Microsoft News Roundup – Bing gets Penn, MS does well with Entertainment and Xbox gets serious about security

WP Central

At that place'due south been a lot of news today—both for Microsoft and Nokia—then we're going to just touch on on a fleck of that and also mention some other Microsoft stories that you may accept missed. So here's your roundup:

Microsoft wants y'all have your Xbox security seriously and posts tips on how to exercise that
Marking Penn, quondam advisor to President Clinton, will be a VP at Microsoft where he hopes to make Bing cool
Microsoft may have lost money this quarter but their consumer division is really doing well

Then head on past the pause for today'due south wrap up...

Don't let your Xbox Live account get hacked

Xbox Alive Full general Manager Alex Garden invitee-blogged over at Xbox.com on how Microsoft is taking your privacy seriously, describing the steps they are taking to ensure your LIVE business relationship does not become compromised. We've had reports in the past from users where people have phished their accounts and other nefarious tricks which could result in charges to your account and all sorts of nasty things.

Microsoft started working on this months ago and at present their notification arrangement for compromised accounts has greatly improved in improver to these changes:

Nosotros've taken legal action to pull down online posts of gamertags, usernames and passwords gathered from malware or phishing schemes to assist protect our members.
Our Xbox LIVE Spring update included many behind the scenes improvements that help u.s.a. build on security enhancements for the near time to come.
Nosotros're sending unique codes to the security phone numbers and secondary email addresses provided past members to verify authorization for Xbox.com purchases or account change attempts not stemming from a fellow member'due south trusted device.
We're working to reduce market place incentives for criminal activity. Engaging in identity theft, trading in stolen accounts and committing credit carte du jour fraud are illegal and violate our Terms of Use. Those involved in these activities risk criminal prosecution, account and console bans. That goes for both sellers and buyers of known stolen accounts and content.

Not likewise shabby. But the biggest matter they stress is you demand to make sure your account has all the security features non only enabled but up to date—that means proper email addresses, secure passwords and more.

So accept the time and read up on adding proofs to your business relationship—you'll sleep better. Source: Xbox

WP Central

Mark Penn gets Binged

Microsoft has been shifting people effectually lately, putting them in odd categories for which nosotros know piddling about. I of those areas is Microsoft's new 'Strategic and Special Projects' area which sounds similar where former Windows Phone division President Andy Lees went to back in late 2022.

Mark Penn, who has a long history in advisory politics and famously worked under President Bill Clinton, will exist the new VP of that area which will study directly to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

What's his task? Co-ordinate to Microsoft Penn will "…lead a cross-functional team focused on consumer initiatives and volition draw on his experience in strategic development, branding and positioning to develop and deliver breakthrough ideas that meet consumers' irresolute and dynamic needs. He will keep to write most consumer, demographic and social trends only volition non exist involved in public policy issues for Microsoft."

Getting abroad from the corporate-speak, Penn volition exist focusing on Bing and getting it more than widely adopted in the marketplace. We're not sure if Penn is correct for the job but clearly Microsoft believes in him, and then hopefully he'll turn things around—after all, we beloved ourselves some Bing around these parts. Source: Microsoft; via WSJ

Microsoft is Entertaining u.s.a.

Despite that headline today about Microsoft reporting its "first loss always" (mostly due to a write off from a failed acquisition dorsum in 2007), Redmond's numbers actually wait pretty skillful—specifically in the Entertainment & Devices Division.

That office of the company saw some of the largest growth--$1.79 billion revenue, 20% increase—in all of Microsoft'southward divisions despite a weakened economic system. Heck, Microsoft even reported a 39% decrease in Xbox 360 sales due to a "soft market" even so they however maintained a 47% market share in consoles.

That's good news because it shows even in a crude market, Microsoft can still concord their share. What's more is the fact that "consumer stuff", to be blunt, is not necessarily perceived as Microsoft's strong foot—it's Windows and Enterprise.

The Entertainment & Devices Division also oversees Windows Phone and while MS is not reporting on specifics, they did note that there was a 50% increase in units over this time last twelvemonth—non bad.

In add-on, Xbox LIVE members increased by more than 15% and even Skype increased past over fifty% in term of minutes used.

Who says Microsoft can't practise consumer business? The merely thing more interesting that those numbers is of grade what's coming side by side—Windows Phone 8, Xbox SmartGlass, new content partners for Xbox 360 and Kinect is still doing well.

So remember those stats when someone tells you "Microsoft but doesn't get consumers"!

Source: Microsoft

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