This week on Windows: Mixed-reality headsets – all the specs you need to know
This week’s highlights include a closer look at Windows Mixed Reality headsets, Cortana news, helpful hints for Microsoft Word and more. … Read more »
Smart Tech
The latest news on how Microsoft is developing smart technology
Halo and Steam fans are going to love Microsoft’s new mixed-reality headsets
Microsoft is to launch affordable and easy-to-use mixed-reality headsets that will include content from the Steam gaming platform and Halo franchise. The technology company announced that a range of devices and motion controllers from HP, Lenovo, Dell and Acer will be released in the coming months. Microsoft has led the … Read more »
A group of UK students may have just solved one of the biggest problems with drones
A group of students from the UK may have solved one of the biggest problems with drones – how to fly them safely near commercial planes and buildings. Supported by Microsoft’s cloud technology, 14 computing students from Imperial College London proved that more than 1,000 drones could operate in a … Read more »
Microsoft unveils superfast and secure blockchain service for companies
Microsoft has announced a first-of-its-kind blockchain service for companies that can handle more than 1,600 transactions per second – much faster than current networks. The Coco Framework is easier to use than other blockchain products, making the technology widely available to firms in a range of sectors, including financial services, … Read more »
Microsoft is trying to ease the UK’s social care problem by using technology
Microsoft has joined a UK-wide group that aims to enable older adults to remain in their own home and reduce the country’s £20 billion annual social care bill. The technology company has teamed up with the Agile Ageing Alliance (AAA), a social business made up of more than 600 private … Read more »
A two-minute guide to how mixed reality will change your world
Mixed reality. Virtual reality. Augmented reality. What’s the difference, and how will blending the physical and digital worlds empower you to do things that were previously impossible? Most importantly, how will all this affect our trousers? Learn all this and more on episode three of the Story Labs animated series … Read more »
BBC and Microsoft experiment lets viewers talk to their TV
The BBC has worked with Microsoft to create an experimental version of iPlayer that lets viewers talk to their television and find their favourite programmes. The experimental version of the popular service, which allows people to watch BBC television shows and listen to the radio via the internet, uses artificial … Read more »
Microsoft HoloLens is helping architects to build better buildings, says RIBA
Architects are constructing better public buildings and spaces in the UK thanks to the growing popularity of cutting-edge technology such as Microsoft HoloLens, the industry’s professional body has said. Switching from pens and paper to mixed-reality headsets, cloud computing and digital collaboration tools has transformed how architectural firms operate. This … Read more »
Six things Microsoft announced at its London AI event
Microsoft has laid out its vision for AI (artificial intelligence), which puts people at the heart of intelligent technology to empower them to achieve great things. The company is dedicated to democratizing AI for every person and organisation, making it more accessible and valuable to everyone, and for the past … Read more »
Microsoft reinforces AI vision at London event
Microsoft’s vision for AI (artificial intelligence) is about people. It’s about amplifying human ingenuity through intelligent technology that will reason with, understand and interact with people and, together with people, help us solve some of society’s most fundamental challenges. This was the message shared earlier today at an event in … Read more »
NASA: Microsoft HoloLens is helping us find the best sites for bases on Mars
NASA is using Microsoft HoloLens to find the best places on Mars to build bases that would one day house astronauts exploring the planet, a senior member of the Rover team has said. Jay Torres is part of a group at NASA developing the Mars Exploration Rover, which will be … Read more »
A group of UK schoolchildren will have their names put on ‘the fastest car ever made’
A group of schoolchildren from the UK will have their names put on a 1,000mph car that could break the land speed record next year. The boys from Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School, in Hertfordshire, won the chance to be part of history after they took top spot in one of … Read more »
In one move, SwiftKey has made it easier for 70 million more people to stay in touch
SwiftKey has made it easier for 70 million more people in India to stay in touch with friends and family via their mobile phones. The British smartphone keyboard company, which is owned by Microsoft, has rolled out its intelligent typing system to Tamil speakers across the Asian country. It means … Read more »
The secret to a healthy life? Big data
It’s an exciting time to be in medicine. Thanks to scientific advances, many more of us are living longer. We’ve seen exciting developments in areas such as robotic surgery, prosthetics and remote care. All these technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way we experience healthcare. With better medical care, … Read more »
Blockchain can help you understand where your gas and electricity comes from
The energy market is to get a clearer view of how companies buy gas and electricity thanks to blockchain technology. Utilidex, an online platform for the energy sector, is extending its online hub to allow retailers and generators to keep track of the creation, sale and use of their energy. The … Read more »
Protecting computers as important as doctors washing their hands, Microsoft’s Chief Security Advisor says
Protecting computers from hackers is as crucial as doctors washing their hands in a hospital, Microsoft’s Chief Security Advisor in the UK has said. Stuart Aston told a summit of healthcare professionals that all companies need to understand cyber threats and respond to them better in order to keep staff … Read more »
Microsoft at London Tech Week: in pictures
London Tech Week featured conferences, showcases and forums aimed at helping startups, entrepreneurs, enthusiasts, students and companies. Microsoft was a headline partner of the event, which featured speakers such as Cindy Rose, the company’s UK CEO, and Ben Medlock, the founder of SwiftKey. Here’s what happened: … Read more »
Microsoft HoloLens can help level the playing field in schools, says world’s largest education company Pearson
Wearable technology such as Microsoft’s mixed-reality headset has the potential to “level the playing field” for children in schools, according to the world’s largest education company. Products like Microsoft HoloLens, which allows people to place 3D digital models in the room alongside them, would help all students work and learn … Read more »
Everything you need to know about the Internet of Things in less than four minutes
In the next few years, we will see the arrival of some 30 billion to 50 billion connected devices. The Internet of Things (IoT) will allow the unprecedented creation and sharing of data. And, by analysing all of that information, we will learn how to improve our lives and create … Read more »
The next generation of Skype is here to help you chat, call and share
Skype has unveiled the next generation of its popular service, with new features to help people chat, call and share. It has been completely rebuilt, giving users the power to personalise their experience on mobile and desktop. One feature of the new Skype allows people involved in a conversation to … Read more »
Robots don’t need people to tell them what to do, they can learn from each other, Oxford researchers say
Robots could soon learn from each other and work together to complete tasks such as rescuing people from hostile environments, researchers at Oxford University have said. Humans currently program bots to act in a certain way and perform specific jobs, such as building cars in a factory, but the artificial … Read more »
Five kids designed a drone that could save millions of people from deadly diseases
A design for a drone that takes air samples and pictures to help aid agencies predict outbreaks of deadly diseases has won a major Microsoft award. A group of teenagers from Peterborough School took the top prize in the STEM Student Challenge for their Asclepius Drone, which combines sensors, cameras, … Read more »
Eurovision: UK has 1% chance of winning, Bing predicts
The UK has just a 1% chance of winning the Eurovision Song Contest this weekend, Bing has predicted. Microsoft’s search engine has crunched the numbers on all 26 competitors and belives Lucie Jones is 12th in the list of performers who are most likely to take top spot in the … Read more »
Microsoft technology can help extend my career, says award-winning artist
An award-winning artist who has been visually impaired for the past 27 years and uses technology to create interactive drawings has said Microsoft products can help extend his career. Keith Salmon (above, left, with Microsoft’s Neel Joshi) held a popular exhibition in Edinburgh recently that featured drawings of Hells Canyon, … Read more »
There’s a Heston Blumenthal bot that teaches you how to be an amazing chef
A Heston Blumenthal bot that teaches you how to cook has been released by Skype. The Michelin-star chef offers stories, recipes, tips and experiments via instant messages and photos, so you can create the perfect meal in your own kitchen. The “Heston Bot” will offer new recipes every month based … Read more »
