Microsoft changing Xbox Live Terms of Use

Microsoft has announced an update for its Xbox Live Terms of Use (TOU) that covers what data the company can share with partners that publish applications, like ESPN or Netflix, that require a separate user account.

"If you choose to link this account with your Xbox Live account, we confirm key data points across the accounts by sharing data such as your name, address, email address, and date of birth with the partner," Microsoft said. "In this TOU update, customers agree to allow Microsoft to share this information in this manner."

Microsoft's current Xbox Live TOU, effective July 2013, states that the company can share certain personal data points with partners, though the updated TOU appears to broaden this.

Read more @ Gamespot

The New Xbox: What to Expect From Microsoft's New Console

By: Chris Morris in CNBC

On Wednesday, Microsoft confirmed the worst-kept secret in the video game world: It plans to unveil its next generation console on May 21.

Like Sony's PlayStation 4, the new console is expected to hit stores this holiday season and many analysts and investors are hanging their hopes on the new machines to kickstart the video game industry back into growth mode.

Microsoft has been coy about what features the new Xbox will have—and not even the most ardent rumormongers claim to know what the console will be named. But in speaking with developers who have spent time with the developer kit, a few details have emerged.

The new system will likely run on an AMD processor, rather than the IBM PowerPC technology the Xbox 360 uses. For users, this means they won't be able to play their Xbox 360 games on the new system. (Similarly, the PlayStation 4 will not be backwards compatible.) The system will also beef up its system RAM to aid developers in making games.

Kinect, the motion sensor peripheral Microsoft introduced in late 2010, will be an integral part of the new Xbox and has been dramatically upgraded. Microsoft will also continue to emphasize other forms of entertainment as much as it does games. (In 2011, Microsoft brought Nancy Tellem, former president of CBS Television Studios, on board to lead its efforts to form an Xbox studio.)

"We now have a tremendous opportunity to transform [the Xbox] into the center of all things entertainment—from games, music and fitness to news, sports, live events, television series and movies—so consumers have one destination for all their entertainment needs," Tellem said upon her hiring.

The Xbox 360 has been the top selling console in the U.S. for 27 consecutive months, according to The NPD Group—and analysts say Microsoft is the company to beat in the next generation.

Read Full Story @ CNBC

Motorola Android phones infringe on Microsoft SMS patent, German court rules

By Loek Essers in Computer World

IDG News Service - Motorola Mobility Android phones infringe on a Microsoft text messaging patent, the Higher District Court of Munich ruled on Thursday.

The German court ruled that Motorola infringes on a Microsoft patent that allows a phone to break up a long text message from a sender and reassemble it for the person receiving it. The technology is used as a way to send longer text messages over the air.

The appeal was rejected and Motorola has to bear all the costs of the appeal, said Wilhelm Schneider, spokesman for the Higher District Court of Munich in an email. "An appeal against this decision was not approved," Schneider added.

"Generally this decision prevents Motorola from selling its Android phones in Germany," Microsoft spokesman Thomas Baumgartner said in an email. "We are gratified the court has affirmed the District Courts original decision and that Motorola remains unable to sell infringing products in Germany," he added.

Read Full Story @ Computer World 

Microsoft takes new 'Scroogled' shot at Google

By Gregg Keizer

Computerworld - Microsoft today launched a third wave of 'Scroogled,' its attack ad-based campaign aimed at Google, this time highlighting what it said were privacy flaws in the latter's Android app store.

"When you buy an Android app from the Google app store, they give the app maker your full name, email address and the neighborhood where you live," Microsoft asserted on its revamped Scrooggled.com site. "This occurs without clear warning every single time you buy an app. "If you can't trust Google's app store, how can you trust them for anything?"

Microsoft contrasted the portrayal of the Google Play store -- the official Android app store, though not the only one -- with the practices of its own app market. "Windows Phone Store does not share any personally identifiable information with the app maker," Microsoft stated.

Apple does not collect such personal information, either, with the exception of some apps that offer auto-renewing subscriptions. In those cases, however, users are alerted via a pop-up, and must approve the data sharing.

Read Full Story @ Computer World 

Windows 8 takes blame for 'brutal' PC sales slide

By Gregg Keizer

Microsoft's new OS hurts industry as PC shipments contract 14%

Computerworld - Microsoft's Windows 8 took another knock Wednesday as research firm IDC laid much of the blame for the first quarter's historically-horrible PC numbers at the feet of the beleaguered operating system.

Yesterday, IDC and rival Gartner released their estimates for 2013's first-quarter PC shipments. The former painted a gloomy picture of the industry, saying that the 14% decline, year over year, was the largest ever in its nearly two decades of tracking.

Gartner pegged the global downturn at 11%.

While the drop was expected -- IDC, for example, had forecast an 8% contraction year over year -- yesterday's figures had one analyst searching for words. "It's brutal," said Bob O'Donnell of IDC. "These are disastrous numbers. Huge."

O'Donnell was one of the IDC analysts who blamed Windows 8 for the unprecedented fall-off in consumer PC purchases during the quarter. "Not only has Windows 8 not helped, but it's actually hurt PC shipments," he said in an interview.

Read full story @ Computer World 

Microsoft rings alarm bell on fake Windows support calls - Computerworld

Microsoft rings alarm bell on fake Windows support calls - Computerworld

Not a new scam, but Microsoft claims 22% of people polled have gotten calls from phony support technicians

Computerworld - Microsoft today warned that scammers have taken to the phone lines to dupe Windows users into putting malware on their machines or paying for worthless help.

The ploy isn't new -- security experts have seen it in circulation for at least a year -- but Microsoft was the first to quantify the problem.

According to Microsoft, which sponsored surveys in the U.S., the U.K., Ireland and Canada, 15% of the people polled said they had received unsolicited calls from fraudsters posing as computer support technicians who claimed they were offering PC security checks.

The scammers try to trick users into believing that their computer is infected -- often by having them look at a Windows log that typically shows scores of harmless or low-level errors -- then convince them to download software or let the "technician" remotely access the PC.

The con artists charge for their "help" and often get people to pay for worthless software. In actuality, the software is malware that steals online account information and passwords.

"They're taking advantage of ignorance," said Sean Richmond, a senior technology consultant for Sophos, in a podcast today.

In many cases, the scammer asks the user to open Windows' events log, which records significant events on the PC, including program errors. Richmond noted that the log typically contains scores of such errors, which may look alarming to many users.

Of the people who received such calls, 22% fell for the scam, Microsoft said.

For more: Computer World

German Apple Store defaced with Windows logo - DigiTrends

German Apple Store defaced with Windows logo - Digital Trends

A prank in Germany offers a visual take on Mac vs. PC.

An Apple Store in Hamburg, Germany has suffered the ultimate brand humiliation: being plastered with a Windows logo. The store is currently under construction and doesn’t officially open until the end of September, but a group of motivated PC-loving pranksters pretending to be construction workers were able to slap Windows emblem on the side of the building (although it was upside down).

Qualcomm to Support Windows 8 - Zacks.com

Qualcomm to Support Windows 8 - Zacks.com

Qualcomm Inc.(QCOM - Analyst Report), the largest global manufacturer of mobile phone chipsets, is set to develop chipsets, which will support the upcoming Windows 8 platform. Earlier, in January this year, the company had planned to collaborate with other chipset makers to develop Microsoft Corporation’s (MSFT -Analyst Report) Windows 8 operating system.
Microsoft’s new version of the popular Windows platform will be supported by touch screen applications. The new feature is expected to counter the growing popularity of tablets, which are considered to be a real threat to the PC market. Microsoft also has a partnership with Qualcomm, under which Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 is powered by Qualcomm’s chipsets. Moreover, Microsoft intends to extend its partnership with Qualcomm as most Android-based tablets typically use Qualcomm’s microprocessors.
Qualcomm’s microprocessors, popularly known as Snapdragon, are becoming more and more popular as demand for smartphones and tablets are increasing. These chipsets allow proper functioning of software on mobile handsets. Currently, 125 devices are using Qualcomm’s chipsets and another 250 devices are in the pipeline. Recently Nokia Corp. (NOK - Analyst Report) announced that it will be using Qualcomm’s chipsets in their upcoming Windows Phone 7-based smartphones.
Qualcomm also launched its next-generation Snapdragon processors supported by Krait architecture, which is generally used in Android-powered 3G smartphones. The new processor provides speed up to 2.5GHz per core coupled with lower power consumption, better graphics and video streaming facilities.

Microsoft officially unveils Windows 8 - Yahoo! News

Microsoft officially unveils Windows 8 - Yahoo! News

Microsoft has officially unveiled some key new features of its forthcoming operating system. The next-generation OS, which may or may not be called “Windows 8” (its “internal code-name”), delivers a completely re-imagined user interface, with a heavy emphasis on touch-based functionality that takes a hefty helping of inspiration from the Windows Phone UI.