That image of Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella slouching nonchalantly in a hipster hoodie says so much about the companion's aspirations. But inside it's the homophonic old Microsoft. Or is it?
Challenged to reinvent itself in the confront of a new breed of mobile apps and services, Microsoft's $2.5 billion leverage of Minecraft developer Mojang makes more sense. Indeed does Microsoft's Cortana. Or Sway.
In 2022, under Nadella's direction, Microsoft evolved away from the tout of Steve Ballmer to something more ultramodern, more than humble, more collaborative. But the tally of successes to failures was nail-bitingly close. Get into't believe us? Approach in and assure.
WIN: Surface Pro 3 sets the cake for Windows hardware
Nothing tried Microsoft's "linguistic rule of three" as neatly as the third genesis of its Rise Professional line.
Due in part to some swell engineering on the part of Microsoft and its chip partner, Intel, the Surface Pro 3 is the first Surface Pro that feels like a true tablet. I'm typing this along an SP3 right now, as you cognise. And many of you in agreement with me: In October, Microsoft revealed that Surface sales unique doubled to nearly a billion dollars compared to a class ago, thanks to the Surface Pro 3.
I'd like the Surface In favour of 3 to exist a bit sturdier and somewhat cheaper. But this is a shining example of what Microsoft's hardware teams can develop.
WIN: Windows Phone 8.1 and Cortana
Say what you testament about the shortage of apps in Microsoft's app store, simply Windows Phone 8.1 shows that Microsoft aspires to being Sir Thomas More than just a distant third gear in the smartphone commercialize. And the voice of Windows Phone is Microsoft's digital supporter, Cortana.
Choosing the name of your best buddy in the "Halo" games was inspired. Cortana's sassy, smart, symmetric joyous (ask her to sing you a Carol). Yes, Cortana came in 3rd in our digital assistant showdown earlier this class, but she's definitely better—heck, she straight-grained picks the winners of football games. Best of wholly, Microsoft is fashioning Cortana personable. Sorry, Siri—Cortana is the touristy daughter everyone wants to talk to.
FAIL: Where's our fab Windows Call?
Image by Mark Hachman
In Feb, Nokia debuted the Lumia Ikon, a vigorous if unpretentious flagship Windows Phone. It was the best Windows Earpiece of its time. How long-distance those years seem instantly.
After Microsoft's nonheritable Nokia, information technology killed the flagship Windows Phones, choosing to originate the market through midrange and low-end models—although "affordable flagships" same the surprisingly good Lumia 830 gave hope for the future.
But the bottom line is this: The ambitious designs of Windows Phone 8.1, Cortana, and the Lumia line need a flagship Windows Phone—something Microsoftcalls a flagship—to show them off properly. It's so damn frustrating to see them stuck on ordinary handsets.
WIN: The Lumia 830 stands adequate to the contest
The counter-statement to the "nobelium more flagships" debacle is the Microsoft Lumia 830, the so-called "affordable flagship" that Microsoft began selling recently. I was surprised at how some I missed it subsequently reviewing information technology.
Windows Phone fans should happily embrace the Lumia 830 as a solid, if non cutting-edge smartphone. That's the sort of warm endorsement that ordinarily would end of the world a new phone, but Microsoft plays by different rules. Microsoft may not win many converts from the Android and iOS camps, but the Lumia 830 should help Microsoft hold its own with Windows Phone fans.
FAIL: Microsoft's app stores
Image by Gull Hachman
In time, Microsoft will solve its app-store problems: an outright shortage of Windows and Windows Phone apps, united with a unpeasant-smelling cut of apps that are either knockoffs Oregon outright ripoffs. Meanwhile, developers have to wonder what they need to do to get quality apps in front of users.
But right now, the Microsoft Store on Windows 8 is ilk the back alley behind the mall: there's some good gormandize there, just piled next to a Dumpster full of absolute crap.
At to the lowest degree the Xbox Store serves as a model for what Microsoft's app store could be. But Valve's Steam service could continue to predominate PC gaming, and perchance eventually productivity, too.
Die: Microsoft followers ditch Windows Sound
Visualize away The Verge.com/EdBott.com
And if you don't believe us when we complain some Microsoft's apps, listen to these guys.
Male erecticle dysfunction Bott (right), who has authored or co-authored dozens of books on Microsoft products, publicly ditched Windows Phone in favor of an iPhone in early December. Tom Warren (left), who covers Microsoft for The Verge, did the same. Bott blamed Verizon for belongings back Microsoft's OS updates. Rabbit warren said overly many a never-updated "dead apps" had forced him to flee to an iPhone 6.
Either direction, two high-visibility followers of Microsoft are no more longer with Windows Phone. Ouch.
FAIL: Microsoft buys Mojang
$2.5 billion? Why along God's green, voxel dry land would Microsoft spend evening $250trillion on a sandbox gritty, as good as it is? Thomas More puzzling: Microsoft has given dead no indication of its plans for the studio. Is Minecraft a sandpile to teach code? Will we see Lego-titled reincarnations of nonclassical franchises, such as Minecraft: Halo?
Creator Markus Persson's farewell letter to fans was dependable, emotional, even melancholy—as it power also be for whoever greenlighted this deal. Later on complete, Chump Pincus bought OMGPOP and "Draw Something" for about $200 million—and was forced prohibited soon after.
Gain: Microsoft's Sway makes publication easy
Microsoft's newfangled Sway app shows what Microsoft can do when it reevaluates its merchandise line. Sway is Word for Millennials: an easy, graphics-plenteous environment to show remove your camping trip (left), a schooltime paper, or something else. Now that Sway is open to all, you have a chance to use it, excessively—and tell Microsoft how you'd wish to discove it improved.
Sway International Relations and Security Network't just an interesting app by itself, but emblematic of a new breed of in-between, blended apps that unite Microsoft's traditional tentpoles—Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and more. It's besides a public try out, a focal point Microsoft refused to go down for many years. Let's hope Sway sticks just about for a while.
FAIL: Microsoft's investment in Barnes &A; Noble's Nook
Microsoft's decision to invest $300 million into Barnes & Noble was ultimately a lousy one—and probably Microsoft's faulting more than the retailer.
For its money, Microsoft ended up with little more than than a Windows 8 app—as an alternative of a partner or symmetric an attainment target. Microsoft sells movies and music through its Xbox division—but non books, which it could have pitched as an ideal companion to a Surface operating room Windows Earpiece.
Ultimately, Microsoft may have decided that e-readers and ebooks were a lousy investment. But that still leaves it with a large hole in its e-commerce scheme.
WIN: Stria, Microsoft's carpus assistant
Image by Microsoft
Is the Microsoft Band a fitness circle? A smartwatch? Or do we handle?
Right now, we're calling it a winner, albeit barely then. The launch of the Ring may have spurred long lines, but we're non in for it'll have the tenacious-term focus of read, a FitBit. And that's hunky-dory: If anything, the Band is ahead of its time, leaping beyond fitness bands to something like a wrist computer. Yes, it's a trifle clunky, and it's notifications tend to blur together. But Microsoft thought big with the Band, and that's worth applauding.
Get ahead: Windows 10, or what Windows 8 should have been
Image past Mark Hachman
Pinch U.S.—yes, we'atomic number 75 excited more or less a new operating system. Windows 10 takes the best bits of Windows 7, gives them a ne update, and givers users theoption (yes, this is important) to merge them with Windows 8 tiles. Add in some virtual desktops, notifications, and even Cortana, and Microsoft seems to have a winner on its hands. You can even download ongoing builds of the new Atomic number 76 to acquaint yourself earlier it launches.
If you'rhenium like U.S.A, you're looking presumptuous to the consumer preview in January and the full acquittance later incoming year. Just what's the price going to be? That's a question we want answered, too.
Acquire: Office for iPad, which successful Post aesthetic
Image by Simon Bisson
Who knew that people might in reality look forward to using Post? Macintosh users didn't—they're still perplexed with ancient versions. But for those with an iPad, Office for the iPad dropped like a bombshell, with free apps that kept up the Apple aesthetic of simplicity on top of invisible depths.
And it lonesome got better: Microsoft eliminated the need for an Office 365 subscription to create documents, then announced an Office for Android preview that extended Business office to the reality's just about democratic transportable platform. Next upward: a accurate touch-based Office suite for Windows, which should launching in 2022.
FAIL: Halo The Master Chief Collection's matchmaking issues
When Microsoft announced Halo: The Sea captain Chief Assemblage would appear on its Xbox One gimpy console, fans cheered. Who wouldn't desire to play the archetypical four games of the franchise on a man-to-man disc, especially with HD remakes of the first included?
Well, quite an few people, apparently. And when developer 343 Industries launched the bet on, fans flocked to the multiplayer. Take out they couldn't find games, couldn't connect, and couldn't make for. And it was like that for over a calendar month. Along Dec. 15, 343 said it shipped a patch that solved the multiplayer problems, once and for all. Did they? You'll have to delay and see.
WIN: Microsoft seeks user feedback on next-gen Windows
Mental image by Microsoft
Malus pumila's in the business of impressive you what you desire. Google throws beta subsequently beta into the market, support what succeeds. And Microsoft? It's really interrogatory.
In 2022, Microsoft made it exonerated that its customers are an integral separate of the design process. Users can suggest and voting on features to be added to Windows 10; the Xbox and Xbox One; Windows Phone; and heck, even OneNote. Microsoft won't be healthy to delight all the people every of the time, of line. But making the client part of the process is a very, very effective thing.
WIN: Microsoft's free in-store technical school support welcomes users to Windows
Tech support options abound: Apple has the Genius Bar. Or you can take your PC into C. H. Best Buy and let its Geek Squad technicians have a look below the hood for a couple hundred bucks. Only in 2022, Microsoft successful it clear that they'll take out any Windows PC—bought anywhere—and Microsoft techs will troubleshoot it gratis in a Microsoft Store.
In one vanish slide, Microsoft can sweetener customers into its store, casually tout the advantages of Windows, and reassure customers who've lived inside Windows XP and Windows 7 for the past times decade. Information technology's smart, welcoming and informal.
FAIL: Microsoft ditches better software system releases for incremental updates
With a technical school press starving for scoops, even the most mundane announcement tends to be picked up by someone, somewhere. But Microsoft was a company based on spectacle (go through: its Windows 95 launch), and its conclusion to deser milestone updates for frequent stop releases seems a trifle misguided.
The irony, of course, is that we've already had same news conference for a technical preview of Windows 10, and we can seem forward to another in January. It's equitable that, if Microsoft hews to its stream game plan, that'll be all it until Windows 11.
FAIL: Someone pays Arrington to astroturf Explorer
In June, blogger turned venture capitalist Michael Arrington reported that he was asked "to scatter the tidings on the new Internet Explorer browsing experience," and would be paid for his efforts. While Arrington known that the payment would atomic number 4 coming from an agency, and non from Microsoft, it was still the kind of sleazy practice that Microsoft had been known for long time earlier.
Anyway, c'Monday—Explorer? IT's already the most popular browser on the major planet. They should've asked him to push Windows.
FAIL: Microsoft carpet-bombs NO-IP domains
Microsoft in late June filed a civil suit against the U.S. domain hosting company Vitalwerks, which operates as No-IP.com, for its role in hosting malware that infected more than 7 million computers.
In the course of combating the spread of the malware, Microsoft took ascendence of to a higher degree 20 No-IP domains, knocking out serve for the supplier's customers, some of whom were non even affected by the malware. Microsoft later settled with the affected domains —just the affected domains, we presume. At least we hope it got that right.
WIN: Microsoft's new CEO, Satya Nadella
Much of what Microsoft accomplished—and didn't—during 2022 is the province of Satya Nadella, who snagged the governing body ring after former CEO Steve Ballmer departed.
Nadella seems to embody the late Microsoft: thoughtful, responsive, loyal but not blindly so. His "mobile first, cloud first" mantra evolved Ballmer's devices-and-services strategy. Atomic number 2's successful tough calls, slashing the majority of Nokia's staff afterwards the acquisition compressed. His one public faux pas, a careless, sexist point out, was quickly walked gage.
In February of 2022, Nadella will make been along the job for a full year. Prison term will tell whether Nadella and Microsoft succeed, but the direction seems undeniable. Manage you agree? Tell us below.
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As PCWorld's senior editor in chief, Mark focuses along Microsoft intelligence and crisp engineering, among opposite beats. He has once written for PCMag, BYTE, Slashdot, eWEEK, and ReadWrite.
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