Forms of entertainment, be it television, movies, music, or games, is increasingly moving towards being delivered digitally via the Internet. Microsoft is at the center of this move away from physical formats, as is Netflix. Which is why it makes perfect sense for the two to team up to bring Netflix content to Windows Media Center.

Microsoft’s new search engine, a possible long-term replacement for the struggling Live Search, could be unveiled as early as next week. The Wall Street Journal reports that Kumo will have its first public demonstration at a conference in California.

Microsoft’s mobile device back-up system, a rival to Apple’s MobileMe, is now available for public use, though it’s still in beta testing. Those who’ve tried it say it’s useful, if somewhat limited and glitchy at this stage.

Love them or hate them you cannot fail to applaud the ‘Laptop Hunters’ ad campaign which has dominated the Microsoft vs. Apple debate of late. And it’s no wonder both the Apple fanboys and Apple itself are getting so hot under the collar about the ads. A new survey shows they are working in Microsoft’s favor and costing Apple big.

Pirated copies of Microsoft Office 2010 appeared online over the weekend. It’s billed as a leak from a legitimate testing scheme, though that may be a scam by the pirates.

A lot of information is now known about Windows 7. The Release Candidate has shown us what it’s likely to look and feel like, the final release date has been narrowed to a couple of months, and we know there will be six editions released. What we don’t yet know, however, is how much it’s going to cost. Which is rather an important question, particularly as the OS is making its debut in the middle of a recession.

To say software piracy and the use of counterfeit versions of Windows operating systems and products is rife in China is an understatement of colossal proportions. How can Microsoft tackle this problem, which is harming its business in the important emerging market of Asia? Blackmail.

The iPhone and iPod Touch have been huge successes for Apple. Here is a mobile device that ticks a number of boxes and works as a result. Microsoft is clearly jealous of this success, particularly in light of poor sales for the Zune. Here’s an idea, combine the two, throw in elements of the Xbox and see if that levels the playing field.

A leading tech industry analysis firm says any company which isn’t already in the process of upgrading to Vista should skip it altogether. Gartner is taking the unusual step of recommending Windows 7 right from the off.

If you use PowerPoint for Windows, this month’s Microsoft security update has important patches to fix a critical vulnerability. If you use the Mac edition of PowerPoint … good luck.

Here’s some news for you: PCs are all bound to crash regularly, get infected with viruses and malware, and cause numerous headaches for their users. Macs, on the other hand, are perfect – never crashing, never having any problems, and never going wrong. At least that’s what Apple wants you to think.

Microsoft’s chief research and strategy officer says the firm won’t cut back on innovation efforts to save cash. Craig Mundie also says the company is ready to play its role in tackling environmental issues.

A research firm specializing in Microsoft is urging the firm to offer free Windows 7 upgrades to owners of Vista’s Ultimate Edition. Michael Cherry of Directions on Microsoft says it would compensate for customer disappointment over a Vista feature.

The release of Windows 7 has been a hot topic for debate since knowledge of the new operating system came into the public domain. Microsoft has continually shifted the goalposts, estimating different dates and not being firm on when it will actually be available to purchase. Until now.

Microsoft is claiming that threatened European Union sanctions over the bundling of Internet Explorer would themselves cause an unfair competitive advantage for Google. The comments follow the announcement that Microsoft will present its defense between June. 3 and 5