Tag: Announcements

Categories
Uncategorized

Microsoft and Yahoo! again in the news, “to explore and pursue alternatives”

In the morning news… Microsoft and Yahoo! are again in the spotlight, this time with a move that “Microsoft announced that it is continuing to explore and pursue its alternatives to improve and expand its online services and advertising business.” 

“In light of developments since the withdrawal of the Microsoft proposal to acquire Yahoo! Inc., Microsoft announced that it is continuing to explore and pursue its alternatives to improve and expand its online services and advertising business.  Microsoft is considering and has raised with Yahoo! an alternative that would involve a transaction with Yahoo! but not an acquisition of all of Yahoo!  Microsoft is not proposing to make a new bid to acquire all of Yahoo! at this time, but reserves the right to reconsider that alternative depending on future developments and discussions that may take place with Yahoo! or discussions with shareholders of Yahoo! or Microsoft or with other third parties. 

“There of course can be no assurance that any transaction will result from these discussions.”

All this after the post with a few thoughts on moving past “Microsoft and Yahoo!” where I noted that nothing spurs people on than competition, and such healthy tension ultimately benefits consumers.  Among other quips. 😉

Have a lovely Sunday – I’m out to enjoy the beautiful sunny, mid-seventies weather we’re having (that’s about 20 degrees for my friends up North and way out East). 

Which serendipitously enough turns out is similar to the weather their having in Menlo Park this weekend. 

Could this be related to the Microsoft news, and a plot to ensure that our weather is attractive to more transplants from Silicon Valley?  Nahhh… 😉

More info:

Link to the brief Microsoft PressPass story.

Microsoft and Yahoo! News Archive

Tags: Microsoft, Yahoo!, Windows Live.

Categories
Uncategorized

Microsoft says it withdraws offer for Yahoo (MSN Money)

In case you missed the news today, Steve Ballmer announced (MSN link below) that Microsoft withdrew its offer for Yahoo! today. 

Microsoft Corp withdrew its offer for Yahoo Inc on Saturday after negotiations fell through because Yahoo wanted more than the $33 a share that Microsoft was willing to offer.

In a letter to Yahoo Chief Executive Jerry Yang, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said the company raised its offer by about $5 billion to $33 a share, but Yahoo wanted $37 a share.

“Despite our best efforts, including raising our bid by roughly $5 billion, Yahoo! has not moved toward accepting our offer,” Ballmer said in a statement.

“After careful consideration, we believe the economics demanded by Yahoo! do not make sense for us, and it is in the best interests of Microsoft stockholders, employees and other stakeholders to withdraw our proposal,” said Ballmer.

Microsoft says it withdraws offer for Yahoo: Reuters Business News – MSN Money

(update) And Steve’s letter is now available on Microsoft PressPass.

Categories
Uncategorized

Windows XP Service Pack 3 via Windows Update Delayed

I case you missed the news today, we delayed the release of Windows XP Service Pack 3  due to a compatibility issue we found with Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management as Chris Keroack noted on the TechNet Forums…

“In the last few days, we have uncovered a compatibility issue between Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS) and both Windows XP SP3 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1). In order to make sure customers have the best possible experience, we have decided to delay releasing Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) to the web.

“To help protect customers, we plan to put filtering in place shortly to prevent Windows Update from offering both service packs to systems running Microsoft Dynamics RMS.  Once filtering is in place, we expect to release Windows XP SP3 to the web. 

“We are also testing a fix, and will make it available once that process is complete.  Once they have installed the fix, Microsoft Dynamics RMS customers should be able to run both service packs.

“Until then, we advise Microsoft Dynamics RMS customers to not install either service pack.  Microsoft Dynamics RMS customers running Windows XP SP3 or Windows Vista SP1 should contact Microsoft Customer Support Services for additional information.”

MSDN and TechNet subscribers have access to SP3 to allow for sysadmins and IT Professionals to evaluate the release before deployment.

Categories
Uncategorized

Microsoft Office Labs launches today

As I dial in to a conference call, a little bit on the new Microsoft Office Labs site, launched today… as Chris Pratley notes…


       



“Welcome to Microsoft Office Labs.” It’s great to be able to say that. For quite some time the Office Labs team has been exploring ideas internally at Microsoft. Now we’d like to show you some of our ideas and ask you to give them a whirl.

“We’re a group of designers and developers that collect ideas from all over Microsoft (but mostly from Office and other products related to ‘getting stuff done’ – what we call ‘productivity’). We build working prototypes of the most promising of these ideas to see if they work as well as we hope they might.”


Office Labs is filled with prototypes of add-ons, web services and other downloads.  


The prototypes you see here are like “Concept Cars”.  They aren’t products or features of Microsoft Office.  Don’t expect them to work perfectly, or be available here forever.  Just as when a concept car is shown at an auto-show, one or two or none of the ideas shown might make it into a future vehicle.  Everybody knows its unpredictable, so don’t go off thinking this is some kind of preview for future versions of Office, ok?  Anyway, we thought it would be interesting to present some ideas we are exploring.


“Of initial interest…

InkSeine from Microsoft Research:  Use your Tablet PC with an interface uniquely tailored to pen input. The tool fades into the background so that you can focus on capturing your ideas, sketches, and creative thoughts. Integrates search and inking.

How to use Search Commands with WordSearch Commands:  Search for commands in your own words and get the button to do it, instantly. Works with Microsoft Office 2007 – Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Learn more and Download it

 


Tags: Microsoft, Office. 


 

Categories
Uncategorized

Windows XP SP3 Released to PC Manufacturers, System Builders

Yesterday we announced the release to manufacturers (RTM) of Service Pack 3 (SP3) for Windows XP, and as noted on Computerworld…

“Windows XP has released to manufacturing,” said Chris Keroack, the service pack’s release manager, in a message posted to a TechNet support forum Monday at around 1 p.m. EDT. “Windows XP SP3 bits are now working their way through our manufacturing channels to be available to OEM and enterprise customers.”

If you are an IT systems administrator, developer, or if you’re no stranger to installing updates from the DLC, you will be able to update XP systems to SP3 next week when SP3 is released on the Download Center, or as an optional download on Windows Update. 

For consumers, you’ll start to see XP SP3 distributed via Automatic Update in early summer.