Microsoft

The Enterprise edition of Windows 8.x has a feature called Windows To Go that lets you create a working version of Microsoft's tiled operating system on a USB memory stick. You can boot into this and be instantly up and running in the new OS from any computer. Which is great -- provided you have the Enterprise edition of the OS and a "certified" USB drive. If you only have the standard version of Windows 8.x then the option isn't available to you.

The details around Windows 9---code named "Threshold"---are beginning to emerge, but the real action will go well beyond features and whether Microsoft can put Windows 8 in the rear view mirror. Microsoft's real challenge with Windows will be navigating a classic innovator's dilemma and how it can thread a needle between preserving a cash cow and ultimately give Windows away to hardware makers.

Give Windows away for free?!? What?!? How?!?

 Microsoft's official Xbox support Twitter and the official Microsoft news Twitter accounts have been hacked today by the Syrian Electronic Army, marking the most recent in a long line of attacks against social media accounts by the organization.

The SEA, a collection of computer hackers in support of the Assad regime (amidst a bloody civil war), have recently engaged in a string of defacements against various social media pages and websites belonging to such organizations as VICE, the New York Times, and others.

There are three months to go for Windows XP. The ancient operating system is leaving extended support on April 8, at which point Microsoft will no longer ship free security fixes. XP itself isn't the only thing that's losing support on that date. The Windows XP version of Microsoft Security Essentials, the company's anti-malware app, will stop receiving signature updates on that date and will also be removed for download.

Measure twice, cut once -- this wise adage explains the value of pausing and making sure you know the potential results of your decisions. With Office 365, there are so many different plans and options that it's important to know what you gain (or lose) before you choose one.

Microsoft will face a rebellion of long-time partners at next month's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) when OEMs introduce Windows personal computers also able to run Android mobile apps.

According to two analysts, multiple OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) will roll out what one called "PC Plus" at CES, the massive Las Vegas trade show slated for early January.

Microsoft today reminded customers that the Windows 8.1 Preview will conk out on Jan.15.

"Now that Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 have been generally available for a while, it's time to get all your remaining devices that are still running Windows 8.1 Preview or Windows RT 8.1 Preview to the final GA release before the Preview release expires," Microsoft said in a short post to a company blog Wednesday.

Following reports by Surface Pro 2 customers of excessively fast battery drain after applying last week's firmware updates, Microsoft has pulled the update.

"To ensure the best experience for our customers during the holiday season we have taken steps to remove the update for Surface Pro 2 that was previously published through Windows Update on December 10th, 2013. We are working to release an alternative update package after the holidays," confirmed a Microsoft spokesperson.

Microsoft won't be announcing the name of its next CEO until early 2014.

That's the word from the head of the CEO Search Committee and Board Member John W. Thompson. While many of us Microsoft watchers had been hearing talk that Microsoft would name its new CEO before this year was out, that's not happening, after all.

Microsoft believes that the government, but not necessarily the National Security Agency (NSA), may stymie the IT industry’s efforts to safeguard corporate and user data.

Top security executives at the company have put together their top predictions for 2014 for the Microsoft Security Blog. Paul Nicholas, senior director of Global Security Strategy for Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing division says that government efforts to bolster cyber-security may end up doing more harm than good if all stakeholders fail to see eye-to-eye.