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
This week's news was obviously dominated by Build 2015 and all of the goodies that Microsoft has in store for the Windows platform.
A big part of that was about courting developers of other platforms to extend their work to Windows 10. But this wasn't about begging and pleading, it was all about showing them how easy it would be to bring their creations to the Windows family of products.
Microsoft announced they had created a simple, streamlined process for compiling both Android and iOS apps for Windows 10.
To prove their point, Microsoft dropped a bomb, revealing that Candy Crush Saga, the blockbuster game that just made its way onto Windows Phone fairly recently, was in fact the product of their new compiling process.
Other news out of Build 2015 saw Microsoft's new browser, known up until now only as Project Spartan, don its new moniker, Microsoft Edge. Despite the move to a new browser, Microsoft couldn't help but give a nod to Edge's predecessor, Internet Explorer, in the design of its logo.
We also saw how the Windows 10 experience will compare on PCs, tablets, and phones. It was announced that Continuum would be built into Windows 10 for Phones, which will allow you to connect to an external monitor and essentially use it as a PC. However, make no mistake, you will need a new phone for that to happen.
Additionally, we got a taste of what Windows 10 will be like on tablets
Things wouldn't be complete without a look at Windows Holographic Platform for HoloLens. Though it wasn't as in depth as everyone would have liked, Microsoft did promise to give us more at E3
Other notable items:
- The free Windows 10 upgrade is a 'promotional activity' for Microsoft's accountants
- New transparency effects and Cortana integration spotted in unreleased Windows 10 build
- Windows 10 build 10074: Everything you need to know
- Windows 10 desktop will come out before Phone in a staggered release cycle
- Microsoft Edge browser won't pick up Extension support until after RTM
Microsoft
We were there live at Build 2015, giving you everything you need to know.
Microsoft's goal is to get Windows 10 on one billion devices within three years of its release. That challenge will only be met by beefing up their other products and services surrounding Windows 10 and playing nice with other platforms.
For that reason, it was announced that the new Visual Studio Code will include native support for OS X. Not only that, but for the first time, Mac and Linux developers will also have access to the .NET Core.
Developers will also be able to port their .NET and Win32 apps over into the Windows Store.
And on the business side of things, Microsoft announced new data services for Azure developers and exciting new third-party app and add-in API plans for Office.
Even with all the exciting times ahead, there are still some issues of past and present to deal with. The Nokia acquisition is still on the books, and Microsoft warned shareholders of a possible massive future write-off because of it.
Other notable items:
- Microsoft announces Windows Store for Business
- Carrier billing for apps will be extended to all Windows 10 devices
- Rumored specs of Surface Pro 4 detail a fanless, but still powerful system
- Microsoft's transformation isn't just words, we're now seeing the action
- The full SDK for the Microsoft Band is now available for developers
Extra and Miscellaneous
Away from the hubbub of Build, there was some positive financial news from some of the major carriers around the world. T-Mobile reportedly gained 1.8 million new customers in the first quarter of 2015, while EE boasted a total of 9.3 million 4G customers.
AT&T is doing well enough that they have decided to acquire Nextel Mexico for a sum $1.875 billion. Sprint had some news as well, teaming up with Boingo to offer their customers free Wi-Fi in airports across the United States.
In other news, our old friend Nokia said that despite previous rumors, they do not have plans to manufacture smartphones.
And closer to home, we gave you a Mobile Nations Community update.
Other notable items:
- New DirectX 12 demos show off increased game frame rates and realistic details
- I tried the near-finalized version of HoloLens, this is what I think
Share your thoughts on this past week of news! And we'll be back again next week to do it all over again.
