Pedro Hernandez

After making a splash at TechCrunch Disrupt, Zula has attracted funding from Microsoft Ventures. The startup, which took home the Audience Choice Award at the event, impressed Microsoft enough that the software giant provided a seed fund investment, announced Rahul Sood, general manager of Microsoft Ventures. Zula, pronounced “Zoo-lah” the company helpfully states on its […]

MakerBot, an early supporter of Microsoft’s plan to add 3D printing support to Windows 8.1, is touting a new driver that streamlines the process of turning on-screen 3D models into physical objects users can hold in their hands. The Brooklyn-based provider of 3D printers and scanners released its MakerBot 3D Printer Driver for Windows 8.1, […]

Flipboard, a favorite among users and critics on both the Apple iOS and Android platforms, is finally available for Windows 8.1. One of the iPad’s early hits, the app aggregates news and online content into a customizable, social-enabled magazine format. Now, Windows 8.1 users, particularly those with tablets or touch-screen systems, can experience Flipboard’s personalized […]

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 2 tablet, which launched shortly after Windows 8.1 Oct. 22, sports major upgrades according to Ed Giaimo, senior director of product development for Surface Pro 2, and Steven Bathiche, distinguished scientist at the software maker’s Surface unit. The company offered a look at what makes the Surface Pro 2, beyond what the […]

The Xbox One arrives on Nov. 22, and Microsoft is hoping that it will make a big splash by hosting midnight openings worldwide along with a series of events leading up to the official release, which Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of marketing and strategy, described as “the biggest launch in the history of Xbox” […]

Microsoft is a company in transition, and the company’s “stack ranking” system, the bane of many managers and employees, is getting left behind. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Microsoft “said it would no longer require managers to grade employees against one another and rank them on a scale of one to five. The […]

Following a battery-boosting firmware fix for its Surface 2 Pro tablet, Microsoft has issued a round of updates for its Windows RT 8.1-powered Surface 2 that may help owners eke out more time between charges. While a critical zero-day flaw in Internet Explorer took the spotlight during Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday for this month, the company […]

As the Xbox One’s Nov. 22 launch date nears, Microsoft is showing off more of the hardware’s capabilities, which now includes support for the company’s cloud storage platform, SkyDrive. The SkyDrive app for Xbox One integrates with OneGuide, a personalized interface that provides users with access to games, TV, videos and streaming options. SkyDrive program […]

Microsoft has given its customer relationship management (CRM) platform a makeover, and the changes go beyond prettier pixels. Leading up to and following the Dynamics CRM 2013 launch, the company has been showcasing the many enhancements that the product has in store for sales and marketing organizations. This time around, Microsoft is turning the spotlight […]

Ahead of the official Xbox One launch on Friday, Nov. 22, Microsoft is previewing some of the video game console’s advanced Skype video calling features. Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011 in a blockbuster deal worth $8.5 billion. In the time since, the company has been integrating the voice over IP (VOIP), chat and video communications […]

As the crucial holiday shopping season draws closer, Microsoft is gearing up to offer Windows Store gift cards. “This holiday season, we’re launching Windows Store gift cards, making it easy for consumers to purchase apps from the Windows Store or Windows Phone Store,” Todd Brix, general manager for Windows Phone Apps and Store wrote in […]

Xbox One buyers may flock to new gaming experiences, but Microsoft is also keen on positioning its upcoming new hardware as a capable, voice-enabled streaming box with no shortage of entertainment options. Microsoft “set out to make Xbox One the all-in-one games and entertainment hub for your home,” resulting in the “one system that offers […]