Issues Accessing Microsoft Word Documents on OneDrive in Windows 10 (Update: Office 2016)

Update: I didn’t mention in my original post that I’ve been running the Office 2016 Preview, and it struck me that this might be a contributing factor. So, I did some digging: Uninstalled Office 2016, rebooted. Installed Office 2013, rebooted. All files in the OneDrive folder performed well and as expected, including Word files. Uninstalled […]

There’s Nothing Paradoxical About Microsoft’s Strategy

I’ve been meaning to comment on an article I read a few weeks ago that made a fascinating statement about Microsoft’s new cross-platform strategy. It’s written by Andrew Cunningham at the always-excellent arstechnica.com, and it’s titled “You win, Microsoft: How I accidentally went back to Microsoft Word.” The piece is generally good, and makes mostly […]

Is Windows 10 Continuum the Key to Microsoft’s Smartphone Strategy? (Updated)

Update 7/14/2015: As Windows Central reports, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella (speaking at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference) seems to agree with my position here: When I think about our Windows Phone, I want it to stand for something like Continuum. The bottom line is, Nadella is no idiot, and Microsoft’s strategy is indeed deep and compelling. Read the […]

Configuring Default Tabs in Microsoft Edge Browser

So far, as of Windows 10 build 10130, Microsoft’s new Edge browser is a frustrating mix of the excellent with the deficient. I’m enjoying the browser’s speed, simplicity, and touch support, but bemoaning the lack of password saving and syncing and extensions. One basic feature that I thought was lacking, the ability to set default tabs […]

Microsoft: “Use the Phone That’s In Your Pocket”

This video previewing Microsoft’s upcoming Phone Companion app for Windows 10 seems to summarize Microsoft’s strategy when it comes to smartphones. At about the 3:10 mark, Joe Belfiore (Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President, Operating Systems Group) says: Today, people have this expectation that they’ll be able to take whatever device they have and have all of their […]

No, Microsoft Isn’t Giving Up on Smartphones (Updated)

Update 5/26/2015: So, Microsoft has made it official that Cortana will be available on Android and iOS. Does that change this equation? After all, Cortana was one of the value-added technologies that would have made Windows 10 Mobile unique on smartphones. My guess is that, in the and, Microsoft’s positions on phones, and maybe even […]

Is Microsoft Giving Up on Smartphones? (Updated)

Update: Paul Thurrot reported this morning (4/28/2015) that Microsoft “will most likely announce this week that it will enable customers to run Android apps on their Windows 10 phones, tablets and PCs.” That’s pretty strong language, and Thurrot has connections. I doubt that he’d state it so firmly, and write such a strongly-worded post in […]

Stuck in Windows (on Phone) Limbo

In what would have seemed a shocking development to me a year ago, I’m carrying an iPhone 6 as my daily driver. I’ve written about this before: after using Windows Phone and iOS for a few months each, I’ve lost my taste for Android. No offense intended to any Android fans, but my Nexus 5 […]

Office Preview Apps Won’t Open in Windows 10 Preview

If you’re using Windows 10 and installed the touch-centric Office Preview prior to 2/23/2015, then you’ll likely run into an issue where Word Preview, Excel Preview, and PowerPoint Preview won’t start. The error will look like the one above, and uninstalling/reinstalling the apps won’t fix anything. I don’t believe this is tied to the Windows 10 […]

Surface Smartphone Concept: An Active Digitizer is Different Than a Capacitive Stylus

I’ve written about this before, and it’s worth repeating: there’s a difference between a “stylus” and a “pen” when it comes to input on a tablet or smartphone. I bring this up because of CNET’s article, “Does Surface Pro 3 offer clues to Microsoft’s next flagship phone?”: The number of devices launched with stylus support […]