Nicholas Kolakowski

Microsoft‘s earnings call on July 23 may not be the happiest for investors, as the company continues to battle considerable economic headwinds and increased competition, but it could highlight more than ever the need for its upcoming operating system, Windows 7, to be a considerable hit. While Microsoft’s earnings are forecast to either meet or […]

Microsoft has hired George Blankenship, a former Gap executive who helped launch Apple’s retail arm back in 2001, to help with Microsoft’s own store launchings in the fall of 2009. Microsoft did not announce Blankenship’s exact role, but it could mirror his job function for Apple, which was to help select the best locations for […]

Microsoft and Apple are finding themselves the target of a small technology company named Tsera, which is alleging that both the Zune and iPod, along with several other devices, violate its touch-screen patent. Nor are they the only companies in the cross-hairs; Tsera is seeking damages from 23 tech entities in total, including Bang & […]

If Microsoft and Yahoo are indeed negotiating over a search or advertising partnership, then they have an advocate in the form of prominent investor Carl Icahn. “I’ve been a strong advocate of getting a search deal done with Microsoft,” Icahn told Reuters in an interview on July 17. “It would enhance value if a deal […]

SAP announced July 20 it has enhanced its SAP BusinessObjects Data Services and SAP BusinessObjects Data Federator, both part of the SAP BusinessObjects information management platform, and integrated them with SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse. The upgrade expands support for SAP customers, allowing them to “extract, profile, cleanse and integrate data from non-SAP sources” and feed […]

Microsoft announced on July 20 the release of Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Service Pack 2, a midcycle update designed to improve the stability and compatibility of the application widely considered Microsoft’s premier Mac product. SP2 will be available for free download here starting at 1 p.m. EDT, and will also be offered via Microsoft […]

Microsoft‘s Worldwide Partner Conference, running in New Orleans from July 13-16, saw the company demonstrating a wide swath of its upcoming products, including Office 2010, Windows 7, Silverlight 3, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Mobile 6.5, as the company seeks to regain and retain market share against its high-profile rivals. The company also finds itself […]

Microsoft Bing gained market share in the U.S. search marketplace in June, according to a new report released by comScore. Bing’s gain was 0.4 percent for the month, giving it 8.4 percent of the market – placing it in third behind Google, which occupied 65 percent of the market, and Yahoo, which held 19.6 percent. […]

Bill Gates continues to think big: a newly released patent application shows the Microsoft founder’s latest project involves nothing short of controlling the weather. The application, filed with the U.S. Patent and Trade Office by a limited-liability corporation named Searete on Jan. 3, 2008, groups Gates with 12 other inventors. The patent application proposes parking […]

Intel announced on July 16 that it would install more connectivity options in its Intel Health Guide, a compact white box with a screen that allows users to check their recent health history and connect with a physician or health care provider. The updated Intel Health Guide will have the ability to connect patients with […]

After months of staying relatively silent on the issue, Microsoft has decided to trumpet what it perceives as its growing strength in the Mac versus PC match-up. This represents something of a switch for Microsoft, which stayed notably subdued in 2008 as Apple pounded away with its own “Get A Mac” ad campaign, starring comedian […]

Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 Features New Widgets, Apps by Nicholas Kolakowski No Title The Today screen gives quick updates on personal data such as e-mail, as well as date, time and other information. No Title By inputting a PIN number, users can access notifications from the Lock screen in order to check e-mail, voice mail […]