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If you’re unfamiliar with Azure Speech, it is baked into Microsoft’s Azure Cognitive Services platform. It offers text-to-speech, speech translation, and speech-to-text services in a developer-friendly system. Looking at the new additions, pronunciation assessment is a service that evaluates the pronunciation of speech. The capability then provides feedback based on the fluency and accuracy of the spoke language. In a blog post, Microsoft describes the benefits of the tool: “With pronunciation assessment, language learners can practice, get instant feedback, and improve their pronunciation so that they can speak and present with confidence....

Introducing this support to Azure Site Recovery allows for simpler disk management for Azure IaaS virtual machines. Microsoft points out that this removes problems with managing storage for machines after failover. Additionally, the new ability also improves general reliability for Availability Sets. ASR can now automatically place failed over VMs into different storage scale units. This means the platform can avoid single points of failure. In its announcement, Microsoft says managed disks can only be created for virtual machines deployed using Resource manager model....

Insiders on the Fast Ring branch will now have the client packaged into Windows 10. Importantly, the protocol allows Windows 10 to connect with the internet while avoiding the old DNS system when communicating with domains. If you’re unfamiliar, DNS, or the Domain Name System, it allows users to type ‘winbuzzer.com’ into their browser and be directed to its actual location, a series of dots and numbers known as its IP address....

OneNote has quickly become an important application for Microsoft. It is a communication link for education groups and organizations within Office 365. Over the last year especially, we have seen Microsoft increase the number of features for the app. With support for Immersive Reader, OneNote now get the following capabilities: Read Aloud—Reads text out loud with simultaneous highlighting that improves decoding, fluency and comprehension while sustaining the reader’s focus and attention....

However, in an interview with Bloomberg, Nadella is not calling for governments to clamp down on these companies. Instead, he believes governments are failing platforms by not create unilateral standards of operation. “Unilateral action by individual companies in democracies like ours is just not long-term stable—we do need to be able to have a framework of laws and norms. Depending on any one individual CEO in any one of these companies to make calls that are going to really help us maintain something as sacred and as important as our democracy, in the long run, is just no way that at least I, as a citizen, would advocate for....

It is worth noting next week is the Microsoft Inspire partner conference and a placeholder session during the event indicates Microsoft will discuss Cloud PC. One of the sessions is called “What’s Next in End-User Computing” and is scheduled for July 15. The session is described as “about the newest Microsoft cloud solution for enabling hybrid work.” Scott Manchester, Director of Program Management for Cloud Managed Desktops and a leader in the development of Windows Virtual Desktop, Remote Desktop Services, Second Screen Remoting, Multimedia, and Networking technologies will speak at the event....

It seems a long time ago that the COVID-19 outbreak started and first influenced all aspects of our lives. However, it was only two months ago. Back in February, coronavirus was a concern, but its threat only included caution and some tech events being cancelled. How times have changes. Some of those events were Microsoft’s as the company was about to embark on a busy conference season. Build 2020 was the biggest casualty as the physical event was cancelled....

With the web app, users can create individual ‘spaces’ for each project. They can then add relevant content from various Microsoft services in a card-like style. Some of those cards are easily editable, so you can type out a note, tick it off your To-Do list, then schedule a follow-up, all without leaving the browser tab. You’re also able to tie in weather widgets, link Word and Excel documents, and drag in emails from Outlook....

In a statement, the Microsoft licensing team explained, “As of April 1, 2017, the multi-year duration options for Office 365, Dynamics 365, Secure Productive Enterprise, and all other online services subscriptions* will no longer be available through the MPSA.” The move will apparently make buying choices easier by unifying MPSA with the subscription durations of the Cloud Solution Provider program (CSP) and the Microsoft Online Services Program (MOSP). Those still wanting a multi-year subscription can consider the Enterprise Agreement, which also offers price protection....

In a blog post today, the Microsoft Devices Team explains firmware updates have three main delivery methods: These are component-specific updates, Windows UEFI UpdateCapsule drivers, and stand-alone tools. The company says each mechanism can be useful: Stand-alone tools can support component-specific protocols but require the user to find and download the tools and find out if an update is available and applicable. UEFI UpdateCapsule drivers can be pushed through Windows Update but can only update components during boot-time when components may not be available or may not be attached....

Available through the App Store, the new Xbox experience was released on iOS on Monday. Microsoft points out the app adds remote play, allowing users to play games from the Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S directly on their smartphone or tablet. This link is provided through an internet connection and is not the company’s Project xCloud. If you’re unfamiliar with xCloud, it is a cloud gaming platform that allows users to play Xbox games on any other device....

Microsoft Defender for IoT provides a complete monitoring system for the Internet of Things devices, specifically those on enterprise networks. It focuses on business devices such as operational technology (OP), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and printers. “With this new addition, Defender for IoT now delivers comprehensive security for all endpoint types, applications, identities, and operating systems,” says Michal Braverman-Blumenstyk, Microsoft corporate vice president and chief technology officer of cloud and AI security, in a blog post....

“These redesigns contribute to broader company efforts to take mobile productivity to the next level,” said Jon Friedman, head of Office design at Microsoft. The company has been conducting global research in preparation for the design switch, and one thing it has focused on is ‘microproductivity’. The idea is to increase the feeling of productivity by providing easy access to small, broken down tasks. In Outlook, this takes the form of the recently announced read my emails feature, which lets you listen to your emails....

In a blog post, Microsoft principal group program manager Anthony Cangialosi says IT companies are often forced to choose between providing flexibility for developers and maintaining productivity when trying to keep workstations secure. “Supply chain challenges have led to developers waiting weeks or months to get the hardware they need, forcing them to use aging hardware or unsecured personal devices. At the same time, hybrid work has forced IT to open access to corporate and on-premises resources to developers around the world....

Necurs is an oft-used botnet that is used to deliver malware, it has infected over 9 million machines around the world. Microsoft worked with collaborators in tech and government to lead a legal and technical effort against Necurs. According to Microsoft, the investigation and following action took eight years and will ensure the existing Necurs networks can no longer be used by cybercriminals. In a statement, Microsoft India says 13....

The main addition is support for annotations on books. Though you’re unable to create your own annotations, you can view ones from other devices on the go. The only restriction is lack of support for free-form PDF inking, but that may come soon. Users will also notice some minor UI adjustments. Microsoft has made the ‘What’s New’ page easily accessible via the settings and more menu. Finally, performance has been improved, though the team hasn’t specified where....

Shum started by offering an update on Bing’s use in important markets. He points out the search engine powers 33% of PC searches in the United States. Additionally, it now has a 25% share in the United Kingdom. The executive admits the differences between search engines when finding websites is not too different. In other words, Google will surface websites as well as Bing, and vice versa. However, people are expecting more from engines and want more accurate answers....

In a new post on the Feedback Hub, the company explains how users can upgrade to the Creators Update across the board. Firstly, you should remember that you need the Windows 10 Feedback Hub just to see the post. The company starts by guiding users who are on supported devices. For those 13 handsets, the Windows Insider Release Preview Ring shows cumulative update 15063.251. For those users on myriad unsupported Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile devices, there is more to do....

Microsoft president and chief lawyer Brad Smith offered the companies stance in a blog post. In doing so, Microsoft is going against the opinion of some other major rivals, such as Google. In Australia, a debate is raging over the country’s proposed News Media Bargaining Code, which is currently heading towards Parliament. If passed, the code would force tech giants to reach deals with news outlets regarding remuneration when they link them in feeds and on their services....

Twitter’s WalkingCat has spotted what appears to be a private survey. It gives little information about plans but shows that some degree of testing is ongoing. It appears that support for an Office key is in Windows 10 1903, which lines up with users reporting action center keys inadvertently opening the suite. “Did you try a keyboard with the Office key (on a PC running Windows 10 May 2019 Update?...