Windows 8.1 seizes undisputed lead over Windows XP

From PC World: Microsoft’s end of support for Windows XP is having its desired effect, with Windows 8.1 pulling ahead in usage share.

While Windows 8.1 overtook XP last year according to StatCounter, that lead is now undisputed with Netmarketshare posting similar findings in June. Statcounter now...

Facebook Messenger's payments feature available across US

From CNET: Facebook's increasingly popular messaging platform has had a payments feature for months. But it hasn't been available to everyone in the US -- until now.

Facebook on Tuesday announced that its Messenger payments service is available to all users across the US. Facebook Messenger's...

Apple iOS 8.4 Rolls Out w/ Fix to Crash-Causing Unicode Text

From DailyTech: Apple, Inc.'s (AAPL) latest update to its mobile platform -- iOS 8.4 -- landed today(build string: 12H5143). The finished iOS update comes roughly a week after the release of the GM ("Golden Master") build. The biggest feature of this update is, without a doubt, the new Apple Music...

Google, Microsoft, Oracle back new R Consortium at Linux Foundation

From InfoWorld: As foreshadowed on Twitter yesterday, a new R Consortium of major vendors launched today aimed at "strengthen[ing] both the technical and user communities," according to a Linux Foundation announcement.

Founding members include Microsoft, Google, Hewlett-Packard, and Oracle, along...

Microsoft hands some of the reins for its display ad business to AOL

From PC World: Microsoft will be handing over its display advertising business to AOL in nine markets as part of a new partnership between the two companies that was announced Monday.

Under the deal, AOL will use Bing to power search through its website, and will operate display advertising...

Latest Windows 10 preview spruces up Cortana, Edge browser

From CNET: Microsoft has released a new preview build of Windows 10 with just one month left before the OS's official launch.

Released on Monday, Build 10158 offers updates to the Cortana voice assistant and the Edge Web browser. It also stirs in a few refinements to the Start menu and other areas...

Lumia 940 XL "Cityman" Phablet Gets Teased Via Tests

From DailyTech: A bonafide 5.7-inch quad HD (2,559x1,440 pixel) (QHD) flagship Windows 10 smartphone from Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) appears to have shown up in GfxBench database, this time with the resolution at full pixel-count. Last time we saw a similar device with a slightly smaller display pop up...

Supreme Court denies Google request in Java infringement case

From InfoWorld: The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request from Google to hear a case in which it was accused of infringing Oracle copyrights by using Java in its Android mobile operating system.

In a huge victory for Oracle, the Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear Google's appeal of a May...

Samsung to stop Windows Update shenanigans

From ComputerWorld: Samsung on Friday said it will stop disabling Windows Update on its PCs and tablets, bowing to a chorus of complaints -- including Microsoft's -- that it had interfered with the way users intended the patch service to work on their devices.

"We will be issuing a patch through...

OneDrive adds Chromecast support for photos and videos

From PC World: Microsoft recently added even more value for anyone who luses Google’s Android and Chrome devices while keeping all their files in Microsoft’s cloud: The OneDrive for Android app now has the ability to cast photos and videos to any Chromecast device. While not a game changing...

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