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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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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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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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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and most people will think immediately of its hiccups—the sort of hysterical, impossible errors one finds collected on sites like Damn You Autocorrect. But despite the inadvertent hilarity, the real marvel of our mobile text correction systems is how astoundingly good they are. It not too much of an exaggeration to call autocorrect the overlooked underwriter of our era of mobile prolixity. Without it, we wouldnt be able to compose windy love letters from stadium bleachers, write novels on...

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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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Confirming rumors that date back to last year, Microsoft this week said that it is killing off its successful TechEd trade show series. But it not really going away: Instead, Microsoft will consolidate TechEd and several other IT and enterprise focused tradeshows into a single, unified tech conference, the first rendition of which is now scheduled for Chicago in May 2015. I am thrilled to announce we will be hosting an inaugural, unified Microsoft commercial technology conference the week of May...

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