Redmond roundup: Company files EU response
Also: Microsoft rehires Cyrus Krohn, a former "Softie" who had been with Yahoo and the Republican National Committee. And it's talking Tellme for Windows Mobile.
Microsoft met a deadline this week to respond to European Commission charges that its inclusion of a browser in Windows violates antitrust laws there.
In January, the European authorities filed a new complaint with a preliminary finding that Microsoft had broken the law by bundling a browser into Windows.
Microsoft's response was not made public and the company did not offer a comment, but it's fair to say the company disagrees with the finding.
The stakes are high. In addition to potential fines, Microsoft has noted in regulatory filings that European authorities may seek to force Microsoft to include rival browsers with Windows as well as forcing the company to disable parts of Internet Explorer for users who select a different browser.
In other Microsoft news, the company has hired Cyrus Krohn as director of online services programming, a new position reporting to MSN executive producer Scott Moore. He will start on May 4, Microsoft said.
Most recently, Krohn served as director of the eCampaign division for the Republican National Committee and was at Yahoo from 2005 to 2007. Krohn also worked at Microsoft from 1996 to 2005 in various capacities, including as publisher of the online magazine Slate.
Meanwhile, as
The software is available now for phone makers to start including in their devices and will be available this fall for consumers to download.