Microsoft | featured news

For Apple and Zynga, this E3 was a magical event. Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo all retreated within the crumbling walls of aging franchises and spin-off sequels. Under attack from mobile and social games, the Big Three console vendors are stumbling through the year 2012. Nintendo had a notably disappointing Wii U showcase and Sony’s Vita lacks the powerful slate of new titles it needs. We may be drifting towards a scenario where Nintendo shrinks to a rump company focusing only on portable gaming – and knocks out Sony’s PS Vita in the process.

Microsoft has announced that it will be launching a new music service known as Xbox Music. Xbox Music will offer more than 30 million songs on Xbox 360s, Windows 8 PCs, tablets and phones.

Last Thursday, Microsoft announced several new features to the upcoming IE10, which will launch as part of Windows 8. One of these features, which turns on “Do Not Track” by default, has caused quite a stir over the weekend as new outlets and bloggers have discussed the potential benefits and ramifications of this feature.

Microsoft is launching the most complete preview yet of its forthcoming Windows 8 operating system, the biggest redesign since Windows 95.

Microsoft's usual plan is to offer a free upgrade to users of older versions of Windows to bump up to the next release version. This time around there will be a cost, according to sources.

A court in Mannheim ruled on Wednesday that Microsoft infringed Motorola Mobility's patents and ordered Microsoft to remove its popular Xbox 360 gaming consoles and Windows 7 operating system software from the German market.

Microsoft Corp will invest $300 million in Barnes & Noble Inc's digital and college businesses in a deal that values the businesses at $1.7 billion.

Facebook is paying $550 million to Microsoft for some of the patents the software giant recently bought from AOL, as the social network beefs up its patent defenses ahead of its IPO.

Microsoft Corp beat Wall Street's profit forecast as computer sales held up better than expected, lifting its shares 2.5 percent after hours.