In the News

The Pro and Enterprise versions of Windows 10 come with security and management improvements that will be appealing to enterprises, but the new approach to licences and keeping Windows 10 current is a major shift. Windows Enterprise is the only edition that includes the option of the Long Term Servicing Branch (LTSB) and a version of Windows that won’t get changes other than security updates and will be supported for five years.

Windows 10, undoubtedly, brings some of the most radical changes to window management when compared any prior Windows release. Features include a whole new way to organise and group windows, new ways to lay them out and new ways to switch between tasks. One of the key additions to Windows 10 is Microsoft calls Task View.

Microsoft will offer free its Azure cloud services to startups in India for speeding up the entrepreneurial ecosystem in India. “Startups need all the help they can to get access to the right tools, technology and guidance. At Microsoft, we are committed to supporting these startups and through the BizSpark Plus programme we want to support India’s upcoming entrepreneurs,” said, Rajinish Menon, Director, Microsoft Ventures India.

Gearbox Software is still chugging away on Battleborn, its upcoming first person shooter/MOBA hybrid seems to be making good progress. The co-op campaign looks like a rollicking good time based on the latest footage shown at E3 2015 and will run at 1080p Xbox One. Battleborn will be out on PS4, PC and Xbox One in Q4 2015 or Q1 2016.

Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics (ATA) will be generally available in August 2015, informed Idan Plotnik, principal group manager, identity and security services division at Microsoft. ATA is Microsoft’s on-premises cyber security solution based on technology from Microsoft’s acquisition of Aorato. ATA detects advanced attacks using user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA). The software combines machine learning, real-time detection based on the attacker’s TTP’s (Tactics, Techniques and Procedures) and security issues to help enterprises reduce the attack surface.

There’s a big shift happening at Microsoft, especially in its enterprise business: As its traditional Windows and Office businesses shrink, it’s turning towards a plethora of subscription-based businesses. In the short run, it kind of stinks for Microsoft – it means that there are literally billions of dollars ($24.5 billion, as of yesterday’s earnings statement) that it’s entitled to under contract, but can’t collect just yet. But this subscription shift reflects a change in Microsoft’s thinking towards the individual user that could become the foundation of the company’s business in the longterm.

Microsoft has updated its Skype app for Android for the second time in two weeks, bringing the app version from 5.5 to 5.6. The updated app comes with new features and a ‘refreshed look’. Skype for Android v5.6 now shows users a greater number of chats in the ‘recent chats’ section if they are engaged in multiple chats simultaneously. “Now a quick glance allows you to catch up on more conversations, and you can easily jump in to start chatting,” adds the company blog post.

Online and mobile restaurant discovery service Zomato announced the launch of its Order app for Windows Phone platform, along with the news that the service is being extended to 14 cities in India. Zomato Order, which branched out its delivery service into a separate app in May this year, enables people to order food online from over 10,000 restaurant partners. The app is already available via the Windows Store.

Flagship smartphones reached India almost 6 months to a year after launch. At Microsoft’s quarterly conference call, CEO Satya Nadella confirmed that company is still in for the hardware business and will not rely entirely on partners. This is good news for current Windows Phone fans, as they can expect some powerful hardware options for their smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile. Microsoft’s move to add flagships to its lineup will certainly add the much needed oomph factor that Windows Phone currently lacks in India.

Microsoft’s Xbox division is seeing good returns. In its Q4 financial report, it was revealed that total revenue for the console rose by 27 percent. First party sales, Xbox Live digital transactions and platform sales all contributed to the growth.