My News Today » Microsoft

Microsoft’s Last Financial Quarter Could’ve Used a Service Pack

Kyle — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:00:17 +0000

Gizmodo – Results for last quarter are in, and with revenues reported well below already cautious estimates, it was a nasty few months for Microsoft. It’s almost as if they’re sitting on new generations of products in every single space they inhabit.

But analysts were well aware of Microsoft’s cage of not-quite-released hardware and software, and their revenue estimates were still more than a billion dollars long. Months that were supposed to see $14.3bn pass through the company’s accounts ended with just $13.1bn, which is a full 17% down from the same quarter last year. That globbed onto an also-tough Q3 to round out their financial year with a 3% decline in revenue overall—the first time they’ve seen a yearly decline in company history.

Economy not just hurting Banks but Solid Snake, Master Chief, and Mario. Luckily my lvl 77 dwarf is just fine. (I know I’m not 80 yet…STFU)

Kyle — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:03:16 +0000

Cnet.com – The video game industry is being hit hard by the economy, just like every other industry. And although I believe it’s potentially recession-proof, it won’t be easy for gaming to stay that way.

Things are looking bleak for game creators. In a statement Tuesday, Electronic Arts, the world’s largest video game developer, announced that it was forced to lay off about 1,100 employees and close 12 facilities worldwide to streamline its business operation and cut operating expenses by $500 million to prepare for uncertain economic times.

After Vista for 2 years not living up to ‘best version of Windows ever’ Microsoft annouces new ‘best version of Windows ever’.

Kyle — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:57:37 +0000

Cnn.com – Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer kicked off the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show on Wednesday with an impassioned endorsement of PCs and a sneak peek at the company’s future Windows 7 operating system.

As expected, Ballmer announced that Microsoft is releasing a beta version of Windows 7, which will be available for download beginning Friday. The news suggests the world’s largest software maker may be giving up efforts to rehabilitate its often-maligned Vista operating system, which was released worldwide in January 2007.

“We are on track to deliver the best version of Windows ever,” Ballmer told an audience of several thousand tech professionals and journalists inside a cavernous ballroom at the Venetian hotel. “We’re working hard to get it right and get it ready.”

Without mentioning the security and compatibility issues that have dogged Vista, Ballmer promised that Windows 7 will make PCs faster and easier to use. He didn’t offer a timetable for its official release, although Windows Vista went on sale more than two years after it was issued in beta form.

Source

Future Watch: Windows 7 beta out in the wild

Kyle — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:26:15 +0000

The folks at Tech Cast News have made for you a picture-laden walkthrough of the installation process and some of the OS’s new features, including Alt+Tab doppelganger Aero Peek, the icon-only Taskbar interface, and the Smart Folder-esque Libraries. Overall, they found the beta a major improvement over Vista and predict the final release will put Microsoft in consumers’ good graces again.

So while I have not upgraded to Vista after all the crazyness that followed in its wake (plus my main computer is a Mac so why would I want to) lets hope that this is a major improvment and a worthy upgrade from XP.