A new story that claims to have inside information on the next major update for Windows, code named Threshold, should please desktop PC users, who may never have to access the Modern UI interface that was first introduced in Windows 8. The report from Neowin, which cites unnamed sources, claims that in some testing builds of Threshold, the Modern UI portion of Windows has been...
A few days ago I did a primer on InstantGo aka Connected Standby on the Surface Pro 3 and other Windows tablets. To refresh, InstantGo is a new low-power battery state the lets the system update email, Skype and other Modern apps while the device is in standby mode. But what if you think something is abnormally draining your battery? Over on the Windows Experience Blog, Kevin Chin...
One of the more interesting features of the Surface Pro 3 is perhaps the least understood and undervalued: Connected Standby (also known as InstantGo since Windows 8.1). Connected Standby is a valuable addition to the Surface Pro line, borrowing the technology from RT devices. Here's what it is and why it makes the Surface Pro 3 even better. This is Connected Standby and AOAC...
Microsoft is calling on developers to submit what APIs they need or want to be able to build apps. "As we continue to evolve and grow Windows, we want your feedback on the APIs you need to be successful," the company said in an open forum message asking developers to voice their needs. "The most useful feedback will be in the form of requests for specific APIs or specific 3rd-party...
The Dutch company Point of View has announced plans to launch three Windows 8.1 tablets in mid-July, with two 10.1 inch models joining an 8-inch variant. The new affordable tablets will be powered by Intel processors and are able to run the full version of Windows. Point of View has previously sold a number of Android tablets and phones but this is the first time they have sold...
If you are a Bing Rewards member and have a few hundred points laying around collecting dust, you can use them to remove the ads on your Outlook.com screen. For those not familiar, Bing Rewards points are earned as search for items using the Bing search engine. You can even earn points by using Bing on your Windows Phone. Points earned can then be redeemed for gift cards, contest...
To avoid the risk of electrocution, Microsoft Mobile, formerly Nokia's devices group, has issued a recall of the travel charging kit for the Lumia 2520 tablet. The kit has charging prongs for the U.S., U.K., EU, and Australia. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission in the U.S., "the plastic cover on the charger's exchangeable plugs can come loose and separate, exposing...
Microsoft released Windows 8.1 Update 1 in April, but if you have yet to install it you won't be able to get the patches that are scheduled for release today and in the future for the OS. Microsoft was going to cut off future patches to Windows 8.1 immediately after Update 1 was released, but after receiving feedback from users, the company decided to delay that move and allowed...
While Microsoft may no longer require the Kinect sensor for the Xbox One console, that's not stopping the company from selling the Windows version of the same hardware. Today, Microsoft announced it is taking pre-orders for the Kinect for Windows v2 sensor for the price of $199. Microsoft says that those pre-orders will begin shipping sometime in July, but did warn that quantities...
Google is offering early 64-bit versions of its Chrome web browser to the general public, via its Canary and Dev channels, for the first time for Windows 7 and 8 PCs. That includes Microsoft's Surface Pro tablets which use Intel's Core processors inside. In a post on the Chromium blog, Google pointed out that the majority of its users on Windows 7 have PC systems that are already...
A new report from ZDNet, citing unnamed sources, claims that Microsoft won't release its previously revealed new desktop Start menu for Windows 8 until sometime in 2015. The report claims that the the desktop Start menu was supposed to be released as part of Windows 8.1 Update 2, which is still due to be made available sometime in August. However, it now appears Microsoft has...
Dell has today announced an all-in-one PC and two new 2-in-1 Inspiron notebooks that feature 360 degree swivelling displays to rotate between laptop, easel, tent and tablet modes. The new notebooks are designed for those who actively switch between working on the keyboard to hitting up some gaming on a tablet, perfect for performing multiple tasks usually carried out by separate...
ASUS has unveiled a number of new products at Computex, including a handful of Windows devices to celebrate 25 years in the business. The company utilized the tech event to announce a new Zenbook NX500 ultrabook with 4K display, a new 4K monitor, tri-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi router, Transformer Book V with both Android and Windows 8, the Transformer Book T300 with a super-thin display, as...
Bing Maps for Windows 8.1 has introduced a whole slew of new features, ranging from user interface tweaks to tie-ins with popular services like Yelp and TripAdvisor, to expanded regional availability of transit and driving directions. The preview version of Bing Maps has added in the ability to find cities with 3D models on the map through an Explore 3D experience. You can also mark...
Back in the day, Microsoft had a neat little tool under settings called the Windows Experience Index (WEI). It rated the processor, RAM, graphics, gaming graphics and primary hard disk to give you an overall rating of your PC. It was a neat baseline tool used to compare and contrast different computers, with the higher overall score being obviously better. You could also diagnose your...
Folks looking forward to using their Xbox One controllers to play games on Windows might soon be in for a treat. In a post over on the NeoGAF forum, Xbox's Larry Hryb – or Major Nelson as we often know him – said that Windows drivers for the controller will be released "very soon." Microsoft first promised support last year and there's no doubts a lot of gamers out there eager to use...
A few WPCentral readers have asked if it’s possible to snap more than two apps on the Surface Pro 3. The answer is yes. You can snap and run up to three apps side by side by default. Adding a fourth one requires some extra steps. The Surface Pro 3 has a 12-inch 2160 x 1440 resolution display, which is 38% larger than the Surface Pro 2. There’s definitely space for a third and fourth app...
When the Surface Pro 3 was announced, one thing that might have stood out is the aspect ratio of the display. The 12-inch screen with 2160 x 1440 resolution has a 3:2 aspect ratio. That may be unusual because previous Surfaces had widescreen 16:9 aspect ratios. While 16:9 is great for watching movies, it makes a narrower screen in portrait mode. WPCentral forum member trainplane and...
One of the lesser known features in OneDrive is Groups, which, as the name implies, lets users not only create groups of contacts to share folders with, but also delegate a “co-owner” who can manage the group as well. And though Groups may not be one of the highly-publicized perks of OneDrive, it does enjoy a bit of a cult following. Sadly for that group of OneDrive users, Microsoft...
When we got our hands on the new Surface Pro 3 yesterday, Microsoft has already attached the Surface Pen to the new Type Cover. While it does a great job at securing the Pen, we’re not completely happy with the way it looks. Check out some of the other ways you can attach the Surface Pen to the Surface Pro 3. Head past the break to watch the video. 1. There’s space between the new...