Archive for the 'Microsoft' Tag
November 12th, 2009, 1:40 pm by Jayson Peters
Gamers by the millions turned out this week to trade their shiny gold rocks for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in what The Associated Press is calling the biggest-selling launch in the history of entertainment. Activision stock rose Thursday morning on this enthusiasm. And a reported million or so gamers remain banned from Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE service for modifying their hardware to play illegally copied software.
Microsoft told BBC News today that the banning is permanent, and that affected users will have to buy a new Xbox 360 console to recover their profiles and resume Xbox LIVE membership.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in: Business • Gaming • Nerd rage • Piracy • Xbox 360 • Activision • Microsoft • MW2 • Xbox LIVE | Post a Comment »
October 23rd, 2009, 3:48 pm by Jayson Peters
 (Paul Connors, AP) Yesterday’s grand opening of Microsoft’s first retail store at Scottsdale Fashion Square, and the accompanying release of the new operating system Windows 7 — generated a lot of media buzz. And, I’m afraid, some media bias.
I considered joining the hundreds of people who waited in line, some as long as 12 hours, to get their first look at the software giant’s first retail operation.
Then I realized that would mean standing in line with hundreds of people. Or at least dealing with corporate PR types on their Big Day.
But lo and behold, I found a way to blog about it anyway.
On the drive home Thursday, listening to National Public Radio’s All Things Considered like the loyal liberal media elite-type that I am, I was surprised at just how harshly host Melissa Block was grilling Microsoft representative Mika Krammer. Today I was wondering whether I imagined it, so I asked some colleagues. One of them had heard the same report and was also left with the impression that it went too far. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in: Apple • Business • Scottsdale • Technology • Xbox 360 • Media • Microsoft | Post a Comment »
August 27th, 2009, 8:38 am by Jayson Peters
 Last week Sony cut the price of its 80GB PlayStation 3 console by $100 and announced a slimline 120GB version will debut next month at the same price point, $299.
Not to be outdone, Microsoft will lower the price of its Xbox 360 Elite from $399 to $299, effective Friday — putting the two consoles on a more even footing going into a recession holiday shopping season.
The company also is expected to phase out the mid-range Pro console, which will get a $50 price drop, to $249 from $299, while supplies last. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in: Business • Gaming • Holidays • Xbox 360 • Microsoft | 4 Comments »
August 25th, 2009, 10:38 am by Jayson Peters
I know it’s a cheesy name, but I’m sticking with it until something better comes along, OK?
• Microsoft has started hiring for its first two retail stores, one of which will be at Scottsdale Fashion Square (story).
• If you don’t have a smart phone, Microsoft wants you to feel smart anyway with access to “apps.”
• Yahoo may have given in and accepted Bing as its search-engine lord, but that won’t stop the Web portal from rolling out a series of upgrades before the end of the year, months before Microsoft takes over powering Yahoo’s search results.
• Barnes & Noble recently announced a partnership with a Dutch firm, iRex, to provide e-books for a new reader device, hoping to steal some of Amazon’s Kindle thunder (story). And now Sony plans to offer an e-reader with wireless download ability.
• Nokia is joining the netbook bandwagon, announcing Monday it will produce a small, light laptop similar to those that PC manufacturers are selling through wireless carriers.
• Who owns the copyright to the Unix operating system? The matter is heading to trial.
• Apple’s Snow Leopard OS goes on sale Friday.
Posted in: Apple • Technology • e-books • Microsoft • Tech Bytes | Post a Comment »
August 12th, 2009, 10:34 am by Jayson Peters
According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, a federal judge has ordered Microsoft to stop selling Word products that “that have the capability of opening .XML, .DOCX or DOCM files (XML files) containing custom XML.”
 That’s, like, all of them, as Lifehacker points out.
The injunction takes effect in October. Microsoft will appeal the order and the $290 million in damages awarded to i4i, a Canadian firm that holds a patent on a method for reading XML.
Microsoft today announced that its Office applications — which include Word — would be made available on Nokia mobile phones. How will the court ruling affect that alliance?
The computing giant recently scored a major victory by persuading Yahoo to surrender control of the Internet’s second most popular search engine and help it take on Google.
See also:
UPDATE: Microsoft can continue selling Word as it appeals the patent ruling, a court said Sept. 3.
Posted in: PC • Technology • Microsoft • software | Post a Comment »
July 28th, 2009, 8:08 pm by Jayson Peters
 The East Valley will host one of the first two Microsoft stores when the computing giant enters the retailing world this fall.
The Associated Press reported today that Microsoft announced a lease at Scottsdale Fashion Square, which does not have a competing Apple Store, and at The Shops at Mission Viejo in California, which does. Microsoft picked the locations because they’re “hot markets” with the right demographics, a spokeswoman said. The stores will sell laptop computers, Zune media players, Microsoft and third-party software and Xbox 360 games and consoles.
Posted in: Apple • Gaming • Geek gear • PC • Scottsdale • Technology • Xbox 360 • Microsoft | Post a Comment »
July 7th, 2009, 9:51 pm by Jayson Peters
 The New York Times is reporting that Google plans to introduce an operating system for PCs based on its Chrome browser. The report, citing unnamed sources, says an official announcement will come Wednesday on a company blog.
From the article:
The move would sharpen the already intense competition between Google and Microsoft, whose Windows operating system controls the basic functions of the vast majority of personal computers.
Google could well be hoping to capitalize on the rise of netbooks, the compact, low-cost computers that have turned the PC world on its head.
Updated: The official announcement is already out as of late Tuesday. (Thanks to Jared for the tip.)
Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010. (More)
See also: The iTunes of comic books? | ASU sued by blind groups over use of Amazon’s e-book device
Posted in: PC • Technology • Chrome • Google • Media • Microsoft • netbooks | 1 Comment »
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