Microsoft's 10 biggest wins and fails of 2012

It's been a busy year for Microsoft, including its challenges to Apple and Google on mobility

1 of 10-Win: The Windows desktop is better than ever

The biggest news about Windows 8 may be the system's new touchscreen 

interface, but the traditional desktop in Windows 8 saw some big improvements, 

too. New desktop upgrades include a revamped file copy dialog, better printer 

discovery, improved multiple-monitor support, pooled storage via the new 

Storage Spaces feature, a new chkdsk, and improved version history. 

2 of 10-Fail: The new Start Screen antagonizes PC users

UI experts and public opinion have judged the touch-centric Windows 8 Start

Screen to be a challenging and even antagonistic interface for PC users 

working with keyboards and mice.The so-called modern UI  is engaging on

touchscreen devices, but requires too much cursor hovering, right-clicking, 

and all-around  "did I do that right?" guessing.

3 of 10-Win: Surprise! Outlook.com is actually quite nice

Microsoft had a floundering webmail service in Hotmail, but everything changed 

when the company reimagined Hotmail as Outlook.com. Beyond adopting a 

UI that's consistent with the rest of Microsoft's "modern" style, Outlook.com 

introduced a contacts interface that mimics the People app on Windows 8.

4 of 10-Fail: Outlook for Android v.1 is the same old, same old

Microsoft gets a thumbs-up for improving email by making so many positive changes

in Outlook.com,  but Outlook for Android gets a big thumbs-down. Indeed, the 

Outlook for Android app is little more than the old Hotmail Android app with different 

colors and a new name.

5 of 10-Win: Windows Phone 8 makes a fine OS even better

Circumstantial data suggests that the Windows Phone platform has experienced 

an uptick in user adoption over the past two months, which has to be a relief for 

Microsoft. Despite a good first effort, Windows Phone 7 never took off, and the

future remains uncertain for Windows Phone 8.

6 of 10-Fail: No Windows Phone 7.8 for you!

Many Nokia 900 users were infuriated to learn that their new, state-of-the-art 

Windows Phone 7 devices would berendered obsolete less than a year after

the operating system's launch. Microsoft tried to make amends for the fact that 

WP7 owners couldn't upgrade their devices to Windows Phone 8 by promising

an interface overhaul called Windows Phone 7.8.

7 of 10-Win: Surface RT shows that Microsoft can build 

                  compelling mobile hardware

Microsoft's first stab at designing, engineering, and manufacturing its own mobile 

gear may be off to a slow start, but the Surface RT is a fine piece of

high-end hardware. The tablet offers a compelling alternative in a market that 

is dominated by Apple's iPads and muddied by a cattle call of "me too" 

Android devices.

8 of 10-Fail: Windows RT just doesn't deliver

When Microsoft announced in 2011 it would create a version of Windows for

devices running ARM processors, it seemed like a good idea. But Windows

RT turned out to be a mess. Its most egregious sin is that it includes a 

semblance of the traditional desktop OS, but you can't install any 

desktop apps on it..

9 of 10-Win: SkyDrive continues to impress

Before Dropbox, Box, Amazon storage, or Google Drive, there 

was Microsoft'sSkyDrive. But following SkyDrive's launch in 2007, 

Microsoft promptly ignored it, offering little integration of it with other 

company services. But that changed in 2012, when Microsoft rolled out 

Dropbox-style desktop integration for Mac and Windows PCs; mobile 

apps for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone; a new app for Xbox 360; 

and even a Web-based, remote-access feature for Windows Vista SP2, 

Windows 7, and Windows 8 PCs.

10 of 10-Win: Microsoft Office boldly steps forward

Microsoft took a big step forward with its preview edition of the upcoming Office

2013. The new productivity suite will, for the first time, allow home users to

subscribe to Office for $100 per year via Office 365. Buying a subscription entitles

you to download the software on up to five PCs at a time, and even to download 

temporary versions for one-time use on public PCs.