Microsoft

Microsoft attempts takedown of global criminal botnet

Microsoft announced legal action Monday seeking to disrupt a major cybercrime digital network that uses more than 1 million zombie computers to loot bank accounts and spread ransomware, which experts consider a major threat to the U.S. presidential election. The operation to knock offline command-and-control servers for a global botnet that uses an infrastructure known […]

Microsoft will buy video game maker ZeniMax for $7.5 billion

Microsoft is buying the company behind popular video games The Elder Scrolls, Doom and Fallout. The software giant said Monday that it is paying $7.5 billion for ZeniMax Media, the parent company of video game publisher Bethesda Softworks. Microsoft said it is buying Bethesda in part to beef up its Xbox Game Pass game subscription […]

Bill Gates Sr., father of Microsoft co-founder, dies at 94

SEATTLE (AP) — William H. Gates II, a lawyer and philanthropist best known as the father of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, has died at 94. Gates died peacefully Monday at his beach home in Washington state from Alzheimer’s disease, the family announced Tuesday. In an obituary the family credited the patriarch with a “deep commitment […]

Oracle wins TikTok over Microsoft in Trump-urged bid

The owner of TikTok has chosen Oracle over Microsoft as the American tech partner that could help keep the popular video-sharing app running in the U.S., according to a source familiar with the deal who was not authorized to speak publicly about it. Microsoft announced Sunday that its bid to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations was […]

Pentagon reaffirms Microsoft as winner of disputed JEDI deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon on Friday reaffirmed Microsoft as winner of a cloud computing contract potentially worth $10 billion, although the start of work is delayed by a legal battle over rival Amazon’s claim that the bidding process was flawed. “The department has completed its comprehensive re-evaluation of the JEDI cloud proposals and determined […]

Walmart joins Microsoft in bid for video app TikTok

Walmart is the latest company to want a piece of TikTok, the popular Chinese-owned video app that has come under fire from the Trump administration. The world’s largest retailer made a joint bid with tech giant Microsoft to buy TikTok’s U.S. business, according to a person close to the deal who isn’t authorized to discuss […]

Microsoft confirms talks seeking to buy US arm of TikTok

NEW YORK (AP) — Microsoft confirmed Sunday it is in talks with Chinese company ByteDance to acquire the U.S. arm of its popular video app TikTok and has discussed with President Donald Trump his concerns about security and censorship surrounding such an acquisition. In a statement, Microsoft said Microsoft and ByteDance have provided notice of […]

Microsoft weathers pandemic, beats Wall Street expectations

REDMOND, Wash. (AP) — Microsoft said the coronavirus pandemic has increased demand for its flagship products, reporting quarterly earnings Wednesday that beat Wall Street expectations. The software giant said an ongoing trend of working and learning from home has fueled increased demand for its cloud computing services and workplace productivity products, such as email and […]

Bill Gates says he is stepping down from Microsoft board

REDMOND, Wash. (AP) — Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said Friday he is stepping down from the company’s board to focus on philanthropy. Gates was Microsoft’s CEO until 2000 and since then has gradually scaled back his involvement in the company he started with Paul Allen in 1975. He transitioned out of a day-to-day role in […]

Microsoft says virus hurting supply chain more than expected

By MATT O’BRIEN AP Technology Writer The virus outbreak in China is hurting Microsoft more than expected, as the company said it won’t meet targets that had already factored in the uncertainty. In particular, Microsoft said revenue from Windows licenses and its Surface devices “are more negatively impacted than previously anticipated.” The company said demand […]