Microsoft

Skype may be taking new look and feel cues from the Windows 8 interface formerly known as Metro.

New client versions of Skype are in the works with a few notable enhancements, The Verge reports. One such is a new UI that borrows from the Windows 8 interface. Skype is now testing this change, but could take it a few steps further in future releases, according to The Verge.

Also reportedly new to Skype: a video messaging feature that lets users send prerecorded videos, which their contacts can then view when they hop online.

In 2008, Microsoft beta tested a … Read more

Microsoft plans to hold a special event next month celebrating the launch of Windows 8.

The company today sent out an invite to a Windows 8 celebration for October 25 in New York City. Microsoft didn't offer up any details on the announcement, including the location or the time. The company also didn't say exactly what it plans to discuss, though it's easy enough to guess.

Microsoft has already announced that it'll launch Windows 8 commercially on October 26. It seems likely that it will take this opportunity to show off computers, tablets, and other hardware … Read more

Don't dismiss the PC, is the tenor of a lot of the responses to a Saturday post where I addressed the coverage of Apple and the iPhone 5 last week.

"For a working man like me, the PC is a serious piece of machine. It puts food on my table. As for the smartphone, the phone is important. No doubt about it. What makes it smart also turns it into a toy. But a toy is still just a toy," -- that's a pretty typical comment I got.

And another: "Actually, the technology in the … Read more

If you had hoped for truth behind the rumors that Microsoft's tablet would sport a sub-$200 price tag, Steve Ballmer has dashed those hopes.

Microsoft CEO's has been pretty outspoken about how his company was going use its new Surface tablet to turn up the heat on Apple, but he's been pretty tight-lipped about how much it expects its Surface to cost -- until now. Noting that "we haven't announced pricing," Ballmer, Seattle Times during an interview, did give a better idea what the company has in mind for a target price.

"… Read more

Apparently 11 years was long enough.

Microsoft released Windows XP in 2001, and Adobe said today that the current CS6 version of Photoshop will be the last one to support the operating system.

"The Photoshop team would like to provide advanced notice that Photoshop CS6 (13.0) will be the last major version of Photoshop to support Windows XP," Adobe Product Manager Tom Hogarty said in a blog post.

The reason, he said, is that modern performance-sensitive software requires modern hardware graphics interfaces that Windows XP lacks, in particular a way to tap into the power of graphics … Read more

Chalk up another one for those Windows Phone tipsters.

Back in July, I heard whispers that Microsoft would release to manufacturing (RTM) the Windows Phone 8 operating system in September. The plan, as of then, was that the first Windows Phone 8 devices would ship in November 2012.

On September 14, Microsoft's phone team shipped the OS, codenamed "Apollo," according to a couple of my contacts. WPCentral is reporting they are hearing the same. And WMPoweruser has posted pictures via LiveSino.net of what appear to be Windows Phone team members signing an RTM wall.

I asked … Read more

Skype is slowly getting integrated with the rest of Microsoft's properties.

Microsoft's Skype unit announced on September 13 that it is enabling sign in using Windows Live ID -- now known as Microsoft Account -- in the latest Skype for Windows beta (version 5.11). This means by signing in with a Windows Live ID, users will be able to send and receive IMs and see presence ifnormation from those using Live Messenger, Xbox, Hotmail or Outlook.com.

Microsoft is enabling the same integration via a new Skype 5.11 for Mac beta, as well.

According to Microsoft, … Read more

Microsoft let slip back in June that the version of Microsoft Office 2013 that would be available to Windows RT tablets and PC customers would be a "preview" test-build. In blog post yesterday, Microsoft confirmed that information and added a few more particulars about the Office Home & Student 2013 RT bundle that will be available to those with ARM-based Windows devices.

Office 2013 RT won't be available for purchase as a separate product. It will be "included" with ARM-based Windows RT tablets and PCs and will function as a desktop app, meaning it won'… Read more

Microsoft is preparing to release the software development kit for Windows Phone 8 — but only to a select group of developers.

In a blog post on Wednesday, Windows Marketplace chief Todd Brix said Microsoft was starting to accept requests for access to the SDK, which lets app creators tailor their products to the upcoming version of the Windows Phone OS.

However, only the "developers of [the Marketplace's] most-downloaded apps" will get in early, Brix said. As for the rest, they will only get access at the launch of Windows Phone 8 because Microsoft is trying to keep … Read more