In the News

Microsoft announced a plan to bring Hololens headwear to select Lowe’s locations. Customers will be able to see things like kitchen cabinets, countertops and appliances as part of a finished renovation in VR with Hololens. Microsoft also says Hololens will allow Lowe’s to “bring customers a new way to experience full-scale design and appliance options while maximizing precious floor space in the store.” Microsoft imagines a time when one can digitally furnish an entire home with VR before having the furniture delivered.

Microsoft Studios’ upcoming exclusive gaming title Quantum Break will reportedly run at 720p resolution on Xbox One. The third-person shooter game will be released on April 5 across Xbox One and Windows PC.

Microsoft’s browser, Edge, debuted with Windows 10. Its latest preview on both the PC and tablet now supports extensions. The first three are: Microsoft Translator that automatically translates a web page to one of over 50 supported languages, an early version of the Reddit Enhancement Suite, and a mouse gesture app for better control of the Edge browser experience using the mouse or touchpad. More extensions like the Adblock Plus Ad blocker, the LastPass password manager, the Evernote note-taking tool and Amazon are slated to become available for Edge over the course of the year.

The Surface Pro 4, Microsoft’s fourth generation 2-in-1 device, is renowned as a laptop-first product. It is thinner and lighter than its predecessor and measures around 8.5mm thick. The rear of this device is made of silver metal with the Windows logo right in the centre. The kickstand mechanism on the Surface Pro 4 is quite sturdy and the hinge can stretch back almost all the way. It comes in multiple variants depending on the processor, RAM and storage configuration users select.

An upcoming update to Xbox One will enable it to run Universal Windows Platform apps designed for Windows 10. At the ongoing Game Developers Conference (GDC 2016), Jason Ronald, Partner Director of Program Management, Xbox and Windows Platform said that Xbox One will soon be able to run certain Windows 10 apps. The Universal Windows Platform, he added, will open up to run more advanced graphics settings.

A lot of pressure has been placed on Microsoft, explicitly and implicitly, to share their vision for exactly what UWP is meant to be. Microsoft announced that they are working on a lot of problems with UWP, so, for instance, the lack of options with UWP apps, such as the inability to disable V-Sync or the ability to support G-Sync and freesync, etc. Microsoft also stated that UWP will end up supporting all devices, from Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs to tablets and smartphones, HoloLens and the Internet of Things devices.

After a long beta period for ‘Windows Insiders’, Microsoft has finally announced the release of Windows 10 for older phones. The first devices to be granted access to the official rollout update are the Windows 8.1 based devices. “As Windows 10 delivers significant new innovations, many older devices are not able to successfully upgrade without an impact on the customer experience. Our goal is to only offer the Windows 10 upgrade to devices that we are confident can continue to deliver a good customer experience,” said Microsoft.

Ray Meiring, CEO, Qorus Software, was recently interviewed by Stephen Boyle, Vice President, US Partner Strategy, Microsoft. The Qorus solutions integrate with Office, SharePoint and Dynamics CRM, and it has been recognized by Microsoft for Application Development, Cloud Platform and SQL Server 2014. Shamiana Soderberg, Senior Account Manager for Qorus Software, Microsoft, said, “Working with Best of Breed Cloud Partners like Qorus Software sets the standard for Microsoft’s innovation in a mobile-first, cloud-first world.”

Right now, Amazon and Microsoft are leading some of the most promising efforts to develop the next big computing platforms. Between Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, the two companies have dominance over cloud computing; Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently said was likely to be “larger than any market we’ve ever participated in.” And it’s that cloud expertise that makes Amazon and Microsoft the companies best poised to think beyond the smartphone and come up with the next big thing.

It has been little more than a year since computer-tablet maker BAK USA started operations in Buffalo, training disadvantaged neighbors to build its low-cost computers. Now the socially focused business is ramping up its operations after signing a partnership with Microsoft. It is now an official Microsoft Original Equipment Manufacturer and can create devices around the Windows 10 platform. It has launched a new product, plans to increase hiring, and hopes to find local companies to supply parts.