Windows

Market Minute: EU Slaps Microsoft with $733 Million Fine

European regulators have fined Microsoft $733 million for failing to give users of its Windows system a choice of Internet browsers. The company had settled an antitrust dispute four years ago by saying it would offer alternatives to its Internet Explorer, but failed to do so for more than a year.

Six Reasons Businesses Can't Live Without Gold

The majority of gold demand these days goes to jewelry and investors, but the precious metal is good for more than looking pretty and providing a hard asset: Industrial and technological uses for gold are growing.

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?

Could Google's Chromebook Steal Microsoft's Shine?

Google recently announced the launch of the Chromebook: a notebook PC loaded with its Chrome Web browser as a bare-bones operating system. This Web-based portable is a direct attack on Microsoft's core businesses: the Windows OS and the Office suite. But how much of a threat is it?

Nokia in Cell-Phone Talks with Microsoft and Google

When Nokia's CEO presents the company's strategy to investors in London on Friday, it could announce plans to use an outside operating system -- namely, Microsoft's , Google's or both, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

Taking on the iPad: Microsoft Tablets Coming Soon

Microsoft says the first tablets equipped with Windows 7 will hit stores this year. The so-called "slate" computing devices, launched in partnership with hardware companies such as Hewlett-Packard, will go on sale during this year's holiday season. Can they take market share away from Apple's iPad?

Google's New Operating System: A Stock Booster?

First announced a year ago, Google's new open-source operating system could enter the fray later this year. For investors, it's one more reason to be optimistic about the stock, which has languished so far in 2010.

Google Is Pushing Out Windows to Make Room for Chrome

The search giant is said to be upset about security flaws in Microsoft's operating system, claiming they led to the cyber-attack in China. But it's more likely that Google is simply preparing for the launch of Chrome, its much-ballyhooed Web-based OS.

Microsoft Strikes Deal with E.U. on Browser Bundling

Microsoft has sealed a deal to end a decade of litigation with the European Union over charges that it unfairly used its dominant operating system to promote its Web browser, Internet Explorer. The computer giant agreed to give European users a choice of up to 12 browsers in future editions of Windows.

Win7's 'Black Screen of Death'

Just when they come out with a Windows 7 release that most of the tech world seems to like, an update wreaks havoc with what's likely to be a limited subset of users. Naturally, the media gives this problem a highly colorful term -- the Black Screen of Death.