MICROSOFT

Microsoft Corp plans to boost social and entertainment features on its Xbox 360 gaming console by integrating music-streaming service last.fm, Web social network Facebook and microblogging site Twitter into its Xbox Live online community.

Microsoft Corp said on Monday it would buy some of the assets of Rosetta Biosoftware, part of a Merck & Co Inc unit which makes data management software for medical researchers, furthering Microsoft's push into the expanding healthcare technology business.

Microsoft's Bing search engine went live over the weekend, three days ahead of schedule, making it the company's latest attempt to grab a larger slice of the online search market from Google.

U.S. Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner, has been questioned by the Center for Democracy in the Americas (CDA) asking the Department to launch inquiry into actions by Microsoft, and possibly other Instant Messaging (IM) providers after access to IM was cut off to Cubans and other persons living in countries under U.S. sanctions.

Nokia’s chief executive says the mobile phone market’s main players include are Google, Microsoft, Apple and Samsung Electronics.

Microsoft unveiled its improved search engine called “Bing” this week and is doing so without the help of Yahoo’s search engine, as negotiations for a possible deal are stalled.

Microsoft Corp said on Friday it would not limit the number of applications available at one time on the Starter edition of its upcoming Windows 7 operating system, reversing its earlier strategy of limiting its capabilities and urging users to upgrade.

Yahoo may not be doing so bad by itself without Microsoft, said one analyst in a research note.

Millions of Xbox 360 owners in Britain and Ireland will be able to watch live programing such as Premier League soccer and movies following a deal with pay-TV group BSkyB.

Dell Inc, the world's No. 2 PC maker, narrowly beat analysts' expectations for sharply reduced profit on Thursday, even as the global downturn hit technology spending, helping its shares rise after hours.

Time Warner Inc on Thursday made official plans to separate its AOL division sometime around the end of this year, a widely expected move that sheds one of the media company's weakest divisions.

Microsoft announced on Thursday its Bing search engine, a decision engine that will replace live.com worldwide as of June 3. If successful, it is excepted to change the face of search engineer market, said Forrester analyst Shar VanBoskirck.

Microsoft Corp. is rolling out a redesigned site of its Live search engine in the coming days called Bing which the company hopes it will lure Web surfers away from its competitors.

Microsoft Corp is revamping its search engine to counter the dominance of Google Inc in the Web search and related advertising business.

Microsoft has announced the new evolution of its Zune player called Zune HD to be available this fall serving high-definition video and high-definition radio.

Yahoo Inc CEO Carol Bartz said any deal to spin off or combine its Internet search assets will require a partner with boatloads of money, and her company is talking a little bit with Microsoft Corp about a potential partnership.

Yahoo Inc CEO Carol Bartz said the company continues to talk with Microsoft Corp about an Internet search deal, but stressed that search remains an important ingredient in Yahoo's array of online products.

Microsoft users that were trying to log into Xbox Live on Wednesday were greeted with an error message.

Microsoft Corp plans to launch a new version of its Zune portable media player later this year in the United States, incorporating high-definition video, touch screen technology and Wi-Fi connection.

Jury Orders Microsoft to pay $200M in damages to i4i i4i, the Toronto-based software firm announced on Tuesday it received a $200 million patent infringement verdict from a federal jury who found Microsoft Corp., the world' largest software maker, willfully infringed on an i4i patent.

Facebook Inc., said Tuesday, received an investment of $200 million from Russia’s Digital Sky Technologies that values the networking service at $10 billion.