Tag Archives: Microsoft

Cloud Computing: Making Rain From Blue-Sky Thinking

By Guest PostMarch 4, 2011Technologyalgorithms, businessweek, city of miami, cloud computing, cloud portfolio, computer desktop, computing power, economic gains, federal agencies, garbage collection, it management, james osteen, jim graham, Microsoft, microsoft cloud solutions, minnesota 3m, software code, terry collier, tim o’brien, vas, visual attention service, windows azure

*Microsoft cloud solutions help customers cut costs, generate new revenue streams and provide added services to end users*

REDMOND, Wash. — March 3, 2011 — This week’s edition of Businessweek includes a story about the shift taking place in the development and deployment of applications and services by using cloud computing to cut costs, streamline IT management and respond more quickly to changes in end-user demand. Microsoft is cited as one of the companies taking the lead in this area and in moving organizations from their existing operations and services to the cloud and taking advantage of increased efficiency and new opportunities along the way.

To be sure, the economic gains that are possible through cloud computing are significant – one customer saw a reduction in IT management costs by three-quarters, in part from moving to Windows Azure. But cloud computing has the potential to expand beyond the realm of budget line items to that of lines of software code, creating new tools and services that lead to new computing experiences, expanded business opportunities, better services for customers, and, ultimately, new jobs and economic growth. (more…)

Century Payments Chooses Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Over Salesforce.com

By Guest PostMarch 3, 2011Technology500 fastest growing companies, automation enabled forms, built in feature, century payments, electronic payments, Microsoft, microsoft dynamics, microsoft dynamics crm, scott harlow, workflows

*Company saves more than $300,000 and increases overall productivity*

REDMOND, Wash. — March 3, 2011 — Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq “MSFT”) today highlighted how Century Payments Inc., an emerging leader in the electronic payments industry and recently ranked 11th on the Inc. 500 Fastest-Growing Companies list, has saved more than $300,000 and counting since switching from Salesforce.com to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online in 2009. Century Payments also helped increase end-user adoption and overall company productivity as a result of the switch.

“Given our exponential growth, we needed a solution flexible enough to both provide immediate short-term results and adapt to our growing business needs without the high licensing or development costs,” said Scott Harlow, vice president of information technologies and security at Century Payments. “We got that with Microsoft Dynamics CRM. We now have the freedom to change aspects of our solution quickly and on the fly, without the added time and expense of external developers and resources.” (more…)

Microsoft Announces Dream.Build.Play 2011 Challenge for Independent Game Developers

By Guest PostFebruary 28, 2011Technologyan elysian tail, beat hazard, build, carneyvale showtime, dream, innovative games, mark seminatore, Microsoft, play, weapon of choice, xbox 360, xbox advanced technology, xbox live arcade, xna game studio

*Developers from around the world compete for share of $75,000 (U.S.)*

SAN FRANCISCO — Feb. 28, 2011 — Today Microsoft Corp. opened registration for the Dream.Build.Play 2011 Challenge, a contest sponsored by Microsoft to encourage independent game developers to create fun and innovative games using XNA Game Studio. Developers can register for the contest at https://www.dreambuildplay.com. Once registered, they have from May 17 to June 14, 2011, to submit their games to the contest.

Each game will be judged by three standards: how fun it is to play, how creative and unique it is, and how well it is produced. Four winners will be given a share of $75,000 (U.S.) and the opportunity to receive an Xbox LIVE Arcade publishing contract. The grand prize winner will receive $40,000 (U.S.), the first prize winner will receive $20,000 (U.S.), the second prize winner will receive $10,000 (U.S.) and the third prize winner will receive $5,000 (U.S.). (more…)

Slide Show: Exploring a World of Natural User Interfaces

By Guest PostFebruary 24, 2011Technology3d technologies, avatar kinect, avatar kinect for xbox, computers, craig mundie, don mattrick, image manipulation, kinect, Microsoft, natural user interfaces, prototype, retro reflective air gesture, virtual environments, xbox avatar

*Microsoft Chief Research and Strategy Officer Craig Mundie gathered with individuals from across the company this week for a day of futuristic demos showcasing natural user interfaces, 3D technologies and new ways to interact with computers. Get a behind-the-scenes look.*

REDMOND, Wash. – Feb. 24, 2011 – Microsoft provided a glimpse into computing’s future at the Microsoft Home this week, showing demos of 3D and virtual worlds, vision systems that create new models for interacting with computers, and research that explores potential scenarios for Kinect beyond gaming.

Mundie and Don Mattrick, president of Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business, also announced plans to make a Kinect for Windows software development kit (SDK) available this spring. The non-commercial SDK will be geared to academics and enthusiasts. (more…)

Microsoft Shows New Features and Future Direction as Momentum Builds for Windows Phone 7

By Guest PostFebruary 14, 2011Technologyachim berg, andy lees, barcelona, bing, camera app, internet explorer 9, jp wollersheim, marathon, Microsoft, mobile world congress, network, nokia, nokia windows phones, spain, sprint, verizon, windows phone 7, xbox live, zune

*At the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona, Spain, Microsoft leaders announced upcoming new features for Windows Phone 7 and provided a glimpse into the new phone’s early feedback and growing momentum*

BARCELONA, Spain – Feb. 14, 2011 – Microsoft today kicked off Mobile World Congress by giving people a glimpse of what the rest of the year will bring for Windows Phone 7. Among the updates are several new features, a booming app marketplace, and the integration of even more Microsoft products with the phone.

A concrete example of the company’s vision is the new strategic partnership with Nokia. “This partnership will combine the strengths of our two companies, and fuel our growth as we build the global Windows Phone ecosystem. This is a great win for us, for Nokia, and for our existing and new customers around the world,” said Andy Lees, president of Microsoft’s Mobile Communications Business. (more…)

Microsoft Appoints Satya Nadella as President of Server and Tools Business

By Guest PostFebruary 9, 20111 commentTechnologyadcenter, bing, bob muglia, cloud solutions, critical milestones, high caliber team, Microsoft, microsoft corp., momentum, nasdaq, satya nadella, software, steve ballmer, Yahoo

*Nadella brings deep engineering and online services knowledge to $15 billion business*

REDMOND, Wash. — Feb. 9, 2011 — Microsoft Corp. today promoted Senior Vice President Satya Nadella to president of Microsoft’s Server and Tools Business.

“We’re already making strong traction across our Server and Tools Business by embracing cloud services,” said Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer. “Satya has deep experience in both our server business and online services, which will help accelerate our momentum while setting the course to deliver the cloud computing scenarios of the future.” (more…)

comScore Reports December 2010 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share

By Guest PostFebruary 8, 2011Technologyapple accounted, Comscore, comscore mobilens, google android, Microsoft, mobile, mobile phone industry, motorola, nokia, oems, original equipment manufacturers, os, Samsung, smartphone operating system, top handset manufacturer, u s

*Number of Smartphone Users Up 60 Percent Versus Year Ago*

RESTON, VA, February 7, 2011 – comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital world, today released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending December 2010. The report ranked the leading mobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and smartphone operating system (OS) platforms in the U.S. according to their share of current mobile subscribers ages 13 and older, and reviewed the most popular activities and content accessed via the subscriber’s primary mobile phone. The December report found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 24.8 percent market share, while RIM led among smartphone platforms with 31.6 percent market share. (more…)

Multidisciplinary Student Teams Meld Minds in Microsoft Competition

By Guest PostFebruary 4, 2011Technologyautism, bxt philosophy, carnegie mellon school of design, engineering schools, Europe, firenze, florence, grand prize, greatest thinkers, italy, james liu, kinect avatar, mainstream, Microsoft, microsoft firenze bxt student innovation competition, multidisciplinary work, ohio state university, pradeep u n, product innovation, redmond campus, renaissance, subha rangarajan, Technology

*The 5th annual Microsoft Firenze BXT Student Innovation Competition brings together business, design and engineering students to showcase how innovation happens in the real world. This year’s finals take place this weekend on Microsoft’s Redmond campus*

REDMOND, Wash. – Feb. 4, 2011 – Midway through last year’s Microsoft Firenze BXT student innovation competition, James Liu realized something he wasn’t expecting.

He wanted to work at Microsoft. (more…)