Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer predicts that more than 500 million people will be using Windows 8 by the end of next year, AFP reports.

Ballmer, who was speaking at a forum in Seoul, South Korea, also expects Windows 7 to hit the 350 million device milestone later this year.

Windows 8 was described by Ballmer as the “deepest, broadest, and most impactful” operating system the company has made to date. He promised the “best economic opportunity” for hardware makers and Metro application developers who opt to support the upcoming operating system.

Corporate and enterprise demand have boosted Microsoft’s sales of Windows 7, Bloomberg reports, following the more than half decade of Windows XP success – and inadvertently helped along by the sudden requirement to shift away from Windows Vista.

One of the reasons why Windows XP remains so popular is the reluctance to upgrade to Vista in the first place. With many legacy applications still running suitably well on the decade-old platform, there was no incentive to upgrade. Vista suffered with poor backwards compatibility and performance issues, which led to many upgrading to Windows 7 as soon as it was released.

Windows 7 shot ahead of Vista and became the fastest-selling operating system to date. According to Net Applications, Windows XP has a declining share of 46 percent, while Windows 7 has a rising share of more than 38 percent.

At the current trend, Windows 7 could overtake Windows XP in October – coincidentally the month slated for the forthcoming release of Windows 8.

Windows 8 will ‘disappoint’: Analysts cut price targets on HP, Dell
Microsoft faces Windows 8 trouble if it fails to ship in October

Windows 8 should be an interesting and testing time for Microsoft. While the upcoming operating system will run on PCs and tablets alike, the ultrabook market is still developing – in competition with Apple’s MacBook Air – and will likely boost sales in the slimmer and more aesthetically attractive notebooks.

Gartner says more than 100 million tablets will be sold in 2012, with the figure tripling to more than 320 million tablets in 2015. The research firm estimates that Windows 8 will gain more than 12 percent of the tablet market, dwarfed by Apple’s nearly 60 percent, with the iPad.

Last week, BMO analysts cut Hewlett-Packard and Dell’s price targets, after one of its analysts claimed that “Windows 8 will prove to be a disappointment, at least out of the gate.” Analysts do not think that Windows 8 will be as successful as Windows 7 was and continues to be, and that PC sales could suffer as a result.

Having said that, if Windows 7 continues to sell hot off the shelves and overtakes Windows XP in time for an October arrival, Windows 8 could push through the expected worst of it and prove analysts wrong.

Source:http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-57439338-501465/microsoft-500-million-will-run-windows-8-in-2013/

Microsoft is busy testing its new operating system, Windows 8, for the different platforms that it is going to run on. The operating system, for the first time, is being made compatible with different hardware platforms and processor architectures. For example, the same operating system will be made to run on a stand alone personal computer, and also on tablets, which have a completely different hardware.

Also, for the first time in the history of Windows, Microsoft has completely redesigned the interface with the inclusion of the infamous Metro UI, which was first found on the new mobile operating system by Microsoft, the Windows Phone 7. The developers’ preview and the consumer preview versions of the operating system have already been released and are available as free downloads to anyone who is interested in testing them. But a few features are not yet available, such as the online Store. But you can get a pretty good idea of what you can expect from the final release of the operating system, coming later this year.

But the one problem that Microsoft will face is the upgradation problem. People will not want to invest on Windows 7 now and again upgrade to Windows 8 not even a year before, again paying a lot of money. This is what happened when Microsoft released Windows 7, people were still using Windows XP and were not wiling to invest again on Windows 7.

To avoid this kind of a situation again, Microsoft has let out a very sweet offer. The upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8 is going to be just $15 for a customer. So people can now buy new computers with Windows 7 on them knowing that the upgradation will not cost them a fortune again. Microsoft had to do this to save its market share against the many Linux distros available and Apple’s Mac. Also, the orders for new licenses for Windows 7 have started dropping for Microsoft, indicating users concerns for upgrading. Well, here you have it now, only $15 for the upgrade. What do you think now?

Source:http://thedroidguy.com/2012/05/microsoft-to-offer-windows-8-upgrade-for-just-15/

Windows 8 is coming this year. At this point, it’s accepted. It’s almost taken for granted. But building an entire operating system is an insane job, and doing it time and time again is even crazier. Microsoft has been pounding away at desktop OSes for years, and with Win8 on the horizon, the company recently took a step back to show where it’s at, where it’s going and how we got here. In a new MSDN post entitled ‘Creating the Windows 8 user experience,’ the company lays out some of the vital UI changes from Windows 1 to Windows 7, and what its engineers learned along the way. A lot of evolution has happened over the years, and it’s obvious just looking back at the home screens from each system.

Focusing more on the here and now, the company admits that it is “moving beyond Aero, flattening surfaces, removing reflections, and scaling back distracting gradients.” So, largely, Aero won’t be a part of Windows 8. The company says that while that was en vogue in the past, we’re beyond it now. And while much of the Metro style UI uses white text on a colorful saturated background, the desktop in Windows 8 will continue to use black text on light-colored chrome, as in Windows 7. This choice was made, according to Microsoft, to help preserve maximum compatibility with existing programs. Interesting in hearing more from the brains that designed Win8?

Listen up:

“We applied the principles of “clean and crisp” when updating window and taskbar chrome. Gone are the glass and reflections. We squared off the edges of windows and the taskbar. We removed all the glows and gradients found on buttons within the chrome. We made the appearance of windows crisper by removing unnecessary shadows and transparency. The default window chrome is white, creating an airy and premium look. The taskbar continues to blend into the desktop wallpaper, but appears less complicated overall.

To complete the story, we updated the appearance of most common controls, such as buttons, check boxes, sliders, and the Ribbon. We squared off the rounded edges, cleaned away gradients, and flattened the control backgrounds to align with our chrome changes. We also tweaked the colors to make them feel more modern and neutral. While a few of these visual changes are hinted at in the upcoming Release Preview, most of them will not yet be publicly available. You’ll see them all in the final release of Windows 8!”

One thing strikes us here: Microsoft is clearly listening to consumers. We live in a social world, and input is easier to give and easier to receive than ever before. Windows 8 is going to be a tough one, bridging the gap between a “traditional” desktop OS and a Metro universe, but it’s clear that the company is eager to listen and eager to deliver something compelling. Just a few more months, and it’ll be out in the wide open.

Source:http://hothardware.com/News/Microsoft-Looks-Back-At-The-Path-Of-Windows-Waves-Goodbye-To-Aero/

Microsoft is set to offer its own range of tweaked, bloatware-free ‘Signature’ Windows 8 PCs, according to a report by Computerworld.

The Signature service – which is already available for Windows 7 desktops and laptops in the US, but not in Australia as far as we can see – removes bloatware, software trials and other superfluous programs from third-party systems.

In other words, it saves you the trouble of uninstalling unwanted software from your new Windows PC. Whether your PC was made by Dell, HP, Acer, Samsung or select other vendors, Microsoft Signature helps to ensure your machine is performance-optimised from the moment you boot up.

“Each PC we sell is configured by Microsoft engineers to operate at each model’s peak performance level. From start-up to shut down or waking the computer from sleep, you’ll notice the performance advantage,” claims the Microsoft Signature website.

The Signature treatment for Windows 7 is a free service which also lets you customise software and comes with 90 days of free phone support (US only).

Microsoft Signature has been advertised in the past in Australia, as part of a limited offer with Dell laptops. Hopefully Windows 8 will see the service get a wider push. After all, Microsoft has a lot riding on Windows 8, so it’s in the company’s interest to give consumers as smooth a ride as possible.

Source:http://www.pcauthority.com.au/News/301574,report-microsoft-wants-windows-8-systems-to-be-bloatware-free.aspx

The champion of streamlined PCs, uncluttered with so-called “crapware,” is… Microsoft? Microsoft has begun selling a line of “optimized” PCs online as well as at its 16 retail stores. These “Signature” branded PCs retain the same OEM branding as those sold in other retails stores, such as Best Buy, but without the trialware and other promotional materials that normally accompany retail PCs. Microsoft has yet to say when the scheme will be rolled out to other countries.

Microsoft has also launched a $99 (around £60) service that will allow users with Windows 7 PCs (and possibly Windows 8), purchased elsewhere, to bring them in to a Microsoft Store and tune them to “Signature” standards, Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg disclosed.

The reduction in the number of programs installed on a PC should make the PC faster and easier to use, Microsoft says on its http://signature.microsoft.com/ Signature website. Microsoft claims that Signature PCs will sleep 21 percent faster, start up almost 40 percent faster, and resume about 51 percent faster than an unoptimized, otherwise identical PC. In one initial setup of a Signature PC, Microsoft found it took 4 minutes, 47 seconds to set up, while the unoptimized PC required over 18 minutes.

“PCs with Microsoft Signature are designed to be lightning fast from the moment you turn it on the very first time,” Microsoft said. “Many computers require significant configuration to get them to work the way you want, but with a PC and Microsoft Signature, you won’t spend hours configuring it. It comes ready to go and as a result, it will help save you time – and lots of it.”

Naturally, Microsoft favors its own software. Each Signature PC includes Windows 7, Windows Live Essentials, Zune software, the Internet Explorer browser with Bing optimizations, and Microsoft Security Essentials, Microsoft’s own free firewall and antivirus program. In addition, users will receive free phone support for 90 days, Microsoft said.

Microsoft doesn’t appear to favor any one brand or OEM: its store includes highlighted Signature offerings including the HP Folio 13-1051nr, the Dell XPS 15z, and the Samsung Series 7 NP7000Z3a notebook. Signature desktops include the Sony Vaio L series, and the Samsung Seris All-in-One. Microsoft also offers tablets and peripherals, but without the Signature branding.

Source:http://www.itproportal.com/2012/05/17/microsoft-introduce-paid-crapware-free-pc-scheme/

Windows 8 may be the most significant reimagining of Microsoft’s OS in more than 15 years, but it still won’t change one eternal rule of Microsoft-powered PCs: wherever Windows goes, bloatware follows. Microsoft and its users have long complained to hardware makers about the amount of extra software that manufacturers include with Windows PCs such as extra media-playing software or trial versions of antivirus programs.

It sounds like the bloatware wars will favor users when Windows 8 launches later this year. But extra software may still creep onto your new Dell, HP, or Lenovo PC, even though Microsoft is reportedly getting ready to take on Windows 8 bloat.

Signature Upgrades

To fight off bloatware, Microsoft plans to offer Windows 8 users its $99 Signature Upgrade service available at Microsoft Stores across the U.S., according to PCWorld’s sister site Computerworld. Signature upgrade is an extension of the Microsoft Store’s Signature PC program that offers Windows 7 PCs tweaked for speed and performance, and the devices come without any manufacturer bloatware. If you didn’t buy your PC from the Microsoft Store, all you have to do is walk into one of the software maker’s 22 retail locations in the U.S., plunk down a hundred bucks, and a day or two later your bloat-free PC is ready to go.

Microsoft says compared to a regular PC, a Signature PC can go to sleep 23.1 percent faster, starts-up 39.6 percent faster, and can resume 51.3 percent sooner.

Metro and Bloatware

To get onto your computer, most Metro apps have to be approved by Microsoft and then distributed through the Windows Store, similar to how you download apps for your iPhone, Android or Windows Phone device. But it’s not clear whether the Windows Store would curb or prohibit device makers from installing Metro-style bloatware before their PCs ship.

Metro and Peripherals

Even if Metro-style bloatware rears its ugly head, Microsoft is trying to keep peripherals from filling up your machine with unneeded junk. Microsoft is pushing makers of webcams, printers, cameras, and other devices to focus on supporting the Metro side of Windows 8 instead of the traditional desktop.

In Microsoft’s ideal scenario, you would connect your new Canon all-in-one printer to your PC and then Windows 8 would automatically download Canon’s supporting app from the Windows Store. Microsoft in September said it would limit hardware makers to offering just one Metro app per external device.

Of course, in an ideal world most of your peripherals wouldn’t bother with supporting apps at all. Do you really need that snazzy interface from Iomega to use your external hard drive? I didn’t think so. The good news is deleting a Metro-style app will be a fairly easy process, so if you don’t want an HP specially-designed printer interface, you can nuke it pretty quickly.

Windows 8 is expected to launch on new PCs around October 2012. A second consumer preview of the new OS is expected in the first week of June.

Source:http://www.pcworld.in/news/windows-8-microsoft-tries-rein-crapware-72082012

A Microsoft in-store program that scrubs “bloatware” from Windows PCs will also be offered when Windows 8 machines reach the market later this year, a company representative said Wednesday.

The service, which is offered only in Microsoft’s small chain of retail stores — it now has 21 operating or in the works — is dubbed “Signature Upgrade,” and costs $99.

“We take off all the bloatware on the PC,” said a Microsoft store employee Wednesday when asked about the service.

On Microsoft’s website, the company described the Signature Upgrade this way: “We’ll install everything you need and remove the things you don’t, for a faster, more efficient, and secure PC experience.”

A Signature Upgrade requires the Windows PC to be left at the store for 24 to 48 hours.

Signature Upgrade is an offshoot of the Signature line of Windows PCs that Microsoft sells in its retail outlets and online. Those hand-picked notebooks and desktops are optimized for performance, says the Redmond, Wash. company, with “no trialware and sample software that typically bogs down new PCs.”

The Signature systems are, however, pre-loaded with Microsoft’s own Security Essentials antivirus software, and several other programs from the now-defunct Windows Live brand.

Bloatware is another term for trialware; both refer to PC makers’ habit of loading crippled versions of commercial software on the hard drive in the hope that some will upgrade to for-a-fee editions. Computer makers are paid by trialware creators and receive a portion of the revenue from any user upgrades.

The retail stores, as well as Microsoft’s online storefront, sell dozens of different PCs that have been stripped of bloatware, including models from Acer, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba. All are, of course, equipped with Windows 7.

But the Signature deals — whether new PCs or the upgrade service for already-owned machines — will continue when Microsoft and OEMs ship Windows 8, the store representative said.

Windows 8 won’t solve the bloatware problem — Microsoft cannot control what OEMs put on their machines — but the Metro interface, which relies on the Windows Store for all app distribution, might curb some of the more aggressive practices.

Last fall, Microsoft told hardware makers that it would limit automatic Metro app installations to just one per external device.

The company has also added new tools to Windows 8, called Reset and Refresh, that will let users restore their PCs to an out-of-the-box state. Microsoft did not connect the new tools to bloatware removal when it announced them last January, but stressed the simplicity of a chore that previously took multiple steps and required manual reinstallation of the OS.

Microsoft has not announced a launch date for Windows 8, nor has it said when systems powered by the revamped operating system will reach retail, but most experts have pegged both events to the fourth quarter.

Windows 8 Release Candidate, a more polished version than the Consumer Preview of late February, is slated to debut the first week of June.

Source:http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9227212/Microsoft_anti_bloatware_service_to_apply_to_Windows_8_PCs_too?taxonomyId=85

Microsoft will charge users who buy a new Windows 7 PC $14.99 for an upgrade to Windows 8, according to a report.

The cost of the upgrade was revealed yesterday by Paul Thurrott, a popular blogger who writes SuperSite for Windows.

An earlier report by CNET had claimed that Microsoft would charge a fee for the upgrade, but had not spelled out the amount. CNET said that the program would kick off alongside the delivery of Windows 8 Release Preview.

Microsoft has said it will ship the preview the first week of June. If the company follows the same schedule it used in 2009 to deliver Windows 7’s release candidate, the most likely date is Tuesday, June 5.

Eligible customers must purchase a new Windows 7-powered PC between June 2012 and January 2013.

Unlike the past two upgrades — a 2006 program for Windows XP-to-Vista and the 2009 deal for Vista-to-Windows 7 — Microsoft will this time not upgrade users to the corresponding Windows 8 edition, but instead will provide everyone with Windows 8 Pro, the higher-end version of the two that will be widely available at retail, said both Thurrott and CNET.

The two previous upgrade plans offered the newer operating system for either no cost or for a small fee. Details varied, as computer makers fulfilled the offer, with some demanding small fees while others provided the upgrade free of charge.

Some OEMs had given customers free upgrades to earlier editions as well. In 1998, Gateway, for years a Dell rival in the direct sales market, offered free Windows 98 upgrades to people who bought a Windows 95 machine prior to the former’s release.

Although Microsoft has not divulged upgrade pricing for Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro, if it sticks to its current scheme, those versions will run customers $120 and $200, respectively. Microsoft’s $15 charge for the Windows 8 Pro upgrade would then represent a discount of nearly 93%.

Apple, which is also releasing a new operating system upgrade this year, has not announced an upgrade program. Last year it offered customers a free copy of OS X 10.7, or Lion, if they bought a Mac equipped with Snow Leopard.

Apple’s OS pricing, however, has been significantly lower than Microsoft’s of late: Upgrades to OS X 10.6, aka Snow Leopard, and Lion ran users $29 and $30, respectively.

Users ineligible for the low-cost Windows 8 upgrade may be able to score a copy at a substantial discount if Microsoft’s promise of “limited-time programs and promotions” results in a repeat of the aggressive deal the company ran for Windows 7 pre-sales.

In mid-2009, Microsoft sold Windows 7 upgrades for between 50% and 58% off the sticker price, then delivered those orders after the late-October launch of the OS.

Source:http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9227169/Microsoft_to_charge_15_for_Windows_8_upgrade_deal

For a long time, some Microsoft officials have privately griped that PC makers don’t present Windows in its best light. They clutter desktops with icons that are often little more than ads for third-party products; include confusing utilities that duplicate functions already in Windows; require lengthy setup; and configure PCs in ways that slow them down.

For the past few years, Microsoft has been offering streamlined versions of popular PC models that don’t have the extra software, utilities or settings that some consumers feel clutter their desktops. WSJ’s Walt Mossberg tests a couple of these “Signature” PCs.

One consequence, in the eyes of these Microsoft executives, is to confer an advantage on the company’s main operating-system rival, Apple AAPL -0.90% .

Now, Microsoft is doing something about the situation. In a program unknown to most computer users, the company has been using its small chain of retail stores and its online computer store to sell customized versions of popular PC models that have been streamlined for a cleaner look and better performance. It calls these machines “Signature” PCs. They retain the maker’s brand, but sport a special Signature desktop and configuration. And they cost about the same as the identical stock version of the machine sold elsewhere.

Microsoft also offers a program that, for $99, will turn users’ Windows 7 PCs into Signature versions, if the owner brings the computer into one of its 16 stores, due to grow to 21 outlets in coming months. All Signature computers come with 90 days of free phone support, as well as help at the stores’ “Answer Desks,” which are like the Genius Bars at Apple stores.

I’ve been testing three Signature models and comparing them with the same machines as sold elsewhere without the Signature modifications. I found the Signature versions much cleaner and easier to navigate and faster in a variety of tests.

Microsoft
A Folio 13 model PC desktop, as shipped by Hewlett-Packard, shows a cluster of thirdparty software icons.

I’d recommend that prospective Windows PC buyers who live near a Microsoft store, which are mostly in the West, or are willing to shop at the company’s online store, consider a Signature machine. Information on store locations, as well as a link to online PC shopping from Microsoft, is at microsoftstore.com. Information on Signature is at signature.microsoft.com.

Some important caveats are in order. The hardware makers presumably believe, and some consumers may well agree, that the extra software, utilities and settings, which Microsoft removes or buries, are beneficial. Some of these, like offers to join game or music services, may be viewed as welcome bonuses. Others, like customized networking utilities, or launchers for the PC makers’ own media software, may be viewed as better matched to the hardware, or superior to Microsoft’s approach, even though they duplicate Windows functions. Many can be turned off, or removed, by a user with sufficient skill and time.

Also, Microsoft loads Signature machines with its own add-on software, such as its free email, photo and video programs, its Zune music and video program, and a stripped-down “Starter” version of Microsoft Office, that includes only Word and Excel, plus ads, and an offer to buy the full version.

However, the company says the stores will remove any of these a customer doesn’t want and even help the customer install competing software, such as Google’s Chrome browser, or Apple’s iTunes for Windows.

Microsoft
The same PC as sold by Microsoft in its Signature Configuration.

At my request, Microsoft supplied me with before-and-after laptops from Hewlett-Packard, HPQ -2.46% Sony and Samsung 005930.SE -0.23% . Over the past few days, I’ve been comparing the stock and Signature versions, and testing how much time it takes to set them up, start them and restart them in daily use, resume them from sleep, and shut them down.

The Signature desktop, which is labeled “Microsoft Signature,” features a picture of a sunset over a lake as its wallpaper. It contains no icons other than the recycling bin. The Taskbar contains only icons for Internet Explorer, the Explorer file browser, and Microsoft’s free email, photo and moviemaking programs. The system tray, to the right of the Taskbar, contains only the bare minimum of items, such as the network and battery indicators.

Signature machines are also configured with battery, audio and touch-pad settings Microsoft considers optimal. The usual third-party security software—which is typically provided for only 30 to 90 days, makes you go through some setup, and nags you to subscribe—is replaced by Microsoft’s own Security Essentials program, which is free, required no registration or subscription and updates itself automatically.

By contrast, my test H-P Folio 13 had eight icons besides the recycling bin, including several that were come-ons for music and game services. It also featured several H-P utilities.

A Sony EH37FX included an app from Best Buy that launched every time the PC started (though you could turn this off). Both stock machines festooned the IE browser with two space-hogging toolbars, including one from Microsoft’s own Bing search service; the Signature machine had none.

The Digital Solution

Bing Goes Sleek And More Social
The Samsung Series 7 I tested came with 10 extra icons and a bunch of special utilities.

Signature isn’t the same on every machine. In most cases, it strips out some of the added software and utilities, and retains others, but hides them in a folder buried in the Start Menu. In some cases, however, where a utility is deemed essential for a computer’s particular hardware, it retains these.

Such decisions, and indeed all of the Signature settings, are controlled by a team of engineers housed in Microsoft’s retail division.

In my speed tests, Signature beat all the stock machines on all my trials, but the margins weren’t dramatic, usually from a few seconds to 25 seconds. On the H-P, the differences were especially minimal. Across all three machines, the biggest differences were the time it took to set the PC up out of the box and the time it took to shut down the PC.

One Microsoft official told me that Signature represents “Microsoft’s perspective on Windows,” rather than that of the hardware maker.

In my opinion, although it may generally benefit Microsoft at the expense of the hardware maker, it also makes for a better experience for the user.

Source:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304371504577406242849753100.html

Microsoft today declined to comment when asked whether it believed it’s required to offer a ballot screen in Windows 8 to European users for selecting rival browsers in the new operating system’s desktop mode.

In late 2009, Microsoft struck a deal with European Union (EU) antitrust regulators that required the company to display a screen in Windows providing download links to other browsers, including Mozilla’s Firefox, Google’s Chrome and Opera Software’s Opera.

The settlement specifically called out future editions of Windows.

“For Windows Client PC Operating Systems after Windows 7, the Choice Screen update will first be made available at the general commercial release date of such an operating system and remain in place for distribution … for the entire duration of these Commitments,” the document stated.

According to the final agreement (download PDF), the deal has a five-year lifespan — meaning it will expire in late 2014 — and broadly defined “Windows” and “Internet Explorer” to include “successors” of the then-current Windows 7 and IE8.

Microsoft and EU regulators came to agreement on browser choice after a two-year investigation by the latter, who filed a formal “statement of objections” to Microsoft’s practice of bundling Internet Explorer (IE) in January 2009. The EU inquiry was prompted by a 2007 complaint submitted by Norwegian browser maker Opera Software.

Microsoft agreed to provide a way to disable IE and to show a ballot screen to users who had not changed the default browser.

Windows has always shipped with IE as the default browser, a practice Microsoft continued with Windows 8 Consumer Preview, the early build it launched in February.

Although Windows 8 features a new “Metro” mode for smaller-scale, touch-based apps, it also boasts a traditional “desktop” environment where existing x86/64 applications — those which now run in Windows 7, for example — operate. Current browsers, such as Firefox, Chrome and Opera will be able to run in the desktop mode, even if they’re not recast to include a Metro front end.

If implemented in Windows 8’s desktop, the ballot screen would presumably feature the same set of rival browsers as is now offered to Windows 7 customers in the European Union and several other countries.

Microsoft declined to comment on its interpretation of the ballot screen requirement regarding Windows 8 and its desktop.

The EU’s Competition Commission — the body’s antitrust agency — was not available for comment Monday.

Browser rival Opera also declined to comment; Google and Mozilla did not immediately reply to requests for their stance on the ballot screen in Windows 8.

The question of the ballot screen’s applicability to Windows 8 was first raised last week by Mozilla when its chief counsel, Harvey Anderson, blasted Microsoft for blocking access to Win32 APIs in Windows RT, the edition that will power devices with ARM-licensed processors.

At the time, Anderson argued that Windows RT — while a separate version from Windows 8, it shares considerable code with its sibling — may also be bound by Microsoft’s settlement with the EU.

“If Windows on ARM is simply another version of Windows on new hardware, it also runs afoul of the EC browser choice commitments,” Anderson wrote in a May 9 blog post.

The Microsoft-EU settlement provides an enforcement clause that allows the latter to reopen the case or levy substantial fines if it believes the former is in violation of the agreement.

Source:http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9227148/EU_Microsoft_browser_deal_requires_ballot_screen_in_Windows_8

Microsoft’s Surface is great, but it also costs $8,000. Want to get your hands on a large multitouch desk for less? Well, you can. Hackers have been hacking them together for years.

But if you don’t want to deal with the incomplete instructions, limited support and general lack of quality that comes from doing a complex hardware and software project alone, you need to support this Kickstarter.

Called the Playsurface, this multitouch desk relies on a combination or IR LEDs, a projector, and a webcam to implement compelling touch technology. Because all the electronics are away from the glass top, it can take quite a beating. And because of how the technology works, you can actually track more fingers than you can with most tablets. The Playsurface is meant to be multiplayer.

The table works like this: A projector is mounted at the bottom of the desk/coffee table. A mirror bounces the image at a right angle upwards and on to the bottom of the translucent tabletop. A webcam looks at the mirror also, since webcams are able to perceive a bit of infrared light. A series or infrared LEDs are mounted facing the tabletop. When your finger touches the top, it creates a hotspot of IR light bouncing off your finger. the webcam picks this up and creates a touch event there. Presto, you have a multitouch table.

The Playsurface does integrate one major innovation into their design: the processing of the webcam footage is handled by a dedicated board that then feeds the touch points to the main computer. This means that you won’t be sacrificing much of your machine’s processing power towards figuring out where the touch events were, meaning less lag and better performance overall.

The project still very much needs your help. They are aiming for $40,000 to finish developing the project, but right now they have a mere $4,782. Ordering a complete Playsurface is expensive–without the projector, you can get one otherwise complete for $650–but it is quite the piece to have in your home. So if you’ve ever been fascinated by multitouch, consider giving to the project today.

Source:http://www.fellowgeek.com/a-Kickstart-this-Multitouch-Desk-Computer-ix2072.html

Microsoft does not make its own hardware products, except, of course, in the rare cases when it does, like the Xbox videogame console, the Zune music player and computer mice. In the PC and phone markets, though, Microsoft has been extraordinarily careful to say it wants to create only the software that powers those devices, leaving the hardware to outside partners.

But the company’s decision to invest in the Nook e-book business of the struggling retailer Barnes & Noble offers some tantalizing clues that Microsoft may be rethinking its position on hardware.

First, there is the Microsoft investment itself in the new Barnes & Noble e-book subsidiary: $300 million for a 17.6 percent stake, plus an additional $305 million in payments over five years. There is speculation that Barnes & Noble, as a result of this investment, will create new Nook devices that are based on Windows 8, a coming operating system designed for devices with touch-sensitive screens.

Neither party is confirming those plans. If a Windows-based Nook does come to pass, it will put Microsoft in a delicate position with all the other companies making Windows 8 devices who have not been blessed with a Microsoft investment. Will Microsoft favor Windows Nook devices in some way because of its investment, perhaps by getting more deeply involved in the integration of hardware, software and services?

James McQuivey, an analyst at Forrester Research, said Microsoft needs to avoid showing favoritism toward any one hardware partner or the rest of them “will revolt.” There are plenty of people who think Microsoft, like Apple, should consider making its own hardware to have more control over the total package that consumers buy.

But if a Windows Nook device comes out of the partnership, Mr. McQuivey points out that Microsoft still would not be making the Nook itself. Barnes & Noble designs but does not technically make the Nook, either, outsourcing its manufacturing to Foxconn, just as Apple does with the iPhone and iPad.

The details of the deal, though, suggest that Microsoft is contemplating the possibility of going further and creating its own e-book reader. Deep within a filing Barnes & Noble made on Monday with securities regulators is a section titled “Microsoft Reader.”

The section says Microsoft has the option to include in any reader it chooses to make an online store run by the new Barnes & Noble e-book subsidiary — known, for now, as NewCo until the parties figure out something better to call it. “If Microsoft creates a reader, Microsoft may include an interface to the NewCo Store in that reader and may surface in that reader all Content purchased by customers from the NewCo Store,” the filing states.

The rest of the filing doesn’t say whether this reader would be a Microsoft device or reader software that runs on another company’s device. I’ve asked Microsoft to clarify what its plans are and will update this post with a comment from the company if it chooses to do so.

Source:http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/01/with-nook-deal-a-hint-of-microsoft-hardware/

Microsoft is counting on friends to make it a hit later this year when it crashes a tablet computer party at which Apple has been the star ever since the launch of the iPad.
The US software colossus turned a draining patent lawsuit with Barnes & Noble into a mutually beneficial alliance that could make Nook digital books a cornerstone of a content “ecosystem” vital to selling Windows 8 tablets.
Microsoft said Monday that it will make a $300 million investment in a new Barnes & Noble subsidiary focusing on the bookseller’s digital reading capabilities, including its Nook tablet, and its college businesses.
“It is not a surprise they are making this kind of investment,” said Gartner Research analyst Michael Gartenberg.
“Barnes & Noble is probably the best partner for them, and it insures Windows has a book and magazine service as part of its overall ecosystem.”
Tablets powered by Windows 8 software are expected by the end of this year.
Amazon.com Kindles based on free Google-backed Android operating systems and Apple iPads have proven that while buyers like slick hardware, they love devouring videos, music, applications, digital books and other “content.”
“Sometimes we focus too much on the technology,” said Michael Cherry, an analyst at Directions On Microsoft, an independent firm that tracks the Redmond, Washington-based technology firm.
“The success of tablets isn’t going to be because it is running Windows, but because it has the apps people want and a price people want to pay for that kind of device,” he continued.
Cherry is certain Microsoft will make more alliances to cultivate a rich ecosystem for Windows tablets.
“This is just the beginning; there will be more deals,” the analyst said. “When you are late to the party you often have to encourage partners to work on the platform.”
Ironically, Microsoft launched tablet software a decade ago only to see it fail because publishers and readers weren’t ready for it, according to analysts.
“Sometimes Microsoft is too early to the party,” Cherry said. “Timing is everything.”
Windows-based tablets boasting features such as removable keyboards for typing and styluses for touch-screen commands were released in 2002 but didn’t catch on.
“Once again Microsoft led but let someone else take it away from them,” Gartenberg said. “Microsoft is often early to the party, has the vision but not the wherewithal to stick with it.”
Microsoft typically avoids making its own hardware, preferring to provide software to gadget makers. Microsoft device flops include Zune players launched to challenge on iPods and Kin smartphones geared for the young.
In contrast, Xbox videogame consoles Microsoft fielded to take on Sony PlayStation systems have become a big winner.
“Microsoft has a tendency to get the product right but to be stingy so you have the Windows phone failure, Zune failure, Kin failure…,” said independent analyst Rob Enderle of Silicon Valley.
“They invested heavily in Xbox, and it succeeded.”
The timing of Microsoft’s return to the tablet party is a non-issue since rivals have been unable to overthrow iPad, according to NPD analyst Stephen Baker.
“This is about Microsoft building up an ecosystem more than anything else,” Baker said. “This is more Microsoft trying to bring some allies into the battle.”
The digital textbook market was deemed by analysts a shrewd place to start because it has yet to be claimed and premium prices charged by Apple for its slick iPads can be daunting to schools and students.
Meanwhile, textbooks are among the strengths of Barnes & Noble and Microsoft computers have “deep hooks” in education, Enderle said.
“Where neither one separately is well positioned, together they would be better positioned than Apple is,” Enderle said. “This gets Nook, Microsoft and Barnes & Noble back in the game.”
The alliance also means that Microsoft should be able to create a digital books and magazine library that spans the array of gadgets or computers powered by Windows software.
“Apple and Amazon will both see this as a potential threat and more against that threat,” Enderle said.
“The clock is ticking. Even though Microsoft has advantages, it doesn’t have a lot of time to deliver something to market.”

Source:http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jx43rUXUE8AYmdYT6Kd-w0P7qWng?docId=CNG.f2454d60341a4555044386a9dbb91d7b.301

Microsoft has been making hardware for a long time. That’s right — the company best known for its world-dominating operating system, Windows, has been spitting out gadgets for 30 years.

And while they haven’t always been pretty, some of these devices have become industry, business and household staples.

During my recent trip to Microsoft’s sprawling Redmond campus, I was led into a room that one might call the hardware vault. This relatively small conference room did not include every piece of hardware Microsoft has ever made, but it did offer an impressive collection and glimpses of more than a few classics.

There were many mice — who does not remember their first Microsoft Mouse? — some early ones, some new. Keyboards? Yes, a ton them. Here and there, I also spotted a bunch of yellowing, older gear and a few things I’ve never seen before.

Noticeably absent was some of Microsoft’s successful hardware: the Xbox (any generation) and the new Kinect. Also missing: Microsoft’s misguided forays into sound cards and routers. Fortunately, I can still close my eyes and see them.

Microsoft is quite proud of its hardware history and some of its latest innovations. In recent years, it’s done some impressive stuff with mice. The latest Explorers offer haptic feedback and, with new Windows 8 drivers, will allow you to scroll horizontally (if you’ve seen the new Metro interface, this actually makes a lot of sense).

Microsoft Senior Manager Ben Reed told me that as the world moved to mobile computing (laptops now outsell desktops), a person’s mouse has become “a vehicle of self-expression.” To wit, Reed proudly showed off a collection of designer Wireless Mobile Mice Microsoft commissioned last year and some of the latest designs they just introduce in March. The limited-edition mice are only on sale for six months.

As he spoke he used what I consider the best Microsoft mouse ever made, the new wireless ArcTouch mouse. It’s a device that literally changes shape to fit the curve of your hand.

To commemorate 30 years of hardware, Microsoft took 30 of those mice and had them hand-painted and then numbered. So now they’re unique, not for sale and, yes, Mashable has one of them.

Check out some of the classic hardware and Microsoft’s new gear in the gallery, and don’t miss the 30th Anniversary Mouse. Later this week, we’ll tell you how you can win it.

Source:http://mashable.com/2012/04/27/microsoft-hardware-surprises/

Microsoft Hardware has been around a really long time making everything from keyboards to mice to gaming joysticks. Some of these products are designed for performance, while some others for aesthetics and ergonomics. They launched their new Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000 only a short while back and we decided we’d give the new product a go. Designed for a different kind of user – it’s a more functional device, made for those who use mobile devices such as tablets, notebooks and phones. On-screen keyboards can only offer so much and it makes sense to use a physical keyboard if you want to be more productive. An on-screen keyboard also uses a lot of screen space, with very little left for the application itself. It’s times like these that a physical keyboard comes handy.

Source:http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/technology/microsoft-bluetooth-mobile-keyboard-5000-review_695204.html

“Pretty good quarter. It highlights the strength of the core business — all the enterprise-focused businesses, like Office, server and tools and Windows.

“When Gartner and IDC announced their numbers, there was a general sense that there might be a slight pickup in PC sales. Clearly there’s still a business PC refresh that’s ongoing. Plus, a recovering consumer PC.

“PCs are fairly affordable and if you go over to emerging markets, a tablets isn’t the first device people buy.

“There was weakness in entertainment and devices. If that were to have come in inline, it would have been a pretty nice beat. In general, we did know that the hardware and software markets for gaming were somewhat slow.

“There’s a line in there about op ex for FY 13, which is above what I was looking for, so maybe more insight into that” on the analysts’ conference call.

BRENDAN BARNICLE, ANALYST, PACIFIC CREST SECURITIES

“It looks good. Particularly good was the Windows business, which grew about 4 percent, more than PC industry growth. In the last few quarters, Windows has been growing less than PCs overall.

“It’s not clear yet what drove this change, but it could be that the negative impact on PCs from tablets has peaked. The Office business was particularly strong too, which is encouraging.”

KIM FORREST, ANALYST, FORT PITT CAPITAL GROUP

“I am liking what I’m seeing with respect to the business-oriented software. Server and tools looked especially strong. And I’ll damn the online services with the faint praise that they only lost half as much as they did last year. At least the loss seems to be coming down.

“There has to be something going on with entertainment and devices in this quarter, because it looks like they turned a gain into a loss. They should address that on the call. I don’t think we expected entertainment and devices to be strong this quarter, but the loss needs to be explained.

“Next year at this time we should be talking about Windows 8 mobile and how it’s contributing or not to the company. But we really need Windows 8 to come out on all devices, to see if it’s going to have that synergy or not.”

JOSH OLSON, ANALYST, EDWARD JONES

“The Windows beat was a positive surprise. Looking at about 4 percent growth, versus expectations for about a 4 percent decline.

“We also had solid business and server performance as well. The big three if you will, in terms of the revenue drivers, were all a little bit better than expected, with Windows a lot better than expected.

“Perhaps the demise of the PC is not as great as everyone is anticipating here. It looks like the PC is showing a little resiliency. We’ll just have to wait and see how this plays out. This is one datapoint.

“Obviously smartphones and tablets are certainly fast growing and important markets. So it’s not as if we can ignore that. But this does kind of give us pause and makes us reconsider this PC market.”

Source:http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/19/us-microsoft-view-idUSBRE83I1EV20120419

Microsoft is boosting the virtualization components of its Desktop Optimization Pack suite of IT management tools.

MDOP, as the suite is known, is gaining a new desktop virtualization tool, while an existing one is getting upgraded, Microsoft plans to announce on Wednesday.

The new product, called User Experience Virtualization (UE-V), is designed to establish user preferences and settings in a central server location and have those settings and preferences automatically applied to the multiple devices a user employs, so that applications don’t need to be reconfigured manually in each one.

The goal is for UE-V to deliver a personal, consistent Windows experience across devices, said Karri Alexion-Tiernan, Windows product marketing director. UE-V works with Windows 7 and will work with Windows 8, which is now in beta testing.

Meanwhile, the upgraded product, App-V, which lets IT departments store applications in a central server and stream them on demand to multiple user devices, features in this latest 5.0 version what Alexion-Tiernan describes as a “deeper platform integration,” which lets the virtualized applications perform more like traditionally installed applications.

App-V 5.0 also comes with a new Web-based management interface, so that IT administrators can perform management tasks via a browser, as opposed to being limited to the machine where the management console is installed. Like UE-V, App-V 5.0 will work on Windows 7 and Windows 8 machines.

Both UE-V and App-V will be available for beta testing on Wednesday. Once they exit the beta stage, they will be added to the MDOP suite at no extra cost to existing customers. MDOP is available only as an add-on option to the Software Assurance volume licensing program subscribers. Almost 40 million licenses of MDOP have been sold so far.

In addition, Microsoft has decided to phase out an MDOP component called Asset Inventory Service (AIS), which will be discontinued as of April 3, 2013. AIS gives IT staffers a snapshot of their organization’s desktop software and hardware products. A similar function is performed by Microsoft’s Intune PC management and security tool.

The other components of the MDOP suite are Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V), Microsoft Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM), Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) and Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM).

Source:http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9225836/Microsoft_boosts_virtualization_capabilities_in_Desktop_Optimization_Pack

Massive Internet companies like Google, Microsoft, and Facebook would seemingly consume networking gear like breath mints. These companies are some of the biggest online, and as they grow, they would need a never-ending stream of new servers and networking gear to maintain the speed and efficiency of their networks. You might expect these companies purchase their gear from big names like Cisco or HP.

In years past, that would be true for the most part. I’m sure today some of the needed hardware still comes from those big companies on occasion, but apparently more and more of it is being purchased directly from China and Taiwan. The reason the Internet giants are moving from US-based companies to buy directly from China or Taiwan is money. There are huge savings to be had from buying directly from China and Taiwan in bulk. Google in particular, is known to create its own networking gear in cooperation with ODMs in Asia. More and more companies operating large networks are expected to go directly to Asia in the future bypassing major US and foreign networking companies.

The man helping these companies to go direct to Asia for purchases is J. R. Rivers, a former Google engineer. Apparently, the move away from US network equipment providers is going pretty much unknown by many. The reason is that some of the giant Internet companies consider their networking hardware procurement a competitive advantage. I have to wonder with all the worry about the security of domestic networks using Chinese made hardware if some of the Asian procurement might change in the future. Some governments have banned Chinese companies from bidding on network-related work due to concerns over hacks originating in China.

Source:http://www.slashgear.com/google-microsoft-and-others-buy-networking-gear-directly-from-asia-02221028/

Microsoft is offering free tests of online backup for Windows Server 8 via its Azure cloud storage service, which could be a convenient way to protect data without having to spend a lot of time designing and cash outlay deploying private backup.

Microsoft Online Backup Service is open to beta testers willing to give the company feedback and to accept that they only get 10GB of space.

They can access the cloud storage by installing an Online Backup Agent on Windows Server 8 and downloading backed up data to any server they choose.

Uploaded data is compressed and encrypted, with only those data blocks that have changed being sent in order to reduce time and bandwidth. The software runs data integrity checks for corrupted data and any problems are fixed during the next upload, according to a Microsoft Windows Server blog post about the program.

The online backup server only supports Windows Server 8, the post says.

Wanted: Windows 8 developers
Microsoft has kicked off its nationwide series of one-day camps to train developers in how to create eye-popping Metro-style apps to populate its Windows Store.

The apps could also be crafted for deployment privately, but the point of the instruction is to encourage developers to incorporate key features of Windows 8 into their designs. For example the system search charm — an icon that accesses system controls — can be incorporated so that when users are within an application, they access the same charm in the same place to search within the application. The idea is to give users a sense of comfort about how things work in Windows 8, even if they switch from application to application.

Those attending the workshops should be familiar with HTML5/JavaScript, XAML/C# and C/C++. And they should bring their own laptops for one-on-one coaching with their particular application.

Problems with Windows 8 drivers?
Having trouble testing devices with Windows 8? There’s free software (at least before July) that can help out. PC Driver Headquarters Inc. has released a version of its Driver Detective software for all the Windows 8 versions that have been released so far. The driver software is itself a beta.

The idea behind it is making it simpler to test devices on Windows 8 PCs by reducing manual hunting down of the necessary drivers, the company says in a press release. Because the drivers are automatically provisioned, the time it takes to set up tests is reduced.

How many versions of Windows 8 will there be?
This is a topic of great interest, judging from the amount of speculation based on a dearth of hard information.

Many bloggers point back to www.winunleaked.tk as the source for belief that a version formerly called Windows 8 Pro will be known as Windows Pro Pack, although it’s not clear whether that is a name change or a different version.

This is based on screen shots of versions of Windows 8 that has gotten its hands on. The latest post says this about possible country-specific versions, particularly one for China that may be priced cheaply to discourage pirating. Here’s part of that post (it’s a Vietnam website, so the English is a little funky):

“I’ll show now, one called « CoreCountrySpecific », branded in Windows 8 as « Windows 8 for China », therefore Microsoft may work on a cheap version of Windows 8 to prevent future counterfeit copies.

“It can be installed only with Chinese ISO, with English one, you get a BSOD related to « bad MUI ».”

Why Windows 8 Consumer Preview touch can stink
Many people who have tried out Windows 8 on devices that support touchscreen have been disappointed by its balkiness and seeming insensitivity to finger swipes.

Microsoft addressed the issue this week in a blog post that states pretty clearly that Windows 8 touch has been written for machines built to Windows 8 specifications — something that most users aren’t likely to have kicking around.

Microsoft’s primary goal is making the actual commercial version of Windows 8 perform spectacularly when it’s released later this year, so bending over backward to have it perform as well on Windows 7 machines that are available now just didn’t make sense, they say in the blog.

Design goals for the touch capabilities includes responsiveness to the touch vocabulary without eating up too much screen real estate that is better occupied by the application user interface. The inevitable result was that the Windows 8 Consumer Preview may be disappointing to those who use the hardware that’s available to them.

Since Microsoft has a version of Windows 8 called Windows on ARM (WOA) that is fused to its hardware and has restrictions on what software is authorized to run on it, expectations are that they will support the optimal touch experience. If the company succeeds in this, it will be a pleasant surprise to those who are unsatisfied with it now.

The Windows 8 Release Candidate — the next major step on the road to the final version — is due out by the end of May. Or perhaps in April. Or June.

The fact is there are so many rumors and so much speculation based on shreds of what is generously called evidence that it’s anybody’s guess when it will happen. Microsoft isn’t saying.

It’s so uncertain that perhaps it would make a good topic for the next office pool once March Madness is over.

if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Microsoft should be pretty pleased with the user interface that Samsung is showing with its Galaxy Tab 10.1, as noted by The Verge.

Although the tablet is based on Android and must be seen as a competitor to the as-yet-unavailable Windows 8 tablets, the interface could work to Microsoft’s advantage. If users get familiar with Metro and decide they like it once they get used to it, they may come looking for the Windows devices that inspired the look and feel.

Microsoft’s Windows Phone Challenge grabbed a lot of attention for the wrong reason, at least from Microsoft’s perspective.

The challenge — to call up an app faster on a non-Windows smartphone than a Microsoft employee could on a Windows Phone — was accepted by a man in California, and it looked like he had won.

But the manager of the Microsoft Store in Santa Clara said he hadn’t won, and the reason wasn’t clear to the challenger, Sahas Katta, who blogged about the experience.

Other outlets picked up the story and within days, Microsoft had relented and given him the prize — a laptop and a Windows Phone. He says he’ll auction both and give the proceeds to charity.

Source:http://www.cio.in/news/windows-8-update-back-windows-server-8-cloud-244922012