Well, this is interesting. Microsoft has officially unveiled two new features coming soon to Windows 8.1, which is set to make the operating system even easier to use on desktops. We’ve heard the rumors, and it appears they are true. Windows 8.1 will soon receive more updates which enable a Mini Start, with Modern UI apps and Win32 programs, along with windowed Modern UI apps.

It’s currently unclear when Windows 8.1 will receive these new features, we’re pretty certain Windows 8.1 Update 1 won’t include it. It’s possible that we’ll see the new Mini Start and windowed-UI for Modern UI apps in a later update later this year. In the mean time, take a look at the Mini Start in action below.

Microsoft’s pubCenter, for those who did not know, is the central hub for your monetization program. It gives you control of the advertising units displayed in your Windows Phone or Windows 8.1 app.

Unfortunately for developers, the pubCenter was a tad bit hard to navigate around and was sometimes slow. Microsoft has rolled out a new design, offering a modern interface and an easy way to see stats about your app. With the new design, you can quickly monitor your app performance and track your revenue.

Head over to the pubCenter to check out the new design. Let us know if you like it!

Microsoft’s annual developer conference Build is about to kickstart in a couple of hours. While the focus is expected to be pointed at Windows Phone, Windows 8.1, and Office, it appears that Microsoft also has an eye on bringing Windows to other devices as well. Microsoft has quietly launched a website, called Windows On Devices, ahead of its keynote at the Build conference. The website (which redirects you to an Azure website for now) hints that the software and devices maker might just be looking at “bringing Windows to a whole new class of small devices”.

There is an array of devices which are being speculated on for being paired up with the Windows software. The most pronounced ones are robots, coffee mugs, and a speaking bear! The site doesn’t reveal much concrete information at the moment, but a prolific Microsoft watcher, who goes by the name of hoxod, has speculated that Microsoft might be releasing a Software Development Kit for Windows on Intel Quark and Galileo platforms for the “Internet of Things”. For a refresher, Intel Galileo is the first product in a new family of Arduino-certified development boards based on the Intel x86 architecture. Intel is encouraging designers and the education communities for hands-on engineering teaching.

We have known for a while that Microsoft is working on wearable and various other technologies. Google recently announced Android Wear, its operating system for smartwatches. Microsoft has also said that it will release a software development kit in the spring which will enable integrated cloud services among other things.

Is it possible that Microsoft too is looking at venturing into smartwatches, once again? And if so, will it be announcing that at Build 2014? Stay tuned to WinBeta, as we will have everything from the event covered.

As promised, Microsoft has released SQL Server 2014 today to MSDN subscribers, as well as a trial download on TechNet. SQL Server 2014 is considered the foundation of the company’s cloud-first data platform.

“SQL Server 2014 delivers breakthrough performance with new and enhanced in-memory technologies to help customers accelerate their business and enable new, transformational scenarios. In addition, SQL Server 2014 enables new hybrid cloud solutions to take advantage of the benefits of cloud computing with scenarios such as cloud backup and cloud disaster recovery for on-premises SQL Server installations,” Microsoft stated in an official blog post.

SQL Server 2014 offers industry-leading business intelligence capabilities though integration with Excel and Power BI for Office 365, offering faster insights. Microsoft is also releasing SQL Server Backup to Microsoft Azure Tool, which allows customers to backup older versions of SQL Server to Azure storage.

Hit the download link below to be taken to the TechNet download center. You can also head over here to see what’s new in SQL Server 2014.

Thanks for the tip, Andrew!

Microsoft has rolled out an update release to Windows Embedded Compact 2013, now offering access to the new Visual Studio 2013, with an updated platform builder and application builder. The update also adds a new inbox WiFi driver for TI SDP44xx chipset, and more.

“As announced recently on the Windows Embedded blog, the Windows Embedded Compact 2013 product is now generally available. This update release includes integration to the latest Visual Studio 2013 through updated platform builder and application builder, inbox WiFi device driver for TI SDP44xx and debugging features,” Microsoft stated in an official blog post. Other improvements include bootloader availability on microSD, the ability to download the operating system over Ethernet and USB, and the ability to debug the kernel over Ethernet and RNDIS layers.

For those who are not familiar with Windows Embedded Compact 2013, it is an operating system platform that powers some of the smallest industry devices, such as programmable logic controllers and human-machine interface panels used to monitor processes in manufacturing, RFID scanners in retail environments, and portable ultrasound machines and diagnostic lab equipment in healthcare settings.

“With all these new improvements, we are continuing to make Windows Embedded Compact 2013 even better and easier for creating differentiated and connected devices and enabling our customers get them to market faster at lower cost,” Microsoft explained.

On Sunday, Microsoft announced that its acquisition of Nokia will be completed by next month, that is April. The $7.2 billion buyout which was announced last September was originally stated to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2014.

“Both the companies still seek approval from several authorities. While the two giants have received approval from US and European Union jurisdictions, some Asian authorities are still reviewing the buyout. We are nearing the final stages of our global regulatory approval process,” says Brad Smith, General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Legal and Corporate Affairs, in a blog post. “To date we have received approvals from regulatory authorities in 15 markets on five continents. Currently we are awaiting approval confirmation in the final markets.”

Nokia also confirms that this delay has got nothing to do with its ongoing disputes with the Indian government. “Nokia reiterates that ongoing tax proceedings in India have no bearing on the timing of the closing or the material deal terms of the anticipated transaction between Nokia and Microsoft”, states Nokia in a blog post.

Earlier, in September last year, Microsoft announced that it was buying Nokia’s devices and services division for a whopping sum of $7.2 billion. Nokia however, will retain its network infrastructure, HERE location and mapping unit and an intellectual property licensing division from the deal.

Microsoft kept a close eye on who had access to Windows 8 during its development phase, and even went so far as to personalizing the development builds which enabled Microsoft authorities to quickly and easily track down leaks via a unique hash ID built with the operating system. 

This hash ID made it more difficult, but not impossible for a leak to occur, as Microsoft could pretty much instantly find out where the build came from. Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 are the first Windows operating systems in a long time to not have leaked as frequently. 

Windows 7 had countless builds leak, as did Windows Vista and Windows XP. This was because the operating system was never personalized to an individual or group during its development phase, meaning it was pretty much impossible for Microsoft to identify a source of the leak. 

A total of four Windows 8 builds leaked during its development phase, and seven Windows 8.1 builds. The amount of builds leaked during the Windows 8/8.1 development phase compared to older Windows operating systems is shocking, but it showed how much Microsoft was cracking down on leaks. 

Although Microsoft is making it harder to leak information regarding Windows during its development stages, it’s still able to happen. With Windows 8, we got a lot more information/screenshot leaks rather than actual builds, which is still a good thing. 

Microsoft can’t really track a leak if the screenshot is edited by the leaker to hide the unique hash ID, which was often the case with screenshot leaks. Blogs such as WinUnleaked and WZOR.net always made sure the hash ID was hidden from view to protect their sources. 

With the recent news claiming that a Microsoft Employee who had been arrested for supplying development builds of Windows 8 to a French Blogger, it’s got us all wondering what actually went down inside the walls of Redmond and with the French Blogger. 

Firstly, let’s take a look at the damage this news has caused. A known leaker by the name of WZOR has shut down his blog and Twitter account which was dedicated to leaking information regarding Windows. 

WZOR claims he is ceasing activities due to personal factors, which is interesting. Alex Kibkalo, the former Microsoft Employee who was supplying the leaks, hasn’t worked for Microsoft for a long time, so WZOR couldn’t have possibly been receiving the leaks from him. 

Let’s jump back in time, shall we? During the development of Windows 8, a leaker came to fame rather quickly by the name of ‘Canouna’, and even launched his/her own blog dedicated to leaking information regarding Windows 8. The blog went by the name of WinUnleaked, and was literally the go-to place for all Windows 8 leaks. WinBeta frequently reported on leaks from that blog, along with others such as Neowin and The Verge. 

We understand that Canouna was French, and according to the report regarding the Microsoft Employee, he was supplying the leaks to a ‘French Blogger’.  

At some point in 2012, Kibkalo was caught in the act. He was questioned by Microsoft and we assume he was fired soon after. Around this time, Canouna literally disappeared from the internet. WinUnleaked went with it, and nothing was said on the matter. 

Looking at it now, WinUnleaked disappeared for a reason. Kibkalo was caught, meaning Canouna didn’t have a source anymore, and Microsoft were onto him too. 

Kibkalo also leaked an SDK, in which the blogger went to another an outside source to confirm it’s legitimacy. The the outside source did the right thing on his/her standard by going to a Microsoft Executive, who at the time was Steven Sinosfky to tell them that someone outside of Microsoft had gained access to the SDK. This is what got the ball rolling.

Soon after, Microsoft went ahead and dived into the account in which the blogger used to contact the Microsoft Employee. Microsoft could do this, as the blogger used a Hotmail account, a rookie mistake indeed. 

This is most likely how Kibkalo was caught. Within the account, the Microsoft team in charge of searching the bloggers account found emails from Kibkalo containing things such as hotfixes for Windows 8. At the time, Windows 8 had not been released. 

They also found a chat log between him and the French blogger, which confirms that the Windows 8 Enterprise N leak that happened in 2012 was indeed from Kibkalo. August 2nd, 2012 was the date in which our first Windows 8 RTM build leaked. We covered the news as it happened, and the leak came from WinUnleaked/Canouna. 

Kibkalo: I would leak enterprise today probably 
Blogger: Hmm 
Blogger: Are you sure you want to do that? Lol. 
Kibkalo: why not? 
Blogger: 1st time I speak with a “real” leaker since Zuko era 
Kibkalo: mm 
Kibkalo: To be honest, in nwin7_rtm and win7_sp1 I leaked 250GB ? 

Microsoft also found emails in which Kibkalo described himself sneaking into Building 9 at Microsoft and copying files from a secure server. Yes, apparently it’s that easy. 

But, what does this mean for future leaks? Well, this news has made everyone with access to development builds quiet regarding the matter. WZOR completely shut down all operations with it, and we assume others will do the same soon. 

As of this moment, we’ve still got leakers from China, and websites like WinClubl may or may not return with future leaks. But for now, the main leakers have gone into hiding. 

What’s interesting is that Microsoft didn’t really care about screenshots of Windows 8 leaking, it was more the SDK which Kibkalo attempted to leak. The SDK never got around to leaking publicly, but we can see why Microsoft got worried about it. 

Unfortunately, I have a feeling we’re going to hear a lot less regarding the development of Windows 9 now that leakers are going quiet. We’ll have to wait and see what happens. What are your thoughts on this?

The 2014 version of the World’s Most Ethical Companies (WME) list features Microsoft for the fourth year running. Appearing, unsurprisingly, in the Computer Software category, Microsoft is recognized as one of the “companies that truly go beyond making statements about doing business “ethically” and translate those words into action.”

The WME is a list dominated by US companies, and is put together by the Ethisphere Institute, “an independent center of research, best practices and thought leadership that promotes best practices in corporate ethics and compliance.”

Writing on the Microsoft on the Issues blog, Dan Bross, Senior Director, Corporate Citizenship at Microsoft says: “We are proud to be included in the 2014 list… Ethical and responsible business practices are the bedrock of our corporate governance practices.”

He goes on to say: “We work diligently to meet our responsibility to serve the needs of the communities in which we live and work, and to manage our business with the utmost integrity. At Microsoft, we are committed to applying our technology, ingenuity and collaborative spirit to help solve critical social and environmental challenges and create fulfilling opportunities for people around the world.”

But Microsoft is not ready to rest on its laurels. “While we are very grateful and highly appreciative of this honor, we recognize there is more work to be done, and we commit ourselves to ongoing improvement.”

There are just two and half weeks to go until support for Windows XP officially ends. In spite of the deadline drawing ever-nearer, there are still a lot of people running the aged operating system. Microsoft is keen for user to migrate away from XP to Windows 8 and the company has already saved as number of incentives in front of the noses of would-be buyers. Now there is a new deal on the table — $100 off a new system.

The offer can be redeemed in bricks and mortar Microsoft Stores as well as online at MicrosoftStore.com. Take an old XP device into a store and customers can save $100 off a number of qualifying systems priced at $599 and above.

If you don’t happen to live near a Microsoft retail store, you can visit the online version from your Windows XP computer. The site will detect that you’re still running XP and will display the offer. So if cost has been a stumbling block holding you back from moving to Windows 8, this obstacle has now vanished (at least partly).

Many people are concerned about losing access to their valuable data after buying a new computer, but Microsoft has a solution. A free data transfer service is available so a Windows 8 system can be up and running complete with personal files in next to no time.

Privacy is of the utmost importance to all of us these days — it’s one of the reasons we password-protect all of our online accounts, after all. As you’ve probably heard, a Microsoft employee has been arrested for leaking information about Windows to a third party as well as the activation SDK. There has been something of a furore following the revelation that Microsoft was able to hone in one the source of the leaks by accessing the email account of the third party (“the third party’s Microsoft operated accounts”).

Ordinarily it would be reasonable to expect a court order to be required for such action to be taken, but Microsoft has made it clear that it feels this is not the case. Whilst maintaining that “we believe that Outlook and Hotmail email are and should be private,” the company explains that it “took extraordinary actions based on the specific circumstances [in this case]”.

But this does little to assuage the fears of those who now have concerns that their accounts could be accessed at any time; the revelations about the activities of the NSA have put many people in a state of high alert. Microsoft says that “our actions were within our policies and applicable law”

The statement goes onto say that “courts do not … issue orders authorizing someone to search themselves,” — the implication being that searching through the emails stored in a Hotmail or Outlook.com account equates to Microsoft searching through its own data as these are both Microsoft services. This is the part that many people have a problem with, as it opens up the possibility that anyone’s account could be accessed in the same way. Microsoft explains that its “terms of service make clear our permission for this type of review”.

To help allay these concerns, there is the caveat that this happens “only in the most exceptional circumstances”. It is possible to understand where Microsoft is coming from here. Just as the NSA can justify some of its actions by saying that surveillance was only carried out with a view to preventing crime and catching terrorists, so Microsoft is able to fall back on its terms of service documentation and the fact that user accounts were only accessed with a view to obtaining legal redress.

But while Microsoft’s position is something many people will be able to empathize with, there will still be ongoing concerns. The defence that: “In this case, there was a thorough review by a legal team separate from the investigating team and strong evidence of a criminal act that met a standard comparable to that required to obtain a legal order to search other sites” is slightly difficult for some to digest. It almost sounds as though Microsoft has taken the law into its own hands.

Microsoft is keen to be seen to do the right thing, and to this end the company has announced four procedures and promises that will be implemented:

• Customer accounts will not be searched unless it could be justified by a court order.
• A separate legal team will be used to assess the evidence collected by the investigating team. The skills of an outside attorney who is a former federal judge will also be called upon.
• If searches are conducted, only data relevant to the investigation will be included.
• The number of account searches that are performed will be published in Microsoft’s bi-annual transparency report.

What do you think of Microsoft’s actions? Is the terms of service documentation sufficient to permit search user data without a court order? Have you even read through the policy documents that grant Microsoft permission to access your data when circumstances demand it?

It is, of course, worth pointing out that Microsoft is far from being alone in having these clauses in their policies. If you were to take the time to sift through the policies of other companies’ services, you will find numerous similar paragraphs in the user agreements you have signed up to.

The Windows Store, home to apps and games for Windows RT and Windows 8, has finally reached the 150,000 app milestone. To put things in perspective, the Windows Store hit the 100,000 app milestone back in July of 2013. The Store passed the 40,000 app milestone back in January of 2013.

According to data from MetroStore Scanner, the Windows Store has finally reached the 150,000 app milestone, worldwide. Microsoft has been working very hard as of late, offering developers new app availability settings and simplified certification requirements so apps can be published faster. Microsoft even recently revealed that in-app purchases account for the main revenue source for monetizing apps, especially when it comes to games. Microsoft is trying to make it easier for developers to create Windows Store apps.

While the Windows Store continues to see improvement as the months go by, the app count has struggled to climb. The Windows Store has seen a slow climb in apps since July of 2013, having only jumped up by 50,000 apps in just eight months. Of course, of all these new apps that have been made available, a lot of them are crap or spam apps. Only a handful of the 150,000 apps are actually considered “quality apps” – apps that have a balance between design, content, and usefulness. An example of a quality app would be the Facebook app, or a game like Asphalt 8 Airborne.

But its not all grim for the Windows Store. We are beginning to see a gradual influx of new quality apps being added to the store. In fact, VLC Beta, Tapatalk, Flipboard, Tweetium, Rayman Fiesta Run, and much more were made available to the Windows Store over the recent months. Microsoft themselves are quite proud of this achievement.

“Many new great apps are added each day every day to the Windows Store, now with downloads growing 49 percent in the last six months. We are proud of the quality apps that are available and the interest consumers are showing. The majority of top apps have joined our platforms – over the last 7 months, 16 high profile apps or portfolios joined either the Windows Store, the Windows Phone Store or both, such as Facebook, Flipboard, Instagram, Vine, Mint, Trip Advisor and Asphalt 8: Airborne. And the number of visitors to the Windows Store alone has quadrupled,” a Microsoft spokesperson told WinBeta.

But are you impressed with the 150,000 app milestone? What can Microsoft do to help boost interest in the Windows Store? Sound off in the comments below.