http://news.softpedia.com Softpedia News - Windows Live Softpedia News en-us 2001 - 2012 Softpedia. All rights reserved. Tue, 29 May 2012 05:37:09 GMT Tue, 29 May 2012 05:37:09 GMT News http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 10 http://news.softpedia.com/base_img/softpedia_logo.gif http://news.softpedia.com http://news.softpedia.com/news/Metro-Style-Windows-Live-Profile-Screenshots-Emerge-272130.shtml Windows Live, Microsoft’s online set of services, is getting through a major makeover, aimed at bringing it in line with the upcoming Windows 8 platform.

Microsoft has been already rumored to plan slapping Windows Live with the Metro UI found in Windows 8 and Windows Phone before it, and it seems that things have been final... (read more)]]> Mon, 28 May 2012 12:58:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Metro-Style-Windows-Live-Profile-Screenshots-Emerge-272130.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Metro-Style-Windows-Live-Profile-Screenshots-Emerge-272130.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Kicks-Off-Bing-is-for-doing-Ad-Campaign-in-Australia-272056.shtml Last week, Microsoft has launched its first ad campaign for Bing in Australia, without announcing it via the official channels, as one would have expected.

This is the same “Bing is for doing” campaign that the Redmond-based software giant kicked off in the United States back in January, but specifically ta... (read more)]]> Mon, 28 May 2012 09:34:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Kicks-Off-Bing-is-for-doing-Ad-Campaign-in-Australia-272056.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Kicks-Off-Bing-is-for-doing-Ad-Campaign-in-Australia-272056.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bing-Maps-Gets-Traffic-and-Geocoding-from-Nokia-271627.shtml Following the signing of an agreement with Nokia last year for delivering better Mapping services to users, Microsoft has announced that its Bing Maps now offer Traffic and Geocoding powered by Nokia’s Backend services.

Starting May 24th, Bing Maps offers traffic results powered by Nokia in 24 countries where the service is cur... (read more)]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 06:59:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bing-Maps-Gets-Traffic-and-Geocoding-from-Nokia-271627.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bing-Maps-Gets-Traffic-and-Geocoding-from-Nokia-271627.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Removes-Bing-Maps-Streetside-in-Germany-271563.shtml Microsoft has decided to pull the plug on its Streetside service in Germany, after receiving numerous complaints on the matter from the local population.

The company launched the street imagery feature on Bing Maps in Europe last year, but it met resistance from people in Germany over privacy concerns.

Microsoft did w... (read more)]]> Thu, 24 May 2012 14:25:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Removes-Bing-Maps-Streetside-in-Germany-271563.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Removes-Bing-Maps-Streetside-in-Germany-271563.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Quietly-Kills-Bing-s-Visual-Search-271312.shtml One feature that Microsoft’s Bing search engine does not present anymore is Visual Search. Last year, the option was announced to be en-route to be phased out, and it appears that the move was already completed.

For quite some time now, in fact, there has been no more Visual Search available in Bing, and it seems that the link to t... (read more)]]> Wed, 23 May 2012 13:48:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Quietly-Kills-Bing-s-Visual-Search-271312.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Quietly-Kills-Bing-s-Visual-Search-271312.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-s-So-cl-Now-Open-to-the-Public-270781.shtml Microsoft’s So.cl (pronounced “social”) is a research project that became public back in December last year as a new means for students to connect to one another and collaborate on learning.

Coming from Microsoft’s FUSE Labs, the project materialized in the launch of a website that provided all the necessary tools fo... (read more)]]> Mon, 21 May 2012 12:01:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-s-So-cl-Now-Open-to-the-Public-270781.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-s-So-cl-Now-Open-to-the-Public-270781.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-Live-s-Metro-Styled-Look-Gets-Spied-270513.shtml Microsoft is in the process of Metro-fying more and more of its products, with Windows Live services being the last of them to receive the touch of this user interface.

Not long ago, the company announced changes to the name of Windows Live services, but it seems that, in fact, it will change more than that.

Just as previou... (read more)]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 18:31:01 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-Live-s-Metro-Styled-Look-Gets-Spied-270513.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-Live-s-Metro-Styled-Look-Gets-Spied-270513.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Discontinues-Windows-Live-SMS-Alerts-on-May-31st-270474.shtml Microsoft is shutting down yet another phone service that its users currently benefit from, namely the Windows Live SMS alerts.

Reportedly, the Redmond-based software giant has already sent out notifications to its users, informing them on the imminent closing of the service.

The same as with the Bing 411 ser... (read more)]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 14:11:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Discontinues-Windows-Live-SMS-Alerts-on-May-31st-270474.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Discontinues-Windows-Live-SMS-Alerts-on-May-31st-270474.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/SkyDrive-s-Shorter-URLs-Powered-by-Bit-ly-and-SDRV-MS-270425.shtml Recently, Microsoft announced a range of improvements brought to its SkyDrive cloud service, in an attempt to provide users with a better experience at all times, including when sharing docs or links with their contacts.

With SkyDrive, users no longer needed to share files via email, but could take advantage of the connected ad... (read more)]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 12:35:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/SkyDrive-s-Shorter-URLs-Powered-by-Bit-ly-and-SDRV-MS-270425.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/SkyDrive-s-Shorter-URLs-Powered-by-Bit-ly-and-SDRV-MS-270425.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Brings-Bing-Search-API-on-the-Windows-Azure-Marketplace-270383.shtml Recently, Microsoft announced plans to move various development tools to its Windows Azure Marketplace, including the Bing Search API, now available for download through the store.

In line with the new service structure, the API can be accessed for free on the Marketplace by all developers with up to 5,000 queries pe... (read more)]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 09:59:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Brings-Bing-Search-API-on-the-Windows-Azure-Marketplace-270383.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Brings-Bing-Search-API-on-the-Windows-Azure-Marketplace-270383.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-New-Bing-Is-Here-with-a-New-Search-and-Social-Experience-269951.shtml Last week, Redmond-based software giant Microsoft announced the roll-out of a new, redesigned Bing search engine, meant to provide users with new ways of interacting with their friends online.

As part of this redesign, Bing got a fresh new interface, structured on three columns, enabling people to stay connected with soc... (read more)]]> Wed, 16 May 2012 13:33:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-New-Bing-Is-Here-with-a-New-Search-and-Social-Experience-269951.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-New-Bing-Is-Here-with-a-New-Search-and-Social-Experience-269951.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Bing-Rewards-Sweepstakes-Run-Through-May-31st-269190.shtml
The new promotions have already kicked off, and will run until May 31st, the Redmond-based company announced.

One of these sweepstakes will provide uses with the possibility to win an Xbox 360 Prize Pack & Kinect Star Wars.

“The lucky winner will become the proud new owner of the highly anticipated Xbox 360 Limited Editio... (read more)]]> Sat, 12 May 2012 10:26:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Bing-Rewards-Sweepstakes-Run-Through-May-31st-269190.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Bing-Rewards-Sweepstakes-Run-Through-May-31st-269190.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bing-Gets-New-Three-Column-Design-268980.shtml Microsoft’s Bing is changing. The New Bing is meant to provide users with the possibility to spend “less time searching and more time doing,” and details on how it does that are now available.

The redesigned search engine arrives with a new information architecture that sports a three-column design, aimed at delivering better inf... (read more)]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 09:52:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bing-Gets-New-Three-Column-Design-268980.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bing-Gets-New-Three-Column-Design-268980.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bing-Maps-Gets-New-New-Bird-s-Eye-Imagery-268725.shtml Bing Maps has just got a series of enhancements, courtesy of a new set of Bird’s Eye imagery from around the world, doubled by new streetside coverage.

The Bing Maps Team has announced that the new imagery is meant to provide users with info on the latest changes that large cities around the world underwent.

“With... (read more)]]> Thu, 10 May 2012 09:32:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bing-Maps-Gets-New-New-Bird-s-Eye-Imagery-268725.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bing-Maps-Gets-New-New-Bird-s-Eye-Imagery-268725.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-to-Shut-Down-Bing-411-on-June-1st-268284.shtml Microsoft’s Bing 411 service is set to be shut down on June 1st, 2012, three years after being officially launched in 2009 (it was known as Live Search 411 before that).

Microsoft hasn’t made an official announcement on the matter, but users accessing the service are greeted with a message informing them that it will be disco... (read more)]]> Tue, 8 May 2012 12:01:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-to-Shut-Down-Bing-411-on-June-1st-268284.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-to-Shut-Down-Bing-411-on-June-1st-268284.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/SkyDrive-Complements-iCloud-Keeps-Office-for-Mac-Files-at-Hand-268231.shtml SkyDrive, Microsoft’s cloud storage service, has a lot of great features to offer to its customers, including those owning a Mac or another Apple device.

The service was meant to provide users with fast access to important files at all times, regardless of whether on the PC, Mac, iPad or another mobile device. read more)]]> Tue, 8 May 2012 09:17:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/SkyDrive-Complements-iCloud-Keeps-Office-for-Mac-Files-at-Hand-268231.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/SkyDrive-Complements-iCloud-Keeps-Office-for-Mac-Files-at-Hand-268231.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Reshapes-Windows-Live-for-Windows-8-and-Windows-Phone-267585.shtml Microsoft’s operating systems have been redesigned to fit the need for always-connected devices and services, and the same is planned for the company’s Windows Live offering.

The service, announced back in 2005, was meant to provide users with the software and services that would interest them most, and it... (read more)]]> Thu, 3 May 2012 12:58:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Reshapes-Windows-Live-for-Windows-8-and-Windows-Phone-267585.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Reshapes-Windows-Live-for-Windows-8-and-Windows-Phone-267585.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Changes-Bing-s-Results-Page-for-the-US-267422.shtml Bing is undergoing a variety of changes at the moment, with a new results page being currently rolled out to users in the United States.

The new Bing page is accessible only for users in this country at the moment, and features a stripped down design, as can be seen in the screenshot to the left.

As part of these visua... (read more)]]> Wed, 2 May 2012 13:37:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Changes-Bing-s-Results-Page-for-the-US-267422.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Changes-Bing-s-Results-Page-for-the-US-267422.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-Lumia-900-and-Xbox-360-Prize-Pack-in-New-Bing-Rewards-Sweepstakes-265072.shtml Microsoft has just announced the kick-off of two new Bing Rewards sweepstakes, in which prizes include free Nokia Lumia 900 devices and an Xbox 360 pack.

The new promotion runs until May 1st, and is available only for users who have a Bing Rewards account. They can also create a new one to participate.

read more)]]> Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:34:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-Lumia-900-and-Xbox-360-Prize-Pack-in-New-Bing-Rewards-Sweepstakes-265072.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nokia-Lumia-900-and-Xbox-360-Prize-Pack-in-New-Bing-Rewards-Sweepstakes-265072.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Rolls-Out-New-SkyDrive-Features-265031.shtml Microsoft’s SkyDrive service has now some more features to offer to its users, following a quiet update that the software giant operated to it.

The most notable upgrade that SkyDrive has seen now is the support for Open Document Format (ODF), in addition to the already supported Office documents.

The Redmond-based softw... (read more)]]> Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:41:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Rolls-Out-New-SkyDrive-Features-265031.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Rolls-Out-New-SkyDrive-Features-265031.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bing-Maps-Now-with-Venue-Maps-3D-Buildings-Outlines-264833.shtml Brand new features are now available for Bing Maps users, making it easier to navigate and find businesses, buildings or venue information.

The new enhancements are meant to provide users with the possibility to do things faster than before, and will, at first, become available only in select markets around the world. 
... (read more)]]> Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:42:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bing-Maps-Now-with-Venue-Maps-3D-Buildings-Outlines-264833.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bing-Maps-Now-with-Venue-Maps-3D-Buildings-Outlines-264833.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-Live-Allegedly-Getting-the-Metro-UI-Makeover-264499.shtml Microsoft is in love with the Metro UI. It already adopted it for various products, starting with Windows Phone and going all the way to Windows 8, and appears set to throw it over more of them.

Windows Live is also said to be en-route to get a taste of the new user interface, and some screenshots that allegedly show it have eme... (read more)]]> Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:46:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-Live-Allegedly-Getting-the-Metro-UI-Makeover-264499.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-Live-Allegedly-Getting-the-Metro-UI-Makeover-264499.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Moves-Bing-Search-API-to-Windows-Azure-Marketplace-264476.shtml This week, Microsoft announced a series of changes to its Bing Search API offering, including the fact that it will become available through the Windows Azure Marketplace.

The API will remain the same resource that developers can adopt to innovate and build upon, only that it will be offered through the Windows Azure app... (read more)]]> Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:05:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Moves-Bing-Search-API-to-Windows-Azure-Marketplace-264476.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Moves-Bing-Search-API-to-Windows-Azure-Marketplace-264476.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Releases-Bing-Desktop-in-Beta-262828.shtml One of the latest applications that Windows users can download on their computers to benefit from advanced personalization options is Bing Desktop, which was just released in beta.

The application was meant to put the Bing homepage on the users' desktop, providing them with both fast access to search on the web, and with a brand new backgrou... (read more)]]> Wed, 4 Apr 2012 13:27:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Releases-Bing-Desktop-in-Beta-262828.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Releases-Bing-Desktop-in-Beta-262828.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Brings-Bing-and-Skype-Closer-to-Each-Other-261477.shtml For a while now, Microsoft has been focused on making it products work together, and the company has just made another step in this direction.

In addition to making the Bing Bar available for download during Skype’s installation process, the company is also offering users the possibility to turn their Bing Rewards credit ... (read more)]]> Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:59:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Brings-Bing-and-Skype-Closer-to-Each-Other-261477.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Brings-Bing-and-Skype-Closer-to-Each-Other-261477.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Updates-Windows-Live-Essentials-2011-260010.shtml Redmond-based software giant Microsoft has made available for download new versions of all programs in the Essential package, with various fixes and enhancements packed inside.

The new update for Windows Live Essentials 2011 has been released in all 48 languages, yet Microsoft claims that it is only a minor update for the package. read more)]]> Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:00:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Updates-Windows-Live-Essentials-2011-260010.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Updates-Windows-Live-Essentials-2011-260010.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Your-Account-Rolling-Out-255079.shtml Microsoft is currently pushing out a new platform to ensure that users can easily stay on top of their multiple accounts and IDs.

Called Microsoft Your Account, the new platform comes as a direct replacement of the old Billing Account Management portal.

It has not been completely rolled out as of now, but it appears that Microsoft is w... (read more)]]> Sat, 25 Feb 2012 17:01:01 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Your-Account-Rolling-Out-255079.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Your-Account-Rolling-Out-255079.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Change-Search-Results-of-Yourself-with-Bing-s-Linked-Pages-254655.shtml Bing is becoming more social than before, while also increasing users’ control over how they show in searches. The latest change in this area is the addition of Linked Pages to search results.

Whether it comes to friends, acquaintances or themselves, users are increasingly searching for other people on Bing. The eng... (read more)]]> Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:59:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Change-Search-Results-of-Yourself-with-Bing-s-Linked-Pages-254655.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Change-Search-Results-of-Yourself-with-Bing-s-Linked-Pages-254655.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-8-Comes-with-Deep-SkyDrive-Integration-254120.shtml SkyDrive will come to the upcoming Windows 8 client with increased integration across the platform, Microsoft has officially confirmed.

The Redmond-based software giant already confirmed that there would be a Metro style SkyDrive application included in the upcoming operating system, but there’s more to it.

The co... (read more)]]> Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:21:01 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-8-Comes-with-Deep-SkyDrive-Integration-254120.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-8-Comes-with-Deep-SkyDrive-Integration-254120.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire) http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Preps-Windows-Live-Web-Video-Chat-254130.shtml One of the features that have been long rumored to be on its way to Windows Live was a web-based video chat service, and more proof that it could be released soon has emerged.

Yesterday, Microsoft started to offer a wide range of details on the upcoming SkyDrive features in Windows 8.

The company announced a Metro style Sk... (read more)]]> Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:52:00 GMT Softpedia News - Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Preps-Windows-Live-Web-Video-Chat-254130.shtml Windows Live http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Preps-Windows-Live-Web-Video-Chat-254130.shtml#review_zone Softpedia News (Ionut Arghire)