News


Analysts: 2013 Marked 'Record Drop' in Global PC Shipments

Worldwide PC shipments in 2013 were down by 10 percent from 2012 -- a "record drop" for the market, according to preliminary data released on Thursday by IDC.

Microsoft Tries To Ease XP-to-Windows 8.1 Migrations for Orgs

For organizations contemplating a jump from Windows XP to Windows 8.1, Microsoft is offering a configuration "workaround" to its latest deployment toolkit.

Microsoft Acquires Parature, Sets Stage for Dynamics CRM Integration

Microsoft is acquiring Parature, a provider of cloud-based customer service solutions for organizations, for an undisclosed amount.

Microsoft Releases Power BI Pricing Info; Availability Expected Early 2014

Microsoft recently posted the pricing details for Power BI, its suite of solutions designed make it easy for Excel users to create visualizations from collections of data.

Microsoft Details New MPSA Licensing Scheme

Microsoft recently gave more details about its emerging Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MPSA) licensing plan, which it briefly described in November.

Analysis: SQL Server 2012 Licensing Pitfalls and Strategies

A licensing expert recently gave advice on Microsoft's new SQL Server 2012 licensing, which can come with some costly pitfalls.

Microsoft Promotes Jim DuBois to CIO Position

Microsoft has named Jim DuBois its new chief information officer (CIO), the company announced on Friday.

Microsoft Enables Office 365 Plan Switching Across Product Families

It is now possible to switch Office 365 plans across "product family" offerings, Microsoft announced Thursday.

Microsoft: New CEO Will Not Be Named Until 2014

Microsoft's search for a successor to outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer is not likely to conclude before the new year, the company said this week.

Microsoft To Discontinue Forefront UAG Sales Next Summer

Microsoft will stop selling its Forefront Unified Access Gateway (UAG) product on July 1, 2014, the company said in a blog post Tuesday.

Report: Windows Phone 8.1 Coming April with 'Cortana' Voice Assistant

Microsoft will unveil the next major update to its Windows Phone 8 smartphone platform next April, according to a report from The Verge on Monday.

Microsoft Exec Tapped To Oversee HealthCare.gov Project

Microsoft's Kurt DelBene has been appointed to take over the much-maligned HealthCare.gov Web site, according to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Tuesday.

Motorola Loses Appeal Against Microsoft over Android

An appeal by Motorola Mobility LLC over an intellectual property dispute with Microsoft over the Android operating system was struck down on Monday by a three-judge U.S. federal appeals court.

Windows Azure Georedundant Storage Option Hits Preview

Microsoft last week released a "limited preview" trial version of a new georedundant option for the Windows Azure Storage service.

Microsoft Updates Power BI with Data Sourcing, Search Features

Microsoft's Power BI for Office 365 preview was updated last week with new data sourcing and search capabilities on the heels of similar improvements rolled out in November.

RCP's 2013 Wrap-Up: The 10 Most Popular Blogs and Commentary of the Year

From Windows Phone 8's storage shenanigans, to PRISM, to the shrinking PC market, here are the blogs and commentary articles that riled up RCPmag.com readers the most this year.

Cisco's Challenge to Microsoft-Skype Deal Rejected by EU

A European Union court recently dismissed Cisco's antitrust challenge to Microsoft's acquisition of Luxembourg-based Skype.

Microsoft Releases Office 365 Admin Apps for iOS, Android

Microsoft's mobile app for Office 365 administrators is now available for devices based on Google Android and Apple iOS.

RCP's 2013 Wrap-Up: The 10 Most Popular News Stories of the Year

Windows 8 was a big draw for RCPmag.com readers this year, but other products also made headlines. Here are the most-read news items of 2013.

Dell, Microsoft Showcase Windows Server VDI Progress

Microsoft this week took part in the Dell World event to lay out various virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) capabilities enabled by Windows Server 2012 R2.