I decided to rename the Daily Tidbits section to simply News Around the Web. I think it’s a better fit. The same business as Daily Tidbits, just a different name. So, without further ado, here’s what’s going on in the interwebs today regarding Microsoft and Friends.
Microsoft supposedly sold 1.5 million Windows Phone devices in the six weeks of its release. I say supposedly, of course, because this number is only what has been sold to the cell phone carriers (i.e. T-Mobile and AT&T) and not necessarily the number of devices sold to the consumer. However, using the same figures, Microsoft has outsold the first gen iPhone, which was only able to pull down 1 million units in its first 74 days.
Windows + ARM, could it be? According to Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft might come up with a Windows Embedded for Tablets. Windows Embedded 7, which is supposed to RTM early 2011, already supports ARM processors, so I might agree with her that this could be used on tablets, possibly. For those wondering, ARM processor is a competitor to the Intel processors for netbooks.
If you’re looking for next-year’s tech trends, look no further than Paul’s SuperSite for Windows, where he takes a look at what’s to come in the next year to technology. I’ll give you a hint, cloud computing is key here, as are mobile devices.
Microsoft nixes Office Genuine Advantage program, and silently too. OGA was, of course, one of Microsoft’s crucial components to its anti-piracy campaign, but it seems that Microsoft has decided to take a different approach to anti-piracy now. It will also be easier for users to download add-ins for Office, such as templates for Word or Excel, without having to go through the OGA authentication every time. A win for consumers, or a win for pirates? Neither, or both, it’s up to you to decide.
Remember Intel purchasing McAfee earlier this year? Well, US regulators have officially approved it. Intel will use McAfee’s security products within their own processors and GPUs. As security becomes an ever burdening requirement for both PC makers and chip manufacturers, it seems a smart idea for Intel to have undergone this purchase. Hopefully, they’ll be able to make better of McAfee than McAfee has of themselves of late. Of course, there’s still the dreaded European Union, which unwittingly loves to prevent any type of capitalistic efforts and enjoys creating no growth opportunities whatsoever.
Google has postponed releasing their TV-service until after CES, which is a shame, because I think maybe one person might have found it interesting. On a more serious note, however, it does seem a bit odd that they would postpone it just before CES. Whether or not this has any indication to the performance, or if they haven’t been able to get all the Okays from TV Networks is unclear. Further, this delay was not expected by many of Google’s partners, which makes the case even more worrisome, you know, for those who even cared about Google TV. (Alright, I’m ready for the whiplash, bring it on.)
More news to come throughout the day, check back later!
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