Microsoft experimenting with free version of Windows 8.1
Microsoft experimenting with free version of Windows 8.1
Posted: 28 Feb 2014
Microsoft is currently experimenting with a free version of Windows 8.1 that could boost the number of people using the operating system. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that the company is building "Windows 8.1 with Bing," a version that will bundle key Microsoft apps and services. While early versions of the software have leaked online, we understand that Windows 8.1 with Bing is an experimental project that aims to bring a low-cost version of Windows to consumers. ZDNet first reported some Windows 8.1 with Bing details earlier this week.
but the experiment is part of a number of initiatives designed to push and monetize Microsoft’s cloud services and apps. Microsoft is increasingly betting on Bing as a platform it can monetize in the future.
Now I understand why Bing is re-offered in Windows Update after hiding it.
Computer Type: PC/Desktop System Manufacturer/Model Number: Home Built Desktop By DataTech OS: Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1 CPU: Intel i5-2550K, Differing ~4.4-4.8GHz No built in GPU Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 Memory: 16GB G.Skill Sniper 1866MHz @ 2133MHz 2x8GB Graphics Card: ASUS GTX650TIB-DC2OC-2GD5, (650TI Boost) Sound Card: Onboard Realtek 5-1 Monitor(s) Displays: Samsung P2570HD Screen Resolution: 1920x1080 Keyboard: E-Z Eyes, bright yellow keys with large characters Mouse: steelseries SENSEI Laser Pro Gaming PSU: Corsair HX650W Case: Inwin Dragon Rider Cooling: Hyper 212 EVO w/two Noctua fans, push-pull, @1300 RPM Hard Drives: Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD for OS, 500GB Seagate Constellation (Enterprise drive) for Data Internet Speed: 48-51Mbs Mbs down, 11 Mbs up Xfinity Cable Browser: IE 10, Opera, Pale Moon if needed Antivirus: Norton Internet Security 2013 Other Info: 4 case fans, LG BluRay-RE, ASUS DVD-RW, Mr. Fusion power supply, 1.21 gigawatts.
I don't mind Bing as a search I use it often from my.msn homepage,
Bing desktop is the one I'm not going to mess with,
I suppose that's what Gary is Hiding
I just let it sit and collect dust in Optional updates along with many other optional updates I'm not interested in,
I don't knock win-8 or 8.1 but it was only like 20.00 bucks when it first came out so it was practically free as it was ?
Cheers.
No surprise, Microsoft is hurting. Although they still dominate a majority of the PC around the world. The problem with that is, there not making money from everyone using those computers, because they are not selling Operating Systems or Microsoft Word, there two most primary (from my knowledge) money makers.
The more people stick with Windows7 and XP, in the long run it doesn't help Microsoft.
Computer Type: PC/Desktop System Manufacturer/Model Number: Home Built Desktop By DataTech OS: Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1 CPU: Intel i5-2550K, Differing ~4.4-4.8GHz No built in GPU Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 Memory: 16GB G.Skill Sniper 1866MHz @ 2133MHz 2x8GB Graphics Card: ASUS GTX650TIB-DC2OC-2GD5, (650TI Boost) Sound Card: Onboard Realtek 5-1 Monitor(s) Displays: Samsung P2570HD Screen Resolution: 1920x1080 Keyboard: E-Z Eyes, bright yellow keys with large characters Mouse: steelseries SENSEI Laser Pro Gaming PSU: Corsair HX650W Case: Inwin Dragon Rider Cooling: Hyper 212 EVO w/two Noctua fans, push-pull, @1300 RPM Hard Drives: Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD for OS, 500GB Seagate Constellation (Enterprise drive) for Data Internet Speed: 48-51Mbs Mbs down, 11 Mbs up Xfinity Cable Browser: IE 10, Opera, Pale Moon if needed Antivirus: Norton Internet Security 2013 Other Info: 4 case fans, LG BluRay-RE, ASUS DVD-RW, Mr. Fusion power supply, 1.21 gigawatts.
No surprise, Microsoft is hurting. Although they still dominate a majority of the PC around the world. The problem with that is, there not making money from everyone using those computers, because they are not selling Operating Systems or Microsoft Word, there two most primary (from my knowledge) money makers.
The more people stick with Windows7 and XP, in the long run it doesn't help Microsoft.
Hi there.
How many of the people on these Forums who regularly pontificate about how much Ms is hurting actually KNOW anything about how the Markets work or even what the current and projected earnings of Ms actually ARE.
If you look at the current stock price of Ms it's doing quite nicely so far - close on Friday was 38.31 -- that's only 60 cents off the 52 week HIGH !! (MSFT)
Contrast that with "The Fruit company" (AAPL) 526.84 ---about 300 USD off its high price with a downwards graph too.
People need to be very careful when saying "companies are hurting" without actually knowing what they really mean. Ms has HUGE activities going on in lots of things apart from Windows -- for example Robotics etc -- and it is of course HUGE in the corporate I.T sector both as a hardware and software service provider too.
By all means complain about W8 etc - but anybody predicting the early demise of Ms is going to be in for a rude shock -- I wouldn't base your investment strategies on people thinking Ms is going belly up any time soon.
AAPL can also BTW sustain downward stock prices since it is still sitting on an ENORMOUS pile of cash - however the market's view is that AAPL needs to come out with some fairly new innovative products soon - as that mountain of cash won't last indefinitely once their latest iPhone market has matured.
MSFT isn't so highly dependent on a single product so the projections at this point in time look rather more promising -- and given some time the Windows phone will actually morph into a decent product too -- provided the handsets themselves can be "tarted up" a bit.
Computer Type: PC/Desktop System Manufacturer/Model Number: Custom built, several laptops HP/ASUS OS: Linux CENTOS 7 / various Windows OS'es and servers CPU: Intel i7 Intel i5 Memory: 8GB, 16GB Graphics Card: On Motherboard Sound Card: Realtek HD audio Monitor(s) Displays: Apple Cinema display, Samsung LCD Screen Resolution: 1920 X 1080 Mouse: Toshiba wireless laser Hard Drives: 4 X 1TB SATA Internet Speed: > 20MB up
The corporate world generates mucho $ for Microsoft. Windows Server and what runs on it is big bucks. I would think retail sales of Windows and Office pale by comparison to the revenue they get from corporate customers.
Computer Type: PC/Desktop System Manufacturer/Model Number: Home Built OS: Windows 10 Education 64 bit CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz Motherboard: Asus M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard Memory: 8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory Graphics Card: Zotac NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe Sound Card: VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard Monitor(s) Displays: 22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D Screen Resolution: 1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024 Keyboard: Logitech Wireless K350 Wave Mouse: Logitech Wireless M570 Trackman Wheel PSU: Thermaltake TR 620 Case: Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case Cooling: Stock heatsink and fan Hard Drives: Crucial M100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA Internet Speed: 80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up Browser: Internet Explorer 11 Antivirus: Windows Defender Other Info: HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
The corporate world generates mucho $ for Microsoft. Windows Server and what runs on it is big bucks. I would think retail sales of Windows and Office pale by comparison to the revenue they get from corporate customers.
I think so too. A lot of corporate sales involve renewable contracts and maintenance agreements too.
Computer Type: PC/Desktop System Manufacturer/Model Number: Home Built Desktop By DataTech OS: Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1 CPU: Intel i5-2550K, Differing ~4.4-4.8GHz No built in GPU Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 Memory: 16GB G.Skill Sniper 1866MHz @ 2133MHz 2x8GB Graphics Card: ASUS GTX650TIB-DC2OC-2GD5, (650TI Boost) Sound Card: Onboard Realtek 5-1 Monitor(s) Displays: Samsung P2570HD Screen Resolution: 1920x1080 Keyboard: E-Z Eyes, bright yellow keys with large characters Mouse: steelseries SENSEI Laser Pro Gaming PSU: Corsair HX650W Case: Inwin Dragon Rider Cooling: Hyper 212 EVO w/two Noctua fans, push-pull, @1300 RPM Hard Drives: Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD for OS, 500GB Seagate Constellation (Enterprise drive) for Data Internet Speed: 48-51Mbs Mbs down, 11 Mbs up Xfinity Cable Browser: IE 10, Opera, Pale Moon if needed Antivirus: Norton Internet Security 2013 Other Info: 4 case fans, LG BluRay-RE, ASUS DVD-RW, Mr. Fusion power supply, 1.21 gigawatts.
Don't most computer companies make the bulk of their money from corporate sales, in the past month, I've been told "we make the most from corporations / governments & schools".
Individuals forking over hundreds or thousands for software is not common, it's not to say there are not, but it's far from a majority. Most people pay upwards of $200 for software. Software in the thousands are niche markets for individuals, phones are not ringing off the hook for $2000+ software.
SAN FRANCISCO--Windows Server boss Bill Laing said in an interview Friday that the server version of Windows 7 will ship this calendar year.
Using a little bit of deduction, I'd say that means Windows 7 continues to be tracking ahead of schedule. Although Laing's comments referred to Windows...