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‘Microsoft’ Stories

Facebook and Google agree to Indian censorship demands

Chris Davies, Feb 6th 2012 Discuss [0]

Facebook and Google have deleted content in India after the Delhi High Court ordered them to remove what's been described as material offensive to Muslims, Hindus and Christians. The contentious religious content spread on Facebook, ZDNet reports, and was discoverable through Google searching, a private complaint alleged back in December, and could "corrupt minds", resulting in higher court justice Suresh Kait threatening China-style blocking if the sites did not comply with take-down requests. Read The Full Story

Microsoft kills the Start button in latest Windows 8 build

Michael Crider, Feb 6th 2012 Discuss [0]

Microsoft hasn't been shy about the radical direction it's taking with the user interface design on Windows 8, but it looks like their latest change may be a big one. PCBeta reports that the latest build of Microsoft's next operating system does away with the ubiquitous "Start" button, which has graced Windows for almost twenty years. The functionality of the Start button remains, but as a limited "hotspot" in the lower-left corner by default, not unlike the Aero Peek feature in Windows 7. Even that functionality is only present in the classic or desktop mode, which drops the shiny new Metro tile interface for a more traditional windowed UI. Read The Full Story

Microsoft’s ‘Xbox Live cop’ has resigned

Mark Raby, Feb 4th 2012 Discuss [0]

The man who was in charge of deciding who should live and who should die (in the world of Xbox Live gamertags, that is) has stepped down from his position after nearly 18 years at Microsoft. Stephen Toulouse will no longer be the Xbox Live policy and enforcement director. Toulouse was responsible for making sure Xbox Live users has a safe and friendly experience, but was known more in the public eye for his reactions to some of the more bizarre Xbox Live user issues. Read The Full Story

Microsoft loses key Windows Phone employee to Amazon

Mark Raby, Feb 3rd 2012 Discuss [0]

The man who was in charge of getting new apps and content on the Windows Phone Marketplace has left Microsoft to pursure a similar occupation at Amazon. Brandon Watson apparently feels that the online bookseller-turned-behemoth has a brighter future. Or they offered him more money. Or both. Either way, it's definitely a setback for Microsoft. Read The Full Story

Bioware’s Mass Effect 3 demo includes Xbox Live Gold trial

Mark Raby, Feb 3rd 2012 Discuss [0]

If you download the Mass Effect 3 demo for Xbox 360 on its Valentine's Day launch day, you'll get a free month of Xbox Live Gold. That isn't because Microsoft and Bioware are feeling generous; it's because of the somewhat ridiculous restriction that prevents non-Gold members from playing online games. And as anyone who knows Mass Effect knows, if you want to show the best content, you need to try the online multiplayer. Read The Full Story

Windows Phone Marketplace launches in five new countries

Rue Liu, Feb 3rd 2012 Discuss [0]

Microsoft announced today that its Windows Phone Marketplace is opening up in five new countries. Those countries include Argentina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, and the Philippines. Users in these regions will have to make sure their devices are updated to Windows Phone 7.5 in order to access the Marketplace. Read The Full Story

SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: February 3, 2012

Chris Burns, Feb 3rd 2012 Discuss [0]

The Super Bowl is drawing nearer and nearer by the day, just one week left until the biggest American Football game of the year, and the apps are pouring in: the Official NFL Guide, Verizon's own official stream, and PlayUp with real NFL stars chatting amongst them. There's a bit of a tip on the iPhone 5 in that it'll be revealed at WWDC in June. And perhaps of some slightly larger importance, an Earth twin has been discovered a mere 22 light-years away. Read The Full Story

Windows Phone Skype app tipped for late-Feb launch

Chris Davies, Feb 3rd 2012 Discuss [0]

Microsoft is dogfooding its Windows Phone Skype app, it's suggested, with employees supposedly able to download a test version of the VoIP software to their smartphones ahead of a potential MWC 2012 debut. The much-anticipated app has been brought up to speed with Windows Phone's Metro UI, insiders tell The Verge, with a dual-column contacts grid, though no integration with the platform's People hub. Read The Full Story

Kelihos botnet claws its way out of the grave

Shane McGlaun, Feb 3rd 2012 Discuss [0]

We have some bad news today for haters of spam everywhere. Apparently, the Kelihos botnet that Microsoft and Kaspersky Lab shutdown in September 2011 is making a comeback. The botnet is spamming once again. The botnet was able to infect 45,000 computers before being shutdown and was sending out 4 billion spam messages a day. The spam messages flooded the web with promotions for porn, illegal drugs, and other scams. Read The Full Story

Windows Phone 8: Win8 Kernel and deep-hook Skype confirmed

Chris Davies, Feb 3rd 2012 Discuss [0]

Spilled details on Windows Phone 8 "Apollo" have opened the floodgates on Microsoft's next significant update to its smartphone software, with more tidbits on the Windows 8 kernel based platform slipping out. Paul Thurrott confirms the shared kernel, along with the multi-core processor support, sensor fusion, security model, network, and video and graphics technologies from Windows 8, though says Skype will remain a separate app rather than baked in at the OS level. Read The Full Story

Final Fantasy XIII-2 Review Roundup

Chris Burns, Feb 2nd 2012 Discuss [0]

The next great installment in the Final Fantasy series has dropped to the press, and the reviews are in. First, there's no great update here, folks, or at least that's what they're saying. On the other hand, should a person jump in on the series from this point without having played such classics as Final Fantasy VII, there may be some enjoyment to be had. Have a peek at the opinions dropping across the web on this Square Enix-made game, and decide for yourself whether it'll be worth your cash to pick a time-traveling RPG with the big FF on it again! Read The Full Story

Windows Phone 8 Apollo detailed by SVP

Chris Burns, Feb 2nd 2012 Discuss [0]

A video appears to have been leaked which depicts none other than Windows Phone manager and senior vice president Joe Blfiore, this video intended for Nokia’s eyes only and to show off Windows Phone 8. This newest update is what we’ve been calling Windows Phone Apollo thus far as a code-name, it coming after the Tango update which will still be working under Windows Phone 7. This video was uncovered by Evan Blass of PocketNow and the details are juicy!