As part of the Build 2026 developer conference, Microsoft spent much of its time discussing AI agents, local AI models, and new hardware for developers. While those announcements grabbed the headlines, some of the most interesting news was much smaller in scope.

As someone who spends a lot of time covering the desktop version of the operating system and apps, four announcements stood out to me, including Coreutils, WSL Containers, Intelligent Terminal, and Windows Developer Configurations.

Warning: These tools are not flashy for home users. However, they show that the company is determined to make the operating system more capable and developer-friendly by reducing the friction that has traditionally pushed developers toward Linux or macOS.

Coreutils finally brings familiar Linux tools to Windows 11

I spend a lot of my time typing commands, and while I spend the most time using Command Prompt, I also use Linux, and sometimes I feel that some of the commands are better on Linux.

Windows 11 already includes some tools based on Linux, such as sudo, curl, and tar, but one of the more surprising announcements from Build 2026 was the general availability of Coreutils.

The Coreutils for Windows is based on the open-source uutils project, and it brings Linux-style command-line utilities directly to Windows 11. For developers who regularly switch between Linux servers, cloud environments, containers, and local Windows 11 machines, this means many familiar commands (such as ls, cp, touch, mkdir, and pwd) can work natively without relying on third-party ports or workarounds.

This may not sound like a major feature, but it addresses a long-standing pain point that Microsoft is trying to fix with the Windows K2 initiative. Consistency counts when you're switching between operating systems throughout the day. The less time spent remembering platform-specific differences, the more time you can spend actually building software.

You can install Coreutils from GitHub or by using Windows Package Manager with the "winget install Microsoft.Coreutils" command.

WSL Containers could make Docker optional for many developers

At Build 2026, the company also announced WSL Containers, which is a huge deal. In the past, if you wanted to run Linux containers on Windows 11, you had to install third-party platforms like Docker Desktop, Podman, or Rancher Desktop. However, WSL Containers introduces a built-in container runtime that replaces the dependency on third-party solutions in the operating system, using a new command-line tool called "wslc.exe" and an API.

According to the company, the WSL CLI uses a new binary that works out of the box for building, running, and deploying Linux containers.

The API for the container feature provides access to run "Linux containers programmatically" on native apps for Windows 11.

Behind the scenes, instead of requiring a complex, heavy third-party VM setup, WSLC spins up OCI-compatible Linux containers inside a dedicated, highly optimized Hyper-V utility VM managed natively by Windows 11. This virtual machine is completely isolated from your standard Linux distributions (like Ubuntu or Debian) and communicates with Windows via high-speed Hyper-V sockets.

The good news is that if you already know Docker, you know how to use WSLC, since the commands are pretty much identical. For example, to run a container, you'd need to run a command like: "wslc run -d -p 8080:80 --name web nginx". In Docker, you would have run the "docker run -d -p 8080:80 --name web nginx" command.

Although anyone can use containers, Microsoft is adding policies to manage the feature using familiar controls.

Containers for WSL are not yet available, but the company will release this support in the coming months through regular updates for the Windows Subsystem for Linux.

Intelligent Terminal is one of the more practical AI features Microsoft announced

Build 2026 included no shortage of AI announcements, but Intelligent Terminal was one of the few that immediately felt interesting.

The feature integrates AI agents directly into the terminal experience. Instead of copying error messages into a browser, searching for solutions, and manually applying fixes, developers can receive context-aware assistance without leaving the command line.

In other words, to avoid another AI backlash, the company forked a separate version of the Windows Terminal and added support for connecting AI agents, such as GitHub Copilot, rather than integrating Copilot into the Windows Terminal.

Microsoft says the feature can surface relevant context when commands fail, suggest solutions, and help complete multi-step tasks directly in the terminal.

Whether it'll become an essential developer tool remains to be seen, but unlike many AI demonstrations that focus on future possibilities, Intelligent Terminal addresses a workflow problem developers encounter every day.

On Windows 11, you can install the Intelligent Terminal via the Microsoft Store, directly from Command Prompt (as an admin) using the "winget install Microsoft.IntelligentTerminal" command, and you can download the tool from GitHub.

Windows Developer Configurations solves a problem every developer has experienced

Setting up a new development or testing machine is rarely anyone's favorite task, as it takes time and a very long list of steps.

Windows Developer Configurations aims to make that process dramatically easier through the Windows Package Manager (winget) configuration file (dev-config.winget), which installs common developer tools, applies recommended settings, and prepares a machine for development or testing with a single command.

The configuration includes tools such as Visual Studio Code, GitHub Copilot, PowerShell 7, WSL, Git, Python, and more. It can also apply developer-focused settings for the operating system, including showing file extensions and enabling Git integration in File Explorer.

This is not a tool that you need to install. Instead, it's a configuration file with the ".winget" extension, where you can specify how you want to configure a particular setup. Microsoft has published a README file listing everything you can install and configure on the project's official GitHub page.

What I like most about this announcement is that it focuses on reducing setup time. Whether you're replacing a device, configuring multiple systems, or preparing computers for new developers, getting from a clean installation to a productive environment becomes much faster.

Windows Central's Take

I found these announcements more interesting than some of the bigger Build 2026 reveals. New AI hardware and ambitious agent platforms are important, but they're also aimed at a relatively small audience. Coreutils, WSL Containers, Intelligent Terminal, and Windows Developer Configurations focus on something much more practical, making Windows 11 easier to develop on.

Microsoft has spent years making its operating system a more welcoming platform for developers, and these announcements continue that effort. Instead of pushing Windows-specific approaches, the company is increasingly embracing the tools, workflows, and technologies developers already use. They're not flashy features, but they're the type of improvements that can save time every day.

A lot of people will never use any of these tools, but developers build the apps we use every day. If Microsoft can make its operating system a better platform for developers, the benefits eventually reach far beyond developers themselves.

What are your thoughts on Microsoft's latest developer tools for Windows 11? Let me know in the comments!

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

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This week was arguably the most pivotal week of the year for Microsoft. Computex and Build landed back-to-back, giving the tech giant the opportunity to announce the Surface Laptop Ultra and Surface RTX Spark Dev Box as well as teach developers how to build apps for the "age of AI agents."

Microsoft didn’t arrive at the agentic web this week. It started laying the foundation a year ago at Build 2025, then spent the next twelve months turning that architecture into real tools.

That phrase, "age of AI agents," is actually from Frank Shaw's recap of Build 2025, not this year's conference, and that's the point. Microsoft laid the groundwork for the agentic web last year and has spent the past twelve months turning that vision into real tools developers can use.

Here are the key Build 2025 announcements Shaw highlighted:

• GitHub Copilot coding agent and new updates to GitHub Models
• Windows AI Foundry
• Azure AI Foundry Models and new tools for model evaluation
• Microsoft 365 Copilot Tuning and multi-agent orchestration

A major focus of last year's Build conference was supporting open standards and shared infrastructure. Microsoft added first-party support for Model Context Protocol (MCP) across GitHub, Copilot Studio, Dynamics 365, Azure AI Foundry, Semantic Kernel, and Windows 11.

Microsoft also introduced a project called NLWeb at Build 2025, which Shaw compared to HTML but for the agentic web.

Fast forward to this year's Build conference and you'll hear many of the same points of emphasis.

"Developers don’t need another way to just build and run an agent or app. They need trust. They need native context and knowledge. Most of all, they need choice to access the right model for the right problem," said Kyle Daigle, Chief Operating Officer of GitHub.

This year Microsoft focused on every layer of the AI stack. The company now has a platform for creating agents, a set of models tuned for agentic workloads, and new tools for building AI‑driven experiences across Windows, the web, and Microsoft 365.

Microsoft IQ is a context layer that grounds agents to world knowledge and enterprise knowledge. In plain English, Microsoft IQ helps models produce results that are based on relevant information rather than bringing in generic data.

Tools that are part of Microsoft IQ ground agents to specific data from organizations, such as communication and documents across Microsoft 365. The newly announced Web IQ grounds agents to the latest information available.

Microsoft also announced an always-on personal work agent called "Scout," an entire family of AI models, and all the remaining pieces to create a full pipeline from building agents to users relying on those agents.

Microsoft spent a year turning the agentic web from a concept into a stack. Build 2026 isn’t a reset, it’s the second half of a plan the company laid out twelve months ago. The next step is seeing whether developers actually build on it.

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Microsoft's expansion into more layers of the AI landscape will put pressure on OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. It should also give developers more options and reduce how much it costs to use AI.

Microsoft announced seven in-house models during Build 2026, though some of them are variants of the same bases. The flagship model is MAI-Thinking-1, which is the company's first reasoning model.

MAI-Thinking-1 is built for efficiency and performance, but Microsoft emphasized the low token cost of the model in a blog post. The tech giant was eager to share that MAI-Thinking-1 matched Opus 4.6 on coding abilities.

With Microsoft owning the model and the cloud compute powering the experience, the tech giant can reduce costs to developers.

Here are all the new models from Microsoft:

• MAI-Thinking-1
• MAI-Code-1-Flash
• MAI-Image-2.5
• MAI-Image-2.5-Flash
• MAI-Transcribe-1.5
• MAI-Voice-2
• MAI-Voice-2-Flash

Microsoft's Mustafa Suleyman discussed the new models:

"All these models are built on a shared foundation, hill-climbing from the bottom with zero distillation. They share the same data discipline, the same infrastructure and the same evaluation framework. They are designed to work together, and to integrate directly into the products people use every day. But the models themselves are only part of the story."

A major differentiator is that Microsoft’s new models use zero distillation. Distillation is the process of training a smaller model to imitate a larger, preexisting one. It’s cheaper and faster than training a model from scratch, but it also limits the ceiling of the resulting model because the "student" can only ever match the behavior of its "teacher."

Microsoft stresses that its new models are “trained from scratch with zero distillation,” meaning they aren’t imitations of another system. They’re original architectures.

MAI-Image-2.5 and its flash variant are the first models from Microsoft capable of text-to-image and image-to-image workloads. Both new image models are rolling out to PowerPoint and OneDrive for Foundry (preview) users.

MAI models will be available on Fireworks AI, Baseten, and Open Router in the future.

Microsoft has invested in AI to the tune of billions of dollars over the last few years. Azure powers several of the most popular AI tools and Microsoft works closely with the biggest AI companies. But Microsoft now has its own in-house models.

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I love mini PCs, and as such, ASUS has all my attention with its dual Computex and Microsoft Build reveal of its new Ascent QN10.

On the outside, it looks like a normal mini PC that could have been made by any of the manufacturers in the space. But inside it has what I've been waiting to see.

Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X2 Elite. Hoo boy.

So let's get right down to business. The releases from both Build and Computex are, of course, full of talk about AI, and yes, this is very much an AI PC. Like pretty much everything else coming out right now.

But here's what we're looking at on the hardware front.

ASUS is proud to declare the Ascent QN10 as the world's first mini PC with an 80 TOPS NPU inside. Being a Snapdragon X2 Elite-powered device, it'll of course also be fully Copilot+ compatible.

I tried using a mini PC as a primary machine in 2025 and quickly found there are very few drawbacks. Generally they have more ports than I'll ever use, they take up no space, they're quiet and efficient, and they're perfect for an unseasonable British heatwave because they're not spitting great lumps of hot air back into my office.

Whether for work, play, or, yes, AI, a mini PC really can do it all, and there's nothing to suggest the Ascent QN10 will be any different. We already know the Snapdragon X2 Elite is highly capable, and I know first-hand that gaming on a Snapdragon PC isn't as bad as some corners of the internet would have you believe.

There is one factor to consider carefully, though.

The spec sheet for the Ascent QN10 states that it tops out at 32GB RAM. Admittedly, for the majority of users this is fine. I have 32GB in my own mini PC and equally so in my gaming rig.

But Intel and AMD-powered mini PCs can offer much more than this. The QN10 and its Snapdragon platform uses LPDDR5X memory, which is great, but also not user-upgradeable. By contrast, my own Geekom A9 Max with a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 at its heart uses SODIMM, which, while slower and less efficient, can be upgraded.

This is the tradeoff we'll have to make. But it does mean that for some workloads, including as an example, running larger local AI models, the QN10 might not be for you.

Nevertheless, I'm excited for this. As a do-it-all machine, it looks like it'll tick more than enough boxes. Windows on Arm is better than its ever been, and Qualcomm is a huge part of that.

Hopefully this kickstarts the rest of the PC makers into having a go themselves and not just with the higher-end chips. What we still need to know is how much it'll cost and when we can get one. But for now, color me impressed.

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It's only Tuesday and thanks to Computex and Microsoft Build I'm officially exhausted of hearing about AI. We get it, OK. All you big tech companies out there REALLY want us to know that AI is something you want us to use.

The latest to get slapped with the AI stick is Windows Terminal, an app that is easily one of Microsoft's current finest. The positive is that Windows Terminal itself hasn't been altered, but instead forked, and from there we have the new, experimental Intelligent Terminal.

It's available now and is described simply by Microsoft as "an open-source experimental fork of Windows Terminal with native agent integration." Yay for AI agents, I guess.

I sound snarky out of that exhaustion I've already spoken of. Right now I want to hear about an interesting new product or piece of software that doesn't talk about AI. We can dream, though, right?

The key thing to remember here is that this is a completely separate app, and if you want no part of native AI agents, your existing Windows Terminal is completely fine and untouched.

As a result of Intelligent Terminal emerging, Microsoft has also confirmed that Terminal Chat in Canary is being deprecated. Use Intelligent Terminal instead.

Snark aside, Intelligent Terminal looks to have some useful features, beyond just the fact it hooks into an agent. What's been shown so far is actually good stuff, such as error detection that will ping information and suggestions on why something failed into the agent panel.

I also like that the Command Palette can be used as an on-ramp to answering questions. You can use it to ask questions about the content in your current terminal session, and the agent will open in the background so as not to get in the way.

I'm sure there are plenty of developers out there that will find Intelligent Terminal useful, and anyone interested can get it right now from the Microsoft Store, winget, or hit up the GitHub repo.

Naturally, GitHub Copilot is the default agent, but you can use any ACP-compatible agent in its place if you prefer.

AI skepticism is still out there, though, and two of the early comments on Microsoft's announcement post are a perfect example. The important thing is that, at least for now, the regular version of Windows Terminal is completely untouched. That's how it probably needs to stay as well.

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AI Agents have been one of the hottest topics at Build this year. Improvements to Windows 11 allow AI agents to run in sandboxes to protect the rest of the operating system. Security features will ensure you can see what agents are doing on Windows.

Even Microsoft's unveiling of the Surface Laptop Ultra focused heavily on agents. So it should come as no surprise that Microsoft has several improvements in the works to help agents.

Microsoft IQ, which was just featured Build, is a new context layer that grounds agents. Using different tools, it can use both general knowledge and enterprise-specific information.

"Agents are only as good as the context we give them," said Elijah Straight during the Build keynote.

A main benefit of Microsoft IQ is that it's grounded. By gathering internal enterprise knowledge and data from the web, Microsoft IQ can yield specific results based on specific data.

Microsoft IQ is now available across GitHub Copilot, Microsoft Foundry, and Copilot Studio. It is made up four parts:

• Work IQ: Captures what happens across Microsoft 365, organizational systems, and external sources.
• Fabric IQ: Provides a shared semantic foundation over business data.
• Foundry IQ: Connects data together and can retrieve information from enterprise knowledge and the web.
• Web IQ: An AI-first web search stack that Microsoft claims delivers relevant results 2.5 times faster than the best alternative.

The Work IQ APIs will become generally available on June 16.

Microsoft Scout was also announced at Build. It's a personal agent for work that's available in preview to Frontier customers. Scout is built on OpenClaw and WorkIQ and integrates with Teams, Outlook, and other tools.

Scout understands how you work, according to Microsoft. It can proactively perform tasks such as preparing for a meeting and sorting scheduling conflicts based on the services you connect it to.

Why you should care about agents

AI agents automate the boring part of using a PC. When they have enough data and context, agents can act like personal assistants built specifically for you, not just generic AI tools. They watch for the patterns in how you work, understand the information you rely on and step in to handle repetitive tasks.

Agents work in the background and take care of routine actions, freeing you to focus on work that requires creativity or insight.

The new agent layers unveiled at Build and highlighted during the conference should connect AI to specific data to make more personal tools and drive better results.

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Just days after announcing the RTX Spark-powered Surface Laptop Ultra (coming later this year), Microsoft has today announced a second RTX Spark device for the Surface portfolio, this time aimed solely at developers looking for a mini PC that can run sustained AI workloads with a 100W thermal envelope.

Officially dubbed the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, this Microsoft-made mini PC will be available to purchase later this year, and features one petaflip of AI compute power and 128GB of unified memory, which is capable of running up to 120B parameter models locally without needing to reach out to the cloud.

It also features WSL2 with native GPU passthrough, full CUDA support, Visual Studio Code, GitHub Copilot, and many other Microsoft-made developer tools pre-installed.

No other details about the device have been revealed, and pricing is still a mystery. But since we know RTX Spark devices won't be cheap, expect this device to cost somewhere in the thousands when it ships later this year.

The Surface RTX Dev Box will be Microsoft's first Surface-branded mini PC. This isn't the first dev box that the company has shipped, however. In 2023, Microsoft shipped the Windows Developer Kit, powered by a Snapdragon 8cx Gen3 with 32GB RAM, aimed at developers looking to build Windows apps for Arm.

The Surface RTX Spark Dev Box is a much more polished product, with a much wider target audience. It's for developers, but not just developers who want to build for Windows on Arm. It's for all developers, looking to build software and AI experiences. The company wants Windows to be the platform for developers, not just Windows developers.

We'll have more to share about the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box as information becomes available. In the meantime, is this a product you might be interested in buying? Let us know in the comments.

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We're at the start of a major week for Windows and PCs that will shape the rest of the year and echo into 2027 and beyond. Computex is in full swing and Microsoft Build is about to start.

Microsoft Build may be for developers, but it will showcase some of the most exciting advances of the year for Windows and AI. Microsoft and NVIDIA just unveiled the NVIDIA RTX Spark platform, which centers around the N1x chip and promises to usher in "a new era of PC."

RTX Spark will bring workstation-class performance to Windows on ARM. Creators, gamers, and developers will all benefit from the new platform. At Build 2026, Microsoft will discuss Windows agents (AI assistants that can perform actions on your behalf).

Microsoft will also demonstrate how agents can be used to build modern Windows applications and how AI can help port Windows apps to run natively on ARM. Microsoft is in the middle of a push to make more native applications and to swap several parts of Windows 11 to native code. The tech giant will share lessons learned from that process during Build.

You can watch Nadella's keynote live without having to signing up anywhere. If you want to see more of Microsoft Build, you'll need to register through Microsoft's website.

Tickets to Microsoft Build 2026 are sold out, and they cost $1,099 when they were available. While you can no longer get tickets to attend in person, you can watch the event's keynote and several sessions online.

The session catalog for this year's Build conference includes hundreds of sessions, but many of those are limited to in-person attendees.

Luckily for you, we'll cover all the biggest stories from Build. So make sure to check in throughout the week.

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New Surface hardware could be unveiled as soon as next week, and it looks like the potential PCs will be much more exciting than the business versions of the Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8.

Simultaneous X posts from NVIDIA and Microsoft promise "a new era of PC." The posts spun the rumor mill into gear, creating buzz for Computex and Microsoft Build.

We don't have any confirmation of what's on the way. Both NVIDIA and Microsoft used the same phrasing to tease the announcement, and they clearly left in clues for people to figure out.

So, what would classify as "a new era of PC?" Microsoft's Pavan Davuluri, who leads Windows and Surface, already ruled out a new operating system version. It seems safe to say that the upcoming announcement is not about Windows 12 (which isn't confirmed to be real anyway).

The image shared by Davuluri looks like a piece of a curved display.

Microsoft's Build conference kicks off next week, so we won't have to wait long to find out what the hints are about. We may not even have to wait until then.

The X posts from Microsoft and NVIDIA mention "25.0528" and "121.5990" Those number aligns perfectly with the longitude and latitude of the Taipei Music Center, which is where Computex takes place. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang will hold a keynote at the event on June 1.

The Verge speculates that the announcement could be related to NVIDIA's rumored N1 and N1X chips. VideoCardz goes ever further by sharing screenshots of a Dell embargo related to NVIDIA's N1X.

Rumors of the N1X chip have swirled for years. A leak in January suggested the processor will be a "20‑core Arm + RTX GPU monster," as our Cale Hunt put it.

If rumors and leaks are accurate, NVIDIA's N1X would challenge decades of x86 dominance by introducing a powerful, high-end ARM processor to the market. That could certainly usher in a "new era of PC."

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Microsoft will not hold its Build developer conference in Seattle, Washington, in 2026. The change appears to be permanent, or at least long-term, because the tech giant has reportedly canceled holds of the convention center used for Build "for all future years."

“Our plans for Build 2026 have changed, but our vision to empower builders and developers at a major event next year remains unchanged,” a Microsoft spokesperson told The Seattle Medium. “We appreciate the city and community for their support over the years.”

The change is reportedly due to the rise in homelessness, drug use, and criminal activity, according to The Seattle Medium. An email seen by the outlet indicated attendee experience in the city led to Microsoft's decision.

"Customers cited the general uncleanliness of the streets, visible drug use, and the presence of unhoused individuals, including a recurring tent in the Arch Tunnel," said the email. That same message stated that Microsoft had raised concerns about these issues previously.

Ironically, similar issues were believed to have led to Microsoft's decision to relocate Build from San Francisco, where it was held in 2013, 2014, and 2016, to Seattle in 2017 and beyond.

Microsoft's statement to The Seattle Medium and the internal email appear to be at odds. The spokesperson did not mention the concerns raised in the email in the public statement. When pressed on the topic, Microsoft repeated the same statement to The Verge.

Moving Build away from Seattle will result in a significant loss of booked rooms and spending in the area. The internal email stated that 4,500 attendees were expected to attend Build 2026.

Microsoft has not shared where Build 2026 will be held at this time. There is a chance that the conference could be converted to an online-only event. Build did not have an in-person component in 2020-2022 due to the global pandemic.

Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, are a short drive from Seattle, so the tech giant could relocate the conference from downtown Seattle while remaining in the general area.

While neither Microsoft's statement nor the internal email mentioned protests as a factor in the decision, it's worth noting that the last two Microsoft events have been affected by demonstrations. Protesters interrupted Build 2025 three times. All of those protests centered around Microsoft's cloud contracts with the Israeli government.

Microsoft will hold its developer-focused Build conference in Seattle, Washington from May 19 until May 22. The company shared few details about Build 2025 when confirming the dates of the event, but it's a safe bet to assume AI will be a heavy focus.

"Sign up below to receive the most up-to-date information about Microsoft Build," states the welcome page when you choose to be notified about Build 2025. "Explore the latest innovations in code and application development—and gain insights from peers and experts from around the world."

What is Microsoft Build?

Microsoft Build is a conference aimed at software engineers and web developers. The annual event usually falls in May, which is the case this year. Build is an important event for developers and engineers to learn about Microsoft's available technologies and tools. It also serves as an excellent networking opportunity for those within the industry. Ultimately, the tools discussed at Build each year are used to make technology used by a massive audience. Additionally, Microsoft often shares some news that's immediately of interest to everyday users.

Build 2024 focused largely on AI, which is hardly a shock given trends in tech. Microsoft discussed AI agents and last year's Build conference and shipped Phi-3 vision models. The tech giant also showed off Edge's real-time translation capabilities and announced support for custom emojis in Microsoft Teams at Build 2024. Qualcomm even joined in on the fun by announcing its Snapdragon X Elite-powered mini PC, though that device was later cancelled.

Last year, Microsoft held a private event the day before Build to announce the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7, both of which featured Snapdragon X chips. Microsoft does have new Surface hardware on the way, but those devices could be announced at an event further away from Build 2025. Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden said "Microsoft intends to begin shipping these smaller Surface PCs in the April/May timeframe." We'll have to see how the dates of that product launch line up with Build.

What you need to know

• At Build 2024, Microsoft has shown off some new features coming to the Windows Subsystem for Linux that will tighten up the integration between the two. 
• Alongside some enterprise features, WSL will be installable through Winget, get its own dedicated settings app, and have the ability to manage distros though Dev Home. 
• The WSL extension for Dev Home is up on GitHub to be tried out right now. 

Microsoft Build is a developer conference and one of the best dev tools on Windows 11 is the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). The 2024 incarnation of the conference has seen much talk of AI, and was of course preceded by the big Copilot+ PC event. But I love WSL, so I've been looking out for some goodness, and on day three, it dropped. 

Per Microsoft's Kayla Cinnamon, and Microsoft MVP Hayden Barnes, both of whom were in the session, we know of some new features coming to WSL that will further tighten its integration with Windows 11. 

Breaking down the key points quickly, WSL will soon be getting: 

• A dedicated settings app.
• The ability to manage WSL distros through the Dev Home app. 
• Ability to install WSL through the Windows Package Manager (Winget). 

I'm actually surprised it took this long for WSL to be installable through Winget. Some may feel it's not necessary, since you can already get going with just a single command in PowerShell, but the Windows Package Manager has wider reaching implications. It's integrated with Dev Home and is useful for deploying software in bulk, so it's a nice addition. It just makes setting up a development environment that little more convenient.

What's also fun is that WSL is apparently getting its own settings application. BLASPHEMY, I hear some cry. But let's face it, doing everything with config files all the time can get a little old. Especially if you just want to make one or two tweaks. And, you know, a settings app will be much more welcoming to newcomers, so I'm all for that.

The final part, the part you can play with right now, is the integration of WSL into Dev Home and the ability to manage your distros. It was built by the team behind Pengwin, an enterprise-focused WSL distro, and you can grab it from its GitHub page to install on your own machine. 

If you already have distros installed, they'll be immediately recognized in the Environments tab. From here you can stop and launch them at will, but you can also quickly spin up a new WSL environment with a couple of clicks. No need to go out to the Microsoft Store or into Windows Terminal, just choose what you want to set up and in no time at all it'll be ready to roll. 

In the past, I've featured a third-party tool that offered this feature, and some more advanced features on top. But it's clear Microsoft is making a big play with Dev Home to be the center of a developer's setup, and I'll never argue with anyone helping to make life easier. 

What you need to know

• Microsoft announced several new and upcoming Teams features during Build 2024.
• Teams Premium users have new AI features, including the option to have AI-generated recaps made from meetings that were only set to be transcribed, rather than recorded.
• Custom app and web experiences powered by Teams are more capable as well, and now support features such as real-time transcription and support for PowerPoint Live.
• Custom emoji support, slash commands, and several other features are on the way to Teams and Loop.

Microsoft unveiled new features for Microsoft Teams at Build 2024. The improvements to Teams include everything from AI capabilities such as using intelligent recap in meetings with only transcription enabled to Live Reactions within custom app experiences connect to Teams. Many of the new features are already generally available, while others will ship gradually over the coming weeks and months.

There is a TON of Microsoft news this week, including new Surface devices, arguably the biggest Windows update in decades, and the entirety of the developer-focused Build conference. Here's a quick rundown of what's new and on the way to Teams.

New AI features

• Intelligent recap support for meetings with only transcription enabled.
• Meeting organizers will be able to manage who can record and transcribe meetings.
• Prevent users from sharing content in externally hosted meetings.

The new AI features listed above are exclusive to Microsoft Teams Premium users. Previously, you could only use intelligent recap for meetings that were recorded. With the new capability, you'll be able to get an AI-generated recap even if a meeting was only set to have transcription enabled.

Another transcription-related feature is that meeting organizers will be able to set "Who can record" controls to include transcription.

Lastly, Microsoft Teams now has the option to prevent users  from sharing content within externally hosted meetings. IT admins can set this on a per-meeting basis.

Improvements and new features for custom app experiences

• Microsoft PowerPoint Live
• Live reactions
• File sharing during a meeting
• Real-time transcription using Azure AI Speech
• Close captions
• Picture-in-picture for iOS and Android
• Noise suppression during a video call
• Call Diagnostics Center analysis

Many custom apps and web experiences use Microsoft Teams for communication. There's a good chance that you've chatted with someone through Teams without knowing the specific service that powered the back end of the video call or chat. These experiences are common among healthcare providers and in some other industries. Microsoft has several new features for custom app experience that are connected to Teams.

All of the new capabilities are straightforward, but welcome, changes to custom app experiences. For example, real-time transcription using Azure AI speech (in preview) can help keep text records, which are requirements for many in medicine and other fields. Closed captions are also useful as they improve accessibility.

PowerPoint Live support and the ability to share files during a meeting make custom app experience a bit closer to the experience you'd expect from Microsoft Teams.

New features in Microsoft Teams and Loop

• Custom emojis and reactions in Teams
• Slash commands in the compose box
• Unfurling permalinks
• Loop-supported Code Blocks
• Mermaid integration into Loop Code Blocks
• Adaptive Card-based Loop components

Microsoft Teams and Loop users have plenty of new features on the way as well, even if they do not subscribe to Teams Premium. Custom emojis have been in the works for a while and are finally going to ship to Teams. These are quite popular in competing platforms, such as Slack, and should be a welcome addition to Teams.

Another Slack-like feature on the way to Teams is support for slash commands. These allow users to use / and a shortcut within the compose box for frequent tasks. Microsoft didn't specify which slash commands will work within Teams, but if support is anything like what's in Slack, the feature will be robust.

Unfurling permalinks, adaptive card-based Loop components, and the other new features in Teams and Loop make a richer experience for users. Adaptive card-based Loop component support is versatile, as it supports components from services such as Trello, Jira, and Confluence Cloud.

Satya kicked off Build 2023 with a retrospective on the so-called Dream Machine pursuit. From contemplating the concept of computers to their ubiquitous presence in households, we have witnessed revolutions such as the Internet and the iPhone. In Satya's words, the launch of ChatGPT last November signifies our metaphorical shift from the bicycle to steam-powered machinery.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Microsoft Build 2023 placed AI at the forefront. Allow me to provide you with a brief overview of some key highlights from this year's developer conference.

1. ChatGPT gets Bing Integration

Since the public release of ChatGPT, it lacked a key component that would enable it to surface new information beyond the so-called cutoff date. The integration of Bing effectively addresses this challenge.

At Build 2023, Microsoft reaffirmed its Partnership with OpenAI. There was no doubt that Bing would eventually find its way to serving 100 million reported monthly users, but Microsoft highlighted the expansion at this week's developer conference. After the implementation, ChatGPT users will gain a powerful new capability to access fresh information from the web.

Read more here: Bing integration with ChatGPT will blur the lines between OpenAI and Microsoft chatbots. 

2. Bing Chat gets boosted with plug-ins

In its quest to enhance productivity, Microsoft is introducing plugins for Bing Chat. These plugins serve various purposes, such as a plugin that knows the type of houses you are looking for and can help you search by not showing you what doesn't fit your criteria, effectively streamlining the search process.

Developers now have access to a unified platform that allows them to create plugins compatible with ChatGPT, Bing, Dynamics 365 Copilot, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and Windows Copilot. With the introduction of plugin support in Bing, the search engine can seamlessly integrate with a diverse range of services.

Earlier, Wolfram | Alpha and OpenTable plugins were already announced for Bing. Microsoft has also revealed plans to add plugins for Expedia, Instacart, Kayak, Klarna, Redfin, TripAdvisor, and Zillow to Bing. Additionally, Bing Chat will soon feature plugins for Bandsintown, Bohita, Cloudflare, Coupert, Fareportal, FiscalNote, Golden, Lexi Shopper, Likewise, Notable, One Word Domains, PromptPerfect, Shopify, Skyscanner, Spotify, Spotnana, and Trip.com.

Read more: Bing Chat will get boosted by plugins — here's which ones are on the way

3. Windows 11 gets its own AI assistant

This one is actually huge. Microsoft is undoubtedly capitalizing on the AI revolution by integrating ChatGPT technology into many of its products. But Windows, being the largest canvas of them all, may just be the most important one by far. 

Windows Copilot will help you use the computer in a whole new way, with examples ranging from simple tasks such as asking the Copilot to boost your productivity and allowing it to change your theme to dark and set the focus mode, all the way to dragging a legal Word document onto the Copilot and asking it to pull up plugins that understand the law of your state, so you can ask it to make certain changes to the document according to the law.

Microsoft Chief Product Officer Panos Panay stated that Windows has become the pioneer PC platform in offering centralized AI assistance for customers. He further emphasized the advantages of utilizing Bing Chat and a wide array of first and third-party plugins. This integrated approach enables users to concentrate on materializing their ideas, accomplishing intricate projects, and fostering collaboration, rather than expending energy on searching, launching, and working across numerous applications.

Read more: Windows 11 is getting its own integrated AI assistant, powered by Bing Chat and ChatGPT

4. Windows 11 is getting cloud-powered OS backup and restore

To ease up the AI revolution, we have selected this highly welcomed new functionality as noteworthy. Smartphone owners have long enjoyed a similar functionality, where you could buy a new device and upon the first start, simply log in to your platform account and select "Restore my apps" from the cloud backup. And now Windows will be able to do the same.

Read more: Windows 11 is FINALLY getting a cloud-powered backup and restore feature

5. Windows 11 on ARM devices gets a big boost

Last but not least, Microsoft is finally pushing ARM further ahead. The competition (notably Apple) has leapfrogged Microsoft in this race, but because Microsoft has no intention of dropping x86 support, they have been slow in adopting ARM architecture to make it a viable alternative for Windows users. 

With Build 2023, this is moving ahead, and we can now expect Visual Studio with MAUI for ARM, Node 20 with native ARM support, and Unity Player becoming publicly available for ARM natively, expanding developer support for devices like the Surface Pro X. 

Read more: Windows 11 on ARM just got a big boost at Microsoft Build 2023

Watch the full Microsoft Build 2023 keynote

Microsoft Build 2023 also had a ton of other announcements. Some notable additions included adding RGB lighting support into Windows 11, allowing gamers to bypass the litany of poor third-party tools. Microsoft is also giving developers a way to work with GitHub via the command line by harnessing the power of AI, alongside deeper integration between Windows and GitHub in general. We're getting a refreshed version of the Windows 11 filesystem to boost compiling speed, and even avatars in Microsoft Teams.

What was your favorite Microsoft Build 2023 announcement? Drop in the comments, let us know! 

What you need to know

• Dates have leaked online for Microsoft Build 2023.
• The event will have both in-person and digital components, based on a leaked slide.
• Today's leaks line up with previous information about Build 2023 that emerged last month.

Microsoft Build 2023 will run from May 23-25, according to a leak shared by WalkingCat on Twitter. The dates for the developer conference align with previous leaks about the event as well as the general timeframe that Build occurs each year (Build 2022 was held May 24-26).

Last month, the same dates leaked, courtesy of Twitter users @XenoPanther. We now have more information about the event. WalkingCat has a good track record of leaking information, so their tweet adds authority to the dates of the event.

Build 2023 will have a global digital component May 23-24. An in-person event in Seattle will also run from May 23-25. Pre-Day workshops will be held in Seattle on May 22, 2023.

Last year's Build had limited in-person attendance. The slide shared by WalkingCat does not mention if there will be limits on how many people can attend the Seattle component of the event.

Microsoft's Build conference focuses on Windows, Azure, and Microsoft 365 developers. General consumers shouldn't expect too much that affects them immediately, but Microsoft could always squeeze in some major announcements. Many of the announcements affect general users in the long run, such as Edge gaining new capabilities or new options for developers within Microsoft Teams.

Last year, Microsoft announced new features for Loop components and the fact that it would open the Windows 11 widgets panel to third-party developers. The latter of those paved the way for a Spotify widget on Windows 11. Microsoft also announced the Windows Dev Kit 2023 (previously known as Project Volterra) at Build 2022.

This is a developing news story, and we will update it as more information becomes available.

What you need to know

• Dates for Microsoft's annual Build developer conference have leaked ahead of announcement.
• Viewing the page source of the Microsoft Build website reveals the dates May 23-25.
• Last year's Build conference was held on May 24-26 in Seattle and online.

Microsoft's annual Build conference for Windows, Azure, and Microsoft 365 developers is yet to receive an official event date, though the event itself has been confirmed to be taking place at some point this year. Now, a quick peek at the Microsoft Build website's page source has revealed the potential date.

As spotted by @XenoPanther on Twitter, the date "May 23-25, 2023" can be seen when checking the page source on the Microsoft Build website, giving us a solid reason to think that's the date Microsoft Build 2023 will be held.

The current live version of the Microsoft Build website was just recently updated to say the following: "Thank you for your interest in Microsoft Build. We're getting ready to launch registration - check back soon!" This just suggest that Microsoft is almost ready to announce dates for the event.

Of course, the dates spotted in the page source could simply be a placeholder until Microsoft has an actual date locked in, but considering last year's Build conference took place on May 24-26, we think May 23-25 for Build 2023 is a likely candidate. This would have the event run from Tuesday to Thursday.

It's currently unclear if Build 2023 will be a hybrid digital and in-person event like last year, or if the company plans to return to an all-digital event for this year. In-person attendance was limited in 2022, with many opting to tune into the event digitally instead.

Microsoft Build is where Microsoft often announces new features for developers, including updates to the Windows App SDK, Microsoft 365, and more. Unfortunately, Microsoft rarely talks about new Windows features at Build these days, though that doesn't mean they couldn't start doing so now we know Windows 11 is being developed on a "continuous innovation" release schedule. 

What you need to know

• You can now register to virtually attend Microsoft Build 2022.
• Build 2022 is an all-digital event that will take place from May 24-26, 2022.
• Anyone can virtually attend the event for free, but registration is required.

Microsoft just opened up registration for Build 2022. The developer-focused conference is all-digital again this year and runs from May 24-26, 2022. Registering for the event is free, as is virtually attending the conference.

Build focuses on helping developers create apps and experiences. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft EVP and Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott, and Microsoft CVP and Head of the Product Development Division Amanda Silver are all set to speak at the event. In total, 13 speakers will participate.

"Join us at Microsoft Build where you will hear from Microsoft leadership in Keynotes and Core Theme Sessions," reads the description of the first session of Build. "Additionally, you will have the ability to join technical Breakout Sessions that are best suited for your role & interests and connect with your global community in the Connection Zone."

Before registration was open, Microsoft outlined a few key points for Build 2022 on the announcement page for the event (the page has since been changed):

• Learn about the latest tech and developer innovations with announcements, news, and tutorials.
• New for this year, experience market-specific content and connection opportunities for France, Germany, Japan, Latin America, and the UK.
• Ask Microsoft subject matter experts your technical questions and network with others in your area through live, interactive sessions.

Since Build is a developer-focused conference, people shouldn't expect many major bombshell pieces of news. That being said, Microsoft is prone to announce a few things that pique the interest of general users. For example, the company announces several new features for Teams and Office at Build 2021.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Build 2022 is going digital (again) and will take place from May 24-26.
• This year's event slate advertises market-specific content for certain EU nations as well as others.
• Registration will be available in late April and will be free.

You can register for this year's Microsoft Build in late April for the low price of nothing (it's free to register, virtually attend, and enjoy). The 2022 iteration of Build will be digital as it was in 2021 and take place from May 24 to May 26.

Microsoft advertises this event as being development (and by extension, developer) focused. Here are the three big items the company is centering this year's Build around, as stated on the event's announcement page:

• Learn about the latest tech and developer innovations with announcements, news, and tutorials.
• New for this year, experience market-specific content and connection opportunities for France, Germany, Japan, Latin America, and the UK.
• ​​Ask Microsoft subject matter experts your technical questions and network with others in your area through live, interactive sessions.

In order words, nothing out of the ordinary. Expect a Build 2022 session schedule to go up soon detailing what talks are happening and when. Though the event is largely developer-focused and will appeal most to those building tools, apps, and services, there are sometimes nuggets of info at Build that appeal to general consumers, such as Microsoft Teams news. Also expect fresh information for products like Visual Studio, and news pertaining to projects associated with Windows and Azure.

You can attend Build firsthand (in a virtual capacity) or wait for us to report on any big developer-related or consumer-facing announcements, as we'll be reporting on the major scoops when the event rolls around on May 24.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Build 2021 kicked off on May 25 and runs through May 27.
• It's mostly developer-focused, but some consumer-facing content has also cropped up.
• Here's everything of note from the conference so far.

Another year, another Build conference. Microsoft Build 2021 is officially underway and will be going strong from May 25 to May 27. It's open to all and registration is free, meaning you can witness over 300 sessions' worth of information firsthand.

Though the conference is mainly focused on technology topics targeting developers, the occasional announcement crops up that interests consumers and everyday Windows users. From Teams news to teases about the future of Windows, here's everything of note that's been announced so far.

The future of Windows is discussed

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella hinted at big Windows news coming in the near future. He called the teased project "one of the most significant updates to Windows of the past decade." It's being referred to as the "next generation" of Windows (note the lack of a Windows 10-specific mention).

Edge improvements

Microsoft outlined a few ways that Edge is improving its browser game. Features such as Startup Boost and Sleeping Tabs will help keep the browser running well on low-end hardware.

Project Reunion 0.8 preview is announced

A new preview version of the Project Reunion app framework was announced at Build 2021. The preview provides support for WinUI 3 and WebView2, as well as .NET 5 applications.

Windows Terminal 1.9 preview arrives

A new preview build for the Windows Terminal app has arrived. Terminal can now be set as the default terminal emulator, among other updates. There's a new feature called Quake mode and more nifty upgrades to the app packed inside the latest preview.

Teams gets a smattering of goodies

Microsoft Teams updates are coming to make life easier for users and developers. New features for Teams' Toolkit for Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code, fluid components, shared stage integration, and more were detailed. Be sure to check out our full roundup of Microsoft Teams Build 2021 announcements for the full scoop.

Linux GUI app support is shipping

Microsoft announced that Linux GUI application support is now generally available in the Windows Subsystem for Linux 2. It's been in preview for a while, but it's officially out in the wild as of today. This means devs won't have to worry about dual-booting a Linux and Windows system since everything can be done on top of Windows.

In case all of those announcements weren't enough, you can also check out our list of recommended Microsoft Build 2021 sessions, which will provide you with even more Build news for both general enthusiasts and developers.

See all the big announcements from Build 2021

What you need to know

• ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley reports that there's a "What's Next for Gaming" event on the way from Microsoft.
• It's likely to be tied up to Build 2021, the company's big annual developer conference.
• While there likely won't be games revealed at this event, it should offer a glimpse at upcoming tech and features for the Xbox platform.

Xbox has been on fire lately, dominating the airwaves with massive drops for Xbox Game Pass, including Outriders and PlayStation-developed MLB: The Show. Microsoft also held a March ID@Xbox event where they showcased dozens upon dozens of games recently in partnership with Twitch. Microsoft isn't slowing down, according to a new report from leading Microsoft expert Mary Jo Foley over at ZDNet.

The news comes hot on the heels of Microsoft's announcement for Build 2021, the firm's big developer conference, which is slated for May 25 to May 27. As part of these events, Foley notes that Microsoft is planning a range of smaller "What's Next" virtual events, which will include a feature specifically tailored around gaming. Foley also notes that this is not the upcoming Game Stack Live event, slated for April.

Given that this event will form part of Microsoft's Build festivities, it's unlikely we'll see any new games revealed here. What you should expect, however, is new features and technology Microsoft is working on to improve dev's lives in the gaming space. We could see glimpses of new graphics technology and features slated for future versions of the Xbox toolset, as well as features coming to the Xbox platform in general.

Microsoft has previously made consumer-oriented announcements at Build in the past, revealing new products and services, too. It could be at this event where the planned expansion of Xbox Game Pass to web browsers is revealed, bringing the all-you-can-eat gaming service to iOS, Chromebooks, MacOS, and low-power PCs and laptops. Given Microsoft's widely-rumored talks to acquire gaming comms platform Discord, it would also be an opportune time to shed light on what the partnership means for the Xbox platform and beyond.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Build 2021 dates "leaked" a few weeks ago.
• The leaks were almost accurate.
• The official dates for Microsoft Build are May 25 to May 27.

It's almost that time of year again: Microsoft's annual developer conference is primed for an exciting three-day stretch in May. As it turns out, the official dates—May 25 to May 27—aren't far off from the dates leaked a few weeks back.

The leaked dates were May 25-57. Now, May 57 doesn't exist on the calendar, but if we look at it in retrospect, it seems like it might just have been a typo or deliberately incorrect placeholder. Swap the five for a two, and you have the dates that ended up being official.

In case you need a refresher on what the Microsoft Build conference is, here's Microsoft's description:

For more details regarding Microsoft Build and the sorts of content the conference features, you can check out Microsoft's official page. Expect interesting speakers, panels about topics such as remote learning and working, and in-depth explorations of all sorts of cutting-edge technology.

What you need to know

• A leaked video shows off how Microsoft has shifted to all-digital events.
• The video lists dates for Build, Ignite, Ready, and a second Ignite
• The dates are likely placeholders, as one of them is May 57.

Microsoft Build is one of the biggest events of the year from the Redmond-based tech giant. Last year, Microsoft discussed Project Reunion, massive updates for Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Edge, and announced new tools like the Windows Package Manager. With so many announcements on the way, it's natural that the Windows-loving community would be excited for Build 2021. Some people appear to have jumped the gun, however, when it comes to a leaked video allegedly confirming the dates of the conference.

A video shared by Twitter leaker WalkingCat shows off how Microsoft has shifted to digital events. The sizzler highlights Build, Ignite, and other Microsoft conferences. It also lists dates at around the 46-second mark of the video.

Some have taken these listed dates of confirmation for when Build 2021 will occur. The dates can't be accurate, though, as the listed dates for Build are May 25-57. As Microsoft isn't likely to announce a rewrite of the calendar, those dates are unlikely to be accurate.

While an end date of May 57 isn't possible, the event might start close to or on May 25. Build 2020 was around the same time last year, so it's possible that the start date could be accurate. Given that the end date is fictional, it's probably just best to wait until Microsoft confirms the dates of the event.

WalkingCat jokes in a follow up Tweet that the listed dates would mean that Build would be over 30 days long. Not to mention that it would extend into fictional dates. WalkingCat also adds that they are likely placeholder dates for the event.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Build 2020 is virtual this year with streaming sessions across two days.
• The festivities kick off at 11 am ET (8 am PT) on May 19.
• You can stream the opening keynote and all of the sessions from Microsoft's Build 2020 website.

Microsoft's Build 2020 developer conference is going completely virtual this year, replacing the usual inperson event in Seattle. The festivities are set to start at 8 am PT (11 am ET) on May 19, and you'll be able to live stream all of the action.

To take part, you can head to Microsoft's official Build 2020 website to watch the opening keynote from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. On the first day, Microsoft is also expected to stream its Imagine Cup competition for student developers and some big announcements for Azure. You can catch the keynote address via the video embed below.

Of course, there will be hundreds of developer sessions to check out too. To watch those, you'll want to register for free at the Build 2020 website to get "full, interactive access to the digital event." If you want to get a head start on picking out sessions you want to watch, you can check out the full Build 2020 agenda for more.

We're expecting to hear a lot about everything from Azure, to mixed reality, Microsoft 365, and more throughout Build's 48 hours. Once the event is over, Microsoft says most sessions should be available on-demand as well.

What you need to know

• The session catalog for Microsoft Build 2020 is now available.
• There are over 600 sessions that will occur over the three-day conference.
• Microsoft Build is an all-digital event this year.

Microsoft Build 2020 runs from May 19 to May 21, and this year it's an all-digital event. Over 600 sessions will occur throughout the three-day conference, and you can look through all of the topics now. Microsoft shared the session catalog for Build 2020 recently, which allows you to pick the sessions you'd like to attend.

Build is usually an in-person event, but the current global health crisis moved it to an online format. It's free to virtually attend, and you can register for the event on Microsoft's website. The all-digital Build 2020 will focus primarily on development and likely won't have many big announcements for consumer features for products like Office and Windows 10. Build is generally a developer conference, but there are sometimes interesting tidbits for consumers.

When CNBC first reported that Build 2020 will be all-digital, the outlet noted that keynote presentations will be shorter than usual. Sessions during the conference will be a mix of live and pre-recorded broadcasts.

With over 600 sessions over three days, we haven't looked through the entire catalog yet, but we did note some sessions focused on UWP and Windows app development. Microsoft's Jesse Bishop and Paul Gusmorino will host a session called "Unifying and evolving the Windows app platform." The description states, "Learn how the Windows app platform is evolving and unifying Win32 and UWP so your present and future apps can easily target 1 billion+ Windows devices."

What you need to know

• Registrations for the virtual Build 2020 conference open today.
• The conference sessions will be free to watch.
• Microsoft plans more of a focus on Build's core developer audience.

Update: You can now register for Microsoft Build 2020.

Microsoft is set to open registrations for this year's virtual Build 2020 conference today, according to CNBC. The event will be free to attend and watch; registration ensures developers will be able to participate in question and answer sessions. This year's event is also planned to narrow its focus down to sessions for the core developer audience, according to CNBC's report.

That narrowed focus will likely mean fewer big announcements related to new consumer features for Windows 10 and Office. However, developers should have plenty to dive into. "Executives will talk about artificial intelligence technologies, the Azure cloud, the Microsoft 365 family of products including the Office productivity bundle," according to CNBC.

The report also notes that the keynote presentations will be shorter than typical Build keynotes. Some of the sessions will be pre-recorded, while others will take place live to encourage interaction. CNBC also reports that Microsoft will provide a virtual press room for journalists on Microsoft Teams.

In March, Microsoft announced that it would cancel the Build 2020 in-person event in favor of a virtual event due to the current situation around the COVID-19 pandemic. Later, the company revealed that it will make most of its events through 2021 virtual affairs amid uncertainty around the pandemic. Microsoft joins countless other companies that have taken their events virtual.

Build 2020 is set to take place from May 19 through May 20. You can learn more about the conference at the official Build 2020 website.

What you need to know

• Visual Studio Online is being rebranded as Visual Studio Codespaces.
• The change helps reflect the capabilities of the service.
• Microsoft is also introducing lower prices for Visual Studio Codespaces starting May 19, 2020.

Microsoft's Visual Studio Online will now be known as Visual Studio Codespaces. The rebranding reflects the capabilities of the service better than being branded as simply an online editor, according to Microsoft. Microsoft announced the name change in a blog post earlier today (via ZDNet). Additionally, Microsoft announced lower prices for the service that will go into effect on May 19, 2020.

Microsoft explains in its blog post that developers view Visual Studio Online as more than an "editor in the browser." Specifically, Microsofts that developers say "the capabilities of this cloud-hosted dev environment make it the space where I want to write all my code." Because having online in the name can suggest a lighter or limited version of a service, Microsoft is rebranding the service to Visual Studio Codespaces.

Microsoft also breaks down new pricing for the service in the blog post. Starting May 19, if you use a Standard Linux instance type (4 cores, 8GB RAM), it will cost you $0.17 per hour. Currently, a Standard Linux instance type costs $0.45 per hour. Premium Linux instance types (8 cores, 16GB RAM) will cost $0.34 per hour compared to their current rate of $0.87 per hour. Microsoft points out that these prices are approximate, and you can use the Azure pricing calculator to determine how much it will cost. That calculator will be updated by Build 2020 (May 19-21).

If a developer has self-hosted environments, any machine can be registered to Visual Studio Codespaces for free. Developers can then connect to it from VS Code or Microsoft's browser-based editor.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is moving to make most of its events digital-only for the next year.
• Ignite 2020 and Build 2021 would be affected.
• The move would come as more companies are shifting to digital-only events during the current global health crisis.

Microsoft is reportedly set to take most of its events digital through the next year. ZDNet reports that the Microsoft's current plan is to shift to digital events through its 2021 fiscal year, which starts in July 2020. This would impact Ignite 2020 later this year, through the Build 2021 conference which is likely to take place in May.

Updated April 6, 2020: Microsoft has confirmed it is making internal and external events "digital-first" through July 2021 in an email about next year's MVP Summit. The email text, provided by Ginny Caughey on Twitter, reads:

The original story, published April 1, 2020, follows.

A Microsoft spokesperson told ZDNet that the company's events through the end of 2020 are planned to go online. "In light of the challenges presented by Covid-19, we are adjusting our event calendar and strategy," the spokesperson said. "For the remainder of 2020 we are embracing the opportunity to experiment with new platforms to provide our partners, customers and developers the highest quality, digital-first experiences."

"We will continue to evaluate the event landscape, but that is what we have to share at this time," the spokesperson said when asked whether the same strategy will apply to the first half of 2021.

The report notes that Microsoft has begun alerting teams internally of its plans to cancel in-person events through its 2021 fiscal year. "The thinking in cancelling so early is the more lead time the company has, the better its virtual events will be," ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley says. However, Microsoft may still participate in-person at some third-party events, the report notes.

The move comes as more companies have shifted their events to online-only affairs amid the current global health crisis. This includes Microsoft, which already canceled its MVP Summit in March. Microsoft also canceled Build 2020 as an in-person event and will hold a digital event in its place. Microsoft also plans to take its E3 2020 Xbox conference digital later this year.

What you need to know

• The Governor of Washington is expected to announce restrictions on gatherings of more than 250 people due to the coronavirus outbreak.
• Microsoft's Build 2020 conference could be affected by potential restrictions.
• Build 2020 is currently set to take place from May 19-21 in Seattle.

Washington's governor is expected to announce restrictions on gatherings of more than 250 people later today to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The Seattle Times reports that Governor Jay Inslee will announce the restrictions later today and that they will affect gatherings in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties in Washington state. The move is aimed at sporting events, concerts, and other cultural events, according to the Seattle Times, but could also affect Microsoft's Build 2020 conference in May.

According to a source that spoke with The Times, Governor Inslee will announce the restrictions at a news conference in Seattle.

If gatherings of more than 250 people are restricted, it would likely cause Microsoft to cancel its Build 2020 conference. While some activities involving more than 250 people might still be allowed to occur, such as schools being open, it seems unlikely that a conference like Build 2020 would be exempt from restrictions.

Track COVID-19 using Microsoft Edge and this useful web app

Several Microsoft event websites have banners at the top about the coronavirus, which states that "Microsoft is monitoring public health guidance in relation to in-person events." Several major events have already been canceled to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and it appears that more could be canceled in the future. Recent rumors state that the upcoming E3 conference could be canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Build 2020 is currently scheduled for May 19-21, 2020 in Seattle, Washington.

What you need to know

• Several Microsoft event websites now have a statement about the coronavirus.
• Microsoft is "monitoring public health guidance" and will prioritize people's health.
• Some events could potentially be canceled, but that decision seems like it will happen in the future.

Several Microsoft websites show a statement at the top of the page regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19). Neowin discovered that the event pages for Build. Ignite, and Inspire show the statement. There's a good chance that other Microsoft event websites show the same statement. Microsoft states that it is "monitoring public health guidance in relation to in-person events." Microsoft also states that it will prioritize the health of people in regards to the events.

Here's the complete statement that appears on the pages:

Microsoft recently switched its MVP Summit to a virtual event due to health concerns. Microsoft also canceled an Ignite tour stop in Hong Kong for the same reason. Several large conferences have been delayed or canceled as well, including Mobile World Congress.

While Microsoft could potentially cancel some future events due to the coronavirus, that decision appears like it will be made closer to the time of any specific event.

What you need to know

• Registration for Microsoft Build 2020 is officially open.
• The developer conference runs from May 19-21, 2020 in Seattle, Washington.
• The conference focuses on helping developers learn, code, and connect.

Developers can now register for Microsoft Build 2020. The conference runs from May 19-21, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. Build focuses on helping developers learn, connect, and code, and is one of the most recognized developer conferences of the year. You can register to attend the conference on Microsoft's Build page.

The registration page summarizes how Build can help you "Leave a better developer:"

While Build is a developer conference, consumers often keep their eyes peeled during it. Last year Microsoft announced new features for the new Microsoft Edge, discussed new ways that Cortana will be able to help people, showed its plans for the expansion of the Fluent Design System, showed changes for Windows Terminal, and showed off a mobile augmented reality Minecraft game.

Microsoft Build costs $2,395, not including the cost of hotels.

What you need to know

• Microsoft today revealed its roadmap of events for the year ahead.
• The biggest takeaway is Build 2020, which is set for May 19-21 in Seattle.
• Ignite, Inspire, and the Microsoft Business Applications Summit have all received dates as well.

Microsoft has unveiled a look at its event schedule for the year ahead. In a new blog post, the company posted a roadmap covering its upcoming events through 2020, including Inspire, Build, and more.

Here's a look at how the calendar shakes out:

• Microsoft Ignite: November 4-8, 2019 in Orlando, Florida
• Microsoft Build 2020: May 19-21, 2020 in Seattle, Washington
• Microsoft Business Applications Summit: April 20-21, 2020 in Anaheim, California
• Microsoft Inspire: July 20-24, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada

One of the biggest reveals for Microsoft watchers is Build 2020. The annual conference is where Microsoft typically announces major improvements and new features it has planned for everything from Windows to Azure for developers. Microsoft Inspire will also be one to watch, as Microsoft meets with its global partners and announces expansions to its partner ecosystem.

In addition to the flagship events above, Microsoft is planninga couple of tours as well. A Microsoft Ignite Tour is planned to travel to 30 cities across the globe, with free learning experiences for developers and IT professionals. The Microsoft Envision Tour, meanwhile, is a single-day event held across multiple cities for leaders to "learn about smart strategies to tackle emerging issues, power new efficiencies and build new business models and revenue streams."

For more on Microsoft's planned events, you can check out the company's global events catalog.

Nadella often says mobility is not about a single device but rather the mobility of a user's experiences across many devices supported by an intelligent cloud.

Google's CEO Sundar Pichai said in an interview just before Google I/O 2016 that he's "on a journey from mobile to AI."

The interview further expounded: "Pichai is also focused on shifting Google's journey from 'mobile-first to AI-first.'"

Coincidentally, during his keynote at Build 2017, Nadella shared that Microsoft too is moving from a mobile-first, cloud-first vision to one that places AI at the forefront.

So is Microsoft following Google?

The future of the PC is a family of devices connected by an intelligent cloud

Shift from mobile first, cloud first?

Nadella stated the following during his Build 2017 keynote:

Nadella during his Build 2017 keynote.

Oddly, it seems that Nadella is defining mobile first as being centered around one device and a single app model, rather than how he historically defined it. Furthermore, his shift toward an intelligent cloud and intelligent edge vision now adopts the "mobility-of-experiences" definition he historically applied to his mobile-first, cloud-first vision.

He further explained this platform shift has an AI focus that benefits from investments in the "edge of the cloud." Serverless computing allows for pieces of logic to exist outside of the bounds of a virtual machine (VM) making that logic mobile. Existing on the "edge of the cloud" where hundreds of gigabytes of data can be processed for tasks such as those associated with an autonomous or connected car, computational power moves to the cloud's edge. Nadella explained that AI in such an environment is more distributed.

Clearly, Microsoft's "mobility-of-experiences" vision remains unchanged, though it resides beneath an AI-first umbrella. Furthermore, investments in AI have been a decades-long strategy for Microsoft. Given these facts, one must wonder if Nadella's public setting of a new pole star from mobile first, cloud first to an AI-focused guidance is a reactive measure to Google's clear dedication to and observable success in the same.

Google's all about AI

Like Microsoft, Google invested in first-party hardware but for different reasons.

Microsoft's hardware strategy positions a growing family of Windows 10 devices as an actual and aspirational medium for the Universal Windows Platform (UWP). Google's hardware strategy provides a platform for its AI vision.

Both Microsoft and Google are invested in hardware, though for different reasons

Google's earlier AI, Google's Now, was founded on the popular industry-leading Google search engine. Its ability to serve and anticipate a range of Android and iPhone users' needs made it a leading personal assistant.

Unlike its rivals, Apple's Siri and Microsoft's Cortana, however, it lacked attributes that made it personal. With Google Assistant, which is described as a user's personal Google, the Mountain View company has attempted to reframe the powerful search engine as every individual's personal Google.

Ok, Google Assistant

Google Assistant is more personal than its predecessor and gets to know users over time. During Google I/O 2016, the Google Home smart speaker, the Pixel smartphones, and Google's new messenger Allo were all introduced as platforms for the Assistant.

Truth be told, Google Assistant is as much a defensive move as it is an offensive move for Google. In an app- and AI-dominated world, "search" is no longer just a destination we go to; it's integrated into our apps and digital assistants. Google confronts this challenge to its core (ad revenue) business by making search personal and marketing Assistant as an evolution of the familiar Google search engine.

Google wants users to know its AI has the advantage of being based on the world's leading search engine. Rishi Chandra, vice president of product management for Google's living room devices, said: "There is no better engine of answering any question that you have. We fundamentally believe that."

Microsoft may fear that this is true given the number two position of Bing and consumers' general lack of awareness of Cortana.

Google's AI push

This year, Google expanded its AI vision by adding Google Assistant to smartwatches, Android TV, cars and the iPhone (joining Siri and Cortana). The company also expanded the Assistant's ability through Google Home and Chromecast. Visual responses from Google Home can now appear on the TV.

Google I/O 2017.

Google Lens, the company's AI-driven camera app, allows users to point their phones' cameras at people, places and things to glean information about them based on Google's extensive knowledge graph.

Like Microsoft and the 2016 private preview release and recent general release of the Cortana SDK, Google has released the Assistant SDK. Third parties can now integrate Assistant into their hardware as Cortana was incorporated into the Harman Kardon speaker.

Microsoft, Cortana and AI

In 2014, while the tech world was focused on health platforms, wearables and the rumored bigger iPhones, Microsoft was fine-tuning its AI vision. Cortana was about to make its debut on Windows Phone. Beyond a mere voice assistant, it was obvious then Cortana had potential as an intelligent UI for transient computing across Windows devices.

AI, bots and canvases: An evolving view of Microsoft's AI vison

In early 2014, few foresaw Microsoft's embrace of the iPhone and Android, however, though by July 2015 it was evident. Nor did I see, then, Cortana as a singular artificial intelligent UI for users' experiences across Windows, iOS and Android bound together by the Microsoft graph, as demonstrated at Build 2017.

Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer gave a forward-looking description of the unifying effects of Microsoft's graph in 2013. His statements are specific to Windows devices but foreshadow Microsoft's Windows-as-a-hub, binding users' cross-platform experiences:

Microsoft's graph as a unifier of all platforms and experiences is a vital part of the company's AI and platform vision.

As a single underlying "super platform," Microsoft's graph enables Cortana to become the UI for experiences for all platforms. This approach to AI in conjunction with Cortana's democratization via the SDK makes Microsoft's strategy a worthy contender to Google's well-positioned Assistant.

Are Microsoft's AI efforts following Google's?

Microsoft began investments in machine learning, natural language processing, and deep neural networks long before Google became an AI-first company.

Ballmer and Gates pave way for Nadella's AI vision

In the following video, Microsoft Research's Eric Horvitz talks about the company's investments in AI:

During Build 2016, Microsoft introduced Conversation as a Canvas and the Bots Framework. Nadella also described Cortana as a meta-app that would interface with bots. Apps such as Skype, WhatsApp, Line, Slack and others were described as canvases for conversations that would connect with bots and AI, and human language was then identified as the UI.

This year's integration of iOS and Android into the Microsoft graph and Cortana's positioning as its UI is the progression of an AI vision at Microsoft that had early roots in Microsoft Bob.

So, no, Microsoft is not following Google's AI efforts.

I believe, however, that Nadella's statement shifting Microsoft from a mobile-first, cloud-first motto is a deliberate public acknowledgment of his awareness of how important and competitive AI has become and will be. Considering Microsoft's already considerable investments in and previously communicated plans for AI, I believe Microsoft wanted the industry and competitors to know that, like Google, Redmond is all about AI.

Must Read:

AI, bot's and canvases: Five-part series on Microsoft's AI strategy

The Internet of Intelligent Things: Google, Samsung, Microsoft and the new battlefront

Microsoft's cognitive services

On stage at the Build 2017 developer conference today, Microsoft announced 141 million monthly active users for Cortana. This number is slightly off from the 145 million number that was rumored to be sent to prominent Alexa developers in order to lure them over for the "Cortana Skills Kit" developer tools launch. But it's an impressive figure all the same.

That 141 million monthly user number surpasses Amazon's Alexa by a considerable margin, considering only 3 million Echo units have reportedly been sold as of last month. The big question here, which in an early briefing Microsoft was unable to answer, is how many of those monthly active users actually speak to Cortana. Microsoft's figures are for any kind of Cortana use, which includes text, voice, and assistant notifications based on user input. That information may prove useful for developers looking to target Cortana Skills to the largest portion of their users' activity type. For now, those details aren't available.

Harman Kardon Invoke speaker with Cortana revealed

Cortana's significant user base across Windows, Xbox, Android, and iOS is impressive. Microsoft expects Cortana Skills will put Cortana in a position to better compete with the whole category of digital assistants, and if that figure is enough to convince developers to give this platform a fair shake, the monthly figure will likely expand even faster.

To say that being a Windows phone fan is a roller coaster ride of expectations, disappointment and emotions would be an understatement. We've rested our hopes for the platform on things like Windows Phone 8, the Lumia's 950 and 950 XL, and Windows 10 Mobile.

We got excited, but when things actually got worse as more developers left the platform and market share plummeted (predictably given retrenchment), frustration and disappointment returned in earnest. Many fans just couldn't take it anymore.

Is the Windows phone fan community of loyalists imploding?

A steady exodus from the platform to Android and the iPhone has ensued. The "app gap," no new first-party hardware, limited OEM support and silence from Microsoft about its strategy regarding these issues has crushed the faith of many of the faithful.

Still, those fans who remain are hoping Microsoft will let us in on what's next in mobile. Most fans would love the full scoop but would be content with a sliver of legitimate news to ignite a spark of hope. Most analysts are not expecting an outright disclosure from Microsoft about its plans for Windows 10 Mobile, nor am I. It is, however, inevitable that Microsoft will talk about Windows on mobile in some form or another at the Build developer conference later this week. You will just have to listen very closely.

But isn't Windows phone dead?

Windows phone is dead – again. So claims the internet, social media and everyone inclined to join in on this quarterly ritual of echoing the platform's demise. This particular round of articles, tweets and comments have been fueled by Microsoft's disclosure on its most recent investor's call. First-party phones are not producing any revenue. That's what happens when a company stops producing a product in a particular market though.

After the Lumia 650, Microsoft stopped making first-party Windows phones. Consequently, revenue from first-party Windows phones fell and will continue to fall. This isn't news. It is a logical progression of the information we've had for months.

However, Microsoft is still actively developing Windows 10 Mobile. The platform is still available to any OEM that desires to use it as part of its mobile strategy. Admittedly, OEM support is not what Microsoft or its fans hoped it would be when Microsoft announced the retrenchment of first-party smartphones from the market two years ago. But there is some OEM support.

Additionally, it seems that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has reconfirmed an earlier, but as yet unfulfilled, promise to make Windows phones even if no OEMs do.:

This assertion refutes the erroneous claims that Microsoft is done with mobile on first-party phone hardware. Fans looking for just a sliver of hope about Windows phone's future may have gotten it before Build even kicked off. This is by no means a claim of future success, nor the present health of the platform. It is, however, evidence of Microsoft's resolve to continue with its mobile strategy via the development of its mobile platform on first-party hardware.

Why Microsoft might not talk explicitly about Windows Mobile at Build

What we presume will be Microsoft's continued silence on the specifics of Windows 10 Mobile at Build can be interpreted in two ways. Some see it as an indication that Microsoft has absolutely no idea of what direction it is going with mobile and therefore has nothing to share. The company's fumbles in mobile and the current state of the platform lend some merit to this interpretation.

Conversely, some interpret the company's silence as a reflection of intentional secrecy about what Nadella referred as an "ultimate mobile device." This too has precedence. For instance, the Surface and HoloLens were well-kept secrets until the company was ready to present them. Additionally, the company is still actively developing Windows 10 Mobile with the goal of remaining technologically relevant with ARM and cellular on mobile devices.

Both conclusions can be argued and supported, though I am more inclined toward the latter interpretation. The point here, however, is one upon which advocates of both positions can agree: Microsoft will be relatively quiet about the future of Windows 10 Mobile at Build. Still, Windows on mobile is likely to be on the agenda.

Windows on mobile

Microsoft has consistently asserted that it has not given up on mobile. It's worth pointing out that the mobile and the smartphone spaces are two different things. Something can exist in the mobile space but not be a smartphone. The image below bears this out. There are devices in that mobile segment that are not smartphones.

Tablets, 2-in-1s and laptops all exist in the mobile space, and Windows runs on all of these devices.

Last December, Microsoft announced Windows on ARM, which will make its debut on a range of cellular PCs in the fourth quarter of this year. In my estimation, these cellular PCs will be the harbingers of a cellular-capable ultimate mobile device or ultramobile Surface with telephony.

Windows on ARM brings Microsoft's ultimate mobile device vision into view

Pieces of the whole

There is a continuity of variables that Microsoft is working on that will ultimately contribute to the company's mobile strategy. Windows Chief Terry Myerson asserted that the company's continued focus on Windows 10 Mobile's development for the investments in ARM and cellular it provides.

Those investments will certainly be borne out in part with the cellular PCs coming later this year. Full Windows on always-connected PCs also provides the peripheral benefit of an incentive for users to visit the Windows Store to replenish mobile data.

The providing of mobile data is also part of the infrastructure Microsoft is building into its mobile strategy. By providing the mobile platform, OEM devices (and maybe first-party devices at the company's devices event in China on May 23) that are always connected, and mobile data, Microsoft is constructing a comprehensive mobile platform to facilitate its mobile strategy. Added to this is the company's focus on bringing Win32 apps to the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) via Project Centennial, which modernizes the desktop experience for the current static and mobile personal computing experience.

It is within this context that I deduce that Microsoft will launch an ultramobile Surface with telephony via eSIM. As a PC first running full Windows, Microsoft will be pushing this telephony-enabled device into the mobile space, not the smartphone space. It will benefit from Microsoft's investments in cellular and ARM, the infrastructure of distributing mobile data to users, and with Continuum, facilitate the use of Win32 apps brought to the UWP via Project Centennial.

Any discussion Microsoft has about cellular capabilities in Windows 10, its strategy to provide cellular data to users, Windows 10 functionality on ARM, and the company's strategy regarding Project Centennial (and the other app bridges) bringing Win32 apps to the UWP, are Microsoft's discussing its plans for Windows on mobile.

Windows 10 S, Continuum and Project Centennial

I recently argued that Microsoft's ultimate mobile device goal is to create one device that handles all of our personal computing needs. I proposed that Microsoft would want it to be our desktop when connected to a monitor, mouse and keyboard via Continuum; a laptop when connected to an HP Lap Dock-like peripheral; and a tablet and phone with Cshell, possibly with a folding form a factor.

Window 10 S breathes life into the UWP and paves the path for the Surface phone

For Continuum to provide a real desktop experience, legacy Win32 apps need to come to the UWP. I argued that Windows S, which allows only Store apps, may in time (as OEM Windows S PCs increase in popularity) provide the incentive developers need to bring their Win32 programs to the UWP.

It is a process, and it has varying levels of complexity depending on the app. Windows is still being updated with supported APIs (though I am told substitute APIs can be used), but the goal of Project Centennial is to make Win32 apps full UWP apps. Within the context of Windows S, cellular PCs and Microsoft's mobile strategy, we should expect a big push of Project Centennial at Build.

Only Microsoft knows what it has in store. But unless we are surprised with an unexpected level of candor regarding Microsoft's mobile strategy, I would advise anyone watching for any mobile news to keep a sharp eye out. You should pay close attention to Windows on ARM, cellular capabilities in Windows, Project Centennial, Microsoft's providing of cellular data, and Windows S.

Read these:

If Microsoft doesn't kill at Build 2017 the Surface phone may be dead on arrival

This is what must happen first for Surface phone to succeed

Is early 2018 too soon for a Surface phone?

Why 'Xamarin is the future of Windows Mobile

That reality hasn't stopped fans from hoping nor has it stopped Microsoft from trying. Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella's faith, as well as that of a host of die-hard fans, rests in part on what Nadella calls an "ultimate mobile device" that is "beyond the curve." Fans call it the Surface phone.

A Microsoft Future Vision video showed us a foldable and modular "phone" that bears much in common with a recently revealed patent. Moreover, full Windows on ARM inspires visions of a telephony enabled, Continuum-powered ultramobile Surface. Still, there's no confirmation what this device will ultimately be. But we do know what it's supposed to do: Change the game.

I've already analyzed the critical role Microsoft's ecosystem plays in relation to the success of the Surface phone — the device is important, but the ecosystem is the other part of Redmond's ultimate mobile device strategy upon which Nadella's faith rests.

Since cellular PCs are due to arrive relatively soon (later in 2017), and a Surface phone by early 2018 (in light of a dearth of developer support that has plagued the platform) one is led to wonder if Microsoft's ecosystem will be ready for an ultimate mobile device.

Microsoft's BUILD developers conference this May will be the company's opportunity to make an 11th-hour appeal to developers in preparation for the company's "game-changing" move. Here are some areas that I think Redmond will or should address during BUILD 2017.

Project Centennial: From Win32 to UWP

Project Centennial is one of the three remaining app Bridges that were announced during BUILD 2015. IslandWood (iOS) and Westminister (Web) are the others. App Bridges provide developers with the tools needed to turn their existing apps into Universal Windows apps. Microsoft's Desktop Converter with Project Centennial begins the process of converting Win32 apps into full UWP apps.

A Continuum-powered device that can be navigated via a mobile-friendly adaptive shell one moment and project full PC apps to a larger display the next is indeed the ultimate mobile device. Win32 apps converted to full UWP apps via Project Centennial have great value in such a scenario.

For Microsoft to get the full value of Win32 apps in a mobile and app-focused personal computing world, making those apps mobile-friendly is essential. Project Centennial's Convert, Enhance, Migrate and Reach All process endows Win32 apps with the features, device agnosticism and XAML UI of full UWP apps.

Always-connected cellular PCs and the Surface phone will need legacy apps to be "modernized." In preparation for these devices, I predict that Microsoft will make a major appeal to developers at BUILD 2017 to win their support to Project Centennial. If a Surface phone with full Windows and Win32 apps is to succeed, they must.

Microsoft's Project Centennial app Bridge makes sense of Win32 apps on phone

Xamarin, one tool for "one" target

One of the significant barriers to Microsoft winning the type of developer support competitors Apple and Google have, is the way in which developers perceive mobile. Most developers "think" iOS and Android when they consider developing for "mobile." Windows is often an afterthought if it is considered at all.

With the acquisition of Xamarin, Microsoft has embraced the arduous task of changing the way developers think about developing for "mobile." The acquisition further positions Microsoft's ecosystem as a platform for developing cross-platform apps.

By providing developers with the tools to essentially write code once for all platforms (iOS, Android and Windows), Microsoft strategically elevates its platform to the same priority level as the two leading platforms. This single development platform that target's a single "mobile conglomerate" rather than individual platforms can help to change the way developers perceive mobile.

Given the brief window available to Microsoft between BUILD 2017 and the Surface phone Microsoft will need to use BUILD's platform to convince developers to embrace thinking of "mobile" as a single target that can be addressed via one development tool. If the Surface phone is to succeed changing how developers think, though difficult, is necessary.

Wand Labs: Who needs an app for that?

Last year Microsoft bought Wand Labs. This small start-up developed a messenger-based technology where a user could use an app that they didn't even have on their device. Wand breaks an app into components called "atoms." These atoms, (whether a song, movie, etc.) are recognized by Wand, and decoded information is converted into virtual apps stored as Wand plug-ins.

I presented an analysis of how Microsoft might incorporate this technology into its Conversation as a Canvas platform strategy:

If there was ever a time for Redmond to work some magic, and apply Wands unique tech, BUILD 2017 is the perfect stage for Microsoft to excite and wow developers.

What of the web

In my "The untold app gap story" series, I said that the mobile web is a more engaged platform than mobile apps.

Web properties are twice the size and growing twice as fast as app properties. Microsoft's AI and bots strategy seeks to optimize on this deference away from apps by utilizing highly engaged messaging platforms as the canvases for intelligent bots to facilitate certain tasks traditionally relegated to apps.

Could a Google's Instant Apps-like solution be another area for Microsoft to invest? Because Instant Apps use parts of existing apps Microsoft, given the app gap, cannot replicate it at the scope Google can facilitate it.

Still, given Microsoft's underdog position, Build 2017 is their opportunity to make a case for such a strategy in conjunction with an unprecedented push of its bots strategy.

Desperate times call for desperate measures

BUILD is Microsoft's annual stage where the company appeals to developers with keynotes and presentations expounding on the technical details of how they can be a part Microsoft's latest and greatest innovations.

That's practical. But it may not be as effective as what's needed as we approach the debut of the Surface phone. Especially since each year the presentations are great, but the developer support is still not where it needs to be.

The competition is brutal and Microsoft, as they make the intellectual appeal to developers by trying to sell them the benefits of developing for Windows, may find that developers investment in other ecosystems is a barrier to them investing in Windows. What Redmond may not be considering is that many developers, like all of us, are emotional beings.

They may need to see something drastic and unorthodox to cause them to really "see" the Windows ecosystem as something worth investing in. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Perhaps a permanent reduction in the percentage Microsoft requires from developers, or even a temporary elimination of that fee altogether, would be sufficient to get developers attention.

It would certainly communicate that Microsoft is serious about getting developers on board. They would, as the old saying goes, be putting their money where their mouth is.

I expect to see game-changing efforts from Microsoft at BUILD 2017 to engage developers as Redmond attempts to bolster its ecosystem for the debut of the Surface phone by 2018.

Microsoft, if you're listening, knock 'em dead.

What do you think Microsoft should do to win developer support?

Following the story

• Is early 2018 too early for a Surface phone?
• Will Samsung beat Microsoft to market with an ultimate Mobile device?
• Did Microsoft give us a glimpse of its Surface phone vision

Windows phone isn't dead

Smartphones are dead

The untold app gap story

AIs, Bots and Canvases

Microsoft and the duo user

Windows Mobile and the enterprise

The Surface Phone

When viewing Myerson's comments in part or outside of the context of the mobile strategy that Microsoft's CEO communicated in the Summer of 2015, his remarks can be easily misinterpreted. Given the myriad host of negative headlines and commentary on social media that has arisen in the wake of the Verge's piece, this is exactly what has happened.

In this article, we will address what Myerson said within the context of Microsoft's mobile strategy. This strategy, as we know, is currently in a state of retrenchment from the general consumer space while Microsoft works on building the ecosystem that supports the entire Universal Windows Platform.

This article will not be an in-depth analytical piece that challenges your intellect. Nor will it be an emotional appeal to your anecdotal experiences. Here, I'm simply going to appeal to your common sense.

Hocus Focus

We live in an era that has been dubbed the information age. This era is a fast-paced global culture where our attention is drawn from one story, video or sound bite to the next in a constant quest for "information stimulation."

Moreover, our attention spans have been gradually eroded by the availability of an impossible number of television channels that beckon our attention a moment after advertisements sever our focus from the programming that previously held it. It is a common occurrence for such impromptu channel surfing to result in the abandonment of the program already committed to instead of something new that has grabbed our attention. This distraction is sometimes even accompanied by one actually forgetting what they were viewing previously.

Furthermore, there was a time when much of our reading was a patiently enjoyed experience between the covers of a book as a story unfolded over the course of hundreds of pages. Our patience is now worn after mere hundreds of words are endured on a blog post as alerts nag at our focus to indulge yet another "story." Our minds are so fractured by a constant deluge of momentary stimulation that the newly engaged stimuli seemingly all but purge the previously held information from our conscious memory.

This reality is the challenging world in which we live. A world where our attention is so divided and our focus so quickly shattered that once we leave the context of one story, it becomes lost and forgotten as the "new headline" becomes our "momentary world." In this reality, keeping an eye on the big picture which transitions via a slow but steady evolution as a backdrop across our many "momentary realities" is an exercise of deliberate focus and determined discipline.

Tickling our techie fancy

It is within the context mentioned above that many of us, we tech enthusiasts, exist. We pour over article after article and tweet after tweet, thirsty for information. It is our frequent stops at post after post that ultimately leaves us influenced by the "expert" perspective of those with a penchant for writing and a platform to showcase it. Of course, there is nothing wrong with having a particular bias toward a particular platform. Here at Mobile Nations for example, we have a host of writers with different preferences for the popular mobile phone platforms. Android Central, CrackBerry, iMore and Windows Central are outlets and communities for bloggers and readers alike who have a preference for the particular platform these sites focus on.

The strength of such sites and communities is that they provide a constant narrative of the evolution of the platforms they journal. As such it is incumbent upon both a writer and reader to remain abreast of the "story" that is being told. The writer must ensure that the introduction of "new" information is presented within the context of the story that has already been told. The reader is responsible for ensuring that the same is contemplated within that same context. The narrative is a seamless tale fully dependent on the information that has come before and the context it has established. It does not exist within the framework like that of a collection of short stories where each tale exists independent of the one before and after it.

This "short story type" narrative, however, is sadly the perspective some tech writers present information in (either by content and/or headlines) or some readers process information in having forgotten the previously established context of the narrative. This viewing of information out of context is what occurred on the first day of Microsoft's Build 2016 Conference when Terry Myerson merely stated what had been communicated by Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella and CMO Chris Capossela before him.

Many readers (and writers) responded to Myerson's statements as if they presented new information that we have not been aware of since last year. In fact, we've known for months that Windows Phone has been retrenched as the firm focuses on the broader ecosystem. But suddenly Myerson's "new" information has become the "momentary world" from which many perceive Redmond's position on phone as that of "giving up on mobile." Come on guys we've talked about this?

As we delve into what Myerson and other leader's at Microsoft said, please realize this is not a piece to address the merits of the company's mobile strategy. That strategy will either succeed or fail. Time will tell. Our musings on the viability of that plan are better reserved for my other articles. Here I am merely reminding you of the context Myerson's statements exist within so that we can perceive them as I believe he meant them to be understood. I ask that you stick with me with this particular focus in mind.

We've heard it all before

Let's first venture back to the summer of 2015. It was then, via a July 10th memo{.nofollow} from Satya Nadella that we were made aware of the CEO's retrenchment plan for phone.

What we have gleaned from these statements is that temporarily, as denoted by the qualifier - "in the near term" - Microsoft's mobile phone focus would be on select markets rather than the broader consumer space. The Lumias 550, 650 and 950/XL all released within the last year, serve the value, enterprise and fan markets respectively.

We also see that during this time of retrenchment that the company's broader focus is on "driving reinvention" and "growing and creating a vibrant Windows ecosystem." Of course, this reinvention and ecosystem growth is seen across the devices and services the company is offering. From hardware like the Surface Book, Lumias 950/XL, HoloLens, Surface Hub and the anticipated Surface Phone we see examples of the firm bringing powerful hardware to the Windows ecosystem. Windows Holographic, Windows as an app development platform, Conversational Canvases and other ecosystem advances announced at BUILD 2016 reveal Microsoft's ecosystem focus to create a platform that appeals to developers.

In a July 13th, 2015 interview with Mary Jo Foley Nadella gives us further context for the retrenchment strategy and assurance of his commitment to phone:

Nadella is clear that the company is focusing its efforts, during this retrenchment phase, on the weight of the broader ecosystem that has the greatest potential of bringing developers to the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) and ultimately to the phone. He explicitly concedes that developers would not be drawn to write universal Windows apps if the company led with its minuscule phone market share. He didn't use the following language, but it is clear that phone was not the "tip of the spear" of Microsoft's appeal to developers.

Nadella gives further context to the company's approach to mobile by alluding to what he envisions to be the next bend in the curve:

Given the company's focus on hybrid devices that transcend categories such as the Surface and Surface Book, many have speculated that a Surface phone would have a hybrid physical design.

Chris caps things off

Nearly two months after Nadella's interview with Mary Jo Foley, Chris Capossela sat down with Walter Pritchard. Pritchard asks Capossela specific questions (sure to exclude hybrid devices from the discourse) about Microsoft's phone footprint 3-5 years from that September 8, 2015, date:

This excerpt reveals that for at least two years, beginning in the summer of 2015, Microsoft's mobile efforts would be in its retrenchment phase. During this time, consistent with Nadella's statements, Microsoft would continue working on its phone strategy though it would not be the firms focus.

Furthermore, given the acknowledgment but the deliberate omission of hybrid devices from the 4 – 7-inch 'phone' conversation, we are reminded of Nadella's references to a device that sits beyond the next bend in the curve. I envision some "cool thing" Microsoft is doing with phone though Capossela didn't put it that way.

'T' Time

This brings us to the statements made by Terry Myerson:

Clearly Myerson's statements are well aligned with what we have received from Nadella and Capossela. Areas where the company is publically pushing the envelope are with HoloLens and gaming, thus a reference to new and exciting things in those areas. His reference to 9 to 30-inch screens is clearly where the bulk of Windows users are which is a theme that Nadella has consistently communicated. Moreover, his statement about the company's commitment to the 4-inch screen, though not an area where Microsoft is currently serving a lot of customers, is a clear echo of Nadella's professed commitment to phone:

When Myerson stated that, "there will be a time for it (phone) to be our focus, but right now it's part of the family," we are reminded of Nadella's 2015 statement that the company is focusing its efforts on "growing and creating a vibrant Windows ecosystem."

Furthermore, when Myerson expressed, "it's (phone) not the core of where I hope to generate developer interest over the next year", we see a clear parallel to Nadella's earlier statement about reaching developers:

Additionally, Myerson's reference to "the next year" aligns closely with a two-year time frame for the retrenchment strategy.

Finally, Myerson's closing his statement with, "We're going to do some cool things with phones" seems to be a confirmation of Nadella's search for what the next bend in the curve would be. If Myerson's statement is anything to go by, it sounds like Microsoft may have found what they were looking for beyond the curve.

Wrap Up

I know that it is a challenge in this fast paced world to remain focused on the slowly evolving "big picture." Especially in the realm of tech where opinion and varying analysis abound. As the dynamic field of social media and tech blogs flash a dizzying assortment of content to us literally by the minute; a grasp of the context of the narrative we are attempting to follow may be lost.

I encourage readers (and aspiring writers) to strive to position any "new" elements to the "story" you are following or journaling, within the context that has already been established. Doing so will preclude "uproars" like that we've just witnessed when Microsoft's Windows chief, Terry Meyerson only said what the company's CEO and CMO stated last year. In truth, Terry just added further narration to a retrenchment story (a strategy) that has been being told since last summer.

Again, this article was not an analysis of a mobile strategy. Nor was it a piece to challenge your intellect or incite your emotions. It was, rather, an appeal to our collective common sense. Common sense is that most basic, yet often most discerning, part of our ability to perceive. It does not require formal training or education to be effective. It is this sense that when employed absent the "noise" of the internet and social media clearly sees past sensationalist headlines and content presented out of context.

That said, after viewing Myerson's statements within the proper context our common sense dictates that there's nothing new to be upset about as nothing has changed.

As promised last week, Microsoft has become one of the founding members of the new 3MF Consortium, a group of companies that want to launch a new file format for 3D printing that they claim will solve the "interoperability and functionality issues" when using current and older file formats with 3D printers.

The new file specification itself is called the 3D Manufacturing Format (3MF). The first version of the format has already been published by the Consortium and in fact is based on one that was already in development by Microsoft before the group was formed. The overall goals of the 3MF specification are that it should be:

• Rich enough to fully describe a model, retaining internal information, color, and other characteristics;
• Extensible so that it supports new innovations in 3D printing;
• Interoperable and open;
• Practical, simple to understand and easy to implement; and
• Free of the issues inherent in other widely used file formats.

The other founding members of the 3MF Consortium are Dassault Systèmes, netfabb, HP; Shapeways, SLM Solutions Group and Autodesk. There's no word on when the final version of the 3MF specification will be published. Microsoft added native support for 3D printing into Windows 8.1 in 2013.

Source: 3MF Consortium

We're at the IFA Global Press Conference in Malta where Microsoft's General Manager of Developer Experience, Bryan Biniak, has delivered a special session for the gathered press. With Build coming next week there was never any chance we'd hear about new products here, but in passing he did at least give a massive tease that "new products and services" will be discussed in San Francisco.

It may sound like stating the obvious, but with the cycle Microsoft currently finds itself in there's no reason to expect new products to be launched in the middle of the Windows 10 build up. There's no hint as to what any of it may be, but our ears certainly pricked up on hearing it. Additionally we're told we should expect to start seeing HoloLens creations start to surface in the coming weeks.

Build is Microsoft's biggest event of the year with its developer focused sessions accompanied by a press conference where we'll no doubt hear about what's been teased today. Windows Central will be live throughout Build, so make you sure join us for that!

Earlier this month Microsoft teased DirectX 12. The company said they’d have info to share about the next version of DirectX at this week’s GDC gaming conference. The Microsoft press conference just took place this morning. The DirectX team announced and shared a ton of info about DirectX 12. Read on if you’re ready for gaming to get even more enjoyable on your console, PC and phone.

DirectX is a collection of various APIs that work to make multimedia content, like games, better. There are various components to those APIs like Direct3D for graphics. 

Direct3D is the graphics API that Microsoft has worked on for 20 years as part of DirectX. Microsoft considers Direct3D to be one of the more critical pieces of a game engine. Which is why they’ve redesigned it to be faster and more efficient. They also stress that high-end PCs won’t be the only place you see these improvements. Everything from phones to tablets to laptops and to consoles will benefit from the work Microsoft has done with Direct3D 12.

Direct3D 12 will provide a lower level of hardware abstraction. This will allow multithread scaling and CPU utilization. The result of improving Direct3D is a reduced GPU overhead. You’re probably wondering if you need a new graphics card to take advantage of Direct3D 12. The answer is probably not. Microsoft has worked with hardware makers to ensure that DirectX 12 will run on most cards already in use. Bonus. Direct3D also promises 50% better CPU use and will make console games look and perform better on PC. Microsoft showed off Forza 5 running on PC hardware earlier today to demonstrate. 

With DirectX 12, developers will have great and more direct control over visuals in games. Your Xbox One will benefit, as will your Windows Phone and Windows 8 tablet.

Microsoft shared a slide about the benefits of DirectX 12 on mobile that our friends at IGN nabbed. The three core areas we’ll see improvements for games in the mobile environment are:

• Improved power efficiency
• Improved performance for mobile
• Scalability and portability

Kind of vague and PR’y, but if you zoom in on the image you can read the bulletin points for a better idea of what Microsoft means. For performance, the new DirectX 12 runtime will be efficient on multicore CPUs. The lower graphics API overhead will help maximize the performance on Snapdragon chipsets. You know the ones in every single Windows Phone.

In terms of scalability and portability. Look forward to a unified runtime that will help developers have an easier time porting PC and console content to mobile.

The DirectX 12 team will share more info and specifics about the changes at Microsoft’s Build conference in two weeks. We’ll be there to bring you all the news. In the meantime, if you’re a game developer you can request early access to the DirectX 12 preview program.

Source: MSDN Via: IGN

Microsoft has finalised the development stage of the first major update for Windows 8.1. According to a report over on the The Verge, Redmond has recently completed and signed off on a final version of Update 1, releasing the upgrade to manufacturing partners (RTM - release to manufacturing). What this means is Microsoft has begun sharing Windows 8. Update 8.1 with PC vendors ahead of next month's expected release after the company's Build conference.

This first update for Windows 8.1 is set to introduce new features and changes to the operating system, appeasing keyboard and mouse users. The list of changes include showing Windows 8 apps in the desktop taskbar, display a new title bar at the top of Windows 8 apps, as well as more convenient access to shutting down a system from the Start screen. We've previously looked at some of the new features Microsoft is including in the update.

The software giant is also looking at slashing Windows license fees, not to mention OS tweaks to enable manufacturers to produce hardware with just 1GB RAM and 16GB of internal storage. We're likely to see more affordable Windows hardware to combat the array of competitor products available on the market. We'll have more information as Build draws nearer.

Source: The Verge

Depending on where you are, today may be the 14th of January. It’s the day that Microsoft is going to be opening up registration for Build 2014 that takes place April 2-4 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Set your alarm and get your bank account ready if you’re hoping to go.

Build is Microsoft’s developer conference. It started in 2011 as a place for developers to get hands-on with Windows 8, but has grown to include most of Microsoft’s products and services.

Build 2014 is going to very, very big for Windows Phone. We’re expecting this venue to be where Microsoft finally takes the wraps off of Windows Phone 8.1. We’ll see things like a notification center, voice assistant, and much more in the next version of Windows Phone. Overlap with Windows 8 will also occur with APIs. There will also be an update for both the Xbox One and Windows 8.1 out or coming out around there, so if you’re a developer you’ll want to be on hand for all the new info. Windows 9, also known as Threshold, should be outlined by Microsoft at Build 2014.

Registration opens at 9am PST on Jan 14. You’ll need $2095 to sign up. You'll need to be quick, the last few events sold out within the hour. Here's the time localized for your region. 

Register soon: Build Windows

Thanks for the reminders everyone!

Last week at //BUILD/ we had the chance to see something pretty cool. It was an early look at the work Orbotix was doing with Windows 8 and their robotic gaming system Sphero. The team is working on making an official SDK for both Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. Not sure what Sphero is? In short, it’s awesome. Details after the break.

Sphero (www.gosphero.com) is a little robotic ball made by Orbotix. You can control the ball with a companion smartphone app, but it goes beyond just making a little ball roll from here to there. On competing platforms, iOS and Android, Orbotix already has an SDK out that allows game developers and hobbyists to create unique games for Sphero. At //BUILD/, the team was out demoing their little app-controlled robot with some Surface devices. We learned about their plans to release a Windows 8 SDK and one for Windows Phone. When can you expect the SDK for Windows Phone? Sometime in October when something else happens with Windows Phone. Check out Sphero in the videos. 

Right now there are a few apps in the Windows Phone Store that allow you to control a Sphero. You can find those by just searching for Sphero in the Store. The upcoming SDK will allow developers to easily and quickly create compelling experiences with Sphero and Windows Phone.

Sphero looks like a good cool gaming platform. The limits are really up to the imagination of people making games with the upcoming SDK. You can use augmented reality to make fun games. Tag was an example of a game that’s currently out for Sphero. If you have a handful of them you can play a pretty fun version of tag. One person is ‘It’ and tries to chase other Spheros. When you hit another Sphero they can change colors, freeze, or anything you want depending on the version of tag you’re playing.

What’s the device like itself? For $130 you can get a Sphero. The device can change colors to nearly anything you want with a companion app. The device itself can travel about 3 feet per second at full throttle and the Bluetooth connection allows for a range of 50 feet. You can over an hour of use with Sphero at full throttle. It comes with a cradle to charge through induction. It’s waterproof and super-sturdy with a high-impact polycarbonate shell (the stuff your Lumia 920 is made of). It’s sturdy enough for you to stand on even though that’s probably not the best idea.

When the Sphero SDK hits for Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 will I get one? Probably. It the short amount of time I played with it I had a good time. It’ll be even more fun once developers get to create fun games with the SDK. 

Source: GoSphero.com

Halo: Spartan Assault is coming to both Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8. It marks the first time in the franchise’s history that it won’t be on console or PC. It’s also the second time there will be a departure in gameplay from the series trademark first-person shooter experience. This past week at //BUILD/ we learned a bit more about the upcoming game. We also have a better picture of when it should be on your Windows Phone 8 device – the middle of July.

Dan Ayoub and Greg Hermann discussed the challenges in bringing the Halo franchise from a console experience to mobile world in the Build session titled Bringing Halo: Spartan Assault to Windows Tablets and Mobile Devices. It was a fascinating discussion on decisions the team made in bringing Halo to mobile and why you won’t be getting a first-person Halo game anytime soon for your Surface tablet or Windows Phone.

Why Halo won’t be a first-person shooter on your tablet anytime soon

How many of you have wanted to play Slayer on the rode with your mobile device – either a smartphone or tablet? A lot of you I bet. There’s something romantic about getting in a few multiplayer sessions of Halo when waiting for the bus or a dentists appointment. But why 343 Industries didn’t do that with Halo: Spartan Assault? Because they believe in making the right game for the right screen. They didn’t just want to port their console experience onto these mobile devices.

Halo on console vs... 

... Halo on mobile

The console experience typically involves a television and controller. While you could argue for something like support for the MOGA Pro controller, not everyone is going to have that on their Windows Phone or tablet. But those people will all have touchscreens, so they wanted to make a Halo game that played to the strengths of the input system that everyone will have access to – touchscreens. Of course on Windows 8 tablets you’ll also have keyboard support from the start and support for the Xbox controller coming in a future update. Speaking of future updates…

Halo: Spartan Assault will get support for a long time to come

When you download Halo: Spartan Assault to your Surface in mid-July it won’t technically be the final version. We know already know you’re getting 5 operations with 5 levels each. That’s 25 total missions that according to the session at Build, will get you around 2.5 hours of gameplay. That means, on average, each level will take you about 6 minutes to complete. Which is something else 343 Industries did on purpose. In mobile settings users usually play games in sporadic bursts and typically save marathon gaming sessions for the couch.

But you’re not going to just getting two and a half hours of gameplay for your $6.99 purchase of Halo: Spartan Assault. Dan Ayoub, hinted at future updates that will provide longevity for the game. Whether it’s going to be like Angry Birds where you’ll get more “worlds” in those updates remain to be seen. But don’t give up hope on multiplayer, when asked why they chose to exclude multiplayer he replied with a smirk that they designed the game to have a long life by delivering updates. They also wanted to nail the base experience – campaign.

In fact, you can expect support for the Xbox 360 controller for the Windows 8 version of Spartan Assault about one month after launch. I spoke with Dan after the event and asked why they didn’t have Xbox controller support day one. Basically the team wanted to focus on touch and keyboard and get those right. They had about 15 iterations of how touch would work on the tablet before settling on the current implementation. Right now you don’t need to keep your thumbs in the same spot to control the game. During gameplay if your thumbs drift the controls basically drift with you, working wherever you go. I also learned that the reason Xbox controller support is coming a month after release was because the team already planned on having an update come out then and decided to add controller support in that update. What will that update include? If I was a betting man I’d say you can expect new levels.

Fun facts learned at Build about Spartan Assault

• A lot of fun, somewhat miscellaneous info was also learned about Spartan Assault during Build. For example, we already knew the Surface RT would get about 30 frames-per-second in gameplay and the Surface Pro would get 60 frames-per-second. What about Windows Phone 8 and Atom based machines? Windows Phone is getting a solid 30 fps, while Atom is about the same.
• The game will include over 60 minutes of original audio.
• Development began about 18 months ago. That’s 6 months before the world learned about the Surface RT and Surface Pro. The team at 343 Industries and Vanguard Games (the primary developer of Spartan Assault) had no clue about the existence of the Surface program, but had already began development on for Windows 8 tablets and mobile devices.
• Began porting the traditional Halo FPS gameplay experience to tablet to see if it work. They had a small team that made a prototype and learned that Halo on tablets wasn’t a good idea. Fast gameplay that has a lot of twitch movements would need to rely too heavily on aim-assist to even begin to feel like Halo.
• Releasing mid-July

I can’t speak for the rest of the crew at Windows Phone Central, but I’m personally stoked to play Spartan Assault in a few weeks. We can expect the game in “mid-July”, so I’m tentatively marking July 17^th as the day most probable. Feel free to place your guesses below. If you want to watch the Build session, go to this link right here on Channel 9. The first half is easy to understand, but the second half with Greg Hermann does get a little technical.

Stay tuned as we tour 343 Industries in the coming weeks. 

While we use this weekend to recover from the whirlwind that is //BUILD/, there is still plenty of news to discuss from the past week. A preview of Windows 8.1 was released to everyone in attendance at Build and to anyone willing to try it out around the globe. Microsoft stressed that Windows 8.1 is just Windows 8, but refined. And in the short few days we’ve been playing we’re going to have to agree with that assessment.

Over the coming weeks we’ll be exploring Windows 8.1 side-by-side with you, finding new features and tricks. One of our new favorites is the ability to have two or more Windows 8 apps opened at once, without having to put one snap. But how do the apps interact with the Charms when you have more than one open? Let’s find out.

Which app wins?

Right now in Windows 8, you can have two Windows 8 apps opened at once – one full’ish sized and the other snapped a side at 320 pixels. Windows 8.1 will allow up to four apps on a screen for two screens, for a grand total of 8 apps running at the same time. It Windows 8 the larger of the two apps would be the one active when you used any of the Charms in Windows – like the Search or Share Charm.

But in Windows 8.1 you’re going to have apps taking up the same size. Who gets to share or search? It’s a really elegant solution, whichever app you last interacted with is considered the “active” app and will be the one subjugating to sharing or searching. Easy example, you have Xbox Music and Twitter both taking up 50/50 of your screen real estate. If you’re busy scrolling in Twitter and go to share you’ll be sharing from the Twitter app, since you last interacted with it. Tapping anywhere within the Xbox Music windows will make that the active app if you want to use charms. ]

You're sharing the webpage on the right because you last interacted with it.

Tl;DR Last app used is the boss of the Charms in Windows 8.1

Gutter cues

When you have two apps side-by-side there is a little black bar separating apps – that’s called the gutter in the design and development world (and from now on here too). The gutter is how you can resize apps in Windows 8.1 and also tells you which app was last used. Central in the gutter are three dots, on either side of those dots is a white line. That white line will be “touching” which ever app is active. Again, active meaning it’s going to be the one that gets told what to do by the Charms when you use them.

The more you know – random info from //BUILD/

In Windows 8.1 the new minimum size for apps that developers must support is 500 pixels. Why 500 pixels? Because the lowest resolution device that can be certified for Windows 8 have screens with 1024 x 768. So developers need to be able to ensure that every user can have at least two apps taking up the screen 50/50, therefore 500 pixels is the new minimum.

Something else we found interesting, while you can 8 modern apps open at once over two monitors, you cannot have one Windows 8 / modern app span between those monitors. Like what you can do with windows in the desktop. However, developers can have their Windows 8 apps open more than one window with new APIs in Windows 8.1. For example, look below at the screenshot. You’re looking at the Windows 8.1 version of Internet Explorer with two different windows open. Nifty right?

Multiple windows support for one Windows 8.1 app

And finally, Microsoft has prepared Windows 8.1 to support apps on a plethora of devices with varying screen sizes/resolutions. Right now on the market you have devices like the Surface RT and Pro, both physically the same size, but one device has a full HD resolution and higher DPI than the other. You also have devices like the Dell XPS 27 All-in-One that has a 27-inch screen that is 2560 pixels wide and 1440 pixels high! But we know devices with small screens and high (as in extremely high) DPIs on are on the horizon – and so does Microsoft. Check out the following screenshot to see what Redmond is prepared to support in Windows 8.1.

Anybody want a Surface tablet in the 7-8 inch range with a 1440 x 1080 display? Hmm yes please. 

The info above came from the session titled Beautiful Apps at Any Size on Any Screen by Sarah McDevitt. It’s worth checking out if you want to know how Windows 8.1 will change how you interact with all these new sized devices. Go to Channel 9 to view the session. 

Unity, developers of the wildly popular gaming engine of the same name, announced yesterday at Build 2013 that they have struck up a "strategic partnership" with Microsoft to develop for Xbox One and Windows Phone 8. This collaboration with Microsoft means the development of new development tools geared specifically for both platforms, "including support for many next-generation features like enhanced Kinect gestures and recognition, multiplayer matchmaking, SmartGlass and cloud stuff."

In addition to opening up the development floodgates to both platforms, the new partnership will also benefit those who choose to develop games using the Unity engine.

Current Unity Pro 4 license holders will receive the Windows Store Pro publishing add-on, which will allow them to port games to both the Windows Store and Windows Phone Store, free of charge. Developers who build games published by Microsoft Studios get the tools for both Xbox 360 and Xbox One at no cost. The partnership will also offer up over $100,000 in prizes to those who build "great Windows experiences."

This partnership should prove to be a boon to Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, who have both seen their fair share of struggles in gaining popularity. It will add much-needed dev cred to Microsoft's mobile operating system, which is something they have desperately been trying to jumpstart. Unity's support for Windows Phone 8 is a welcome turnaround. They decided to pass on Windows Phone 7 back in 2011, but announced last summer that they would indeed support its successor.

Drift Mania Championship 2 on Windows Phone 8 was built with Unity.

But this is no one-sided partnership either. Unity gets to play in Microsoft's gaming waters. If you combine Xbox, Windows and Windows Phone, there is no competitor that comes even close to Microsoft's gaming reach. Throw in these perks for developers that were just announced at Build 2013, and it looks like everybody wins.

Source: Unity; Via: TheInquirer

As Build enters its third and final day, there has been lots of circulating murmurs regarding Rudy Huyn’s “Wall of Windows Phones” i.e. the technological monstrosity that you see above. In other words, we’re getting a lot of “tips” on the matter and we want to knock out any hope or speculation.

The wall, based off of Rudy’s earlier trick of linking together many phones to display one large Bing/HERE map, has been around for some time now, but this time it has gone bigger thanks in part to Nokia who supplied the phones. Truth be told Nokia and Rudy were going to attempt a Guinness Book of World Records attempt, but due to the $30K fee you need to have them here, well, the idea was nixed.

Let’s head onto the rumors and speculation for some buzzkill…

Rumor #1: Those are Lumia 825s. Wait, what’s a Lumia 825?

True. Lumia 825s are a limited set of developer phones that are basically Lumia 820s. They were given to a selected bunch of devs right around the time Windows Phone 8 was getting ready to launch last year. It’s one of those secret-not-so-secret things, but yes, we’ve seen ‘em before and that’s what is on the wall. We've never mentioned it because frankly, it's a boring phone.

While we’re on the topic, there is also a Nokia ‘Phi’, which is a modified Lumia 920 for internal testing at Microsoft.

So no, there is nothing new there. At least “new” as in interesting.

Rumor #2 That's Windows Phone 8.1!

False. When Rudy’s Bing/HERE maps are not running, a program that highlights the top apps in the Windows Phone Store goes on to the displays, moving around and popping up.. That’s what you’ve seen in a few photos from other news sites with the “different size tiles” and what you see above.

We can 100% confirm that Windows Phone 8.1, which is still being developed and is in bits and pieces (i.e. branches) is not nearly ready to be shown off to the public. The SDK is also not ready either. In other words, there are quite a few months left before we see more about 8.1 and the idea that Microsoft would accidentally show it thousands of people at a conference is a bit…well, let’s just say unlikely.

In addition, it does seem as if Windows Phone 8.1 is behind schedule. After all, the Windows Team seems to be on the same page with the rest of Microsoft (e.g. Xbox One), but Windows Phone appears to be late—for whatever reason. Mentions of Windows Phone 8.1 have been found in the SDK and even Microsoft is referring to Windows Phone 8 as “8.0” in presentations here.

So things are close, but we’re still a ways out. Sorry, folks!

Yesterday during a Build session, Microsoft software engineer Polita Paulus held a session on what it means for developers to upgrade their apps for Windows 8.1. While current Windows 8 apps will of course run just fine on 8.1, developers interested in taking advantage of the new code base will need to recompile their app and add or modify a few lines of code.

Like all OS updates, those of you who are straight up consumers just want to know, what does it mean for me? We know already that in 8.1 the “snap view” is basically gone in the sense that predefined sizes (1/3 or 2/3 of the display) are no longer required. That means you can drag and resize multiple “snapped” windows to whatever size you want.

But what about speed changes? Of course an OS update should bring optimizations to the codebase, allowing apps to load quicker and indeed on 81, that is the case.

In a slide (and subsequent demo) we’re told that apps recompiled for 8.1 have quite a few advantages to them for speed:

• 5-30% increase in Startup time (in an app with ListView e.g. Mail)
• 2x List Planning
• 10-20% lower memory usage in XAML
• 15-35% faster: Editing in a WinJS ListView

In real world terms, we saw what this meant in the much used Mail app for Windows 8. The app started faster and when scrolling fast there were no fill-boxes (i.e. the grey background) resulting in a visually much improved system.

Developers won’t have to do much either to take advantage of 8.1, as in most instances a simple recompile is all that is needed. However, devs may need to spend a little time tweaking how their app looks when snapped at various sizes, including what its ideal would be.

Regardless, in the end yes, your apps will start faster, be smoother at scrolling and use less memory, just as you would expect.

Follow all our Build 2013 news here: www.wpcentral.com/build-2013

Today at Build, Microsoft handed out a few thousand Iconia W3s to the attendees. For those of you don’t know, the Iconia W3 is Acer’s first attempt at an 8-inch Windows 8 tablet running with an Intel Atom processor.

Is it good, bad, somewhere in between? We’re not a 100% sure yet but we do like playing around with it a whole lot. Head past the break for our hands on video and some impressions!

To refresh on the all the specs of this little bad boy: the tablet weighs 1.10 pounds, is .45 inches thin, sports a 1200 x 800 8.1 inch LCD display, 32 or 64 GB of memory, and is powered by an Intel Atom Clover Trail CPU.

Truth be told, the display is a bit “meh”. By that sophisticated description we’re referring to the lack of an IPS display, making this straight up LCD, which seems like something from 2010 rather than 2013. Of course, it was done to keep the price down and like all displays, once you use it for a few minutes your mind kind of forgets. But on first loading, Sam Sabri and I each thought something was wrong with our screens.

Guess we’re spoiled.

Device performance is what you can expect from an Intel Atom: it rocks for Windows 8 Start screen apps, but lags a bit when you run full desktop apps (this is full Windows 8, after all). But what option would you rather have? A somewhat sluggish desktop experience or no choice in the matter? Because of that we prefer Atom processors over ARM, though we hope to revisit that issue later this year.

Biggest surprise? The speakers. Located at the bottom of the device, when held vertically, they’re surprisingly loud and sound a lot better than you’d expect. Cameras, on the other hand, are a bit muddy. The W3 features both 2.1MP front and rear cameras, which is probably done once again to cut costs.

Having said that, we see a real opportunity for some OEM (cough, Nokia, cough) to make an 8-inch Windows 8 tablet with stellar front and rear cameras, because this size device lends itself to Skype and even general photo taking.

We’ll do a follow up in a few days from Sam and me on the Iconia W3. It’s not a perfect device and it’s really the tip of the iceberg for what’s coming in this range—but it is quite compelling to use and is keeping us entertained. For $379 (32GB version) it will certainly raise some eyebrows.

Today during one of the many Build 2013 sessions going on, Microsoft also publicized some Windows Phone Store numbers since Windows Phone 8 was launched.

By now, many of our readers have probably figured that Windows Phone 8 has quickly become the more popular OS (over 7.x) partially due to the new and exciting hardware and also because of it being more powerful.

So how much of an impact has Windows Phone 8 had? It’s quite significant. Since November of last year (around 7 months ago):

• 52k+ app have been submitted with WP8 SDK
• 102k+ new developers have registered with Windows Phone
• 2.5x increase in daily app revenue
• 200M monthly app downloads
• 160k+ apps, with 191 markets and 50 different languages

The take away? Microsoft has built up quite an ecosystem around the Windows Phone Store and Windows Phone 8 has only accelerated, somewhat significantly, that growth.

Today was quite the day if you follow our feeds. Microsoft took the stage on day one at its Build 2013 conference to show off some products running Windows 8, as well as presenting Windows 8.1 and talking about the ecosystem in general. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer leaped on to the stage to kick the show off, but we were also blessed with the presence of Julie Larson-Green and co.

Don't worry if you somehow missed the keynote as we've got a summary right here for you.

Windows 8.1

The Windows 8.1 preview is available for everyone to check out. We covered the announcement, so be sure to head on over to check out the download link. Speaking of upgrades, we've got some new apps on the way to Windows, including Facebook, Flipboard and NFL.

Developers can further enhance their apps by utilising the redesigned Windows Store. Monetisation opportunities and more flexible design options are now available. Internet Explorer 11 is included in the Windows 8.1 preview.

The next version of Microsoft's web browser builds on IE10 and is further optimised for touch input. The new release delivers rebuilt F12 developer tools, more options for favourites and tabs, performance improvements, as well as the ability to synchornise browsing history, favourite sites, tabs and settings across all Windows 8.1 hardware.

This is a neat new feature that will be welcomed by those who use a combination of desktops, laptops and tablets. But that's not all as the audience and viewers were also treated to a sneak peek at the new Xbox Music app and Powerpoint for RT. We'll look at the new features and updated system apps soon.

Bing

Bing was also touched on during the keynote. Gurdeep Singh Pall, Corporate VP of the online services division, outlined how Bing has crafted a platform that allows the technology behind Bing to be embedded as intelligent services into Microsoft hardware, services and third-party apps. This provides more information, which is easily accessible by consumers when searching and browsing. Microsoft is essentially attempting to make Bing more human.

The new platform was presented to deliver three broad categories of capabilities of which third-party applications can take advantage of:

• Services to bring entities and world knowledge to apps
• Services to enable apps to deliver a more natural and intuitive user experience
• Servers that bring an awareness of the physical world into apps

Highlighted services included: The Bing Entity API, Bing Optical Character Recognition Control, Bing Translator Control, Bing Speech Control and Bing Maps 2D/3D Control. As well as developers, Microsoft also unveiled two new Bing apps for the Windows 8.1 Preview during the keynote today.

The first was Food & Drink, which as the name suggests enables users to check out videos, recipies and other content. The app sports a hands-free mode that utilises the camera to detect a gesture. The second new app was Health & Fitness, more on these new apps and anything else in Windows 8.1 / Bing later.

The Extra Stuff

As well as the main highlights, Microsoft had a number of small thing to show off. Visual Studio 2013 Preview and .NET Framework 4.5.1 Preview are both available for download right now. 3D printing was endorsed by the team with native support and partnerships formed with top companies in the industry, including MakerBot, 3D Systems, Netfab and more. This will help make it easier for folk to get cracking with said hardware.

The Kinect for Windows team announced version 1.8 of the platform's SDK, which is set to be released in September later this year. A developer kit program will also be kicking off in November 2013 for the new generation Kinect for Windows sensor (hello, Xbox One). Sign-ups have already started and the new developer kits for qualifying developers will include an early version of the next-gen Kinect sensor, access to pre-release versions of the SDK and a second sesor when the final version is released to the public. 

On a lighter note, Windows Phone developers can rejoice with Microsoft slashing the registration fee to just $19.

That about sums it up, excluding the Acer Iconia and Microsoft Surface Windows 8 tablet giveaways, of course. Be sure to remain tuned to our feed for more bits and bobs from Build 2013.