Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘Microsoft’

9
Nov

Here are the first Xbox 360 games that will work on Xbox One


Microsoft’s Xbox One is getting its big “New Experience” update on November 12, which also includes the long-awaited backwards compatibility feature for playing Xbox 360 games. Now, we’ve finally got the full list of 104 Xbox 360 titles that’ll work on the system. That includes some games we’ve previously known about, like Borderlands, along with fan favorites like Just Cause 3 and Mirror’s Edge. There are also plenty of Xbox Live Arcade titles included, though many popular titles still aren’t supported, including Rockstar titles like Grand Theft Auto IV and Red Dead Redemption. Microsoft says it’ll start announcing new titles in December, including Halo Reach and Bioshock Infinite, and you can vote for future titles to be included on the Xbox Feedback site. Check out the full list of backwards compatible Xbox 360 titles below.

Source: Microsoft

8
Nov

5 Android apps you shouldn’t miss this week! – Android Apps Weekly


Welcome back to Android Apps Weekly! Yes, we’re giving Sunday a shot. Here’s hoping you like it!


jump'n'roll Fallout Pip-Boy Android Apps WeeklySponsored by Jump’n’Roll Eyeball

[Price: Free / $1.99]
This week’s episode of Android Apps Weekly is sponsored by Jump’n’Roll Eyeball. This is a 2D, side-scrolling platformer where you play as a giant eye with legs. Your goal is to maneuver obstacles and avoid danger to complete the levels. The game play is simple to learn but challenging to master as you’ll be both jumping and rolling a whole bunch.

Despite its simple look, the game can be quite difficult at times. It also comes with Google Play Games leaderboards so you can keep track of who has done it best. It’s a great little time waster and it’s free to download with a single $1.99 in-app purchase to remove ads. Give it a shot and show your support for Android Apps Weekly.
Get it now on Google Play!


Let’s get to those headlines!

  • Facebook has mandated that many of their employees must switch to using Android devices over their iPhones. The idea behind the switch is so more of them understand what the Android experience is like. Here’s hoping their batteries die as quickly as ours when using Facebook and the app gets some much needed improvements.
  • Scott Games has announced that there will be another Five Nights at Freddy’s game except this one will be an RPG. A trailer has been put out but otherwise not a lot of details are available right now. There’s no time frame on release yet but there will be a free demo to play eventually.
  • In a surprising move. Activision has purchased King, developers of Candy Crush Saga, for $5.9 billion. We’re not entirely sure why but this gives Activision a gigantic mobile presence that it did not previously have. For now, everything’s going to stay the same but expect to see some stuff next year as a result of this.
  • The latest Humble Bundle is now live! It currently includes six games with a seventh coming soon. Some of the games include Ys Chronicles 1, Block Legends, Rocket ROBO, and more. You can pay $1 and get three games or pay the average and get everything. Give it a shot and don’t forget to give to charity!
  • Microsoft made a lot of people angry this week with some unsavory changes to their OneDrive policies. Free storage has been dropped to 5GB and unlimited storage is gone. This is due to people backing up their pirated movie collections and using way too much space.

For even more Android apps and games news, updates, and new releases, don’t forget to check out this week’s newsletter. There we’ll have all the extra stuff we didn’t have time for this week! If you would like, you can sign up with your email address and we’ll send the newsletter to your inbox once per week!

Signup for our newsletter

Email Address
  • Android Weekly
  • Apps Weekly


Custom Quick Settings Fallout Pip-Boy Android Apps WeeklyCustom Quick Settings

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
First up this week is Custom Quick Settings. This is an app for Marshmallow users that allows you to create custom tiles in your Quick Settings menu. One of the lesser documented features of Marshmallow is the ability to do exactly this and the developer has put together this nifty app to make it easier for everyone. It’s free to download and it does not require root.
Get it now on Google Play!
custom quick tiles Android Apps Weekly


dead effect 2 Fallout Pip-Boy Android Apps WeeklyDead Effect 2

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Dead Effect was one of the most popular first-person shooters on Android a long time ago. Now its successor has arrived on the Google Play Store. It’s a sci-fi, post-apocalyptic shooter complete with horrific beasts, zombie-type monsters, and plenty of things for you to shoot and kill. The graphics are pretty good and the mechanics seem to be solid for a touch screen shooter. It’s free to download with in-app purchases, just be careful of those early bugs!
Get it now on Google Play!


beats pill Fallout Pip-Boy Android Apps WeeklyBeats Pill+

[Price: Free]
Oh boy, here we go again. Apple has released their second application in as many months. This one is called Beats Pill+ and it’s a simple application that can be used by Android owners to control their Beats Pill speakers. Like the last Apple application, it seems to work well and do its job but the Android community’s louder members wanted to let Apple have it yet again. For what it’s worth, the app is free.
Get it now on Google Play!
beats pill Fallout Pip-Boy Android Apps Weekly


fallout pip-boy Fallout Pip-Boy Android Apps WeeklyFallout Pip-Boy

[Price: Free]
The long-awaited companion app from Bethesda called Fallout Pip-Boy has been released to the Play Store. In a show of good sportsmanship, the company released the app to everyone, even if you didn’t pick up the optional armband. The app itself lets you interact with your Fallout 4 game and check out stuff like stats, inventory, map, radio, and there are even some mini-games. It’s free and if you’re getting Fallout 4, you should definitely have this.
Get it now on Google Play!
Fallout Pip-Boy Android Apps Weekly


signal private messenger Fallout Pip-Boy Android Apps WeeklySignal Private Messenger

[Price: Free]
Last and certainly not least this week is Signal. This app gained quite the following after Edward Snowden put his official endorsement into the application. It’s a messaging app with a plethora of security and encryption features to help keep those prying eyes away from your messages. It’s completely open source which is good and includes group chatting, phone calls, and more. If you want security, give this a shot.
Get it now on Google Play!
Signal Private Messenger Android Apps Weekly


Wrap up

If we missed any great news from the Android apps and games scene, tell us about it in the comments!

6
Nov

‘Overwatch Origins Edition’ will be on PC, PS4 and XB1 next year


Until now only a PC version had been announced for Blizzard’s first all-new game in years, but today a splash page on its Battle.net website promises it will come to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Overwatch Origins Edition is expected to arrive “on or before” June 21st, 2016, although the link to BuyOverwatch.com isn’t working yet. The listing itself has very little information other than promising “all digital content included with Origins Edition will be available by launch,” but an eagle-eyed Reddit poster spotted what may be a full listing of items on a videogame retailer’s website. The shooter has generated hype with a public beta and many Twitch streaming sessions, but for now it’s just one more reason (besides that Warcraft movie trailer) to keep an eye on BlizzCon over the next few days.

Via: Wario64 (Twitter)

Source: Battle.net

6
Nov

AAXA Technologies P700 HD LED Micro projector (Review)


Having the ability to bring presentations with you on your smartphone, USB flash drive, or other media device is useless if you don’t have the ability to share it with a group. Portable projectors are taking hold and replacing the need for paper presentations as well as presentations from a laptop display. The AAXA Technologies P700 HD Micro Projector is a tool that every business professional should consider adding to their briefcase/laptop bag. It is a portable, compact, well-built, battery-powered and easy to use.

It’s so good, it can even be used for home entertainment as well.

Design

The AAXA P700 projector is an LED(light-emitting diode) projector which is different from your traditional projectors as they use different lighting technology to display the image or video. LED lamps have better electrical efficiency and longer lifespan than their LCD and DLP projector counterparts. What this means in real world usage is you can make the size of the projector smaller and you can make it portable which is perfect for business purposes.

aaxa led lamp

Measuring in at 6.9″x3.9″x1.6″ the AAXA P700 is much smaller than the hardback copy of Built to Last by Jim Collins, who also authored the famous book Good to GreatThere is a high chance that if you’re a business professional, you’ve probably read or at least heard of one of those books before. If you have carried one in your laptop bag, briefcase, suitcase, etc. before, you should have no problems dropping the AAXA P700 in your bag as well. It only weighs 1.37 pounds which is lighter than some portable batteries used for charging mobile phones and tablets.

The external design of the AAXA P700 looks the part as its external body is made of glossy plastic – white on the lower half with a black top. It is tuxedo like giving it a very elegant look. On the sides are a manual focusing wheel, on/off switch, HDMI input, TF-card input, headphone out port and the power input slot. In the front is obviously the output lens projector, and around back has slots for VGA, AV and a full size USB input. On the top are built-in controls for navigating on-screen(remote control is included too). On the bottom is an input for attaching the AAXA P700 to a tripod to make it easier to display your images or videos if you need height.

Overall the design is elegant, compact, lightweight and portable.

Usage

I have access to quite a few meeting rooms inside of the building at the company I work at. We either use projectors(bulbs) or LCD televisions. LCD displays are limited in size and are difficult to mount. They typically only work for our small group meetings. Our projectors on the other hand are a couple of years old and required professional ceiling mounts. They also need their bulbs switched out on a regular basis which is not an easy task. They either burn out completely or lose brightness over time making it hard to see. The old style projectors are very loud because of the built-in fans to keep the bulbs and circuitry from overheating. Five or ten years ago, these projectors were fantastic, but after using the AAXA P700 I will be recommending we swap our projectors out.

The AAXA P700 really shines. Not only is it easy to bring into work with me to test, but it is also very bright. Brightness is one of the most important factors when presenting information – if your viewers cannot see what you are presenting they will disengage. The AAXA P700 is very clear making it super easy to see from the back of the room. The other benefit of being small is that the built-in fan is quiet and doesn’t require much on my part to speak over it.

IMG_20151105_120047

Lighting at 50% in the meeting room. Still a very bright image.

I found the remote AAXA provided to be very responsive and simple. This is also important because you don’t want to be fiddling around with a remote control when you’re preparing a presentation. I connected a laptop to it using an HDMI cable as well as an external USB port. In my experience, these two ports are the most commonly used by sales reps and business professionals when giving presentations. Just like using a standard TV, all you need to do is select the proper input and it will display the image from your laptop or whatever device is connected via HDMI.

For my external USB drive, the AAXA P700 could read standard files such as MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV, AVI, BMP, JPG, GIF and TXT. I tested out most of these files types and they all loaded and displayed with ease.

IMG_20151105_115845

For business purposes, there are no flaws with the AAXA P700. It even has 70 minutes worth of battery power which is long enough for the typical 30-60 minute presentation.

Knowing that the projector could handle HDMI, I connected my Chromecast to it. I streamed videos in my bedroom when I took it home. The AAXA P700 has a built-in speaker which is loud enough for a quiet room, but if you want real entertainment quality sound don’t expect much. The volume is loud but lacks depth and bass. When I was watching a video, I simply connected external speakers via the headphone out port to improve sound quality. The sound output was very clear and entertaining with external speakers.

But the most important part, the display output, was absolutely incredible. I projected the video at my white colored bedroom wall, and the image was so clear I thought I could use this as a entertainment device for my bedroom if I wanted. It’s smaller than a wall-mounted TV and can be moved to any other room at anytime. I even threw up a video for cat – my cat was instantly entertained. She was trying to interact with the birds on the wall. She and I could not get enough of the AAXA P700.

20151009_231914

The image was so clear even my cat was entertained by the bird.

Specs

aaxa main features

PROJECTION SYSTEM

 Max Resolution: 1920×1080 (1080P)
 Native Resolution: 1280×800 (WXGA)
 Brightness (DC): 650 LED Lumens
 Brightness (Battery): 350 LED Lumens
 Contrast Ratio: 2000:01:00
 Projection Lens: Manual Focus
 Projection Image: Available Size 10 ~ 150 inch
 Lamp: Triple RGB LEDs with Vibrant Color Technology
Life 15,000hrs
 Projection Offset: 100%

GENERAL SPECS

Audio Output: 1W (x2) Stereo Speakers
Stereo speaker/headphone mini-jack
 Color: White/Black
 File Playback: MicroSD& USB Host reader
 Menu Language: English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese
 Aspect Ratio Control: 16:09
 Battery Life: 70 Minute Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery (Removable)
 Dimensions: 6.9″ X 3.9″ X 1.6″
 Weight: 1.37 lbs
 Power Consumption: 45 Watts
 Supported Formats: MP3 / WMA / OGG / WAV / AVI
BMP / JPG / GIF / TXT

Summary

The AAXA Technologies P700 HD Micro Projector is a rock star for business use and can easily be adapted for home use as well. All around it is a fantastic option for its affordable price, compact size, litany of features and gives a very bright and clear display output. It isn’t bigger than a typical business book and should fit nicely in your work bag. You can display up to 150″ giving a fun view for movies,pictures, games and most importantly presentations.  You can learn more at AAXA Technologies or make a purchase from Amazon.com. I just showed it to the head of I.T. at my company and he ordered one for use on business trips.

http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=androidguysco-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B015EY9J08&asins=B015EY9J08&linkId=T6BZPV7G5NKBW3UF&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true

 

 

IMG_20151105_120104

Image with lights off.

IMG_20151105_120114

Same image as above but with lights off.

IMG_20151105_115942

 

The post AAXA Technologies P700 HD LED Micro projector (Review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.

4
Nov

Cortana for iPhone beta signups kick off


Satya Nadella Delivers Opening Keynote At Microsoft Build Conference

Just as it did with Android, Microsoft is gearing up to bring its Cortana virtual assistant to iPhones. The beta release of Cortana won’t have all of its features — you can’t say “Hey Cortana” to wake it up, for example — but it sounds you’ll be able to ask Cortana questions manually and add reminders. Basically, it’ll have the same limitations as the current Cortana Android beta. If you want to be a Cortana guinea pig, fill out this survey to sign up for the beta and sit tight for a download link over the next few weeks. Be warned, though, Microsoft also says it’s only looking for a “limited number”of people to try it out, and it’s currently only available in the US and China. You can be sure it’ll open up the Cortana for iPhone beta even more eventually.

Via: The Verge

Source: Microsoft

4
Nov

Microsoft Begins Sign-Ups for ‘Cortana for iOS’ Beta Program


Microsoft this week began the sign-up process that will let a few iOS users test out an early beta version of its Cortana personal assistant ahead of its wide release sometime next year (via The Verge). Specifically, the company said it’s looking for a “limited number of people” in the United States and China, with updates rolling out over the next few months to tweak features and provide any fixes to bugs found by the beta participants.

cortana-windows-phone-theverge-5_1020

In the spirit of the Windows Insider Program, we’re looking for a limited number of people to get their hands on an early version of the app. It’s important to keep in mind that this is the first public release of the Cortana for iOS beta. And that for now, Cortana for iOS is only available in the U.S. and China. Over the coming months, we’ll continue to deliver frequent updates to the app to expand the features and functionality.

The company reiterated that Windows is where Cortana “really shines,” thanks to a few hardware-specific features, but promises that iOS users can expect a robust personal assistant that makes a “perfect companion” to the Windows experience. Those who are interested in testing out Cortana for iOS can complete a short survey on Microsoft’s website to possibly become one of the limited access users of the beta, who will begin receiving download links in their email over the next few weeks.

Discuss this article in our forums

4
Nov

Here’s a physical emoji keyboard that costs $100


Emoji Keyboard

Emoji are now deeply embedded in our collective psyche, and yet, they’re always out of reach. On your phone, they’re hidden behind at least a single tap, and on your Mac or PC, they’re obfuscated further, often inside an archaic symbol or special character menu. EmojiWorks aims to fix that with a full QWERTY keyboard that doubles as an emoji machine. It’s not the first attempt at an emoji keyboard by any stretch of the imagination, but it is an all-in-one solution that you can actually buy.

Via: The Next Web, Gizmodo

Source: EmojiWorks

3
Nov

Microsoft putting an end to unlimited OneDrive storage, changing existing plans


OneDrive_Office365_unlimited_storage

Mark this in the “this is why we can’t have nice things” category. Microsoft has announced that they will be ending their unlimited cloud storage options for Office 365 consumers and will be making changes to the other plans they offer. The change was triggered by cases where some users were taking advantage of the unlimited option by backing up several PCs and entire movie and DVR recording collections. Some users were consuming more than 75 TB of space, which Microsoft says is 14,000 times the average. In their announcement, Microsoft says they decided to focus on the majority of users and their need for “high-value productivity and collaboration experiences” rather than the “extreme backup scenarios” some users were creating.

Users who currently have unlimited OneDrive storage plans will find their access being reduced to 1 TB of available space. Microsoft is giving users who have more than 1 TB currently stored 12 months of continued access to the storage above that 1 TB limit. Microsoft says they will provide a pro-rated refund to subscribers who decide Office 365 no longer meets their needs as a result of this change or other changes.

In addition to the changes at the top end, Microsoft is also eliminating their 100 GB and 200 GB paid plans for new customers and replacing them with a 50 GB plan that will cost $1.99 per month. This new plan will roll out in early 2016. Current customers on these mid-tier plans will be able to keep them. Finally, users who are taking advantage of the free 15 GB OneDrive plans will find their space being reduced to 5 GB starting sometime in early 2016. Users who have more than 5 GB stored will have the same 12 month period of access to their storage as the unlimited plan users.

source: Microsoft OneDrive

Come comment on this article: Microsoft putting an end to unlimited OneDrive storage, changing existing plans

3
Nov

No more unlimited storage for Office 365, OneDrive free storage cut to 5GB


onedrive

Cloud storage has, for many users, become a ubiquitous part of their digital lives: everything from media to memories can be saved to a server somewhere far, far away and then retrieved “locally” later. Some individuals are a bit too cloud-friendly however, at least according to Microsoft. Earlier today, Redmond announced major changes to its OneDrive storage plan citing advantageous users as part of the problem. Specifically, Microsoft states that:

Since we started to roll out unlimited cloud storage to Office 365 consumer subscribers, a small number of users backed up numerous PCs and stored entire movie collections and DVR recordings. In some instances, this exceeded 75 TB per user or 14,000 times the average. Instead of focusing on extreme backup scenarios, we want to remain focused on delivering high-value productivity and collaboration experiences that benefit the majority of OneDrive users.

While one can only guess as to what kind of figure “numerous users” refers to, the problem speaks for itself. Much as how some took heavy advantage of unlimited mobile data plans, so too do some make liberal use of online storage. To this end, the following changes are being introduced to the OneDrive system. Says Microsoft:

  • We’re no longer planning to offer unlimited storage to Office 365 Home, Personal, or University subscribers. Starting now, those subscriptions will include 1 TB of OneDrive storage.
  • 100 GB and 200 GB paid plans are going away as an option for new users and will be replaced with a 50 GB plan for $1.99 per month in early 2016.
  • Free OneDrive storage will decrease from 15 GB to 5 GB for all users, current and new. The 15 GB camera roll storage bonus will also be discontinued. These changes will start rolling out in early 2016.

onedrive

For those that will and shall be affected, Microsoft is seeking to ease any possible problems that may present themselves during this transition. Specifically it is taking the following steps to make the transition as easy as possible:

  • If you are an Office 365 consumer subscriber and have stored in excess of 1 TB, you will be notified of this change and will be able to keep your increased storage for at least 12 months.
  • If you are an Office 365 consumer subscriber and find that Office 365 no longer meets your needs, a pro-rated refund will be given. To learn more visit the FAQ.
  • If you are using more than 5 GB of free storage, you will continue to have access to all files for at least 12 months after these changes go into effect in early 2016. In addition, you can redeem a free one-year Office 365 Personal subscription (credit card required), which includes 1 TB of OneDrive storage.
  • Current customers of standalone OneDrive storage plans (such as a 100 or 200 GB plans) are not affected by these changes.

The company has reaffirmed the role of its platform however, concluding the piece with the following:

OneDrive has always been designed to be more than basic file storage and backup. These changes are needed to ensure that we can continue to deliver a collaborative, connected, and intelligent service. They will allow us to continue to innovate and make OneDrive the best option for people who want to be productive and do more.

A sign of things to come?

While Microsoft may have arguably caused some of the problem detailed above with the generous inclusion of unlimited storage, the real question is what will now happen in the fall out of this major change. Will users take to other alternatives? If so, will those companies also feel compelled to revise their pricing structures?

Given that the internet itself has “expanded” exponentially even in the past few years, everything we do draws more and more data and command new pricing initiatives. Even Google itself has had to confront this in its recent decision to raise the maximum price ceiling on the Play Store.

It will be very interesting to see what comes out of this news to say the least. For now however, we want to hear what you, our readers, think. Is Microsoft justified for revising OneDrive, or could there be alternative reasons for the sudden change of heart? Let us know below!

For reference, additional information related to the OneDrive changes can be found at Microsoft’s FAQ.

3
Nov

Matias Duarte is disappointed that Windows 10 works just like XP


matias duarte (2)

Matias Duarte: designer extraordinaire, flamboyant shirt aficionado, r/androidcirclejerk’s object of adoration.

If there’s any one person that is responsible for the way Android looks and feels, it’s Matias Duarte, Google’s VP of Design. Under his watch, Android transitioned from a hotchpotch of mediocre design elements to the fresh, modern, and unitary design language known as Material Design.

In a recent podcast with Josh Topolsky, Duarte revealed that he moved beyond Android to oversee the adoption of Material Design across Google’s many products.

We know, for instance, that Chrome OS will adopt more Material elements in the future. And, according to several reports, Google plans to merge Chrome OS and Android in the future, creating one “super OS” that works on PCs, in addition to smartphones, TVs, and wearables.

Android is on a collision course with Windows 10. But what does Matias Duarte think about Microsoft’s latest? Apparently, he’s not impressed.

In what Duarte himself called “overly clever tweetbait,” the Google executive expressed disappointment with the functionality of Windows 10, which isn’t very different from the venerable Windows XP.

http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Duarte was partially joking, and he was quick to clarify that he’s fine with the appearance of Windows 10, but not with the lack of progress in terms of features and functionality.

http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

In fact, it seems like Windows 8 was more to Duarte’s tastes. For Windows 10, Microsoft famously reversed some of the radical changes it implemented in Windows 8, in order to make it work like previous versions of the OS.

http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Why is Matias Duarte taking a swipe at Windows now? It’s possible that, fresh off his podcast debut, Duarte is really just looking to increase his Twitter engagement. Or to troll his followers.

Or maybe he is talking about Windows because he spends his days thinking about what a modern PC operating system should be and how Android could leapfrog Windows. If that’s the case, Duarte has his work cut out. Android is absolutely great on smartphones. But it’s lacking when it comes to tablets, and nowhere nearly ready to take on Windows on PCs.

Do you agree with Matias Duarte’s take on Windows 10? Or is this jab undeserved?