Google Comes Out Swinging

I'll bet Microsoft isn't exactly breaking a sweat over this week's rollout of Google Apps Premier Edition. Google's premium suite of Web-based application software is just a speck on the radar. Read more.

Microsoft’s v. Wikipedia: Round 2

In my post yesterday discussing an attempt by a Microsoft employee to pay a blogger to make changes to certain Wikipedia entries that Microsoft considered unfair, we noted that a Microsoft spokesperson made a number of factual statements. Read more

Apple, Microsoft have designs on your living room

The two companies last week each revealed new pieces to their digital living room strategy, aiming to move beyond their core strengths. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates showed off Windows Home Server, a slimmed-down version of its operating system. It's designed to power a new generation of cheap and simple servers that can serve as a central household repository for photos, music, movies and more. Read more.

Bill Gates hails 'digital decade'

Microsoft boss Bill Gates has outlined his vision of the connected future, telling experts in Las Vegas: 'The digital decade is happening.' Read more.

Bill Gates on the Future of Web Apps

I’m up at Microsoft HQ with a group dubbed “leaders in various aspects of the web community” for a day that closed with an hour-long conversation with Bill Gates. Gates opened with remarks about recent products, as well as the coming ascension of Ray Ozzie and the looming decisions to be made by the two of them regarding “how much ‘Liveness’ do we get into [upcoming] products. Read more.

The Xbox Strategy

Now that it has some real competition, Microsoft must face tough questions about its granular strategy for Xbox 360. How does it compete with the newer Wii and PS3? What does it do about pricing both of its hardware and of services like Xbox Live? How does it keep innovating? Read more.

Top Ten Things Wrong With Zune

Yeah, we know. Won't work with Microsoft's oh-so-ironically labelled Plays For Sure, won't work with Vista, won't work with the Mac, has really really naff DRM, has wasted its Wi-Fi and requires you to buy a non-convertible currency called Points before you can actually get music. It's a hideous car-crash of a product. Read more.

Microsoft vs Google Heats Up

I know, a predictable (almost tabloid-y) blog headline. But in this case, there really is some interesting back and forth going on between Microsoft and Google currently - especially with regards to office software. Read more.

The Ultimate Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 Battle

Next-gen has become now-gen, and despite massive shortages, at least the media can enjoy the latest gaming systems you can't play. And when the reviews of three consoles collide, they smash into little pieces, mix in radioactive lava and form a Frankenreview. What did CNET, PCMag, TIME, Wired, and Rocky Mountain News think about the PS3 and Wii? And how did they stack up to the Xbox 360? Read more

Playing catch-up with Google

At Ask.com, Steve Berkowitz didn't have enough resources to take on Google. Now, at Microsoft, he has plenty of money, but still has a lot of work to do. Read more.

Ad Execs Bullish On Bradford

JOANNE BRADFORD'S APPOINTMENT TO HEAD up MSN bodes well both for parent company Microsoft and the future of online advertising, agency insiders said Thursday. As the newly named chief media officer, the former ad sales head is well-suited to lead MSN in the battle against Google, Yahoo, and their ad-supported rivals. Read more.