Feed: WinInsider.com - AggScore: 73.6

Microsoft refreshes Dynamics ERP Reporter

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As it looks to expand the corporate performance management capabilities in its Dynamic ERP line, Microsoft has begun shipping Management Reporter, an upgrade of its FRx financial analysis application.With the new tool, Microsoft is promising enhanced reliability and scalability, and direct integration with the general ledger in Dynamics ERP systems already in use.

Microsoft ships new Configuration Manager beta

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Microsoft quietly embarked on the next phase of the overhaul of its System Center management suite this week, as the company announced that is has begun shipping the next iteration of its System Center Configuration Manager to beta testers.The software giant is calling the refresh v.

After two high-profile Microsoft exits

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When a massive Microsoft corporate reorganization on September 20, 2005 vaulted Robbie Bach into the role of President of the Entertainment & Devices division, the explanation at the time was to enable the company to focus on devices where the goal was to promote devices, and on platforms where the goal was to promote devices.

Windows 7: As satisfying as Apple pie

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Microsoft has a lot to smile about this week--not least of which is a recent consumer satisfaction study suggesting that Windows 7 has overcome the bad taste in the back of everyone's mouth that Windows Vista caused. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, Microsoft's customer satisfaction rating was 74 percent in 2006, right before the company released Windows Vista.

Office Live Workspace to bow to Office Web Apps, SkyDrive

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Late last week, Microsoft began alerting customers of its Office Live Workspace service that they will soon see their online document repositories merged into Windows Live SkyDrive, which provides 25GB of storage space, for free, and offers the ability to edit Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote documents from the web via Office Web Apps (OWA).

Microsoft previews the next Hotmail

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Microsoft this morning unveiled its plans for updating its wildly-popular Hotmail webmail service, which currently serves over 370 million active users, or more than the user base of Gmail and Yahoo! Mail combined. The next Hotmail will integrate with various Windows Live wave 4 products, including Office Web Apps and SkyDrive, and will address email clutter and the changing needs of email users.

Microsoft files suit against click fraudsters

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Click fraud has long been a blight on search engines, but Microsoft says that it's taken on a new form. According to the company, the latest scam disguises the source of bogus ad clicks and navigates unsuspecting users to dead-end Web sites.In response, Microsoft has filed lawsuits to halt the practice and reassure its advertising partners that they will only pay for legitimate clicks.

Windows Server AppFabric, BizTalk near debut

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Two key Microsoft tools for enterprise developers are edging toward completion: the new edition of BizTalk Server 2010 and Windows Server AppFabric. That's big news for developers working with Windows Communication Foundation and Windows Workflow Foundation-based composite apps, while BizTalk gives new features to make creating apps simpler and more efficient.

Capgemini to sell Microsoft online services

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Microsoft has scored itself a potent ally in its move to roll out and sell cloud services in the form of Capgemini. The international services firm will help Microsoft sell and provide support for Microsoft's cloud-based Office productivity services to customers worldwide.

Microsoft talks up modeling advancements

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Microsoft is unveiling a new initiative aimed at throwing computing power and the cloud behind real-world modeling -- aiming to simplify modeling while making it less resource-intensive.The idea is to lay the groundwork and promote advancements in improving modeling that could one day benefit everything from combating diseases and making scientific discoveries -- not to mention enhancing modeling in business.

Microsoft shows off redesigned Hotmail

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Microsoft has begun dropping hints about what the revamped Windows Live service will look like. First it offered a preview of the next iteration of the Windows Live Messenger IM client, and now the company is offering details about the redesign of Hotmail.

Microsoft kills off Response Point IP phone

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Although its future had been in doubt for some time, Microsoft has announced the official cancellation of Response Point, a small-business phone system that routed calls over Internet Protocol networks.In a post on its Web site, Microsoft said it will end sales, development, and support for the phone as of August 31.

Microsoft to give governments patch previews

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Microsoft has launched a pilot program for governments and critical infrastructure providers to gain access to in-depth technical information about operating system patches before they are released on the second Tuesday of each month.Senior security program manager lead at the Microsoft Security Response Center, Steve Adegbite, this week launched the Defensive Information Sharing Program (DISP) and the Critical Infrastructure Protection Program (CIPP) at the AusCERT 2010 security conference in Queensland.

Ballmer pitches cloud to fellow CEOs

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With a high-power crowd in the audience, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer went hard-core with his sales pitch on the role cloud computing will have for businesses in the coming years.Speaking to about 125 chief executives and other leaders, Ballmer said that truly big shifts in technology actually don't happen all that often.