Cloud Computing

It looks like Europe is ready to take the gloves off: after investigating Google’s search business for five years and almost letting the technology giant off with a slap on the wrist, the EU is reportedly ready to charge Google with sweeping antitrust violations. And in preparation of this momentous event, the European Commission has…

European lawmakers who previous scuttled an EU settlement with Google are now taking an even more hardline stance against the search giant in the wake of leaked documents showing that the company should have faced antitrust charges in the United States. Meanwhile, the FTC and Google are both scrambling to undo the damage caused by…

In navigating the tricky waters of the post-PC world, Microsoft is trying to make up ever-dwindling revenues from traditional businesses like Windows, Office and Server with new subscription services and mobile offerings. But it’s become increasingly clear that in doing so, Microsoft may also need to leave those brands behind. Which is fine, since Microsoft…

An inadvertently leaked memo reveals that the Federal Trade Commission determined that Google had violated US antitrust laws in abusing its monopoly search power to harm both competitors and consumers alike. But the FTC never revealed these findings and the search giant was allowed to continue its abusive behavior after voluntarily agreeing to make inconsequential…

Because you know to call the A-Team and not the B-Team, this week’s other news includes a shocking revelation that the FTC found sweeping Google antitrust violations and did nothing about them, Microsoft’s open sourcing of the MSBuild engine, an HTC upheaval, China’s latest “Baghdad Bob” moment, and no web browsers are safe. Shocker: FTC…

Because sometimes it’s better to be right than to be loved, this week’s other news includes a reported Microsoft plan to bring Cortana to (gasp!) Android and iOS, an MSN move into the Windows group, Xbox One still doesn’t beat PS4 despite record sales, IDC cuts PC sales forecast for 2015, how that change will…

Google quietly revealed last week that its unpopular Google+ social networking service is going to be split into multiple separate services, including Google Streams, Google Photos and Google Hangouts. The move follows a difficult few years for Google+, which was once seen as a connective layer across many of Google’s services for individuals. “The rumors…

Russell Smith gives us the low-down on how to use Azure Key Vault to improve security in the cloud.

Microsoft has come out in support of a US bill that would limit the extraterritorial reach of search warrants, an issue at the center of an ongoing legal battle with the US Department of Justice. In that case, the DOJ is seeking to force Microsoft to hand over personal email data for a non-US citizen…

In this week’s other news, Microsoft can’t stop punching itself in the face. Short Takes; Often imitated, never duplicated.