Pedro Hernandez

Microsoft’s cloud-based big data analytics vision took a major step forward with the official release of Azure Data Factory, the company’s cloud-based data integration service. A key component of Microsoft’s Cortana Analytics Suite, Azure Data Factory (ADF) is designed to automate and streamline the process of moving data from disparate sources into an organization’s business […]

Microsoft is increasing the rewards for security pros who help harden its Windows operating system technologies. “We are raising the Bounty for Defense [program’s] maximum from $50,000 USD to $100,000 USD,” bringing its payout in line with the discovery of a major exploit, said Microsoft Security Architect Jason Shirk in an Aug. 6 announcement amidst […]

The multibillion-dollar deal to take Informatica private closed on Aug. 6, announced the Redwood City, Calif., data cleanup and quality company. Stocks, which traded under the INFA ticker symbol, stopped trading on NASDAQ yesterday. Stockholders get $48.75 in cash per share under the terms of the deal. Informatica is one of the world’s leading data […]

Sway, Microsoft’s Web-based interactive presentation software, is now generally available to Office 365 business and education customers worldwide. The Web-based presentation-building software allows users, even those lacking in design skills, to create, publish and share “Sways” with professional layouts. Aided by Microsoft’s machine-learning technology and a touch-friendly toolset, Sway automatically assembles text, images and videos […]

Outlook is now available on Apple Watch, Microsoft announced on Aug. 6. Available now on the Apple App Store, the app enables owners of the wearable to access their Outlook inboxes without pulling out their iPhones or iPads. “You’ll never miss what’s important with Focused Inbox Watch notifications,” Microsoft’s Carlos Bohórquez Marín, product manager for […]

Outlook Web App is now Outlook on the Web, the company announced on Aug. 4. And with the name change, Microsoft is soon issuing an update that tweaks the user interface and adds new capabilities. These include a new Pin function that allows users to prominently affix important messages to a noticeable part of their […]

Add the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to the growing list of government agencies eyeing Microsoft’s cloud for their mobile productivity initiatives. “Today, we announced an important milestone in helping HUD fulfill its mission as the agency granted an Authority to Operate (ATO) for our Dynamics CRM Online Government cloud,” said Amir […]

In the wake of the high-profile launch of Windows 10 last week, privacy advocates have been flooding the Web with tutorials on configuring the operating system’s default settings for a computing experience that keeps a closer eye on user data. New features like Cortana, Microsoft’s virtual assistant, help make Windows 10 the most Web- and […]

Less than a week after Microsoft began rolling out the Windows 10 update to eligible users, the company has announced a refreshed line of keyboards and mice designed for the operating system. Among them is the new minimalist Wireless Desktop 900, a keyboard and mouse combo with 30-range, “quiet-touch” keys and an ambidextrous mouse. With […]

Microsoft is betting big on Uber, the San Francisco-based technology company behind the popular transportation app. In a deal finalized on July 31, Microsoft agreed to invest approximately $100 million in Uber Technologies, according to a Bloomberg report. The new infusion in cash bumps Uber’s valuation to $50 billion, an increase of $10 billion. A […]