Stories by Preston Gralla

Google and Microsoft's new battleground: Your living room

Microsoft and Google aren't going head to head just over Internet search, office productivity suites and Cloud-based applications and services. Their next looming battle is over who will own the living room, and the outcome will have surprising implications for IT as well.

Hands-on: Nokia Lumia 900 puts Windows Phone back in the race

If you've been sitting on the fence about making the switch to Windows Phone 7, the just-released Lumia 900 could prod you to make the leap over. This stylish, well-engineered phone shows off the strengths of the Windows Phone platform on a bright, crisp 4.3-in. AMOLED screen with a high-bandwidth LTE connection.

Hands on: Firefox 11 improves syncing

Firefox 11 -- the latest version of Mozilla's popular browser, released on March 13 -- includes only modest improvements over Firefox 10.2, and is unlikely to motivate a large number of people to switch from competing browsers. The upgrade (which is available for several platforms, including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and Android) now includes the ability to sync add-ons among multiple systems and to import bookmarks, history lists and other data from Chrome.

Blogging service shootout: Blogger vs. WordPress

With all the noise about social networking sites in the last several years, it's easy to forget that if you've got more to say than what can be expressed in 140 characters, or want to do more than post brief updates, your best bet is a blog.

Upgrades: Are Computers Just Big Smartphones?

The beta versions of Mac OS X (code-named Mountain Lion) and Windows 8 are now being tested worldwide, and although they are quite different from one another, they share one characteristic: Both take designs and features built for smartphones and tablets

In Pictures: A deep dive into Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Windows 8 Consumer Preview offers a new look at Microsoft's upcoming interface for both computers and tablets. Is one device being shortchanged in favor of the other?

A deep dive into Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Windows 8 Consumer Preview is one of the biggest changes that Microsoft has made to Windows, moving it from an operating system aimed at a single class of hardware (PCs and laptops) to one that spans a wide range of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones.

Opinion: Apple will never unseat Microsoft in the enterprise

Apple is riding high these days, not just in the consumer market with the iPhone and iPad, but increasingly in the corporate market as well. Some people envision the day when Apple will challenge Microsoft in the enterprise. That will never happen.

Opinion: Microsoft's app blitz bodes well for its future

Once upon a time, Microsoft would rarely release a product on a competitor's platform. Those days may be over. At the end of last year, Microsoft launched a blizzard of apps for iPhones, iPads and Android phones. That's good news for anyone who cares about the company's future.

Kindle Fire vs. the Kobo Vox vs. the Nook Tablet

With the holiday season in full force, a lot of gift-givers are going to be considering one of the new color e-readers that have been introduced recently: Amazon's Kindle Fire, the Kobo Vox and Barnes & Noble's Nook Tablet.

Opinion: Look who's discovered the virtues of openness

You know the stereotype: Microsoft is the sworn enemy of openness, unwilling to open its code or hardware to others. It's a monopolist bent on world domination, willing to use its lawyers and market strength to ensure that Windows and Office don't face any serious competition.

Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet, Kobo Vox

Print books may not be dead, but it's not for want of the biggest booksellers trying to kill them. This week, Amazon released the Kindle Fire, with Barnes & Noble following with the Nook Tablet -- while one week ago the lesser-known Kobo Vox went on sale.

Is Windows Becoming the Ghost of Microsoft's Past?

Microsoft was built on operating systems: first DOS, and then Windows. But the company's most recent earnings show that Windows is no longer its primary engine for growth. Because of that, it's not clear what kind of company Microsoft will be several years from now.

The Enterprise Is Unlikely to Jump on Microsoft's Metro

Microsoft recently released a developer preview of Windows 8 , which Steven Sinofsky, president of Microsoft's Windows division, called a "bold re-imagination." For once, corporate hype is accurate; this new version of Windows is dramatically different from Windows 7 , Vista and XP. Not that different always means better. Enterprises are going to be especially hard-pressed to see improvements in Windows 8. In fact, they might skip the upgrade entirely.

Windows Phone 7 Mango edition

The recent iOS 5 announcement highlighted several interesting additions to Apple's app-focused operating system, such as the new Siri voice command interface, which will be available only on the iPhone 4S. In contrast, Microsoft's new Mango version of Windows Phone 7 (which is actually version 7.5) helps fulfill that platform's promise of helping people focus on the tasks they want to accomplish and the information they want to receive, rather than the apps they run -- especially when it comes to social networking and communications.