From now until June 5th, many games in the Tom Clancy catalog are being discounted for Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The number of discounts is massive, and includes full games like recently released "Ghost Recon Wildlands", add-ons, and bundles. Now through June 5, all things Tom Clancy [T-M] are on sale on #XboxOne. Take […]
Read More: Save up to 67% on games in the Tom Clancy catalog until June 5
It looks like Assassin's Creed III, SpeedRunners and Phantom Dust's add-ons are available for free early through Games with Gold. Usually, games are listed as free at midnight but the timing seems to be going up as the months go by. SpeedRunners is a great game which focuses on completing an obstacle course of sorts before […]
Read More: Assassin's Creed III and SpeedRunners are available early through Games with Gold
Dynamics Connect is a new communication platform for Microsoft Dynamics 365 that allows users to collaborate more effectively with team chats, co-authoring documents, sharing files, delegating tasks, and social networking. For example, users can open, edit and create Office 365 documents using Dynamics Connect without ever leaving the context on Dynamics 365. It also has […]
Read More: Dynamics Connect brings team chats, document collabration, file sharing and more to Dynamics 365
We recently reported that Microsoft is working on bringing file syncing between your Android phone and PC on its custom Android launcher. Today, the company released the new file syncing feature, titled Arrow Hub, to users — allowing them to sync any file between their Android phone and PC via OneDrive. The feature can be […]
Read More: Arrow Launcher update lets you sync files between your phone and PC, brings other improvements
In the KP Internet Trends 2017 report which was presented at Code Conference today, there was a slide about public cloud adoption trends. Everybody knows that Amazon Web Services is a dominant player in this market and their last quarter cloud computing revenues grew by 43% year over year to $3.7B. Amazon's cloud revenue is […]
Read More: Report: Microsoft Azure is gaining market share in cloud market
Microsoft's Surface Laptop and Surface Pro are two of the most recently announced notebook PCs albeit in different form factors. While we haven't had the chance to go hands-on with the device, but they are already available for pre-order and will ship in just a little over two weeks worldwide on the 15th of June, […]
Read More: Stuck between the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop? Here's what you should consider
Recently Waypoint posted an in-depth history of the Halo franchise which discussed the challenges they faced during development. One of the strangest pieces of information to come out of the chronicle was how Microsoft had severe issues with the "Halo" name and wanted it to be more combat or Master Chief-focused. The company went back […]
Read More: We finally know how Halo: Combat Evolved got its name
The usage of containers among developers has skyrocketed over the past 12 months. Most of them use Kubernetes for orchestrating the containers. Microsoft today announced a new tool for developers called Draft which streamlines application development and deployment into any Kubernetes cluster. Developers can start working on container-based applications without requiring Docker or even installing […]
Read More: Microsoft announces Draft, a new tool that makes it easy to build apps that run on Kubernetes
One of OneNote's little-known features was the capability to launch the app into an immersive reader mode. Much like reader mode on Edge, you could customise the font and theme to let yourself read your notes distraction free. If you were busy, you could also have Onenote read your notes out as fast as you could […]
Read More: Microsoft adds immersive reader to OneNote's Windows 10 App, Outlook on the web
Cities: Skylines is an amazing experience even on Xbox One but there were certain features missing—aside from the performance issues—that were quite troublesome. For example, one of the main complaints many users expressed was the fact that there was no way to speed up time. The ability has been a staple for city-building games since […]
Read More: Cities: Skylines on Xbox One now allows players to speed up time
Microsoft has started rolling out the new Windows 10 Creators Update to the Surface Hub. The new Windows 10 Creators Update brings a lot of new features and improvements to the Surface Hub, ranging from new collaboration experiences to security enhancements. The update isn't a major one per se, but it still brings quite a […]
Read More: Windows 10 Creators Update for the Surface Hub brings real-time collaborative inking, and more
Wacom today announced the availability of Bamboo Ink, a new smart stylus for Windows Ink compatible PCs. Bamboo Ink will allow users to capture their ideas and notes, mark documents within Windows Ink and across most Windows 10 platforms. By pushing the top of the Bamboo Ink stylus, users can launch Windows Ink Workspace or […]
Read More: Wacom announces Bamboo Ink, a new smart stylus for Windows Ink compatible PCs
Every week numerous games release on Xbox One. While many are substantial experience like Shadow Warrior 2 and The Surge, there are a few hidden gems here and there. Many of these smaller games have either caught the public's eye or are just stellar experiences which all Xbox One owners should try out. This week we're […]
Read More: Review: Rime, Tokyo 42 and Victor Vran: Overkill Edition — Roundup
Update 3: On May 31, Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 received another patch on Xbox One. While the update improves frame rate issues and loading times, they're still not that great. Even weeks after release, a lot of work is needed. Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 launches on Xbox One on April 25 but we've been playing the […]
Read More: Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3's latest patch improves frame rate issues on Xbox One
SoundCloud is now on @Xbox. Game on! https://t.co/DeA0qvO6Oz #SoundCloudOnXbox http://pic.twitter.com/sRVTZgzGSq — SoundCloud (@SoundCloud) May 31, 2017 Earlier today, we reported that SoundCloud is working on a new app for Windows 10. The new app from SoundCloud includes features like the ability to search for tracks, check the latest charts, and also discover the latest tracks. […]
Read More: SoundCloud app now available on Xbox
The fault for today's failure with Windows Mobile can ultimately be laid at the feet of Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, who failed to nature their mobile OS when it needed it the most. At the currently ongoing Recode Conference, ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made it clear he still does not understand how Microsoft lost […]
Read More: Steve Ballmer still does not know what he did wrong with mobile
Microsoft's Luma 950 was a flawed handset, while many assumed the firm would release a follow up to it the following year to tackle its many flaws, Microsoft decided to wind down its Windows phone operation then both for the software which is now in maintenance mode, and the hardware. A prototype of what allegedly may […]
Read More: Microsoft's cancelled Lumia 960 shows its aluminium unibody and iPhone-like design in leaked images
Mozilla Firefox users trying to access Outlook.com have been facing issues as early as Monday. Users are hitting a certificate-related to issue which is preventing them from accessing on Firefox, with some users getting the "Invalid OCSP signing certificate in OCSP response" error. Microsoft says the company has already started rolling out a fix for […]
Read More: Outlook.com users using Mozilla Firefox hit with outage
At WinHEC 2016 last year, Microsoft announced improved support for cellular connectivity in Windows 10 PCs. Microsoft announced that they will add support for eSIM in Windows that will allow partners to build always-connected devices without hindering form factor design. eSIM is a pure electronic SIM card for mobile phones and is no longer removable. Instead, […]
Read More: Intel is working with Microsoft to validate eSIM-enabled Windows 10 PCs
At BUILD 2017 Microsoft announced that HP would also be delivering a Cortana-enabled speaker, and now at Computex today Microsoft game us a brief glimpse of the device, albeit only on a slide. Looking a bit like the Echo Dot, the device would allow HP to hook more easily into the Windows ecosystem and should be […]
Read More: First brief look at HP's Cortana speaker (picture)
OneNote Class Notebook add-in already includes assignment and grade integration, connected to a Learning Management System (LMS) and Student Information System (SIS). The OneNote Class Notebook now integrates assignments and grades with over 40 LMSes and SISes and Microsoft is planning to add more in the future. Yesterday, Microsoft announced support for Blackbaud onCampus and […]
Spotify is set to bring its desktop app to the Windows Store for Windows 10 PCs sometime soon. But one of its competitors, SoundCloud, is also working on a new app for Windows 10. SoundCloud is currently testing a new Windows 10 app as a beta that'll let users listen to all the latest music […]
Read More: SoundCloud is building an official Windows 10 app, now available as a beta
Microsoft launched the Windows Mixed Reality platform a little while ago. The company partnered with PC maker Acer to build the official developer kits for Windows Mixed Reality. During the initial launch of the Windows Mixed Reality platform, Microsoft already announced that the company is working with other OEMs to build the headsets (Head Mounted Display […]
Read More: Dell and Asus reveal gorgeous new Windows Mixed Reality headsets
At Computex 2017, Qualcomm today announced partnerships with ASUS, HP, and Lenovo to build ARM-based Windows PCs. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 will be the platform for these upcoming Windows 10 PCs. Thanks to its improved thermal handling and greater power efficiency, OEMs will be able to build fanless Windows PCs without compromising much on the performance. Since Snapdragon 835 […]
Read More: Qualcomm partners with ASUS, HP, and Lenovo to build ARM-based Windows PCs
At Computex 2017, Asus yesterday announced the world's first 35″ ultra-wide QHD (3440×1440) monitor with quantum dots, HDR, and G-Sync at a whopping 200Hz. The ROG Swift PG35VQ's massive 35" diagonal across curved screen comes with a 21:9 aspect ratio for immersive viewing experience. The display's UQWHD 3440×1440 resolution will enable you to hit higher frame […]
Read More: Asus announces 35" ultra-wide QHD monitor with HDR and quantum-dot technology
2K and Hangar 13 today announced that Mafia III's second of 3 DLC packs is now available. Titled Stones Unturned DLC focuses on character John Donovan, as he joins main character Lincoln Clay as they both uncover a dangerous plot in New Bordeaux. The DLC also brings with it new weapons, new vehicles, new missions, […]
Read More: Mafia III second expansion brings John Donovan, new weapons, missions, and more
Following the release of Episodes 1-4, The Walking Dead: A New Frontier, Episode 5 is now available for Xbox One and PC. The final episode concludes the story of Clementine, Javier and the other characters. It will be the decisions that you have made and relationships you have nurtured across the last four episodes which will determine the […]
Read More: The Walking Dead: A New Frontier: The Finale now available for Xbox One
Not too long ago, Microsoft announced its plans to bring Office 365's Planner service to phones. Redmond brought the Microsoft Planner app to the iPhone earlier this month, and now it's bringing the service to Android phones. Similar to the iPhone app, the Android app offers a full-featured experience which lets you keep track of […]
Read More: Following the iPhone, Microsoft Planner comes to Android phones
Corsair is currently working on Concept Zeus, a mouse pad with built-in Qi wireless charging which would charge both your wireless mouse and your Qi-enabled smartphone. In their currently demonstrated prototype at Computex only the top corner is Qi-enabled, but Corsair hopes to enable charging over the whole surface before its release later this year. For […]
Read More: Corsair working on a mousepad with wireless charging for your phone
Microsoft today announced the new updates releasing for the Power BI mobile apps that will enable users to find their most interesting assets faster, and creating a more consistent experience when using Power BI across devices. This update brings the new "Shared with me view". It is a single place for all dashboards that are […]
Read More: Power BI Mobile apps updated with the new 'Shared with me' view, Power BI Apps and more
Microsoft kicked off the pre-orders for its new Surface Pro last week shortly after the official launch. The company is selling 6 different variants of the Surface Pro, most of which start to ship on the 15th of June. However, the most powerful version of the Surface Pro was initially expected to start shipping on August […]
Read More: The most powerful version of the new Surface Pro is now shipping a bit earlier in the United States
With the next big Windows 10 update, Microsoft is bringing two new features called Timeline and Pick Up Where You Left Off that'll let you sync your work between Windows 10 devices. The company is also working on some neat new clipboard syncing features for Windows 10 that'll let users sync things like photos, text, […]
Read More: Microsoft will soon let you sync files between your Android phone and computer
Last year, Microsoft announced that they are doubling down on quantum computing research. They are making a strong bet that it is possible to create a scalable quantum computer using what is called a topological qubit. Microsoft strongly believes that the "scalable topological quantum computer" is theoretically more stable and less error-prone. Today, Microsoft announced […]
Read More: Microsoft signs a five-year agreement with Purdue University to build a scalable quantum computer
There's a really annoying issue in Office that's been bugging a lot of users recently. The issue results in a command prompt window popping up every hour — it may not sound too annoying at first, but if you play a lot of games, it'll surely annoy you. That's because if you're playing a game […]
Read More: Here's how to fix that annoying command prompt popup window in Windows
Xbox One just received an amazing new service! Now you can get curated news videos from MSN with Your News, a Microsoft Garage project for Xbox One. In order to get Your News, just search for it on the Xbox Store and download it to your console. You'll have to expand the search and look […]
Read More: Microsoft Garage brings a beautiful, curated video news experience to Xbox One
A new Xbox One build is rolling out to Alpha Insiders tonight which adds Mixer co-streaming, controller sign-in and fixes a lot of bugs. We haven't had many builds recently so it's great to see Microsoft back on the bandwagon. Xbox One Insiders-Preview ALPHA Ring the first 1706 build @ 2.00pm today. New features incl […]
Battlefield 1 and Titanfall 2 received substantial patches today which not only optimize the gameplay experiences, but also add a lot of content. Let's start off with Battlefield 1, shall we? Battlefield 1 received its long-awaited May update when the month is basically coming to a close. The biggest changes, apart from the balancing, has […]
Read More: Battlefield 1 and Titanfall 2 receive substantial gameplay tweaks and content with latest updates
Microsoft's researchers have created a curved camera sensor which they say solves one of the biggest issues with creating high-quality digital images. They note that lenses do not focus naturally on a flat surface like a camera sensor, but rather a curved spherical surface like the back of the eye. This means that with flat […]
Read More: Microsoft researchers create new curved camera sensor sharper than any commercial camera
Sonic Mania is almost here! Today, Sega unveiled a brand-new trailer featuring sketch animation to announce an August 15 launch date for the game, as well as reveal a $20 ($26 Canada) price point, making Sonic Mania an amazing experience at a fantastic price. Fans can pre-order the game digitally now for Xbox One and PC here. The previously announced […]
Read More: Sonic Mania finally gets an August release date
Update: It appears that a teaser trailer for Assassin's Creed Origins appeared on YouTube. It confirms the name and the setting of the game, taking place around 1300 BCE. A few weeks ago, 4chan posted a lot of alleged information about Assassin's Creed Origins, or Assassin's Creed Empire…whatever it's called. Some of the leaks included the name […]
Read More: [Update: Trailer] GameStop's Assassin's Creed Origins shirt confirms hero and Egyptian setting
At Computex today, Asus announced several new ROG gaming laptops. The new Strix GL702ZC is the first gaming laptop to feature an eight-core processor (AMD Ryzen 1700 CPU). Variants of the laptop will also be available with the six-core Ryzen 5 1600 and the quad-core Ryzen 3 1200. Strix GL702ZC also comes with Radeon RX […]
Read More: Asus announces the first gaming laptop with an eight-core processor
Every week numerous trailers release for upcoming Xbox One games and many represent magnificent experiences. While some are just promotional materials like the Dark Souls III: The Fire Fades Edition trailer, there are a few gems in there. We thought it would be beneficial to do a roundup of the most unique games which got […]
Read More: Here are this week's top Xbox One game trailers
Samsung today announced the new Notebook 9 Pro, a laptop with a 360-degree hinge, built-in S Pen and fast charging support. Samsung Notebook 9 Pro comes in both 13.3-inch and 15-inch touchscreen display versions. Both the versions will be powered by Intel 7th Generation Core i7 processor, 8GB RAM on the 13-inch model, 16GB RAM on […]
Read More: Samsung announces new Notebook 9 Pro with S Pen and fast charging support
Update 4: Square Enix said they would be willing to part with Hitman's rights if it meant the game could live on. So far they have been unable to find a buyer for IO Interactive. It isn't looking good. Maybe Microsoft can step in and at least acquire the franchise. Today, Square Enix issued a rather […]
Read More: [Update] Hitman's future is uncertain as Square Enix withdraws from IO Interactive
While Microsoft's smartphone Beta test didn't quite get off the ground, with Windows Phone 8, 8.1 and Windows 10 Mobile all failing to make sizeable market impacts, the firm reportedly hasn't given up on mobile. To rephrase, while Microsoft has all but killed off developing this iteration of Windows Mobile, the firm is reportedly working […]
Read More: Microsoft is reportedly working on a new Windows Mobile reboot
At Computex 2017, Asus today announced the new ROG Zephyrus GX501, an ultra-sleek 15″ gaming laptop. The Zephyrus is only 17.9 mm thin and weighs in at 2.2kg. It is powered by 7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics. In order to keep those high-end chips running at top speed […]
Read More: ASUS announces ROG Zephyrus GX501, an ultra-sleek 15″ gaming laptop with GTX 1080 graphics
The gaming PC OEM MSI launched a new set of PCs this week at Computex. MSI announced its MSI GT75 VR and Raider Laptops with futuristic, outlandish laptop designs. The firm also updated its GS63/73VR gaming notebook line, refreshing it with Intel's Kaby Lake processors, and a new 120HZ/2MS screen. MSI led with the new MSI […]
Read More: MSI unveils its new Titan and Raider gaming laptops, refreshes GS63VR notebooks
At CES 2017, Intel announced a new modular compute platform called the Compute Card. A Compute Card includes all the elements of a typical PC, including Intel SoC, memory, storage and wireless connectivity with flexible I/O options. Just slightly longer than a credit card at 95mm x 55mm x 5mm, the Compute Card offers an optimal […]
Read More: Intel's modular compute platform Compute Card will be shipping in August
At Computex 2017, Dell today announced the new Inspiron Gaming Desktop, its first-ever gaming desktop from the Inspiron series. This product is focused on bringing high performance gaming experience for gamers at an affordable price point. The new Inspiron Gaming Desktop is VR-Ready and is powered by the latest AMD multicore Ryzen processors featuring SenseMI. On […]
Read More: Dell announces its first-ever Inspiron Gaming desktop
At Computex 2017, Dell today announced two new all-in-ones (AIO), Inspiron 27 7000 AIO and Inspiron 24 5000 AIO. The new Inspiron 27 7000 AIO is a VR-Ready device powered by the latest multi-core Ryzen AMD processors and AMD Radeon RX500 Series graphics. Dell is also bringing InfinityEdge, its virtually borderless display to its AIO […]
Read More: Dell announces two new Inspiron all-in-one PCs with virtually borderless display
As has been earlier rumoured Intel today announced their next generation of Core X PC processors at Computex, which includes more powerful Core i5 and Core i7 processors, and a new top of the line Core i9 processors. The new "Core X" family of desktop processors at Computex offers even more powerful versions of its existing […]
Read More: Intel announce Core X range of processors at Computex, including Core i9 18 core monster
At Computex, Asia's largest technology trade show, NVIDIA today announced Max-Q, an new design approach that enables gaming laptops to be 3x thinner with 3x more performance than previous generations. NVIDIA claims that a GeForce GTX 1080 can be used in a laptop that is as small as 18mm thick. To put that in perspective, […]
Read More: NVIDIA's new Max-Q technology allows a GeForce GTX 1080 to be used in Ultrabooks
This week's Deals with Gold were revealed early despite the fact that Larry Hryb is out grilling on Memorial Day. The Xbox One discounts are so much better than the Xbox 360 discounts because games like Alien: Isolation, BioShock: The Collection, Borderlands: The Handsome Collection, The Division and Ghost Recon Wildlands are on sale. The […]
The Eve V 2-in-1 PC claims to be the first "crowd-developed computer" as all of the main parts of the device were based on feedback from the Eve community. Eve's V device is a lot like Microsoft's Surface Pro line of devices but Eve V's specs are better than what you get with the Surface […]
Read More: Eve V crowd-developed Surface clone nearing production
Gameloft new action RPG leaked in April in some markets but is now generally available worldwide to all Windows users. In the epic medieval odyssey, you, the Iron Blade bearing Savior, have to defeat the Demon Lord Baal as he makes his second attempt to claim the world. Players have to defeat countless threats, battling possessed and […]
Read More: Gameloft's Iron Blade: Medieval Legends Action RPG now generally available
At Computex 2017 today ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih announced a number of new PC-related products at their The Edge of Beyond event. The event highlighted their new line-up of thin-and-light ZenBook and VivoBook laptops that push the boundaries of design and technology to deliver ultimate mobile computing experiences. The beautifully thin-and-light models showcased on stage included […]
Read More: Watch Asus's full The Edge of Beyond Computex 2017 event (video)
You can now save up to $328.95 on Surface Pro 4 bundle from Microsoft Store in the US. This bundle includes Surface Pen, Surface Pro 4 Type Cover (Black), Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition, Microsoft Complete Accident Protection for Surface Pro and Surface Pro 4 with 6th Gen Intel Core i5, 256GB SSD and 8GB […]
Read More: Deal: Save $328 on Microsoft Surface Pro 4 bundle in the US
The official Telegram Messenger app for Windows Phone has been updated to version 2.2. The update brings better support for commerce in the messaging service and also other feature improvements. The changelog reads: Bots can receive payments from users. New in-app gallery with gesture at support (scroll through the photos to select them) New integrated […]
Read More: Official Telegram Messenger app has been updated with support for bot payments, more
At Computex 2017 press event today, Asus revealed Blue Cave, an eye-catchingly designed, antenna-less smart Wi-Fi router. Generally, high-performance routers will have 2-4 antennas, but Asus has specially designed internal antennas in Blue Cave to make it stylish and elegant. To make it even more attractive, it features a unique and attractive central aperture that is bathed […]
Read More: Asus's Blue Cave Router will stare deeply into your soul
Asus introduced some upgrades to its premium line of laptops at Computex 2017. But it's lower end laptops are getting some love, too. The PC maker today introduced 2 new laptops for its VivoBook line — one starting at $799, while the other starts at $499. These laptops are the good old, clamshell design laptops […]
Read More: Asus brings 4K displays to mid-range laptops with the new $799 VivoBook Pro 15
It's the Computex week, which means there is going to be a ton of new Windows 10-powered PCs coming out. One of the biggest Windows PC makers, Asus, today introduced a slew of new Windows 10-powered laptops. The most interesting device out of all the devices launched by Asus today, however, is the new ZenBook […]
Read More: Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe is a more powerful, but costlier Surface Laptop alternative
At Computex 2017 today, ASUS announced two new Windows 10 all-in-one PCs, ASUS Vivo AiO V241 and ASUS Zen AiO ZN242. Both the PCs feature NanoEdge multitouch display with wide-view technology and a near-invisible physical bezel. ASUS Vivo AiO V241's 23.8-inch display is enhanced with ASUS Splendid and ASUS Tru2Life Video technologies to deliver vibrant visuals. It also features […]
Read More: Asus reveals two new Windows 10 all-in-one PCs featuring NanoEdge display and Intel Optane memory
At Computex 2017 today, Asus announced its redesigned ZenBook Pro. The new redesigned ZenBook Pro is the thinnest, lightest and most powerful ZenBook Pro ever. ZenBook Pro is made of a precision-crafted all-aluminum unibody that's just 18.9mm thin and 1.8 kg light. The NanoEdge display has a slim 7.3mm bezel that enhances the beauty of ZenBook Pro while minimizing […]
Read More: Asus announces redesigned ZenBook Pro with NVIDIA GTX 1050 graphics and more
At Computex 2017, ASUS today unveiled ZenBook Flip S(UX370), the world's thinnest convertible laptop. Despite having a 360°-flippable display, this ultrathin convertible is only 10.9mm thin and 1.1 kg light. Asus has developed a new 360° ErgoLift hinge that has a dual-action mechanism that lifts and tilts the keyboard into the perfect typing position when the display is […]
Read More: ASUS unveils ZenBook Flip S, the world's thinnest 2-in-1 convertible laptop
ARM today announced DynamIQ technology that will change the multi-core ARM experience across a greater range of devices from edge to cloud across a secure, common platform. Today, they announced two new processors based on DynamIQ technology. The new Cortex-A75 processor a massive 50 percent uplift in performance and greater multicore capabilities. This will enable SoC […]
Read More: ARM unveils Cortex-A75, a new high-performance processor to power laptops
Microsoft is in the process of rolling out an update to the free Wordament app on Windows 10 which will upgrade it to the Microsoft Ultimate Word Game bundle. The bundle will now contain 3 games – Wordament, Jumble (a scrabble-type game) and Crosswords. The update also adds new features to Wordament, which now has a brand new […]
Read More: Microsoft Ultimate Word Games update to Wordament now rolling out
According to a survey conducted by IDC on the most trusted vendors for US Smart City transformation, Microsoft was ranked the most trusted vendor. IDC asked the following two questions as part of their survey. Do you expect the following technology suppliers will enable the digital transformation that will help create smart cities? What is […]
Read More: Microsoft is the most trusted smart-city vendor according to a survey by IDC
Ookla released its Speedtest app for Windows 10 PCs a little while ago. Now, the company is bringing the same app to Windows 10 Mobile devices thanks to the Universal Windows Platform. The app includes all of the same functionalities on phones as on PC, which are listed below: Get your ping, download, and upload […]
Read More: Ookla's Speedtest app comes to Windows 10 Mobile devices
Every week a handful of games release on Xbox One and many elude owners of the console due to their timid marketing. Xbox Wire makes sure you know about them but can't provide gamers with recommendations. A lot of these titles are absolutely phenomenal and it's a shame that they aren't noticed. Here are some games coming out […]
Read More: Top 5 games coming to Xbox One this week
You can now get 37% off EA's 'Madden 17' for Xbox One from Amazon. The Standard Edition now costs just $25.00, down $15 from its original price. Take your team all the way in Madden NFL 17 with a renewed focus on Franchise mode, putting you at the center of your team's Championship run. Arm […]
Read More: Deal: Get NFL Madden 17 on Xbox One for only $25 from Amazon
Microsoft's game streaming service, Mixer, has just released mobile apps for their apps on iOS and Android. The apps have been rechristened from the Beam, the older name of the service. The app gives viewers a window into a streamer's game worlds, allowing you to do everything from striking lightning down, to generating the level's […]
Read More: Renamed Mixer game streaming apps now available for iOS and Android with Chromecast support
Microsoft has quietly pushed out another fix for their virus scanning engine in Windows Defender, the MsMpEng malware protection engine. Just like the last "crazy bad" vulnerability, this one was also discovered by Google's Project Zero researcher Tavis Ormandy, but this time he privately disclosed it to Microsoft, showing the criticism he attracted last time for […]
Read More: Microsoft quietly fixes another "extremely bad vulnerability" in Windows Defender
We've made some significant changes to the MSPoweruser backend over the last week. In order to modernize things, we're no longer using Google's FeedBurner for our RSS feed. As a result, if you were subscribed to any of our previous FeedBurner-powered RSS feeds like http://ift.tt/2rbE7D9 or http://ift.tt/2sa6M8X, you will now be redirected to our new feed: […]
Read More: PSA: Updates to the MSPoweruser RSS feeds
Computex 2017 starts this week in Taipei. As usual, we'll see a lot of new Windows announcements at Computex — but this time around, there'll be some interesting new announcements. Microsoft and Qualcomm recently (read: last week) sent out invites for Computex 2017, where the companies are expected to reveal more about Windows on ARM. […]
Read More: Microsoft to reveal more details on Windows on ARM this week
Since the original launch of Cortana on the PC, Microsoft has been making significant improvements to the look and feel of the personal assistant every now and then. Redmond has recently started testing an improved design for Cortana's search results in Windows 10 that brings stronger Bing integration. We've started seeing users getting the new […]
Read More: Windows 10's improved Cortana search UI brings stronger Bing integration
Windows 10 S is expected to offer a safer and more stable computing experience to Windows users, at the expense of access to powerful and popular applications such as Google's Chrome browser.
Now, at the recent Citrix Synergy event held in Orlando, Fla, the company has announced a new Citrix Receiver app for Windows which they say "opens the door for the Win 32 apps to run on Windows 10 S."
The Windows Store app can enable organisations running Windows 10 S to use specific Win32 apps or environments that are not likely to find their way into the Windows Store, such as Google's Chrome browser, noted Borkar.
Citrix Receiver connects to XenApp and XenDesktop, where you can leverage TLS 1.2 or lower. There is also an option of using SecureICA encryption for the connection if you are running an older version of XenApp.
Due to being a UWP app the service would also work on UWP-only devices such as Windows Phone, HoloLens and Surface Hub and supports Continuum for Phones. It also offers full support for touch, pinch and zoom and drag and drop.
Citrix Receiver for Windows can be found in the Windows Store here.
Citrix Receiver (Free, Windows Store) →
HP's top daily deal today is the HP Envy 750 425qe Desktop PC. Normally $1050, HP is selling it for only $800, $250 off its usual price.
Perfect for the power user, the desktop features:
See a review of the similar HP Envy 750 120 PC below:
Grab the deal at HP here.
In an effort to provide MSPoweruser readers with more content, we've decided to increase gaming coverage as it's an integral part of Microsoft. In the past, we've streamed exclusive Xbox One gameplay on Twitch but we're making the move to Mixer as it offers an instantaneous streaming experience. We'll also be giving away games like 2Dark, 8DAYS, MX Nitro, NeuroVoider and Troll & I in these streams. Just interact with us in chat during the livestream if you're interested in these titles.
In order to win one of these fantastic games, you also have to follow us on Mixer. Be sure to link your Facebook or Twitter account to your Mixer account so that we have a way of messaging you the game code if you're one of the lucky winners. We won't place the codes in chat because code-harvesting programs tend to scoop them up before a gamer has the chance to enter the characters. We'll be streaming on Mixer throughout the week so join us regularly!
Despite some pundits blaming Microsoft for the recent cyber attacks on their old operating systems, many investors have seen it as a likely source of a windfall for Microsoft, as companies and consumers who have long held out on upgrading finally realise the importance of running an up to date operating system.
This may explain why Microsoft's share price has hit a new milestone, crossing $70 for the first time ever.
It turns out that the Wannacrypt attack may end up just being a positive for Microsoft, as the feared PR hit to Microsoft from the attack also did not materialise.
Recent research by Morning Consult, polling 2,148 adults, found only a quarter were less likely to buy a product from Microsoft.
57% were concerned about using Microsoft software, but thirty-nine percent said it made no difference, and 19% said the attacks made them more likely to buy Microsoft's products.
Just a week after the Wannacrypt attacks, 83% of those surveyed said they view Microsoft and its products favourably.
Consumers, in fact, took more personal responsibility for their cyber safety. Many consumers were now downloading security updates, using different passwords for different websites, and 54% updated their PC or laptop as soon as patches came out, while 68% had security software installed on their PC.
"The strength of Microsoft's brand leaves it largely unscathed by the recent security issue — unlike its tech industry peer Yahoo Inc. After disclosing its own data breach, Yahoo's favorability fell 10 percentage points, polling shows," Morning Consult said.
Everybody's favorite spacefaring super hero team is now returning to a console or smartphone near you, with Telltale's Guardians Of the Galaxy Episode 2: Under Pressure making its way to Xbox One, PC, PS4, Android, and iOS on June 6, 2017. The first episode, Tangled Up in Blue, was made available on April 18. The plot of the game centers around the Guardians finding an artifact of great power that each individually covet, but must protect it from the Mad Titan who wants it for himself.
"In Under Pressure, the Guardians just can't seem to outrun the past (or their tab), but if they figure out how to control the untold power of their mysterious new relic, they might not have to," Telltale said. "With help from dubious old friends and unwilling new allies, Star-Lord and company scour the galaxy for answers. But how long can they elude the genocidal maniac hunting them? And will simmering tensions finally tear the team apart?"
Oh and did we say, you may even shed a tear or two as the story delves into Rocket's past.
This one is going to make you cry…yes, even you, post-ironic hipster. @MarvelGames @telltalegames #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy https://t.co/7cae5sgKA5
— Bill Rosemann (@BillRosemann) May 26, 2017
Way back in 2012 there was a rumour that Nokia was shopping around a Nokia E6-type Windows Phone to carriers at Mobile World Congress.
The handset was meant to address the same business market as that device and would have featured a front-facing keyboard paired with a touch screen.
Today the device, the Nokia RX-100, has made a unique appearance on Chinese site Tieba, courtesy of Nokibar, confirming that some rumours are real, even when there is no evidence for many years.
The handset ran an early version of Windows Phone 8 (which was only released much later in October 2012) and had 2 GB of storage and an AMOLED screen. They keyboard had a compact 39 keys without a dedicated number row.
See what could have been in the gallery below.
In some ways Windows Mobile 6 was more suited to one-handed keyboard use, featuring a number of keyboard shortcuts for example, so I suspect this device would not have changed anything, but it does make us wonder what other devices are still waiting to be uncovered by techno-archeologists.
With the Windows 10 Creators Update, Microsoft added a handy new feature called Night Light. This new feature is supposed to help you sleep better at night, as it starts to reduce the amount of blue light produced by your device's display. You can choose to make it automatically kick in when the sunsets or you can choose a certain time period for the feature. Night Light works pretty well for the most part, but the main problem is that the feature kicks in with full intensity right from the get-go rather than gradually increasing the intensity over time — which arguably results in a poor experience for many users.
Thankfully though, there's now a much better alternative for Night Light in the Windows Store: f.lux. F.lux is actually the original app with this idea that has been available on Windows for a while now. OS makers like Apple, Microsoft, and Google recently started integrating f.lux-like functionalities into their respective OSes, making f.lux slightly obsolete. But when it comes to f.lux on Windows, it's a much better alternative for Night Light — mostly because the intensity of the warmer colors increase over time and that does improve the experience quite a lot.
f.lux also integrates into the Windows 10 taskbar, allowing you to quickly control its settings or disable/enable it for an hour which is certainly quite handy. f.lux isn't the only big app that's coming to the Windows Store — much bigger apps like Apple's iTunes, Spotify, and Facebook's WhatsApp apps are also set to launch on the store later this year and that'll be very important for Microsoft's new version of Windows 10 that can only run apps from the Windows Store. In the meantime, you can grab f.lux from the Windows Store below.
Practo is a popular online service in India that enables users to find and book appointments with doctors and consult them online. Microsoft has now partnered with Practo to integrate doctor information directly into the Bing search results. When a user searches for a doctor on Bing, Bing will now display doctor's qualification, specializations, services they offer and more.
In addition to that, Bing will also display doctor's location and users can get one-click directions on Bing Maps. After reading the user reviews of the doctor which are presented on the right side of the search results, users can book an appointment with the doctor by clicking the Appointments button. It will then take them to Practo website where they can complete the booking process.
Microsoft is halfway through its target for the number of Windows 10 installations. Redmond plans on getting 1 billion active devices running Windows 10, and that's a lot of PCs. The company has already reached 500 million active devices, which is arguably a pretty good number considering Windows 10 was only released back in July 2015.
But a majority of Windows users are still running older versions of Windows — and that, of course, includes almost all businesses around the world. As it turns out, Windows 10 is only powering more than 50 million devices in businesses worldwide, per a recently released video by Microsoft (via Petri). That's a very small number, and that's mostly a good thing for Microsoft. For one, these businesses will have to upgrade to Windows 10 once the extended support for Windows 7 ends in a couple of years (2020) — effectively meaning that business will start migrating to the latest and greatest version of Windows later this year or next year. That'll definitely lead to a huge boost in the total number of devices powered by Windows 10, making it possible for Microsoft to improve Windows 10's security more rapidly via its Windows as a Service model.
With around 85% business expected to start migrating to Windows 10 by the end of this year, Windows 10 will likely start powering a lot more PCs in businesses all around the world in a couple of month's time. As Microsoft continues to pack for IT-focused features such as Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection into Windows 10, the OS is getting better and better with every new feature update — both in terms of features and security. It's only a matter of time till Microsoft hits that 1 billion mark.
If you are interested in learning mobile apps development, here's a great opportunity to get started. Xamarin University's team of mobile experts – including special guest and author Charles Petzold will host five new webinars which will show you how to use Visual Studio Tools for Xamarin to develop mobile apps for iOS, Android, Windows, and more. Find the event schedule and the topics you will be able to learn on each day below.
You can sign-up for this series here.
The dream of a flexible, foldable computing device has long been alive in the bowels of Microsoft, with various prototypes being developed, and even a full-blown concept, the Courier, getting some development time in 2009.
The latest evidence that this dream will just not die is a new patent filed for in November 2016 and recently published, showing a newly developed hinge which would use a combination of clever mechanics and magnets to create a foldable device which when closed remained securely so, and when opened also had some rigidity and a near flush join between the two halves of the display.
Microsoft's Surface line, of course, makes it clear that the company is not afraid of either of these technologies, with the Surface Pro and Type cover using magnets extensively, while the Surface Book and Surface Studio both feature impressive mechanical designs. The 1st named inventor for the above device listed, Kabir Siddiqui, had earlier patented the Surface Kickstand.
We have seen a somewhat less impressive version of the idea developed by the same team, which uses a flexible display instead.
Unlike the above device, the new design would not rely on any new technology, and would likely be faster to bring to market, but also somewhat heavier due to the larger number of mechanical parts.
While it is clear some parts of Microsoft are still actively working on the idea, whether this means the device is ever coming to market is much less so. It is, however, likely that there are some pretty cool prototypes somewhere in Microsoft's skunkworks.
The full patent can be seen here.
Square Enix shared their financial results today and it looks like the company is doing quite well. Sales of games like Rise of the Tomb Raider are going strong but Final Fantasy XV has to be the crown jewel. According to the company, the game has sold over 6 million copies worldwide and it's the fastest-selling Final Fantasy to date. Despite its somewhat obscure appeal in the West, it's still selling a great number of copies outside of Japan.
With the game, enter the world of Final Fantasy XV and experience action-packed battles as you journey through the breathtaking world of Eos encountering larger-than-life beasts and unforgiving enemies. You are Noctis, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Lucis, and your quest is to reclaim your homeland from the imperial army. The game is absolutely stunning and focuses on brotherhood more than anything else. If you're looking for a title along the lines of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, be sure to pick this one up.
In 2015, Microsoft released its Windows 10 Mobile flagship, the Lumia 950 and 950 XL at its October hardware event. The devices were perfunctory, featuring bland designs and performed poorly for the price range and specs which they possessed — at least at launch.
Now a new report, citing sources close to the development of the device, shows that the handsets were more toned down from what Microsoft had originally planned.
According to the report, Microsoft would have included a stylus with the handsets. Much like the Surface pen, users would have been able to use this to write on OneNote and other ink enabled apps. It would have made the Lumia 950 XL for one, more able to compete with the Galaxy Note 5, as well as push the idea of Windows 10 Mobile as a productivity platform.
Furthermore, the handset would have featured active sides (and other gestures previously reported), a carry over from the cancelled McLaren where the software would actively sense whether users were holding it, or not and choose to keep the screen active based on those parameters.
There are other features highlighted in the vide below, including a more detailed glance screen, and a subtler design — attributed to the conceptual nature of the video.
It is likely that these features were canned once Microsoft realised that the Lumia line and Windows Phone, in general, were going nowhere but down. Samsung's Android handsets already offered many of these features for users who would want them, and active sides feature–while a pleasant surprise –would not have moved the needle. Arguably, Microsoft's focus on Continuum for the Windows flagship would have been a wise one if there were more available Windows 10 apps.
Ultimately, this is just a demonstration showing what might have been. It's unlikely that this could have saved Windows phone, a little effort put into the Lumia 950 family of devices would have provided a device that was less awful than what ultimately came out.
Today, Ubisoft unveiled Far Cry 5 through a series of amazing trailers. Not only is the game absolutely stunning, but it also focuses on characters more than other titles in the series. Unfortunately, the wait is going to be a little long for this one as the game releases on February 27, 2018 on Xbox One, Project Scorpio and PC.
To take down the cult, players will need to utilize any and all weapons at their disposal, including ranged weapons such as guns and grenades and melee weapons like a sledgehammer or baseball bat.
Today, Ubisoft announced that gamers will experience the chaos, unpredictability and ferociousness of the Far Cry franchise with Far Cry 5 on the Xbox One family of devices, including Project Scorpio, and PC. Set in America for the first time, in Montana, players will have total freedom to navigate this serene-looking yet deeply twisted world solo or entirely in 2-player co-op as they fight for survival and freedom when the game releases on February 27, 2018. Development for Far Cry 5 is being led by Ubisoft Montreal.
As the new junior deputy of fictional Hope County, Montana, players will find that their arrival accelerates a years-long silent coup by a fanatical doomsday cult, the Project at Eden's Gate, igniting a violent takeover of the county. Caught off guard and drawn into a power struggle, players must disrupt the carefully laid plans of the Project at Eden's Gate, and fan the fires of resistance to help liberate the Hope County community and themselves.
Under siege and cut off from the rest of the world, players will join forces with residents of Hope County and form the Resistance. The fight against the cult will take players to unique locations throughout Hope County that provide different gameplay experiences. During their journey, players can fly planes to engage cult forces in aerial dogfights across Big Sky Country. While tracking down cult members and gathering resources for survival across farmland, forests, mountains and rivers, players can get behind the wheel of iconic American muscle cars, big rigs and boats. Vehicles also provide refuge when under attack by animals or as a way to quickly escape when events don't go as planned.
To take down the cult, players will need to utilize any and all weapons at their disposal, including ranged weapons such as guns and grenades and melee weapons like a sledgehammer or baseball bat. Additionally, players can recruit Guns for Hire from a large cast of characters, or even Fangs for Hire, specialized animals like bears and cougars to complement players' playstyles whether they're going in stealthily or forcefully. How players approach each situation and the chaos they create in Far Cry 5 is up to them. Far Cry 5 will also see the return of the map editor, giving players the opportunity to create and play an infinite amount of new playgrounds. The map editor will include new features that add a new dimension to the content created by fans, with more details coming soon.
Microsoft earlier revealed plans for yet another low-end optimised, sleek version of Windows 10 in order to take on ChromeOS. This isn't the first version of Windows to take on Chromebooks, and it probably won't be the last. Microsoft is also working on channelling Windows 10 Pro for ARM devices, so hardware manufacturers can make use of cheaper Qualcomm SOCs for their devices. Pundits, columnists and Windows 10 fans alike have declared that this will be Microsoft's Chromebook killer. It's not an unreasonable idea mind you, Microsoft's Windows is undeniably more robust than Google's Chrome OS by design, with the former being aimed at power users, and the latter being aimed at those who need just the bare essentials. Windows 10 S takes that robustness, adds a larger* library of native apps, easier manageability for educational users, and more. Windows 10 S has an uphill climb to make, in schools, it'll need to overcome the 50% and growing dominance Google has. Outside schools? It has another problem.
Simply put, its the hardware. Let's be honest, ChromeOS can take on Windows 10 in ways that matter to general consumers. Most people's computer usage can be boiled down to Microsoft Office, Email, and browsing the web with perhaps some Spotify. Chromebooks often offer all this in a nicer package than can their Windows counterparts. If a user wants more power, OEMs like Acer, Dell and HP will provide more powerful, beautiful Chromebooks for less than their Windows 10 counterparts.
Take, for instance, Acer's Chromebook 14 (2016) and Acer's Swift 3 (2016). Both laptops offer a premium looking design, with a 14inch FullHD screen, full metal design, nice and wide trackpad and RAM from 4GB to 8GB. The Windows version of this will set you back about £600 – give or take depending on the store, the Chromebook? £279 for the 4GB of RAM version up to £400ish for the same specs as the Windows version. For any user whose most used PC app is Microsoft's Edge or Google's Chrome, the choice is clear. Similarly, If I look at the wider Windows 10 PC Market for an equivalent laptop, I'm met with cheap plastic laptops, with crappy battery and low-resolution displays. HP has come the closest with its Stream 14 ultraportable laptop, but performance, low-storage (for a Windows PC), and a poor display drag it down. In the same manner, newly announced Windows 10 S PCs for the low-end aren't anything special. They are more of the same type of cheap PCs that look like they fell out of the ugly tree and hit every stick on the way down.
If Microsoft's Windows 10 S doesn't take off – like Windows 8 RT, Windows 8.1 with Bing, and Acer's attempts at cloudbooks years ago, no one will proffer up reasons why they believe it didn't do well, because they won't really care. An offhand remark in some thinkpiece somewhere might blame low sales or the Windows Store, but no one will really care. Windows 10 S's Raison D'etre is lower priced, secure, streamlined PCs, in the end, it'll be the hardware that it ships with that'll be most important.
Microsoft's Windows 10 S is a powerful OS that can do a lot. The problem is, so is Google's ChromeOS.In a market where PC sales are tanking, Chromebook sales continue to rise with manufacturers now making new and unique hardware for it. In contrast, Windows 10 S's hardware choices for the low-end aren't as good as the equivalent Chromebook versions, and that's disappointing. Microsoft's Surface Laptop might be an excellent laptop but its price removes it from consideration for many, and with the lower end lacking any desirable laptop Google's Chromebooks still have an advantage.
*Chromebooks will gain the ability to fully run Android apps in a desktop environment with freeform Windows this summer, removing the software library advantage.
Microsoft's new Surface Pro ditches numbers and brings in a new hinge design, and Microsoft's mixing things up with Beam's new name and features.
You can check out our full coverage of this week's Surface Pro event by clicking here.
You can check out some of the various non-Surface articles we talk about on this week's episode by following the links below.
You can subscribe to the MSPoweruser Podcast below:
Blizz is a dedicated web conferencing and collaboration solution by TeamViewer. Blizz allows you to easily set-up join online meetings instantly via a web-interface at www.blizz.com. Also, meetings with up to 300 participants can be held on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS devices.
TeamViewer has now released Blizz app for Windows 10 devices. Since it is available from Windows Store, this app can also be installed on the recently announced Windows 10 S operating system.
Blizz features:
Download the app here from Windows Store.
Following the launch of new Surface Pro device, Microsoft Store UK is now offering some great discounts on the Surface Pro 4. You can save up to £479 on Surface Pro 4 devices. You can get the Surface Pro 4 with 128GB and Intel Core i5 for £721.650 and the entry-level Core M model for just £636.65.
Surface Pro 4 is ultrathin, fast and versatile, the perfect balance of portability and power. With 6th generation Intel Core processors and up to 1TB of storage, it's built to run professional-grade software. And the PixelSense Display has stunning colour and contrast that comes to life with Surface Pen and touch.
You can order it using the below link,
If you are interested in the new Surface Pro device, you can pre-order it here.
A new version of an old bug has just been discovered which can bring any Windows system earlier than Windows 10 to its knees, simply by loading a malformed URL, which of course may be found on a malicious website, in email or loaded by ads on otherwise safe websites.
The issue is due to how the NTFS driver deals with special file names, in this case, the $MFT name, which is one of the special metadata files used by Windows' NTFS filesystem.
The file is normally hidden from users and most software, but it appears that if it forms part of a directory name (e.g. c:\$MFT\123) Windows will then lock the file and never release it, making the file system inaccessible, potentially causing a bluescreen, and forcing a reboot.
The issue can be caused locally, and unfortunately also remotely if $MFT is used as part of a URL. Some browsers block the malformed URL, but it appears Internet Explorer is all too happy to surrender your machine.
Microsoft has been informed, but a patch has not been released yet. As usual, the news underlines the imperative to keep your machine updated or else remain vulnerable to old issues which have been newly discovered.
Microsoft today released a new Surface Pro 4 firmware update. This update release includes the Surface System Aggregator Firmware, Intel Precise Touch Device, and Surface Integration drivers that Microsoft released last month for devices with Windows 10 Version 1703 (Creators Update), now available for Windows 10 Version 1607 (Anniversary Update) and Windows 10 Version 1511 (November Update).
In addition to that, Surface team has also updated the drivers for Surface Embedded Controller Firmware, Surface Touch Servicing ML, Surface Touch, and Surface UEFI to resolve screen brightness issues when devices come out of sleep, refine brightness settings, optimize touch functionality, adjust hibernation defaults, disable touch when the cover is closed, and provide improvements to stability and battery life during sleep.
Find the full change log below.
You can download it via Windows Update or from the Surface Pro 4 Drivers and Firmware Page.
Update: Alan Wake is available for purchase again on the Xbox Marketplace.
This week has been shocking to say the least. We thought that Mass Effect's hiatus and Square Enix's focus on "games as a service" would be it but it isn't. Today, Remedy Entertainment announced that Alan Wake would be removed from all digital storefronts, including the Xbox Marketplace. Now, we'll give you some time to gasp in disbelief. Done? Well, there's an issue with the music rights and licensing.
Alan Wake sale on @steam_games 90% discount starting 5/13. Game will be removed from stores after 5/15 due to expiring music licenses. http://pic.twitter.com/y10DPgY8Q0
— Remedy Entertainment (@remedygames) May 12, 2017
This is one of the reasons why many games have been delisted recently and Alan Wake is the latest casualty. The good news is that you can keep on playing it if you already own the digital copy. So, before the game is removed, be sure to purchase it as Alan Wake is one of the best experience on Xbox 360 (backward compatible on Xbox One). You can still buy it on a disc though. I guess there will always be a place for physical media in the industry because digital distribution methods are fickle.
Microsoft's Cortana wants to be your smart assistant everywhere you turn Windows, Android or iOS. With the new Windows 10 Creators Update and the upcoming Fall Creators Update, Android users get more out of Windows 10 if they have Cortana installed – allowing them to sync notifications, calls, apps and more.The problem with this is that for users of non-Windows phones, there is often already a default non-Cortana assistant pre-installed. Huawei phones have Alexa, the Pixel has Google Assistant and the Samsung Galaxy S8 comes with the triple threat of Bixby, S-Voice and Google Assistant.
All that said, you can still set Cortana as your default "assistant" app on Android and gain quick access to Cortana from the long press shortcut on Google-powered handsets. You'll need to have Cortana installed, and your device will also need to have default "assistant" app settings. This how-to was conducted on a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, but the steps should be similar for other Android handsets.
Note: While this tip works on Android phones which let you select the default assistant app, due to the diverse nature of Android ROMs, we can't guarantee that it'll work on your specific Android device.
The 'Quantified Self' revolution has led to millions of us wearing fitness bands of some kind, but there has been little evidence that this has led to enduring weight loss or cause any change in the growing obesity epidemic.
Now a new study by the Stanford University School of Medicine may explain in part why – the fitness trackers are just not very good.
They tested the Apple Watch, Basis Peak, Fitbit Surge, Microsoft Band, Mio Alpha 2, PulseOn and the Samsung Gear S2 against gold standard medical equipment with 60 volunteers and found their accuracy left a lot to be desired, especially when it came to the important element of the calorie count.
None of the seven devices measured energy expenditure accurately, with even the most accurate device off by an average of 27 percent and the least accurate by 93 percent.The Fitbit Surge was the best of a poor lot, with an error rate of roughly 27%, while the Microsoft Band showed an error rate of around 33%, beating out the Apple Watch, with an error rate near 40%. The PulseOn performed the worst with a shockingly high error rate of 92.6%.
"People are basing life decisions on the data provided by these devices," said Euan Ashley, DPhil, FRCP, professor of cardiovascular medicine, of genetics and of biomedical data science at Stanford. "The magnitude of just how bad they were surprised me."
The devices did much better when it came to heart rate, which is being directly measured by optical pulse oximetry. In contrast, calorie expenditure is being estimated by proprietary algorithms in each device.
"My take on this is that it's very hard to train an algorithm that would be accurate across a wide variety of people because energy expenditure is variable based on someone's fitness level, height and weight, etc," said graduate student Anna Shcherbina.
The study included sixty volunteers, including 31 women and 29 men, who wore the seven devices while walking or running on treadmills or using stationary bicycles. Each volunteer's heart was measured with a medical-grade electrocardiograph. Metabolic rate was estimated with an instrument for measuring the oxygen and carbon dioxide in breath — a good proxy for metabolism and energy expenditure. Results from the wearable devices were then compared to the measurements from the two "gold standard" instruments and the results published online May 24 in the Journal of Personalized Medicine.
The take home message would likely be that while regular exercise is important to health, basing your portion size on regular weighing rather than your wristband would likely yield better weight management results.
