ICYMI: 'Redstone' scheduled, HoloLens dev pre-orders begin, and PlayStation 4 getting remote play to Windows

News
By Seth Brodeur
last updated

A lot can happen in a week. Seven days might not seem like much, but it can be an eternity in the tech news cycle.

Between Windows news, hardware and software developments and Microsoft's fast-paced movements throughout the technology landscape, it's never easy to keep your hand on the pulse of technology. Not to mention everything that's going on right here at Windows Central!

Every week we're going to compile the biggest stories into one post, so you never fall behind – In Case You Missed It (ICYMI).

Windows

Windows

February proved to be another successful month for Windows 10. Net Applications' latest figures indicate that the OS continues to gain market share around the world, residing on 12.82% of the world's PCs. That is up nearly a full percentage point over last month.

Microsoft announced a new enterprise-level security service this week. Dubbed Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection, the new service will help detect, identify, and remedy breaches on company networks.

Windows 10 got a cumulative update, bringing the build number to 10586.122. The update contains some power fixes, improved support for more devices, like wearables, and some performance boosts.

Windows 10 PC preview build 14279 was released to Fast ring Insiders. The update adds more languages to Cortana, in addition to the usual list of fixes.

Rumor has it that the first part of the highly-anticipated "Redstone" Update for Windows 10 will roll out in June, with the follow-up patch coming the following Spring. A leaked screenshot shows that the Cortana may pick up some smarter app and text alerts as part of the updates.

Other notable items:

Microsoft

Microsoft

Microsoft

It looks like Microsoft is testing versions of Office ported using "Project Centennial", the bridge they created to convert Win32-based applications into Windows 10 Store apps. A Store listing for a "Centennial Office Test1" app cropped up, and could even be downloaded, although the app itself doesn't work.

Pre-orders for the HoloLens Development Edition have begun. Invites to purchase the augmented-reality kit for $3000 went out to those who registered, and the HoloLens itself will ship on March 30.

Microsoft also released a HoloLens emulator for those developers who can't swing the $3000, but still want to create and test apps for it.

With the pre-orders now open, we also got a look at the hardware specifications of the HoloLens. The rig will have 2GB RAM, 64 GB of storage, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 802.11ac, MicroUSB 2.0, and is expected to get 2 to 3 hours of active battery life. It can take 2MP photos, record HD video, and might even be able to see through walls.

As for software, the first batch of HoloLens apps will include Skype, the game Young Conker, and a HoloLens Companion app that will let you stream video to your PC.

In a piece for The Guardian, Epic Games co-founder, Tim Sweeney, put out a call to arms to "fight Microsoft'" on their Universal Windows Platform, saying that Redmond "wants to monopolize games development on PC." Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, responded via Twitter to address the comments:

"Windows has always been an open ecosystem welcoming the contributions of hardware and software partners, and will always continue to be. UWP is a fully open ecosystem, available to every developer, and can be supported by any store. Broad range of tools. We will discuss our next steps with the Universal Windows Platform at //build later this month."

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Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous

On their official blog, Sony said that PlayStation 4's next update introduce Remote Play to Windows and OSX computers. Update 3.50 (codenamed "Musashi") is already in closed beta testing, minus the Remote Play feature. 3.50 will also bring friend/online notifications, the ability to appear offline, scheduled events, and Dailymotion to the game console.

VESA announced the specs for the upcoming DisplayPort 1.4 standard. Not only will DisplayPort 1.4 embrace the USB-C connector, but it will also support for 8K and HDR video up to 60Hz, and 4K HDR up to 120Hz.

Qualcomm has been ordered to pay $7.5 million for ethical violations alleged by the SEC. According to the regulatory group, the chipmaker "gave employees of state-owned entities or government agencies in China event tickets and gifts or paid for travel, and on certain occasions hired children or friends of employees of state-owned entities or ministries in China."

And in other legal news, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Facebook and other companies filed a joint amicus brief supporting Apple in their legal battle with the FBI over their iPhone encryption. Microsoft's president, Brad Smith, also released a statement explaining the move:

"We've reached a critical moment in which a new generation of mobile and cloud-based technologies have far outrun the laws that protect our safety and preserve our timeless and fundamental rights. By standing with Apple, we're standing up for customers who depend on us to keep their most private information safe and secure."

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Share your thoughts on this past week of news! And we'll be back again next week to do it all over again.

Seth Brodeur
Seth Brodeur