Apple has had its own retail stores for some time now, and they have proved very successful, both in terms of ringing up sales and building a bond between the company and its customers. Now Microsoft is moving in on Apple’s turf, with its first two retail stores due to open by the end of the month to coincide with the release of Windows 7. Can Microsoft outdo Apple in the retail sector or is this going to be an epic fail?

Microsoft is currently gearing up for the massive, and massively important, launch of Windows 7, which goes on general availability on Oct. 22. But in China, pirates have already preceded the official launch of the new operating system, and consumers can buy a copy of Windows 7 for an absolute pittance.

Microsoft Security Essentials may not be as extensive or powerful as the paid alternatives, as the vendors of those suites were quick to point out, but it’s a good first-line defense against a range of malware. Microsoft has now released preliminary figures showing its usage and it seems to show a successful launch which quickly proved the time and effort in developing the MSE software.

Microsoft is going all out with its promotion of Windows 7. The next few weeks are going to see the new OS plastered everywhere, with adverts on television, in print, and on the Web on and after the Oct. 22 release date. And it’s even sponsoring a Seth MacFarlane variety show, meaning Family Guy has sold out to the might of Windows 7.

The release of any new operating system usually heralds a change in the market. It’s a volatile element being introduced to the marketplace, and it can change the way PCs are bought and sold. But although the release of Windows 7 is imminent, one analyst believes it will have little effect. Prices are unlikely to decrease or increase, which should make for a smooth transition from Vista to Windows 7.

The release of Windows 7 is fast approaching. On Oct. 22, everyone who wants to will be able to head out to their local computer store and pick up a copy of Microsoft’s latest operating system. That’s surely an excuse to party hard.

There we all were thinking Microsoft had finally nailed this advertising lark. And then along comes this strange new advert for Windows Phone (formerly Windows Mobile) and it all goes to pot. The first question to be asked is, ‘What the hell?’ The second, ‘Seriously, what the hell?’

Windows 7 is almost here, with just two weeks until Microsoft’s latest operating system is unleashed on the great unwashed. Everything has so far gone swimmingly, with a good beta testing and very positive reviews from people who should know what they’re talking about. But wait a goddamn minute. Is there any chance that Windows 7 could turn out to be another Vista?

The whole world is still locked into a recession right now, and one of the sectors hit for consumer spending is technology. But there could be a savior on the horizon, and it’s probably not the one most people would have pictured. That’s right folks, Microsoft is about to save us by releasing Windows 7, an OS that could potentially persuade us all to spend once more.

Windows 7 is now just a few weeks from going on general release, with Oct. 22 the date when all of us will be able to get our hands on Microsoft’s newest operating system. And it’s at that point that Vista will become old and outdated. But it seems the trend is ahead of the expected curve, with Vista losing some of its market share and Windows 7 already picking up the slack.

Since launching Bing in June, Microsoft has seen its new and very much improved search engine take small bites out of its rivals on a month by month basis. Bing has averaged around a 1 percent gain every month since launch, but the figures for September show that trend may have ended already. Is Bing’s market share increase already on the slide?

Microsoft has good reason to ensure Windows PCs are secure and malware-free. Because if they aren’t, it reflects badly on the company that many blame for the problem in the first place. So it is today releasing its new, free Microsoft Security Essentials software, an antivirus and antimalware product offering protection from viruses, spyware, rootkits, and trojans.

There’s nothing like a good bitch fight between two of the biggest tech companies in the world. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing between Microsoft and Google over the security of Chrome Frame, with Microsoft claiming the plug-in makes IE less secure and Google taking the exact opposite view. Let battle commence.

Apple has for as long as I can remember trumped Microsoft in one important area: advertising. Microsoft really didn’t do adverts for a long time, and when it did they generally came across as staid, old-fashioned, and a little bit tired. But things have started to improve, and the latest ads for Windows 7 signal just how much Microsoft is evolving… into Apple.

Windows 7 is so close you can almost reach out and touch it, with the Oct. 22 release date edges ever nearer. But how are you going to celebrate the launch of Microsoft’s newest operating system? What do you mean you weren’t planning to – isn’t everyone having a Windows 7 party?