Stories by Elizabeth Montalbano

Microsoft pushes premium versions of Vista

Microsoft wants to make sure consumers and small businesses know there are myriad ways they can acquire Windows Vista -- particularly in premium versions -- when it becomes generally available on Jan. 30.

Gates expands Microsoft's digital home plan

Microsoft's chairman Bill Gates kicks off the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) by unveiling products Microsoft hopes will encourage more widespread adoption of the digital or "connected" home.

Yahoo to preview Messenger for Windows Vista

Yahoo will give users a preview of what it will be like to use a new and improved version of Yahoo Messenger on Microsoft's Windows Vista at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show this year.

Zune misses top-10 list of holiday devices sold

Microsoft Corp.'s Zune player was not among the top-10 list of digital audio devices sold over the winter holidays in the U.S., with Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod remaining champion of that market, according to research analyst firm Current Analysis Inc.

Sun and StorageTek sued for copyright infringement

Sun Microsystems has found itself involved in another intellectual property lawsuit, this time with a Californian company that says Sun and its StorageTek unit have committed copyright infringement and fraud.

Novell to support Open XML in Office January release

Microsoft and Novell have wasted little time in demonstrating there is real work being done as part of their recent Linux interoperability pact. Just a month after the historic deal between the companies was signed, Novell says it will support the proprietary document format in Microsoft Office 2007, Open XML, in its open-source version of the OpenOffice productivity suite due out in January.

No shutdown switch for Office 2007

Microsoft has no plans to add a controversial Windows Vista antipiracy feature directly to its Office 2007 suite, but will consider offering it as an add-on system, the company says.

Microsoft licenses Office UI for free

Microsoft is licensing the new user interface (UI) in Office 2007 for free so developers can build applications that look similar to the programs in the suite, the company said Tuesday.

ACLU: DOJ's defense of COPA inconsistent

A lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) argued Monday that the government's defense of the controversial Child Online Protection Act (COPA) was inconsistent in defining what kind of online content is harmful to minors, and so the law should continue to remain unenforceable because it violates free speech.

Microsoft to link Zune device to Xbox, PCs

Microsoft plans to extend the wireless capability of its new Zune devices to PCs and the company's Xbox 360 game console, according to Microsoft chairman Bill Gates.

Only Novell to get Linux sales perk from Microsoft

A week after Microsoft Corp. struck a broad Linux pact with Novell Inc., Microsoft executives made claims that they are open to considering making similar deals with Linux vendor Red Hat and other open-source companies.

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