Items tagged with Microsoft
In an attempt to bolster the mixed reality experience in Windows 10 that Microsoft has been hyping, the Redmond outfit is introducing new tools to its Windows Device Portal. These will be included with the Fall Creators Update for Windows 10 and will make it easier for developers to debug their Universal Windows Platform (UWP) applications, test out new features, and build new hardware peripherals One of the big additions is location based testing. Using the Location tool in Device Portal, developers can override the default location that gets reported to Windows and swap it out for a different...
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Microsoft is already dealing with the fallout from Consumer Reports’ decision to pull its recommendation of Surface PCs due to reliability issues, and now a former executive is spilling the beans on turmoil within the company’s Cortana team. Qi Lu, a leading AI researcher, headed up Microsoft’s applications and services unit before abandoning ship earlier this year to work at Chinese tech powerhouse Baidu. In a recent interview, Lu explains that Microsoft at first didn’t really take Amazon seriously, contending that Alexa technology was far behind what Cortana was capable of achieving. “Google...
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There are a lot of things that draw gamers to purchase a new console and those include things like cool controls and great graphics. One of the things that most draws gamers to part with their money on new hardware are exclusive games that are only offered on said console, but those games have to be appealing.Nintendo is pulling out all the stops on the Switch and the console is getting a bunch of exclusive titles that are helping to sell lots of consoles. In fact, the Switch will have more exclusive game titles in nine months than the Xbox One had in all of 2016 and 2017 combined. Microsoft is...
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Microsoft has a public perception problem on its hands. The company’s Surface family of PCs has run afoul with Consumer Reports, which could be detrimental in its efforts to win over mainstream shoppers. In a survey of its readership, the publication found that Microsoft’s Surface line was “significantly less reliable than most other brands” and decided to drop recommendations for the products. We’ve already seen Microsoft’s public response to the damning Consumer Reports takedown, but veteran Microsoft watcher Paul Thurrott has some insight into internal discussions that have been brewing within...
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Back in June, a leak hinted that there would be new flavors of Windows 10 aimed specifically at workstation PCs. Fast forward a couple months and Microsoft has now officially announced Windows 10 Pro for Workstations and it is designed specifically to support server-grade PC hardware. Microsoft's Klaus Diaconu, Partner Group Program manager, Windows & Devices Group, wrote, "Today we are very excited to announce a new edition of Windows 10 Pro designed to meet the needs of our advanced users deploying their Workstation PCs in demanding and mission-critical scenarios. Windows 10 Pro for...
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Yesterday, Consumer Reports (CR) stepped in and repealed the recommended rating that it had given the Microsoft Surface line of laptops and tablets. CR says that the ratings were pulled after it received tens of thousands of responses from its subscribers about poor reliability of the Surface devices. As a result of the complaints CR has now stated that Microsoft's Surface products are "significantly less reliable than most other brands". Microsoft isn't having any of that and has come back with a post from Surface chief Panos Panay, who is standing behind the same products that CR has found...
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Microsoft’s Surface family of hardware products have generally been lauded by the press for their seemingly high-quality designs, first-party status, and for getting most of the details right with regards to ergonomics and functionality (often times, later being copied by third-party manufacturers). Publications like Consumer Reports have also given Surface laptops and tablets recommended ratings based on their own in-house testing. However, Consumer Reports is now walking back its recommended rating after receiving tens of thousands of responses from its subscribers. In particular, the...
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After putting legal pressure on Microsoft to provide antivirus vendors with additional time to test their software prior to new Windows 10 builds being rolled out, security outfit Kaspersky is getting its way. Microsoft announced in a blog post that it has agreed to certain changes in the way it handles third-party AV software, which will be implemented in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. "We work closely with AV partners like Kaspersky Lab, and at our Microsoft Virus Initiative forum last month, we made great progress in building upon our shared understanding of how we deliver Windows 10 updates...
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Microsoft is revamping its confusing Xbox Insider program to be more inclusive. After evaluation feedback from fans, Microsoft made the decision to open up the program to everyone, though it is not quite that straightforward. There are four tiers, and the one that was previously known as Ring 4 (now called Omega) is the one that anyone can join, regardless of experience. Let's back up for a moment. Back in 2014, Microsoft launched two testing programs for the Xbox One and Windows—the Xbox Preview program and Windows Insider program, respectively. At Build 2016, Microsoft said it planned to merge...
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Xbox Insiders can zip over to the Alpha Ring right now and get a look at an update that will land for all Xbox One owners later this year. The new update brings some big changes to the Home screen, and is the direct result of feedback Microsoft says it received from gamers . The Home screen changes are all about personalization according to Microsoft, and it brings the new Microsoft Fluent Design aesthetic to the Xbox One console. Players will be able to do things like adding a favorite game or friend to the Home screen by selecting the content or friend you like, pressing the menu button on the...
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Back in early April, Microsoft took steps to help appease privacy groups and government regulators with regards to respecting user privacy in Windows 10. The company had come under fire from the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the European Union (among others) for the amount of data that was siphoned from users and sent to Microsoft’s servers. As a result, Microsoft introduced new features with the Windows 10 Creators Update that were aimed at giving users more granular control of data that is collected. And to be even more transparent, Microsoft even provided “in-product information” which...
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It feels like it's hard to get a great opinion on PayPal from the users that have to deal with it, and likewise, the latest Skype mobile update threw many for a loop (and not in a good way). So naturally, seeing the two companies team up would seem like the perfect cocktail for disaster, but this latest move is actually a really nice one. Given just how large both Skype and PayPal are, many reading this likely have accounts with both services. However, when you want to send a quick buck to a friend, it can really feel like quite a hassle, given how many steps you have to take, and how much info...
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Microsoft has announced a new feature for Windows 10 that is designed to make the operating system easier to control for people with disabilities; that feature is called Eye Control. The idea for the feature started way back in 2014 as a challenge from a former NFL player, Steve Gleason, who suffers from a neuromuscular disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Gleason challenged Microsoft employees during the 2014 hackathon, the company's first, to build a system that would allow for people with his condition and other similar conditions to better control technology to enrich their lives....
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When it comes to Windows-based computers, Microsoft’s Surface family are among the best on the market thanks to first-party status, handsome designs, great performance and excellent build quality. However, products like the Surface Book and especially the Surface Studio aren’t exactly “affordable” machines by any stretch of the imagination. The Surface Pro, Surface Laptop, Surface Book and Surface Studio start at $799, $999, $1,349 and $2,999 respectively As a result, Microsoft is looking to entice buyers that would have otherwise passed on Surface hardware with the new Surface Plus and Surface...
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