Nicholas Kolakowski

Hewlett-Packard’s launch of its Slate 500 tablet, priced at $799 and preinstalled with Windows 7 Professional, represents the end of a long and winding saga between the manufacturer and Microsoft. The story begins 10 months ago. During his Jan. 6 keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer unveiled an HP tablet […]

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer seemed a little reluctant about predicting Windows Phone 7’s chances at this week’s Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2010, in Orlando, Fla. This is nothing new. In late 2009, as Windows 7 headed towards release, Ballmer seemed anxious to downplay that platform’s marketplace chances. Windows 7 turned out a success, selling more than 240 […]

Panasonic Toughbook S9, Rugged Tablet Go On Display by Nicholas Kolakowski Toughbook S9 Panasonic had the recently released Toughbook S9 on display at the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2010. The 3-pound device features a 12.1-inch LED screen and is rated for a 30-inch drop. Magnesium Alloy The S9’s toughness comes courtesy of a magnesium alloy case, a […]

ORLANDO, Fla.-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer spoke about Windows Phone 7 and the prospect of Windows tablets during his Oct. 21 keynote talk at the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2010 here. Typically high-energy, and almost combative at moments with Gartner analysts, he also discussed the recent departure of the company’s chief software architect, Ray Ozzie, and how that […]

ORLANDO, Fla.-For the IT pros assembled this week for the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2010, helping their companies navigate the aftermath of the recession is a top priority. In a number of conference panels and town halls, IT administrators and CIOs have talked about the need to keep their shops running despite reduced budgets, as well as […]

Microsoft Windows 7 One Year Later by Nicholas Kolakowski Windows 7 Microsoft intended Windows 7 as a replacement for both the critically maligned Windows Vista and the sturdy-but-aging Windows XP. It may be succeeding: According to analytics firm Net Applications, Windows 7s market share stands at 17.10 percent, versus 60.03 percent (and falling) for Windows […]

Microsoft was in a bad state last summer, just as its teams were putting the finishing touches on Windows 7. The global recession had battered the company’s revenues. Windows Vista, the company’s previous operating system, seemed stigmatized in the wake of bad reviews and user complaints. If Windows 7 died in the marketplace, chatter would […]

Apple is first and foremost “a mobile-device company,” COO Tim Cook said in February. And over the past several quarters, that assertion has become increasingly true: first Apple released the iPad, followed by the iPhone OS 4, and then an updated version of its mobile operating system designed to buttress the features of both those […]

Apple CEO Steve Jobs attacked BlackBerry maker Research In Motion during his company’s Oct. 18 earnings call. Now the Canadians feel compelled to strike back-with words, at least. “We’ve now passed RIM, and I don’t see them catching up with us in the immediate future,” Jobs told media and analysts on the call. “I think […]

RIM BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet Spied at Gartner Conference by Nicholas Kolakowski Spied in the Wild The PlayBook made its appearance—behind glass—at Research In Motions booth. No, the pretty on-screen picture didnt move or change. The 7-inch tablet relies on a proprietary operating system built on QNX technology. Enterprise Device Unlike other tablet manufacturers, which are […]

ORLANDO, Fla.-Microsoft offered a glimpse of its cloud-based Office 365 during this week’s Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2010 here, suggesting to the assembled IT pros that the platform will allow their organizations to stay up-to-date with the latest versions of Microsoft Office, SharePoint Online, Exchange Online and Lync Online. “With Office 365, we’re delivering everything we know […]

ORLANDO, Fla.-During his Oct. 20 keynote talk at the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2010, Cisco CEO John Chambers told the assembled IT pros and executives that video will soon be entering their businesses-whether they want it to or not. “We believe that video is the next voice, the next data. We started with that premise seven years […]