Computerworld: Gregg Keizer

You drain me: Apple replaces some iPhone 5 batteries for free

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 18:40:00 GMT

Apple will replace some iPhone 5 batteries free of charge, claiming "a very small percentage" of the smartphones need to be charged more often and those charges were quickly exhausted.

First Firefox OS smartphone goes on sale in India for $33

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 13:48:00 GMT

Mozilla today announced that a smartphone powered by its Firefox OS mobile operating system went on sale in India, one of the key markets that the company has targeted.

Microsoft cuts prices of Surface 2 in possible sign of new models this fall

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 10:35:00 GMT

Microsoft yesterday cut the prices of its Surface 2 tablets by as much as 22%, dropping the entry-level Windows 8.1 RT device to $349.

China to launch homegrown OS in October as Windows replacement

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 17:46:00 GMT

China hopes to launch a homegrown operating system by October to wean the country from foreign-made OSs like Windows.

Trade-in volume signals 'tremendous' sales for iPhone 6

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 20:22:00 GMT

Early sales of Apple's iPhone 6 will likely be 'tremendous,' buyback vendors said today, basing their predictions on recent activity by consumers locking in prices for their old smartphones.

Microsoft engineer: 'Definitely problems' with test process after crippling Windows patch

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 11:22:00 GMT

A week after Microsoft pulled a Patch Tuesday update that crippled some Windows 7 PCs, the company has yet to provide a working fix for either the original flaw or the resulting problem.

Apple updates OS X Yosemite public beta

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 19:49:00 GMT

As expected, Apple today released the second public beta of OS X Yosemite.

Opera Mini becomes default browser for Microsoft's fading feature phones

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 16:39:00 GMT

Opera Software and Microsoft have struck a deal to replace Nokia's Xpress browser with Opera Mini on Microsoft's dying line of feature phones.

As sales deadline approaches, OEMs continue to push Windows 7 PCs to consumers

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 10:36:00 GMT

With a Microsoft-mandated deadline a little more than two months away, computer makers are still selling PCs equipped with Windows 7 Home Premium.

Even rivals are waiting for Apple to get into wearables

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 20:30:00 GMT

There may be big expectations for the wearables market, but the reality is that until someone transforms the category -- Apple's the usual suspect -- it won't break out of a very small constituency.

Apple preps final non-security Mavericks update

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 10:30:00 GMT

Apple is working its way toward releasing OS X Mountain Lion 10.9.5, very likely the last non-security update for the 10-month old operating system.

Ballmer quits Microsoft board, cites NBA commitments

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 20:11:00 GMT

Ex-CEO Steve Ballmer resigned from the Microsoft board today, effective immediately.

Petition demands Apple fix MacBook Pro graphics woes

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 16:59:00 GMT

A petition started last year that urges Apple's CEO to recall older MacBook Pro laptops to fix a graphics problem has passed the 10,000-signature mark, part of an ongoing effort to get Apple to do something.

New Yosemite dev preview may herald public beta update later this week

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 20:13:00 GMT

Apple released the sixth developer preview of OS X Yosemite today.

iPhone 5C's China bust raises questions about Apple's pricing for '14 models

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 19:13:00 GMT

Apple's iPhone 5C, the lower-priced model introduced last year -- by many accounts to boost sales in countries like China -- has done poorly in the People's Republic.

Update: Microsoft pulls crippling patch from Windows Update

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 13:21:00 GMT

Although Microsoft has pulled a patch from Windows Update that crippled some computers, it is still pushing a truncated version of the security update that contained the flawed fix.

New Microsoft same as the old Microsoft

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 10:16:00 GMT

For all the talk by its CEO about a new and different Microsoft, the company's money-making software groups remain lashed to hardware-intensive divisions that increasingly drag down the firm's overall margin.

Microsoft urges customers to uninstall 'Blue Screen of Death' update

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 17:37:00 GMT

Microsoft is quietly recommending that customers uninstall one of last week's security updates after users reported that it crippled their computers with the infamous "Blue Screen of Death."

Windows 'Threshold' to go public within weeks

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 20:03:00 GMT

Microsoft will issue a preview of "Threshold," the current code name for Windows 8's successor, as soon as next month, according to an online report today.

Microsoft: Give IE another chance

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 17:40:00 GMT

In a wide-ranging "Ask Me Anything" chat on Reddit, developers and program managers from the Microsoft Internet Explorer team urged users to give the browser another chance.

How risky will it be to run old IE after Microsoft's 2016 patch stoppage?

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 20:19:00 GMT

Microsoft's decision to stop patching older versions of Internet Explorer in 17 months may not be as big a show-stopper as many assume.

Deja vu all over again: Windows 7 will be the new XP

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 16:47:00 GMT

Even as enterprises try to get rid of their last Windows XP machines, Gartner analysts are urging them to start planning for the end of Windows 7.

Microsoft postpones IE's Java blocking after IT complains

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 17:47:00 GMT

Microsoft has postponed the implementation of Java blocking within Internet Explorer and will give customers a little less than a month to deal with the unexpected change.

Microsoft whacks Apple with new Surface Pro 3 ads

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 15:44:00 GMT

Microsoft is taking on Apple's MacBook Air with a trio of new ads, doubling down on its contention that the Surface Pro 3 is a better laptop than the real laptop.

Mac sales so far in '14 may signal share push

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 20:23:00 GMT

The Mac is poised to break Apple's annual sales record this year, according to an analysis of past sales trends as well as Wall Street projections.

Chromebooks may grab 5% of PC market, about the same as Apple's Mac

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 17:46:00 GMT

With more than 5 million units expected to be sold this year, Chromebooks will account for about 2% of all personal computers.

Windows tech support scammers take root in the U.S.

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 19:04:00 GMT

In a new trend, Windows tech support scams have gone home-grown, with twists that include bogus warnings from malicious websites urging users to call a toll-free number for "help."

Even crooks couldn't profit from Microsoft's Surface flop

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 11:21:00 GMT

A former Microsoft finance manager was sentenced to two years in federal prison Friday after pleading guilty to an insider trading scheme that netted he and a partner more than $400,000.

Microsoft slashes IE support, sets 'huge' edict for Jan. 2016

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 19:40:00 GMT

Microsoft is giving customers 17 months to stop using older versions of Internet Explorer, including the most popular of them all, IE8.

Windows 8's no-name update plan nails OS's coffin shut

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 10:12:00 GMT

In a noteworthy change of strategy, Microsoft plans to release future feature updates to Windows 8.1 in smaller chunks more frequently.

Windows 8.1 biz users face patch freeze as Microsoft sets critical updates

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 19:57:00 GMT

Microsoft plans to deliver nine security updates next week, incljuding a pair of critical patches for Internet Explorer and all versions of Windows.

IE plays security catch-up, will block outdated Java plug-ins

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 20:26:00 GMT

Microsoft's Internet Explorer will begin blocking out-of-date ActiveX controls when the company updates the versions that run on Windows 7 and Windows 8 next week.

China scrubs Apple's iPad and MacBooks from government buying list

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 16:56:00 GMT

China's government, which banned Windows 8 from agencies' computers, has now dropped Apple's notebooks and tablets from an approved list of purchases.

Google ships 64-bit Chrome for OS X

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 10:45:00 GMT

Google has pushed the 64-bit version of Chrome for Windows to the browser's Beta distribution channel, and boosted Chrome for OS X to 64-bit on the more preliminary Canary and Dev builds.

Microsoft discounts Surface for college kids, goes for price edge over Apple's MacBook Air

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 20:23:00 GMT

Microsoft has kicked off a month-long deal on its new Surface Pro 3 tablet-slash-notebook for college students, cutting prices between 10% and 19%.

Circle the date: Apple's iPhone 6 event slated for Sept. 9

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 19:23:00 GMT

It looks like Apple will hold its annual iPhone event on Tuesday, Sept. 9.

Revenue explosion from Office for iPad fails to ignite

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 14:08:00 GMT

Contrary to some experts' expectations, Microsoft hasn't been "printing money" since it launched Office for iPad in March.

Gates cashes out another 20M Microsoft shares for $882M

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 10:27:00 GMT

Bill Gates has sold another 20 million shares of the company he co-founded, driving his portfolio under the 300-million mark for the first time, according to regulatory filings.

China reads Microsoft the riot act: Don't mess with antitrust inquiry

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 21:11:00 GMT

Chinese authorities publicly warned Microsoft not to hinder the ongoing antitrust probe into the company's practices in the People's Republic.

Surface damage mounts at Microsoft as red ink reaches $1.7B

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 19:55:00 GMT

Microsoft lost money on its Surface tablets throughout its just-concluded 2014 fiscal year, adding hundreds of millions of dollars in red ink.

Stable Mac prices fuel reliable profit engine

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 15:43:00 GMT

Even though iPhone revenue dwarfs the Mac, Apple's computer line remains important because its average selling price has held steady for four years.

Chrome passes 20% share milestone, locks up 2nd place

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 15:15:00 GMT

Google's Chrome browser last month broke the 20% user share bar for the first time, according to Net Applications.

Windows 8's uptake falls again, now slower than dud Vista

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Sat, 02 Aug 2014 17:35:00 GMT

Windows 8's uptake was stuck in reverse for the second month in a row.

Chinese officials seize Microsoft PCs, emails, financial info in antitrust probe

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 20:15:00 GMT

Regulators in China today said that they made sudden appearances at several Microsoft offices on Monday to gather evidence for an antitrust probe.

Apple unveils minor bumps to MacBook Pro laptops

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 13:56:00 GMT

Apple today refreshed the MacBook Pro line with minor upgrades of the processor, a small price cut to the aged non-Retina model, and additional RAM for the least-expensive Retina configurations.

Feds arrest Florida man who allegedly conned Apple out of $309K

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 10:32:00 GMT

A Florida man was arrested and charged with wire fraud after he allegedly bilked more than three-dozen Apple stores across the country of more than $309,000 worth of products over a several-month stretch.

Mozilla knocks off 'interim' label, names Chris Beard CEO

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 20:15:00 GMT

Mozilla today ditched the "interim" label for Chris Beard and appointed him CEO.

Yosemite's traffic share triples after public beta debuts

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 19:31:00 GMT

The preview of Apple's OS X Yosemite public beta last week resulted in a tripling of the upgrade's share of online traffic.

Chinese regulators target Microsoft for office visits

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:55:00 GMT

Officials today from the China government appeared at four Microsoft offices, but the purpose of the visits was unclear.

Consumer Office 365 tops a half-billion dollars in annual revenue run-rate

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:18:00 GMT

Microsoft's Office 365 'rent-not-buy' subscription service is at an annual revenue run-rate of more than half a billion dollars.

Office for iPad arrives: A look inside

Mon, 31 Mar 2014 20:35:00 GMT

Microsoft unleashes its Office suite for Apple's iPad

Take a tour of Firefox's new 'Metro-ized' browser

Mon, 10 Feb 2014 17:15:00 GMT

Mozilla is on track to launch Firefox for Windows 8 Touch in March. Here are the highlights of its touch-first browser, now in beta.

Stock's ups and downs tell Microsoft's tale for 2013

Fri, 03 Jan 2014 15:33:00 GMT

A visual look at Microsoft's share performance illustrates the year's big events.