In the News

Microsoft acknowledged that the Windows 10 adoption pace had slowed when it claimed the new operating system was running on approximately 400 million devices. The company reset the Windows 10 uptake status on the same day it kicked off the 2016 edition of its Ignite conference in Atlanta. Microsoft’s last Windows 10 update was at the end of June, a month before it halted the free upgrade for consumers and small businesses running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.

Microsoft continued its push to get companies on the hybrid cloud train, with the launch of several products all tailored at helping bridge on-premises datacenters and the public cloud. The company announced that Windows Server 2016 and System Center 2016 will be available for purchase on October 1, and generally available in mid-October. On top of that, it unveiled new Azure functionality that makes it easier to monitor both public cloud infrastructure and on-premises datacenters in one control plane.

Microsoft announced its plans to power its data centers around the world using 50% renewable energy by 2018. The company also plans to boost its use of renewable power for its data centers to 60% by the early 2020s. Rob Bernard, Microsoft’s Chief Environmental & Cities Strategist, made the announcement at the VERGE16 conference last week. Microsoft’s latest announcement came on the same day that Apple committed to 100% renewable energy use by joining RE100, a global initiative by influential businesses. To date, RE100 has amassed membership from 77 corporations, including Microsoft.

One of the biggest security risks for computer users is their web browser. According to Microsoft, 90 percent of phishing emails use the browser to initiate attacks, which can then be used to help attackers establish a beachhead inside a company. Microsoft is aiming to better protect users and organizations from the threats that they face with a new feature called Windows Defender Application Guard. It’s designed to isolate Microsoft Edge from the rest of the files and processes running on a user’s computer and prevent computer exploits from taking hold.

Walt Disney Co and Microsoft Corp joined a list of potential suitors for Twitter Inc., according to media reports. Twitter shares were marginally down at $23.33 after-market trading. The microblogging service has reportedly started talks with a number of technology companies to sell itself, including Google parent Alphabet Inc. and may receive a formal bid soon. A source told Reuters that Salesforce.com Inc. is also in pursuit.

Microsoft has announced its desktop operating system Windows 10 is now running on 400 million active devices. Speaking at Microsoft Ignite, Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President, Windows and Devices Group, said, “Windows 10 now has 400 million monthly active devices. The adoption has been 150 per cent faster than Windows 7.” Microsoft Windows 10 was launched in July 2015 as a unified operating system for all devices.

Bill Thies, a Senior Researcher at Microsoft Research India, has been awarded the MacArthur Fellowship, popularly known as “genius grant”. The award includes a $625,000 no-strings-attached grant, awarded over five years. He is among 23 winners this year. The award recognizes Bill for his contributions to the socio-economic development of under-served communities. A computer scientist, he creates communication and digital technologies to advance the social and economic well-being of low-income communities in the developing world.

Microsoft has offered case scenarios of how its VOIP calling service Skype can authenticate identity using the Aadhaar database to the government. The company said that it already supports iris authentication on Windows 10. Bhaskar Pramanik, Chairman, Microsoft India said that Skype could especially be used to authenticate users who access government services. Microsoft begun working on a pilot to integrate Skype with the Aadhaar database this February. At the time, the company was testing if Aadhaar could be used to identify users for video calls with government organizations and institutions.

Released in 2006, Call of Duty 3 is better known as the last World War 2 game in the franchise before Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Although Treyarch would return to the setting with Call of Duty: World at War, it’s main responsibility these days is the Black Ops franchise. The next big game in the franchise will be Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare releasing for Xbox One, PS4 and PC on November 4th. Purchasing the Legacy Edition will also net you Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Remastered, a graphical revamp of the classic. The latter could also receive its own solo release in the days to come though.

Microsoft announced this past week that the Xbox Elite controller will work with Samsung’s Gear VR headset. When the update hits next month, it’ll initially only offer support for Microsoft’s own Minecraft: Gear VR Edition, though controller support for other games will be available “in the coming months”. To use the feature, users are going to need Xbox’s US $70 controller to play.