Posts

Previously, Microsoft said xCloud would come to Windows 10 next year but didn’t mention its devices with Snapdragon processors, like the Surface Pro X. Still, game streaming isn’t a whole lot different to regular video streaming, so this was an expected move. The real news for users on Snapdragon chips is that they’ll be able to stream their games via 5G. This should translate to higher speeds and lower latency for an overall smoother experience....

Before getting into the details, I think it is worth noting the strange position Microsoft is finding itself in regarding Windows updates. Just a month away from the next feature update, the company is still dealing with the last. Yes, it is normal for updates to arrive constantly in-between builds, but Microsoft is having to housekeep for version 1809 due to problems. Five months after it launched, the October 2018 Update still does not seem particularly stable....

In an effort to appease the regulator over its $69bn deal to acquire Activision Blizzard, Microsoft says that the purchase will help expand its position in mobile gaming. While Microsoft is increasingly becoming a dominant presence in cloud and PC gaming, it is lacking in mobile. Developing an Xbox mobile store would allow the company to take its gaming mobile. Activision Blizzard will give the company many popular mobile franchises, including Candy Crush and Call of Duty....

Motherboard reported two weeks ago that Microsoft was giving contractors the ability to listen to user audio without telling users. After receiving widespread criticism, Microsoft responded. However, the company simply updated its privacy details to confirm it allows humans to listen to Cortana and Skype audio. In other words, Microsoft admits its practice but refused to stop allowing it. What’s interesting about this whole episode is that it was one of Microsoft’s contractors that broker the story....

Specifically, the Windows Search tool in Windows 10 now has direct links to COVID-19 news and information from MSN and Bing. Powered by Bing, Windows users can now tap directly into the Bing coronavirus interactive map. Alternatively, you can select the headlines button to be taken to MSN (Microsoft News) to see the latest news on COVID-19. Of course, both links will open into your chosen web browser. Microsoft says the update for Windows was completed on the server side....

Joining the Windows 10 and soon to launch mobile apps, Sticky Notes can now be used on the web. The browser version of the service is available at https://www.onenote.com/stickynotes. Users can sync notes across all devices through their Microsoft Account. As for the experience, users are getting the same feature set that’s available on Sticky Notes for Windows 10. Customization options are located in the top right and let you change note colors and text formats....

Microsoft also rolled out the first Redstone 5 build on the Skip Ahead branch. The Windows App Preview Program will go hand-in-hand with Redstone 5 development. As mentioned this week, the program allows users to test new builds of Microsoft’s Core apps. Through development of Redstone 5, the company will be changing some things in its apps. Insiders will be able to choose between just previewing Windows, Microsoft’s apps, or both....

In that report, Redmond showed phishing attempts increased 0.2% in Jan. 2018 and then 0.6% by October 2019. Indeed, Phishing was one of the only attack vectors that grew recently. Other attacks such as infections, malware, crypto-mining, and ransomware decreased. While software vendors are improving their solutions against Phishing, Microsoft says attackers are refining their techniques. This week, Microsoft continued to discuss phishing attacks in a blog post. The company detailed three specific phishing attacks seen during 2019....

However, Google Project Zero researcher Ivan Fratric believes it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. In February, he published a bypass for AGC after Microsoft failed to fix it within the allotted 90-day period. The Edge teams took pains to fix the issue by ensuring the browsers Just in Time Javascript compilers meshed correctly with the feature. Though that bypass is mitigated, Fratric says there are ways determined attackers can bypass the mitigation....

Windows 10 on ARM has had mixed results so far, not least because Microsoft’s app issues are ever present. While Snapdragon-powered laptops can handle native Windows apps easily, it struggles with third-party solutions. That’s because the processor must run these apps in an emulator, slogging the CPU and slowing performance. Google believes it has the answer by porting Chrome on Snapdragon-powered laptops. The company is working directly with Qualcomm on the implementation....

Mozilla has held out on Chromium and in December lamented the disappearance of EdgeHTML. Microsoft employee Kenneth Auchenberg, a program manager for Redmond’s Code team, criticized Mozilla’s opinion. “Thought: It’s time for @mozilla to get down from their philosophical ivory tower. The web is dominated by Chromium, if they really cared about the web they would be contributing instead of building a parallel universe that’s used by less than 5%?...

Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager is a combination of Intune and SCCM. It also includes tools such as Desktop Analytics, Device Management Admin Center, and the co-management feature. The feature called co-management allows devices using SCCM or Intune to be managed. “Microsoft Endpoint Manager is the convergence of Intune and ConfigMgr functionality and data — plus new intelligent actions — offering [a] seamless, end-to-end management solution without the complexity of a migration or disruption to productivity,” explained Brad Anderson, corporate vice president of Microsoft 365, in the announcement....

With this announcement, Microsoft’s cloud services with reserved capacity now total 16. The six new reservations are: Blob Storage (GPv2) and Azure Data Lake Storage (Gen2). Azure Database for MySQL. Database for PostgreSQL. Azure Database for MariaDB. Azure Data Explorer. Premium SSD Managed Disks. “With reserved capacity, you get significant discounts over your on-demand costs by committing to long-term usage of a service. We are pleased to share reserved capacity offerings for the following additional services....

The feature will export it as an .eml file, which can then be stored in OneDrive, uploaded to SharePoint, and more. It joined by two other Outlook features: the ability to forward emails and mark as read. Meanwhile, a new trigger starts a Flow when the user is @mentioned. New Connectors Outside of Outlook, there are five new connectors, including Azure Container and Kusto. Here’s the full list: “Azure Container Instances – Easily run containers on Azure with a single command....

If you’re unfamiliar with Microsoft Garage, it is a division of the company that allows collaborations across teams. Employees can interact with other Microsoft divisions on projects they are passionate about. Most the resulting apps start as an experiment, although some have become full fledged Microsoft services. Whether Group Transcribe will follow a similar path or ultimately be dropped remains to be seen. However, it is the kind of tool that is useful in the current climate of increasing remote work and video meeting apps....

Quite why Microsoft thought to go through the messy situation of the last month is anyone’s guess. Let’s take a closer look at the situation because Microsoft’s uncertainty is causing plenty of confusion for admins. Earlier this year, Microsoft said it was going to block Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macros across all Microsoft’s Office applications. This meant that no Office app would be able to directly enable downloads if the file contained macros....

That “spring” launch window was vague, but Microsoft has indeed kept its promise. In a blog post, the company says the HoloLens 2 Industrial Edition is now available for full order by customers. Because the Industrial Edition meets industry standards, it can work in a range of work conditions. Importantly for industry, HoloLens 2 Industrial Edition is clean room capable and has ISO 14644-1 Class 5-8 rating. Furthermore, it is certified for Intrinsic safety (UL Class I, Division 2)....

“We’ve heard the feedback and we’re excited to announce the new G Suite migration experience which will allow you to directly migrate email, calendar and contacts from Google G Suite to Office 365! Our highly secure solution ensures your data is directly migrated to Office 365, with no resting points along the way. We’re also adding support for migrating mailbox in batches,” says the update. The tool with improves significantly on Google’s Exchange migration tool and other solutions by putting them under one banner....

The announcement correlates with Microsoft’s increasing interest in blockchain. In a blog post, the company says blockchain is starting to bring evolution to many industries, allowing for implementation of more complete workflows. Organizations are creating open source blockchain applications that mix cloud and private capabilities. To achieve the best possible results, blockchain apps require standards and uniform specifications. Microsoft says collaboration across the industry is key to managing blockchain solutions, which is why it is rooting itself in open source communities: “From finance and logistics to healthcare and insurance, these applications often focus on scenarios that span multiple parties in a given industry and sometimes even across industries....

Windows 10 Timeline on Android is part of Microsoft Launcher 5.0, the latest version of Microsoft’s popular skin. The company has been testing this build in previews over the last month. With its release to the general public, users will be able to access Timeline directly in the launcher. Timeline can be found on the revamped Feed page, sitting alongside the Glance and News tabs. Using the Timeline lets you see activity through past Windows 10 use, set out in cards for more efficient movement between apps....