Once again, the holiday season is here, which means many of us are panic stricken at the thought of all the gift buying and deal scrounging that will occur in the days and weeks ahead. Luckily, the Microsoft News Center is currently featuring some of Microsoft’s newest and hottest products and offerings, helping you to find perfect gifts for all those special people on your list. Here are just a few of Microsoft’s holiday offerings: · Kinect for Xbox 360 – this hands-free gaming system has it all - movies, games, dancing, sports and more – perfect...

Take a look at the picture above. The software on the left is counterfeit. The software on the right is genuine. Compared side-by-side, there are subtle, yet noticeable, differences between the two versions. But what if you had only one version in front of you? It’s likely you would not be able to tell the difference before installing the software on your computer, which could make you susceptible to devastating intrusions in the form of malware and viruses. As counterfeiters produce more sophisticated forgeries that continue to blur the line between what is real and what is fake...

Yesterday morning in New York City, Microsoft announced six grant recipient organizations, including Veterans Inc. of Worcester, Mass., as part of the Elevate America Veterans program to help veterans acclimate back into civilian life. The grant will provide veterans with technology skills training, job placement, career counseling, and other support services such as childcare, transportation, and housing. The average unemployment rate for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is 16 percent higher than non-veterans, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . And with more than...

That’s right – today is the day that Windows Phone 7 is available in stores! To read up on all the great news and events surrounding GA, check out Microsoft’s News Center . The website has picture galleries of the new devices and even information on a recent study about bad phone behaviors . Did you know that nearly half of survey respondents ages 18-24 said they have tripped or walked into something while walking and texting or e-mailing on their mobile phone? Has that ever happened to you? Check out more of the interesting stats on the News Center page, and get your hands...

Microsoft just released its new gaming system for Xbox 360 – Kinect . This hands free experience brings games, movies and music to life without using a controller. Instead, the sound of your voice or wave of your hand puts you in the action. Boston Globe technology reporter Hiawatha Bray recently connected with Kinect and called it Microsoft’s “most innovative product in years.” How does it work? Kinect has infrared and color cameras, along with microphones, that create a digital profile and follow all of your movements. Along with many games such as Dance Central and...

Microsoft, along with about 60 mobile operators in more than 30 countries, announced the availability of the first Windows Phone 7 devices. With the general availability slated for Nov. 8 in the United States, these highly anticipated devices have already received a lot of buzz. Boston Globe technology reporter Hiawatha Bray recently reviewed a HTC Surround, and he calls the phone and software “sleek and powerful.” Check out his article and video review here ! With Windows Phone 7, Microsoft brings together the things people really want to do on their mobile devices, creating...

Recently, the beta of Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) was released to the world, radically changing the browsing experience as we know it. Since web browsing is the number one thing people do on their PCs, they expect the same experience associated with their favorite Web-based e-mail service, photo site or social networking sites. Because using a browser can sometimes be associated with limited performance and interactivity, we developed Internet Explorer 9 to help change this. IE9, in a word, is awesome. It is more intuitive to your browsing needs, reducing the number of clicks it takes to get...

On July 10, more than 40 kids from the local Boys & Girls Club of Boston and local Microsoft employees travelled to a New England Revolution game. The kids enjoyed a great game in which the Revolution beat the Los Angeles Galaxy, 2-0. Afterwards, the kids were invited to participate in a private meet and greet with New England Revolution player Cory Gibbs, where he signed shirts, various other items and took pictures. The kids were thrilled to meet him and be part of such a great day. The event helped to build upon Microsoft’s on-going relationship with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston...

At Microsoft, we strive to provide technology solutions and tools to assist businesses and people from all walks of life, especially young people. We do this in a variety of ways. For example, through Northeast General Manager Marty Cassidy, who sits on the advisory board of Children’s Hospital, Microsoft partnered with Generation Cures in Boston, MassBioEd and Fable Vision to create the first “Game for Good Design Camp,” which took place at the hospital in June. Fifteen teacher-student teams from the area received first-hand views of Children’s Hospital labs where research...

Microsoft’s Office 2010 launched to the public on June 15. We’re excited about all the new features the suite has to offer both consumers and businesses. With Office 2010, our goal is to enhance the overall user experience through increased productivity, collaboration and creativity. First, we’re enabling users to access Office 2010 from anywhere on any device. From Office Web Apps, which allows you to work virtually from any location, to Office Mobile, which enables co-workers in different locations to share, edit and comment on documents through their mobile devices, the...

Microsoft’s New England Research & Development (NERD) Center was the site of Boston GiveCamp. During the June 11-13 weekend, technology professionals and enthusiasts donated their time and expertise to provide solutions for local non-profit organizations. More than 15 non-profits from New England, who typically face extremely tight budgets, came to NERD to receive technology assistance. The volunteers, comprised of Microsoft employees and other local software and Web experts, gave their time and talent to develop customized applications for the organizations. Through events like Boston...

Congratulations Microsoft Boston! On June 11, the Boston Business Journal recognized Microsoft as a “Best Place to Work” in the Greater Boston area. This year, we placed fourth in the Large Companies category. More importantly, this is the 4th year in a row we’ve been designated a Best Place to Work -- an achievement that less than 10 companies can boast. Through our commitment to our customers, partners and employees, our continued support of the local community, and our efforts to foster a culture of collaboration and innovation, we’re proud to be recognized as a leader...

At Microsoft, our passion lies in our ability to help prepare the next generation with key technology skills that will position them for future success. We share this drive with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America , and for the past 10 years, through our joint Club Tech program, Microsoft has provided millions of America’s youth with the opportunity to engage with technology. For the second year in a row, we sponsored CyberSummit , a two-day event that introduced members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, as well as area Boys & Girls Clubs that are part of the Intel Computer...

All of us have probably gazed up at the sky on a summer day and discovered forms of animals or people in the clouds. We marveled at millions of tiny water droplets banding together to create familiar shapes. Today, however, the cloud represents something much more tangible that can actually alter the shape of your business. Microsoft cloud services provide businesses customizable and flexible options for conducting business; meaning, business decision makers (BDMs) are empowered to choose which of their services will be run on-premise on company servers, and which will be managed over the Internet...

Most of us are constantly moving. Dropping off the kids at daycare. Picking up dry cleaning. Mowing the lawn. Getting the car fixed. The action never stops. And in the midst of our daily activity, we have to find time to work. In a kinetic business atmosphere, it is necessary to operate from multiple locations while maintaining productivity levels and low business costs that jive with company goals. Sound daunting? It shouldn’t. A formal remote working policy combined with the right technologies, tools and training can help your employees stay connected and productive, and...