Tag: Microsoft

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Microsoft is making it easier for people to restore their apps on a new Windows 11 device

New Windows 11 users would soon be able to import their apps and files from their old PC/laptops thanks to a restore app coming to the Microsoft Store.

Up until now, users have had to manually install apps on their new Windows 11 PCs, but with the new Restore app, apps tied to your Microsoft account can directly be imported to your new device.

“To make it easier for customers to transition to their new PCs quickly and seamlessly, we will soon test a new feature in the Windows Insider channel that helps customers automatically restore their apps, previously installed from the Microsoft Store, to their new Windows device. This will also help developers retain their customers without having to remind customers to re-download their app,” reads Microsoft’s blog post about the update. 

In addition to restoring apps, Microsoft is also making it easier for users to lookup new applications to download from the Microsoft Store. Users will be able to type the name of the app they are looking for in the Windows Start menu and look at results without having to open the actual store. Users would also be able to download the said app from the Start menu. “Start is a highly used surface in Windows, and over half of customers search from Start regularly. When customers search from Start, they often search for apps, so Windows Search is a valuable new channel for acquisition of Store apps,” reads Microsoft’s blog post.

Check out all the other Microsoft Storeu pdates announced today here.

Image credit: Microsoft

Source: Microsoft

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Microsoft’s 2022 Build conference brings new collaborative features to Teams

Microsoft kicked off Day one of its annual Build conference today by introducing a range of new tools and platforms for developers.

The keynote kicked off with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadela talking about ten new technologies that are “coming together as a powerful platform” to help developers build what’s next:

  1. Developer flow
  2. cloud ubiquity
  3. App ubiquity
  4. Cloud data
  5. unified data
  6. Models as platforms
  7. Hybrid AI
  8. Low code/No-code
  9. Collaborative apps
  10. Metaverse

For starters, Microsoft introduced ‘Dev Box,’ its new cloud service for developers with ready-to-code workstations that allow coders to focus on work instead of workstation configurations and maintenance. Since Dev Boxes are hosted in the Microsoft Cloud, they work on all Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS devices, and also on all major web browsers, giving developers an option to not be bound to a physical PC, and rather, “spin up a virtual machine (VM) and provision it automatically in the cloud, reducing limitations and delays.”

Developers using Dev Box can create a developer portal to access specific Dex Boxes for different projects. Microsoft is offerings Dev Box in a private preview today, with the cloud service going public in the “next few months.” You can sign-up for the feature here.

Moving on, the Redmond, Washington-based company unveiled its Project Volterra, a developer kit powered by an unnamed Snapdragon compute platform that will let developers explore several AI scenarios using Qualcomm’s Neural Processing SDK for Windows toolkit. The dev kit comes alongside a mini-desktop PC, though it won’t be available as a retail product. From what we know so far, the mini-PC will sport three USB ports, a DisplayPort and an Ethernet port. Microsoft didn’t reveal much else about Project Volterra, though it did say that it will share more information about it at a later date.

Microsoft is also revamping Teams by introducing a new Live Share feature that will allow users to work on a shared document together in real-time, making group meetings more collaborative. Developers, on the other hand, will be able to develop new collaborative software and applications inside Microsoft Teams.

Live Share is built on Fluid Framework, Microsoft’s web-based platform for interactive experiences that it debuted at 2019’s Build conference. Some of Microsoft’s partners, including Accenture, Hexagon and Frame.io have already started building with Live Share.

Check out all the other announcements made on Microsoft Build’s Day one here.

Source: Microsoft

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EA said to be in talks of acquisition as gaming industry consolidation continues

Electronic Arts (EA) is reportedly looking at potential acquisition deals. The publisher of Madden, FIFA, Battlefield, and more have sat down with the likes of NBCUniversal, Apple, Disney, and more.

According to a report from Puck, EA recently sat down with NBCUniversal to seek out a merger. Following in the footsteps of major publishers ZeniMax Media and Activision Blizzard, EA is on the hunt for a buyer.

The video game industry is in the throws of a consolidation period. In an age when Microsoft absorbed Zenimax Media’s Bethesda Softworks, Arkane Studio, id Software, and more, studios big and small are all being scooped up. Microsoft’s other notable deal with Activision Blizzard sees the likes of Infinity Ward, Blizzard Entertainment, and more join Xbox Game Studios in a potential $68.7 billion deal.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has also been doing its fair share of acquisitions. Recently, the company purchased Destiny 2 developers Bungie for $3.6 billion. Take-Two also announced its purchase of Zynga for $12.7 billion. Most recently, Embracer Group bought the western studios of Square Enix, including Crystal Dynamics, Square Enix Montreal, and Eidos Montreal for $300 million.

“Several sources familiar with these talks say EA has been persistent in pursuing a sale and has only grown more emboldened in the wake of the Microsoft-Activision deal,” Dylan Beyers wrote in his report. “Others say that EA is primarily interested in a merger arrangement that would allow Wilson to remain as chief executive of the combined company.”

With a persistent trend of consolidation, it’s hardly surprising to hear EA is in the search of an  acquisition. However, a deal with NBCUniversal is not currently in the works. Apparently, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts was interested in spinning off its entertainment company into a separate entity with EA. In one potential deal, EA CEO Andrew Wilson would be left in charge of the entity. Though, price negotiations marked the end of that discussion.

EA has provided a statement regarding the matter to Kotaku. “We don’t comment on rumours and speculation relating to M&A.” EA spokesperson John Reseburg continues, “We are proud to be operating from a position of strength and growth, with a portfolio of amazing games, built around powerful IP, made by incredibly talented teams, and a network of more than half a billion players. We see a very bright future ahead.”

While an acquisition with NBCUniversal may be off the table, there may still be a suiter out there for EA. With studios such as DICE, Respawn Entertainment, BioWare, and Motive, the latter of which are Canadian, EA is a valuable entity.

Acquisition season is far from over. The industry continues to consolidate. As it does, we’ll be sure to keep an eye on the major deals that happen in the coming months.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: Puck Via: Kotaku

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Walmart Canada offering $50 gift card with purchase of Xbox Series S

Walmart Canada is hosting a promotion and is offering a $50 gift card with the purchase of an Xbox Series S console.

Currently, the entry-level Xbox Series S system is in stock and available on Walmart Canada. Those that purchase are able to receive a $50 digital gift card, downloadable through Xbox Live.

As the listing states, once the bundle is purchased, Walmart Canada will email the redemption code and instructions to the customer. The digital gift card will need to be registered through Xbox Live. An active Xbox Live account is required in order to redeem the gift card. From there, it can be used to purchase a game or any other media through the Microsoft Store.

The Xbox Series S is available for $379.96. Walmart Canada is also offering the console on a six-month financing plan. Walmart Canada is only offering this bundle online.

Xbox Series X/S consoles have been in short supply since their 2020 launch. With that in mind, eager customers may want to jump on this deal before stock runs out.

Image credit: Microsoft

Source: Walmart Canada

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Xbox may be working on way to let Series S owners play disc-based games

With more and more people opting to play games digitally, companies like Microsoft and Sony have offered lower-priced disc-less consoles, such as the Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition.

Now, however, Microsoft may be working on a way to allow those who own its digital-only Series S console to play their disc-based games.

As first spotted by Game Rant, Microsoft has filed a patent, titled “Software Ownership Validation of Optical Drives Using Secondary Device,” that outlines such an option for gamers. Specifically, the patent proposes a system that allows an external disc drive to authenticate an Xbox game disc, which would then allow the player to access the digital version of that title via the Series S’ online store at no additional cost. Naturally, this would be a more consumer-friendly option instead of having to re-purchase games you already own.

In the patent, the company proposes an Xbox One to be used for this authentication process, but it’s unclear what other options consumers may have, especially for those without the last-gen console. It’s possible that a PC or even a disc drive that’s sold separately could be offered, but the patent doesn’t provide any other examples.

Interestingly, the patent application was made in November 2020, which is when the Series S originally launched. Therefore, it’s possible that Microsoft has been spending the time since toiling away at a “software ownership validation” solution. That said, it should be noted that patents are filed all the time without the proposed products or services ever seeing the light of day, so it remains to be seen what Microsoft will actually do.

Source: Justia Patents Via: Game Rant

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Microsoft unveils new accessibility-focused ‘Adaptive’ PC accessories

During its accessibility-focused Ability Summit, Microsoft announced an “Adaptive Accessories” line of PC accessories for people with disabilities.

Specifically, Microsoft says it’s drawn from its experience developing the Xbox Adaptive Controller to design three new PC peripherals: the Adaptive Mouse, Adaptive Buttons, and Adaptive Hub. All of these accessories have been built to be modular and configurable to support a variety of add-ons, including first-party products like Thumb Supports and Mouse Tails and custom 3D-printed ones.

To start, the Adaptive Mouse features a main mouse core with a laser pointer, left/right click buttons and a scroll wheel that can clip onto a palm rest. The tail extension can also serve as a palm rest while offering support for 3D-printed add-ons. Finally, there’s a thumb support that can be flipped for use with a left or a right hand.

The Adaptive Buttons, meanwhile, let you add eight programmable inputs to your computer. That said, you can use two large, easy-to-press buttons to set all of these inputs — including macros or keyboard shortcuts — if you’d prefer. 3D-printed accessories can also be added to these buttons for further customization.

Finally, the Adaptive Hub allows you to connect up to four buttons, which will then send instructions to your computer or phone. Other accessories, like the Xbox Adaptive Controller, can also be plugged into one of multiple 3.5mm jacks.

While Microsoft didn’t announce specific pricing or regional availability for the Adaptive Accessories, it did confirm that the product line will launch this fall. Other announcements out of the Microsoft Ability Summit include a new partnership with Ontario’s Peel District School Board to teach kids about accessibility through a new world in Minecraft.

Source: Microsoft

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Microsoft partners with Ontario school board to teach kids about accessibility through Minecraft

Microsoft has teamed up with Ontario’s Peel District School Board to develop a new world in Minecraft aimed at teaching students about accessibility.

Announced at Microsoft’s accessibility-focused Ability Summit event, the world is called ‘BuildAbility’ and will focus on showing kids how to make their communities more inclusive. Specifically, the world will focus on five barriers: ‘Attitudinal,’ ‘Information’ or ‘Communication,’ ‘Organizational,’ ‘Physical,’ and ‘Technological.’

The tech giant notes that these don’t cover every accessibility barrier that people face, but they’re intended to reflect many common real-world ones. To accomplish that, Microsoft says PDSB educators who helped develop BuildAbility spoke with students about the accessibility barriers they regularly encounter.

In terms of the actual design of the world, Microsoft says it’s divided into three distinct areas inspired by Peel Region locations: a school, a shopping centre and a community corner with a gas station and store. BuildAbility will also feature an open sandbox for educators to create other areas for students to navigate.

The idea is that educators, with the help of a dedicated ‘Educator Guide,’ can lead lessons and provide resources for students to learn about and identify barriers in these areas. With Minecraft‘s extensive suite of creation tools, students will also be encouraged to build and re-build areas to make them more accessible.

More information can be found here.

Microsoft’s Ability Summit comes one week before Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 19th, which aims to promote the importance of accessibility around the world.

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Xbox suffered from several online outages this weekend

Microsoft’s Xbox online services, including Xbox Live, Xbox Game Pass and more, encountered several outages over the past few days.

Connectivity issues started Friday afternoon and continue to affect some users as of Sunday, May 8th. Some players were unable to launch digitally purchased titles or enter cloud gaming sessions. In some cases, even offline play wasn’t working for Xbox console owners, reminding gamers that the modern, always-online gaming world can quickly fall apart.

Though I was unable to play any digital titles on my Xbox on Friday, May 6th in the afternoon, the issue was eventually resolved but returned on Saturday, May 7th.

At 1:30am ET on Sunday, Microsoft posted a tweet confirming that the issues have been resolved, though a quick look at Twitter indicates some Xbox owners are still unable to play titles. It’s likely that Xbox Live will be up for all users shortly.

The Xbox status page currently lists all services as up and running. Have you experienced issues with your Xbox this weekend? Let us know in the comments below. Downdetector also indicates that reports of problems with the Xbox platform have decreased over the past 24 hours.

Source: @XboxSupport 

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Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming stick and TV app could come ‘in the next 12 months’

Microsoft is a leader in cloud gaming and its ecosystem continues to expand on that front. For over a year, we’ve known the company is working on developing a stand-alone Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming stick to plug into a TV or display. Additionally, a native smart TV app is also on its way.

This streaming-focused future could very well arrive in the next year. Most recently VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb and Tom Warren from The Verge corroborate the story that Microsoft’s next major shift is on its way. Grubb states that the Xbox streaming stick or “Roku-like puck” may launch “in the next 12 months.”

In November 2020, Xbox head Phil Spencer first discussed the possibility of being able to stream games directly to a TV or display without a console. Later last year, Spencer confirmed the development of both a streaming stick device and a native TV app that could function as an Xbox Cloud Gaming portal.

However, since that time, Microsoft remains quiet about when this concept will become reality. Grubb and Warren both bring up an “Xbox Everywhere” initiative Microsoft is working on. “I’m pretty sure we’re gonna hear a lot more about it in the coming months,” Warren says. Based on the name, one can imagine taking your games and progress with you from a console in one room, to a smartphone, and to a TV in another.

This past week, Microsoft and Epic Games launched Fortnite on Xbox Cloud Gaming. This release is important for a number of reasons. First, the company is prioritizing a launch of a free-to-play game on its service. It also doesn’t require a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Secondly, Epic Games and Fortnite have been banned from Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store. Launching on Xbox Cloud Gaming sidelines the ban. Microsoft and Epic restore the ability to play Fortnite on iOS and Android devices.

Finally, while it’s only one title, it’s another leg forward in a reality where a player’s entire library is accessible through Xbox Cloud Gaming. This is something Microsoft has envisioned since day one of this initiative. As more devices and options are brought into the fold, the ecosystem effectively opens up to more players.

Image credit: Microsoft

Source: The Verge

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Apple, Google and Microsoft to begin supporting passwordless ‘end-to-end’ sign-ins

Apple, Google and Microsoft are teaming up and committed to supporting a new passwordless sign-in standard from the FIDO Alliance and World Wide Web Consortium. This means users can use Fast Identity Online (FIDO) authentication to sign in to an app or a website using a smartphone or tablet.

The trio of tech giants envision a time when “end-to-end” passwordless sign-ins for apps and websites become the norm. Once in place, FIDO authentication reads a user’s biometric scans as a means of signing in. Users may use a facial recognition scan or a finger ID to sign in to a website or app. Alternatively, sign-ins are completed using PINs on a smartphone or tablet.

Plans are in motion to incorporate passwordless features accessible throughout the “coming year.” Most likely, the changes to bring this feature into effect will likely come as a major software update across each respective ecosystem.

FIDO authentication streamlines sign-ins and puts those laundry lists of passwords we have to rest. Additionally, biometric scans and device PINs make it more difficult for scams to succeed in obtaining passwords from unsuspecting users.

In theory, this is a great step towards passwordless ubiquity across ecosystems and platforms. The practice of passwordless sign-ins has already begun. Apple’s App Store already offers Face ID scans as a way to confirm new installs and purchases. Microsoft has also been independently working towards this future.

Via: Engadget