Microsoft tries to get users off Windows XP with migration tools and warnings
Microsoft really wants Windows XP holdouts to upgrade before official support ends in a month’s time, and it’s providing some last-minute incentives to get those people moving forward. The company will soon let XP users download a free copy of Laplink’s PCmover Express to migrate their data to newer Windows releases. The crew in Redmond isn’t just hoping that users will find the tool and update on their own, though. It plans to send an end-of-support notification to most XP users on March 8th; if they didn’t already know about the deadline, they likely will by this weekend. Microsoft can’t force its customers to use modern software, but these latest steps will at least make its intentions clear.
Filed under: Software, Microsoft
Source: Windows Experience Blog
First dual-boot Windows Phone 8 and Android handsets said to arrive by June
Windows and Android are such good pals, they’re quite literally inseparable on a number of dual-boot devices. Aside from some old community-driven projects, however, the relationship between Google’s mobile OS and Windows Phone hasn’t blossomed to a point where they’re officially comfortable sharing a smartphone. Well, they better pencil in a bonding session, because The Times of India reports local manufacturer Karbonn is set to launch the first such dual-boot handset by June. With the ink now dry on a deal with Microsoft — presumably a WP license agreed behind closed doors at MWC — plans are to offer a range of split-personality devices with professional and tech-savvy types in mind. Perhaps they’ll run Windows Phone 8.1 right off the bat, too, given the new version’s broader hardware support, and show that you needn’t create mutant advocates to tempt consumers one way or another.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft, Google
Via: Gizmodo
Source: The Times of India
Leaked screenshots reveal Cortana, Microsoft’s digital assistant for Windows Phone
We already know that Microsoft is set to become the last major player to launch a digital assistant, but previews of what “Cortana” will look like have been almost non-existent. Now, thanks to leaked screenshots from The Verge, we’re getting our first look at what to expect when the company’s Siri rival makes its public debut with the launch of Windows Phone 8.1. Confirming earlier reports, Microsoft has opted for a circular animated icon as its primary UI element, which will use the same highlight color you’ve chosen on your Windows Phone device. That icon will reportedly jump about the screen as it asks you questions and responds to your requests.
Cortana can also be tweaked to personalize greetings, allowing you change your name or set a nickname for when it provides alerts, offers suggestions or displays reminders. Microsoft appears to be taking a few pages out of Apple and Google’s playbooks, which is further evidenced by the inclusion of a setting that will index your emails in order to track flights and other services — just like Google Now. It’s not clear whether Microsoft will add more services to its assistant before Windows Phone 8.1 makes its way to devices, or if it will even stick with Cortana codename, but we may only have to wait a month until we find out for sure.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Source: The Verge
Bing search gets a scientific calculator almost two years after Google
If Bitcoin currency conversion is too trivial a use for you, loyal Bing user, perhaps the addition of a calculator will help solve the equation of your unhappiness. Simply type a math problem into Microsoft’s search engine and, as Windows Phone Central has noticed, an interactive scientific calculator will pop up with the answer. From there you can do as much math within a browser tab as your non-Googling heart desires. WPC also notes that while the calculator interface won’t be making its way to Windows Phone, entering a math problem into the mobile flavor of Bing will still return the answer to your query. It’s no graphing calculator, to be sure, but Mountain View wasn’t built in a day, either.
Filed under: Internet, Microsoft
Source: Bing
Xbox One update preview adds new audio, Kinect options and a fix for UK TV
Xbox One owners who received a special ticket in their inbox are already testing out next month’s update, and they’ve already uncovered a slew of tweaks. Beyond the multiplayer / party system changes and Twitch streaming we’d heard about, fans with surround sound headphones have been pleasantly surprised by the arrival of Dolby Digital Audio. Another new audio choice is bitstream output, and our friends at The Digital Media Zone have already checked it out to confirm the expected lights are popping up on their surround sound receivers.
Forum posters on NeoGAF has put together a list of changes they’ve as well, and several media related ones stick out. First, the 50Hz compatibility problem that plagued some European TV viewers using the HDMI passthrough has been fixed. Other tweaks include a check box to disable Kinect hand gestures while watching a video (which would often accidentally recognize casual movements and put an icon on the screen), and the ability to change how much the volume changes when commanded by Kinect. Hit the thread for the full list, while everyone else waits until March 11th for the update to arrive.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
Source: The Digital Media Zone, NeoGAF
Skype now lets you sign up with a Microsoft account, updates its Windows Phone app
It’s been a long time coming, but Skype’s revealed that folks can finally sign up for service using a Microsoft account. Skype believes this feature is perfect for users who perhaps want the least amount of logins possible, and it also points to Microsoft’s two-step verification as a benefit for having such an account. Meanwhile, the Windows Phone app has been updated with a number of security improvements, plus an indicator which lets you know when the person on the other side is typing. As part of the integration with its parent company, Skype will now require a Microsoft account (like the one used to set up your WP device) when registering for a new account through the application. This new version is only available for Windows Phone 8, however — as you might recall, support for the app on earlier versions of the OS was cut off months ago.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Via: The Next Web
Create your own Flappy Bird-style game with Code.org
We’ve already told you how to get Flappy Bird on your Android device now that it’s gone, but why not just create your own “flappy” game?
Today Code.org, a non-profit organization that aims to get more students interested in computer science, crossed two milestones, celebrating its one-year anniversary and recently hitting one billion lines of code written by students on the site. In celebration, it built a drag-and-drop tutorial to help people of all ages do just that, create a custom Flappy Birds game.
Code.org also believes that anyone can learn to code and held the “Hour of Code,” a campaign to introduce 10 million students to one hour of Computer Science, in December during Computer Science Education Week.
If you head over to the site, you will find the tutorial that uses the basics of computer science to allow you to create your own version of the simple Flappy Bird game, whether you want to make a Flappy Spaceship or Flappy Santa, or create your own rules, such as speeding it up, slowing it down or reversing scoring. The tutorial runs in your browser and can run on either a computer, smartphone or tablet.
One of the neat things about the tutorial is that you can even press the “show code” button to see the code in JavaScript, “the world’s most widely adopted programming language.”
As someone who went to college for journalism, worked as a journalist for nearly four years, is now going back to school to become a programmer, I definitely recommend checking this out, as it may inspire you to want to learn to code.
It’s interesting to note that the tutorial was created thanks to engineers from Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Twitter. It also appears that Rovio and EA had a hand in it too.
The post Create your own Flappy Bird-style game with Code.org appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Titanfall collector’s edition is titan-sized, sadly doesn’t include jump jets (video)
For half the price of an Xbox One, you can have your very own titan mech! Well, a 18-inch “Atlas Titan statue,” care of the folks behind Titanfall. And yes, that means it doesn’t move. And no, there aren’t any jump jets in the massive “Collector’s Edition” box which holds the aforementioned statue, your copy of Titanfall, a big fancy art book and a poster. Dammit!
Again, to be clear, that’s $250. Take a look at a video from Respawn Entertainment tearing apart the “very limited” edition of Titanfall just below; it’s available on March 11th in North America, March 13th in Europe.
Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Microsoft
Via: VG24/7
Daily Roundup: Mt. Gox goes offline, OS X update, Disney’s new app and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Twitch arriving on Xbox by March 11th
The second half of Microsoft’s big Xbox One update is expected just ahead of Titanfall’s March 11th release. Aside from being able to broadcast your gameplay via Twitch.tv, Xbox owners will exclusively be able to archive streams right from the console.
Bitcoin exchange goes offline
We knew things were shaky at Mt. Gox after it halted Bitcoin withdrawals on February 7th, though it seems matters are getting even worse. Earlier this morning, the exchange’s website and Twitter footprint vanished, leaving its customers to speculate about bankruptcy or pending acquisition.
OS X update fixes security hole
Apple recently mended an iOS web networking security hole, and now it’s bringing that same fix to OS X, along with a few new FaceTime features. But if you aren’t running Mavericks, don’t worry — specially tailored updates are in the works.
Disney’s new iOS app
Disney’s new iOS app, Movies Anywhere, has the makings of a wonderful road trip companion. Users can stream their Disney content from iTunes, as well as purchase and play over 400 Disney movies within the app.
Filed under: Misc
This is how Xbox One’s game broadcasting works
It’s true: Xbox One is getting its long overdue gameplay broadcasting functionality on March 11th, just in time for the launch of Xbox/PC-exclusive multiplayer blockbuster Titanfall. Some folks will get a chance to try out that functionality early through the beta program, but no one outside of Microsoft and Twitch have ready access to the service just yet. That’s not stopping Microsoft from touting the service as, “the first truly next-gen Twitch experience, one that can’t be matched by any other console.” So, uh, what does that mean?
It boils down to two main aspects of Twitch on Xbox One that aren’t available on PlayStation 4: archiving live feeds and the ability to view all of Twitch (read: any game on any game console). The latter ability already exists on your Xbox One; load up the Twitch app and watch any broadcast you want. When the app gets updated on March 11th (yes, there will be one application — Twitch — that handles broadcasting), it gets the ability to broadcast games out as well. Initial setup requires two basic audio/visual choices: if you’re using video, where do you want the picture-in-picture of your face to show up in the feed? if you’re using audio, there are some “basic levels” to work out. Looking to replicate the ease of use of PlayStation 4′s Share button ability? Say, “Xbox, Broadcast!” and you’re there. If you don’t have/don’t want to use a Kinect? That’s less simple.
Xbox Live program manager Chad Gibson tells Engadget it’s question of completing the following steps (from in-game): pushing the Home button, opening Snap, choosing Twitch and jumping back into the game. Not aggressively complicated, but certainly not as simple as the voice command option (or a Share button, for that matter).
Like Twitch on PS4, you can turn off video/audio capture as you wish and toggle comments. Also like the competition, streaming controls can be left or removed as “snapped” along the right rail — should you choose to unsnap it, a “bug” will let you know that recording’s on. And no, despite the HDMI-in ability (not to mention the myriad other media playing options) on Xbox One, you won’t be able to stream anything other than games to Twitch. All our dreams of a CNN-based Mystery Science Theater 3000 knockoff, dashed in one instant!
It’s not clear if Xbox One’s broadcasting has a similarly adorable standby screen to PS4 if you dump to the Dashboard during a broadcast, but it will outright cut off (read: end, non-restartable) if you attempt to load media in place of a game. The broadcast can be restarted, of course, but anyone watching must rejoin and, well, it sounds like kind of a hassle.
Twitch, like the Xbox One’s other software, will evolve as time goes on. We expect to see far more customization abilities in the future, as neither console is coming anywhere close to the level of support offer on PC. For now, though, we’re glad to see competition between Microsoft and Sony driving innovation in console-based broadcasting.
AIVAnet 