It appears that Windows 8 has become a polarising OS as far as users are concerned. One thing they do seem to agree on though, is a hankering for an old-school Start Menu akin to previous OSes. There is however a handy little trick that Windows 8 users can put to use that offers some a little Live Tile respite. According to The Next Web, users can bring up a start menu of sorts. The method works across all platforms, excluding ...

Microsoft is rumoured to release the first Windows Phone 8 update during first quarter 2013. The rumoured update is named Apollo Plus (we can just smell the patriotism), this information comes courtesy of a tweet from @Football4PDA. I know what you're thinking, doesn't sound like the most credible of Twitter handles, but this account is pretty legit. It released the design specs for the HTC Accord (now Windows Phone 8X) a couple of months before its official release, so the tweet ...

I guess I’m one of the stranger users of technology. I’m not an Apple zombie, insisting everything has to be Apple “just because” or an unwavering, die-hard Microsoft zealot based on Apple hatred. I like to use best-of-breed and what suits me, irrelevant of silly branding and ideology. So for a long while I have been using a mighty mouse (Apple) and Vaio PC laptop combination. And it worked well for about three years. Then Windows 8 came along and ...

Although Windows Phone 8 has garnered much of the media's attention, It appears that Microsoft still has more to offer users before 2012 comes to an end. A video posted on YouTube yesterday shows the Lumia 510, Nokia's budget smartphone, sporting Windows Phone 7.8. It shows off a couple of the new features and enhancements that Microsoft has made. This confirms our earlier speculations that Microsoft would release an interim OS in partnership with Nokia. The video showcases the newly integrated aspects that ...

Rumours currently doing the rounds detail a Microsoft designed TV set-top box for Xbox. This development has gained traction following another rumour describing a next-gen Xbox set for release in 2013. This new device, dubbed "Xbox TV", appears to be a natural extension of Microsoft's gaming product lineup, given the push the company has made in media integration. It would also offer Microsoft a strong competitor in the media streaming market to challenge the Apple TV, Roku Box and Wii ...

Windows Phone 8 users will not be pleased to find out that content downloaded from the newly refined Xbox Video Store has no playback support on their devices. Microsoft has acknowledged the issue, but that's as far as it goes. There is no news on whether the company will release an update to address the problem, but it has definitely left WP 8 users in the lurch as far as loading up on content to get them through the festive ...

With Augmented Reality enabled devices and apps slowly creeping into the tech sphere (Google's Project Glass immediately springs to mind), a recently released patent application hints that Microsoft could soon be entering the AR fray. This patent was originally filed for application back in May 2011. Eighteen months done the line, it has been approved by the USPTO. We're sure there will be a lot finger-pointing going on between Microsoft and Google as to which company originated the idea, but seeing ...

Still contemplating whether or not to get a Windows Phone 8 device? To help persuade users, app developers have designed and uploaded a host of Windows Phone 8 metro styled apps to offer the look and feel of Microsoft's latest OS. The app doesn't give users the full WP8 experience, but offers a taste of what living with Live Tiles might be. Interested Android users will unfortunately not be able to access the app via the Google Play store, but ...

A video has surfaced showcasing mockups of an early version of Windows 8. The video comes courtesy of a presentation made by Jensen Harris, Director of Program Management for Windows User Experience Team. Interested Windows 8 users and developers can have a look at the inspiration behind the design of the current Windows OS. The presentation, given during UX Week 2012, details the evolution and guiding principles behind the new touch-centric Windows UI. It's surprising how close ...

While Microsoft may have announced its intentions to murder off Messenger, the corpse of this once great IM will at the very least live on in Skype. A new update to Skype for Windows 8 lets users add Messenger contacts, group search contact, better video calling capabilities. The Skype for Windows 8 update also addresses a ton of bugs. 2013 will be the final year of Messenger, as Microsoft quietly integrates it into Skype. After spending US$8.5-billion on Skype, it's nice ...