Microsoft is working on porting Chrome extensions to Edge

246

Microsoft is bringing a few extensions to their own Edge browser soon. In fact, if you’re a Windows Insider member, you can try them out now. That said, Microsoft wants to bring more extensions to its browser, and they’re looking at Chrome for it.

Lots of questions on this: yes we’re working on a porting tool to run Chrome extensions in Edge. Not yet finished and not all APIs supported

— Jacob Rossi (@jacobrossi)
March 18, 2016

@jacobrossi
 extn’s in Store will at first be a carefully selected set covering top scenarios and API coverage, opening up to more in future

— Jacob Rossi (@jacobrossi)
March 18, 2016

In a series of tweets posted by Jacob Rossi, an engineer on the Microsoft Edge team, Rossi revealed that Microsoft is currently working on a porting tool to run Chrome extensions in Edge. Rossi has said that this porting tool is not yet finished and some APIs are yet to be supported, which means that it’ll still take a while more before you can use your Chrome extensions on Edge.

Seeing as Microsoft’s Build developer conference will be happening next week and the Edge web summit a week after Build, it is possible that Microsoft would be revealing more about their plans to port Chrome extensions over to Edge.

Source:
Windows Central

chrome
edge
extensions
microsoft


Microsoft launches a camera app with an AI in it called Pix

330

Camera apps aren’t anything new, but a camera app that comes with its own AI? That sounds interesting enough to warrant your attention. Such is the case with Pix, Microsoft’s own camera app that comes with an AI.

Available on the iPhone today (sorry Android users), Pix is an intelligent camera app that uses artificial intelligence to improve photos by adjusting camera settings, automatically enhancing pictures, and then choosing the best out of a burst of photos. How Pix work is simple. Once you launch Pix, the app starts capturing whatever your camera is pointed at. Once the shutter button is pressed, Pix would quickly snap 10 frames. From there, various algorithms work to evaluate those 10 frames for sharpness, exposure, and even the mood of the person in the shot. This evaluation occurs near-instantaneously, and would provide you with three of the “best images.” The remaining seven frames is used to enhance the “best images” before being deleted.

Besides automatically enhancing photos, Pix will also allow you to create live images by stitching together all the burst grames into a looping video. Basically, this feature is Microsoft’s own take on Apple’s Live Photo feature. Pix is now available on the Apple App Store for free.

Source:
The Verge
,
Engadget

apple
artificialintelligence
camera
iphone
microsoft
pix


Microsoft launches a chatbot called Tay; takes it down 24 hours later

378

Last Wednesday, Microsoft launched a chatbot of their own. Called Tay, this bot was meant to mimic conversations with a 19 year old woman over Twitter, Kik and GroupMe. However, just 24 hours later, Microsoft made the decision to take down the bot. Why? Because the bot has begun spewing harassing Twitter users as well as spewing Nazi ideology.

The key to Tay’s transformation from a simple chatbot to one that goes “Sieg Heil” can be traced to the bot’s machine learning platform. According to Microsoft, Tay doesn’t really know what it’s talking about. While the bot itself could figure out the subject of what people were talking about so it could offer appropriate answers or ask relevant question, it does not understand the subject at hand. Simply put, if thousands of users were to tell Tay that “Hitler did nothing wrong” for example, Tay’s programming would cause the bot to publish Tweets that would be pro-Hitler as the bot itself has no knowledge of the individual.

Not helping matters is the fact that users from places such as 4chan’s /pol/ board were replying to Tay with all sorts of racist and sexist associations. As Tay operates on word association and lexical analysis, the huge amount of messages sent to Tay managed to pollute the bot’s reponses, turning it from a innocent bot to a Nazi-symphatizing one.

Microsoft has since apologized for the oversight in Tay’s programming and will be working to address the vulnerability that was exposed during her first live run.

Source:
Ars Technica
,
Microsoft Blog

ai
bot
microsoft
tay


Microsoft launches Mimicker Alarm app

590

There are two kinds of people in this world. One that springs into alertness by the sound of the alarm, and one that needs more motivation to get up. Microsoft has released an alarm app, meant more for the latter.

The Mimicker Alarm app for Android offers three mini games after hitting the snooze button. Powered by Project Oxford’s machine learning API’s, the games primarily focus on emotion, computer vision and speech.

“Express Yourself” requires you to take a selfie to match the given emotion. In “Color Capture”, users take pictures of an object of a given color by the game and in “Tongue Twister”. Mimicker gives you a phrase to repeat after, which will most likely put your brain to work.

The Mimicker Alarm app, apart from giving life to sleepy heads, is to give Microsoft an opportunity to boast Project Oxford which focuses on artificial intelligence.

For all you snoozers out there, the app is available for download on the Google Play Store, currently exclusive to Android users.

Source:
Microsoft

alarm
microsoft
mimicker
projectoxford


Microsoft launches News Pro app for iOS

310

Microsoft Garage has launched a new app, News Pro, for the web and on iOS.

While this app isn’t by surprise launched first to Apple’s exclusive App Store, Microsoft claims that this app works like Flipboard. News Pro searches for news available which is related to your work, providing relevant news. It also has the option for you to pick your news topics, hence its similarity to Flipboard. Apart from that, the sign-in option to Facebook and LinkedIn to tailor your favored news topics according to your interests and work experience.

On the other hand however, Apple has its own news app on iOS – Apple News, which makes you wonder why did Microsoft launch an iOS specific news app. Featuring a very Apple-esque design with a tonne load of features, it’s hard to tell whether News Pro will even have a hand in the news app competition.

Anyhow, the new news delivering service app might only be available on the web and on iOS, excluding it from Windows and Android platforms since its a Microsoft Garage project.

Source:
Microsoft-News

flipboard
ios
microsoft
newspro


Microsoft launches Surface Laptop 5 and Surface Pro 9

3.5K

In its annual Surface event, Microsoft has unveiled the successor to its mobile computing products and while they look very much the same as their predecessors, customers can expect performance improvements on the new Surface Laptop 5 and Surface Pro 9.

To start off, the Surface Laptop 5 features a much-needed hardware upgrade to Intel’s 12th Gen Core processors, available in two touchscreen sizes of 13.5-inches and 15-inches, it is now an Intel Evo certified laptop which Microsoft claims you can get up to 18 hours of typical usage on the 13.5-inch model and up to 17 hours on the 15-inch model.

Unlike the Surface Laptop 4, you can no longer pick up an AMD processor option this time, the base storage configuration is now more reasonable as it starts with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD for both screen sizes, customers can spec up to a Core i7 processor with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD on the 13-inch model, while a higher 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD variant is only exclusive to the 15-inch model.

While the major changes are on the internals, the Surface Laptop 5’s display is now brighter with a 1300:1 contrast ratio and now supports Dolby Vision IQ.

Interestingly, the 13.5-inch model’s display is protected by two different glasses depending on the keyboard finish you choose, as the Alcantara keyboard finish model will be protected by Gorilla Glass 3 while the metal keyboard finish is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, the 15-inch model gets no Alcantara keyboard finish and hence is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 whichever model you pick up.

As for the Surface Pro 9, Microsoft has officially axed the Pro X by offering a 5G model in the lineup, where the non-cellular Surface Pro 9 will be powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core U series processor and the 5G model is powered by an ARM Microsoft SQ 3, which is a customized Qualcomm Snapdragon chip made for Microsoft.

All Surface Pro 9 models will come with a base storage configuration of 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD, with the Intel model using LPDDR5 RAM and the SQ3 model using LPDDR4x RAM, they feature the same 13-inch PixelSense Flow Display that refreshes at 120Hz and supports Dolby Vision IQ, a front facing camera that does 1080p video calls and a 10MP rear facing camera that records up to 4K videos.

Ports selection is slightly different between two models, though they feature two USB-C ports and one Surface Connect port as standard, the Intel model’s USB-C port supports USB 4.0 and Thunderbolt 4, while the SQ3 model’s USB-C port is limited to USB 3.2.

In terms of battery life, the Surface Pro 9 is claimed to have up to 15.5 hours of typical usage for the Intel model and up to 19 hours on the SQ3 model.

The Surface Laptop 5 and Surface Pro 9 both have a starting price of US$999, while the latter requires customers to purchase the keyboard cover and Microsoft Slim Pen 2 separately, which will ultimately cost more to own than the Surface Laptop 5.

microsoft
surface laptop 5
surface pro 9


Microsoft launches Surface Pro 8 and Surface Pro X (WiFi)

624

Besides the Surface Pro Duo 2, Microsoft has also introduced two new entries into the Surface Pro lineup – the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Pro X (WiFi).

Surface Pro 8

Like
previously reported
, this 2-in-1 hybrid
laptop

comes with a 13-inch PixelSense touch display with support for 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision and Adaptive Color Technology.

The laptop doesn’t look all that different from the Surface Pro X, especially with its squarish design and thin bezels. It’s under the hood where things really change – you’re now looking at an 11
th
-Gen Intel Core processor which the brand claims is twice as fast as the previous Surface Pro 7.

The device ships with support for the company’s new Surface Pro Signature Keyboard and Surface Slim Pen 2, which connects to the tablet for charging.

The Surface Pro 8 is priced from $1,099.99.

Surface Pro X (WiFi)

This is sort of a refresh of last year’s Surface Pro X – this time, it ships with Windows 11 and 64-bit emulation built in. The product is now available in a
WiFi
-only variant which brings the cost down lower than before, at $899.

Like last year, the Surface Pro X runs on either a Microsoft SQ1 or SQ2 chipset. On top of that, Microsoft claims that you get a 15-hour battery life, a set of stereo speakers with support for Dolby Audio, and support for the Surface Slim Pen 2.

The Surface Pro X (WiFi) is priced from $899.99; however, there is no official word regarding the local launch and pricing yet.


Microsoft launches new Surface Pro X, Surface Pro 7 and Surface Laptop 3

474

Following a slew of launches this past two months, Microsoft is now taking the spotlight with the introduction of three additions to their Surface line-up. Launched during the event in New York are the Surface Pro X, Surface Pro 7, and the Surface Laptop 3.

Starting with the cream of the crop, the Microsoft Surface Pro  X – it’s a 13-inch 2-in-1 that that boasts a thickness of 5.3mm at its thinnest point. It supports a detachable keyboard that has a garage to slot your Surface Slim pen.

What’s also interesting is that this tablet is powered by a Microsoft SQ1 Arm chipset, a custom version of the Qualcomm Snapdragon. It comes in two memory configurations – 8GB and 16GB of LPDDR4 RAM and up to 512GB of storage via a removable SSD. The Surface Pro X is priced from $999 (RM4,185) and will launch this November 5.

Moving on to the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 – this is the more affordable option since it’s the more conventional Surface device. You get a high-res 12.3 Pixel Sense display with the more traditional 10th-Gen Intel Core processor (up to i7-1065G7) with up to 16GB RAM as well as up to 1TB of SSD storage.

Microsoft claims that it also has up to 10.5 hours of battery life and it supports WiFi 6. Usual I/O ports are present – a USB C, one USB A, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a connector port and Type Cover port as well as a microSD card reader. The Surface Pro 7 is priced from $749 (RM3,138) and is available October 22.

Lastly we pivot to the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 – this is your more conventional laptop rather than a 2-in-1. It’s available in two size variants – 13-inches and 15-inches.

The sizes matter (ayy) because the 13-inch variants are powerd by 10th-Gen Intel Core processors, while the 15-inch variants come with 3rd-Gen AMD Ryzen chips. Both size variants support up to 16GB RAM as well as up to 1TB of SSD storage. I/O ports are your standard affair – one USB C, one USB A, one headphone jack, and a Surface Connect port. No card reader here unfortunately.

The Surface Laptop 3 is priced from $999 (RM4,185) and will launch this October 22. Local pricing and availability is not available yet, but you can get more information about the devices
here
.

2-in-1
amd
intel
intel core
laptop
microsoft
Microsoft Surface
microsoft surface pro
ryzen
surface laptop 3
surface pro 7
surface pro x


Microsoft launches Teams, the company's own take on Slack

390

Have you heard of Slack? The web-based IRC chat service is a rather huge hit among offices these days. As the chat service is so popular, it is no surprise then that other companies may be interested in getting into the act. One such company is Microsoft, and they’re going to compete with Slack directly via an application called Teams.

Much like Slack, Teams is a chat application that allows employees in a company to communicate with each other directly. The application also comes with tools that is able to set up section-specific chatrooms and meetings. However, unlike Slack, the Teams app comes with a few new additions.

The first feature that Teams has is threaded chats. Much like Facebook’s reply option, you’re able to reply to a specific chat directly beneath it, negating the need to scroll through the entire chat log to find the reply that is meant for you. Additionally, Teams is integrated with other Microsoft offerings like Skype for video and voice calls, as well as Office 365 applications. Teams integration with Office 365 is a huge boon as it allows people in the chat to send and receive Word documents, Powerpoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets by just dropping the file into the application itself.

Team does have one drawback though, and it is the fact that the app will not be available for free. You’re going to need a subscription to Office 365 to use the service, so unless your workplace has an active Office 365 account available, you won’t be able to use Teams. Teams is available on Windows, Android and iOS platforms, so you’ll be able to use the service on a large number of devices.

Source:
Microsoft

chatapplication
microsoft
office365
teams


Microsoft to resume shipping software to Huawei – signaling an upward trend in fortunes for the Chinese company

428

New developments have come about in the US-Huawei trade war and this time it involves Microsoft. It appears that the American company has been given a license to continue doing business with Huawei.

Microsoft will resume “exporting mass-market software” to the Chinese giants and we’re assuming that means the Windows 10 operating system as well as the Office suite of productivity programmes.

With this, Huawei’s line-up of laptops like the MateBook X Pro, MateBook 13 and MateBook D will be able to feature the software too. This news also comes after an additional 90 days granted to Huawei to do business with other American companies.

Meaning up until late January next year, Huawei can continue to provide rural areas of the United States with their 3G and 4G network technology, which are depended upon by those residing in those areas.

There is no end in sight to the US-China trade war, and that spills over to the US-Huawei proxy war too; but hearing positive news shows that perhaps all parties involved are inching closer a resolution.

android
google
huawei
license
microsoft
office
trade ban
windows


Microsoft looking to push Cortana onto other Internet of Things devices with the Creators Update

312

Microsoft isn’t playing around when it said it wants to
turn Windows into a central smart hub
 of sorts, and the first step that Microsoft is taking to do so? By pushing out Cortana to other IoT-ready devices.

ZDNet reported that Microsoft has announced its plans for Cortana at the recently held WinHEC conference in China recently. In its attempt to push Cortana onto other smart devices, the company has reportedly outlined its software requirements to hardware makers. “This will enable you to build devices with displays, so you can get that immersive Cortana experience. Any kind of smart device with a screen can now take advantage of Cortana,” says Carla Forester, Program Manager for Microsoft.

With that in mind, Microsoft will be implementing far-field voice communication and wake on voice with the Windows 10 Creators Update. The former will allow Cortana to work in rooms with ambient noise at a distance of up to 4 meters away, while the latter will allow users to power on devices using their voices via Cortana.

Source:
ZDNet
,
The Verge

cortana
creatorsupdate
hub
internetofthings
smartdevices
windows10


Microsoft looking to turn Windows 10 into a hub to compete with Amazon Echo and Google Home

341

The smart speaker systems like the Amazon Echo and Google Home appears to be the future in smart home technology. Microsoft won’t be creating a smart speaker as they have something far more interesting: turning their operating system into a central hub instead.

According to a report by
Windows Central
, Microsoft is looking to implement a new feature called “Home Hub”. This feature appears to be being worked on even before the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. More of Home Hub’s features is expected to show up in the Creators Update, with additional features being added with future Windows 10 builds that are currently codenamed Redstone 3 and Redstone 4.

Home Hub’s feature set will be based around Cortana. Under this system, Cortana would have access to both shared content as well as contents of the individual user who has signed in. Microsoft will also be building a dedicated “Connected Home” app into Home Hub, allowing it to function like a true blue smart home hub as well. This would make Windows 10 the central hub for all smart home devices such as lights, doors, locks and more.

Does all of that sound exciting? Well, don’t get too excited just yet as Home Hubs is still in its early stages. Windows Central has warned that delays and cancellations could mean that Home Hubs may be scrapped entirely in its worst case scenario. However, assuming that everything goes well, the Home Hubs system won’t be going live until the Redstone 3 build of Windows 10 which is expected to launch in late-2017.

Source:
Windows Central
,
Engadget

centralhub
homehub
microsoft
smarthome
windows10


Microsoft Lumia 430 is available on May 8th at RM319

292

Windows Phone
 just can’t stop getting cheaper, as Microsoft Malaysia today announced the availability of its new entry levelLumia 430 smartphone that is the cheapest smartphone ever from the company and will truly benefit users with the company’s own value added services and fluid software experience.

The Lumia 430 is powered by a Snapdragon 200 1.2GHz dual-core processor mated to 1GB of RAM, it has 8GB of internal storage expandable via MicroSD and Microsoft is throwing in a 30GB free OneDrive storage with the phone, the phone’s 2-megapixel fixed focus main camera and front facing VGA camera is one of the low cost factors and the display is a humble 4-inch WVGA (800×480) resolution panel, a 1500mAh removable battery powers the
Lumia
 430 and at the moment, it comes preloaded with
Windows 8.1
 Lumia Denim update and is eligible to update to Windows 10 when it gets released.

Available on May 8th with Orange and Black color options, the
Lumia
 430 will retail at an affordable RM319 including GST, which makes it even cheaper than some of its Android competition.


Microsoft is making a smart thermostat and it will be powered by Cortana

314

Microsoft and Johnson Controls are coming together to build a thermostat that will include a translucent touch screen display allowing owners to alter room temperatures, check energy usage and air quality, and see calendar information. GLAS, the name of the thermostat, will run on Microsoft’s Windows 10 IoT Core operating system and will have Cortana built into it.

Microsoft mentioned that GLAS has sensors that detect if you are in the room or not and will constantly monitor indoor and outdoor air quality and is designed to save energy by changing the climate settings on the fly. GLAS is very similar to the Nest Thermostat, the only difference is that GLAS has Cortana voice controls.

The promotional video that Microsoft used to market this device looks like it is targeted at businesses and commercial properties because it is powered by their Azure Cloud Services. It is still unsure if it will be available for regular consumers or when it will launch, but those of you that are looking for something to make your home slightly smarter can look forward to this.

cortana
glas
microsoft
smart
thermostat


Microsoft Malaysia launches first Asia-Pacific flagship store in Malaysia

301

After the acquisition of Nokia’s mobile phone division, it took quite a while for Microsoft to rebrand the Finnish phone maker’s presence here, Microsoft Malaysia today has started its first rebranding initiative by converting the once Nokia Concept Store in Suria KLCC into its very own flagship store, making it the first of its kind in the Asia Pacific region.

Microsoft’s flagship store sells everything related to the company –
Office 365
, Lumia smartphones and accessories, PC hardware peripherals and Surface tablets. This is an important milestone and crucial to the software giant’s business development locally as it enables them to showcase their entire product line ups for Malaysians and to be able to educate them on the benefit of using Microsoft technologies and services. Microsoft Malaysia targets to transform more than 39 retail outlets by end of 2015.

If you would like to grab some great deals and learn more about Microsoft technologies, head on over to the flagship store at Suria KLCC today.


Microsoft Malaysia launches the Surface Pro 3: A product that really wants to replace your laptop

280

Microsoft isn’t kidding when they announced the
Surface Pro 3
 and claims that it can really replace your laptop and topple competing tablets in the market, Microsoft Malaysia today has officially launched its
Surface Pro 3
 tablet here. The
Surface Pro 3
is an extremely high end
tablet
 that is powered by 4th Gen Intel Core processors, SSD storage and up to 8GB of RAM. The new
tablet
 from Microsoft also features a more solid and flexible kickstand that lets you use the device in any angle, in which you no longer need to worry about cramped space to place your tablet on.

The
tablet
 weighs a mere 800 grams, it has a 12” clear type display with a whooping 2160 x 1440 resolution, Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi 802.11ac, a USB 3.0 port, MicroSD slot, 5 Megapixel main camera and boasts a respectable battery life of up to 9 hours. Thetablet also features a According to a user survey from Microsoft around the world, the company has found out that most people carry two devices when they are on the go, they want to view and create content but unable to do so with current devices, the Surface Pro 3’s intends to let you do that with its lightweight and flexible design, it runs on
Windows 8.1
 which you are able to run any full blown Windows programs or even touch screen optimized apps.

This is not a stylus, but a battery powered digital pen that lets you draw and write on the
tablet
 as if you are doing it on a piece of paper, press that purple button on the top then it opens Microsoft OneNote and saves the note when you press again.

Of course, Microsoft claims that they are not creating a war between their Windows OEM partners, they simply want to set a standard for many to follow on how a great Windows hardware can be manufactured, which is in a way similar to how Google manufactures Nexus devices for other Android OEMs to follow suit. The
Surface Pro 3
 is an incredible piece of hardware when we used it, it is a much more refined product than its predecessors and we certainly can’t wait to get our hands on one for a review. Heck, it is so impressive that it makes our iPad Air feels really underpowered.

Lastly, let’s not forget that this is a product running on a full fledge PC operating system with powerful PC components onboard, therefore the Surface Pro 3’s price isn’t as cheap as an
Android tablet
 or iPad if your definition of a
tablet
 is simply a device that runs your apps. The Surface Pro 3 retails from RM2,729 for a base configuration of Core i3/4GB RAM/64GB SSD up to RM6,779 for the top of the line configuration Core i7/8GB RAM/512GB SSD. Watch the Surface Pro 3 launch event gallery down below and stay tuned for our exclusive video interview with Microsoft Malaysia’s Chief Marketing and Operations Officer – Ms. Rukmani.

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Launch Gallery


Microsoft may reveal the Surface All-in-One in late October

285

Microsoft is due to give the Surface line a hardware refresh and is expected to do so in an event supposedly held in late October. While hardware refreshes are nothing new, rumours are going around that this hardware refresh will be joined by a new piece of hardware.

Said piece of hardware is rumoured to be the Surface All-in-One, which has apparently be codenamed Cardinal. Positioned as a device that can turn your desk into “a studio,” Surface Cardinal would be a Windows 10 powered AiO that is rumoured to come in three different screen sizes (21″, 24″, and 27″). Those screens are also said to offer the Perceptive Pixel screen that can be found on the Surface Hub.

Needless to say, Microsoft are keep their lips sealed at the moment, so all the speculation over Surface Cardinal remains as such until the supposed event happens. On a sidenote, if Microsoft did, in fact, host an event in October, don’t expect huge hardware announcements at said event as the event will mainly be used to announce some updates on the existing Surface models.

Source:
ZDNet

allinone
event
microsoft
surface


Microsoft might be releasing a cloud gaming console alongside the upcoming Xbox console

315

The Xbox has been on the tail of the PS4 for a while now, mainly due to the lack of exclusives and losing exclusive games due to cancellations. However, they are already in the development of the next Xbox console but it looks like that are planning to release another console that will focus on game streaming.

This information comes from anonymous sources that mentioned a Microsoft could game streaming service, codename Xbox Scarlett Could and they will be developing a cheap console that caters to could gaming. Generally, the console will come with simple hardware that will be enough for streaming content from the could but Microsoft will also release a full-fledged Xbox console with all the beefy hardware.

There is no information on how would the user use the system, whether they will have to subscribe to Xbox Live and Xbox Game Pass or there will be a new subscription service that users will have to signup for. Aside from that, it is more interesting to know if the hardware will be able to offer users a latency-free experience especially for gamers that will be playing competitive games.

cloud
console
gaming
xbox


Microsoft modifies 'Xbox Play Anywhere' initiative; will only confirm support for games shown at E3 this year

316

During E3, Microsoft announced a featured titled Play Anywhere. This feature was supposed to allow Xbox One games to be compatible with Windows PC. Indeed, a blogpost showed earlier that Microsoft states that “every new title published from Microsoft Studios will support Xbox Play Anywhere.” Unfortunately, this may not be the case any longer as Microsoft has since modified the blogpost.

In the
modified blogpost
, the Play Anywhere feature been changed from “every new title published from Microsoft Studios” to “every new title published from Microsoft Studios
that we showed onstage at E3
 this year,” hinting that there may be games from Microsoft Studios that would remain Xbox One-exclusive. Head of Microsoft’s Xbox Division, Phil Spencer, has since clarified that the change in wording is simply to give leeway in case there’s a “unique game [that’s] not right for all devices.”

No further details were given as to what the criteria is for this “unique game” is, but if we had to guess, we’re just going to say that Halo 6 will continue to be an Xbox exclusive.

Source:
Microsoft
,
Engadget

microsoft
playanywhere
windows
xbox


Microsoft new controller is here – Xbox Elite

315

During Microsoft E3 press event, the company had unveiled a redesigned
Xbox
 controller – the
Xbox
 Elite. This new and improved controller, you are also able to add four bumper pads under the grip and there is a textured rolling pad that replaces the standard D-pad and hair-trigger locks for better precise control when you play games. The main advantage of the Elite controller is being modular that allow you to change the aforementioned parts, according to your personal configuration.

There isn’t any official statement from Microsoft when will be the release date for the Elite controller, stay tuned for more details. This new
Xbox
 controller looks premium at every angle and we cannot wait till hands on the controller.

controller
e3
elite
microsoft
xbox


Microsoft now has the Galaxy Note 8 on sale

328

Windows Mobile is definitely more dead than ever. As of last week, Microsoft has started selling the Galaxy S8, S8+ and the new Razer Phone, all of which run on Android. Now Microsoft has begun selling yet another one of Samsung’s Galaxy flagships – the Galaxy Note 8.

The sale of another Android smartphone by Microsoft does not come as a surprise to us as Microsoft CEO Bill Gates did mention in an interview not too long ago that he is indeed using an Android smartphone, probably filled with a slew of Microsoft apps on Android. That will definitely be the case for the “newly launched” Galaxy Note 8 on the Microsoft Store. It will come bundled with the Microsoft Launcher, and a few of Microsoft’s apps such as One Note, Cortana, Outlook, Word and Excel.

The Galaxy Note 8 is the first ever dual camera smartphone by Samsung, and comes with a huge 6.3-inch full screen display on the front, along with a high end Snapdragon 835 processor with 6GB of RAM. If you still happen to support Microsoft’s whole mobile ecosystem and its apps, this might just be the phone you’re looking for.

android
cortana
excel
galaxy note 8
microsoft
samsung
windows
word


Microsoft offers 10% discount to students for Surface devices

445

The term ‘student discount’ in laptops are usually referred to entry-level laptops that you would probably hate using after a while, but this round, Microsoft is turning that around by offering 10% off the price of its Surface devices, the discounts will apply to new units of the Surface Laptop, Surface Pro and Surface Book 2, which is rather attractive considering that Surface devices are priced rather expensive, and it is obviously seen as a competition to Apple’s education pricing.

This offer is valid at all major Microsoft Surface retailers, including All IT Hypermarket, Harvey Norman, PC Image, SNS Network, Thundermatch Technology and Senheng Electric. To redeem the offer, you will need to head on over to the dedicated mini site at www.surfacestudent.com and have your details submitted, a code will be sent to your e-mail and you can then head on to any of the said retailers above to purchase your new Surface device. Also, Microsoft notes that the maxed out specs of the Surface Laptop, Surface Pro and Surface Book 2 will only be available at Harvey Norman.

If you are wondering how the Surface Pro would work for you, do read up our review
here
.

microsoft
student laptop
surface book 2
surface laptop
surface pro


Microsoft Office 2016 for mac is finally here

363

Today, Microsoft announced the availability of Office 2016 for MAC that will available in 139 countries and 16 languages. For the current
Office
365
 subscribers will still receive the newest version of Office for Mac today, which includes the rights and access to, use Office applications on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android devices, along with additional value in OneDrive and Skype.

With this latest update, one of many important releases where Microsoft is trying to improve the Office experience across devices and platforms. Word, Excel and PowerPoint for
Android
phones
 was released just a few weeks ago, which include Outlook and OneNote for Android phones, and we are just away from delivering Office Mobile Apps for Windows 10.

The Office 2016 for Mac will allow users to have access to five modern, first-class applications: Word for Mac, Excel for Mac, PowerPoint for Mac, Outlook for Mac and OneNote for Mac. The price of the
Office
365
 Home starts at RM 299.99 per year for 5 PCs or 5 Macs, 5 tablets including
iPad
, Android or Windows plus 5 phones.

This copy is already available at all authorized retailers or at the Microsoft Store Online and a permanent version of Microsoft Office 2016 will be available in September 2015.

for
mac
microsoft
office


Microsoft Office 365 officially launches in the Mac App Store

394

Apple and Microsoft have finally collaborated to bring Microsoft Office 365 to the Mac App Store and when downloaded, the bundle will include Word, Outlook, OneNote, OneDrive, Excel and also PowerPoint.

Image credit: Apple

After downloading the bundle, MacBook users can subscribe within the apps, and each Microsoft Office 365 in-app purchase will offer the individual with a one-month trial of Office 365.

While previously Office 365 need to be updated through a separate Microsoft tool, users will now be able to update their Microsoft apps via App Store.

It is also worth noting that Office 365 for Mac is designed in relevance to the Mac experience by supporting Mac features such as Dark Mode, Continuity Camera, MacBook Pro Touch Bar and Trackpad.

Apart from that, companies that are using Apple Business Manager can also benefit from Office 365 on the Mac App Store because it can help in application distribution for IT employees to gain access to the Office apps on their Apple devices.

For those who has yet to subscribe to Office 365, you can do so by clicking Upgrade in the Settings tab in the whichever Microsoft app you’re in. You will then be offered the option to subscribe to Office 365 Personal for RM24.90/month or Office 365 Home for RM33.90/month. Like I’ve mentioned, you’ll get your first month free before having to pay the subscription fee. In addition to that, you’ll also get 1TB free of OneDrive online storage.

apple
Mac App Store
microsoft
Office 365


Microsoft Office can now be downloaded on all Chromebooks

389

Chromebook owners who are looking for other options when it comes to word processing will be happy to know that now you can use Microsoft Office on your Chromebooks. Previously, it was preinstalled on selected Chromebooks and there were no options to install it from the Play Store until today.

Certain users have voiced their distaste on the lack of support that Google has for their other Chromebooks and had to resort to using Google’s docs or other third-party applications that sometimes don’t even reach the capability that Microsoft had. What was even odder, was that when Google made Play Store official on Chromebooks, everyone could download the whole Microsoft Office Suite without any issues, but after a couple of days others could not seem to download them and some who deleted the apps could not install them again. Others had issues where only selected apps could be downloaded but not the full suite.

It looks like Google has gotten their act together and now Microsoft Office can be downloading in its entirety which is probably a good thing as a lot of people from the working and schooling line depend on these apps.

chromebook
download
google
microsoft
office


Microsoft Office for mobile soon to be available – offers MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint all in one app

302

Working on documents on your phone has gotten better over the years – what with Microsoft’s Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps all available for free on your app store. But these programs are individual apps separated from each other – there are third-party options that offer all three in one program, like WPS Office.

But if you’re looking for something similar but still stay within Microsoft’s ecosystem – you’d be glad to know that the American company has created Microsoft Office, for mobile phones.

Like it’s PC counterpart, it clumps together all your favourite productivity programs in one app – you can of course edit and view documents on Word, Excel, PowerPoint and even convert documents to PDFs.

For quite note taking, there’s Notes – each sticky pad can be viewed from the home screen itself. From there, you’ll also see a timeline of your recent documents too. Images are also organized in the Media section on the home page for quick access.

To get a chance of trying it out before it officially launches, sign up for the Android public preview group
here
; unfortunately the iOS group has reached its limit of users already.

Microsoft Excel
microsoft office
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft Word
wps office


Microsoft Office for smartphones gets a new update with a range of new features

319

The Windows Office apps are getting a variety of updates that will enhance how we use the app on both the Android and iOS. Word, Outlook and PowerPoint have all received new features and improvements for those of you that use your phone do to your documentation work.

Microsoft Word’s updates now allow users to see the number of words in a document and for Outlook users, you can now delete contacts directly from the application. Also, there is a Do Not Disturb mode which will block email notifications from showing up. As for iOS, users will now have the option of syncing draft messages which allows them to save the draft and continue amending it on a desktop. It also works the other way around, where draft messages can be edited on the phone as well. Lastly, PowerPoint has received an update that will really help when it comes to creating slides on your phone. It now supports the ability to create and edit sides in a landscape view which is easier to view and read especially on a smartphone.

All the mentioned apps can be downloaded from the Play Store or App Store depending on your device, if you already have the apps installed in your phone, head over to your respective app stores and download the update.

android
ios
microsoft
office
update


Microsoft Office will support dark mode on macOS Mojave

382

When macOS Mojave was out, one of its highlights is the dark mode that was intended to bring more focus to users. Now Microsoft is trying to bring the dark mode to the Office apps on macOS Mojave to compliment the Mojave update.

This is not the first time Microsoft brings in dark mode though, as the Windows 10’s update has dark mode for the File Explorer and the Outlook site also sports the same dark mode that can be switched on/off at the settings icon.

The dark mode will only be available for Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and are already available to beta testers with the public release coming soon, possibly reaching the Office 365 subscribers first.

Hopefully, the dark mode will not be limited to only the three main Office apps, and other Office apps will soon receive the same update. On a side note, Microsoft’s new update will also include a new ribbon and icon styling in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.

dark mode
macos
microsoft
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft Word
Mojave


Microsoft officially announces the Xbox One S All Digital edition and is set to arrive this May

314

There had been rumours of late speculating the existence of a disc-less Xbox One S that has no Blue-ray drive.

Today, Microsoft has confirmed of its existence by introducing the console which is aptly named the Xbox One S All Digital and will be priced at €229 (about RM1,065). But considering that Value Added Tax affects sale prices in Europe, Malaysia could technically get the console at a lower price than mentioned.

Introducing the 1TB Xbox One S All-Digital Edition.

✅ Go all-digital with disc-free gaming.
 ✅ Games, saves, and backups are safe in the cloud.
 ✅ Downloads of Minecraft, Forza Horizon 3, and Sea of Thieves included

Learn more:
https://t.co/QXfUWuXYeq

pic.twitter.com/ncf2WNDwGd

— Xbox (@Xbox)
April 16, 2019

The console is set for a May 7 release date while pre-orders for the machine starts this month; however, it is unknown when it will hit local shelves.

You can also expect the Xbox One S All Digital to come with game bundles for titles such as Fortnite, Minecraft and more.

The console will tie into the Xbox Game Pass and xCloud game streaming services as Microsoft looks ahead towards a digital-focused future for the gaming industry.

all digital
console
gaming
microsoft
Xbox One S


Microsoft officially launches the Windows 10 Anniversary Update

384

It’s been one year since Windows 10 was first made available to the public, and this week marks the 1 year anniversary of Microsoft’s latest operating system. In order to celebrate the occasion, Microsoft has decided to release the first big update for Windows 10, dubbed The Anniversary Update.

Available for download right now, the Windows 10 Anniversary Update comes with a slew of new features for the operating system. For those who utilise Windows 10 on a tablet that comes with a stylus, Windows Ink is quite possibly the biggest addition to Windows 10. Windows Ink allows you to utilise your stylus in a myriad of different ways, and it comes with the various built-in experiences such as Sticky Notes, Sketchpad and Screen sketch. Sticky Notes, as the name indicates, allows you to post up Sticky Notes on your desktop to help you keep track of any upcoming activities or lists, Sketchpad allows you to draw away on a blank canvas, and Screen sketch takes screenshots of your desktop, allowing you to annotate them.

The Anniversary Update has also brought with it numerous improvements to Microsoft’s own browser, Edge. With the update, Microsoft Edge will now support Extensions, most of which can be found on the Windows Store. Microsoft Edge has also been modified to work with biometric logins via Windows Hello, allowing for easy access. Other background updates made to Microsoft Edge causes the browser to use fewer CPU cycles, consume less memory, and minimizing the impact of background activity, essentially making it a lot more efficient.

Speaking of security, Microsoft has implemented Windows Hello into Windows 10, allowing you to login to your computer via biometric authentication. Should you have the required specialized hardware to leverage the feature, you’ll be able to login to Windows 10 either through facial recognition, or your fingerprint. Windows 10 isn’t the only thing that uses Windows Hello though. Apart from the aforementioned Microsoft Edge browser, Windows Hello will also be compatible with other applications on Windows 10, one of which is Dropbox. Windows Defender has also been improved, allowing this free anti-malware service to schedule periodic quick scans of your PC should you allow it to.

Finally, Microsoft has improved upon Cortana, allowing the digital assistant to work even though you’ve yet to login to Windows 10 proper. You are now able to utilise Cortana at the Lock Screen, which is highly useful if you just want to get some quick information without actually logging into Windows 10.

If you’ve yet to receive the Anniversary Update for Windows 10, you can do so by checking for any recent Windows updates. Feature update to Windows 10, version 1607 is the update that you’re looking for.

anniversaryupdate
cortana
microsoft
microsoftedge
windows10
windowshello
windowsink


Microsoft opens up pre-orders for the New Surface Pro laptops on Lazada

304

Back in May 2017, Microsoft unveiled their newest successor to the Surface laptops, naming it just a simple New Surface Pro 2017, which seems more of a reimagining or rebirth to the slow success of the series. The new laptop seems to bring in more features and gives it a premium look that could rival the Apple laptop products. Now, Microsoft has silently opened up pre-orders on Lazada for everyone with prices ranging from RM4,499 and above on
Microsoft’s Official Lazada page
.

A refresher on the New Surface Pro, it comes with Windows 10 Pro, 7th Generation Intel processors ranging from i5 to i7 variant, 128GB to 512GB SSD storage, 4GB or 8GB RAM, 12.3-inch PixelSense Display, front 5MP camera and an 8MP rear camera and weighs around 800g. The Surface Type Cover will set you back RM669 but if you are still keen on getting it, then the Alcantara cover will add a premium feel and look to your Surface Pro and will come in three colours, Blue, Burgundy and Silver.

If you were eyeing the Surface Pro since it was announced, well you still have to wait for a little more as the product has an ETA of 15 August 2017. Will you be putting a pre-order in? Do let us know down below!

cover
intel
microsoft
pro
surface
type


Microsoft opens up pre-orders for the Surface Go with a starting price of RM1,749

318

Microsoft has announced that the Surface Go will be available for pre-orders in Malaysia from Surface Authorized retailers. The Surface Go is the cheapest Surface laptop that is an entry device into the Surface family and comes with a decent price.

It weighs just over 500 grams and is 8.3mm thin combined with a 10-inch PixelSense display. It is powered by a 7th Generation Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y Processor allowing it to give you the freedom of multitasking in a light and attractive device. Combined with the Surface Go Type Cover, Surface Mobile Mouse and Surface Pen, it offers the full Surface experience for an affordable price. The Type Cover features a full-size Precision TrackPad that is made of glass and supports five-finger touch support. The tablet comes in one colour of Platinum but the Surface Go Type Cover comes in standard black or three Alcantara colours of Burgundy, Cobalt, Blue and Platinum.

Finally, it comes with Windows Hello that delivers quick and secure facial recognition. Below are the prices of the two Surface Go variants as well as the accessories that you can purchase:

Product

Suggested Retail Price (in RM)

Surface Laptop Configurations

Surface Go 4GB RAM/64GB eMMC

1,749

Surface Go 8GB RAM/128GB SSD

2,399

Accessories

USB-C to USB-A

144

USB-C to Ethernet/USB-A

289

USB-C to Display Port

209

Surface Mobile Mouse

178

Surface Go Type Cover

399

Surface Go Signature Type Cover

549

Surface Go 24w Power Adapter

209

go
launch
malaysia
microsoft
surface
tablet


Microsoft opens up sales for the HoloLens Development Edition

303

Ever wanted to get your hands on the HoloLens? Well, we have some good news for you as Microsoft is now selling the Development Edition of the HoloLens to everyone. The bad news? You’re going to need to be in the U.S. or Canada to get it. The worse news? It’s going to cost you USD3,000 to get it.

Initially available to only selected developers who have applied for it, Microsoft is now opening up sales of the HoloLens Development Edition. While the HoloLens for sale isn’t exactly a consumer version, Microsoft will not be stopping regular joes from getting their hands on the HoloLens themselves. However, if you actually want to get a unit for yourself, be prepared to shell out USD3,000 (RM12,147) for it. One person is allow to get five units of the HoloLens in a single order, but seeing as the headset isn’t exactly affordable, it is highly unlikely that any single individual would do so.

Coinciding with Microsoft opening the HoloLens Development Edition for purchase, the company has also launched the HoloLens Commercial Suite. This suite includes the HoloLens itself, as well as additional enterprise security and device management features.

Source:
Microsoft
,
TechCrunch

hololenscommercialsuite
hololensdevelopmentedition
microsoft


Microsoft opens up the public preview version of Outlook.com Premium

332

Looking for a new premium e-mail service? Microsoft may have something that might interest you as it has just opened the public preview version of Outlook.com Premium.

Microsoft has been working on this premium e-mail service for a while now, with the company mentioning that it was undergoing private testing back in February. Recently, Outlook.com Premium began inviting US customer to try out the service via an invitation-only pilot preview program. Today, the public preview is open to all who wishes to test it out.

Let’s start with the basics. Outlook.com Premium will operate on a subscription model, with a yearly subscription costing USD49.99. For those who sign up within the next few days, a year’s subscription to Outlook.com Premium will cost you only USD19.95 for the first year of use.

In terms of features, Outlook.com Premium will give you an ad-free inbox that is powered by “the new Outlook.com”. The subscription will also net you five personalized e-mail addresses at no additional charges for the first year. After the first year, each personalized e-mail address will cost you USD10 per year. If you already have a domain of your own, you can opt to use that domain on Outlook.com Premium at no extra charges. All five personalized e-mail addresses will also be able to share calendars, contacts and documents with ease.

As Outlook.com Premium is still in its preview stage, some features are not available at the moment. Auto-forwarding and group creation features are currently absent, so those who rely heavily on those features should wait a bit longer before joining the service.

Source:
Outlook.com Premiium
,
ZDNet

email
microsoft
outlook
premium


Microsoft patches Windows security flaw that was first discovered by Google

330

Last week,
Google revealed to the world an exploit in Windows
, much to Microsoft’s chagrin. Today, Microsoft has kept its promise as the company released a patch that would fix this particular security flaw.

Previously, the security flaw allows hacker groups to conduct low-intensity but targeted phishing campaigns through it. With the patch now out, Microsoft is saying that this exploit will no longer work. This patch should be downloaded and installed by anyone who isn’t currently on Windows 10 Anniversary, where the flaw has supposedly been fixed. Additionally, users should also make sure that their browsers are up to date, as earlier reports suggest that an out of date browser is one of the key factors that allows malicious parties to exploit the flaw in the first place.

While Microsoft has made good on its word to deliver a patch within a week after the exploit was first revealed by Google, Microsoft may still be a tad bit furious with Google’s decision to go public, claiming that it would “put customers at potential risk.” With the patch now deployed, let’s hope that any further security exploits can be dealt with without going public yet again.

Source:
ZDNet

exploit
flaw
google
microsoft
patch
security
windows10


Microsoft patents for a foldable smartphone discovered online

294

Remember that rumour that Microsoft is working on something called a Surface Phone. We may now have a better idea of what to device could potentially be as MSPowerUser has discovered a patent that shows a device that can be folded or unfolded to become either a smartphone or a tablet.

Judging from the images of the patent, it appears that the device will come with a flexible hinge that will allow the device to be spread open, folded in half, or even set up like a tent. Another interesting thing to note about the patent is that the inventor is listed as Kabir Siddiqui, the person who’s responsible for patenting the Surface Kickstand and the Surface Camera angle.

Before you get too excited, do note that a patent does not mean that a device based on it is being created at the moment. Until Microsoft personally announces the Surface Phone, the images found here are only good for speculation purposes.

Source:
MSPowerUser

foldable
microsoft
patent
smartphone
tablet


Microsoft pits Edge browser against three other internet browsers in a battery test

287

Are you currently using Microsoft’s Edge browser? If you aren’t, Microsoft would like you to consider it as the company has released a comparison video that pits Edge against Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Opera in a battery test.

Tested on identical Surface Books, Microsoft streamed an identical video on the four browsers to see which laptop would last the longest. As the video shows, the Surface Book running Google Chrome did not last very long, clocking it at about 4 hours and 20 minutes. The laptop running Mozilla Firefox was the next to go, followed by the Opera machine, and finally, the Edge machine.

If videos didn’t convince you that the Edge is the more power efficient browser of the lot, Microsoft has also released some charts that shows the difference in power consumption between browsers. According to Microsoft, the data in the charts are measured from the ‘aggregated telemetry from millions of Windows 10 devices around the world.”

Mircosoft has also noted that the power consumption for the Edge browser will be improved upon when the Windows 10 Anniversary Update goes live, so we fully expect to see an updated comparison video just so Microsoft could gloat about the Edge’s performance at the expense of Google.

Source:
Windows Blog

batterytest
browser
chrome
edge
firefox
google
microsoft
mozilla
opera


Microsoft provides methods to disable Windows 10 upgrade on older Windows versions

288

If you’ve yet to upgrade to Windows 10 and would very much like to block that annoying “please upgrade to Windows 10” pop-up dialog, Microsoft has finally offered a way to disable the pop-up via Windows Registry.

Microsoft has provided a step-by-step guide
 to help you disable the upgrade dialog box. There are a number of ways you can do so, either through the Group Policy Object, through Computer Configuration, or through Windows Registry. The most straightforward of options is, of course, Windows Registry. If you’re going to use that method however, do remember to backup your Windows before doing so as modifying the registry incorrectly can lead to serious problems. If done correctly, you will never be pestered by your current version of Windows to upgrade to Windows 10.

The website also provides methods to enable the Get Windows 10 dialog box, just in case you’ve decided to switch to Microsoft’s latest OS after disabling the upgrade prompt.

Source :
Engadget

microsoft
windows10


Microsoft pulls the plug on Project Astoria

308

After a long silence, Microsoft has finally decided to announce that Project Astoria bridge will no longer be supported, requesting developers who wish to port Android apps to Windows 10 to use Xamarin instead.

For those who do not know, Project Astoria was part of Microsoft’s “Universal Windows Platform Bridges” program that was announced at Build 2015. The main purpose of Project Astoria was to allow developers to port Android apps to Universal Windows Platform apps. However, while the various bridges were still being promoted, Project Astoria was left behind. This eventually culminated in Windows 10 Mobile build 10549, where the build did not include the Android subsystem that was present in previous build. Furthermore, the forums for it had gone silent as well.

Microsoft has since issued a statement with regards to the future of Project Astoria. According to the statement, Microsoft’s decision to discontinue Project Astoria is due to feedback from developers that “having two Bridge technologies to bring code from mobile operating systems to Windows was unnecessary, and the choice between them could be confusing”. Microsoft would also go on to state that developers who wish to continue porting apps from Android to Windows should look into Xamarin instead.

This Xamarin in question is a company that aids in cross-platform development of mobile applications. Just recently,
Microsoft has managed to acquire the company
, although the terms of the deal were not disclosed. Microsoft has promised that they will go into more detail on the remaining Bridges, Xamarin and the Universal Windows Platform at this year’s Build.

Source:
Neowin

android
build
coding
microsoft
projectastoria
xamarin


Microsoft quietly removes Bitcoin support from the Windows Store (Update)

301

Back in 2014, Microsoft added support to the Windows Store that would allow Windows users to purchase stuff from the store via the digital currency known as Bitcoin. Today, that is no longer the case as Microsoft has silently removed Bitcoin support from the Windows 10 Store.

In a Windows Store FAQ
, Microsoft has stated that Bitcoins will no longer be accepted when buying content from Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile stores. For those who still have a Bitcoin balance in their Windows Store account, you can still do purchases on the store, but you cannot request a refund for the Bitcoins.

Microsoft did not explicitly state why they’ve decided to cut off support for Bitcoin, but we’re assuming it’s due to the fact that Bitcoin isn’t as widely use as Microsoft expected. Couple that with the fact that
Bitcoin’s future is in doubt
, and you can see why Microsoft has decided to throw in the towel with regards to Bitcoin.

UPDATE:
Apparently, Microsoft has said that they will continue to support Bitcoin in the Windows Store. “We continue to support Bitcoin for adding money to your Microsoft Account which can be used for purchasing content in the Windows and Xbox stores. We apologize for inaccurate information that was inadvertently posted to a Microsoft site, which is currently being corrected,” says a Microsoft spokesman.

Source:
Softpedia

bitcoin
microsoft
store
windows


Microsoft is releasing the Edge browser and a launcher on the Play Store

419

If you are a big user of the Microsoft ecosystem but own an Android phone, you will be happy to know that Microsoft has officially announced that the Edge browser and a Microsoft Launcher is coming to Android phones.

At the current moment, there is already a launcher from the company on the
Play Store
 which you can download now. Although it is still in Preview stage, it has managed to get a pretty good rating of 4.6 and has 5 million downloads, which is considered pretty good for a preview version of the app. Microsoft Edge, when it releases on Android, will come as a Preview edition but it will be getting updates regularly to bring it into the stable build. The idea of bringing these two applications to Android is to allow continuity between both devices and allow them to work in harmony. Features like Continue on PC will be available, and a small fraction of that feature is currently available on the launcher.

After taking a look at the launcher, I have to say it does look pretty nice. It does not feel messy but it is somewhat catered to people that want a more organized launcher or for the business people. But if design is what you are looking for in a launcher, then you won’t be disappointed with what Microsoft has to offer

android
edge
launcher
microsoft


Microsoft released a minimum specifications for Windows 10 Mobile

306

Microsoft Phone platform doesn’t work like Android devices because they follow a pretty strict and tight list of what kind of hardware specs OEMs must use, or at the very least meet in terms of minimum requirements. This was a rule because Microsoft wanted to have a consistent experience so that everyone can optimize the phone easily.

Windows 10 Mobile is just around the corner, there must be a lot of people that wondering what kind of hardware specs Microsoft might require for OEMS. Fortunately, Microsoft recently published the specs on their website, and interestingly enough it seems that Microsoft has lowered their specs further than the previous predecessor.

According to the specs, Microsoft will require OEMs to create a handset with a display resolution of at least 800 x 480. Moreover, there must be at least 512 MB of RAM with 4GB of storage, and a minimum VGA camera. Apparently, front-facing camera, Bluetooth and accelerometers doesn’t mention in the list.

Microsoft is trying to attract as much OEMs as possible by introducing a spec list as low as this and OEMs will be able to churn out affordable devices, which in turn would allow Microsoft to go on and compete in emerging markets, something they’ve done pretty well so far. We believe that there are a lot of Windows phone out there that desire the new Windows 10 flagship phone, but we will skip that until we got the proper news.

microsoft
oems
phone
windows


Microsoft releases an AI-based iOS app to teach you Chinese

308

AI is becoming a big thing, there are people that are against the advancement of AI and those that are supportive of its growth. One such company is Microsoft to which they have released a new free AI-powered iOS app that will help you learn Chinese called bluntly,
Microsoft Learn Chinese
.

The main objective of the app is to provide a way for users to practice the language when no one is around for you to practice with. To which most of us in Malaysia who are multi-lingual know that years away from the country will make your Bahasa Malaysia language rusty and some to the point of totally losing touch. The app uses various AI tools to figure out what you are saying and even evaluate your pronunciation. The AI received its training data from Chinese speakers and Microsoft’s text-to-speech technology, the app will highlight words that you need to work on and even provide sample audio for you to hear the pronunciation of the word.

For now, they have no plans to expand the app to other languages but seeing as its an AI, it would just be a matter of giving it training data for it to process and learn in order to teach that language to us.

ai-based
app
chinese
ios
microsoft
teach


Microsoft releases minimum specifications for Windows VR headsets

313

Microsoft’s upcoming update to Windows 10, the Creators Update, will bring with it Windows Holographic. Back during the Microsoft announcement, the company revealed that it has partnered up with various PC makers to come up with their own inexpensive version of the virtual reality headset. Many of us were worried that these VR headsets will require a top of the line computer to power it much like the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift. Today, Microsoft has put those worries to rest as the company has revealed the minimum specifications required to get them running.

According to a report from The Verge, it appears that the latest test build of Windows 10 comes with a “Windows Holographic First Run” application. This app tests the machine to ensure that the machine is capable of running Windows Holographic. The base requirements are surprisingly low, as all you need is 4GB of RAM, a USB 3.0 port, a graphics card with DirectX 12 support, and a four core processor or a dual-core processor with hyperthreading.

This relatively basic requirement means that using Windows Holographic will not require a huge investment in components, which is great for the general public. Microsoft is expected to
host an event in December
 that will reveal more about its VR headsets, so we’ll most likely hear more about Windows Holographic during the event.

Source:
The Verge

creatorsupdate
microsoft
virtualreality
vrheadset
windows10
windowsholographic


Microsoft releases standalone Office apps for Android on Google Play

322

It took Microsoft long enough to make standalone Office apps for Android smartphones while they have been long available on tablets and iOS devices, the company today announced the availability of their standalone apps – Word, Excel and Powerpoint – for Android smartphones and you can download them for free over at Google Play.

These three apps will supersede the current Office Mobile app, which is currently an Office viewer companion for prior Android 4.4 devices and lets users be able to use different Office apps for specific purposes, the new apps have also been optimised for smaller touch screen devices, key features include:

Familiar and consistent Office experience:
 The Office apps combine the familiar look, feel and quality of Office with a touch-friendly experience designed for Android phones. Documents open and render beautifully, with all formatting and content in the right place. In addition, familiar navigation and menu options in the ribbon are placed at the bottom of the screen within reach of your thumbs so you can easily review and edit documents on your Android phone.

Do great work – anywhere, anytime
: With these new apps, you can be productive anywhere.  Read, review, and make edits on-the-go.  Turn numbers into insights with easy insertion of charts, text and tables in Excel. Tell your story on-the-go with PowerPoint – review, make quick edits and even present right from your phone. Reflow documents in Word to make them easier to read and navigate.

Access your documents quickly:
Create, open, edit and save files in the cloud from your Android phone so you can access them anywhere and anytime you need them. OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, and SharePoint are all available to you.

Work together:
 Share ideas, insights, presentations with others right from your phone. It’s easy to track changes, comment and mark-up docs so everybody knows the thinking behind the edits. Share your documents with others by simply emailing a hyperlink or attachment.

Similar to other platforms, Microsoft will require users to sign up for its
Office
365
 subscription plans in order to edit Office documents on the app and users will be getting 1TB of OneDrive storage and 60 minute Skype call minutes. If you are already subscribed to Microsoft’s service, head on to Google Play and download Word, Excel and Powerpoint for Android.

excel
microsoft
mobile
office
powerpoint
word


Microsoft releases update pack with five years worth of patches

306

For those of you who have just recently installed a fresh copy of Windows 7, we have some good news for you. Microsoft has just recently bundled five years worth of updates into a single package which you can download and install right now.

This update package works almost like the Service Pack on other Windows releases, except that Microsoft isn’t officially labelling this bundled update as Service Pack 2. In order to get access to this update package though, your Windows 7 must be updated to Service Pack 1. Once that’s done, you’re going to need to find and download the
Convenience rollup update
 manually. After installing it, you can continue to use Windows 7 as per normal

Aside from this update package, Microsoft will also be offering monthly rollups for non-security updates for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1. Every month, Windows will be packaging all non-security fixes that were released throughout the month into a single update, allowing you to install all of them without having to go through multiple reboots.

Source:
Microsoft Blog
,
Ars Technica

conveniencerollupupdate
microsoft
updatepackage
windows7


Microsoft reportedly testing Edge on Android devices

329

Microsoft has been embracing Android and iOS a lot and its next mobile project has been detected – Microsoft Edge on Android. As you can see in the sign in notice screenshot above, a Microsoft developer has apparently been testing the company’s exclusive Windows 10 browser on an Android device and signing in with a Google account, and in this case, we believe Microsoft is on its way to build its strong ecosystem on Android, as it has released
Cortana on Android as a beta
 recently.

Microsoft Edge on Windows 10 brings a lot of performance improvements when compared to its predecessor and has been reportedly faster than its competition at some point, the new browser brings better hardware acceleration to the table as well as lesser resource consumption, will it be able to stand out as the next great browser on Android, we hope to find out soon.

android
edge
microsoft


Microsoft revamps Windows 10 update process

336

After getting hit by a USD 10,000 suit, Microsoft has finally wised up about their abnormally-aggressive Windows 10 upgrade program. To that end, Microsoft has pledged to clarify the upgrade options that users have been faced with for the past year or so.

One of the key changes that will Microsoft will be implementing is a reconfigured dialogue box. This time, the dialogue box will include the standard three options as well as a way to decline the free offer by way of the red X that will close the dialogue rather than scheduling the update for a later date as it currently does.

Terry Myerson, head of Windows, has spoken to The Verge that these updates will be coming within the week. “Since we introduced a new upgrade experience for Windows 10, we’ve received feedback that some of our valued customers found it confusing. We’ve been working hard to incorporate their feedback and this week, we’ll roll out a new upgrade experience with clear options to upgrade now, schedule a time, or decline a free offer,” says Myerson.

For those who are still on the fence, the free Windows 10 upgrade offer lasts until the 30th of July. Past that date, it’s going to cost you USD 119 (RM 480) to upgrade to Windows 10

Source:
The Verge

microsoft
upgrade
windows10


Microsoft reveals Cortana improvements for Windows 10 "Anniversary Update"

273

Two years after Cortana debuted, Microsoft is looking to make their own virtual assistant far more sophisticated.

At Build 2016, Microsoft revealed that Cortana would be receiving a bunch of new upgrades when the company releases the ‘Anniversary Update’ for Windows 10. Chief among those upgrades is that Cortana will now start making proactive suggestions throughout the day.

Microsoft showcased this improvement by having Cortana automatically add receipts to your expense reports. Cortana would also be able to use a combination of geo-location and historical data to bring up details about the places you’ve been previously.

Cortana would also be available at the Windows login screen as well, allowing you to access its features without needing to unlock your device. The Windows Store will also be including a section called Cortana Collection which houses apps that work well with the virtual assistant.

Windows 10’s ‘Anniversary Update’ is scheduled to go live during the Summer.

Source:
Engadget

anniversaryupdate
cortana
microsoft
windows10


Microsoft reveals more details about the HoloLens

357

Details on the HoloLens have been scarce thus far as Microsoft is keeping a tight lip over their VR headset. In an event held at Tel Aviv, Microsoft Technical Evangelist Bruce Harris has finally revealed some more details over the device such as the battery life and connectivity.

For starters, Bruce states that any universal application that can currently run on Windows 10 can be run natively on the HoloLens right out of the box. The device itself will be “completely wireless”, relying on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for communication, and there will be no wired option for it.

Battery life of the HoloLens is estimated to be around 5.5 hours under average use. Heavy load will drain the battery faster, giving the HoloLens a 2.5 lifespan under such conditions.

The field of view of the HoloLens is said to be similar to a 15in monitor about two feet away from your face. This rather narrow FoV is attributed to the device’s cost and battery life. Harris has stated that as manufacturing improves, the company intends to expand the field of view once it makes sense from a pricing perspective. In other words, expect an upgrade when the HoloLens 2 is announced.

As for pricing and release date…Microsoft is still keeping that under wraps, but at least we now know what to expect from the HoloLens.

Source :
Petri

hololens
microsoft


Microsoft reveals the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL

313

After months of waiting, Microsoft has finally see fit to release their flagship line of Lumia smartphones.

Hardware-wise, the Lumia 950 and 950 XL comes with a stunning QuadHD AMOLED display the features up to 564ppi. The PureView camera on the Lumia comes with a 20MP sensor and triple LED natural flash that is capable of shooting 4K video. The Lumia 950 sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 Hexa-core processor while the 950 XL comes with a Snapdragon 810 Octa-core processor. Both of the devices sport 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage.

The Lumia 950 and 950 XL marks the first time a Lumia phone comes preloaded with Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 10. With this inclusion, the 950 and 950 XL will be able to leverage features such as OneDrive, the Microsoft Office suite and Windows Hello. Adding on to this experience is the optional Microsoft Display Dock accessory, allowing users to take advantage of Continuum for phones. The combination of accessory and feature means that the Lumia 950 allows users to use the phone like a PC.

In tandem with Microsoft’s partnership with Digi, Digi will be launching a unique and comprehensive range of phone plans that bundle the Lumias to business professionals in Malaysia.

The Lumia 950 and 950 XL is now available for pre-order via the Microsoft Online Store on Lazada with a recommended retail price of RM2,699 and RM2,999 respectively. The first 100 customers to purchase either of the two device will walk away with the Microsoft Display Dock worth RM309.

digi
lumia950
lumia950xl
microsoft
windows10


Microsoft reveals Windows 10 Variants

292

Microsoft is famous for making different versions of Windows for PCs and the company have done it again. The lineup includes Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Education and Windows 10 Enterprise. The Home version is used by for home and small-business users and it will include the Microsot’s Edge browser, Cortana voice-based assistant, better Bing integration, Microsoft Hello face-recognition software, and support for bio-metric login method.

In addition, Windows 10 Pro offers features for power-users, such as advanced data protection, remote and mobile access, with additional cloud features and remote management for medium-sized business. Schools, colleges, and universities will be using the same version and have a brand new SKU with features to serve the needs of educators and this edition will be sold through specially priced volume licensing.

Not only Windows 10 for desktops gets to have different versions, Microsoft also preps two variants of its operating system for smartphones and tablets: Windows 10 Mobile and Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise, in which the latter will have a rich set of communication, social networking, and productivity features.

Microsoft will not be selling optical disc media for Windows 10 but will be providing images for download or license keys for sale at retail. Microsoft will offer Home and Pro versions as a free upgrade for eligible users of Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 in the first year of Windows 10 launch.

Assuming if Microsoft starts offering Windows 10 in a subscription model similar to
Office 365
, the operating system could be quite affordable for new single machine users and you can be guaranteed to future software updates from Microsoft. Windows 10 will be released in July in 111 languages and over 190 countries.


Microsoft rolls out Planner to eligible Office 365 subscribers

416

Microsoft’s own Office 365-based productivity app is finally available as the company has begun rolling out the aptly named Planner app for free to all eligible Office 365 subscribers.

First teased back in September, Planner allows you to set up columns for different work stages, create cards for certain tasks and drag them around to track progress. If you’ve ever used task management services such as Trello or Asana before, Planner is essentially Microsoft’s take on them.

As mentioned earlier, all those with eligible Office 365 subscription plans will be able to launch Planner through the Office 365 app launcher. No specific action by Office 365 admins is needed. Subscriptions that will allow access to Planner includes Office 365 Enterprise E1-E5, Business Essentials, Premium and Education.

Microsoft has promised that they will be open to feedback and will be tuning and modifying Planner to improve the app. In the meantime, the company has stated that Planner will be receiving a couple of new features such as external user access, customizable boards, and apps for iOS, Android and Windows in the coming months.

Source:
Office Blog
,
Engadget

microsoft
office365
planner


Microsoft rolls out Windows 10 Mobile upgrade to old Windows phones

306

After a long, long wait, Microsoft has announced that they have begun rolling out its Windows 10 updates to devices that are currently running Windows 8.1.

If you have a Lumia smartphone, chances are good that your phone would be receiving the Windows 10 Mobile update shortly. For those of you who own Windows-powered smartphones that aren’t created by either Microsoft or Nokia, you might have to wait a little longer as the first phase of the Windows 10 Mobile rollout doesn’t seem to support many non-Lumia smartphones.

One thing to note is that Microsoft has admitted that Windows 10 Mobile “delivers significant new innovations” and as such, this would cause older devices to be unable to successfully upgrade to Windows 10 without an impact on the customer experience. This means that it is entirely possible that your Windows powered phone may never receive the Windows 10 upgrade.

In any case, if you’re one of the lucky few who owns a phone that will be receiving the upgrade, just keep in mind that weird glitches and bugs are the norm when it comes to a new version of Windows.

Source:
Microsoft Blog

lumia
microsoft
smartphone
windows10mobile


Microsoft rumored to build an Xbox with no disc drive

554

It has been rumored by Thurrott.com, that Microsoft is planning to come out with an Xbox console without a disc drive, which will be called as Xbox One S.

According to Thurrott, the console is plan to be sold for less than $200 (RM837.47) and Microsoft stores will support a program whereby users can take in Xbox One media and trade it for a digital download to their Xbox live account.

“Microsoft is moving forward very carefully with this product as it knows that a sizeable portion of its users do prefer to buy physical games and not download them,” the website says.

It is said that the Xbox One S is created mainly to save on production and retail cost, which comes with baseline S model and not the Xbox One X, greater processing power, 4K display and HDR color support.

On top of this rumored disc-less console, Thurrott also reports that Microsoft will release a revised Xbox One S console that retains the disc drive but still has a lower cost. Neither console is confirmed to exist, but if Thurrott’s sources are right, we should hear about them soon.

Xbox One S
Xbox One with No disc


Microsoft rumoured to be working on an All-in-One Surface PC for the living room

303

By now, most of you would be familiar with Microsoft’s Surface tablet. Well, it seems that the tablet won’t be the only product in the Surface line as rumours are going around that Microsoft is currently at work at an All-in-One Surface that is meant to be used in your living room.

First reported by Digitimes, this Surface AiO is allegedly an alaternative to Microsoft’s second generation Surface Book which has been delayed to the first half of 2017 instead of its original second half 2016 launch date due to delays in shipment of Intel’s Kaby Lake processors.

While little is known about this Surface AiO, Windows Central did report that this machine is made to be used in the living room. Some of the words used to describe the device includes “modern and elegant,” implying that the device would be something akin to a premium appliance or furniture. Should that be the case, it is entirely possible that the upcoming Surface AiO may even be a consumer version of the PixelSense. For those who don’t know, PixelSense was the original Surface concept, that of a computer built into a table.

Currently, the Surface AiO is targeting for a third quarter 2016 release date. Only time will tell if this Surface can help Microsoft grab a slice of the AiO market that is currently being dominated by both Lenovo and Apple.

Source:
Digitimes
,
Windows Central

allinone
microsoft
pc
pixelsense
surface


Microsoft rumoured to cease sales of the Lumia smartphones in December

300

After letting go of its smartphone division, rumours are now going around that Microsoft is prepared to pull the plug entirely on the Lumia, with the company planning to discontinue sales of its smartphones by December.

An anonymous internal source has spoken to Ars Technica, saying that Microsoft is looking to “end sales” of the Lumia smartphones by the end of the year. With no new Lumias scheduled to be release in the coming months, and with Microsoft no longer selling the phones itself on the US website, all signs point to the fact that the Lumia is on its way out.

While the Lumias may be dead, said anonymous source also mentioned that the rumoured Surface Phone will be taking the Lumia’s place. In a pair of now-deleted tweets, one of Microsoft’s engineering directors, Laura Butler, teased the existence of the Surface Phone. Microsoft is said to be planning a Surface event in October to reveal the Surface All-in-One, so it could be at this particular event that Microsoft chooses to divulge more information about the Surface Phone. Should that not be the case, you’ll probably only hear about it in 2017.

Source:
Ars Technica

discontinue
lumia
microsoft
sales
surface
surfacephone


Microsoft rumoured to introduce two new Xbox models in the next two years

408

Rumours have been going on for quite some time that Microsoft is planning to release a version of the Xbox One that is far more powerful than the current model. While nothing has been confirmed yet, Kotaku’s sources has revealed that not only will Microsoft be introducing a much more powerful Xbox One, the company is also planning to release a smaller version of the current Xbox One as well.

For the smaller Xbox One, sources say that Microsoft will be revealing the console at E3. Apart from the size of the device, the smaller Xbox One may also come with a 2TB hard drive. The source did not mention if this small Xbox One will come with any other specification changes, so it’s probably safe to assume that this console is a revision of the original console. This console is expected to launch by the end of 2016.

As for the upgraded Xbox One, which is codenamed Scorpio, the device will feature a more powerful GPU and is stated to be capable of supporting the Oculus Rift. The GPU upgrade would also allow the Scorpio to support 4K resolution. Scrorpio is not expected to enter the market until 2017.

Microsoft’s decision to release a much more powerful console comes on the heels of a Microsoft strategy, codenamed “Project Helix.” According to one of the sources, Microsoft intends to converge Xbox and Windows into a single platform. Halo Wars 2 and Sea of Thieves are two games that have been announced as exclusive to both Xbox One and PC, and sources are saying that Microsoft’s new mandate is to release future games, including the Halo series, on both platforms.

Source:
Kotaku

e3
microsoft
scorpio
xboxone


Microsoft Xbox Series X specs go live with custom AMD Zen 2 CPU, 12 TFLOPS GPU and ray tracing support

510

Microsoft’s next-gen console, the Xbox Series X looks set to hit the shelves as they’ve been pushing all sorts of marketing materials already, including inviting American media to try out the device.

Today, the company is building more hype by releasing details of the console’s specs – and it looks like a beast. It’s got a custom AMD CPU built on the Zen 2 architecture, plus a custom GPU that provides 12 teraflops of performance.

Image credit: Xbox

It’s got 16GB of GDDR6 RAM as well as 1TB of storage by way of a custom NVME SSD. There’s also an extra 1TB expansion card that is proprietary, made by Seagate. The console also supports external HDD storage expansion too.

It’s got a 4K Blue-Ray disc drive so physical copies are still very much on the cards. Microsoft says that the device aims to allow 4K gaming at 60 FPS, and possibly 120 FPS at 1440p – so perhaps this may be the first console to actually put an end to the ‘locked-30 FPS’ gaming experiences previous generation consoles are known for.

Image credit: Xbox

In keeping with the times, the Xbox Series X also supports
DIrectX
 Raytracing and they were using Minecraft as a demo. It’s unsure how much performance will be taken away should RTX be turned on – but we have a feeling many early exclusives will support RTX and should run just fine.

At the end of the day, Malaysian’s aren’t suckers for Xboxs, we mostly go for the PlayStation. The good thing is, now the ball is in Sony’s park who’ll be showing off their new PlayStation 5 midnight tomorrow. Stay tuned on our website as we bring you updates on the new console war.

12 teraflops gpu
amd
game console
microsoft
nvme ssd
playstation
playstation 5
Ray Tracing
rtx
ryzen
xbox series x
zen 2 architecture


Microsoft shutters Lionhead Studios and Press Play Studios

714

Microsoft has closed the doors of one games development studio and may be close to closing down another as the company announced that they have shut down Press Play Studios and are currently in discussions with employees about the proposed closure of Lionhead Studios.

With the closure of Press Play Studios, a video game development studio in Denmark, development of Project Knoxville has been cancelled. Press Play Studios were responsible for puzzle adventure games such as Max & the Magic Marker and Max: The Curse of the Brotherhood.

Lionhead Studios hasn’t exactly been closed yet, but Microsoft confirmed that all development for Fable Legends has ceased. Originally announced in 2013, Fable Legends was supposed to be launched in 2015, but was delayed to 2016 instead. The closure of Lionhead Studio would mark the end of a game development studio that has brought us the Fable series, the Black & White series, The Movies, as well as a certain someone named Peter Molyneux.

Source:
Microsoft

closure
lionheadstudios
microsoft
pressplaystudios


Microsoft silently announces the Surface 3 tablet starting from RM1,879

299

We weren’t really quite expecting this, as Microsoft has launched its powerful Surface Pro 3 half a year ago, the company yesterday silently announce the arrival of the lower end Surface 3
Tablet
, the new 2-in-1 computing device is now 8.7mm thin and 622 grams light, which is significantly more portable than its Pro sibling. The best thing this time, is that the company has preloaded the
tablet
 with full blown
Windows 8.1
 and soon upgraeable to Windows 10, bye Windows RT.

Specs of the Surface 3 isn’t mind blowing however it should be sufficient to perform simple office tasks on the go, it sports an Intel Cherry Trail based Atom x7-Z8700 1.6GHz Quad-Core processor with a turbo boost of up to 2.4GHz, up to 4GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage. The Surface 3 has an 8-megapixel rear and 3.5-megapixel front camera setup, WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0 and a 10 hour battery life. The tablet’s display size is now 10.8-inches with a Full HD (1920×1080) resolution and comes with a number of input ports – a MicroUSB 2.0 port for charging and syncing the device, a standard size USB 3.0 port, a
MicroSD card
reader, a MiniDisplay Port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Since the Surface 3 uses less powerful but still capable internals, the retail price of the base configuration starts from RM1,879 with 2GB RAM and 64GB of SSD storage and up to RM2,249 with 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD storage. Therefore, this is a pretty good buy if you are looking for a portable 2-in-1 device on the go. In addition to that, the Surface 3 does come with optional accessories such as the
keyboard type cover
 and the Surface Pen, and Microsoft is offering One Year of
Office 365
 Personal subscription to Surface 3 owners.


Microsoft starts preorders of Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2 in Malaysia

347

If you have been eyeing on the creator centric Surface Book 3 or portable Surface Go 2, Microsoft has started preorders of these two devices in Malaysia.

Targeted at developers and creative professionals, the Surface Book 3 receives a significant specs bump over its predecessor with 10th Gen Intel Ice Lake processors and up to NVIDIA GeForce Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q graphics. Available in 13-inch and 15-inch models, the design remains very much the same with a docking design where customers can choose to use it either as a laptop or tablet, Microsoft also offers up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage.

The Surface Go 2 brings forward the same compact aesthetic as its predecessor but now comes with a larger 10.5-inch PixelSense display, battery life has also been improved and it now comes with up to an Intel Core m3 processor, although the Pentium Gold processor is still being offered on the entry-level SKU. Apart from that, customers now have the option to purchase the LTE model which isn’t offered in the Surface Go in the Malaysian market.

Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2 Malaysia Price and Availability

Customers who wished to place their preorders can head to All IT, Gloo by SNS, Harvey Norman, Lazada-Microsoft Flagship Store, PC Image, Senheng, Shopee-Microsoft Flagship Store and TMT by Thundermatch; while business customers can purchase it from authorised resellers Prestariang and Software One.

Here are the prices of the Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2

microsoft
microsoft malaysia
microsoft surface malaysia
surface book 3
surface go 2


Microsoft sues U.S. government over 'unconstitutional' data searches

314

Microsoft is the latest tech company to pick a legal fight with the U.S. government as they have sued the U.S. government over ‘unconstitutional’ data searches.

First filed on Thursday in a federal court in Seattle
, Microsoft claims that it is ‘unconstitutional’ to force the company to remain silent and not inform customers when their cloud data has been searched or inspected by authorities. Microsoft further states that the government’s actions are in direct opposition to the Fourth Amendment which establishes the right for people and businesses to know if the the government searches or seizes their property, as well as Microsoft’s First Amendment right to free speech.

The core focus of this lawsuit is Section 2705(b) of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. Microsoft claims that the ECPA can be interpreted ‘very broadly’ and gives the government too much power in forcing companies to stay silent as it pursues investigations and alleged criminal activity. Because of broad interpretations that can be made due to the ECPA, Microsoft wants the court to “declare that Section 2705(b) is unconstitution on its face.”

Since filling the lawsuit, Microsoft hopes that others in the tech industry would stand behind them in their lawsuit against the U.S. government. “Just as Apple was the company in the last case and we stood with Apple, we expect other tech companies to stand with us,” says Microsoft’s Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith.

Source:
Reuters
,
The Verge

lawsuit
microsoft
privacy


Microsoft Surface Book 2 entry-level model now packs an 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processor

333

Microsoft has quietly refreshed the base model of its Surface Book 2 laptop. Consumers can now configure the 13.5-inch version of the Surface Book 2 convertible laptop with an 8
th
 Generation Intel Core i5 processor.

The 13.5-inch Surface Book 2 is now available on the US
Microsoft Store
 with an Intel Core i5-8350U quad-core processor with a maximum boost clock speed of 3.60 GHz for $1,499. Previously, the Surface Book 2 base model was available with a 7th Generation dual-core Core i5-7300U processor. For those looking to save a few bucks, the older version with a dual-core Core i5 processor is now available for $1,299.

Just like the Core i7-8650U available in the top-end configuration, the Core i5-8350U is part of the Kaby Lake Refresh family and is manufactured on an improved 14nm+ FinFET process. The processor has a 1.70 GHz base clock speed, 6MB of L3 cache, and a TDP rating of 15W. Apart from the newer processor, the base model does not have any other difference compared to the previous version. The base model still includes 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

Thanks to the newer architecture and two additional cores, the Core i5-8350U version of the Surface Book 2 is worth the premium for more demanding users. While the single-core performance of the two processors is similar, the newer Core i5-8350U offers much better when it comes to multi-core performance.

laptops
microsoft
notebooks
surface
surface book 2


Microsoft Surface Book 3 launched with 10th-Gen Intel Core CPU and up to NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 GPU

515

The Microsoft Surface Book 3 has officially been launched, and it keeps the tradition of offering impressive performance in a compact body. This time around, the Surface Book 3 is improved with the latest 10
th
-Gen Intel Core CPUs.

In terms of design, it doesn’t differ too much from its predecessor – you have the same 13.5-inch and 15-inch models to choose from; both pack a PixelSense display – the former pushes a 3000 x 2000 resolution, while the latter outputs a 3240 x 2160 resolution.

Under the hood, the 13.5-inch model comes with a:

10
th
-Gen Intel Core i5 1035G7 with Intel Iris Plus Graphics

10
th
-Gen Intel Core i7 1065G7 with NVIDIA
GeForce GTX 1650 Max Q GPU

While the 15-inch model comes with

10
th
-Gen Intel Core i7 1065G7 with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max Q GPU

Business models support NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 GPU

You’d be hard-pressed to find a device as compact as this that can game comfortably at 1080p.

For storage, both models support up to 1TB conventional SSD, while the larger model can also
packa
 2TB PCIe SSD too. For memory, both variants support up to 32GB 3,733MHz LPDDR4 RAM too.

Despite being a thin device, it’s got an impressive array I/O ports as well – 2x USB-A, one USB-C with PD, one 3.5mm headphone jack, 2x Surface Connect ports (one for the keyboard, one on the tablet itself), and a full-size SD card reader.

The Surface Book 3 is a creator’s laptop firs-and-foremost and the reveal trailer shows high-detail motion renders of the device and other effects – turns out, the whole thing was done on the Surface Book 3. On top of that, as the main device is a tablet after all – it supports touch and the Surface Pen which is
useful
 for graphics designers.

The Microsoft Surface Book 3 is available from USD1.599 (RM6,914) in its native America and will start shipping this May 21. There’s no word yet on when it’ll arrive in Malaysia, but we’ll keep you posted.

gtx 1660 ti
intel core 10th gen
laptop
Microsoft surface book 3
nvidia gefore gtx 1650
quadro rtx 3000
tablet


Microsoft Surface Duo 2 now official – Snapdragon 888 and new Surface Slim Pen 2

602

Microsoft has
unveiled

their latest Surface Duo 2 foldable smartphone – which sports slight
improvements

across the board.

The phone sports two 5.8-inch displays which combines to give you a larger 8.3-inch PixelSense AMOLED panel. Together, the display outputs at 2688×1892 resolution, have a 90Hz refresh rate and 800 nits of peak brightness, and is layered with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.

The phone itself doesn’t look all that different – the phone now sports what looks like an aluminium hinge which is capable of displaying notifications.

Under the hood, the phone runs on a Snapdragon 888 chipset, and comes with 8GB RAM and up to 512GB of internal storage. There’s a 4,449mAh battery powering the device, plus the phone supports up to 23W of fast charging – however, you’ll need to get the 23W adapter separately.

For imaging, there’s a 12MP main lens, a 12MP telephoto camera, and a 16MP ultrawide shooter. Like most flagships today, you can record videos at up to 4K 60FPS.

What sets the Surface Duo 2 apart from its competitors is its support for the new Surface Slim Pen 2 stylus – it attached magnetically to the phone in order to charge.

The phone is priced from $1,500 (about RM6,285), but there is no word on whether it will arrive in Malaysia. But you can stay tuned on our website as we bring you more updates.

microsoft
surface duo 2


Microsoft unveiled the Surface Duo, an Android phone with dual-screen

302

Microsoft unveiled the Surface Duo yesterday and it’s a dual-screen Android phone that will also be available in 2020 like the dual-screen Surface Neo.

The Surface Duo also sports a 360-degree hinge and while it’s not a folding screen device, it does look quite similar to the Samsung Galaxy Fold. It has two 5.6-inch displays and looks boxy even when it’s folded. Despite being an innovative device, it is wider than an average smartphone and sports huge bezels on the top and bottom.

The good news is the Surface Duo won’t be annoyingly thick when it’s folded and since Microsoft is partnering with Google, it has access to Google Play Store. However, while it has a front camera on the screen, there’s no rear camera to be seen.

Microsoft didn’t reveal many of the Surface Duo’s specifications (battery, processor, storage) but since there’s about a year more before it’s official, there could be various changes made to the Microsoft phone.

android
google
microsoft
Surface Duo