Consumer software and hardware

Lenovo exec: We didn't realize how big touch would be

Nearly every day seems to bring another dismal report about Windows 8 and the PC market.

If the forecasts and comments are to believed (and they largely are), few consumers are buying computers, opting instead for the iPad or other tablets. And if people actually want to buy the more innovative computers out there, like the ones with touchscreens, they have a hard time finding them in stores.

But Gerry Smith, who sat down to talk with CNET today after recently being named Lenovo's president of the North America region, said those suppositions are only partially true.

The industry … Read more

Microsoft wins big one in Motorola patent infringement suit

Microsoft has won an important ruling in its patent battle with Motorola.

U.S. District Court Judge James Robart last week ruled that Motorola could not ban the sale of Microsoft products that the mobile maker alleges violate its H.264 patents. The ruling means that the Xbox and Windows, along with other Microsoft products, won't be banned from sale in the U.S. The ruling also blocks Motorola from banning Microsoft product sales in Germany.

Computerworld previously reported on the ruling.

Microsoft and Motorola are embroiled in a legal spat around the world over the software giant's … Read more

Windows 8 slower out of gate than Windows 7, says report

Windows 8 is playing second fiddle to Windows 7, at least in Internet traffic, according to data out today from StatCounter.

Over the four-week period ending November 26, Windows 8 had grabbed a worldwide Internet usage share of just 1.31 percent, the Web traffic firm said.

In comparison, Windows 7 had achieved a global Internet usage share of 4.93 percent during the one month after its debut in October 2009.

Both operating systems officially launched in October during their respective years. However, both were also available as freely downloadable release candidates prior to their official debuts.

StatCounter's … Read more

Xbox SmartGlass Android app now supports 7-inch tablets

Owners of the Google Nexus 7 and other 7-inch Android tablets can now remotely control their Xbox 360 consoles via a free app.

Updated yesterday, the Xbox SmartGlass for Android app acts as a second screen for your Xbox console. You can use the app on your phone or tablet to navigate your Xbox dashboard, control videos and music playing on your console, search Microsoft's Xbox catalog, and surf the Internet.

Until yesterday, the app worked only on certain Android devices. The release notes for the update don't list which 7-inch tablets the app now supports. But logging … Read more

Windows 8 launches... and PC sales drop 21 percent. Hmm

Windows 8 isn't exactly lighting a fire under PC sales, according to NPD.

U.S. sales of Windows devices during the initial four-week launch of Windows 8 dropped 21 percent compared with the same period a year ago, the research firm said today.

Notebook sales, which have been on the decline all year, sunk by 24 percent. And desktop sales, which staged a bit of a rebound this year, declined by 9 percent.

"After just four weeks on the market, it's still early to place blame on Windows 8 for the ongoing weakness in the PC market,&… Read more

Microsoft's Windows Phone 7.8 update slated for early 2013

Windows Phone 7.8 -- the update for Windows Phone 7.x that adds tile multisizing support -- is going to roll out to "as many devices as possible" by early 2013.

That's the latest timing I had heard from some of my contacts, and is now officially acknowledged by the Softies, as noted in a November 28 Windows Phone blog post.

The post, authored by Windows Phone chief Terry Myerson, noted that Windows Phone 7.8 is starting to roll out now on new, lower-priced phones in many countries around the world.

But it's … Read more

Windows 8 off to an awkward start, Nomura says

The Windows 8 debut is off to an "awkward" start, Nomura analyst Rick Sherlund says, and that doesn't bode well for Microsoft's financial results.

Microsoft last month launched the newest version of its operating system, which incorporates more tablet-like features such as touch capabilities. The company is making a big bet with the new OS, counting on the software to help fend off competition from the iPad and other mobile devices. But there have been worries that Windows 8 demand is sluggish, with consumers instead opting for tablets.

Sherlund noted that PC vendors have been slow … Read more

Xbox update fixes SmartGlass and Xbox Music issues

Xbox 360 owners will be greeted with an update from Microsoft the next time they fire up their consoles.

Released earlier today, the system update fixes a few issues, including an incorrect playlist name displayed when using Xbox SmartGlass, an error with Xbox Video closed-captioning, and a bug with Xbox Music that affected some users.

Upon powering up your Xbox 360, the following message pops up:

A system update is available from Xbox Live. If you decline, you won't be able to connect to Xbox Live until you take the update. Visit www.xbox.com/update for more info. … Read more

Microsoft may open retail stores in U.K. next year, says report

Microsoft may be opening its first European retail shops in the U.K. next year.

The folks in Redmond have been talking to property landlords in the U.K., a person familiar with the talks told the Financial Times. Microsoft reportedly expressed confidence that it will open the first outlets next year, the source said. But a final decision will be based on the performance of its U.S. stores.

This latest tidbit follows a report this past June from The Verge, saying that Microsoft would open a U.K. store next March. The company officially incorporated itself in the … Read more