operating systems

Voices

Microsoft to Name New Software Windows 8.1, and It’s Free

Shira Ovide, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in News on May 14 at 11:45 am PT

Microsoft announced Tuesday the updated version of its Windows 8 operating system — which had been code-named Windows Blue — will be called Windows 8.1, and it will be available for free to encourage as many people as possible to take up the new software.

News Byte

Windows Blue Preview Coming From Microsoft in June

Arik Hesseldahl in News on May 7 at 1:38 pm PT

If Windows 8 just isn’t getting you excited, you won’t have long to wait before you can get an early look at the next iteration of the PC operating system. A preview version dubbed Windows Blue will be unveiled at the Microsoft BUILD conference in San Francisco next month. The news came from Microsoft’s Julie Larson-Green, in an appearance at the Wired Business Conference in New York.

Shares of PC Companies and Their Suppliers Whacked on Sales Decline

Arik Hesseldahl in News on April 11 at 6:35 am PT

A long day ahead.

keep-calm-and-manage-decline-t-shirt-4-feature-feature

Voices

China Criticizes Android’s Dominance

Paul Mozur, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in Mobile on March 5 at 11:06 am PT

A Chinese government research institute hit out at Google Inc.’s Android smartphone operating system, arguing that China is too reliant on the platform and accusing the search giant of using its dominance to discriminate against local companies.

Ubuntu Wants to Find Its Way Onto Tablets, Too

Ina Fried in Mobile on February 19 at 9:00 am PT

Canonical, which already revealed its effort to power phones with Ubuntu Linux, shows off its designs for the tablet market.

Windows 8: Not for Old-at-Heart PCs

Walt Mossberg in Personal Technology on January 8 at 12:01 pm PT

If you’re thinking of upgrading your PC to the new Windows 8, be prepared for hassles and disappointment, especially if the computer is more than a year or two old, says Walt.

Ubuntu to Join the Crowded Mobile OS Fray

Mike Isaac in Mobile on January 2 at 11:29 am PT

Looks like more folks are going after the mobile OS bronze medal than ever before.

Opening New Windows

“This is going to be the first time in a decade and half that [companies are] actually going to have to teach someone to use Windows.”

– Stephen Kleynhans, a Gartner Inc. analyst, quoted by The Wall Street Journal

Voices

Microsoft’s Windows 8 a Turnoff for Some Corporate Users

Shira Ovide, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in News on October 16, 2012 at 12:18 pm PT

Microsoft Corp. has made big changes to its familiar Windows operating system to stay relevant amid booming sales of mobile devices such as Apple Inc.’s iPad. But some corporate customers worry Microsoft has made its workplace workhorse too unfamiliar.

Voices

Ex-Nokia Team to Launch New Phone

Sven Grundberg, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in Mobile on October 2, 2012 at 1:48 pm PT

A group of former Nokia Corp. employees has raised €200 million ($258 million) from a variety of telecommunications-industry players to introduce a new mobile operating platform based on discarded Nokia technology, and the group will unveil a new phone next month.