Windows

NEC has apparently jumped the gun, releasing the full specs of a laptop based on Intel's 4th Generation Core processor, aka, Haswell.

That processor, along with a crush of new systems, is slated for rollout on June 3 at Computex in Taiwan.

But NEC is talking specs already in Japan.

In addition to the Haswell chip (about which NEC provided little additional data), the LaVie L will sport a 15.6-inch IPS touch screen (1,920x1,080 resolution), 8GB of memory, 1TB hard drive with a 32GB solid-state drive cache, Windows 8, and Microsoft Office Home and Business.

The … Read more

Microsoft's Skype unit made available for download on Monday Skype updates for Windows Phone 8 and Windows desktop.

Skype 2.6 for Windows Phone 8, which the team calls a "minor" update, is available for download from the Windows Phone Store. The 2.6 update includes improvements around the reliability of chat and call notifications, of calls to phone numbers, and resolution to "occasional missing message preview in the recent conversations list," according to the Skype site.

The Skype team also provided information about some upcoming fixes and updates for still-unresolved problems with Skype on Windows Phone 8. … Read more

Nokia is shining a light on the camera and flash of a new Lumia smartphone.

A video posted on YouTube today takes us on a tour of the phone from the camera to the lens to the flash, promising "more than your eyes can see" and telling us that "the new Nokia Lumia is coming."

So, just which model Lumia is coming?

Nokia will hold an event in London tomorrow in which it will likely pull back the curtains on its latest Lumia phone. The company has been playing up its Lumia 928 in a series … Read more

Microsoft appreciates the feedback on Windows 8. Up to a point.

"There is a trend to the extreme," Frank X. Shaw, corporate vice president of corporate communications at Microsoft, wrote on The Official Microsoft Blog on Friday, addressing some of the harsher attacks.

Here's a fuller quote:

In this world where everyone is a publisher, there is a trend to the extreme -- where those who want to stand out opt for sensationalism and hyperbole over nuanced analysis. In this world where page views are currency, heat is often more valued than light. Stark black-and-white caricatures are … Read more

There was a time when the only way you could share files between your Android device and a Windows computer was by using a USB cable. These days, there are wireless options available that make it easier to share files. One such option is ES File Explorer, a powerful Android file manager. ES File Explorer helps you manage the files on your local Android device. Starting with version 3, however, LAN support was added to make it possible to share files with a Windows PC over Wi-Fi. To share files between your Android device and a Windows PC using ES … Read more

Microsoft on Friday said users shouldn't expect a version of Apple's iTunes that's been specialized for Windows 8's new Metro interface "anytime soon." Though if you've been paying attention to the battle between the two companies, it should come as no surprise that Apple's dragging its feet.

iTunes is an immensely popular piece of software on the PC, and has been since Apple ported it over from the Mac in 2003. There were always two key reasons for that: one was selling content from the iTunes Store, and the other was providing … Read more

When Verizon Wireless and HTC wanted to promote the launch of their last holiday flagship phone, the Droid DNA, they held a big, splashy event in Manhattan.

For the debut of the Nokia Lumia 928 on Friday, Verizon fired off a tweet.

The distinct lack of fanfare today is a subtle indication of where Verizon thinks the Lumia 928 belongs in its lineup. While Nokia calls it its flagship phone for Verizon, Verizon certainly doesn't think the Lumia 928 is its flagship phone.

Nokia finally getting its higher-end phone at Verizon is a victory for the Finnish handset vendor … Read more

Microsoft Windows 8 users will likely get access to all the most popular apps in Apple's iTunes store. But it's doubtful they'll get iTunes anytime soon, according to a recent interview a Microsoft exec gave to CNN Money.

Tami Reller, chief financial officer of Microsoft's Windows division, said that by the holiday season the Microsoft will support the most popular apps in Apple's App Store in its own app store. Microsoft now has more than 60,000 apps available, and users have downloaded about 250 million of them.

But the one app that is likely … Read more

If you're itching to snap up a budget Nokia Lumia 521, head over to Walmart on May 11 and buy it for $130, its full retail price.

If you aren't in a rush, the Windows Phone 8 handset also goes on sale May 22 at T-Mobile stores, Microsoft retail stores, and T-Mobile's Web site for $150.

However, if you don't want to fork over the full sum at once, you can also buy the budget smartphone for $30 down and pay $5 installments every month for the next two years. Either way you look at it, … Read more