Microsoft moved to the cores pricing model largely to match its competition and customer demands.
Microsoft has refused to comment on the report that Windows 8 will be out in October.
Windows 8, combined with a rise in ultrabook sales, lead the reasons for optimism.
Firefox, Google browsers on the way; Opera under consideration.
The test version of Script Explorer is designed to help IT managers find code across local and online repositories.
The embedded version is specially designed to support handheld devices for industrial use, electronic signs and kiosks, among other mobile device uses.
"General availability" for SQL Server 2012 is scheduled for April 1.
Sonatype Nexus Professional 2.0 allows development teams to store and access .NET components packaged with NuGet, the Visual Studio 2010 extension.
- By John K. Waters
- 03/03/2012
Along with Visual Studio 11, betas of the .NET Framework 4.5 and two versions of Team Foundation Server were released.
Also being released is the beta of the .NET Framework 4.5.
- By Kathleen Richards
- 02/23/2012
Microsoft's new logo has aspects of both the future and the past.
Microsoft tweaks several cloud-based offerings, lowering prices and upgrading storage and support.
The next generation of Microsoft's smartphone could make Windows Phone apps interoperable with Windows 8 tablet apps and Windows 8 PC apps
- By Scott Bekker
- 02/03/2012
The Kinect for Windows SDK includes drivers for Windows 7, Windows Embedded Standard 7 and Windows 8 developer preview desktop apps.
An open source SDK for developing Windows Phone applications that connect to Amazon Web Services reached beta earlier this month.
- By Kathleen Richards
- 01/31/2012
SQL Server 2012 will feature three versions, including a new category.
Microsoft axes its Web-focused developer conference, at which major announcements used to be made.
DynamoDB, based on NoSQL, uses solid-state drives to increase speed.
- By Jeffrey Schwartz
- 01/19/2012
Microsoft's patent parade continued last week with another deal that further solidifies its strategy of making friends rather than enemies in the smartphone market.
The vulnerability in the .NET Framework could lead to elevation of privilege attack.