Microsoft Takes Inspiration from Apple, Launches Surface Upgrade Plan for Businesses
Microsoft today launched the Microsoft Surface Membership, an upgrade plan for Surface devices that allows business customers to “get the latest Surface devices, accessories, support and training.” The new plan was first spotted by Thurrott.com (via Engadget). The plan is similar to Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Plan.
The Surface Membership is available for three Surface devices with payment plans that can be spread over 18, 24 or 30 months. The Surface 3 is $32.99 per month for 30 months, $37.99 per month for 24 months, and $48.99 per month over 18 months. The Surface Pro 4 is $51.99 per month for 30 months, $58.99 per month for 24 months, and $70.99 per month for 18 months. The Surface Book is $79.99 per month for 30 months, $89.99 per month for 24 months, and $108.99 per month for 18 months.
All Microsoft Surface Memberships come with Surface accessories, which include the Surface Type Cover for the Surface 3, both the Type Cover and pen for the Surface Pro 4 and the Surface Pen for the Surface Book. Members will also get phone and in-store tech support, one-on-one personal training, in-store discounts on future hardware and software and the Microsoft Complete for Business Extended Service Plan with accidental damage. Finally, users will be able to upgrade to the latest Surface devices when they launch.
Apple announced the iPhone Upgrade Plan last year alongside the iPhone 6s, allowing customers to pay a monthly fee for their devices and upgrade every year. Apple’s plan is also limited to iPhones and does not include discounts for future hardware, though it does include AppleCare+. However, Apple’s plan is open to all sorts of customers rather than just business users.
Microsoft isn’t the first company to follow Apple’s lead in device upgrade plans. Shortly after Apple announced the iPhone Upgrade Plan, Samsung began planning an upgrade plan for its Galaxy phones, officially launching the service in March 2016.
Tags: Microsoft, Microsoft Surface, iPhone Upgrade Plan
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‘Forza Motorsport’ gets an official eSports championship
Microsoft and Turn 10 definitely aren’t shy about turning the Forza Motorsport series into a competitive gamer’s dream. They’ve unveiled the Forza Racing Championship, a company-run league (no third-party collaborations here) that invites anyone to race for real prizes. Most details aren’t available yet, but the championship will kick off with Forza Motorsport 6 in the summer. And don’t worry, you’ll still get something out of it even if you have no intentions of making a name for yourself. Anyone who has played Forza 6 is getting a code for a free Ford GT Le Mans car, so you’ll have something new to try when you’re racing purely for fun.
Source: Forza Motorsport
Microsoft and Xamarin Plan WWDC Afterparty to Discuss Development of iOS Apps
Microsoft recently announced that it will be holding an afterparty at WWDC this year, taking place next week on Monday, June 13 following Apple’s State of the Union keynote (via WinBeta). In partnership with its software-focused company Xamarin, Microsoft’s party is centered around “The Future of Apps,” and is confirmed to last from 5 PM to 8:30 PM PDT, located in Twitter’s headquarters near the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.
Any iOS and OS X developer is welcome to attend Microsoft’s party, even if you aren’t directly attending WWDC, and the company is also giving anyone who checks in a chance to win either an Apple Watch Sport or Xbox One every hour. Microsoft hopes to discuss the latest iOS apps and updates created by the company at the event — everything from Outlook to Excel and SwiftKey apps for iPhone and iPad devices — including their future on the platform.
Likewise, Xamarin’s inclusion in the afterparty will generate some talk surrounding its Test Cloud platform, which lets developers run and test every feature of their apps “on more than a thousand devices,” without having to worry about inconsistencies fragmenting data due to different smartphone designs and OS interfaces. The company’s tools in the past have helped developers design apps for iOS, Android, and Windows platforms.
Xamarin Test Cloud lets teams test every feature on more than a thousand devices and on every commit. Catching bugs before release shortens development cycles and allows more time for innovation. We’ll also be offering exclusive one-on-one time with a Xamarin Test Cloud Engineer to walk you through the best way to automate testing on your apps.
Any developer interested in attending Microsoft and Xamarin’s WWDC afterparty can RSVP to the event here.
Related Roundup: WWDC 2016
Tag: Microsoft
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Microsoft releases task tracking Planner app for Office 365
Microsoft has irregularly introduced new features for its subscription-only Office 365 suite, like Sunrise integration with Calendar and smart car interoperability, but its latest gets back to the office suite’s roots. Last week, Microsoft released its team productivity app Planner for free to eligible Office 365 subscribers, which it first teased back in September.
Planner follows the standard Trello and Asana model of task management for teams: Set up custom columns for different work stages, create cards for certain tasks and drag them around to track progress. There’s also a tab to evaluate how a group is doing on tasks, with cute color-coding to denote which are assigned, late, in progress or completed. That visualization might give Planner a leg up over competitors, making it easier to see the bottlenecks slowing down the whole project.
Subscribers with eligible plans (including Enterprise E1–E5, Business Essentials, Premium and Education) should see Planner popping up automatically in their Office 365 app list in the next few weeks, according to an Office 365 blog post.
Source: Office 365
Cortana is coming to the Xbox One this summer
Microsoft announced the first big update to Windows 10 — known as the “anniversary update” — earlier this year. And now that the Xbox One is technically a Windows 10 machine, it’ll be getting some new features as far of the fun. It’s not near as radical an update as what we saw last year, but a handful of new features will make the console a bit more user-friendly.
The most notable addition here is full Cortana integration. The Xbox One has been notorious for the voice commands Microsoft tried to push with the Kinect, but the company is promising a less strict, more fluid and conversational experience with Cortana. Now, to turn on your console, you’ll say “Hey Cortana, Xbox On.” All of those same Xbox commands that previously were supported will still work, but you’ll need to say “hey Cortana” to get the assistant’s attention first and then tell it what you want to do.
Probably more significant is how Cortana’s intelligence comes into play when using voice commands. In a demo, I was able to say “hey Cortana, I wanna play Killer Instinct.” The assistant was smart enough to look through my library of installed games, which contained several Killer Instinct titles, and then ask me which one I wanted. Saying “the first one” launched the first title in the list.
That’s a definite improvement over the current system, which requires you to say the exact title to launch the appropriate game — something that can get a little unwieldy. The system is also smart enough to parse conversational phrases like “I wanna.” It’s also smart enough to let you string multiple commands together into one phrase. You can say “hey Cortana, invite Terry to a party” and it’ll both start the party and send the invite — two distinct commands that it can parse as one.
Microsoft said that it was primarily focused on getting Cortana working with game-related functionality first and foremost, but some of its other features are included. If you have location settings turned on, you can ask it to show you nearby restaurants and get results from Bing, for example. And if you’re logged in to the same Microsoft account you use for Cortana on other platforms, your history and Cortana notebook will all come along to the Xbox One.
Other improvements include a new navigation system to go through your game library. It’s a lot simpler and cleaner than before, with a large scrolling grid showing everything in your library, whether it’s installed on your console or not. From there, you can short by letter to quickly find a specific game. And there’s also a new queue showing your most recent purchases. It’s nothing revolutionary, but it’s definitely a cleaner look at your library and what’s installed than before.
The games store has also been cleaned up a bit — it’s easier to see what games are on sale, with a strikethrough on the old price and more bold text indicating when something has had a price drop. You’ll also see more clearly what games have deals through the Xbox Live Gold and EA Access programs, as well.
Microsoft is also getting the console ready for Windows 10 universal apps. Right now, developers like Netflix need to write apps specifically for the Xbox One, but soon universal Windows apps will be supported on the console — so you can write the app once and have it work across PC, Xbox and Windows Phone (for what that last one is worth).
Lastly, the Xbox Live app for Windows 10 computers has been updated to more closely link the PC and console together. If you’re into recording gameplay footage and editing it, you can now import things you’ve recorded on your Xbox One to your Windows PC, edit it using whatever tools on your PC you choose, and then re-upload the new copy. The app also pulls in more of your Windows PC gaming activity into your social stream. If you’re playing games on your PC from Steam or any other Windows-based gaming platform, your activity will show up for your friends. The idea was to give a more comprehensive view of you as a gamer and not keep things limited to just your Xbox activity.
Again, none of these changes on their own are revolutionary, but it’s good to see Microsoft continue to polish the gaming experience for users, regardless of whether they’re on a console or PC. If you want to check out the new Xbox software, a preview version rolls out this week, with a final version planned for later this summer. And Microsoft teased one more big update before the end of the year, but there’s no word yet on what’ll be included.
Microsoft Band 2 gets Cortana support for Android users
Microsoft Band 2 pairs up just fine with Android phones. But if you want to be able to issue voice commands through the wearable, check out the latest update for Microsoft Health. The app’s newest version comes with Cortana integration for Android users — something that only used to be available for people whose Bands are connected to a Windows Phone device.
After updating your Health app, you’ll be able bark voice commands on the Band’s mic without having to touch your phone and get instant notifications. According to The Digital Lifestyle, though, you have to be in the US (due to the app’s limited availability) and have Cortana for Android installed on your phone to be able to use the feature. You can read the application’s change log on Google Play, which also lists the ability to create challenges for everyone in your friends’ circle who has the wearable.
Via: The Digital Lifestyle
Source: Microsoft Health (Google Play)
Microsoft Outlook has an Android Wear watch face
Microsoft Outlook made its debut on current wearables with an Apple Watch app last year, before launching an Android Wear app in April. Now Microsoft has gone a step further, by updating its app with an Android Wear watchface. Outlook users with a Wear device get details on their day’s schedule, next upcoming meeting or unread messages right on their initial screen, without needing to dive into an app or wait for a notification. If your work setup is centered around Outlook instead of Gmail, it should make dealing with scheduling and messages far easier — grab the latest update from the Play Store and sync apps on your Android watch to get the latest version.
Source: Microsoft Office Blog, Play Store
Microsoft has just what VR needs
In a move we should have seen coming from a mile away, Microsoft announced that it will be opening up the Windows Holographic platform, which powers HoloLens, to other companies. Those partners will be able to build AR headsets like HoloLens, full-fledged VR headsets like the HTC Vive, as well as components powering those devices. It’s similar to Microsoft’s original approach to PCs with Windows — build the operating system and let others go wild with hardware — as well as its push for new form-factors with the Surface. With the VR market still feeling like the Wild West, a bit of stability from Microsoft could be a huge help.
Just as we’ve seen with desktops and mobile, the virtual reality market boils down to a few big platforms vying for dominance. Facebook has Oculus; Valve and HTC are betting on SteamVR for the Vive; Sony has its upcoming PlayStation VR; and Google is focusing on its DayDream platform for Android. At this point, Oculus and Sony are practically Apple-like, refined pieces of consumer hardware on platforms that nothing else can run on. Valve’s SteamVR and Google’s DayDream, on the other hand, are open to a variety VR headsets (you can already run some SteamVR games with an Oculus Rift). And Windows Holographic is … well, Windows.
“Nobody has built an operating system for this generation,” Microsoft’s Terry Myerson, executive vice president of its Windows and devices group, said during a Computex press conference. That alone makes Microsoft’s platform more compelling than the competition. While its partners likely won’t have nearly the amount of freedom as they would with something like SteamVR, there’s a certain amount of confidence in building for Windows. And until standalone Android VR headsets hit the market, Windows is the only platform that can power an AR/VR device on its own.
Surprisingly, Myerson told us that a third-party company might even make a consumer HoloLens before Microsoft. “Either way, that’s fantastic,” he said. While we’ve been impressed by HoloLens demos, the hardware still has some issues, particularly its very narrow field of view. If another company manages to come up with a better solution before Microsoft, that’s ultimately a good thing for the entire Windows Holographic platform.
At the moment, Microsoft has a decent stranglehold on VR. Both the Vive and Rift can only run on Windows, much to the chagrin of Apple fans. But it’s another thing entirely to own the entire VR pipeline, so that developers can build using Windows Holographic tools and consumers will be able to have VR experiences without juggling other storefronts from Oculus and Valve. Simplicity is what virtual reality needs at the moment, and Microsoft has a good shot at making that happen.
The biggest benefit of Microsoft opening up Windows Holographic? We’ll see plenty more companies getting into the VR game, which will hopefully lead to more innovative products. Ultimately, it’ll be far better for consumers if VR isn’t something that only a handful of companies like Facebook control. Partners already onboard with Microsoft’s vision include Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, Acer, ASUS, Dell, Falcon Northwest, HP, Lenovo, MSI and others.
There are reasons to be skeptical: Microsoft’s attempt to bring Windows to the mobile world has been fraught with failure, to the point where it’s basically given up on smartphones. There was no mention of mobile at the Build developer conference, and I’ve heard from Microsoft reps that it’s just not something they’re thinking about in 2016. Microsoft has also backtracked from its Nokia acquisition in major ways, after laying off nearly 10,000 employees, writing down $8.5 billion from the deal (between this year and last year), and selling off Nokia’s feature phone business.
The difference with VR and AR, though, is that Microsoft isn’t several years late to the party. With HoloLens, it’s actually ahead of the curve — it’s a product that likely won’t have many consumer applications for years, and at $3,000 for the developer edition, it’s more expensive than today’s VR headsets. HoloLens is more comparable to Magic Leap’s mysterious augmented reality technology, which still hasn’t been publicly shown.
Microsoft has previously said that Windows Holographic is fully VR-capable, we just haven’t seen any examples of that yet. We might not have to wait long, though. At Computex, Myerson teased that it’s been working closely with HTC on a consumer VR product. And during its keynote and demo videos, Microsoft showed off people wearing the HTC Vive running Windows Holographic.
The idea of having VR and AR devices working on a single platform is pretty compelling. Microsoft gave us a glimpse of how it’s envisioning the evolution of the HoloLens platform in the video above. It shows someone wearing a HoloLens headset collaborating with a colleague wearing an HTC Vive, and another colleague wearing HoloLens in another part of the world. Together, they were able to design a retail space virtually, almost as if they were in the same room with each other.
Sure, it’ll be years before that sort of collaboration is possible, but what’s important now is that Microsoft is building towards that future. And hopefully, that’ll mean cheaper and better access to virtual worlds for everyone.
Stay on top of all the latest news from Computex 2016 right here.
Computex 2016: It’s a wrap!
Just like that, Computex 2016 has come to an end. As in previous years, the show kicked off with ASUS’ big keynote presentation, but this time it wasn’t just laptops, tablets and smartphones — the company also unveiled its first home robot, Zenbo. We met up with Chairman Jonney Shih who gave us an exclusive demo of this $599 machine, so do check out our interview wit him. We also saw Intel launch its first 10-core desktop processor geared towards hardcore gamers, followed by yet another exclusive interview — this time with the company’s new consumer head, Navin Shenoy.
The rest of the show gave us a lot of opportunities to play around in virtual reality. HTC was there with several cool Vive demos; MSI showed off its Backpack PC; AMD announced its $199 Radeon RX480 graphics card to lower the entry barrier for VR; and even Microsoft is opening up its Windows Holographic platform to embrace the virtual world. Find all that and more in the video above.
Microsoft brings Outlook mail and calendar to HoloLens
You can’t get a Microsoft HoloLens yet unless you pony up $3,000 for the developer edition. But when a consumer version does become available — either through Microsoft itself or through companies that choose to use the Windows Holographic platform — you’ll easily be able to access your emails and schedule on the headset. Microsoft has released HoloLens versions of Outlook Mail and Calendar, so those who do have the developer version no longer have to load them on a browser.
The company explained that both apps were built on the Universal Windows Platform and can run on any Windows 10 device. Since its augmented and virtual reality platform is part of Windows 10, it was easy enough to bring the apps over. HoloLens users simply have to download them from the headset’s Windows Store, and we’re guessing that’s what you’ll also have to do on future Windows Holographic devices.
Via: VentureBeat
Source: Microsoft
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