All in on AI
Did Microsoft shift to an AI-focused strategy because of Google?
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One year after Google shifted from a mobile-first vision to an AI-first one, Microsoft did the same. Is Microsoft following Google?
Microsoft Build
:O
A whole lot of people (141 million, to be exact) use Cortana each month
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Cortana may not be the biggest voice assistant, but the number of people using it continues to grow at a healthy pace, according to Microsoft.
Listen carefully
Microsoft WILL address mobile at Build — but not how you expect
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Windows phone fans are hoping for at least a tidbit of information on Microsoft's mobile strategy from the upcoming Build developer conference. They'll get it ... but maybe not in the way they expect.
Desperate times call for desperate measures
If Microsoft doesn't kill at BUILD, Surface phone may be dead on arrival
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The Surface phone is expected by 2018 but Microsoft's ecosystem isn't ready. What will Microsoft do at BUILD 2017 to get developers on board?
Don't forget to remember
Hey Terry Myerson that sounds familiar
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This week Microsoft's Windows chief shared information about Microsoft's phone position that many readers viewed out of context. In this fast paced world where information is propelled at us at a dizzying rate maintaining a grasp of the broader context of a narrative can be challenging.
Expanding 3D Printing
Microsoft helps to launch the 3MF Consortium
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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...
New things coming at Build?
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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...
Microsoft unveils DirectX 12, promises to make mobile games better
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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....
Windows 8.1 Update 1 hits RTM ahead of April release
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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...
PSA: Set your alarm, registration opens tomorrow for Build 2014
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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...
Sphero SDK coming for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8
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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...
Halo Spartan Assault coming mid-July, will include future game updates
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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...
How do the Charms work with multiple apps running on Windows 8.1? Here’s how.
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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...
Unity announces Xbox One support and partnership with Microsoft
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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...
Buzzkill: Yes, there’s a Lumia 825. No, that’s not Windows Phone 8.1
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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...
By the numbers: How much faster are Windows 8.1 apps with new code?
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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...
Acer Iconia W3 8-Inch Windows tablet: Unboxing & first impressions
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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...
With 160,000+ apps, Microsoft breaks down the numbers for the Windows Phone Store
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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...
Day 1 at Microsoft's Build 2013 summarised: Bing, Windows 8 and Windows Phone
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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...
Microsoft giving away Surface Pro Windows 8 tablets to developers at Build 2013
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Apparently Larson Green wasn't happy with the Acer Iconia W3 giveaway and wanted to make the day even sweeter. Developers who attend the Build 2013 conference will receive a Microsoft Surface Pro with Type Cover. Not a bad deal to try and drum up more development for Windows 8. We're sure developers will not disapprove of this move either. Stay tuned to our Build 2013 coverage for...