expects its 600,000 desktop and laptop PCs will be fully upgraded by December 2011. With more than half a million PCs in need of attention, the Air Force recognizes the next year will represent an enormous challenge for its IT professionals. In a press briefing at the Pentagon this week, Air Force Chief Information Officer Lieutenant- ... (view more)

Imagine sitting in front of your computer and using hand gestures to control your PC. In the 2002 blockbuster movie "Minority Report," Tom Cruise did just that as he sifted through wads of information using his hands and a 3D computer screen. Fast ... forward to the 2010, and we are on the brink of using similar technology at home, but it's still officially under wraps. Hands-Free Video Game Controller Used on Microsoft Windows Recently, two hackers have found a way to use Microsoft's new Kinect controller-free video game peripheral on a Windows computer rather than an Xbox 360. Whether ... (view more)

Although Microsoft is working hard to keep the public's attention squarely on Windows 7, it seems that the Redmond-based giant can't quite keep the lid closed on burgeoning Windows 8 hype. More details about the next Microsoft operating system (OS) ... have recently emerged, and they suggest even more integration with cloud-based services than in the past. By no means has Microsoft been forward with details about Windows 8, which analysts have pegged for a 2012 release. The firm has every reason to keep consumers interested in its current OS, Windows 7, given than reviews and sales are both hot ... (view more)

A prominent security firm has taken a stand against Microsoft's decision to offer its free antivirus software, Microsoft Security Essentials , as part of its recent Windows Update. A member of Trend Micro's management team not long ago referred to ... the move as one "commercializing Windows Update". Last week Microsoft began offering U.S. Windows users its free antivirus program, Microsoft Security Essentials, through the Windows operating system's built-in update service. The offering works like this: if Windows detects that a user is not using any antivirus software, the option of upgrading to ... (view more)

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is raising a few eyebrows within the tech industry after opting to release US $1.3 billion worth of shares in the company. The move reduces his overall shares by about 12 per cent and marks his first stock sale in the ... past seven years. Not surprisingly, many believe that the sale points to a lack of confidence in the company and creates a strong indicator that the 54-year-old executive is preparing to leave in the very near future. However, Ballmer says nothing could be further from the truth. Microsoft CEO "Fully Committed" In a statement posted on ... (view more)

There's no denying it: Windows 7 has been a runaway success for Microsoft. Tablets from virtually unknown companies merely running the new operating system (OS) sell out in days and most firms plan to upgrade from Windows XP and Vista in the next ... year or two. But all that success means there's a lot of pressure on Microsoft to produce another winner in a few years time. Windows 8 a 'Risky Product,' Says MS CEO In a recent presentation before an audience of industry analysts, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer noted that Windows 8 -- which some experts have predicted will ship in just two years -- ... (view more)

A new survey of Information Technology (IT) professionals suggests that business users are not rapidly adopting Microsoft's newest office application suite, Office 2010. However, the very same poll indicates interest remains high in the software, ... and it could be a matter of time before companies change their tune. Dimensional Research for Dell Kace (a software management company) is responsible for the survey, which was conducted in September. Dimensional Research interviewed 935 IT professionals using a web-based poll, with most questions related to their use of Microsoft products, including ... (view more)

When Old Spice deodorant commercials launched earlier this year, they featured actor and former National Football League (NFL) player Isaiah Mustafa. Using quick-witted, edgy writing with cutting-edge computer-generated images, the ads brought lots ... of attention to the long-time and well-known deodorant company. Now, Microsoft is cashing in on the Mustafa fanfare, which they hope will bring the same attention to Windows Phone 7 in Australia. Windows Phone 7 Commercials "Too Weird" Some say the Mustafa ad is a reaction to complaints that Microsoft's first Windows Phone 7 placements ... (view more)

A report this week from industry analyst Gartner suggests Microsoft may face resistance to Windows 8 if the operating system is released in 2012, as planned. Given how many people have desperately clung to the decade-old Windows XP , it's no ... surprise. Gartner: Consumers Have Their Limits According to Gartner researcher Michael Silver, the public's issue with Windows 8 probably won't have much to do with the operating system (OS) itself, but merely exhaustion with being told over and over to upgrade -- in 2006 to Vista, in 2009 to Windows 7, and again, it's expected, in 2012 to some other ... (view more)