Stories by Elizabeth Montalbano

MS Office battles Google in the cloud

When Microsoft releases the next version of its productivity suite, Office 2010, it will be into a very different competitive landscape than the one Office 2007 faced in late 2006.

Does Microsoft complicate its licensing on purpose?

Navigating Microsoft's complex rules and programs for software licensing has been notoriously difficult for businesses -- a pain point not lost on the company, which for years has said it is trying to simplify the process for customers.

Samsung, HTC offer first Windows Mobile 6.5 phones

HTC and Samsung are at the head of the line of U.S. handset vendors offering Windows Mobile 6.5 phones, the first smartphones based on Microsoft's new OS that are meant to finally give Microsoft-powered phones features that are on par with those available in Apple's iPhone.

Former Microsoft open-source chief joins cloud startup

Former Microsoft open-source chief Sam Ramji has joined cloud-computing startup Sonoa Systems, taking over product strategy and business development at the Santa Clara, California-based company.

Ballmer: Windows 7 worth the investment

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer put on his sales hat Tuesday and made a case for why businesses should upgrade to Windows 7, despite an economy in which many IT budgets have been frozen or are lower than in years past.

Microsoft aims to spark new business for Web developers

Microsoft has launched a program that gives Web development professionals the chance to get free software and technical support to help them get new businesses off the ground.

Why Microsoft's Elop isn't afraid of Google

Microsoft's Business Division oversees one of its most successful products, the Office productivity suite, as well as the company's lucrative server and enterprise software businesses. However, like the rest of the company, the division has not been immune to the pressure of the recession, and revenue fell 13 per cent in the quarter ending in June.

Microsoft shows off Bing tool for measuring ad effectiveness

Microsoft on Monday demonstrated a new tool for its Bing search engine that will allow advertisers to measure the effectiveness of their ads with online users.

To Kindle or not to Kindle?

About a year or so ago there was an amusing bit of writing circulating on the Web that deconstructed Shakepeare's "Hamlet" into a series of Facebook-styled newsfeeds.

Adobe to buy Omniture for $US1.8 billion

Adobe has agreed to buy Web analytics company Omniture for $US1.8 billion in cash, the companies said Tuesday.

Adobe to buy Omniture for US$1.8 billion

Adobe has agreed to buy Web analytics company Omniture for US$1.8 billion in cash, the companies said Tuesday.

Microsoft rallies businesses to start Win 7 migrations now

In a last promotional run-up to the Windows 7 release next month, Microsoft is urging business customers to start their upgrades now with examples of customers already using the software, and another acknowledgement that the company learned lessons from how it handled Vista's release three years ago.

Court overturns Microsoft's $US358 million payment to Alcatel

Microsoft has won an appeal to overturn a $US358 million award it had been ordered to pay to Alcatel-Lucent in the latest ruling on an ongoing patent-infringement dispute that began in 2003.

Microsoft forms, funds new open-source foundation

Microsoft has cofounded and is providing the funding for a new foundation aimed at bringing open-source and proprietary software companies together to participate side by side in open-source projects.

Analysts: Microsoft enterprise licensing still challenging

Despite efforts from Microsoft over the years to simplify its software licensing for businesses, a new analyst report said it's more complex than ever for companies to figure out the most cost-effective way to acquire products from the vendor.