Microsoft has officially released Internet Explorer 9. Not a beta, not a release candidate, but the real deal. You’ll recall that a Mozilla rep had already spoken out against it a few weeks ago, saying that it was not a “modern browser.” GPU acceleration and a fancy new user interface would suggest otherwise, but there’s no need to get into a browser fight. Use what you like, I say. → Read More
This charming lad has installed every version of Windows from 1.0 to Vista inside a VMWare instance, offering us a fascinating look at Windows versions since the early 1990s. → Read More
In February of 2007, 83.24 percent of users visiting TechCrunch did so from a Windows machine. One year later, in February 2008, the stranglehold remained firm at 80.44 percent. In February 2009, the number was at 74.04 percent. Last year, it was 61.59 percent. And this year? The number of people visiting our site from Windows machines dipped to 53.84 percent.
The writing is on the wall.
Look at those numbers again for a second. In four years, Windows share among TechCrunch readers has fallen 30 percentage points. That’s incredible. → Read More
Oh, happy day! Angry Birds is now available for the PC. “But wait,” you say. “There’s no app store on Windows. How will I download it?” Don’t worry: Intel has you covered → Read More
Put on your coding hats! Microsoft will release a Kinect software development kit for Windows this spring. It will be a non-commercial release, and is being developed for “academic research and enthusiast communities to create even richer experiences using Kinect technology.” No more having to hack together Kinect PC support for your various exploits. → Read More
At one point, a long, long time ago, Twitter was just a super simple website with some SMS integration. Then it became a slightly more robust website. Then it became an iPhone app. Then an Android app. Then an iPad app. Then a very robust website. BlackBerry, Windows Phone, etc. Now, as of today, there’s an official Mac desktop client, Twitter for Mac. Just about all of the bases now seem to be covered — except one: Windows.
Following the Twitter for Mac launch this morning, I asked the company if they had plans to do a Windows-based desktop version next. “For now, we only have the Mac version. We don’t have plans for a PC version — though we never say never,” a Twitter representative told me. In other words, eventually, yes there probably will be one. → Read More
Allmyapps has picked a weird – or genius – time to announce the launch of its independent application store for Windows PCs – Apple has just announced that it will be opening up its Mac App Store for business on January 6.
The French startup, which recently raised €1 million in venture funding, was also just blasted by Robert Scoble, after an apparently gruesome pitch at last week’s Le Web conference. They responded to his blog post with one of their own, saying Scoble was right about Windows but wrong about them.
But why not decide for yourself? → Read More
Windows Home Server is easily one of the best products to ever come out of Redmond. It brings most of the functionality of a full-fledged server without any of the hassle. OEMs like HP and Acer quickly jumped on the platform a few years ago and outed fantastic products lines centered around WHS that allowed nearly any consumer to set up a comprehensive back-up solution, media vault, and network-attached storage unit — all on a small form factor PC that sucks less energy than a traditional computer. It’s seemingly a winning product for Microsoft, hardware makers and even us consumers. But that perception is apparently wrong. Microsoft is now prepping the next version of WHS named Vail, which reportable does not include features and functions that previously defined the platform.
Of course these moves have caused the WHS server fan base to erupt in an Internet ragestorm fueled by confusion and abandonment issues. The thought that Windows Home Server is now dead in the water was further defined today when Microsoft confirmed reports that HP, which shipped the first widely adapted WHS, will not produce servers based on the next-gen OS. Dead, canceled, or some other name with synonymous lifeless might not be the correct description as Microsoft is clearly working on the platform, but the next version of WHS is seemingly different enough in its core philosophy and target demographic to warrant a name change or even death decree. → Read More
Chrome OS draws near. Last night brought perhaps the more surefire sign yet: Google is openly talking to The New York Times about it. Perhaps that is in response to rumors that it was being delayed into next year. While details are still scant, NYT reports that before the end of the year, Google will release a lightweight netbook running Chrome OS. It will likely be branded as a Google product, but built by a third-party, similar to what the search giant did with their Nexus One phone, says the report.
This is in line with what we’ve heard and were told recently. While a full-scale roll out of Chrome OS has likely been pushed into 2011, Google is still saying that they will release something before the end of the year. Based on messages in the open source Chromium forums, it would seem that this will be a beta version of the OS. One that yes, will be running on their own device that they’re currently dogfood testing (testing within the company). → Read More
I thought we’d get a Hello Kitty tablet before anything else, but today Onkyo Japan has announced a Snoopy-themed Windows tablet [JP, PDF] for the local market (Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit, to be more exact). Buyers will get a rebranded Onkyo device with a Snoopy drawing on the back, a Snoopy stylus, and a special “Peanuts” case. → Read More
Do you remember the Fujitsu tablets we blogged about last month? The two models I saw at CEATEC 2010 were hidden behind plexi-glass boxes and used printed glossy paper for the screens (one model is pictured). But now Japan’s biggest business daily, The Nikkei, is not only reporting that a tablet made by Fujitsu really exists but that it’s scheduled to go on sale in spring 2011 (they are talking about just one version though). → Read More
I’m not sure which is the greater credit to Microsoft: that Windows 7 is the fastest-selling OS of all time, or that the rock-solid XP is still going strong after ten years. Despite numerous warnings and, of course, a great OS update to, a lot of system admins are choosing to stick with the old workhorse for as long as they can, even after it’s no longer supported. Hey, if it ain’t broke, right? → Read More
Here is our hands-on video of the HP Slate 500, HP’s new business slate. For those of you still on the fence, HP has posted all of the final specs for the device as well, including the fact that it has an active digitizer as well as an Intel Z540 Atom Processor Z540 (1.86 GHz, 512 KB L2 cache, 533 MHz FSB) and 2GB of memory.
You can take a gander at the product page and see if this is the slate for you, Win7 lovers.
Video after the jump. → Read More
Microsoft is adding another piece to the gaming puzzle with the forthcoming debut of an on-demand Web store for PC games dubbed Games For Windows Marketplace.
Launching November 15, Microsoft says the Games for Windows Marketplace will offer PC gamers a “robust lineup of games” (about 100 titles at its debut, see a limited list after the jump) and recurring specials such as Deal of the Week. → Read More
Windows, Microsoft’s ubiquitous operating system, sits firmly in place.
One year after launch, licenses for the successor of Windows Vista, Windows 7, have gone over the counter no less than 240 million times.
As Microsoft points out, that makes it the fastest selling operating system in history, which is not super surprising when you consider how many were clamoring to upgrade from Vista, and XP for that matter. → Read More
Windows, Microsoft’s ubiquitous operating system, sits firmly in place.
One year after launch, licenses for the successor of Windows Vista, Windows 7, have gone over the counter no less than 240 million times.
As Microsoft points out, that makes it the fastest selling operating system in history, which is not super surprising when you consider how many were clamoring to upgrade from Vista, and XP for that matter. → Read More
It’s been a long time coming and it’s finally here: Microsoft has released their eagerly awaited Windows Phone 7, a distinct break from everything that came before and a complete overhaul of Microsoft’s aged OS. Windows Phone 7 uses an entirely new UI based around “hubs,” points of activity on the screen. Some hubs bring up email, others bring up photos and games. You can download TV from UVerse right onto your phone and you have connectivity to your Windows Live and Xbox Live accounts. Generally, the launch is quite exciting. Fans of WinMo will not recognize this new version but I expect they’ll be enthused when they start using it. → Read More
With this week’s release of Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7, eBay is taking the opportunity to roll out its flagship app for the platform. eBay’s Microsoft-friendly version is loaded with a lot of the basic functionality available on the iPhone and Android apps but you’ll notice a few new options and a dramatically different aesthetic (reflecting the new Windows Phone 7 environment).
A look at what’s new ahead. → Read More
Parallels 6 for Mac OS X launches today. You knew that, yes. But did you also know the Parallels Mobile App iTunes link found on the iTunes Store now plays nice with your iPad? Think of the possibilities: Windows software, now on your iPad. Yes, that means you can now run Flash on your iPad. Why you’d want that processor-melting software ruining your iPad experience, I don’t know, but options are always welcome → Read More
