Microsoft informs about malware in Office for Mac

Microsoft researchers discovered malware on a Mac OS X which operates a three-year hole in Office for Mac. It uses a multi-level attack as in the world of Windows. Although Microsoft made ​​the problem since 2009, the company informs that not all machines are updated to the latest version. The figures show the company that the malware is not as extensive.


The stresses in the Microsoft blog:


"No operating system outside the laboratory is 100% safe. As more systems are gaining users, 
acquire and viruses. "


The Microsoft ends up urging users of Office 2004 for Mac and Office 2008 for Mac to make immediate update to protect against potential threats.

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Windows 8 Release Preview in early June

Microsoft announced through the account Build Windows 8 on Twitter that it will release a Windows 8 Release Preview the first week of June for a final trial period of about 4 months until the final release version of Windows 8 in October.




Announce ... Windows 8 Release Preview first week of June.Here 's the announce from Japan's Windows 8 Dev Days # thankyou twitter.com/BuildWindows8 / ...


- Building Windows 8 (@ BuildWindows8) April 24, 2012


At present there are known differences between the version of the Release Preview and Consumer Preview available from late February, but we imagine it will be more stable and more complete.

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Microsoft announces $ 5.11 billion profit for the first quarter of 2012

Microsoft today announced its financial results for the quarter ended on March 31, recording a record turnover of 17.41 billion U.S. dollars (an increase of six percent compared to last year) and net benefit that touched 5.11 billion dollars.


The Professional Division, which includes Microsoft Office, what was once again brought the most revenue to the company recording a turnover of $ 5.81 billion. The section on Windows brought profits of about $ 4.62 billion (4 percent increase over last year) and part of the Server & Tools $ 4.57 billion (14 percent increase).


On the other hand, part Entertainment & Devices, which includes the popular Xbox, recorded a turnover of $ 1.62 billion, which is actually a 16 percent decrease compared to last year.


You can read the full report of Microsoft here.

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Microsoft is preparing a web version for Skype

The first steps for making video calls directly from the web browser made ​​in cooperation with Skype - Facebook and then the operation Hangouts in Google +, and recently saw a demo of Mozilla to Mozilla Firefox.

Therefore, it seems perfectly reasonable goal of Microsoft to bring the ability to make video calls through their web browsers of any platform, which was manifested by posting a notice for:


".... Developers to help us bring Skype experience on to the Web."




Details of the format will get through to the Skype web browsers have been known, but will use HTML5 and JavaScript in order to be supported by all web browsers and all platforms.


We expect more information in the near future.

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Microsoft Office 15: Direct cooperation with Office 365 and SkyDrive [Video]

Not long after the completion of the technical preview, a leaked video for Microsoft Office 15 suite where the company reveals some evidence for direct collaboration with the online software suite and Office 365 cloud storage service SkyDrive.

As you can see below,  Microsoft Office 15 gives the user the ability to access documents anytime and anywhere is, but also continues his work from where you left.




Essentially, Microsoft revealed that wants to build a service similar to iCloud, which will connect the computers with Windows 8 tablets and smartphones. Note that the first public beta version of Windows Office 15 will be available in summer, while the final version is expected in 2013.

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Microsoft will begin charging for the use of Bing API

Microsoft announced earlier that the API for Bing Search will not free but is now available for a monthly subscription. Specifically, developers can freely use the API 2.0 for the coming months, but necessarily after this transitional period, the model will start from $ 40 a month for up to 20,000 queries.


Subscriptions will be offered via the Windows Azure Marketplace where developers can try today to free the new API. More details about schedules, prices roundtrips will be announced in the coming weeks.


With this change, the developers will have access to newer results and improved relevance and more opportunities to profit from the use of the API. The developers expect that now more than 3 to 4,000,000 queries will be included in a separate category. Read the official announcement of Microsoft here.

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Microsoft blocks the Pirate Bay in Windows Live Messenger

The problems facing the Pirate Bay with the law is admittedly a lot but the list seems to have no end. Apart from the various ISPs to restrict access to the most popular torrent site on the planet comes into play and the Microsoft.


Specifically, Microsoft seems to preclude any reference to the Internet address of the Pirate Bay's popular service via Windows Live Messenger (MSN) by blocking the respective links.


Basically, if you try to send a link to the Pirate Bay to a contact in your MSN you will see the following warning message and the link will never reach the recipient.

According to reports the same thing occurs in other applications such as Pidgin, if account is used Live Messenger.

The tactics Microsoft has raised some questions as to the legality of the ban and such monitoring as well as to the motive. It seems that only the Pirate Bay is what is blocked and no other known torrent site. It will not be known nor why this is censorship, but we imagine that relates to copyright alone the spectacle of companies struggling to protect in every way.

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"The browser you loved to hate", Microsoft is fooling itself [Video]

Microsoft has found a better way to advertise Internet Explorer, mocking herself for earlier versions of the web browser through the campaign "the browser you loved to hate". At the same time, created a new website that includes tweets, statements and comments from the online world, which extol the Internet Explorer 9.


See below the video-parody of Microsoft:

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Microsoft analyzes Internet Explorer 10 in Windows 8 [Video]

Completing two weeks after the release of Windows 8 Consumer Preview Microsoft describes the rationale behind the creation of the Metro version of Internet Explorer 10.


Microsoft has invested much more in this new version in both overall performance and responsiveness of the application and security enhancements.


For example, improvements include simple movements swipe (a multitouch screen) back and forth to achieve the function buttons back / forward in a traditional browser. If mouse is the same function is achieved with mouse over the corresponding area on the right and left of the screen IE10.


IE10 exploits operating tiles using a web browser pointing into the often visited sites and bookmarks. Users, in fact, they can 'pin' websites and IE10 directly outside the Start Screen. These pages will stand with the appropriate color and favicon and can be contained and reminders or messages depending on the type of site.


Regarding the issue of security the IE10 contains the "Enhanced Protected Mode" for the isolation of each page in a separate tab. The function has been upgraded allowing InPrivate feature and not per tab per session. This possibility, indeed, will be offered to users of IE10 for Windows 7 in a future update.


Overall this is an interesting article published in the way it works the IE10. You can read more here on the official Microsoft site and see the video below:

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10 years Anniversary for Xbox in Europe with Special Edition Xbox 360!

May Microsoft released the first Gaming in America on November 15, 2001, but the initial launch of Xbox in Europe today as was 10 years ago.




Today, a decade later, Microsoft has sold more than 65.8 million Xbox 360 world, surpassing even the 62 million sales of competitive Playstation 3. Much of his success owes to the innovative technology Kinect.


To celebrate the anniversary of 10 years, Microsoft released a new Special Edition bundle for the Xbox 360 at a price of € 280. The package includes a console Xbox 360 Slim capacity 250GB, two wireless remotes, titled Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, codes for digital versions of Halo: Reach, Gears of War 2 and Fable 3 and three-month subscription to Xbox Live Gold.

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Microsoft shows touch screen only 1ms latency [Video]

A common problem for touch screens is called latency, ie a delay between the moment the finger touches the screen until you realize the command.


The average latency of these screens is now in 100ms, which for many may not even be noticed but certainly causes headaches for engineers.


The Paul Dietz, therefore, a member of the Group of Applied Sciences in showing how Microsoft would be the response time to touch screens in just 1ms (!)


As you will see in the video device with a 1ms latency to respond much faster and more natural movement of the hand.






However, we are still at an early stage and we can not say for sure whether this technology will reach the market sometime. The truth is that the best is always welcome.

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Without optical drive the next Xbox generation!

A few days elapsed after the codename of the next generation Xbox (Durango), are exclusive new information (from the website;) MCV.co.uk, under which Microsoft will put a new DVD drive in Xbox.




This information comes, of course, an anonymous source says that Microsoft inform their partners not to expect any kind of optical drive. However, there will be support for flash memory without specifying whether it is SD slot or a new system of private company. If this is verified, the shops will stay out of the game after all purchases will be made from online stores.


Even according to the source, Microsoft plans to release the next Xbox in 2013 and perhaps reveal the first official details on the upcoming E3 2012 (June). However, Microsoft has refused to comment on the above.

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Windows 8 Consumer Preview: Available version for download!

As expected, Microsoft today announced at MWC 2012 that starts the release of version Windows 8 Consumer Preview for the whole world!

Compared with the previous version, Windows 8 Developer Preview, has progressed to more than 100,000 changes and includes access to applications Metro.




Note that the file is in ISO format, available in versions 32-bit/64-bit for English, French, German, Chinese and Japanese, while the minimum requirements are:


1GHz processor
Memory RAM 1GB (2GB 64-bit)
Custody storage 16GB (20GB 64-bit)
Graphics card compatible with DirectX 9
You can download the file from here.

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Microsoft Flight: Available for free the flight simulator! [Video]

The big event for the present is the presentation of Microsoft's Windows 8 Consumer Preview, but until we begin to anticipate the event download the final version of Flight Simulator Microsoft Flight!




The game is free only for PC, and you can download it from here, but requires the installation of Games for Windows Live software (and of course Windows Live ID) before starting the download (1.43GB).


The free version gives you the ICON A5 aircraft and several shipments in Hawaii, and there are some pay packages to unlock different missions and aircraft, which will be continuously added new in the coming months.

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Microsoft: Transparent 3D desktop that can handle behind the screen [Video]

Microsoft proves once again the innovative nature of the new three-dimensional interactive desktop of combining a transparent OLED display from Samsung with technology Kinect. The user interacts with the virtual environment through natural movements of his hands behind his screen.




The sensors detect the location Kinect hands, head and eye of the user, giving him a three-dimensional image with depth and perspective tailored to the exact position. Moreover, like a standard computer, the system is equipped with a keyboard.


See Microsoft's technology in action (for example how the user interacts with his hands in the folders) in the video below:

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Windows Phone Tango, the first screenshots were leaked!

Until now, Microsoft has officially "talked" about Windows Phone Tango, the mobile version of OS rumored to be used in entry-level opportunities and generally smaller smartphones, but the website WP7forum reveals some screenshots that confirm its intentions company and reveal new details.


According to WP7forum, the device was used only 256MB of RAM, that is half of the minimum requirement of Windows Phone, but Microsoft does not allow the installation of specific applications from the Windows Phone Marketplace. If the application requires more memory, then displays pop-up message informing that they be installed.

Furthermore, the requirements for the camera reduced to 3MP (instead of 5MP), while sending MMS distinguished with two images (up to now supports WP 1 picture / MMS), and improved voice recording application for adding voice messages to MMS.


We expect more details at MWC 2012, after Windows Phone Tango for the second quarter of 2012, according to the timetable that was leaked in late 2011.

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This is the new logo of Windows 8

The arrival of the operating system Windows 8 will bring major changes in approaching things from Microsoft, but it will signal the end of some traditions of the company, like the classic Start Button and logo with the flag waving that form four colored squares (red , blue, yellow, green).


Although the picture you see is not official, the site Cnbeta.com says this will be the final logo of Windows 8, and even shows a photo of a prototype Windows 8 ARM tablet, clearly showing the logo on the Home Button.

We hold several reservations about the accuracy of the information and wait for the launch of Windows 8 Consumer Preview on 29 February to be sure.


You will agree with such a logo?

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Microsoft: Contact Lenses that measure blood glucose for diabetics

Microsoft Research in collaboration with the University of Washington currently working on a new project, which, when completed, will allow diabetics to monitor their glucose levels easily, quickly and painlessly primarily through special lenses!


The new contact lenses called temporary 'Functional Contact Lenses' and contain an enzyme that reacts with tears. During the reaction made ​​the appropriate measurements using bio-compatible electrodes and then the results are transferred wirelessly to a compatible device (eg smartphone).


For more details see the video below:

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Vermeer, the new interactive holographic screen of Microsoft

A few months after Holodesk, Microsoft Research has focused its attention on a new exciting project. Called Vermeer is an extremely impressive holographic screen with the unique idotita to display 3D objects not behind glass, but the air!


Applying the familiar optical illusion of the game mirascope and using parabolic mirrors, the new 360-degree screen turns tiny objects into 3D holograms floating in the air.


Indeed, the best of all is that the user can interact with what he sees, after Vermeer detects the movement of fingers through integrated infrared sensor, or alternatively using technology Kinect.


For more technical details and not just watch the video below:

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