The new Start Menu hasnt changed much since Microsoft demonstrated it at Build in April, but the screenshots show a variety of Metro style apps that are pinned to the menu, alongside traditional applications.  understands the screenshots are genuine, and that in some current development versions of Windows 9 the Start Menu expands to maximize the screen and act like the Start Screen found in Windows 8. The second screenshot also shows how Microsoft is planning to make Metro style apps run in the...

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Microsoft has brought in a former Best Buy exec to head its Consumer Channels Group, which handles sales and marketing relationships with OEMs, operators and retail partners. Follow @maryjofoley Buckley, who will report directly to Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner, was most recently Chief Commercial Officer of Best Buy, according to a July 21 internal announcement of his appointment. Before that, Buckley was managing director of The Carphone Warehouse in Sweden.Buckley...

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To date, our understanding of the new Start menu that coming in Threshold, the next major Windows release that may or may not be called Windows 9 when it ships next year, is that it would augment the existing Start screen as an option of sorts for desktop users. But here a surprise: That not how it going to work. According to my sources at Microsoft, the new Start menu will instead be the entire Start experience in Threshold. That is, there won't be a Start screen a Start menu. But you will...

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Well, it looks like the leaks are starting to flow or elsesomeone has decided to spend an unhealthyamount of time building an elaborate Start menu replica. As you can see in the image above, the Start menu is there but it not all that exciting as we have seen most of this before. We do know that this is still an early build of next generation of Windows and we will have more to report on that tomorrow. So, don't get too caught up in the minor details as there will be other enhancements to...

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Is Microsoft buiding a single version of Windows that will run on phones, tablets, PCs and gaming consoles? Nope. Here a refresher as to what really is happening. Follow @maryjofoley Thanks to a passing comment by CEO Satya Nadella during the July 22Microsoft Q4 fiscal 2014 earnings call, the struggle is continuing. We will streamline the next version of Windows from three operating systems into one single converged operating system for screens of all sizes, Nadella told press and...

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Google has reached a deal to buy game livestreaming firm Twitch for $1 billion, according to sources familiar with the matter. Citing unnamed sources, Variety said back in May that Google had made an all cash offer and that the deal could be announced soon. If confirmed, the deal will underscore the value of live Internet streaming and the rise of competitive gaming as a spectator sport — something that draws millions of viewers, can offer prize pools that surpass pro golfs marquee events,...

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This may seem like just another spring, a season among others. But look closer — we are in fact witnessing the final hope for any meaningful future for Windows Phone being snuffed out. First of all, in 2013 Windows Phone did have some momentum in emerging markets and it desperately needed to maintain it. The platforms share in Brazil grew from 4.2% to 5.5% between May 2012 and May 2013. In China, Windows Phone climbed to 3% thanks to some enormous effort from Nokia, which has 20 years of history...

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isnt the first game to straddle two generations of gaming hardware, but its one of the few currently in play that was built from the ground up with that in mind. With its latest title, Bungie took on the Herculean task of building a game for four systems: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. With the foundations now laid and the all important beta just around the corner, we spoke with Bungie engineer Roger Wolfson to find out more about the challenges of building a game that...

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