Stuart J. Johnston

Microsoft is locked in vigorous into a vigorous campaign to convince enterprise clients to upgrade to Windows 7. But for firms that still rely on many critical applications that are incompatible with the new operating system, adoption has been slow. Microsoft is working to clear that roadblock with a tool included in its desktop virtualization […]

While it had been widely assumed that Microsoft would offer some degree of compatibility for Mac users with its Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system, it hadn’t been confirmed. Until now. The software giant is now confirming that it will, indeed, allow users to sync “select” content between Windows Phone 7 and Macs, though the […]

No Halloween treat here. Instead, just a good, healthy dose of truth in advertising. Microsoft is reiterating its advisory to beta testers that their free trial of Office 2010 will expire on Oct. 31, leaving them with the stark choice of switching to a pay version or letting their license lapse. Datamation reports on the […]

How badly has the troubled economy affected IT spending plans? Research firm IDC regularly surveys CIOs and line-of-business executives to get a better read on their spending plans. CIO Update details the latest results from IDC’s FutureScan report, which provides a measure of future growth plans. IDC’s FutureScan forecasts began in 2004, giving the research […]

It’s that time of month for IT security and hundreds of millions of Microsoft users. The latest Patch Tuesday release addresses a total of 49 security flaws in various Microsoft software offerings. eSecurity Planet has the details including a breakout of the small number of flaws Microsoft rates as “critical.” As in some earlier monthly […]

For months, Microsoft executives have been talking about the big bet the company is making on mobile with Windows Phone 7. They readily acknowledge that the company has been asleep at the switch with previous forays in the mobile arena, and analysts describe the launch of the new operating system as a make-or-break moment. Now, […]

The patent-infringement lawsuits have been coming fast and furious in the tech world of late, particularly in the mobile arena. For Microsoft, which is making a big bet on its new Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system, the risk isn’t worth it. The software giant has confirmed plans to license a host of patents, including […]

Since winning regulatory approval, Microsoft and Yahoo have been providing search marketers and advertisers with period updates on the progress of the ambitious integration of their search-ad platforms, a transition they say is now entering a crucial phase. This week, the companies plan to ramp up the transition of Yahoo’s ad servers over to Microsoft’s […]

A New York Times report that placed Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in a one-hour meeting with Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen set the rumor mill into overdrive as speculation swirled that the two companies might join forces. The rumored meeting between the heads of Microsoft and Adobe sent the technology and financial press into a frenzy […]

IT administrators at Windows shops are going to have their hands full on Tuesday when Microsoft releases its monthly crop of security patches. Of the 16 fixes Microsoft is planning, four are intended to patch vulnerabilities that the company has deemed “critical,” the most severe designation on its four-tier ranking scale. eSecurity Planet takes a […]

Never let something like a little patent infringement lawsuit get in the way of good business deal. That seems to be the prevailing attitudes of both Microsoft and Motorola. Executives from both companies said yesterday that they would be willing to work together on a Windows Phone 7 device. However, both companies stressed the deal […]

Microsoft is renewing its pitch to mid-sized, “project-driven” companies, announcing plans to issue an update to its Dynamics SL enterprise resource planning (ERP) offering. When it debuts in the second quarter of 2011, Microsoft Dynamics SL will offer integration with other Microsoft products that have recently been updated, as well as new dashboards and a […]