microsoft

Microsoft may open retail stores in U.K. next year, says report

Microsoft may be opening its first European retail shops in the U.K. next year.

The folks in Redmond have been talking to property landlords in the U.K., a person familiar with the talks told the Financial Times. Microsoft reportedly expressed confidence that it will open the first outlets next year, the source said. But a final decision will be based on the performance of its U.S. stores.

This latest tidbit follows a report this past June from The Verge, saying that Microsoft would open a U.K. store next March. The company officially incorporated itself in the … Read more

A Black Friday tale of two stores: Apple vs. Microsoft

The Apple store in the Mall of America in Minneapolis had a better Black Friday than a Microsoft outlet across the hall.

On Black Friday, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster camped outside of the Apple Store in the Mall of America to analyze foot traffic and product purchases. He also stationed a team outside the Microsoft Store across the way to see how things went for the software giant. During the two hours he and his team evaluated the stores, Microsoft's outlet had 47 percent less traffic than Apple's.

Munster provided his findings to Fortune, which was first … Read more

Xbox set-top device reportedly coming next year

Microsoft is readying an Xbox set-top box focused on casual gaming and streaming video, The Verge reported today.

According to the report, several sources told The Verge that Microsoft is planning on releasing the new device next year as an inexpensive alternative to its longstanding hit console, the Xbox 360. The set-top box is expected to offer the ability to play casual games and stream videos, and would be sold alongside the existing Xbox.

"The device will run on the core components of Windows 8 and support casual gaming titles rather than full Xbox games typically found on a … Read more

Why Jakob Nielsen's Windows 8 critique is old-school thinking

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was once asked what market research went into the creation of the iPad.

"None," Jobs replied, in one of his most celebrated quotes. "It's not the consumers' job to know what they want."

I was reminded of that when I read usability guru Jakob Nielsen's recent criticism of Windows 8. Having studied "12 experienced PC users" fiddling with the new operating system on both PCs and Microsoft's new Surface tablet, Nielsen found the usability "disappointing."

There is a litany of concerns, but the biggest seems … Read more

Microsoft, Motorola finish arguments in patent trial

Oral arguments in the patent trial between Microsoft and Motorola Mobility wrapped up today, with perhaps billions of dollars in patent royalties at stake.

The case, which centers how much the software giant should pay the wireless technology company to use its patents, concluded after six days of testimony. U.S. District Judge James Robart has set a deadline of December 14 for both sides to deliver their closing arguments in the form of post-trial briefs. Robart is expected to render his decision in the spring of 2013.

Motorola holds patents that are part of the H.264 video and … Read more

Reed Hastings says Microsoft's real test is Windows 8

Windows 8 is a much higher priority for Microsoft than the Surface v. iPad battle, according to Reed Hastings.

Hastings, CEO of video-rental service Netflix, was on Microsoft's board until stepping down last month. In a meeting with Dow Jones reporters, Hastings reflected on the challenges facing Microsoft.

"They got a better set of competitors than they've ever had, in Google and Apple, on different sides," said during the meeting according to All Things Digital, which is owned by Dow Jones. "So they've got some big, interesting competitive battles... I use the Surface. It'… Read more

Microsoft reveals early mockups of Windows 8 UI from 2010

Windows 8 mockups from two years ago show more or less the same interface found in the OS today.

The mockups from 2010 were revealed in a keynote demonstration given by Jensen Harris, a director of program management for Microsoft's Windows User Experience Team. Dubbed "The Story of Windows 8," the demo was given during a UX Week conference held by design firm Adaptive Path.

As displayed by blog site iStartedSomething.com, images of the mockups show that Microsoft certainly tweaked some of the look and feel of Windows 8. But the overall design of the OS … Read more

Analysts turn negative on Windows 8 prospects

Windows 8 got pummeled today by analysts, who cited it as a major factor in tepid PC growth.

The launch of a new Microsoft operating system rarely, if ever, goes smoothly. But Windows 8 is having an especially bumpy takeoff.

The first reason Deutsche Bank listed today for cutting its PC estimates this quarter was a "lackluster initial uptake of Windows 8," in a research note from analyst Chris Whitmore.

After citing the impact of amorphous factors like "macro weakness" and the "fiscal cliff," Whitmore continues.

As in past cycles we expect the introduction … Read more

Microsoft speaks poop to power

The more data centers are built, the more power is consumed.

The more power is consumed, the more people rely on that power.

The more we rely on the grid, the more chance there is, perhaps, that something will go wrong.

The more we become reliant on the cloud, such a calamity will annoy more people who are desperate to, um, watch Netflix or stare at Instagram.

Microsoft doesn't want to risk taking any verbal dung from you on such matters, so it announced today that it is building a data center powered by, well, waste matter.

Yes, your Microsoft cloud uploads could soon be powered by your own personal downloads. … Read more

Internal Microsoft video shows testers trashing the Kin

Wired got ahold of three frank videos from 2009 in which several people testing pre-release versions of the Microsoft Kin smartphone savaged its performance. In the annals of tech flops, the Kin occupies special mention as Microsoft killed the product line a couple of months following its debut.

Discussing the scrolling performance of the handset, for example, one tester complained of the unit's slow speed. "You just sit there and wait for the camera, phone -- whatever the hell this thing is...It is a little annoying." Another adds that "it's frustrating. I can imagine … Read more