Customer satisfaction with Microsoft software declines slightly after Windows 8

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New data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index shows satisfaction with Microsoft software declining slightly this year, falling 1.3 points to a score of 74 on a scale of 100. The result follows the release of Windows 8 last fall, with a new interface that creates a learning curve for many longtime Windows users. David VanAmburg,… Read More…

Microsoft to release free Windows 8.1 update as public preview next month

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Microsoft this morning gave more details about the Windows 8 overhaul known previously as “Windows Blue” — confirming it will be called Windows 8.1 and be released as a free update for existing Windows 8 machines through the Windows Store. The company also said it will release a public preview of Windows 8.1 on June… Read More…

Microsoft: Don’t compare Windows 8 to a can of soda

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When The Coca-Cola Company tried to introduce “New Coke” to the market back in 1985, it was considered one of the worst product decisions known to mankind. Now, some analysts are comparing Coke’s mistakes to Microsoft and Windows 8, based on the negative reaction to radical changes in the operating system, and Microsoft’s upcoming move to address “customer feedback”… Read More…

Microsoft posts weird Windows 8 commercials, then promptly takes them down

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Update: Microsoft’s crazy, brilliant Windows 8 ads are now live It appears Microsoft either made a mistake by posting new Windows commercials or was just flat-out embarrassed by the initial response. On Wednesday afternoon, both Neowin and WPCentral noticed that Microsoft uploaded three new spots to the official Windows YouTube channel. The ads, titled “Windows 8 Training… Read More…

Windows 8 hits 100M licenses: ‘Very good, but not good enough,’ says Microsoft exec

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Microsoft says it has sold 100 million Windows 8 licenses since the launch of the new operating system last fall, as the company looks ahead to a new wave of devices and a major “Windows Blue” software update that aims to ease the transition to Windows 8. The Windows 8 sales milestone, announced by the… Read More…

Acer’s leaked Windows 8 tablet aims to rival iPad mini at 8.1 inches, $380

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Acer announced a new lineup of Windows 8 notebooks, tablets and hybrids last week, but one product missing from the unveiling was the company’s rumored 8-inch Windows 8 tablet. No problem: Amazon inadvertently announced the smaller tablet on Acer’s behalf by publishing the product page ahead of schedule. PC World spotted the Acer product listing… Read More…

Windows 8 app developers struggling for ad dollars, Microsoft cites seasonality

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What happened to the ads in those ad-supported Windows 8 apps? That’s the question being asked by many developers of Windows 8 apps, who say they’ve seen significant declines in ad revenue as available advertising slots have increasingly gone unfilled by Microsoft’s pubCenter in-app advertising system — indicating low demand from advertisers. The problem has been… Read More…

Microsoft ships 900k Surface tablets in Q1, breaks into IDC’s top 5 for first time

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Microsoft is officially back on the radar in the worldwide tablet market, with its Surface Pro and Surface RT tablets combining for 900,000 units shipped in the first quarter, according to a report today by the IDC research firm. That gives the Microsoft Surface 1.8 percent market share, in fifth place, according to IDC’s estimates…. Read More…

Apple Mac not immune to slump in computer market

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Apple will report its quarterly earnings Tuesday afternoon, providing the latest glimpse into the sales of the company’s main iPhone, iPad and Mac product lines. One underlying question: How much will the iPad cut into Mac sales? The shift in consumer spending toward the iPad and other tablets has been the big story in the… Read More…

Microsoft’s Start button revival: Will this help or hurt Windows 8′s chances?

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Microsoft does plan to bring back the Start button on the traditional desktop in an upcoming Windows 8 update, but clicking on it won’t open a familiar popup Start Menu on the screen, according to a new report from Tom Warren on The Verge this morning. Instead, the site reports, clicking the button will take… Read More…