Tag: Windows 10

Apple And Microsoft Plan An iCloud App For Windows 10

The American tech giants, Apple and Microsoft, are reportedly working in conjunction with one another for an iCloud app on Windows 10. While iCloud has been available on Microsoft’s platform for a while now, the cloud storage service will feature a sync capability based on tech similar to OneDrive’s Files On-Demand feature. This refreshed version of the Apple app is currently available in Microsoft’s Store and is free to download for everyone.

The iCloud app will now be able to access files on the cloud without ever needing full sync to the PC, this will potentially save disk space. The app will take pre-emptive measures by downloading placeholders of files. The contents of these files will be downloaded when it is marked for sync or fully accessed by the user. iCloud can also integrate seamlessly into Windows 10 File Explorer, offering separate files for applications like Keynote, Numbers and Pages.

Users can access documents stored on the iCloud Drive, images taken from iCloud Photos, Mail, Calendar, Reminders, Contacts, and Safari bookmarks. Apple and Microsoft are business competitors hence, it is a rare occurrence for both companies to work together, especially for a Windows 10 software. Notably, Apple has also been using Microsoft’s latest Windows API for better cloud storage sync-ing capabilities for its proprietary online data storage solution.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S9 & S9+ Cameras Receive Night Mode With Latest Update

This collaboration arrives as a pleasant surprise to the tech industry, where competition in businesses goes neck-in-neck. Although these kinds of united work is always a welcomed sight. Previous iterations of iCloud for Windows had its fair share of criticism, so any pro-consumer practice only benefits either of the companies user bases. The new app should improve the overall user experience by fixing on a lot of the mistakes that were made in the past.

June 12, 2019
Microsoft Renames The Windows 10 Xbox App To Xbox Console Companion

Microsoft has always had its gaming console companion app pre-installed on every Windows 10 supported device. This was done in order to bridge the social gap between its PC and console gaming fans. In the latest Windows update, the company renamed its Xbox App to Xbox Console Companion. This update is a refresh right before the upcoming ‘new desktop experience’ by the company. Apart from the name, no functional changes have been made to the Windows application.

However, Microsoft has planned updates in the future that will lead to the revamp of the dashboard setup in the app. Furthermore, these changes will be made for an unannounced Xbox console settings menu. The future iterations may also team up with the launch of Microsoft’s xCloud, the online gaming and streaming service. It will also allow cross-platform game streaming amongst the user’s devices. However, no significant changes are mirrored in the Xbox apps for Android and iOS as of now.

When users will update the Microsoft store, they will receive a pop-up message from the company. The message will start with, “Pardon our dust.” and go on to describe the reason for the new name of the application. Xbox Console Companion receives a new icon and will be dedicated for Xbox users. An up-to-date version of Windows (10th May 2019 Build) is required to experience the new feature as promised by Microsoft.

The original Xbox app is made for managing games installed on the Windows 10 PC. It also provides a simple catalogue for users to browse games in Microsoft Store, or manage the Xbox Live profiles. The app has in-built functions like social chat. This allows for cross-platform chat with friends and participation in communities, sharing in-game achievements and tracking them, managing video clips and capturing screenshots. The latter two of the features were made possible to the users via the console’s DVR feature which also makes game streaming possible via an Xbox console to a Windows 10 PC.

Microsoft will hold a press conference at the gaming expo E3 2019 on June 9th. This event should unveil more details regarding the promised desktop experience and xCloud. The game streaming service will begin its trials in the latter half of the year 2019, as previously claimed by Microsoft. The rebranding of the desktop apps name after the overhaul of Windows 10 Game Bar lays the foundation for the future console’s framework. The Game Bar is now equipped with PC resource monitors, customizable widgets, and broadcast/game capture controls.

Also Read: Google Maps Will Now Provide Info on Trains and Buses In India

With social media now integrated directly with the GameBar, users will be able to access cross-platform voice and text chat. This feature is synchronized across Xbox devices, as well as multiplayer team management. Additionally, Spotify music controls can also be a part of Microsoft future plans to enhance user experience during gaming. The aforementioned features although, might be removed from the now repurposed Xbox Console Companion App.

June 5, 2019
Microsoft Launches The Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2 In India

Microsoft has updated the Surface lineup of devices in the Indian market. On Monday, the company launched the Surface Pro 6 and the Surface Laptop 2 in the country. This makes it Microsoft’s third launch in the last few months, coming after the Surface Go, which was launched a while ago. The Microsoft Surface lineup of devices are soon making their way in the country.

Microsoft Surface Pro 6

The Surface Pro 6 is the most premium windows tablet in the market and one of the best devices for multimedia and work. The Tablet is equipped with a 12.3 inch Quad HD LED Backlit PixelSense Multi-touch Display with either the 8th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7. It is available in 3 variants. And all the three variants come with 8GB of RAM. The pricing for all the three versions are Rs. 83,999 for the Core i5, 128GB SSD variant. The Core i5, 256GB version comes at Rs. 1,10,999. The i7, 256GB SSD version costs Rs. 1,39,999. The device will be available on Flipkart.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 2

The Microsoft Surface Laptop got raving reviews when it launched in 2017. With the 2nd generation of the device, Microsoft hasn’t changed much. There is a new Matte Black colour and upgraded specifications. The Surface Laptop 2 comes with 8th Gen Intel processors. Rest of the features remain the same. There is the same 13.5 inch display as last gen.

There are 3 variants of the Surface Laptop 2 in India. The Core i5, 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD storage start at Rs 91,999. Bumping up the storage to 256GB on this variant will cost Rs 119,999. There’s a top-end variant with Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage that costs Rs 2,03,999. The device will be available on Flipkart and some offline channels.

Read more: Honor View20 Launched In India, Kirin 980 And 3D Camera In Tow

The Microsoft Surface devices are one of the best ones in the market for productivity and multimedia purposes. Let’s see if these devices find their success in India.

January 30, 2019
Microsoft Windows 10 Overtakes Windows 7

According to a market research study, Microsoft’s Windows 10 has overtaken the famous Windows 7 in terms of number of users. Windows 10 has now 39.22% share followed by Windows 7’s 36.90% as of December, 2018.

Brief History of Windows 7 and Windows 10

Windows 7 operating system was released in 2009 and it became one of the most successful operating systems in the world. Before that, Windows XP was a widely used platform. After a string of failure with Vista and Windows 8, Microsoft finally released the Windows 10. It was made as an OS that mixed the tablet, mobile and laptop formats in their design cue. The Windows 10 OS was well received, with additional features like Microsoft’s digital assistant – Cortana being just one click away. It mixed the App ecosystem with features that a personal computer or laptop has such as a full fledged desktop, start buttons etc. Microsoft Windows 10 had a great start. As high as 14 million devices adopted the new operating system in less than 24 hours of its release. It was a free upgrade and it changed the user experience drastically when compared to Windows 7.

Patch Tuesday

Microsoft has also started an update cycle unofficially called Patch Tuesday. The updates occur on the second, and sometimes fourth, Tuesday of each month. Larger updates are pushed out in even-numbered months while smaller updates in odd-numbered months. Microsoft had also previously stated that Windows 10 would be the last version of the Windows platform. They had stated that the OS will be regularly changed and updated with time according to the demands of the industry. According to recent reports, Microsoft might be pushing the Windows 10 update forcefully even though Microsoft has vowed to not push updates on it’s users. The company has also very recently received flak for various issues cropping up on users’ devices after updates. It was also one of the reasons as to why one of the recent updates was pulled back as well.

It is yet to be seen how Windows tackles the constant issues with updates causing problems for users and how Windows 10 is developed and modified in the coming years, when bendable screen phones finally arrive. But for now, we will have to make do with the Windows 10 version and updates that we have.

January 2, 2019
Microsoft Windows 10 Preview Released with Built-In Eye Tracking

Microsoft announced its Windows 10 tester edition on 2 August 2017. The new Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16257 includes support for a beta version of Eye Control aka built-in eye tracking feature and improvements to Edge, Console, input, and Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG). This is the ninth build of the upcoming Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, which is slated to arrive in September.

The Windows 10 Insider Preview was introduced as a service, setting it aside from its predecessors in terms of built. This could mean that the regular updates would include a little more than just bug fixes, maybe new features. But first here’s a look at the newly added and updated features.

Eye Control

The major addition to the Windows 10 preview is the Eye Control technology which would make the Windows 10 much more accessible to people with disabilities. The eye tracking feature will make it easier for people to operate an on-screen mouse or keyboard and convert text-to-speech. The Eye Control feature requires a compatible eye tracker – Tobii Eye Tracker 4C, to access the windows OS. The Tobii Eye Tracker 4C enables a user to carry out tasks which were previously accomplished via a physical mouse or a keyboard with just their eyes.

In the preview blog post, Microsoft mentioned that it will be supporting only the US English language keyboard layout but plans on adding more layouts sometime in future.

Microsoft Edge

Apart from the eye tracking feature, Microsoft Edge was also updated for a more modern look in the browser frame and other fixes for copying images, closing tabs in full screen mode and tab ordering. According to the company, ” The use of Acrylic material provides depth and transparency to the tab bar and other controls” and button animations are “more responsive”.

Microsoft also made changes to the address bar. So now, when you click and drag the text it will remain under the cursor, even if the address bar isn’t in focus. Whereas , previously the text would shift as the “http://” appeared, making it difficult to edit the URL.

WDAG and Input Upgrades

As for input improvements, the touch keyboard now launches faster from the taskbar and the bugs in dictation and Japanese keyboards have been fixed. WDAG has also received performance upgrades, specific to container launch times. The tool has also received new status strings for providing more detailed information when starting up, plus networking and launching bug fixes.

Aside to the general improvement and fixes, Microsoft introduced another feature included in Eye Control called “shape writing,” . This feature allows a user to speed up typing by just looking at the first and last letters of a word and “simply glancing at letters in between.” And to make things easier, a “hint of the word predicted will appear on the last key of the word,” but if the prediction is incorrect, it can be swapped with another predicted alternative.

Shape Writing

It’s still unclear when the built-in eye tracking will roll out as a fully baked feature. But, it may not be long before we see a fully functioning version of the new Windows 10.

August 3, 2017
Microsoft Officially brings Project Astoria to an end

In a sad turn of events,the United States based tech giant, Microsoft, has announced that its shelving of making a Windows Bridge for Android, a tool which would have allowed turning Android apps into universal Windows apps able to run on all types of Windows devices.

“Project Astoria” was brought into existence at the 2015 Build conference alongside “Project Islandwood.” The latter gave developers a platform to port over iOS apps to numerous Windows 10 devices (including Xbox and PCs). Interestingly, while microsoft has called time on “Project Astoria”, its sister, “Project Islandwood” is still alive. This news also comes on the heels of Microsoft’s much talked about aquisition of cross-platform application development company Xamarin.

Throwing more light on the move, Kevin Gallo, director of program management for the Windows Developer Platform team for Windows 10 at Microsoft, wrote in a blog,

“We received a lot of feedback that having two Bridge technologies to bring code from mobile operating systems to Windows was unnecessary, and the choice between them could be confusing. We have carefully considered this feedback and decided that we would focus our efforts on the Windows Bridge for iOS and make it the single Bridge option for bringing mobile code to all Windows 10 devices, including Xbox and PCs. For those developers who spent time investigating the Android Bridge, we strongly encourage you to take a look at the iOS Bridge and Xamarin as great solutions.”

February 26, 2016
HP Elite x3 Images and Specifications Leaked

It’s hardly been a week that the rumours of HP readying a new weapon to take on the smartphone market reached the Internet, and now latest leaks are here to reveal the might of the smartphone, HP Elite x3 in all its glory.

HP is expected to announce the Elite x3 at MWC next week, and as such, it’s not too big of a surprise images and specs of the device have leaked today. The Elite x3 which will be a Windows phone will pit itself against the Microsoft’s Lumia 950 XL in the Windows 10 mobile ecosystem, as it packs some very high-end innards.

The phone will come with a 5.96-inch QHD touchscreen, a 16-megapixel camera at the back, an 8-megapixel camera at the front for clicking selfies. It will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 SoC paired with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. It will also come with support for USB Type-C and will also support USB 3.0, Qi wireless charging.

The Elite x3 will also house a fingerprint scanner, a fancy iris sensor, a special docking connection, IP67 certification for water and dust resistance, as well as MIL-STD-810G rating for withstanding drops from 1 meter or less. It will also support Microsoft’s Continuum feature. Pretty impressive we say.

Source

February 19, 2016
Xiaomi to Unveil a Mi 5 Windows 10 Variant

Xiaomi which has recently announced the launch date for its upcoming handset, Xiaomi MI 5, has now according to reports plans of bringing the flagship to its users in a variant which will run using the Windows 10 OS. According to reports, the launch of the Windows 10 variant will be seen alongside the launch of the Android variant of the handset.

This move comes in continuation of Xiaomi releasing a Windows 10 ROM for the LTE version of its Mi 4 smartphone. It also announced a Windows 10 version of its Mi Pad 2 tablet last month. Other than the OS, the new Windows 10 variant will be identical to the Android variant. ‘

On the specifications front, not much is known apart from the fact that the Mi 5 will sport a Snapdragon 820 SoC, but according to reports, the device will be equipped with impressive under the hood specs that should be a match for the other flagships in the market.

Leaks claim the smartphone will have a 5.2-inch Quad HD display coated in 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 4. It’s also suggested the phone will have a 6-element 16MP camera on the back with f/2.2 aperture and 4K video recording.

February 2, 2016
Microsoft Working on a Snapdragon 820-Powered Windows Phone

Microsoft might have a new device in the works that going to rock Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 820 chipset. Geekbench database revealed that Microsoft is working on a faster, more powerful device than the recent Lumia 950 and 950 XL smartphones. Before moving on, it must be known that the listing cannot be confirmed and must be taken with a pinch of salt.

According to the Geekbench listing, the unnamed Microsoft phablet will sport a 6-inch display (2560×1440 pixels). Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset will be powering the device along with a 2.2GHz quad-core Kyro CPU and an Adreno 530 GPU. The GFXBench also lists internal specs such 20MP primary camera, a 12MP selfie shooter, and 64 GB of internal storage.

The listing does seem a little off as well, mentioning RAM at 1.5 GB only, though it is likely to be twice as much given the specs of the device. Furthermore, the chances of the device being a new Lumia phone is high, since Microsoft is the only manufacturer currently developing high-end Windows 10-powered devices.

These are just speculations as of now. We’ll know more in the coming months on whether Microsoft is in fact working on a 6-inch Windows 10 phablet powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset.

Source

January 13, 2016
Windows Powered Galaxy TabPro S Launches at CES 2016

The long wait is finally over. Samsung, after having ignored the Windows OS platform for sometime now, has come to the market with a Windows 10 based tablet. The Galaxy TabPro S, is a sleek tablet, which at its size is thinner than it’s main competitors, the Apple iPad Pro, and the the Surface Pro. Samsung at CES,2016 gave a sneak peak into this new offering from its stables.

The product from the outside looks better than most other Android tablets that Samsung has in the market. With its detachable keyboard case, and stylus input bears, it’s more than a passing resemblance to Microsoft’s very own Surface Pro lineup. Because of its fanless design, it runs at a sleek 6.3 mm.

Inside this frame of it, the Galaxy Tab Pro S houses a dual core 2.2 GHz Intel Core M Processor. This, paired with 4 GBs of Ram, and 128 GB/256GB of storage space, works wonders with the Windows platform to give users a smooth, stutter free experience. The TabPro S also comes equipped with a rear 5 MP camera, and a 5 MP front camera.

On the connectivity front, it comes with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and option of LTE connectivity, but sadly no HDMI, and USB ports are to be found on the TabPro S. A 12 inch Samsung Super Amoled display on the outside running a resolution of 2160×1440 is arguably the star of the show here. It’s bright, colourful, and much like the other displays on Samsung devices, has brilliant viewing angles.

The Tab comes with the much loved USB Type C Port which charges a cool 5,200 mAh battery packed inside the case.

The TabPro S, with it’s sleek looks, under the hood hardware combined with the fact that it’s running the fast growing Windows platform looks to be a sure winner. Pricing, and further details are expected by February.

January 6, 2016
Microsoft Sends Out Invites For India Launch Event

Microsoft has announced their product launch event in India for the 30th of November. They have also officially started sending out invites to Windows Insiders for the said event. Take a look at the invite –

A ‘Block Your Date’ Invite For Microsoft’s Product Launch Event in India

We can expect the launch of the two Windows 10 Lumia phones – Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL. Microsoft has also scheduled a product launch event for London and Manchester for the 2nd of December.The Lumia 950 has already gone on sale at the Microsoft Online Store.

November 25, 2015
Microsoft Sends Out Invites For Its 2nd December Product Launch Event

Microsoft is holding its launch event on the 2nd of December 2015, where it will showcase its new flagship phones with Windows 10. The two phone are – the Lumia 950 and the Lumia 950 XL. However, this event will be exclusive to Windows Insiders, who have already been invited for the scheduled event.

Apart from gaining exclusive access, they will also have the ability to purchase the two smartphones at the event. For those who do decide to purchase one of the two devices will also receive a Microsoft Display Dock, which will help them turn an external screen into a PC-like experience.

The event will be held Manchester and London at 6:00pm (local time). Both phones are expected to feature liquid cooling, USC Type-C, Windows Continuum, and 1440p OLED displays.Pre-orders for the Lumia 950 XL have already begun.

November 20, 2015
Microsoft To Discontinue Windows 7 and 8 By October 2016

On a mission to secure a goal of having Windows 10 power 1 billion devices, Microsoft’s “Window’s life cycle fact sheet” shows us that October 31st 2016 could be the last day for sales of PCs pre-installed with Windows 7 professional or Windows 8.1. This means, that post the given date, all new computers will come with Windows 10 pre-installed. However, businesses with license agreements which entitle them to choose whichever version they prefer can continue working on Windows 7 or 8.1.

This deadline is probably not the best news for users who have become comfortable with the Windows 7 and have been procrastinating the update to Windows 10. Microsoft will however benefit from this deadline, because they will finally be able to tie together PCs and other devices with apps that can run on all the devices.

Microsoft usually sets their end-of-sales date for each version of Windows after two years of the release of a new version. However, since Windows 8 didn’t receive the best of responses, Windows 7 continued to be available. This privilege may not be available anymore because of the positive response that Windows 10 has mustered up.

But, for users who really want to continue with the Windows 7, technical support has been extended up to January 14th, 2020 for all users and up till January 10th 2023 for Windows 8 users. As of now, Windows 10 is available as an “optional update” on all PCs, however, early next year, reports suggest that it could become a “recommended update”.

Windows 10 is slowly finding acceptance, so Microsoft is probably just trying to make things easier for themselves and their users. All we can do is watch and wait for the response.

November 4, 2015
Asus Launches Windows 10-Powered VivoBook with 4K Display

Asus has been on a spree, launching laptops both low-end and high-end. October has seen 4 laptops already by the company (three A-series and one ZenBook). The new laptops have been releasing with the new Windows 10 operating system. Many, if not all, OEMs have been slowly updating their existing and upcoming laptops with Windows 10. Asus launched the Asus ViviBook 4K on Monday. This laptop falls under the high-end bracket, similar to the ZenBook UX305LA.

As the name suggests, the Asus VivoBook 4K is a 4K UHD (2160×3840 pixel) laptop with wide 178-degree viewing angles. The model comes with a choice of fifth or sixth-generation Intel core i7 processor, with the base model powered by a dual-core Core i7-5500U. The VivoBook comes with 8 GB RAM (expandable to 12 GB), 2 TB hard drive storage or SSD, and NVIDIA GeForce 940M graphics.

Of course, the highlight of the VivoBook is its 4K UHD display. The 15.6-inch, 3840 x 2160 resolution display has 8 million pixels and a 282ppi pixel density. That’s about 4 times the pixel density of a standard Full HD display. The laptop will be available in Icicle Gold, Glacier Grey, Black, and Navy Blue colours.

Other features include a Super-Multi DVD player, a 3-in-1 card reader, a VGA camera, two USB 3.0 ports, a USB 2.0 port, an HDMI port, one VGA port, and one LAN RJ45 jack. The laptop also features 2W stereo speakers and a 2-cell 37Whr battery, and weighs about 2.3kg. The company has yet to unveil the price of the VivoBook, but since its understood that it is a high-end laptop similar to the ZenBook, you can expect the price tag anywhere between Rs. 80,000 – Rs. 1 lakh.

October 27, 2015
A Quick Look At All The Latest Offerings By Microsoft

In our previous post we spoke at length about Microsoft’s new Surface Book; the new notebook deserved the limelight. At the event yesterday, the company also unveiled other devices as well.

Here’s a quick look at what all we got to see:

Surface Pro 4

The widely expected follow up to the Surface Pro 3. The Windows 10-powered Surface Pro 4 comes with a 12.3-inch display, that is just slightly larger than its predecessor, and Intel’s latest 6th-generation Core M and i-series processors.

The Surface Pro 4 also features an improved backlit keyboard, a more responsive keypad, and a trackpad that has a five point multi-touch functionality and a fingerprint reader. Like the Surface Book, the Surface Pro can also use Microsoft’s new Surface Pen. The stylus offers 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity and also comes with an eraser.

Quite clearly the Surface Pen is a direct challenge to the Apple Pencil, and Microsoft did not hesitate to take a few jabs at its competition. “It’s kind of funny, there’s a Pencil out there without an eraser,” said Microsoft’s Panos Panay just before unveiling the upgraded Surface Pen 4 stylus.

The Surface Pro 4 comes out on October 26th and will start at a price of $899.

Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL

Now a look at non-Surface products. Microsoft unveiled the two new Windows 10 smartphones, the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL.

As earlier leaks have suggested, the Lumia 950 sports a 5.2-inch OLED display with 564 ppi and Qualcomm 6-core Snapdragon 808, a 20 MP primary camera with optical image stabilization. The Lumia 950 XL, on the other hand, comes with a 5.7-inch display with 518 ppi,powered by an 8-core processor and will also feature a 20 MP primary camera like the 950.

Both phones come with 32 GB of internal storage, a microSD card, and USB Type-C connector. The devices will ship in November with a price tag of $549 and $649, with the XL version costing $100 more.

Continuum Mode

The Continuum Mode is for your Lumia devices, which allows you to plug your handsets into a special adapter that connects to your desktop monitor so that you can use your phone like a regular PC. It’s tiny, easy to carry around and looks like any old USB hub.

It’s basically like looking at a bigger version of your phone’s display. The mode creates a full Windows 10-style desktop that you can navigate using the keyboard and mouse or even your phone. Universal apps, such as Mail and Word are scaled up version of the mobile apps. This is Microsoft way of telling us what the future of computing looks like, and it’s pretty neat.

The Continuum Mode feature is also available for the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4.

Microsoft Band

Here comes the Microsoft’s answer to smartwatches. The company unveiled the second version of the Microsoft Band. The first version that came out even before the Apple Watch was a bit confusing to say the least. It wasn’t a smartwatch and it wasn’t a fitness tracker, but rather a $199 device with a tiny display that showed you notifications and apps.

The second version hopes to fix the flaws. The new version has a more responsive touch and sports a tougher Gorilla Glass. The device also boasts of features such as an 11th senor (barometer) that tracks elevation changes in real-time for the fitness crazies out there. Microsoft Band is priced at $249 and will be available from the 30th of October.

October 7, 2015