With Office 2010 set to launch in June, businesses of all sizes are considering if it is worth the money and hassle to upgrade, especially for small and midsize companies that never moved from Office 2003 to Office 2007.
If you're looking for someone who has road tested Windows 7, pull up next to BMW IT executive Bernhard Huber.
Microsoft put eye-catching hardware on when it launched Windows 7. From netbooks and ultrathins to standard-size laptops and All-in-One touchscreen PCs, here's a closer look at some of the shiniest new Windows 7 machines.
Goldman Sachs' latest IT spending survey forecasts modest overall growth in the coming year, with pent-up demand for new hardware such as servers and PCs stimulating an increase in Windows 7 upgrades.
When you're a technology mongrel like Microsoft, challenges are constant - and 2009 was chock full of them. It was a tumultuous year that saw the software giant's first widespread layoffs and its worst quarterly revenue earnings ever.
Windows marketing VP Tami Reller looked like she could finally exhale at the Windows 7 launch in New York City last week.
At the Windows 7 launch in downtown Manhattan, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer unveiled the general availability of Windows 7 with his usual enthusiasm, emphasizing ease of use, faster boot up times and the ability to bring together the PC and the television.
For all the stories about enterprises holding off on Windows 7 deployments, Windows XP's dominance in the enterprise is at the beginning of the end, says one industry analyst.
Despite enterprise affinity for the sturdy and reliable Windows XP, it's all but inevitable that Windows 7, shipping next week, on Oct. 22, will see significant business adoption in 2010. That's due to both Windows XP's age and the timing of PC hardware upgrade cycles. Analysts at research firm Gartner expect corporate demand for Windows 7 to gain full momentum by the end of 2010.
With any new OS deployment, IT teams traditionally take the "safe" route and wait for the first service pack. But IT groups that follow that strategy with Windows 7 rollouts will get caught in a support crunch, says research firm Gartner
The release of Windows Mobile 6.5 is not the complete overhaul that users have been demanding. For that the smartphone-using public will have to wait for Windows Mobile 7, scheduled to release in the last quarter of 2010.
As companies of all sizes consider what portion of their IT infrastructure and business applications to move to the cloud, Microsoft has one word of advice: Balance.
Microsoft must perform a tricky balancing act as it tries to keep Windows on netbooks but not get stuck in a market that generates little revenue, say industry analysts.
Windows 7 upgrades will be a cinch for most users who are now running Vista. But with older Windows XP PCs, it could get dicey, fast. Here's a no-nonsense Windows 7 upgrade guide covering pricing, installation options and that whole 32-bit versus 64-bit issue.
German automobile maker BMW is many things: Manufacturer of luxury cars and motorcycles; a brand name famous around the world; a giant corporation with a reputation for efficiency.