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.
As a technologist, you may have wondered about the technological insight behind suddenly popular acronyms such as FANG, FAANG, and FAAMG. There isn't one, so far, but maybe we should be worried about GAMAF...
French data-protection authorities have officially closed their investigation into privacy violations by Windows 10. The notice praises Microsoft for cutting Windows 10 data collection by half.
As Marc Andreessen famously remarked, software is eating the world. But now Intel hardware is biting back, with x86 instruction set extensions taking on more jobs. Beyond the why, is this a good thing?
Microsoft is partnering with Token, maker of a biometric ring, to give users another option to log into Windows 10 via a wearable device.
Microsoft is acquiring Cloudyn, a cloud monitoring and analytics firm with which it has partnered previously, for an undisclosed amount.
Microsoft is adding several new management features to Windows 10 Fall Creators Update and its Intune mobile-device management service later this year.
Windows is not without certain issues and flaws. Like any operating system it has been exposed to numerous vulnerabilities, both deliberate (viruses) and unintentional (exploitable holes in programs or...
More than a third of virtual machines running on Azure are Linux VMs. Here's what's available.
Accenture is on track to have all of its 400,000 employees on Windows 10 by 2018, officials say, which will culminate a two-year corporate migration.
For years, Microsoft has been recommending that you disable the vulnerable SMBv1 protocol. Recent ransomware outbreaks underscore the need to take this important step. Here's how.
Microsoft will soon start targeting updates to different devices in its Windows Insiders program.
Microsoft says some of the first Petya infections yesterday were due to a legitimate software update from a Ukraine accounting software firm.
Microsoft is changing the positioning and feature set of Nano Server with the coming fall feature release of Windows Server 2016. Here's what to expect.
Box will also incorporate more of Microsoft's machine learning and artificial intelligence services into its platform.
Rivals join forces to curb online terrorist propaganda through the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism.
Microsoft will be adding a number of new security features to Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, but for Enterprise and Windows Server users only.
Coke 2, Bic's 'she-pen', and Nokia's 'taco phone' N-gage probably shouldn't have been released, but they shouldn't be forgotten either.
In this series, we look at everything, large and small, that has changed the way we do things or has significantly enhanced our lives. In part 13, we look at software innovation.
They laughed at the original Surface RT. But Microsoft persisted, refining the Surface Pro's features and engineering away its flaws through multiple iterations. The proof of success? Just look at all the Surface Pro clones.
If you want to take a walk round the shop of the future, a good place to start is a supermarket located in the Bicocca district of Milan, Italy. There, thanks to a blend of gaming technologies, IoT and cloud computing, you can seamlessly interact with the products that interest you and make better buying choices.
As Microsoft Edge adoption increases, critical extensions are starting to show up for the promising new browser. We spotlight ten of them.
Click by click, we'll show you how to get Microsoft's Apache Hadoop-based big bata service up and running.
Microsoft's Azure Data Lake is now generally available, but what does it do, and how does it work? Here's a tour around the service's tooling and capabilities, to help you understand it and get productive with it, quickly.
Those who want a Windows powered laptop don't have to feel jealous of those who choose the macOS path, because there are some truly awesome Windows 10 laptops available.
Windows tablets existed long before the iPad was even dreamt of. Take a tour through some of most popular - and most unusual - devices of the last decade.
A year by year summary of the most significant events in Linux's history to date.
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.
The critical flaw doesn't require any user interaction, either.
Microsoft has doubled down on new features and improvements in the latest preview of the upcoming Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.
This is enterprise-grade cloud security technology being distilled for the masses.
CNET: The new Surface leaves the hybrid behind for a retro clamshell look.
Apple, Samsung, and Google are Gartner's top three vendors based on IT and components revenue generated in 2016.
Microsoft is fighting tech-support scammers' automation with artificial intelligence from its research labs.
Microsoft's venture-funding arm has disclosed investments in 13 companies since the start of this calendar year, primarily in the AI, security, and cloud and datacenter realms.
The new Surface Laptop is a premium 13-inch laptop with great battery life and a slim, smart design.
The Brydge 12.3 is extremely well built, has a long battery life, supports fast typing, and lets you use your Surface Pro on your lap without worry.
The app is the latest creation from developpers at The Garage, Microsoft's incubator for experimental software.
Paul Allen's reusable aerial Stratolaunch launchpad moves one step closer to reality.
Microsoft's much-hyped free upgrade offer for Windows 10 ended last year, right? Maybe not. Here's how to get yours.
The rollout coincides with updates to the Surface Pro but also with an increasingly competitive whiteboard market.
Small updates and new accessories for the number-free new Surface Pro.
Apple may be designing its own graphics processors to make the augmented-reality glasses Tim Cook has dropped hints about, but the move is also an opportunity to build something that takes the security and modern app development of iOS and puts it into a device format Mac users have been asking for.
First Look: Don't call it Surface Pro 5. The latest iteration of the Surface Pro loses the model number, keeps the kickstand, and adds mostly subtle refinements.
Microsoft's new 'Slack competitor' has improved dramatically since the preview, and new features are arriving regularly. Where it shines is threaded chat, easy video meetings and superb integration with other Office 365 tools.
This experimental minimal email search tool from Microsoft is useful, but it's more likely to turn into a feature than an actual product.
At just $288, the Alcatel Idol 4S is a solid piece of hardware and does well at running Windows 10. There are some minor performance issues with Bluetooth and the fingerprint scanner, but if you like the Live Tile interface then it's one of the best available to hold you over until a possible Microsoft Surface phone.
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.
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.
Enterprise Software
Windows 10: Big update plus Microsoft tests 'staggered' release on Insiders
Windows 10
Windows 10
Windows 10 free upgrade is still available using Windows 7 and 8 product keys
Innovation
Inside the Museum of Failure: Microsoft's Kin to Apple's Pippin, the world's greatest flops
Security
