Microsoft Offers Office App for iPhone - But With a Catch
Microsoft Office has finally arrived on Apple's iOS in an official app released by Microsoft itself. It's free to download -- but to use it there's a considerable catch.
IOS
Sony, Microsoft Face Off; Investors Sour on Lululemon
Here's a rundown of the week's smartest moves and biggest blunders in the business world.
Microsoft Unveils Update to Unpopular Windows 8 OS
Software-giant Microsoft has unveiled the updated version of its touch-enabled Windows 8 operating system at the world's second largest computer show in Taipei.
The Worst Product Flops of 2012
Sometimes, no matter how many months a company invests in development or how many millions it spends on marketing, a new product can fall flat on its face. That's what happened to these new offerings, the biggest product flops of 2012.
Apple TV Comes a Step Closer to Home Entertainment Reality
Apple is testing smart TV designs with major Asian component suppliers, The Wall Street Journal reports. And executives at some suppliers for the world's most valuable tech company are confirming that designs for a large-screen high-def television are in the works.
Microsoft's Tablet Moves Show Real Trouble Beneath the Surface
On Tuesday, Microsoft put out a chest-thumping press release about how well its new Surface tablet is selling. But read between the lines of the PR puffery, and you'll see a worried tech giant making another big gamble in its attempt to produce a tablet that can compete with the iPad.
Apple CEO Tim Cook: We'll Make Macs in America
Apple CEO Tim Cook opened up to Bloomberg Businessweek about some of the hot button issues facing his company. The man who succeeded Steve Jobs dishes on Maps, executive changes, overall management style, and making Macs in the U.S.A.
Is Nokia Toast? Cell Phone Maker Still Has All the Wrong Answers
Nokia's stock price has nearly doubled since hitting bottom last summer, but it's premature to call this a turnaround for the company that, until recently, was the world's largest cell phone maker. If anything, at least one analyst sees this as a selling opportunity.
Amazon Leaps Into the Mobile Gaming Game with 'Air Patriots'
Amazon released its first mobile game, "Air Patriots" on Thursday, The classic tower defense strategy game is a free download for Apple iOS and Android devices; but can the world's largest online retailer compete in a marketplace filled with thousands of nimble little competitors?
Why Hewlett-Packard Will Never Be Great Again
In the past two years, Hewlett-Packard's world has turned upside-down, thanks to CEO woes, costly acquisitions and a doomed attempt to revive webOS. All those problems cost the tech giant 58% of its market value. But as bad as things appear now, they can always get worse.
Microsoft Surface: 5 Reasons to Pay Heed to This iPad Challenger
Microsoft's unveiled the Surface tablet Monday, and this new iPad foe will of course be met with some skepticism. But there are plenty of reasons to take the world's largest software company seriously here. Here are five reasons to get excited.
Microsoft Becomes Most Interesting Stock in the World
Microsoft's Windows 8, with its Metro user interface, is designed to work on PCs, tablets, phones, and even game machines. Win or lose, it's the biggest rollout Microsoft has had since Windows 3.0 more than 20 years ago, and an entire industry is on the line.
RIM Rumor or Reality: Is a BlackBerry Buyout Coming?
Major tech companies including Amazon, Microsoft and Nokia have been eyeing BlackBerry maker Research In Motion, according to recent reports. True, we shouldn't jump to any conclusions based on the words of "unnamed sources." But all of the attention RIM's getting does make sense.
10 Billion Reasons to Like Android
It's not paranoia -- you really are surrounded by Androids. Google's mobile OS is now running on 200 million activated gadgets, matching the number running Apple's iOS. And recently, the 10 billionth Android app was downloaded.
Nokia's CEO: Not Much to Toast After First Anniversary
Stephen Elop may be thrilled to have his first year as CEO of Nokia out of the way. After all, in the past 12 months, the struggling mobile-phone maker has seen its share price and market share plummet, and the bad news just keeps coming. But it's too soon to count Elop out.
Week in Brief: Gold Shines, Netflix Flies, Data Plans Shrink
This may have been a holiday-shortened trading week, but there were plenty of financial nuggets that kept stocks moving. Let's go over some of the news from Netflix, Verizon, Immucor and more that shaped this abridged week in the markets.
Apple iMessage Takes Aim at RIM's Blackberry Messenger
Apple recently introduced iMessage, a new service that lets users send text messages, photos and videos between all Apple devices. This could challenge Research in Motion's BlackBerry Messenger service, which has been a unique selling point as the company struggles to compete with Google's Android and Apple's iPhone.
IBM Surges Ahead of Microsoft in Market Value
Microsoft used to be the most valuable tech company in the U.S. based on market capitalization. Apple took that crown away last year. Now, IBM has dropped the Redmond, Wash., giant into third place. So what's IBM doing right, and what's Microsoft doing wrong?
BlackBerry PlayBook Not Ready for Prime Time?
The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet computer debuts Tuesday, and for the many folks in the corporate world already armed with BlackBerry phones, the addition of a PlayBook may make sense. But there are a host of reasons why the average consumer may find the device not quite ready for the spotlight.
Surge in Smartphone Sales: Good News for Apple, Motorola, Microsoft
Smartphone sales are expected rise 49% this year to 450 million units, according to a new survey from electronics research firm IDC.
RIM Takes a Risk with BlackBerry Messenger App
Research In Motion's plans to make its BlackBerry Messenger service available as an app on Androids and iPhones will get its signature software in front of a wider audience. But will RIM's initiative win new customers, or cannibalize its already failing smartphone market share?
Nokia's New CEO Earns High Grades for Bold Moves
In four months, CEO Stephen Elop has slashed its workforce and turned the company in a new direction. On Friday, he launched his gutsiest strategy yet -- dumping Nokia's ailing Symbian mobile operating system and betting the house on Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 OS.
Push Pop Press: Apple Alums Launch Digital Book Maker
Expect lots of hand gestures, pinching, and other actions now familiar to users of Apple's iOS devices when Push Pop Press -- founded by former Apple designer Mike Matas -- launches its new digital book company.
Android Takes the Lead in Smartphone OS Market Share
Handsets based on Google's Android mobile operating system accounted for 32.9% of worldwide smartphone shipments in the fourth quarter, compared with Symbian's 30.6% market share, according to a new report from market researcher Canalys. Apple's iOS was a distant third, with 16%.
It's Official: Verizon Wireless's iPhone 4 Arrives in February
At last, a Verizon iPhone. Verizon Wireless made its long-awaited announcement Tuesday, ending years of speculation over when it would carry Apple's world-beating smartphone on its CDMA network. Worth noting: It'll come with an unlimited data plan for $29.99 a month.
Gap Test Drives Apple's iPhone Point-of-Sale System
The same system Apple Store employees use to run credit card transactions on iPhones or iPod Touches is about to spread. Apple is offering it to other retailers, a move that could create a multifaceted win for Apple's enterprise business.
Nuance Shares Up Even After Wozniak Admits His Error
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak backpedaled Tuesday from an earlier statement that Apple was purchasing voice recognition software maker Nuance Communications. Despite Woz's proclamation that he was "totally wrong," investors pushed Nuance's shares to a new 52-week high.
Android OS Gains in Smartphone Race as All Others Slip
Apple's iPhone operating system software stumbled in the third quarter, losing year-over-year quarterly market share for the first time, as Google's Android mobile operating system pulled further ahead, according to a Gartner Research report released Wednesday.