It looks as though Microsoft finally listened to public opinion about Windows 8. The company is launching a new version of its software, and bringing back the start button.

Microsoft’s new Xbox One is billed as a gaming console. But the ability to play games seems incidental to many of the features – and hoopla – about the new device.

If you watched the unveiling closely on Tuesday, the tech company was keen to tout how well the Xbox One will work with your TV in the living room – whether you’re watching live sports or the latest episode of Mad Men.

Gamers, meanwhile, seem a little disappointed about some features.

On the heels of a post about an Apple leak, there's a Windows 8.1 leak to tell you about.

The next version of Windows, aka Windows Blue, might let users start up their computer directly into the traditional desktop mode as opposed to the tile interface Start screen that the current iteration of Window 8 does.

Windows 8 users who often encountered broken websites due to Flash content being blocked in Internet Explorer 10 are in for some relief.

Microsoft says the latest version of IE 10, now available, will display Flash videos and games by default.

Flash content was always available for anyone who used the browser in Windows’ ‘Desktop mode’ however that meant many of us – myself included – would just use the operating system in the traditional view rather than the “immersive” live-tile view.

The update will also enable Flash for IE 10 on the watered-down version of Windows 8, better known as Windows RT.

Many people’s most common complaint with Windows 8 is that it doesn’t have a start button. Sure, there are dozens of live tiles you can swipe across and get updates pushed to your fingertips.

But meanwhile when in Desktop mode, there is no Start button. There’s no way to pop open a menu and jump to different programs, or pull up files you need to work on.

That’s where Pokki comes in. This is the app that brings back a sense of comfort to Microsoft’s latest operating system.

When Microsoft rolled out Windows 8, it did so alongside its first tablet – the Surface.

But that device wasn’t running the most powerful hardware, and the operating system was actually a watered-down version of Windows 8 called Windows RT.

The concept was a good effort, but I was hopeful that a tablet with more horsepower running a full-blown version of the operating system would be better.

Here we are, a few months later, and Microsoft has rolled out the Surface Pro. With more power under the hood and an operating system that can run Windows 8 apps along with traditional Windows 7 programs, is the Pro any good – and is it better than the basic Surface?

For those not familiar with the Surface, it’s a tablet with a little (and sturdy) kick stand that helps it stand at a slight angle on its own. Users can use a keyboard to type and click away at things. When it’s not a necessity, the keyboard can snap off or fold backward.

The Surface Pro has significantly faster hardware behind its rock-solid VapourMg case. Behind the 10.6-inch screen sits an Intel Core i5 processor with Intel HD Graphics 4000, the same type of computing brains you’d find in many laptops and desktops. Microsoft has this tablet configured with 4 GB of RAM.

Microsoft announced when the new, powerful version of it's Surface tablet will be released, as well as details on pricing and other accessories.

While Microsoft is pumping a lot of money into Windows 8 app development, not all titles are accessible to Canadians.

It's not like we're getting short-changed on purpose. 

It seems many app developers, when selecting the region for their apps, pick the United States instead of the rest of the world...or even North America.

This, unfortuantely, rules out many apps from the Store that we get access to in Canada. 

Microsoft pulled the wraps of its latest smartphone operating system on Monday: Windows Phone 8.

Having the chance to play around with three launch handsets for a brief period of time, it seems clear that the folks in Redmond were keen on making a phone system that consumers - the masses - should want to buy. But it's not clear if this will be the smartphone ecosystem they'll want to buy into.

At first glance, WP8 isn't significantly different than it's predecessor, Windows Phone 7. It features a graceful interface with handy live tiles that pump realtime updates to the user's fingerprints - without the need to dive into each specific app like with iOS.

But underneath it all, WP8 is designed from the ground-up to play nice with Windows 8. The thinking is that app developers can make an app that'll work great on everything from desktop computers, laptops, tablets...and new smartphones.

Google and Microsoft both made important announcements in the mobile space as Hurricane Sandy raged yesterday. Google focused on hardware, while Microsoft's was mostly about its new mobile phone software. Here's a quick roundup.