Microsoft

Bungie.net to end Halo services in March

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GameInformer.com: At the end of March, Bungie will no longer handle player data for Halo games. The studio issued a statement today saying the transition process between it and 343 Industries, Microsoft’s new internal Halo studio, will be completed March … Continued

Microsoft and Nokia look at buying RIM

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Networkworld:

The Wall Street Journal reported this morning that Microsoft and Nokia have toyed with the idea of making a bid for RIM, whose stock has plummeted (from about $59 to start the year to about $14 in mid-December) and whose management team has been under fire from investors. The Journal reports that the status of any talks between Microsoft, Nokia and RIM are unclear. Other scuttlebutt is that RIM executives have hit up Samsung and HTC about possible licensing deals.

I may buy RIM with the spare change in my car.

Microsoft offers SkyDrive cloud storage for iOS

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In addition to an Xbox Live application and its Kinectimals game, Microsoft also recently began offering another software app for iOS – SkyDrive for iOS. The free app provides access to Microsoft’s SkyDrive cloud-based storage system. SkyDrive requires you to … Continued

Microsoft: A platform company

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When Google released its iOS Gmail app, I argued that it was a woefully missed opportunity for the software giant. With Gmail for iOS, Google had a unique chance to impress iOS users with a well-designed app for a widely used service. Instead, as we all know, Google released a pathetic implementation reliant on UIWebView, and squandered a phenomenal Trojan Horse moment.

In stark contrast to Google’s well-publicized folly, Microsoft is doing everything it can to impress iOS users.

∞ Six-story Windows Phone in NY

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Engadget: Microsoft has constructed a monstrous six-story “Windows Phone” just a few feet away from the world’s largest Macy’s store, right in the middle of one of the city’s more popular outdoor picnic areas. Nothing says success like a giant … Continued

∞ Microsoft accuses Google of having no vision or roadmap

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Microsoft’s Tom Rizzo:

In cancelling this group of social media-like services, it is clear that Google is not in tune with the market needs and does not have a product roadmap and clear vision for productivity for their business customers. The Microsoft Office team does. Our vision demonstrates a clear focus on what business customers are looking for, such as intuitive interfaces across a wide range of devices.

Google releases experimental products and tracks adoption to determine whether to continue providing them. Its products are like spaghetti, Google throws them up against the wall to see if they stick.

Michael Gartenberg’s take on Twitter is classic. “pot to kettle, you’re black.”

∞ Futuristic concept videos

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John Gruber responding to criticism about how Microsoft wasted time publishing concept videos: Putting this “Future Visions” video in public squanders attention that Microsoft could otherwise have focused on its current and imminent new products — like Windows Phone. Take … Continued

∞ EU okays Microsoft Skype buyout

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Reuters: Microsoft secured EU approval on Friday to purchase internet voice and video service Skype for $8.5 billion, its biggest ever acquisition. The commission noted that Microsoft and Skype overlap, but doesn’t think there are concerns about monopoly since other … Continued

∞ RIM and Microsoft sitting in a tree…

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I imagine as the world changed millions of years ago, Dinosaurs gathered together for comfort — yesterday proved the tech industry isn’t much different.

Not knowing how to deal with their changing world, two tech dinosaurs — Microsoft and RIM — joined forces on Tuesday to fight for their survival. So what is it these two monoliths came up with to fight off Apple and Google?

From the Bing blog:

Read the rest of this story on The Loop

∞ Microsoft's Datacenter GM goes to Apple

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Any doubts that Apple is getting serious about its datacenters can be put to rest. The company has apparently lured Microsoft’s General Manager of Datacenter Services away from his job in Redmond. His position at Apple hasn’t been announced, but AllThingsD’s John Paczkowski has it on good authority that it’s a done deal.

Timmons left Microsoft this week and the company has confirmed his departure, though it declined to say why he left or where he was headed. But sources in position to know confirm he’s hired on with Apple.

Apple Poaches Microsoft’s Datacenter GM [AllThingsD]