Nicholas Kolakowski

Microsoft‘s Azure, its public cloud-based developer platform, will soon offer developers one less geographical region from which to run their applications. Azure relies on a worldwide network of distributed data centers to deliver SAAS (software as a service) to users. “Due to a change in local tax laws, we’ve decided to migrate Windows Azure applications […]

10 Microsoft Applications That Bit the Dust (or Soon Will) by Nicholas Kolakowski Name: EncartaStatus: Discontinued Originally launched in 1993, the first version of Encarta incorporated the Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia as content. Microsoft would subsequently purchase other encyclopedias and utilize their content as well, and issue the reference application in several languages. However, Encarta […]

Microsoft on July 28 filed a logo for its chain of retail stores with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The logo has not yet been assigned to an examining attorney, but the design submitted along with the filing shows that Microsoft’s store logo will closely mirror its official one. Like the official logo, […]

Dialing Up 20 Details on New BlackBerry Curve 8520 Smartphone by Nicholas Kolakowski No Title The BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone has been designed to be as small as possible while still preserving the hard QWERTY keyboard. Measuring 109 by 60 by 13.90mm, it weighs 106 grams with the battery included. No Title The trackpad on […]

If the Aug. 5 release of the BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone is any indication, Research In Motion has decided to devote more of its energies to the consumer market: the review device that eWEEK has looked at puts as much emphasis on music, videos and games as it does business-related tasks. Nonetheless, the smartphone’s features […]

A recent research report by Saugatuck Technology suggests that 57 percent of large enterprises plan on integrating some form of software as a service within the next two years, but are more likely to adopt SAAS point solutions than an entire SAAS infrastructure. Furthermore, the report found that small and midsize businesses were more likely […]

Microsoft on Aug. 4 issued the Windows XP Mode Release Candidate, an updated version of the software that will allow older applications to run using the Windows XP operating system on a Windows 7 machine. Designed for “last mile” compatibility, Windows XP Mode exploits advances in virtualization to achieve that dual state. The free application […]

Microsoft‘s share of the U.S. search market increased to 9.41 percent in July 2009, a rise of 1 percentage point, according to research firm StatCounter. At the same time, Google’s share of the U.S. market slipped during the same period to 77.54 percent, down by nearly a point, while Yahoo declined a fraction of a […]

10 Healthy BlackBerry Apps for You and Your Doctor by Nicholas Kolakowski AirStrip Cardiology This app allows doctors to view patient data and make time-sensitive decisions while on the move. AllSport GPS This app lets users track their speed, distance and calories burned, as well as download routes, maps and training programs. Brio Calorie Tracker […]

Microsoft on Aug. 3 released Microsoft Dynamics POS 2009, a platform for midmarket companies designed to boost employee productivity and provide data for business solutions. The software includes a number of features designed to take advantage of current IT trends, including optimization for touch-screens and the ability to create custom buttons. Microsoft Dynamics POS 2009’s […]

Microsoft announced updates to Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile 2007 R2, its client for keeping mobile devices more easily connected to the Microsoft Office Communications Server. The new features include joining conference calls with a single button-click, the ability to make calls from a work number even while out of the office, and the option to […]

Mozilla’s Firefox browser hit 1 billion downloads on July 31, with the open-source foundation using the occasion to trumpet itself as a viable alternative to Microsoft‘s Internet Explorer. On Aug. 3, Mozilla plans to launch a Website to mark the achievement; details of the site content are under wraps, but the foundation plans on highlighting […]