Microsoft announced worldwide availability of Office 365 Home Premium, a reinvention of the company’s flagship Office product line for consumers. Office 365 Home Premium is a cloud service and includes the latest and most complete set of Office applications. New Office works across up to five devices, including Windows tablets, PCs and Macs; and comes with extra SkyDrive storage and Skype calling. Annual subscription is US$99.99, the equivalent of US$8.34 per month.

Microsoft is launching the new Office today. Microsoft released Office 2013 to manufacturing on October 11, 2012. The company made the final bits available to MSDN and TechNet subscribers, as well as volume-licensing customers, before the end of last year, ZDNet reported. Recently, Microsoft made $10 versions of the final Office 2013 bits available to volume licensees with Software Assurance as part of its Home Use Program.

Oracle released an emergency software update today to fix a security vulnerability in its Java software that could give allow attackers to break into computers, CNET reports. The update, which is available on Oracle's Web site, fixes a critical vulnerability in Java 7 that could allow a remote, unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code. The attack can be induced if someone visits a Web site that's been set up with malicious code to take advantage of the hole. Oracle said the update modifies the way Java interacts with Web applications. The vulnerability was being exploited by a zero-day Trojan horse called Mal/JavaJar-B, which was already identified as attacking Windows, Linux and Unix systems and being distributed in exploit kits "Blackhole" and "NuclearPack," making it far more convenient to attackers.

Windows 9, codenamed "Windows Blue" will probably keep Metro style user interface, according to Taiwanese PCBeta forum user who is supposedly an alpha tester for Windows Blue. This time Metro UI could allow for greater levels of customization. Details on these additional customization options are pretty scarce, but resizable tiles might be one of the features on deck. The Windows desktop will be hanging around, but it could get a visual update that makes it mesh better with the Metro theme in Windows Blue. That’s all this particular alpha tester seemed willing to share, but it’s important to keep in mind that none of this has been confirmed by Microsoft, Slashgear reports.

Futuremark will be starting the new year with the launch of 3DMark, new cross-platform benchmark for everything from smartphones to high-end desktops. While we wait, here is the new teaser trailer, a quick look at Cloud Gate, one of three new tests in 3DMark.

Microsoft is busy preparing its next-generation Windows client, shortly after shipping Windows 8 in October. The Verge has learned from several sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans that the company is planning to standardize on an approach, codenamed Blue, across Windows and Windows Phone in an effort to provide more regular updates to consumers. The Verge was also told that Microsoft is aiming to make Windows Blue the next OS that everyone installs. The approach is simple, Microsoft will price its next Windows release at a low cost or even free to ensure users upgrade. Once Windows Blue is released, the Windows SDK will be updated to support the new release and Microsoft will stop accepting apps that are built specifically for Windows 8, pushing developers to create apps for Blue.

Microsoft announced that it has sold 40 million Windows 8 licences in the first month. Microsoft corporate vice president Tami Reller shared this news with industry and financial analysts, investors and media on Tuesday at the Credit Suisse 2012 Annual Technology Conference. According to Reller, Windows 8 is outpacing Windows 7 in terms of upgrades. Reller offered some other numbers to suggest that consumers were getting along with Windows 8 better than some expected: 90 percent of users manage to use the charms on their first day, 50 percent visit the Windows Store on the first day, and 85 percent launch the desktop on the first day.

If you want a copy of Windows 8 Pro just go ahead and download it. Microsoft will give you a key for free. According to VentureBeat, an interesting exploit on Microsoft's download page allows users to pick up a free copy of Windows 8 Pro at no cost. The Media Center upgrade, which Microsoft is offering through January 31, has an unintended side effect: It permanently activates the copy of Windows 8 that you’ve applied it to.

Latest SkyDrive update brings us the possibility to pick specific folders to update. This new feature will be welcomed especially by those with limited local storage capacity, like Windows 8 tablet users. The rest of your SkyDrive files and folders remain in Microsoft’s cloud drive and can be downloaded as required. The updated functionality works with Windows 7, Windows 8, and Mac OS X PCs. SkyDrive application was released six months ago and since then the amount of storage has doubled, Microsoft says.

For the first time ever, 3DMark is going to help you measure the performance of Windows, Windows RT, Android and iOS devices with scores that can be directly compared across all four platforms. Not only will it be our first cross-platform 3DMark, but on Windows it will also help you test all hardware from DirectX 9 to DirectX 11 with one application. With three separate tests you will be able to use 3DMark with everything from smartphones and tablets, to notebooks and home PCs, to the latest high-end, multi-GPU gaming desktops.