Microsoft talks up ‘Blue,’ a Windows 8 upgrade, and mocks Google

In a blog post discussing upcoming plans, Microsoft for the first time publicly talked about “Blue,” an upgrade for its Windows 8 operating system. The Redmond, Wash.-based company also used the opportunity to take a shot at one of its biggest rivals, Google.

Microsoft, which has launched Windows 8, two tablet devices and a variety of other software products in the last few months, said it has begun to look ahead and improve on each of its services. All together, these plans for improvement are internally referred to as “Blue,” the company said in its post Wednesday.

“With a remarkable foundation of products in market and a clear view of how we will evolve the company, product leaders across Microsoft are working together on plans to advance our devices and services,” the company said in the blog.

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Microsoft fans have been wondering about “Blue” in recent weeks, and just a few days ago, a very early version of the operating system upgrade leaked online. Tech sites such as The Verge even gave the leak a hands-on review.

It’s not clear when Microsoft may release an official version of its upgrade, but the company is expected to do so at some point this year. In its post, Microsoft said it will be introducing new “updates and innovations” to all of its products on a regular basis.

“This continuous development cycle is the new normal across Microsoft,” the company said.

Besides giving fans and users some news, Microsoft also used its blog post to poke fun at Google. In the post, titled “Looking Back and Springing Ahead,” Microsoft mocked Google’s recent decision to shut down Google Reader as part of its regular practice of “spring cleaning,” in which Google shuts down services that haven’t been as successful as others.

The closure of Reader, a popular RSS platform, has been criticized by loyal users of the service, and more than 150,000 of them have signed a petition, trying to get Google to change its mind.

With Microsoft choosing to bash Google in recent marketing efforts, it seems the company couldn’t help itself from making fun of Google’s decision.

“See, spring isn’t just for cleaning/whacking away at things,” Microsoft said. “It’s also a time to plant and get ready for summer. So ... get ready!”

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