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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: Microsoft

Microsoft stories: 452 news summaries

81 - 100 of 452 Stories | << Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ... 23 Next >>

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(Newser) - The devious worm that has infected up to 9 million personal computers worldwide may be just the first stage of a malicious attack, the New York Times reports. The so-called Conficker or Downadup virus, which exploits a Microsoft Windows vulnerability, pulls infected computers into systems called botnets that can be... More »

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Microsoft • computer virus • PCs • computer security • malware • portable media players • botnets

Google's Profit Drops,
But Still Beats Forecasts

$382M is off 68% from Q4 of '07; search giants looks to have restrained spending

Jan 22, 09 3:49 PM CST
(AP) - Quarterly profit at Google fell for the first time, although the performance was better than analysts anticipated. Google made $382 million, or $1.21 per share, in the three months ending in December—a 68% drop from the same period in 2007. The results indicated the company was able to... More »

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Google • Microsoft • earnings reports • financial crisis

PRODUCT REVIEW

 Windows 7: 
 Finally, an End 
 to Vista Misery 


'New' Microsoft OS is major improvement, say critics

Jan 22, 09 9:53 AM CST
(Newser) - Microsoft is rolling out a successor to Vista, its universally reviled operating system, with Windows 7 now available in a relatively bug-free beta download. Early users report that the new edition is a marked improvement. David Pogue, in the New York Times, says Windows 7 ends “a big part... More »

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Microsoft • Walt Mossberg • Microsoft Vista • operating system • Mac OS X Leopard • computer • upgrades • David Pogue • Windows 7 • beta testing • Windows 7 review

 Microsoft to Ax 5K Jobs 


Jan 22, 09 9:20 AM CST
(Newser) - Microsoft surprised the street today by releasing its earnings early, and they weren’t pretty. The software giant’s revenues inched up only 2%, below earlier guidance, and its net income dropped 11%. More alarming, the company said it was slashing 5,000 jobs, starting with 1,400 today, which... More »

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Microsoft • layoffs • earnings reports • corporate earnings • job cuts

MARKET Open

 Job, Housing Woes Sink Stocks 


Jan 22, 09 8:53 AM CST
(Newser) - Stocks headed south this morning, following worse-than-expected housing and job data. Jobless claims rose by 62,000 last week, and housing starts slid 15.5%, to their slowest pace on record. The Dow sunk 144 points, accompanied by an 18-point decline in the S&P. A strong quarter from Apple... More »

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stock market • Microsoft • Apple • housing • unemployment • Nasdaq • Dow • jobless claims • S&P 500

Tricky Virus Hits 8.9M Computers Worldwide

'Conficker' travels via networks, USB sticks; situation 'getting worse'

Jan 19, 09 2:21 PM CST
(Newser) - A Windows worm that emerged in October is “skyrocketing” worldwide, with some 8.9 million computers now infected, says an antivirus firm. The program, known as Conficker, Downadup, or Kido, can zoom through low-security networks, memory sticks, and any PC that hasn’t downloaded current security updates, the BBC... More »

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Microsoft • Windows • computer virus • PCs • virus protection • antivirus • Conficker


 Why This Recession Won't 
 Be Another Dot-Com Bust 

Despite layoffs, companies are better prepared

Jan 17, 09 10:03 AM CST
(Newser) - The tech industry is going through tough times, including widespread layoffs, but it's not going to be another dot-com bust, predicts the Economist, laying out the differences between 2001 and 2009. In 2000, technology companies grew nearly 16%, only to contract by 6% a year later. “The... More »

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technology • Internet • Microsoft • IBM • recession • smartphones • Intel Corp

ANALYSIS

Years of Search and Destroy Get Microsoft Back to Yahoo

New Yahoo CEO opens door for search deal, another shot to catch Google

Jan 16, 09 11:00 AM CST
(Newser) - A new CEO at Yahoo has many speculating Microsoft will renew its bid for Yahoo’s Web-search unit, the Wall Street Journal reports. But Microsoft’s quest isn’t a mere attempt to better compete with Google in the $12.3 billion paid-search market; it’s the rectification of years... More »

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Yahoo • Google • Microsoft • search engine • Steve Ballmer • paid searches • Carol Bartz

 Madoff Fund Made No Trades 

Records of trades don't match stock prices

Jan 16, 09 2:35 AM CST
(Newser) - The fund run by Wall Street swindler Bernie Madoff apparently did not execute a single trade the entire time it was raking in billions of dollars in investment cash from unsuspecting clients, reports Reuters. Monthly statements of trades from Madoff were pure fiction that kept up appearances in the $50... More »

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Microsoft • SEC • Amgen • Exxon Mobil • Bernard Madoff • Financial Industry Regulatory Authority • Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities • Rampart Investment Management

 Even Microsoft Is 
 Weighing Layoffs 

Need to trim costs in weak economy has software firm looking at rare cuts

Jan 15, 09 9:23 AM CST
(Newser) - Microsoft could be considering the first large-scale layoff in its history, as it looks for ways to trim costs, reports the Wall Street Journal. Up to 15,000 positions are rumored to be at risk—6% of its workforce—but insiders say the cuts, across all divisions, are likely... More »

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Yahoo • Microsoft • layoffs • Sun Microsystems • Steve Ballmer • Hewlett-Packard • recession depression

 High Traffic Delays 
 Windows 7 Beta Rollout 

Company's site crumbles under demand

Jan 9, 09 5:09 PM CST
(Newser) - After promising the world Windows 7 Beta on Wednesday, Microsoft had to pull the plug on its download site due to cripplingly high traffic, CNET reports today. “We are adding some additional infrastructure support,” Microsoft said, “before we post the public beta.” Microsoft hopes to have... More »

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Internet • Microsoft • Microsoft Windows • download • website • Steve Ballmer • web traffic • Windows 7 • beta testing • postpone

MARKETS

 Stocks Mixed on Retail News 

Wal-Mart falters, but Sears posts strong forecast

Jan 8, 09 3:32 PM CST
(Newser) - Stocks ended mixed today amid largely negative retail news and nervousness on unemployment, MarketWatch reports. Investors were shaken by poor December earnings and a reduced quarterly forecast posted by Wal-Mart, which managed to perform well through 2008. The Dow fell 27.24 to close at 8,742.46. The Nasdaq,... More »

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Microsoft • Dow Jones • Nasdaq • tech sector • Sears • S&P 500 • Wal-Mart • Gap • GameStop • financial crisis

 Ballmer Opens Up 
 Windows 7 Beta 

Beta version of Vista successor available to the public starting tomorrow

Jan 8, 09 5:25 AM CST
(Newser) - Windows 7 Beta will be launched to the public tomorrow, Steve Ballmer told the Consumer Electronics Show yesterday. The Microsoft chief, filling the keynote slot held by Bill Gates in the previous 11 years, told the audience that the operating system would be a return to the "special sauce"... More »

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Microsoft • Windows • Microsoft Vista • operating system • Steve Ballmer • Microsoft Live Search • Windows Live • cloud computing • Consumer Electronics Show • Windows 7

Leap-Year Bug Zapped Zunes

Microsoft advises Zune30 owners
to drain batteries,
then recharge

Jan 1, 09 6:21 AM CST
(Newser) - All 2006 model Zune30s froze up at midnight last night because of a problem handling the last day of leap years, according to Microsoft. The company advises owners to wait until 4pm PST today, drain the device's batteries, and then recharge, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Microsoft apologized for the... More »

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music • technology • Microsoft • mp3 • Zune • media player • leap year

All the World's Zune 30s Mysteriously Freeze Up

Bizarre bug struck mp3 players just after midnight last night

Dec 31, 08 1:17 PM CST
(Newser) - Microsoft’s Zune has a bizarre bug: Hundreds, if not thousands of the 30G models froze up simultaneously at 12am PST, CNET reports. The MP3 players all displayed a startup status bar frozen at 100%; the timing has prompted some Zune owners to call the problem “Z2K,” after... More »

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music • technology • Microsoft • mp3 • Zune • media player

Chinese Court Sentences Microsoft Pirates

11 jailed for counterfeit software ring with 'unprecedented' scope

Dec 31, 08 9:59 AM CST
(Newser) - A Chinese court has convicted 11 people of violating copyright laws and sentenced them to as much as 6 1/2  years of prison for working with a counterfeiting ring that sold fake Microsoft products around the world. Microsoft hailed the crackdown on the pirates, whose organization may have made $2... More »

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China • Microsoft • copyright law • intellectual property • piracy • software • counterfeiters • precedent

ANALYSIS

Yahoo Will Keep Searchers' Info Only 3 Months

Search firm now holds information for less time than Google, Microsoft

Dec 17, 08 3:38 PM CST
(Newser) - Yahoo will shorten the amount of time it will keep users’ personal data, Stacey Higginbotham reports for GigaOm. The firm will scrub page views, ad views, and search data after 90 days, though it will keep data flagged as suspicious for twice as long. Google and Microsoft recently proposed changes... More »

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Yahoo • Google • Microsoft • privacy • online privacy • search • Internet privacy

Hackers Trigger Security Panic for Internet Explorer

Experts suggest switching browsers until Microsoft issues emergency patch

Dec 16, 08 5:24 AM CST
(Newser) - A security flaw in Internet Explorer has so alarmed web experts that they are advising people to switch browsers until the problem is fixed, reports the BBC. Microsoft is preparing an emergency software patch to fix the flaw, which has allowed hackers to seize control of individual computers and steal... More »

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Microsoft • hacker • web browser • Internet Explorer • website • computer

(Newser) - The so-called Cupertino effect has been creeping into major US newspapers and government reports, at times adding unintended humor to serious stories, BoingBoing reports. The effect—named after Microsoft Word 97's habit of replacing "co-operation" with "Cupertino" in its spellchecker—has slipped spell-checker-related gaffes into Reuters... More »

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Microsoft • software • computer glitch

Google Seeks
Special Online 'Fast Lane'

Dumps 'Net neutrality' support; wants preferred treatment

Dec 15, 08 2:20 AM CST
(Newser) - Google is quietly negotiating for preferential treatment from Internet providers in an about-face from its staunch support of equal network access for all content providers. The move could spark an industry-wide race for Internet "fast lanes" that would discriminate against less-funded sites and potentially curb users' online choices, reports... More »

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Congress • Yahoo • Google • Comcast • Microsoft • net neutrality • AT&T • President Obama

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