Microsoft has struck a search distribution deal with Sun Microsystems to provide its MSN Toolbar to U.S. based Internet Explorer users when they download Sun’s Java Runtime Environment platform.
Yahoo Back To Bargaining With Microsoft
In 1974, Sam Peckinpah directed the film Bring Me the head of Alfredo Garcia, the story of a bounty hunter who set out to avenge family dishonor (through rape and abandonment) by bringing back the aforementioned anatomical appendage.
Apple And Microsoft Earnings Are Near Equal
A friend sent me this link comparing revenue, profit, and cash positions for Microsoft and Apple. I almost fell off my chair when reading this data from Microsoft’s and Apple’s most recent quarterly filing:
Microsoft Becoming Preoccupied With The Cloud
We don’t know how many people play drinking games while reading press releases, but here’s a warning: taking a shot every time Microsoft uses the word "cloud" must be dangerous to one’s health. Lately, the cloud is about all the Redmond-based corporation can seem to discuss.
Microsoft Takes Office Cloud-ward
Microsoft is taking its Office program and going online. The next release of Microsoft Office will include Office Web applications, “lightweight” versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. The company’s announcement follows yesterday’s unveiling of its cloud-based Web apps operating platform, Windows Azure, and both are “part of a strategic companywide shift toward embracing web-based solutions.”
Microsoft Playing With Social Search Personalization
The customer who says "I don’t like that" is loathed by companies everywhere. Their ideal customer says "I don’t like that," explains why, and offers a reasonable suggestion, instead. Microsoft is trying to bring users possessing this mindset to an experimental search engine called U Rank.
Microsoft Patents Live Audio Censoring
Microsoft filed a patent application several years ago for the censoring of real-time audio streams, and that patent has now been granted. In other words, Microsoft has patented live "bleeping". The patent abstract says:
Microsoft Experiments With Customized Results
You have to give it up to Microsoft for tenacity. The company’s been sound trounced by Google in search, yet they haven’t given up their search ambitions. Most recently, Microsoft has been conducting a search experiment called U Rank. It’s not entirely original, of course. Google’s been experimenting with personalized search results for a while now. U Rank is accessible via existing members’ Windows Live ID.
Yahoo Hoping For $22/Share Buyout From Microsoft
Microsoft Launches Tech News Aggregator
Microsoft has released a tech news aggregator at microsoft.com/web that seemingly has little or nothing to do with Live Search News, though I have to wonder if it might be integrated somehow further down the road.