On Tuesday, software giant Microsoft whacked Internet search biggie Google with `Scroogled' - Microsoft's attack ad-based campaign aimed at Google - for the third time; with the key focus of the third wave of `Scroogled' largely being the supposed privacy flaws in Google's official Android app store, Google Play.

In its recently-released transparency report, software giant Microsoft has revealed that it had received as many as 2238 requests from Australian law enforcement officials seeking user details in 2012.

In a Friday blog post, Tech-Thoughts' analyst Sameer Singh said that the Windows 8 app-for-cash promotion - dubbed `Keep the Cash' - has been launched by Microsoft this week because the ongoing quarter has witnessed a slow growth of the company's app store, the Windows Store.

In a disclosure that is similar to a 'transparency report' which Google started publishing in 2010, software giant Microsoft revealed on Thursday that, in 2012, the company received over 75,000 requests from government law reinforcement agencies for divulging details about hundreds of millions of its customers all across the world.

Earlier this week, French regulator ARCEP revealed that it is reporting Microsoft's Luxembourg-based Skype subsidiary to the Paris prosecutor over the company's failure to register as a telecom operator in accordance with the country's law; a move which raises the question of what comprises a telephone company in the age of Internet-based communications.

Popular microblogging service Twitter revealed in a recent announcement that its Twitter for Windows 8 app has been released; and is now available from the Microsoft Windows Store.

In a Tuesday statement, French telecoms regulator ARCEP said that the failure on the part of Microsoft's Skype subsidiary to register as a telecom operator will be investigated by prosecutors.

Software giant Microsoft's failure to keep its promise of providing Europe's Windows users with alternative web browsers to Internet Explorer (IE) has prompted the European Commission to slap a penalty of €561 million ($731 million) on the company.