Microsoft planning on charging for Windows Media Center in Windows 8
Microsoft confirms that Windows Media Center will be a paid feature upgrade to Windows 8
Microsoft dropping Windows Live branding, streamlining into connected services in Windows 8
Microsoft is getting rid of the Windows Live branding and streamlining the product offering into connected services that run as apps under Windows 8. The collection of add on products known as Windows Live Essentials (Messenger, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Writer, Live Mesh and Family Safety) will all be reimagined as apps under Windows 8. The exceptions are Mesh which will most likely be rolled into SkyDrive, and SkyDrive itself which Microsoft has confirmed will be integrated into Windows 8.
Microsoft enters e-book market to compete with Amazon and Apple
Microsoft today announced that it is investing $300 million in a strategic partnership with Barnes and Noble, the makers of the popular Nook e-book reader in a bid to position Windows 8 tablets as e-readers, and correspondingly, educational devices suitable for purchase by schools and colleges.
Microsoft responds to Apple’s criticism of Windows 8
Microsoft responds to Tim Cook’s quote deriding Microsoft’s efforts on Windows 8 during Apple’s quarterly results briefing
Apple and Microsoft — Different paths to platform convergence
With Windows 8 gearing up for an end of year release, questions still remain about how consumers will grapple with the jarring switch between the Desktop and Metro interface
Microsoft confirms Windows 8 will run on ARM
In a recent Building Windows 8 blog post, Microsoft finally confirmed that Windows 8 will be available in an ARM version for PC’s and tablets at the same time as the x86 version is launched.
OneNote updated for iOS, now includes iPad support
OneNote 1.3 has just been released for iOS devices and is now available in the App Store. From the Microsoft Office OneNote Blog: What’s new in this version OneNote for iOS builds on previous releases with the following new features in version 1.3: Support for iPad and iPad 2 Localization into several new languages and markets Tabbed [...]
The new Windows 8 Task Manager
Steven Sinofsky has today updated the Building Windows 8 Blog to share his thoughts on the new Windows 8 Task Manager, which focuses on 3 main goals: Optimize Task Manager for the most common scenarios, Use modern information design to achieve functional goals and Don’t remove functionality.
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