It is US-only, iPhone-only, requires an Office 365 subscription, and is pretty rough around the edges. Sounds like a winner.
Category: Microsoft
The Xbox One⇢
It doesn’t have a price or release date, and I’m not even a gamer, but I kind of one want one. What is happening?
Bill Gates 2.0⇢
In this 60 Minutes interview, Gates talks about his inventions, philanthropy work and Steve Jobs. In a world of terrible news, Gates is a shining light of hope to million across the world.
Don’t Fight⇢
This new Nokia Lumia 920 ad is amazing.
Windows 8.1 to Include Option for Bypassing Metro⇢
My guess is that the Start Screen in Windows 8 becomes analogous to OS X’s Dashboard environment for most users. Of course, the fact that numerous settings can only be found and changed there, the analogy isn’t perfect in practice.
Instead of putting their foot on the gas on what the company has repeatedly said is the future, they are backing away from it.
Probably a smart move when it comes to Microsoft’s biggest customers — other companies — but not a brave one.
Internet Explorer 11 to Masquerade as Firefox⇢
MG Siegler:
Microsoft is being forced to trick the web into thinking its own browser is actually that of its chief rival so that pages will render properly.
You can’t make this stuff up.
Microsoft, Mozilla and iOS: Pouting Isn’t Fun for Anyone
Two and a half billion dollars.
That’s how much Morgan Stanley’s Adam Holt estimates Microsoft (MSFT) may be leaving on the table by not offering a full version of its Office suite (Word, Excel, etc.) on Apple’s (AAPL) iPads.
But Microsoft hasn’t released Office for iPad. While the usefulness of such a suite of applications is lost on users like me, there’s no doubt the company is leaving (what the kids call) a metric shit ton of money on the table, even with Apple taking 30 percent off the top.
Bill Gates Does an AMA⇢
Scott Forstall should get drunk and do one.
Surface Pro Reviews Roll In
The hey-I-run-old-ass-apps-too version of the Microsoft Surface here. So, is it any good?
From the tablet perspective, Surface Pro is not acceptable. It gets too hot for a hand-held device, its battery life is woefully inadequate, and it’s too thick and heavy to be comfortable to hand hold for long sessions.
[…]
From a laptop perspective, Surface Pro falls down too. The traditional laptop has a stiff hinge to hold the screen at an angle of your choosing. It is hard to understate the importance of this hinge. I use laptops not just because they’re small and I want something that won’t take lots of space in my home, but because I actually need portable computing. I go to conferences, I stay in hotels, I ride trains, and take planes. My laptop’s hinge means I can comfortably use my laptop with coffee tables, dining tables, the little desks you get in hotel rooms, and wherever else I happen to be.
Bill Gates Goes on ‘The Colbert Report’⇢
Every time I hear him speak, my respect for Bill Gates grows. The world needs more people like this guy.
MG Siegler, on the Surface RT⇢
Ouch:
Look, the Surface is not as awful as I’m making it sound. But in no way is it good. And for this price, in this market, it needs to be. And really, it needs to be great because Microsoft is once again playing catchup. I’m sure the Surface will improve over time — and I suspect the Surface with Windows 8 Pro will be a much more useable machine — but only because it has nowhere to go from here but up.
Sinofsky Out⇢
Sam Byford:
Steven Sinofsky, the Microsoft executive in charge of Windows, has left the company. Julie Larson-Green is to assume control of Windows software and hardware engineering, and CFO Tami Reller will be in charge of the Windows business. The changes are effective immediately, and no reason was given for Sinofsky’s departure.
A couple of things come to mind.
First, is this a sign that Ballmer is unhappy with Windows 8? If so, why didn’t he step in sooner.