Bing gets a makeover complete with new features and redesigned logo

Microsoft has given its Bing search engine a cosmetic makeover complete with new features, a redesigned logo and a modern design. The changes are expected to help Microsoft better compete with the likes of Google and Yahoo, the latter of which also revealed a redesigned homepage and a new logo over the past several months.

AMD says PC gaming will benefit from next generation consoles

Next generation consoles from Microsoft and Sony are just around the bend. Many have forecasted their arrival as a blow to PC gaming but according to AMD’s Matt Skynner, that simply isn’t the case. Instead, he believes PC gamers will actually benefit from the arrival of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Bill Gates claims stake as richest American for 20th straight year

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has topped the Fortune 400 list as the wealthiest American for the 20th year in a row. His total net worth of $72 billion kept him well ahead of Warren Buffett’s second place finish of $58.5 billion. Gates saw his fortune increase by $6 billion over the past year while Buffett’s wealth ballooned by $12.5 billion during the same period.

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison’s $41 billion nest egg remained flat over the year and was good for a third place finish, cementing the technology industry as the second-largest generator of billionaires. Nearly 50 of the people on the top 400 list are in the tech industry which accounts for a 12 percent share of the overall money pool.

Further down the list is Amazon’s Jeff Bezos (12th place) at $27.2 billion. Following in 13th and 14th place are Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Collectively, the Google duo are worth $49.3 billion. Facebook founder Mark Zuckberger is one of the youngest billionaires on the list. His estimated wealth of $19 billion is up thanks to the company’s recent turnaround on the stock market following a year of dismal results.

Interestingly enough, outgoing Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer placed 21st on the list at $18 billion. Last month, Ballmer announced plans to retire within the next 12 months. He has held the title of Microsoft CEO for nearly 13 years following Gates’ departure in January 2000.

Source

GTA V pre-orders mistakenly ship early in the UK, more evidence surfaces on PC and PS4 versions of the game

Tomorrow marks the official release of Grand Theft Auto V on Xbox 360 and PS3. But someone at Amazon UK must have gotten a little over enthusiastic as pre-orders were being dispatched and delivered to customers’ doors ahead of time. It's unclear just how many gamers managed to get an early crack at the sprawling world of Los Santos, but Rockstar has confirmed it’s investigating how and why those deliveries occurred.

Whether that scales up to a full-on legal mess for those involved or not, it was certainly a nice surprise for buyers of the game. But the excitement was short-lived for some. After footage started to emerge on sites like Twitter and Instagram Microsoft reportedly began banning Xbox Live accounts of people it could identify.

Typically, having your system banned from Xbox Live means you’ll have to buy another one to access the console’s online component again. That certainly seems like a harsh penalty for legitimate paying customers who just happened to receive their copy one day in advance due to a shipping error. In fairness, though, pirated copies of the game were in the wild days earlier so it's unclear if Microsoft specifically targeted those.

We’ve reached out for an official statement on this and will update when / if we hear back.

In other GTA V news, calls for a PC version of the game might be answered in the not-too-distant future, as code from a configuration file posted on Pastebin and allegedly coming from a pirated Xbox 360 version of the game points towards PC and PS4 releases. We can’t vouch for the leak’s legitimacy but it seems to have been validated by a legal request sent to Cinema Blend asking them to remove links to the XML.

The site also mentions it’s not uncommon to see PC related code on a console release, as “most developers build games around a general code base and configure the game's specifications per platform within an single config file, as opposed to building new code or separate config files for each and every platform.”

Grand Theft Auto V is expected to smash sales records for the current generation of consoles, with some analysts predicting it could push up to 20 million copies by March of next year. Some have estimated the game's development and marketing budget at $260 million or more, right up there with big Hollywood blockbusters.

Microsoft will pay at least $200 for your old iPad

We’ve seen Microsoft attack Apple in the past through clever commercial spots and by launching a comparison website but now Redmond is going after Cupertino’s hardware directly. From now through October 27, Microsoft will offer at least $200 to anyone that trades in their old iPad.

There are a few caveats worth mentioning from the get-go. Instead of cold hard cash, traders will receive a gift card to the Microsoft Store that can be used toward the purchase of a Surface tablet or any other Microsoft gear. Eligible devices include the iPad 2, iPad 3 and iPad 4 and you must bring it (along with the power cable) to a physical retail location as it doesn’t appear there is an online option.

It’s all part of Microsoft’s plan to convince iPad owners to dump Apple and play for their team. Doing so thus far has proven difficult as Microsoft was forced to slash prices on existing models after a $900 million write-off.

If you are on the fence about whether or not to get a Surface tablet, you’d be well advised to hold on to your money for a couple of weeks. That’s because Microsoft will be unveiling a refreshed line of Surface tablets on September 23 in NYC. The revised flagship machine is expected to ship with Intel’s latest Haswell processor for improved battery life and 8GB of RAM. The Surface 2, on the other hand, will be powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 4 SoC and will run Windows RT 8.1.

Before sale to Microsoft, Nokia was testing Android on Lumia phones

While Nokia has made a name for itself with its wide range of Lumia smartphones running Windows Phone, a report from The New York Times has revealed that Nokia was interested in Android. "Well before" discussions between Microsoft and Nokia lead to the former company buying the latter, Nokia was reportedly testing Android on their Lumia smartphones, having managed to get it running on prototype devices.

Microsoft apparently knew about Nokia's testing of Android, although it didn't form any part of discussions between the companies during the acquisition stage. Nokia had arranged a deal with Microsoft in 2011 to solely produce Windows Phones, although the deal expired in 2014, meaning Android Lumia phones might have made it to the market in under a year's time.

If Nokia had produced a Lumia-like device running Android, with features we've come to love such as 41-megapixel PureView cameras, it might have been the death of Windows Phone. Nokia makes almost all the Windows Phone devices currently available, and commands an impressive 87% share of the Windows Phone market; without them, Microsoft's small share of smartphone sales would begin to dwindle.

Nokia has had to face a large amount of criticism for choosing Windows Phone over Android. The Finnish company had a 30% of the smartphone market in 2010, before that dropped away to the 3% it is now. Smartphone buyers have also often wished that Lumia phones would run Android rather than Windows Phone, citing the weak ecosystem as a reason against purchasing their devices.

Whether or not a switch to Android would have considerably boosted Lumia sales will forever remain unknown, with the company set to produce Windows Phones from here on out.

After more than a year, Outlook.com finally adds IMAP support

Microsoft has finally added IMAP support to Outlook.com, more than a year after the service was unveiled as the successor to Hotmail. The feature, available immediately and in tandem with OAuth, gives third-party developers another option when it comes to syncing messages and folders from the service.

Although the IMAP protocol is older than Microsoft's preferred method of email sync, Exchange ActiveSync (EAS), it's still a widely supported protocol, especially on feature phones and Mac OS email clients. Microsoft's Steve Kafka writes "we heard your feedback loud and clear that this was important", and announced the tighter integration Outlook.com in certain apps, including TripIt, Sift and OtherInbox.

IMAP (an abbreviation for Internet Message Access Protocol) was first designed way back in 1986 as a remote mailbox protocol, although it has been developed and improved on since the first iteration. One of the key features of IMAP is its robust folder system, allowing users to manage their emails in the hierarchy and setup that they prefer.

Gmail has supported IMAP since late 2007, and although the company offered EAS syncing options, last year it was announced that EAS support would be phased out, much to the annoyance of Windows Phone users. Gmail now primarily uses IMAP, CardDAV and CalDAV to sync emails, contacts and calendars respectively.

While Microsoft has now included IMAP support in Outlook.com, it still recommends using Exchange ActiveSync wherever possible. However if you do want to setup a third-party client to access Outlook.com through IMAP, Microsoft has listed instructions at the bottom of their blog post.

SanDisk's Extreme Pro CFast 2.0 memory card is the world's fastest

SanDisk can claim two milestones with the Extreme Pro CFast 2.0: it's both the fastest memory card available of any kind, and also the first CFast 2.0 memory card. CFast 2.0 is a CompactFlash memory card variant, with the CompactFlash Association having announced the specification last year, boasting speeds of up to 600 MB/s through a SATA interface.

The Extreme Pro CFast 2.0 card doesn't quite reach the maximum transfer speeds of the CFast 2.0 spec, but it does support SSD-like performance. SanDisk claims the card is capable of 450 MB/s read speeds and 350 MB/s write speeds, saying it will take just four minutes to transfer a 100 GB file from the memory card.

As the CFast 2.0 specification is new, there will be limited support for these cards in the recording equipment they're designed for. The Arri Arima, a professional documentary-style video camera, will be one such device that will support SanDisk's new CFast 2.0 card, with the super-fast speeds allowing 2K video to be recorded at 200 frames per second and at high bitrates.

For users who want to stick with traditional CompactFlash cards, SanDisk has also announced the highest capacity CF card they've produced, coming with 256 GB of storage. It'll cost you though, with SanDisk listing a regular retail price of $1,809 for the high-capacity memory card.

SanDisk hasn't specified exactly how much the Extreme Pro CFast 2.0 cards - available in 60 GB and 120 GB capacities - will cost, but we can't imagine they'll be cheap either when they hit stores "soon".

Windows 8.1 will reportedly launch mid-October

According to the latest reports, Windows 8.1 will be available to all users in mid-October, roughly one year after Microsoft launched Windows 8 to the public. Microsoft is expected to deliver RTM Windows 8.1 code to OEMs by the end of August, although unlike previous years the RTM release won't be available on MSDN or TechNet at that time; instead Microsoft will be holding back the launch until October for all channels.

World Top 10 Billionaires in 2012 August

1	Carlos Slim Helu & family	$69 B	72	telecom	Mexico
2	Bill Gates	$61 B	56	Microsoft	United States
3	Warren Buffett	$44 B	81	Berkshire Hathaway	United States
4	Bernard Arnault	$41 B	63	LVMH	France
5	Amancio Ortega	$37.5 B	75	Zara	Spain
6	Larry Ellison	$36 B	67	Oracle	United States
7	Eike Batista	$30 B	55	mining, oil	Brazil
8	Stefan Persson	$26 B	64	H&M	Sweden
9	Li Ka-shing	$25.5 B	83	diversified	Hong Kong
10	Karl Albrecht	$25.4 B	92	Aldi	Germany

Source : www.forbes.com/billionaires

Microsoft tightens Windows 8 activation policy to curb piracy

Piracy is a fact of life for Microsoft. Case in point: just two days after the company began distributing the finalized version of Windows 8 to partners around the globe, the code became publicly available across various file sharing sites. Microsoft declined to comment on the leak but, presumably, someone working at an OEM was responsible.

Previous products have leaked online as well, and while its very unlikely they’ll get rid of the problem altogether anytime soon, Microsoft is looking to close down a few of the loop holes that made life easier for pirates and rogue OEMs. In particular Microsoft is looking to change the way they deal with OEM activations for Windows 8.

OEM Activation (OA) allows PC manufacturers to ship systems with Windows preinstalled and already activated, so that customers don't need to take any additional steps to activate the OS when they first use a new computer. In the past, a single activation key was used by most OEMs to activate all of their shipped machines. However, going forward, manufacturers will be required to write a unique Windows product key into the BIOS of each new PC, based on each particular system’s hardware.

This key isn’t automatically generated by OEMs either. They will need to obtain it directly from Microsoft via electronic delivery and factories will be required to file production reports to Microsoft detailing their license compliance, thus making it harder to avoid paying licensing fees to Microsoft.

The new activation scheme hasn’t been officially confirmed by Microsoft -- details are based off a series of leaked slides obtained by The Register. According to the site, OA 3.0 will only apply to new PCs running Windows 8. Other versions, including Windows Server 2012, Windows 7 and earlier are not affected.

At this point it’s unclear what the move will mean for individuals buying OEM versions of the OS, or if the hardware based activation will somehow affect users manually upgrading their laptops’ storage or memory.

Microsoft has set a release date of October 26 for Windows 8. Upgrade pricing is set at $39.99 for those running legit copies of Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. Those that purchased a Windows 7 machine in the months leading up to Windows 8’s release, are eligible to upgrade for just $14.99.

Nokia Windows Phone 8 handsets rumored for early September unveil

Microsoft unveiled the next major update to Windows Phone during a special Windows Phone Summit in late June, but so far the company has refused to say when devices will hit the market aside from "this fall." That said, according to rumors first reported by Chinese site WPDang and backed up today by Bloomberg, Nokia plans to announce Windows Phone 8 handsets as early as next month at its Nokia World event.

Nokia World 2012 will kick off in Helsinki roughly a month form now on the 5th and 6th of September, a week ahead of the rumored September 12 announcement of the next iPhone. The early unveiling may help it gain some mindshare among consumers in the run-up to the holiday shopping season, although actual Windows Phone 8 handsets may not hit shelves until sometime around November.

For reference, if the latest rumors surrounding the iPhone launch are accurate, Apple could have new hardware ready for consumers as early as September 21, nine days after the unveiling.

The Finnish company held the spot as the world’s leading mobile phone maker for fourteen straight years but was overtaken by Samsung earlier in 2012, according to research firm Gartner.

Despite favorable reviews, the Lumia handsets have struggled to compete against established platforms such as Android and iOS. The fact that its flagship Lumia 900, launched just a few months ago, will not get the upgrade to Windows Phone 8 later this year has done little to help. Nokia plans to rollout a Windows Phone 7.8 update that will bring some of Windows Phone 8’s changes to existing devices.

The decision was nevertheless received with optimism by some users who feel it is necessary to leave previous generation handsets behind in order for the platform to advance. Among other things, WP 8 will finally support multi-core processors and share common code with the Windows 8 desktop OS.

Microsoft intros new mice and keyboards tuned for Windows 8

Microsoft has announced multiple keyboards and mice tuned specifically for systems running Windows 8. The majority of new devices are Bluetooth-enabled and compact enough to fit in your pocket, making them an ideal solution for tablet use.

The Microsoft Wedge Mobile Keyboard is a full-size ultra-slim board that features a minimalist design. The $79.95 unit is designed for tablet use and includes Windows 8 Hot Keys for quick access to things like system settings, search and the Charms interface. The keyboard connects via Bluetooth and ships with a smart cover that not only protects the input device but also automatically kills power when used to conserve battery life.

Microsoft’s Sculpt Mobile Keyboard features a familiar Comfort Curve design like we have seen on past ergonomic boards. This typer also features Windows 8 Hot Keys, Bluetooth connectivity and enjoys 10 months of battery life which can be monitored and controlled via a two-color indicator and on/off switch, respectively. The Sculpt comes with an MSRP of $49.95.

The aptly-named Wedge Touch Mouse is small enough to fit in your pocket and provides four-way Touch scrolling and navigation. The pointer utilizes Microsoft BlueTrack Technology which allows it to work on nearly any surface, an added benefit for on-the-go use. The $69.95 Wedge mouse conserves battery power by automatically turning off alongside the system it is paired with.

The $49.95 ambidextrous Sculpt Touch Mouse is more of a traditional mouse that includes a four-way touch scroll strip, BlueTrack Technology and Bluetooth connectivity. Microsoft also points out that the Touch Mouse released last year will receive a software update for Windows 8 gesture use.

All of the devices are expected to be ready around the same time that Windows 8 launches inlate October.

Thunderbolt bandwidth to double in 2014 with Falcon Ridge

Microsoft has ended all speculation surrounding the launch date of its next-generation operating system after Steven Sinofsky announced during the company’s annual sales meeting yesterday that customers will be able to get a copy on Friday October 26, on a new computer or as an upgrade.

The announcement by Sinofsky, president of Microsoft’s Windows division, follows an earlier promise at its Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto earlier this month that Windows 8 would arrive sometime in October.  The date was later confirmed in a post by Brandon LeBlanc on the firm’s official Windows Blog. 

There was no word on the exact date we can expect Microsoft’s Surface tablets however, but given that consumers will be able to get the software individually or on a new PC the same day, it’s entirely possible the tablet will be available immediately on the launch date. More details will no doubt follow as the date nears.

Earlier this month the OS-maker said those using the release preview version of Windows 8 will be able to upgrade to the final release for $39.99 using the Windows.com upgrade tool. Those that purchase a new computer between June 2 2012 and January 31 2013 will also be eligible to upgrade to Windows 8 Professional for just $14.99.

While consumers have been treated to two previews of Windows 8 to date, it is likely Microsoft will leave some of the new features for the upcoming launch, and right now it’s hard to say whether further tweaks will be made to the highly controversial Metro UI before it reaches RTM.

Those yet to experience Windows 8 can do so by checking out the Release Preview version, and further details on setting it up using USB drives, and dual-booting options. For those wishing to advance their skills further with the new OS, our guide packed full of tricks, tips and shortcutsis worth checking out.

Microsoft beefs up Xbox Live's security to combat online fraud

With services being hacked left and right, Microsoft has acted on user feedback submitted in recent months byintroducing new security measures to Xbox Live. Along with unexplained "security enhancements" implemented behind the scenes during Xbox Live's spring update, the company increased notifications to accounts that may be compromised, encouraging them to update their passwords.

Microsoft has also begun sending unique codes to security phone numbers and secondary email addresses used to verify authorization for account changes and charges that don't come from a trusted device.

The company is working to reduce incentives for criminal activity such as trading stolen accounts as well as committing identity theft and credit card fraud by using legal action to have such material pulled off the Web. Individuals caught illegally buying or selling gamertags, usernames and passwords gathered from malware and phishing schemes risk criminal prosecution.

The advice has been beaten to death, but Microsoft mentioned that users should change their passwords frequently and use unique credentials for every service, noting that "password" and "12345" are still the most commonly used passwords when login data is dumped online after breaches. The company also encourages members to check their security informationregularly.

"The Internet has transformed the way we purchase goods and services and added layers of convenience to our lives. Yet, disappointingly, online fraud increasingly victimizes millions of unsuspecting consumers each year. The organized groups of criminals involved do not care about the time or expense experienced by individuals they've attacked; or the billions in currency global companies and financial institutions absorb each year from their illegal activities. In the end, all of us pay a high price for online fraud," said Xbox Live General Manager Alex Garden. "That is why our resolve at Microsoft to battle fraud and our commitment to account security is stronger than ever. I hope you’ll take a few moments to protect your account today."

Microsoft updates Bing Maps with 215TB of high-resolution imagery

Microsoft has issued an update for Bing Maps that includes 215TB of high-resolution imagery covering the United States and key locations in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Tokyo. These new snapshots, aptly named Bird’s Eye, were captured at a 45 degree angle to provide increased detail of buildings and landmarks.

A post on the Bing Maps blog points out that photos in the new update cover over 230,000 square kilometers and consist of more than 1.1 million files. The service as a whole now spans a total of 1,388,593 square kilometers, good for 302TB of data.

Bird’s Eye maps are comprised of three different kinds of data. The first is native Bird’s Eye scenes containing photos captured at 45 degree angles. There’s also Bird’s Eye Oblique Mosaics which are a group of aerial photos that have been stitched together to form a seamless layer. The final type of data uses top-down photography that is projected onto a digital terrain or landscape at a 45 degree angle. This is used to showcase topological depth perception when traditional aerial photography isn’t feasible.

To break down the new update, 84,451 square kilometers is brand new Bird’s Eye Oblique Mosaic imagery while the remaining 145,553 square kilometers is refreshed Bird’s Eye, replacing old and potentially outdated imagery.

I checked out some of the new imagery while working on this article and I must say that I am impressed with the results. Many of the local attractions I am familiar with through Google Maps actually look better using Bing Maps. If you haven’t used Microsoft’s alternative yet, it’s certainly worth a try.

Microsoft outlines File History feature in Windows 8

Microsoft has once again taken to their Building Windows 8 blog to detail another new feature in the upcoming operating system. Bohdan Raciborski from the storage team gives us the skinny on File History, a backup application designed to continuously protect files found in Libraries, Desktop, Favorites and Contacts folders.

By default, the service scans the file system every hour for changes. If something has changed, a copy of the file(s) in question will be backed up to an external storage device selected by the user. Over time, the service will build a complete history of changes to any and all personal files. File History supersedes the existing Windows Backup and Restore features currently found in Windows 7, a feature that is utilized by less than five percent of consumers, according to Microsoft’s data.

With File History, Microsoft wants users to feel confident that their files are protected when using the feature. It hopes to eliminate the complexity of setting up and restoring backups by automating the process as a silent service that does all of the work in the background without interrupting the user.

To enable File History, simply open the File History control panel applet, connect an external device like a USB flash drive or external hard drive and click or tap Turn on. The same can be done in AutoPlay by tapping or clicking the notification that shows up when a new drive is detected and opting to configure the drive for backup.

If something goes wrong and you need to recover data, Microsoft starts the search right in Windows Explorer, allowing you to browse to a specific folder or location and tap or click the History button to see all versions of the file, folder or library available.

Microsoft says the feature is optimized for performance by scanning NTFS journals for file changes and only protects the personal files that are most precious and hardest to recreate. Common operating system files and applications could easily be recovered using traditional means.

Be sure to check out the full posting at Building Window 8 for more details.

Microsoft officially sets Windows 8 general availability for October

Microsoft today officially revealed a more specific shipping schedule for its forthcoming Windows 8 operating system during its Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto. Widely expected to arrive ahead of the Holiday shopping season, Windows CFO Tami Reller said Windows 8 will be in the hands of its OEMs during the first week of August, with PCs and tablets running the new operating system on sale at the end of October.

Microsoft will turn on the commerce platform for its Windows app store at the same time the "release to manufacturing," or RTM build of Windows 8 goes live in August. This will allow developers to start making money off their Metro applications. Up until now, apps at the Windows app store have been free.

The company also said that enterprise customers with Software Assurance benefits will have full access to Windows 8 as early as August, months before the general consumer public. It’s unclear if subscribers to Microsoft's for-a-fee developer services, including MSDN and TechNet, will get early access as well.

Windows 8 will be available in 109 languages across 231 markets worldwide. Launch hardware is expected to include desktops, laptops, tablets and so-called "convertible" machines that combine the latter two. Microsoft’s own Surface tablet falls into that category but the company hasn’t confirmed a launch date yet.

During the announcement Microsoft noted that Windows 7 has been a bestseller for the company, with 630 million copies sold and more than half of desktops in the enterprise using the OS. But they are certainly hoping to get a good chunk of those, as well as home users, to migrate to the latest release with a limited time offer to upgrade from XP, Vista, 7 or even the Windows 8 Release Preview for only $39.99.

Samsung readying Windows RT tablet for October launch

Samsung is reportedly working on a tablet running Microsoft's next generation operating system ahead of its worldwide release in October. According to sources familiar with the matter cited in a report byBloomberg, the South Korean firm plans to release the ARM-based tablet running Windows RT at the same time as Microsoft releases its new OS to the public.

Both of the sources asked not to be named as the plans weren't public. One of them claimed Samsung's Windows RT tablet would be released in October.

Windows RT is a fine-tuned version of Windows 8 for touchscreen devices that will be powered by ARM-based processors. Samsung’s Windows RT tablet in particular will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC. ARM-based chips have risen massively in popularity in recent years and are now used to power a whole host of smartphones and tablets, including Apple's industry leading iPad tablet and iPhone smartphone.

Samsung's entry will provide a welcome boost to the Windows 8 tablets available at launch. Two weeks ago rumors emerged suggesting one of Microsoft's biggest OEMs, Hewlett Packard, was towithdraw from making ARM-based Windows RT tablets after the software giant unveiled its own Microsoft Surface tablet.

HP has since confirmed in a statement to Forbes it plans to focus on x86 Windows 8 tablets with business users in mind for the foreseeable future. That said, they didn't completely rule out ARM-based Windows RT tablets, saying it "continues to look at using ARM processors in business and consumer products".

If the latest rumors are true, Samsung would join Asus, Dell and Microsoft in building ARM-based tablets running Windows RT for launch in October. The launch will mark the first time ever that the Redmond software firm has released a cross platform operating system working on traditional x86 computers and notebooks as well as ARM-based tablets at the same time.

Microsoft to acquire multi-touch company Perceptive Pixel

Microsoft has announced that they will beacquiring Perceptive Pixel Inc., a large-scale multi-touch hardware and software developer. PPI will no doubt help to bolster Microsoft’s touch ambitions in Windows 8 and beyond as the company has received several accolades since its inception in 2006.

PPI was founded by renowned multi-touch pioneer Jeff Han. The company shipped their first products in early 2007 and garnered industry recognition by supplying CNN and other broadcasters with large-screen multi-touch monitors to assist in covering the 2008 US presidential election. PPI was awarded the National Design Award by the Smithsonian in 2009.

The company’s patents are used across multiple fields including government, defense, broadcast, energy exploration, engineering and higher education.

Steve Ballmer announced the acquisition at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference in Los Angeles earlier today. PPI’s founder joined Ballmer on stage to demonstrate how their technology can work with Windows 8 on a large-screen display. Han showed those in attendance basic multi-touch gestures in addition to demoing how a stylus is used to mark a document while content can be manipulated with the free hand.

“By joining Microsoft, we will be able to take advantage of the tremendous momentum of the Microsoft Office Division, tightly interoperate with its products, and deliver this technology to a very broad set of customers,” Han said.

“The acquisition of PPI allows us to draw on our complementary strengths, and we’re excited to accelerate this market evolution,” said Kurt DelBene, president of the Office Division at Microsoft. “PPI’s large touch displays, when combined with hardware from our OEMs, will become powerful Windows 8-based PCs and open new possibilities for productivity and collaboration.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed and the acquisition is pending customary regulatory approval, although the size and scope of the purchase isn’t expected to throw up any red flags.