Recent News

July 5, 2013

With Skype for Windows desktop 6.5, Microsoft added a new way to stay in touch with your friends and loved ones using video. You can now record video messages to send to them, which they can then play and re-play whenever they like. Riffing off of that new feature, Skype Tips & Tricks blogger Matthew de Beer breaks down four ways to use Skype video messages when IM just won’t do.

July 5, 2013

Xbox Live members can now weigh in on the 2013 Xbox Live Update for Xbox 360 Public Beta. Major Nelson reports it will include updates to improve overall performance and the ability to conduct transactions with local currency, which is important since Microsoft Points will go away later this year.

July 5, 2013

The trends of flexible working, social business and how employees and managers need to change the way they operate to take advantage of them, are all explored in a recently-published book written by Microsoft U.K.’s Dave Coplin. Reimagining business is about waking up to a new environment, based on collaborative and flexible working, on technology that, used correctly, liberates rather than constrains. The future of work must be based on being open, on focusing on results, not process, and on empowerment, rather than hierarchy.

July 3, 2013

As you’ve probably heard, Microsoft has launched the Windows 8.1 Preview, which includes some new updates for the Xbox entertainment apps on Windows. Today, Xbox Live’s Major Nelson provides a snapshot of what you can experience with Xbox on Windows 8.1 Preview.

July 3, 2013

When you think about it, data is everywhere: email, documents, Lync conversations, etc. And as the new “Garage Series for Office 365” video points out, products like SharePoint and Exchange have more resources than ever to help customers find information and export it (for audits, for instance) at much less cost to their businesses.

July 3, 2013

Over the last couple of years, Microsoft made deep changes to how it builds and delivers products. Today, the company builds for the cloud first, using a customer scenario-centric approach. As Brad Anderson, corporate vice president of Windows Server and System Center, explains, part of the cloud-first approach includes the creation of a “Scenario Focus Team.”

July 3, 2013

Massimo Vignelli, well known for designing the iconic signage for the New York City subway, has helped inspire many designers over the years, including those at Microsoft, as you may have seen in our Modern Design at Microsoft story. Read today’s profile of Vignelli.

July 3, 2013

On July 2 the Game Critics Awards “Best of E3” winners were announced, with Xbox exclusive “Titanfall” breaking records with six wins, including in the category of “Best in Show.”

July 3, 2013

Let’s say you’re rolling along the highway listening to the radio and a golden oldie comes on. You start singing, but, for the life of you, you can’t remember the name of the song or who sings it. Well, all you have to do is check in with Bing Audio for Windows Phone, which is rolling out in 14 new countries, and you just might get your answer.

July 3, 2013

The winners of June’s Windows Phone Challenge used their Nokia and HTC Windows Phones to capture memorable summer evenings from around the world, showing high-quality shots taken in low-light. The photos are now featured on the Windows Phone Blog, and may inspire you to flex your phoneography skills.