With PC sales leveling off, Intel, Microsoft and other companies that have built enormous business around desktop and laptop computers are trying their hardest to make a dent in the newfangled mobile space… with mixed results. Intel reported its quarterly earnings today, and while the company beat estimates, revenue dropped a bit from the same […]
windows
Windows 8.1 Update arrives, just as Windows XP support ends
Microsoft is finally pulling the plug on Windows XP (for real this time) on the same day that the company is delivering a major update to Windows 8 designed to make the company’s software easier to use on notebook and desktop computers. Goodbye Windows XP Windows XP has been around for more than a decade, and […]
Windows goes free for phones, tablets smaller than 9 inches
If you love it, set it free… and Microsoft is hoping that by setting Windows free it can encourage people (and device makers) to love its operating system. Starting April 2nd, 2014 Microsoft is offering Windows for free to smartphone and tablet makers designing products with 9 inch or smaller screens. Sure, Google’s Android operating […]
Microsoft roadmap: Start Menu, Windows apps on Xbox, more
Microsoft is providing a sneak peek at some upcoming apps and services, including support for bringing Windows apps to the TV through an Xbox One game console, and Windows software designed for low-power “Internet of Things” devices. Oh yeah… and the Start Menu is coming back. Start Menu It won’t be ready in time for […]
Universal Windows Apps will run on phone, tablet, PC
Microsoft makes Windows operating systems that runs on smartphones, tablets, notebooks, and desktops. Now the company is leveraging the similar code based in those operating systems to enable support for Universal Windows apps. The company is giving developers ways to create apps that will run across all Windows devices using Windows Runtime and tools including […]
Microsoft unveils Windows 8.1 Update with emphasis on mouse and keyboard use
Microsoft is updating Windows 8.1 to make it a bit easier to use for people using a notebook or desktop with a mouse and keyboard. While the last few versions of Windows have been designed explicitly to make the operating system more touchscreen-friendly, Microsoft has been a bit criticized for changing the user interface so […]
Microsoft launches Windows Phone 8.1, Cortana voice assistant
The next version of Microsoft’s smartphone operating system includes a new pull-down “Action Center” similar to the notification trays available on Android an iOS devices, a customizable lock screen, and a new voice-powered digital assistant called “Cortana.” Microsoft is introducing Windows Phone 8.1 to developers, and it’s expected to be available to the public in […]
Reports: Say goodbye to Android + Windows dual OS devices
At the start of 2014, it looked like “dual OS” tablets running both Android and Windows software could be the next big thing. Chip makers Intel and AMD were pushing the dual OS approach, and Asus unveiled one of the first dual OS devices, a quad-mode machine called the Transformer Book Duet that could function as […]
Windows 8.1 Update 1 released a little early (and then retracted)
Microsoft plans to launch a significant update to Windows 8.1 in April, and the company has already reportedly released the update to manufacturers so they can load up computers that will hit the streets next month. Don’t want to wait that long? Microsoft seems to have prematurely made the software available through its Windows Update […]
Lilbits (3-04-2014): Is Apple CarPlay gunning for Google Now?
This week Apple introduced CarPlay, a system that lets you pair your iPhone with a vehicle featuring CarPlay support to make calls, listen to music, view maps, and access other data without touching your phone. You can just tap the screen or use voice commands. But CNET notes CarPlay might be more than a way […]