Microsoft hands back all seized domains to No-IP
Microsoft has been forced into a climb-down by returning 23 domains that were seized for allegedly being behind malware infecting Windows computers across the globe.
No-IP’s domains, which were seized on June 30 after a court order allowed Microsoft to do so, were implicated in an investigation into various domains being used by cybercriminals to operate the Bladabindi and Jenxcus malware families.
Windows growth to be just 0.5% in 2015
Microsoft’s thirst to put Windows on as many devices as is humanly possible is finally starting to bear the smallest fruit possible with growth of half a percentage point expected in 2015.
Gartner’s figures on the worldwide operating system market released yesterday showed that Windows owned 13.9 percent of the OS sector in 2013, a number that will drop to 13.7 percent this year before rebounding to 14.4 percent in 2015 -- a rise in two years of 0.5 percent.
OneNote introduces new clipping feature with me@OneNote.com
Keeping tabs of things across multiple platforms generally falls into two camps -- you are either an Evernote fan, or a OneNote user. One thing the former has excelled at is clipping content from the web and allowing the user to easily save it to a notebook. Now OneNote takes a step forward in this arena, adding new features to keep up with its rival.
The feature works a bit differently than WebClipper, but that isn't a bad thing. Users can send an email to me@OneNote.com and it will automatically clip the web content, as well as the contents of the email message.
Microsoft gives away almost 300 ebooks -- master Windows 8.1, Office 365, and much more
Eric Ligman, Microsoft Senior Sales Excellence Manager, has released a whole new batch of free ebooks, covering topics such as Windows 8 and 8.1, Windows 7, Office 2013 and Office 365, Azure, Lync 2013, and SQL Server. There are ebooks and resource guides for all things Microsoft.
For the past few years, Ligman has been writing posts in which he has given away almost 150 free Microsoft ebooks, and now he has another 130 more titles available to download for free, in addition to all the ones previously offered. Yes, that's right -- there are now close to 300 titles available.
Patch Tuesday: Microsoft issues critical fixes for all versions of Internet Explorer
It’s Patch Tuesday, and Microsoft has issued six security bulletins including two which are rated "critical" and allow for Remote Code Execution (RCE), and three which are labeled "important" and allow for elevation of privilege inside Windows. The final patch is rated "moderate" and fixes a Denial of Service vulnerability in the Service Bus for Windows.
The patches affect all versions of Internet Explorer, as well as most versions of Windows. XP users are at risk from these vulnerabilities, but are not covered by the updates.
WZor says the end is in sight for Windows 8.1, and Windows 9 is on its way
The problem with running rumors -- something we rarely do on BetaNews -- is in most cases they are entirely made up. We will occasionally cover claims by trusted Microsoft watchers like Paul Thurrott and Mary Jo Foley because they usually come from a knowledgeable source.
Russian leaker WZor knows a lot about Windows too, and although the group's website has been down since an ex-Microsoft employee was charged with stealing secrets (and early builds of Windows 7 and Windows 8), that hasn’t entirely stemmed the flow of leaks. A post from WZor on the Russian-language Ru-Board makes some interesting claims regarding both Windows 8.1 and its successor.
I am Microsoft All-In
Sixth in a series. On July 1, I officially started my "Microsoft All-In" summer sojourn. Surface Pro 3 is my PC and Nokia Lumia Icon my smartphone for the next couple of months. Google gets the boot -- at least for awhile. I now largely use Microsoft products and services and third-party apps available for the company's platforms. Many commenters wonder why, so let me explain.
I last used Windows as my primary platform in 2010 -- never for Windows Phone. Like other BetaNews reporters, I tend to write about products used regularly. Writing is more authoritative from experience, and often only long-time use reveals hidden problems or benefits. The reality, and it's something obviously seen in comments: Microsoft platform users largely make up BetaNews readership.
Skype for iPhone adds voice message playback support, offers extended profile view
Microsoft is rolling out Skype for iPhone 5.2, the second significant update to its iPhone client since version 5 was released less than a month ago.
It seems Microsoft has been stung by the negative reaction to the redesigned Skype, and version 5.2 is quick to add another three new features in response to user feedback.
Nokia Lumia 930 finally goes on sale this week
Consumers looking to purchase a high-end Windows Phone 8.1 smartphone only have one option to consider right now -- Nokia Lumia 930. It comes with all the right features for a device of flagship status, like a powerful processor, large screen, solid camera and wireless charging. It was announced in early-April, but it finally goes on sale this week.
A lot of Windows Phone enthusiasts are waiting for Lumia 930 to hit store shelves, myself included, as it is the first Nokia-branded Windows Phone 8.1 device to come with respectable specs in a decently-sized package. It can be argued that it is the natural replacement for those Lumia 920 users looking to upgrade.
The most popular stories on BetaNews this past week: June 29 -- July 5
Something of a quieter week this week -- perhaps because of Independence Day and preparations there for. Still, there was plenty of news to keep us busy, including the NSA releasing a transparency report -- for what it's worth. Facebook found itself in the firing line after it transpired that the social network had been conducting psychological experiments by meddling with users' newsfeeds. Security is an on-going concern in technology, but it's something we have tendency to think about only in relation to computers and smartphones. One of the latest targets for malware and attacks is the power grid, and it's hard to tell what sort of havoc could be wreaked.
Microsoft tried to do its bit for security -- arguably in a misguided fashion -- by taking control of dynamic DNS service No-IP, and accidentally taking out a number of legitimate sites in addition to those malware-related ones -- the intended targets. In more positive Microsoft news, enhancements were made to Office 365's collaboration options. Windows Phone is still struggling in the smartphone market, but Microsoft will be hoping that this month's launch of Windows Phone 8.1 will help to improve things -- will the addition of folder support be enough? Looking further into the future, Joe pondered what Microsoft should do with Nokia. He also decided to give Windows another chance, helped along by his new Surface Pro 3.
Windows Phone Store is a ghost town
As the third-most popular smartphone platform, it is difficult for Windows Phone to attract as many top developers as Android and iOS do through its tiny market share. As a result, it is not uncommon for popular titles to be unavailable in Store long after their launch on Google Play and Apple App Store. Sometimes, popular titles do not arrive at all. It is a sad state of affairs, as it directly affects the reach Microsoft's platform can enjoy. But, wait, it gets worse.
A new comparison reveals that of the 25 top free offerings in Apple App Store, Windows Phone Store only offers six of them: Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Facebook, Pandora, Spotify, and WhatsApp. Of the remaining 19 titles, 13 are games. I honestly expected to see Windows Phone missing a couple of apps, but definitely not as many. Put differently, 76 percent of the 25 top free iOS apps are not available officially on Windows Phone. It is surreal.
Office 365 prices to rise for enterprise customers
Microsoft's August price list has revealed increases of up to 15 percent for Office 365 enterprise customers.
Those without a software assurance plan will be hit with the largest hikes, whereas those who do will have their prices frozen until the end of their contract.
Microsoft acquires SyntaxTree -- increases focus on gaming
As much we like to believe that computers are helping the world to connect, and enabling people to learn, let's be honest -- people just want to game. We all convinced our parents at a young age that we needed a PC to write papers and access things like Encarta encyclopedia, but our true desire was Wolfenstein 3D.
It's not just computer users that want to get in on the gaming -- companies want to do it too. A good example is Microsoft. Sure, the company creates some amazing productivity software like Word, Excel and Access, but it also makes the Xbox. In other words, the company likes to work hard and play hard. Today, the company acquires SyntaxTree, which shows a commitment to gaming.
Microsoft brings better document collaboration to Office 365
With the introduction of Office 2013, Microsoft brought software as a service to the table -- something some analysts had long expected would happen. Under the moniker of Office 365, the company introduced a subscription model that allows for a monthly or annual fee and grants five licences to each person or family.
Today the software and services company rolls out an improvement to this offering, adding what it calls better document collaboration. The feature was actually announced earlier this year at the Exchange Developer Conference, but only now do we see the final product. Microsoft hopes this will eliminate the need to share documents via emails in an effort to work with other people on the files.
Microsoft takes down legitimate sites during crackdown on malware servers
Microsoft has taken unprecedented action against million of cybercriminals by shutting down a barrage of servers used to infect PCs with dangerous malware across the globe.
The firm, which obtained a court order, gained control of a large number of domains being used to spread malware and in the process shut down legitimate sites due to what the domain owner called "heavy-handed" tactics.
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