Articles about Microsoft

A security researcher has revealed a way to determine the password needed to access a protected Windows or OS X account. Using Rob Fuller's technique, it doesn't matter if the computer in question is locked, and it uses a USB SoC-based device to crack user credentials.

By modifying the firmware of a USB dongle, Fuller was able to make the device appear as an Ethernet adaptor. By spoofing a network connection, it is then possible to trick a target computer into giving up an account password.

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Microsoft has announced that local datacenters are now available in the UK to Office 365 and Azure customers. This enables companies dealing with UK-only customers to ensure that data remains within the country and fully complies with data protection and privacy laws.

Describing itself as the "first global cloud productivity provider" to offer UK residency for data, Microsoft says Azure and Office 365 are now generally available from multiple data center locations in the UK. It has already attracted the custom of the Ministry of Defence.

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Microsoft is now the overall leader in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) market, beating Salesforce by a tiny margin. However, not everything is as straightforward as it seems.

According to Synergy Research Group, Microsoft, even though late to the party as usual, now holds 15 percent of the SaaS market, while Salesforce, the leader so far, has 14 percent share.

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Not everyone is in a position to pay for their office software and this led to a market for free Microsoft Office competitors. One of the best known and most popular is OpenOffice, but the open source project is in trouble.

Volunteer vice president Dennis E. Hamilton has warned that retirement of the project "is a serious possibility". The problem is a combination of a lack of volunteers willingness to work on the project, and the increasing popularity of LibreOffice. The lack of developers means that important security updates are at risk.

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Microsoft is fighting the US Justice Department in an attempt to quash a law that prevents companies informing customers that the government is requesting their data. The technology giant has the backing of other tech companies as well as media outlets.

Amazon, Apple, Google, Fox News, Electronic Frontier Foundation and Mozilla are among those offering their support to Microsoft. The lawsuit says that blocking companies from keeping their customers informed is unconstitutional, and it comes at a time when tech companies in particular are keen to be as open and transparent as possible about government requests for data.

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The Windows Store can sometimes be a satisfying place to download and manage video games, apps, movies, and music. Regarding apps and games, however, the store is littered with a lot of low-quality items. In other words, Microsoft still has a lot of work to do, but it is slowly getting there.

Today, the Windows-maker announces that Windows 10 users can now pre-order video games through the Windows Store. It is one of those things that probably should have been possible from the start, but better late than never, right? The real question is, should Valve, owner of Steam, be worried?

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Windows Insiders are beta testers for Windows 10. They get their hands on the latest builds, and get to try out the latest features. However, they also get to experience known issues and occasionally encounter show-stopping bugs.

A number of Windows Insiders on the Fast ring who installed the latest new release, Build 14915, which was pushed out just yesterday are reporting that it kills their Wi-Fi stone dead.
Writing at the Community forum, Microsoft says:

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The Anniversary Update may have introduced a whole host of new features but it has also caused a fair number of problems for Windows 10 users. Among the most annoying issues reported since its release in late-July are freezes on systems equipped with SSDs.

Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and provided a couple of workarounds that users could try, promising that a permanent fix would eventually be made available. Microsoft says that it has addressed the freezing issues in the latest Cumulative Update that it just released.

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Earlier this week Microsoft updated its Windows Trends page to show Windows 10 now having a whopping 39 percent of the global market, with a share of 50 percent in the US and 51 percent in the UK. What made these figures so impressive/unbelievable (delete as applicable) is they showed the standings as of June.

Today, NetMarketShare releases its desktop operating system usage share figures for August and, as you might expect, they paint a very different picture.

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It’s been a while since Microsoft rolled out a new Windows 10 preview build for Insiders on the Fast ring. The software company has been busy putting together future plans for the new OS, and promises we’ll see the results of these endeavors in the coming months.

Today, however, Microsoft rolls out new Build 14915 for PC and Mobile, with the primary focus being on improving app and update downloads.

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If your Surface Pro 3 has been plagued with battery issues, Microsoft has some good news for you -- there's now a fix available. Not that there was actually a problem in the first place, you understand...

While many people were under the impression that their Surface Pro 3 had developed a physical battery problem, an issue with the firmware was preventing it from being fully charged.

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If you are looking to buy a new computer for college or high school, there are many great options. In my shopping guide, I listed some choices, with one being the Huawei MateBook. Like the Surface Pro, it is technically a tablet, but when the keyboard attachment is connected, it is functionally a laptop too.

Unfortunately, having to buy the Portfolio Keyboard adds $129 to the overall price. Thankfully, this is no longer an issue. You see, for a limited time, Microsoft will give you that keyboard for free when you buy the Huawei Matebook. Best of all, this promotion includes the base model, meaning you can get the full Windows 10 experience for a steal!

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NetMarketShare’s desktop operating system usage figures are due out in a couple of days, and what happens in terms of Windows 10 growth will be interesting as it will be the first time the new OS isn’t available for free.

Before those figures arrive however, Microsoft has released some of its own, and according to the software giant Windows 10 now has 50 percent of the market in the US, and 51 percent in the UK. And, as if that wasn’t surprising enough, those numbers are from June, so the current percentage will likely be much, much higher.

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The internet and web together are two of mankind's greatest inventions. Not only do they put an infinite amount of information at people's fingertips, but they connect the globe too. We may take it for granted, but being able to video chat with someone on the other side of the planet, for example, is downright amazing.

While the internet has the ability to bring out the best in humanity, it also shines a light on some of its worst, sadly. In other words, there is a lot of hate on the web, and it can be downright ugly -- just look at YouTube comments! Heck, some presidential campaigns are even based on hate, but I digress. Today, Microsoft announces that it is increasing its efforts to combat hate speech that is hosted on its own services.

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When images of the Xbox onesie from Australia hit the web, people went wild. Yeah, it is a silly product, but many fans of Microsoft's gaming consoles expressed desire on social media and web forums. Heck, you can have your gamertag embroidered on it -- how cool is that?

Believe it or not, the article of clothing isn't a hoax, but a real product. While Microsoft isn't selling them to the public, the company will be giving some away. Want to win one? You've come to the right place. Keep on reading for details.

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