In a News From The Bizarre moment, the New York Post this week reported that Microsoft is looking into purchasing America Online (AOL) from Time Warner. Apparently, Microsoft and Time Warner were already negotiating ways in which to use Microsoft's technologies in Time Warner's content businesses, when Microsoft discovered that Time Warner was shopping around the struggling AOL unit. Obviously, such a deal would likely be blocked by the US government because of the readily apparent antitrust issues. On the other hand, we are talking about the corporation-friendly Bush administration here, you know, the guys who took the most lopsided antitrust victory in US history and turned it into the weakest settlement imaginable. So I guess anything is possible. There's just one problem. The New York Post? Come on, I get more reliable news from personal blogs on the Web.
The first handheld gadgets to play music and movies on Microsoft's "iPod killer" software will be available in Europe in the second half of 2004, the world's largest software company said on Thursday. The gadgets will run on Microsoft's yet-to-be-unveiled Portable Media Center software in a direct assault on iPod, Apple's hot-selling digital music player.
Microsoft said the Creative devices will be available in Sweden, the United Kingdom and Denmark first, retailing for between 550 euros and 599 euros ($678.50-$738.90) and 399 pounds and 449 pounds ($724-$814.70).
I'd just like to inform you that a settlement on the Microsoft case has not been possible.
I therefore intend to propose to my colleagues in the Commission next Wednesday to adopt a decision, which has already received the unanimous backing of Member States.
I would like to stress the constructive and co-operative spirit displayed by Microsoft in the last few weeks. I also want to acknowledge the high degree of professionalism of the members of the Microsoft team at all levels.
European Union (EU) antitrust chief Mario Monti said this morning that settlement talks between the EU and Microsoft had broken down, and he will now present his draft ruling against the software giant next week as scheduled. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had previously made an emergency trip to Brussels to try and secure a settlement with the EU, which will charge the company with antitrust abuses and levy conduct controls and a fine.
A Redmond man who claims to have written the source code to the popular file-sharing software Kazaa is suing the program's distributor over the rights to the software and is seeking $25 million in compensation.
Kazaa Media Desktop, which enables users to connect online over a so-called peer-to-peer network, is used by millions of people to swap music, movies, software and other files. The practice has drawn the ire of Hollywood film studios, recording companies and other copyright holders.
Microsoft is forging ahead with plans to offer its two flagship management products, Systems Management Server and Microsoft Operations Manager, in a package called Microsoft System Center later this year.
Called Microsoft System Center 2005, the foundation of the product will be Systems Management Server 2003, which shipped last fall, and Microsoft Operations Manager 2005, which is also expected to ship later this year.
Most security issues and virus outbreaks happen because people don't know how to protect themselves or don't bother to do what they know they should. In the latest update to Windows XP, Microsoft Corp. has focused on helping people become more aware of what they need to do, and encouraging them to actually do it, Lead Program Manager for Service Pack 2 Ryan Burkhardt said Thursday.
A new test version of Service Pack 2 (SP2), called Release Candidate 1 (RC1), was made available to beta testers on Wednesday, and the completed update will be released in mid-2004, Burkhardt said.
Hopes of a last-minute settlement of Microsoft's antitrust case in Europe dimmed Wednesday, after a morning meeting between competition commissioner Mario Monti and Steve Ballmer, the company's chief executive, broke up early without any apparent meeting of minds, said people close to the talks.
Monti is demanding even tougher remedies from Microsoft in return for a settlement that averts a precedent-setting negative ruling in a week, the people said.
Monti's meeting with Ballmer was brief, one person said. It followed a four hour meeting with Microsoft's chief lawyer Brad Smith Tuesday afternoon. The person added that another face-to-face meeting between Monti and Ballmer is "unlikely".
Microsoft is broadening its Windows XP Service Pack 2 beta test as of release-candidate 1 (RC1), which the company made available for download on Wednesday evening. Concurrent with the release of the RC1 bits, Microsoft acknowledged that it is continuing to make feature tweaks to SP2 as it inches toward its mid-year ship date.
As of RC1, Microsoft is making the beta available to its core group of technical beta testers, its TechNet and Microsoft Developer Network subscribers; and other IT professionals who participate in its technical-preview program. Greg Sullivan, lead product manager with Microsoft's Windows division, said the company isn't sure how many testers will participate in the RC1 test, but that it will be a substantially larger pool than is currently testing the service pack.
Microsoft neared the end of intensive talks to try to settle a landmark EU antitrust suit that hinges on whether it is willing to make binding, broad commitments to change the way it does business in Europe, a source close to the talks said on Wednesday.
A European Commission spokeswoman said the EU executive was determined to make a decision at a meeting on March 24, ruling out any extension for further negotiations in the five-year probe.