This week, Microsoft unveiled a major update to Bing that will transform the way you search the web. The new version integrates with your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Quora to bring you the best information from across the web and social networks, presented in a way that weeds out the clutter allowing you to make a quick, informed decision. The new Bing will include three different columns: Core Web Results: Relevant, Comprehensive, Trustworthy Core web results on Bing make it easy to focus on the links you need to get things done, without the clutter of social updates. ...

Twenty-two teams traveled across the country to Microsoft’s Redmond campus to compete in the final round of competition in Microsoft’s U.S. Imagine Cup this past weekend. Each team showcased their software and game designs to solve the world’s toughest issues, such as combating disease, improving education, ensuring environmental sustainability and reducing child mortality. Having more than 113,000 students register for the Imagine Cup’s tenth year of competition, the stakes were incredibly high. So how did your hometown team fare in the competition? Two teams from Boston...

Last week, Microsoft partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston (BGCB) to host the 12 th Annual Boys and Girls Club CyberSummit. Microsoft hosted more than 100 BGCB members at the Blue Hill Club in Dorchester for the two-day event. At the CyberSummit, kids worked on performing arts and design projects, and competed in game tournaments like Rock Band and Dance, Dance Revolution. Microsoft volunteers were on hand to take the kids through technology sessions, including a movie maker workshop using Windows 7 Phones. This year's CyberSummit was an enriching and dynamic experience for all involved...

Today is the day! Students from across the nation have descended upon Redmond, Wash., for the U.S. finals of Microsoft’s 2012 Imagine Cup competition , the world’s premier student technology competition. This year, more than 100,000 U.S. students registered for the competition and the top teams chosen will compete in the Worldwide Finals in Sydney, Australia in early July. These stellar students created innovative, tech-based solutions in gaming and software to solve some of the world’s toughest problems while learning valuable skills to prepare them as future leaders. Two...

With Major League Baseball in full swing and the season’s hottest TV shows ramping up, it’s time to hook up your Xbox 360 and take advantage of the interactive entertainment experience you’ve been waiting for. Xbox 360 is introducing three major entertainment apps ready for Xbox LIVE Gold members : MLB.TV, Comcast Xfinity TV and HBO GO, which also come equipped with Kinect integration. Baseball fans can now plug into MLB.TV and become the ultimate spectator. With the MLB.TV app , you can watch live and on-demand games in HD on your Xbox 360. If you can’t decide which...

Just like ABC’s hit-show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Microsoft, HP and Intel are bringing big changes to lucky contestants of their Small-Business Tech Makeover Video Contest . Ending April 30, the contest calls for Microsoft partners to submit a video on behalf of one of their small business customers, showcasing how a technology makeover could grow and impact their business. Two winning entries will be awarded products and solutions worth more than $7,000. The reward includes software, hardware and set-up of Windows 7 Professional , Windows Small Business Server 2011 , Office...

Imagine a three-day road trip with the family, but without the kids getting impatient and irritable. Sounds too good to be true? Well, it’s possible with the new customized technology of the Ford Mustang. Microsoft teamed up with Ryan Friedlinghaus, an award-winning automotive designer and star of Discovery Channel's reality TV series " Inside West Coast Customs ," to create a dream machine resembling a 1967 Mustang. Titled "Project Detroit,” this vehicle is equipped with a wireless network, an Xbox 360 with Kinect and a rear-windshield projector screen. The Xbox 360 is fitted...

Just in this year alone, more than 13 million kids in the U.S. reported being bullied and each month 3 million-plus students have intentionally missed school because they felt unsafe. The shocking truth is that bullying affects millions of kids every single day. These startling statistics are the reason Lee Hirsch and The Weinstein Company created “Bully,” a documentary focused on getting parents, students, educators and advocates involved in the fight against bullying. And Microsoft is getting involved in this initiative. Bing recently announced its partnership with The Weinstein...

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few months, you’ve probably heard of the Hunger Games, one of the most anticipated movies of 2012. Based on the best-selling novel, the sci-fi flick, which takes place in the future, hits theaters Friday, March 23. The movie’s biggest stars, including Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson and others made appearances this month, at Microsoft stores throughout the country to meet with press and fans, sign autographs and participated in a Q&A event with their fans. In addition to meeting cast members of the hottest...

Conquering productivity can be a challenge, especially in instances of inclement weather keeping you from driving or tending to a sick child home from school. Each year, extreme weather alone brings life to a grinding halt for millions of people. But with new technologies from Microsoft, nothing will stop you from accomplishing your task list. No one has a busier work schedule than Today Show’s host, Al Roker. As a weatherman, actor and author, how does he manage to stay productive? Check out his tips on how he works from anywhere at any time with the help of Microsoft Office: Are...

Recently, Microsoft teamed with an incredible organization called Stop Hunger Now to host a 90 Minute “Meal Packaging Event” at our headquarters in Waltham, MA. More than 100 Waltham-based employees volunteered their time, packing 22,300 meals to make a difference in the battle to end world hunger. About Stop Hunger Now: Established in 1998, Stop Hunger Now is an international hunger relief organization that coordinates the distribution of food and other life-saving aid around the world. The organization is driven by the vision of a world without hunger and a mission to end hunger...

Last week, Microsoft's Northeast Sales Division held its annual DigiGirlz event at the Microsoft Technology Center in Waltham. DigiGirlz is a national diversity program sponsored by Microsoft throughout the United States aimed at introducing young women to careers in technology. Sixty high school girls were selected to attend the event from Boston Public Schools and many suburban-area high schools in Massachusetts. Laura Mulcahy, senior vice president of Business Solutions for TJX was the special guest keynote. Mulcahy kicked off career discussions with Microsoft women employees who explained their...

Cloud computing has rained a lot of benefits on Greater Boston, most visibly the dramatically lower IT costs that businesses are discovering when they reach for the cloud. A new study from Microsoft, however, predicts that not only will the cloud slash costs in Boston businesses, but it also will generate nearly 20,000 new jobs, funded by new revenue attributable to cloud computing. The cost benefits from the cloud have become clear. When businesses shift their information technology infrastructure and applications to cloud-based services, they are able to avoid the expenses entailed in buying...

This week, Microsoft partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston (BGCB) to host the 8 th Annual Career Forum, “Pearls of Wisdom” event. The Career Forum is part of BGCB’s Life After the Club initiative, which provides members a chance to learn more about different careers and gives them the opportunity to pose questions to professionals in various fields. Craig Hodges, General Manager of Microsoft’s Northeast Sales District presented the keynote at the event, which included insights into his profession and career guidance for the teen audience. This is the third...

Jennifer Chayes, Managing Director of Microsoft Research New England, has been selected to receive the Women of Vision Leadership Award from the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology. The award recognizes women who have made a significant contribution to the technology industry or led an important technology development or innovation. Read more about Jennifer’s achievement here .

People have a wide variety of outlets at their disposal when they want in on the hottest conversations taking place throughout the world. Unfortunately whether it’s on Facebook, Twitter or BreakingNews.com, news is fragmented throughout the Web, and it’s not always easy to stay on top of it. MSN is changing that, and for the first time ever, people can get their news at one, up-to-the-minute, easy stop: msnNOW. msnNOW looks at breaking social trends all over the Web, including Facebook, Twitter, BreakingNews.com, and Bing, providing a quick and edgy look at the latest online news–...

When it comes to natural disasters, it has been quite a year, hasn’t it? In the first 10 months of 2011, President Obama declared 89 major disasters. People and businesses everywhere have struggled to rebound from many of these catastrophes, leaving those of us who weren’t personally impacted by these events wondering if we’d be able to make it through the worst ourselves. Unfortunately, we’re all at risk of facing disaster, whether natural or even virtual, given that technology now plays such a dominant role in our lives. Cybercrime and other technical failures can cause...

The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), otherwise known as the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow, has officially kicked off in Las Vegas! Last night, CEO Steve Ballmer took to the CES stage for Microsoft’s final keynote presentation. And you may have noticed Microsoft did things a little differently this year – involving a surprise host, Ryan Seacrest, a musical interlude and product demonstrations. Seacrest interviewed Ballmer, who announced continued momentum for Microsoft consumer products and demonstrations of Xbox 360 with Kinect and Windows Phone...

It’s always interesting to look back at the end of each year and see all of the amazing accomplishments made in the past 12 months. Microsoft has had an incredible year! As we begin the next one, we take a look back at some of the stories that have made big news in 2011. Xbox LIVE Microsoft rolled out an update for Xbox LIVE that lets people control their Xbox using voice or hand gestures, in December. At the same time we introduced the first group of new, custom applications from leading TV and entertainment content providers. The update was released with rave reviews; James McQuivey...

Recently, our Waltham office held its annual gift drive benefiting the Franciscan Hospital for Children and Kennedy Day School . Local employees and their families donated toys to the gift drive during our annual holiday party. Santa and Mrs. Claus paid a special visit to the celebration, where more than 140 children had fun decorating cookies, creating holiday-themed crafts and playing Xbox Kinect games. The Microsoft Waltham staff was happy to offer families a day of fun and festive activities, while also giving them an opportunity to contribute to two wonderful organizations.

As we enter the thick of holiday season, family “to do” lists grow in length – coordinating dinners, celebrations, travel, and gift giving can seem never ending. Microsoft Windows and Southwest Airlines have joined together to help alleviate one part of your checklist, in the form of free holiday photos. Picture Perfect Holiday is now available at 21 airport and shopping locations across the country, including Boston’s Logan Airport, offering the chance for you and your loved ones to snap photos with Santa or a holiday background. If you are taking your own holiday photo...

This week, Bing announced its 2011 End-of-Year Search Results , which includes the most searched people, news stories and items by Bing users during the past year. In terms of searches for tops consumer electronics, Xbox and Kinect took first place . Justin Bieber wins honors as the most searched celebrity for 2011, while the Casey Anthony Trial proved to be the most searched news story throughout the year. The full Top 10 lists for these categories includes the following: Top Consumer Electronics: Xbox and Kinect Kindle PlayStation iPhone 5 iPad Wii iPad 2 ...

Software piracy dwells in the shadows of the legitimate IT industry, so it might surprise some to learn what a glaring impact it has on consumers, businesses and economies. Because software pirates’ ability to sell non-genuine products is largely dependent upon secrecy, awareness is power in fighting this widespread problem. Today, Microsoft is flipping the light switch on. It’s Play Fair Day, a day dedicated to equipping consumers with information about the risks of using non-genuine software, most often unknowingly, and the far-reaching benefits of using legitimate software. We...

We're excited to announce that Microsoft has been named one of Boston Globe's 2011 "Top Places to Work." Additionally, we've also made the list for bringing fun into the workplace with our Xbox gaming stations, Ping-Pong and foosball tables, and indoor area for golf. We're proud to be a company that knows how to work and play hard.

Have you ever seen a six-story phone? We have. This week, Microsoft celebrated the availability of the new Windows Phone 7.5 , formerly code-named “Mango,” by putting real people inside a giant six-story phone in New York City’s Herald Square. Why? Microsoft designed Windows Phone around one single concept: people are at the center of the phone experience. To demonstrate the very meaning of the phone being “people-centric,” the six-story phone included a life-size “ Plants vs. Zombies ” battle highlighting the phone’s rich Xbox LIVE gaming experience...