The first big ‘Halo 5’ update brings 16-player vehicle battles
Whatever you think of Halo 5‘s solo component, 343 Industries is determined to keep you interested in the multiplayer part. As part of a first content drop due next week (Battle of Shadow and Light), the studio is introducing 16-player Big Team Battles where vehicles play a big role. If your favorite memories of Halo involve epic Warthog duels, you’ll likely get a kick out of the new mode and its four accompanying maps. You’ll also find dozens of armor, weapon and vehicle sets (such as the Tundra Mantis, below). It should all be good news if you’re a fan of the Halo series, although the real question is whether or not 343 will keep this up. Hopefully, you won’t run out of things to do in the Xbox One’s flagship title several months down the road.
Source: Halo Waypoint
Microsoft OneNote on Android soon to be accessible from within any app
Microsoft OneNote is rolling out an update that adds a “Badge” to Android, enabling users to keep using OneNote without swapping apps.
The addition of this feature seeks to solve a long-standing problem with OneNote on mobile devices, namely that it’s just a hassle to move content around while multitasking. Since OneNote is kind of an app that lends itself to multitasking, having features a little more advanced than simple copy-paste makes a lot of sense.
See also: Evernote update brings Material Design refresh and more
Now you can write new notes or take screenshots by just tapping the Badge. You can also use the Badge to organize OneNote notebooks on the fly.
You have to turn on the feature within the OneNote app, and it’s doubtful that anyone would want that Badge floating around all the time, but it’s a useful addition for people who regularly use OneNote and are fed up with its clumsy navigation. The update is still in the process of being pushed out, so you may have to wait a week or two to see the option show up.
Meanwhile, iPhone users are getting a similar update that utilizes 3D Touch support. This will let iOS users access a widget-like menu by touching the icon in the tray. From here they will be able to quickly add new notes or take a look at recently created ones. On tablets, OneNote’s interface has undergone revision to make more efficient use of the larger screen area.
Microsoft wants ‘Red Dead Redemption’ on Xbox One, too
You aren’t alone in your desire to play Rockstar Games’ old West epic Read Dead Redemption on your Xbox One — Microsoft’s director of program management Mike Ybarra wants to play it again, too. “I would love to see Red Dead,” he said of making the Xbox 360 game backwards-compatible. In a recent interview, Ybarra revealed that it’s a personal favorite and that he’s played hundreds of hours of the dusty 2010 open world game. Behind Call of Duty: Black Ops II, it’s number two on the list of fan-requested titles for the just launched Xbox One backwards compatibility feature.
Microsoft adds an always-on badge to OneNote
On Thursday, Microsoft revealed a new feature coming to users of OneNote on Android devices. OneNote is getting an always-on badge that floats above other apps to allow quick note-taking. The obvious benefit from this badge is being able to jot something down without ever stopping what you’re currently doing.
Here’s how the new feature works:
Launch the badge by pulling down the notification tray and tapping the OneNote badge notification. Then, when you’re done, simply pull the badge to the bottom of your screen to dismiss it. Notes are saved to your Quick Notes section by default, but if you prefer to stay fully organized, don’t worry, you can also choose the notebook and section that you want your notes to go into.
Microsoft says that OneNote’s badge will be coming to users over the course of the next 2-3 weeks. Along with the badge, OneNote is gaining the ability to add content from other places to notebooks and specific sections. This feature is available right away with the latest version of the OneNote app.
Source: Microsoft
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PowerPoint spruces up your presentation using image recognition
If you’ve ever slapped together a PowerPoint presentation at the last minute, Microsoft has an Office 2016 feature called Designer that may save your bacon. It worked with graphics pros to build about 12,000 “blueprint” design templates in total. All you have to do is select an image, and it will use the cloud “to analyze and identify the most compelling portion of your images,” and build an appropriate design. For instance, it can zoom in on the tomatoes or peas (above) to build a theme, or avoid busy overlay images altogether if you have lots of charts. Once you’ve picked an appropriate blueprint, you just need to fill it in with your content.
Source: Microsoft
Microsoft OneNote gets instant access on Android, 3D Touch on iOS
Microsoft has released quite a number of major OneNote updates for Android, iOS, Windows and the web. If you’re an Android user, you’ll be able to quickly write down thoughts or copy-paste text even if you have another app open, thanks to the new OneNote badge. It can live anywhere on the screen, and you simply have to tap it to open it up. The company’s doing staged roll outs, though, so you might have to wait for two to three weeks to get the feature. If you have an iPhone 6s or 6s Plus, you’ll get 3D Touch support instead. When you press on the app icon, a menu will pop up allowing you to quickly create a new note or view recent ones. In addition, OneNote’s interface has been optimized for the iPad Pro’s larger screen.
Source: Microsoft Office Blog
Microsoft brings its time-lapse video stabilizer app to Mac
When Microsoft first released its Hyperlapse video editing app, it wasn’t clear whether it would ever become available for Apple’s devices. The mystery has finally been solved: Redmond has just launched Hyperlapse Pro for Mac, which can process footage captured using phones, GoPros and other cameras. It has the capability to stabilize time-lapses, even shaky ones taken from first person POV, and users can choose their speed, resolution and frame rate. The desktop app will cost you $50, but Microsoft principal program manager Josh Weisberg is confident that the product can compete with similar software. “The Mac has some great video editing tools a lot of enthusiasts and professionals use, and there are other time lapse applications out there,” he said, “But nothing as smooth and sophisticated as Hyperlapse Pro.” That said, you can try it out for free, so long as you’re cool with seeing watermarks on your videos.
Source: Next at Microsoft, Microsoft Store
‘Halo 5’ pushed Xbox One sales past the PS4 in October
No matter how you feel about the single-player experience for Halo 5: Guardians, its place as the Xbox family’s standard-bearer is secure. NPD data reveals that its release last month not only topped software sales charts in the US, but also drove Xbox One to a victory over the rival PlayStation 4. There aren’t any exact numbers attached, but in a statement Microsoft said Xbox One sales were up 81 percent over the same month last year. In case you didn’t already know, the expensive but oh-so-good Elite Controller sold through its supply at most retailers, also providing a lift. The only question now is if the victory will turn into a streak, as Xbox features the new Tomb Raider this week to go with an early launch of Star Wars: Battlefront on EA Access. In other NPD news, the Yoshi’s Wooly World on Wii U came in at number 8 in game sales for the month, beating out Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, Rock Band 4 and Guitar Hero Live.
Control the weather via Twitch and torture these poor souls in London
You read that correctly. It’s called Survival Billboard, and to be clear, it’s a marketing campaign for Rise of the Tomb Raider‘s launch in the UK — but it’s so strange (and slightly sadistic) that it’s worth a mention. Eight people volunteered to stand on a billboard in London and be subjected to a series of extreme weather conditions, as chosen by people voting online. So far, the contestants have endured snow, wind, rain and heat, and they’ve been up there for just a few hours. One contestant has already been eliminated, meaning seven remain at time of publication. The last person standing wins a trip to exotic locations around the world. If you tune in (and vote to torture these people, you monster), be warned that the ad breaks (aside from the giant billboard) are lengthy and full of Tomb Raider cutscenes. That may be a small price to pay to be a digital weather god for a little while.
Source: Survival Billboard
Windows 10 focuses on Cortana and Edge in first big update
Microsoft is rollingout the first major update to Windows 10 for tablets and PCs. The release focuses on improvements to Cortana, Edge and performance. The personal assistant will now track your event and movie tickets, and even monitor travel time and give you a heads up when you should leave. The update also allows you to book an Uber, in case you need a ride to the theater. And for our international friends, Cortana is finally landing in Japan, Australia, Canada and India.
Via: ZD Net
Source: Windows Blog
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