New Microsoft tablet: below the Surface

Notorious gadget-fiddlers iFixit say you’ll have to be pretty determined if you want to repair or upgrade the Microsoft Surface tablet yourself. But the limitations are as much about it being a tablet as the way Microsoft has put it together. The Surface is already in weird territory as most early reviews conclude that the […]



Ballmer: Microsoft will be a “devices and services” firm

Steve Ballmer has indicated that Microsoft will be putting much more emphasis on hardware in the future. He’s also given some clue about the pricing for the Surface tablet and it appears you can forget any thoughts of $199. Speaking to the Seattle Times, Ballmer rather dramatically called 2012 “the most epic year in Microsoft […]

From Windows 1.0 to Windows 8: The Evolution of the Windows Logo [Pic]

Notice the similarity between the Windows 1.0 and Windows 8 logos. Getting back to basics, Microsoft? [Via]



Kinect Makes Ads More Interactive

Microsoft has announced it will allow advertisers to offer interactive commercials for Kinect users. But a patent filing suggests viewers may be more closely involved in the advertising process than they realize. The commercials, dubbed NUads, look to be a combination of a gimmick to get viewers to pay closer attention and a way to […]

Microsoft adopts smartphone subsidy model for Xbox

Microsoft is reportedly planning to offer the Xbox on the same financial model as smartphones: a heavily reduced up-front price in return for a commitment to a monthly service charge. The plan, reported by The Verge, would be to sell a 4GB Xbox with the Kinect kit for $99. That’s a $200 reduction, much the […]

Microsoft Planning Home Invasion

With Windows 8, Microsoft is already trying to blur the lines between operating systems on pocket, portable, and desktop devices. Now it is working on an operating system for your entire home. The company has published a research document (PDF) on an ongoing project to make a system named HomeOS. There’s no sign of a […]