Microsoft : Tech news from CNET News.com

High notes from a low-profile E3

July 17, 2008 4:35 PM PDT

The new-style E3 is no longer a huge free-for-all, but that doesn't mean Microsoft and others in the video-game business aren't making some noise.

For Bill Gates, the next phase begins

August 19, 2008 4:15 PM PDT

The Microsoft co-founder takes the spotlight this week as he puts in his final days of full-time work for the software company.

OOXML ratification faces delay after objection

May 27, 2008 10:07 AM PDT

South Africa's standards body has formally protested the decision approving the OOXML specification.

Microsoft's backward route to ODF support

May 23, 2008 7:15 AM PDT

The changes Redmond's own OOXML underwent in becoming a standard make it more difficult for the company to support OOXML, rather than ODF, in Office 2007.
(By Tom Espiner of ZDNet UK)

Mono offers open-source spin on Silverlight

May 22, 2008 1:48 PM PDT

First public release of Novell's Moonlight will compete with products from Adobe, Sun, and Apple.
(By Matthew Broersma of ZDNet UK)

U.K. standards body taken to court over OOXML

May 1, 2008 1:33 PM PDT

Group launches court challenge against decision by British Standards Institution to approve Microsoft's nascent document format.

With Mesh, Microsoft rethinks its place in the world

April 23, 2008 11:13 AM PDT

Redmond unveils its new Live Mesh service--and acknowledges that computing no longer revolves around the PC.
• Images: Hands-on with Live Mesh
• Live Mesh platform takes on Google, Adobe

Office 2007 fails OOXML conformance test

April 21, 2008 7:59 AM PDT

Test shows that Word documents generated by today's version of Office 2007 don't conform to the Office Open XML standard under development by the ISO.
(By Peter Judge of ZDNet UK)

Microsoft woos hobbyist developers

April 17, 2008 9:34 AM PDT

Company is trying to boost interest in noncommercial software development around Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2 and Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition.

Week in review: Microhoo, Yahoogle, and Microspace, oh my!

April 11, 2008 3:41 PM PDT

The week was marked by a dizzying barrage of news on the future of Yahoo and its suitors, leaving industry watchers mostly scratching their heads. Also, RSA 2008.
(By CNET News.com's Michelle Meyers)

Microsoft: Vista feature designed to 'annoy users'

April 11, 2008 12:01 PM PDT

By way of the User Account Control feature, company set out to force independent software vendors to make their code more secure, says manager.

Week in review: Social media open for business

March 28, 2008 12:27 PM PDT

The formation of a group to promote universal standards for social-network apps stood out amid a slew of headlines this week about companies merging, collaborating, or restructuring.
(By CNET News.com's Michelle Meyers)

U.K. may make last-minute U-turn on OOXML

March 27, 2008 12:54 PM PDT

Microsoft's Office Open XML may win last-minute favor from a key British standards body, but Microsoft would need more votes to change before OOXML becomes a standard.

Microsoft offers free support for Vista SP1 installs

March 25, 2008 5:14 AM PDT

Software giant says it will give free support until March 18, 2009, to those experiencing difficulty installing Service Pack 1.
(By Suzanne Tindal of ZDNet Australia)

Gaps found in Microsoft Exchange API documentation

March 10, 2008 11:16 AM PDT

Companies providing alternatives to Exchange are expressing concern over missing information in recently published APIs for Microsoft volume server products.

Microsoft mixes it up at Web confab

March 10, 2008 9:00 AM PDT

Silverlight and IE 8 top the technology agenda at Redmond's Mix '08 developer event in Las Vegas.
Broader release of IE 8 coming this summer
Microsoft looking for a Silverlight bullet
Ozzie outlines Microsoft's cloud strategy

Ballmer: Microsoft is thinking green

March 5, 2008 9:00 AM PST

At the CeBit technology show in Hannover, the chief executive says the software giant is focusing on lowering energy consumption.

Microsoft COO downplays Vista update problems

March 4, 2008 5:14 PM PST

The software giant's chief operating officer says he is pleased with SP1's progress, despite it breaking some third-party programs.

Feeling the heat at Microsoft

February 29, 2008 10:08 AM PST

Antitrust woes, a protracted battle for Yahoo, and a shifting software market. Welcome to Steve Ballmer's world.

Q&A: 100-plus WiiWare titles in development

February 21, 2008 3:08 PM PST

Nintendo promising wide range of titles for North American WiiWare launch; says it doesn't want to place limits on developer ideas.