The fiercely competitive software giant is positioning its wares for cloud computing with software and services. The company's two cash cows - operating systems and the Office productivity suite - are performing well.
In a signed editorial, a staffer from the Electronic Frontier Foundation has blasted Microsoft for its aggressive Windows 10 upgrade program (now ended), and also criticized its privacy defaults.
Microsoft is open-sourcing its PowerShell command line shell and bringing it to Linux and Mac OS X, as recently rumored.
Microsoft looks to be building a Visual Studio-like tool suite for machine learning called Open Mind Studio.
Microsoft is continuing to experiment with the price and contents of its Work & Play promotional bundle of apps and services.
In the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, version 1607, Microsoft removed Cortana's on-off switch. But it's still there, if you know where to look. Use this tweak to make Windows search strictly local.
Opinion: Redmond's partnership with 'seed-to-sales' software purveyor Kind is bound to bring more legitimacy to an already-thriving business.
If you're trying to figure out how Microsoft is delivering Windows 10 updates, this walk-through will get you up to speed.
Microsoft is starting to roll out the Anniversary Update version of Windows 10 Mobile, beginning with those who have unlocked devices.
Microsoft is readying a new spec and a Windows 10 update that will allow mainstream PCs and head-mounted displays to run the Windows Holographic shell and mixed-reality applications.
Microsoft's new ad contends that an iPad Pro with a keyboard is still inferior to a Surface Pro 4.
Version 1607 is rolling out to Windows 10 users slowly, via Windows Update. Here's how you can take charge of the upgrade process and avoid unpleasant surprises.
Microsoft will begin delivering patches for Windows 7, 8.1, Windows Server 2008 and Server 2012 as single rollups starting this October.
The Citrix replacement for Microsoft's Azure RemoteApp service will be available in technical preview before the end of this year and generally available next year.
Microsoft is delivering a free update to the Minecraft for Windows 10 beta that adds support for Oculus Rift virtual-reality headsets.
You can now fairly cheaply create your own smart gold tattoos, thanks to DuoSkin.
Microsoft confirms that some Windows 10 devices are freezing after installing the Anniversary Update and suggests ways around the issue while it investigates.
If you are uncomfortable with the thought of Microsoft owning LinkedIn and having access to your career data, here are some other business social networks you could try instead.
Surprise! Microsoft is among the most prolific developers of apps for the Android platform. And Redmond has turned on the afterburners in the past year, releasing a string of quality business-focused apps. Here are my 10 picks for the best of the bunch.
Here is a selection of accessories for your Windows 10 PC or laptop to help boost your productivity.
Being a Mac user doesn't mean that you have to turn your back completely on the Windows ecosystem. There are a number of ways that you can run your favorite Windows applications on your Mac - and some won't cost you a penny.
A look back at the hot topics, major deals, and the technological breakthroughs of the year -- from security to product launches, and the year's successes and catastrophes.
Tech gear, from the big stuff like notebooks, tablets, and smartphones, to smaller stuff like storage devices and smart bulbs.
Images of the key releases from three decades of the operating system's history.
I've been a tablet user since the early Tablet PC days, and I buy a lot of them to use for work. I currently have four good ones, any of which can step in and do everything I need.
Microsoft started working on the hybrid devices that now make up the Surface family back in 2009. The group has made some missteps along the way, but the lineup of new Windows 10 devices is genuinely impressive. Here's how the brand has evolved.
If you're experiencing problems with Windows 10, these are the built-in tools you can use for troubleshooting and repair.
Pick a form factor, any form factor. Can new, shape-shifting designs restore the PC industry to its former glory? Or will boring old desktops and clamshell laptops continue to define the PC?
Microsoft just launched the public beta of Cortana for Android smartphones. Is Cortana better than Google Now? You be the judge.
Are you are going on a business trip and want to be efficient and maximise the time spent at your destination? Download these useful free Windows apps for your Windows 8 and Windows 10 PCs and save yourself time to enjoy more of your trip away.
Here's a quick tour of the official Office 2016 release for the Mac, now available to Office 365 subscribers.
My Surface Pro 3 spends all week in the dock with an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse. At night and on the weekends it pops out into tablet mode with these apps.
Microsoft is looking to the coming Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5 subscription plans as a way to upsell more small and midsize business users to high-end versions of the product.
Six months ago, I decided to replace my desktop PC with a Surface Pro 4 and a Surface Dock. After a few frustrating months, I think this might work out.
This isn't as crazy as it sounds.
Microsoft's aggressive upgrade campaign for Windows 10 rubs some people the wrong way. You can say no to the new version in 30 seconds or less, without installing third-party software.
This discussion between ZDNet Editor in Chief Larry Dignan and Microsoft columnist Mary Jo Foley explores the Steve Ballmer legacy at Microsoft and Mary Jo's take on the new CEO's biggest challenge.
This discussion between ZDNet Editor in Chief Larry Dignan and Microsoft columnist Mary Jo Foley explores the Steve Ballmer legacy at Microsoft and Mary Jo's take on how he'll be remembered. (Hint: It's complicated.)
This discussion between ZDNet Editor in Chief Larry Dignan and Microsoft columnist Mary Jo Foley explores the Steve Ballmer legacy at Microsoft and Mary Jo's thoughts on his hits, misses and quirks. (Shoe fetish, anyone?)
This discussion between ZDNet Editor in Chief Larry Dignan and Microsoft columnist Mary Jo Foley explores the Steve Ballmer legacy at Microsoft and Mary Jo's thoughts on his steadfast championing of Xbox, even as it lost money.
While Steve Ballmer has been one of the most maligned CEOs of the past decade and made some critical errors, he also made two key moves that will shape Microsoft's next decade.
This far-reaching discussion between ZDNet Editor in Chief Larry Dignan and Microsoft columnist Mary Jo Foley explores the Steve Ballmer legacy at Microsoft and Mary Jo's exclusive exit interview with Ballmer.
If you need a Windows 8.1 computer that's flexible enough to be a tablet, a laptop (if you add the optional keyboard) and even (if you add the optional docking station) a desktop PC, then the Surface Pro 3 manages the trade-offs as well as anything on the market.
Microsoft is not known for educational computing tools, but with Office Mix it's turning PowerPoint into a tool for building online lessons.
Microsoft is developing a set of cloud-based tools for managing and deploying session virtualisation servers, allowing you to publish and share apps on Windows, iOS, Android, OS X and (soon) Windows Phone devices. We take the beta for a test drive.
A new version of Microsoft's database has been released, with enhanced in-memory support and Azure-hosted backup.
The Haswell-based Surface Pro 2 delivers improved performance and battery life, and its dual-angle kickstand is also welcome. However, the Pro 2's unchanged chassis design feels bulkier and heavier than ever, and it becomes very expensive when fully accessorised.
The Lumia 1020 has a truly impressive 41-megapixel camera and a high-quality 4.5-inch AMOLED screen, but many Windows Phone fans might do better with the 920 and a good dedicated camera.
The Lumia 925 is a slimmer and lighter Windows Phone 8 handset than its 920 predecessor, with a neater and more ergonomic design. It lacks integrated wireless charging but supports LTE and NFC, and has an excellent 4.5in. AMOLED screen.
Microsoft's ARM-based tablet has plenty of good points, but there are enough downsides to make caution advisable. The hardware platform and the Windows RT ecosystem will undoubtedly improve, so we'd suggest giving version 1.0 a miss unless you're an avid early adopter.
Microsoft is looking ahead to a future of private and public clouds, where information is everything, and users can access it however they want. Is Microsoft's latest server OS up to the job?
Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials was disappointing, but there's a lot to like in its successor, which provides a small file-and-print server with integrated systems management and backup tools that's ideal for a small business or a home office.
After a week of using Office 2013 we're pleasantly surprised. The changes Microsoft has made to support Windows 8 — and specifically Windows 8 tablets — are logical, and they work well with more traditional ways of using Office.
Version 3.0 of Microsoft's cloud-hosted management platform is now available, adding support for mobile devices — including iPhones, iPads and Android.
Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 is a solid, mature product that brings powerful collaboration and communications tools in an easy-to-use and manage package, priced right for small businesses.
This huge overhaul of System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) brings simplified hierarchy, role-based security, a new console, flexible application deployment and mobile management.
After some hands-on time with the SBS Aurora, it's clear to us that this is a product with a great future. It's coming at a time when many small businesses are starting to look at hosting some, or all, of their complex IT services in the cloud.
Open Source
Microsoft open sources PowerShell; brings it to Linux and Mac OS X
Artificial Intelligence
Open Mind: Microsoft's Visual Studio-like suite for machine learning
Windows 10
Windows 10
Windows 10 Anniversary Update freezing: Microsoft offers temporary fix
Windows 10
Microsoft starts rolling out Windows 10 Mobile Anniversary Update for phones
