Beyond Binary

Live blog: Ballmer at CES

Ina Fried — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:30:00 GMT

LAS VEGAS--With Bill Gates now a Microsoft part-timer, CEO Steve Ballmer is set to be this year's opening keynote for the Consumer Electronics Show. We'll have live coverage starting around 6:30 p.m. PST, but in the mean time, we have a preview story here, noting that ...

Verizon, Microsoft in mobile-search deal

Ina Fried — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:04:00 GMT

LAS VEGAS--One piece of Microsoft's Consumer Electronics Show news is out of the bag. The company has struck a deal that will see its search engine become the default on Verizon Wireless cell phones for the next five years.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was set to unveil the pact

...

Q&A: Muglia on the cloud, Azure, and the economy

Ina Fried — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:22:00 GMT

A long time ago, Bob Muglia worked on a Microsoft project designed to offer a variety of services in the cloud. That effort, known as Hailstorm, didn't exactly go gangbusters, and Muglia's career took a detour.

Bob Muglia

But both Muglia and Hailstorm are back. On Monday, Microsoft ...

Microsoft elevates server unit, promotes Muglia

Ina Fried — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:47:00 GMT

Microsoft started off its new-year executive shuffling by promoting longtime Server and Tools unit head Bob Muglia to president, a title he shares with entertainment boss Robbie Bach and business software chief Stephen Elop.

Bob Muglia

It's a title elevation for Muglia, whose responsibilities remain the same. It also ...

Microsoft still pushing 'Apple tax' notion

Ina Fried — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:00:00 GMT

With Apple's last Macworld keynote speech just hours away, Microsoft is again talking up the idea of an "Apple tax" that people pay when they opt for a Mac over a Windows PC.

It's a concept that Microsoft started touting in the fall. While the words may be ...

Contractless in Seattle

Ina Fried — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Editor's note: This is part of a series of stories about the recession's effect on the tech industry.

After nine months of searching for work, Ben Klausner thought he'd finally caught a break when he landed a contract gig in September doing security work for Microsoft's ...

Microsoft's Muglia: IT budgets are 'cramped'

Ina Fried — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:00:00 GMT

For more quarters than I can remember now, Microsoft's server and tools unit has been the company's shining star. While desktop Windows and Office still provide the bulk of revenue and profits, it's the server business that has been the fastest growing of Microsoft's big businesses. ...

Ballmer to talk Windows 7, not ZunePhone, at CES

Ina Fried — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:49:00 GMT

Microsoft will have a bunch of stuff to show at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, but a rumored ZunePhone won't be one of them, according to sources familiar with the company's plans.

Instead, much of CEO Steve Ballmer's focus will be on talking about Windows 7 ...

Jeff Raikes to join Costco board

Ina Fried — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:37:00 GMT

Apparently, saving the world isn't taking up all of Jeff Raikes' time.

Jeff Raikes

(Credit: Microsoft)

The former Microsoft executive and current CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is joining the board of directors of Costco Wholesale, the giant retail chain.

"We are very pleased to welcome ...

Yule Log comes to the iPhone

Ina Fried — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:53:00 GMT

For those without a fireplace and/or an ability to carry a tune, TV stations have for decades offered the Yule Log, an on-screen fireplace crackling as Christmas Carols play in the background.

According to "The Holiday Yule Log" book, the first televised fireplace was in 1966 on New York'...