Tag: microsoft windows

Microsoft Teases A New Operating System With AI Integration

Amidst major announcements in Computex 2019, Microsoft let a teaser out for its future plans on the software front. The long-awaited lite version of Windows OS (for the likes of Chromebooks) may or may not be included in the definition of Microsoft’s “modern” operating system.

This modern OS as stated by Microsoft is not just a software version and rather it is a benchmark that would define the future of operating systems. With the functionality of the OS at its essence, the ‘seamless’ word was used quite a lot by Microsoft on stage and seamless updates being at the centre of it. Windows updates have improved exponentially over the years as promised by Microsoft but the company is not stopping there. It is now seeking to make the entire process occur in the background, never requiring the user to actively check for updates.

Current iterations of Windows OS handle software updates very differently, with comments pointing towards the similarities in relation to Chrome OS. The ‘modern OS’ is also supposed to be highly secure from the ground up. “The state is separated from the operating system; compute is separated from the applications.” This line by Microsoft’s Spokesperson points towards cloud computing at a level the industry has not yet been comfortable with but is a step towards the future which the company has kept in mind. “Sustained performance” as Microsoft puts it that is “always connected” to have zero interruptions. Sharing the workload with cloud solutions online to enhance user experience on devices.

All of these “enablers’ will be supplemented by an AI. In other words prediction based algorithm to get end results faster for the User. Microsoft there on goes to mention other sci-fi, futuristic but not far-fetched input methods such as voice, touch, and gaze, apart from the conventional mouse and keyboard combo. All this in a light form factor that adds to the mobility of the machine on which the OS is loaded.

Also Read: New MediaTek SoC Is All Set To Bring 5G Network On Budget Devices

No finer details have been revealed as of yet. All that anyone has to go on is the teaser dropped today. The concept may still seem far away but more concrete information should soon follow in the coming months either through official channels or in the form of leaks and rumours.

May 29, 2019
Sales Numbers of iOS Devices Make Us Question the Requirement of PCs

We have more proof that history repeats itself – after Android phone sales surpassed those of Windows computers in 2012, an analyst has estimated that the same thing will happen again, this time, it will be iOS devices instead of Android. As ZDNet reports it, an analyst has tweeted a trailing 12-month chart of iOS and PC sales using data from various companies.

https://twitter.com/BenedictEvans/status/623668376280395776

If you look at the graph closely, you will see that while PC sales increased post June 2009, right when Microsoft introduced Windows 7 and experienced a sharp decline post June 2012, when Microsoft introduced Windows 8, a well-intentioned but misfired attempt for cross platform OS. At the same time, Apple introduced iPhone 4S, which set a precedent for future iPhone designs and was a notable improvement over iPhone 3GS. Not to forget, iOS 5 achieved what Microsoft tried to – cross platform OS for the iPad, iPhone and iPod.

Moreover, over the years, developers and manufacturers have made phones and tablets suitable for tasks that required PCs. For example, you can now create and edit a PowerPoint Presentation on your phone, a task which required a PC in earlier times. Apps like Instagram and Pixlr allow users to edit their photos at a basic level, WordPress’ app allows you to manage your blog on the go and more such apps have made it possible to ditch the PC for basic tasks. Still, the PC won’t be extinct right away, as there is still some use for it.

Microsoft still has a chance to beat Apple at its cross-platform game, when it rolls out Windows 10 next week. It seems Microsoft has learned from its mistakes; Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 and can hopefully regain its position as the leader of the PC market.

Source: [tw-button size=”small” background=”” color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.zdnet.com/article/hello-post-pc-world-ios-devices-sales-now-match-those-of-windows-computers/”]ZDNet[/tw-button]

July 24, 2015
Microsoft has a Good Opportunity in India with Cloud, Says Nadella

Cloud computing is a brand new platform that Microsoft is looking to evolve further. It has gained a great deal of attention, but hasn’t attained the prominence expected by the company. The top official of Microsoft believes that Microsoft has a real opportunity with cloud-computing in India and it will be a transformative area.

The CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella remarked at the conference:

It was hard selling softwares. But now with cloud, we have real opportunity in India. That definitely is the transformative thing. And of course by design, it has anti-piracy built into it, which also is very helpful.

Nadella expects Cloud to grow the size of Google in the next five years. He further stated, “Qualitatively, the way I describe the world that we live in and what it will be in the next five years is this mobile-first, cloud-first world.”

The hardware and software giant is the leader of the cloud service that provides computing and data storage services. The system works by deploying groups of remote servers and software networks that uploads different data sources for real-time processing without the need to store processed data on the cloud.

The Microsoft CEO commented on his vision is to empower every person and organisation and make them achieve more.

Customer success is the top priority of Microsoft and they work on helping their customers re-imagine their businesses. Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft Kevin Turner stated in the 2015 Microsoft Financial Analyst Briefing:

And the other big mantra we have at Microsoft, particularly for our field and our go-to-market model, is transforming while performing, and working on those things simultaneously is a very important part of our rigour and our discipline, and what we bring to the table relative to focusing on this customer success.

Alongside this announcement, Microsoft held a three-day build conference where new feature were revealed like Continuum for Phone and Microsft Edge. Check other features here.

April 30, 2015
Microsoft to Introduce Mobile-Based Payment System to Take on Samsung and Apple

Smartphones have become an even essential part of our lives. With the addition of payment systems, smartphones will soon take over the role of your wallet. While Samsung and Apple have already introduced their payment systems, other manufacturers are joining in. Microsoft, the makers of Windows Phone devices, have also announced that they will be unveiling their payment system soon.

Microsoft had showcased a tap to pay feature on its devices at a conference for Windows hardware makers in China. It was said then that this feature would not require support from the network operators. Just like Samsung and Apple Pay, this feature will also be based on NFC.

Microsoft’s plans were brought to light by Faisal Khan, a banking consultant. He found that Microsoft has already got permission from the American state of Idaho and has applied for licenses in all the states of the country.

Mobile payment was available on Windows phone through the Softcard app but the service closed down when Google bought Softcard. Bill Gates had predicted, after the launch of Apple Pay, the technology will soon be available on all smartphones. Considering the speed at which things are moving, it might be easy to visualize such a future.

April 7, 2015
Lower-End Microsoft 8.1 Smartphones May Also Get Windows 10

Microsoft has presented its new operating system, Windows 10, and it has impressed a lot of its critics. The latest Windows offering will act as Microsoft’s initiative to create an ecosystem for its devices. It will work on all the Microsoft devices – from desktops to tablets to smartphones. Microsoft just announced that even the lower end smartphones running on Windows 8.1 will also be getting the Windows 10 upgrade.

In a tweet, Joe Belfiore, the Corporate Vice President of Operating Systems Group for Microsoft has said that they are making a version of Windows 10 for devices running on 512 MB RAM. The tweet specifically mentions the Lumia 520. But he also added that the features would vary in these devices. It would probably be a stripped down version of the operating system made to run on devices with lower specs.

Hey all: we ARE working on Win10 for 512MB, including 520. Our ambition is to make #Win10 available for these devices but features may vary

— joebelfiore (@joebelfiore) February 8, 2015

Microsoft has been struggling with its smartphone business. Its smartphone operating system runs in just about 3% of the devices sold. It has some good features, but the mass appeal of Android and iOS from Apple has not given it a chance to grow. Joe also announced that the insider build announced at the Windows event would be coming out sometime in February.

Also, we’re on track for Insider build coming “in Feb” as Terry said at our 1/21 event. We need to complete internal testing 1st, hang in!

— joebelfiore (@joebelfiore) February 8, 2015

February 9, 2015
Microsoft Pushes Windows Update For Surface RT To Fix WiFi Issues

Microsoft will finally try to repair the Surface RT Wi-Fi bug today as part of its monthly Patch Tuesday updates that will also comprise several fixes for Windows RT platforms.

The update addresses “limited Wi-Fi connection issues and contains driver updates to improve performance with Windows as well as the volume and power buttons”.

The Surface team confirmed in an AMA session on Reddit a few days ago that Microsoft would release two different patches for the bug, one expected to be released on February 12 and another one due in March.

“Wifi connection robustness has been improved with the Feb 12 Windows Update. Another version is in the works and will release Mar 12,” the team said on Reddit.

To see if you received the update, you can click on the upper right portion of the screen or swipe in from the right edge. Click on Settings, and tap onChange PC settings. Then, tap on Windows Update and Check for Updates.

Unlike Apple or Google, Microsoft doesn’t provide a very clear numbering system for its Windows RT updates. Apple, for example, uses nomenclature like “iOS 6.1.1”, while that seems to be nonexistent on the Microsoft side. This update is simply being called the “February update.”

At any rate, it’s good to see Microsoft addressing issues that users may be seeing, relatively quickly.

February 13, 2013
Report : Google Maps Never Supported Internet Explorer On Windows Phone 8

Microsoft’s complaint that Google is hoarding its YouTube metadata has fueled a new conspiracy theory: The search giant has pulled levers to prevent Windows Phones from accessing Google Maps. In reality, this phenomenon likely has little if anything to do with chicanery on Google’s part and everything to do with Microsoft’s reluctance to support the WebKit browser framework.

While Google Maps was never officially built for or supported by the Windows Phone platform, prior to this complaint, the service was accessible to a certain degree. Users of Windows Phone 7 and 8 both seem to be facing this issue.

Google released an explanation for the issue, saying that Google Maps rely on WebKit on mobile devices and Internet Explorer for Windows Phone does not utilise the rendering engine.

Microsoft, over the past few months, has publicly sparred with Google over its shutting down of Exchange Activesync support at the end of January. Microsoft expressed “disappointment” in the action and implored any affected users to transition to Outlook.com, its new (and excellent) mail offering. By turning off Activesync access (which applies to all platforms, not just Microsoft’s), Windows Phone users will not be able to sync Google contacts or calendars. Because Microsoft has yet to implement CalDAV and CardDAV support in its mobile OS, users will be out of luck by the end of the month.

Apple, on the other hand, will be unaffected by the change as it implemented the new calendar and contact sync standards in its latest version and has push support for mail via a native app. Android users, of course, will suffer no such issues with sync as their phones tie directly into Google’s activation servers.

While it’s currently assumed that the redirect is a bug and not the status quo going forward, we’ve yet to hear from Google on the issue.

January 5, 2013
Indian Teenager Creates Windows Phone 8 Malware, To Present it At MalCon

A 16-year-old security researcher from India plans to present a malware application for Windows Phone 8 at the upcoming MalCon security conference in New Delhi, India, on Nov. 24.

The Trojan, created by 16-year-old Shantanu Gawde, is said to work by posing as a legitimate app which can access a user’s data once activated.

Fortunately for Microsoft and Windows Phone 8 users alike, Gawde is an ‘ethical hacker’ from India’s National Security Database program.

It is not yet clear whether the malware is able to affect Windows Phone 8 handsets by targeting a specific weakspot in the system, or by duping careless users into installing something dodgy.

Nevertheless, it poses serious questions over the security of the Windows Phone 8 OS – particularly as it shares several similarities with its PC counterpart.

Microsoft has yet to see Gawde’s findings and has therefore been unable to comment specifically on the nature of the risk.

However, Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing Director Dave Fornstrum has said the company would “investigate any issues disclose” in the MalCon talk and “take appropriate action to help protect [its] customers”.

Although finding vulnerabilities could be potentially damaging to the Windows Phone image, it could also be seen as a blessing in disguise by allowing Microsoft to discover and amend such security issues before hackers have the chance to develop more advanced malware.

November 14, 2012
Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft’s Windows Chief, Set To Leave

Microsoft Corp said the head of its flagship Windows division and the driving force behind Windows 8, Steven Sinofsky, will be leaving the company with immediate effect, days after the software giant launched the Surface tablet.

Just weeks earlier, Microsoft released Windows 8, the company’s biggest overhaul to its flagship software product in years. The departure raises questions about how Microsoft, one of the giants in the technology business, will prepare itself for a new generation of leadership.

In an e-mail sent to all employees Monday evening, Mr. Ballmer said that Mr. Sinofsky’s decision to leave Microsoft comes at the start of a “new era” for the company, with the release of a wave of new products like Windows 8.

“I am grateful for the work that Steven has delivered in his time at our company,” Mr. Ballmer said in the e-mail. Frank Shaw, a Microsoft spokesman, said Mr. Sinofsky was not available for an interview.

[quote]In a statement announcing his departure, Mr. Sinofsky, 47, said, “I am humbled by the professionalism and generosity of everyone I have had the good fortune to work with at this awesome company.”[/quote]

Mr. Sinofsky was viewed as one of the most competent managers within Microsoft, and he earned high marks for helping to improve the quality of its software after the company released Windows Vista, a widely criticized version of the operating system. A former technical assistant to Bill Gates, Microsoft’s co-founder, he was known to be a big admirer of Apple’s attention to detail in its products.

His name was often floated by people speculating about a possible successor to Mr. Ballmer, who has not announced any plans to retire from the company.

November 13, 2012
Microsoft Testing A Surface Phone?

After the launch of the Surface tablet, Microsoft (MSFT) is reportedly is busy testing a smartphone with Asian suppliers, according to the Wall Street Journal.

However, it is not clear if the device will enter into mass production. The phone comes with a screen size between four and five inches, The Verge has reported.

Though previous reports suggested that Microsoft was mulling its own flagship Windows Phone, the device is unlikely to be unveiled before 2013.

The company is waiting to gauge the reception of its partners’ products — Nokia’s Lumia 820 and 920, HTC’s 8X and 8S, and Samsung’s ATIV S — before committing to bringing the phone to market. Unlike Android vendors, Microsoft keeps its phone hardware partners on a short leash, so few of the software elements can be changed. And even Nokia thinks it would be a good idea for Microsoft to release its own phone.

It’s possible that the company is waiting for sales numbers of its Surface tablet in order to see whether consumers are willing to buy into Microsoft as a device company.

November 3, 2012
Windows Phone 8 SDK now available
Microsoft has finally released its long-awaited software development kit (SDK) for Windows Phone 8. It’s been a long time coming, but it makes sense since today is the first day of Microsoft’s BUILD conference in Redmond, Washington.

The SDK is described as an environment “for building apps and games for Windows Phone 8 and Windows Phone 7.5.” That’s pretty obvious but why 7.5? That’s the odd thing here.

It has a stand-alone Visual Studio Express 2012 edition. It can also work as an add-on to Visual Studio Express 2012 edition for Windows Phone or works as an add-in to Visual Studio 2012 Professional, Premium or Ultimate editions. Microsoft says the SDK also includes emulators and additional tools for profiling and testing a Windows Phone app under real-world conditions.

Requirements:
- Hardware:
  - 4 GB of free hard disk space
  - 4 GB RAM
  - 64-bit (x64) CPU
- Windows Phone 8 Emulator:
  - Windows 8 Pro edition or greater
  - Requires a processor that supports Second Level Address Translation (SLAT)
October 31, 2012
Windows Phone 8 Launched

Microsoft lifted the veil on its latest Windows Phone 8 (WP8) operating system (OS) at an event in San Francisco today. Handsets from HTC, Samsung and Nokia will feature the new mobile OS. Huawei is expected to launch a device as well. Those living in Europe will be able to get the new WP8 handsets this weekend. Other markets, such as Asia, are expected to be able to buy the handsets in November.

“There’s one more thing that sets Windows Phones apart,” said CEO Steve Ballmer. “That is new, killer hardware.”

The flagship of the Windows Phone lineup is the Nokia 920, built out of a partnership between the two companies. It will be available in the U.S. in November.

Two other high-end smartphones, the Samsung Ativ S and HTC Windows Phone 8X, were previewed by CEO Steve Ballmer.

“The global launch of Windows Phone 8 is just starting,” said Ballmer.

The software presents a very different home screen from the rows of icons found on Apple or Android phones and is a key design feature of the operating system.

Its design uses the same active tiles found on Windows 8, Microsoft’s new PC operating system that launched Friday. The tiles are constantly changing with fresh information so, for example, a weather tile will update with the latest forecast while the email app will show the latest message received.

“The static grid of icons has been the standard on smartphones,” said Belfiore. “We decided not to use that tired old metaphor. Our way is to put people at the center of the experience.”

People users interact with can be given their own tiles so that the latest interactions on email or social media are updated.

“It’s the most personal smartphone operating system you can get and keeps you closer to the people that matter most in your life because of that,” he said.

New features include the speed of Internet Explorer 10 which it said was up to seven times faster than the version on WP7.5 at handling webpages based on the commonly used Javascript language. In addition it has been designed to make use of devices’ graphics processing units (GPUs) to render videos or animations written in the HTML5 computer language.

The firm also showed off Kid’s Corner – a function designed for parents who give their handsets to their children to play with. It allows them to restrict access to a limited number of apps without giving access to email, phone call or text message functions.

Microsoft said a survey had suggested about two-thirds of smartphone-owning parents in the US had used the handsets to occupy their children while out shopping, visiting friends or some other activity.

Another new feature is Rooms which allows users to create an invitation-only environment in which members share their calendars, notes, photos and other material. The firm suggested it might be used to help families, sports teams and other community groups stay “in sync”.

Microsoft also made much of an “always-on” Skype experience.

This addresses one of the major flaws with its previous mobile system which had not allowed the video chat program to run in the background. That had meant that users of iOS and Android phones had been able to receive calls while using other apps, but WP7.5 devices had not – a notable omission bearing in mind Microsoft paid $8.5bn (£13.7bn) to buy Skype in 2011.

Overall, it has been an interesting day with the WP8 launch and Google’s announcements! More to follow.

October 30, 2012
Windows Phone 8 SDK preview opens September 12th

Microsoft announced that developers will be able to sign-up for inclusion in the Windows Phone 8 SDK (Software Development Kit) programme from September 12th. Microsoft also revealed that the program will be initially limited to a select few at first until the full Windows Phone 8 SDK is publicly available later this year, after Windows Phone 8 has been released.

Microsoft won’t be giving access to just anyone, it will give priority to any developers that have already published apps to Windows Phone. In essence, they’ll be favoring the developers that chose to develop for Windows Phone before there was any major buzz for it. How exactly this will help the company garner better app development remains to be seen.

[quote]”The full Windows Phone 8 SDK will be made publically available later this year when we unveil Windows Phone 8. Until then, we believe this program offers more published developers a way to explore the SDK and get started on the next wave of amazing Windows Phone apps,” said Microsoft in a statement.[/quote]

One should keep in mind, WP 8 apps are on a whole new development platform. While WP 8 devices will continue to support WP 7.5 apps, these apps will not take advantage of the new hardware capabilities of WP 8 devices. Microsoft officials said they wouldn’t be disclosing the full set of Windows Phone 8 OS features until a later, unspecified date.

September 9, 2012
Windows Store Reaches 1000 Apps Milestone

We have seen a large rise in the number of Windows 8 apps that users of the RTM version can see from the Windows Store. Today, a third party site that has been tracking the numbers of those apps stated that it has now passed the 1,000 milestone.

McAtkins Online says that in its latest app count shows there are now 1,004 apps that are visable for Windows Store users. This number includes both desktop apps (which cannot be directly downloaded from the Windows Store) and the “Modern” Windows 8 apps. Just a few days ago, the same website said there were 839 apps available on the Windows Store.

Apparently, the rate at which new applications are being pushed to the Store has increased, and chances are that Microsoft will go near the 3,000 apps mark or beyond it by the time the platform reaches general availability.

It seems that more and more developers are flocking to Windows 8, which suggests that more new software will appear in the Store soon, thus making the platform even more appealing than before.

It’s also possible that Microsoft could be holding back until just a few days before October 26th before it decides to open the flood gates for new Windows 8 apps to be released.

September 9, 2012
Microsoft Debuts New Logo Before Windows 8

In advance of the Windows 8 launch on Oct. 26, Microsoft today unveiled a new logo that’s 25 years in the making.

The world’s largest software company is introducing a dash of color in its first logo redesign since 1987, using a new multi-colored square next to a plain rendering of its name, replacing its well-worn italic style logo.

Microsoft is rolling out its new Windows 8 operating system along with new Office and phone software this autumn, and is hoping the new logo unifies customers’ experience of the company, much like rival Apple Inc’s distinctive logo has for its consumers.

The logo uses the so-called Segoe font, which is used in Microsoft products and marketing materials, and four colored squares that are “intended to express the company’s diverse portfolio of products,” the Redmond, Washington-based company said on its blog.

“It’s been 25 years since we’ve updated the Microsoft logo and now is the perfect time for a change,” said Jeff Hansen, general manager of Microsoft’s brand strategy, in a blog on Microsoft’s website. “This wave of new releases is not only a reimagining of our most popular products, but also represents a new era for Microsoft, so our logo should evolve to visually accentuate this new beginning.”

The new design, which resembles the existing logo for Windows, its most important product, is already in use on Microsoft’s website and is being unveiled at its latest store opening in Boston on Thursday.

August 24, 2012