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Aspiring pilots have the chance to soar for the first time on a console now that Microsoft Flight Simulator is available for Xbox Series X|S. From light planes to wide-body jets, you’ll test your piloting skills against the challenges of real-time weather including accurate wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rain and lightning – all in a dynamic and living world. With the power of satellite data from Bing Maps and cloud-based AI using Azure, you’ll travel the entire planet in amazing detail with over 37,000 airports, 2 million cities, 1.5 billion buildings, real mountain ranges, roads, trees, rivers, animals, traffic and more. Simmers can expect the same lev…

Among the prominent trends highlighted at Microsoft Inspire, our annual partner conference, was “digital optimism,” where the Microsoft cloud is playing an outsized role in many key areas defining the future of global business, including hybrid work, resilient global supply chains, inclusive economic development, global sustainability and cybersecurity. This optimism reflects how customers are increasingly seeking ways to innovate and future-proof their business models with the cloud. It also underscores how Microsoft and our global partner community are co-developing digital solutions that help these customers create lasting value amid pandemic-related market shifts, des…

Summer is in full swing. It’s hard to imagine but back-to-school is quickly approaching. There is still a lot of uncertainty in terms of what form the new school year will take. Regardless of whether our children will be returning to school in person, hybrid or online, every parent knows that back-to-school usually requires planning and shopping. Staying organized while maximizing precious time is key. This month, the Microsoft Edge Team is excited to introduce new features to help you make the most of your time online, save money while you shop and help keep your family safer online. If you’re running a Windows PC, you already have Microsoft Edge installed, so launch it…

Helping organizations strengthen cloud security and Zero Trust At Microsoft, we are committed to supporting organizations in their digital transformation and helping them to deliver secure and seamless experiences. Since IT modernization often spans multiple clouds, cloud security and identity are top of mind for most of our customers. Modern identity security needs to protect all users and resources consistently across multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments. Today, Microsoft is taking a significant step toward this goal with the acquisition of CloudKnox Security, a leader in Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM). CloudKnox offers complete visibility …

The global pandemic severely impacted our global economy and many small- to medium-size organizations had to adapt to stay in business. As a result, we’ve seen smaller organizations make technology decisions quickly while rethinking how to use digital tools better for their organization — not only to overcome roadblocks, but to stay ahead of the curve. At Microsoft, we’re committed to empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As part of that commitment, we’re supporting post-pandemic recovery and working to build an inclusive, skills-based economy. Last summer, we launched our global skills initiative, which has helped more than 30 m…

Biomedical data are being generated and digitized at unprecedented rates. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, massive amounts of data have been used to rapidly understand, predict and treat COVID-19. With so much data at their fingertips, biomedical researchers across the globe are turning to cloud services to analyze vast datasets and extract lifesaving insights. Today, we are thrilled to announce a new partnership between Microsoft and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to accelerate biomedical research in a post-pandemic world. As an approved cloud platform for the NIH’s Science and Technology Research Infrastructure for Discovery, Experimentation, and Sustaina…

Minions x Minecraft DLC has launched in Minecraft Marketplace, bringing to that world a look for every plan, ruse, or misadventure. They are always ready to go the extra mile. Minions aren’t the only new arrivals in the Overworld. A whole slew of villains, including all six of the Vicious 6, also known as the world’s most notorious collective of villains and breakout stars from the upcoming “Minions: Rise of Gru,” are here too. Head over to Minecraft.net to find out more. Continue reading...

While we are excited for the next generation of Windows with Windows 11, we are also focused on supporting the more than 1.3 billion monthly active devices on Windows 10. Today, we are introducing the next feature update to Windows 10: Windows 10, version 21H2. Windows continues to play an important role in people’s lives as they continue to work, learn and have fun in hybrid and remote environments. Our goal is to provide new features and functionality via a fast and reliable update experience to help keep people and organizations protected and productive. Version 21H2 will continue the recent feature update trend of being delivered in an optimized way using servicing te…

Microsoft and our partners have been investing in technologies across every industry and region to help companies face new and shifting market conditions. The rapid pace of this transformation has the potential to change the world for the better. In February, we announced a selection of industry-specific cloud offerings to bring together capabilities that customers and partners need as a foundation for further innovation. These industry clouds are an aggregation of our solution areas represented as vertical expressions of the Microsoft cloud. At Inspire this week, we are announcing a new cloud offering in preview that will address an issue at the top of every custom…

The climate is changing and calls to do something about it are intensifying. From the U.N. High-level Political Forum taking place this week in New York City to COP26 – the U.N.’s annual climate change conference in November – leaders are coming together to make decisions that will dictate the speed and scale of the global effort to stabilize our climate system. At Microsoft we are not only tracking these conversations closely but also engaging in them – and we are, in a way, mirroring them. In this blog we outline what will be the most critical infrastructure of a net zero carbon economy, commit to new goals intended to help engineer that infrastructure, highlight a m…

Today we’re kicking off Microsoft Inspire 2021, a virtual moment for our partner ecosystem to come together, celebrate and reflect on an exceptional year of unparalleled disruption, accelerated innovation and digital transformation. We’ve seen how businesses that bet on the Microsoft cloud can empower customers to build more transformative, agile and resilient organizations. As we embark on a once-in-a-generation opportunity to use our platforms and technology to help businesses and organizations transform, our ecosystem of partners remains firmly planted at the center. Microsoft is committed to equipping partners around the world with the most innovative technologi…

As some regions begin to make their way out of the challenges and disruption of the past 18 months, a new world of work is emerging. Organizations everywhere have been transformed through virtual processes and remote collaboration. Microsoft’s latest addition to hybrid computing is Windows 365, a cloud service that introduces a new way to experience Windows 10 or Windows 11 (once it’s available later this year) to businesses of all sizes. Windows 365 takes the operating system to the Microsoft Cloud, streaming the full Windows experience – apps, data and settings – to any device. Secure by design and built with the principles of Zero Trust, Windows 365 secures and s…

As movie goers around the world await the release of “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” Candy Crush Saga is rolling out an in-game adventure in partnership with King and Warner Bros. From July 6-19, Candy Crush Saga players can interact with the stars, and in the process unlock rewards related to the movie. Where will you come on the leaderboard? Check out Candy Crush Saga on Windows 10 today. Continue reading...

The decision to end prolonged litigation charts a new path forward for the DoD in cloud computing Today the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced they will not move forward with the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) contract and instead will pursue a new procurement to meet its cloud computing needs. We understand the DoD’s rationale, and we support them and every military member who needs the mission-critical 21st century technology JEDI would have provided. The DoD faced a difficult choice: Continue with what could be a years-long litigation battle or find another path forward. The security of the United States is more important than any single co…

We hope your kids are enjoying their summer. Needless to say, this past school year was a challenge for everybody, and summer fun was long overdue. That said, your kids will inevitably get bored from time to time during the break from school, and the more you can help them flex their learning muscles, the better they’ll do when the next school year begins. A great place to start is the Windows Resource Center, which recently posted links to free virtual summer camps with Microsoft Store, as well as apps to help your kids learn something new and tools for remote learning in a variety of subjects. Head over to the Windows Resource Center to find it all. Continue reading.…

While summer break is in full swing, back-to-school shopping is underway with a quarter of shoppers already searching for items that will prepare them for the upcoming school year. Microsoft Store is helping students and families find simple tools to use at home, in the classroom, or on the go. Starting July 6, Microsoft Store is introducing a range of offers on laptops, PCs and accessories. Microsoft Store’s back-to-school deals and savings include: [caption id=attachment_175996" align="aligncenter" width="1024]https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/07/Picture1-1024x578.png Surface Go 2[/caption] Save $100 on Surface Go 2 You can get Microsoft’…

Today, I’m excited to share more information about the Windows 11 accessibility journey. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced its upped commitments and ambitions for accessibility. And, we recently introduced Windows 11. An early preview of Windows 11 is available to Windows Insiders today and will start to be generally available later this year. I’m excited to share our ambition to empower people with disabilities to achieve more with Windows and more specifically, what’s coming in Windows 11. Note, this is a lengthy post, we’ve got a lot to share. Beyond possible, efficient and yes, delightful Accessible technology is a fundamental building block that can unlock o…

Between June 29 – July 12, the Minecraft Marketplace Summer Celebration delivers a sale filled with items up to 33% off and two free maps, the first of which is available now. Rasa Studios created the first map, which includes four headliner games, seven mini-games, six custom skins and lots of gifts. Oreville Studios made the second map, a customized adventure that will launch July 9. It’ll have challenges and mini-games, more than 100 unique models, custom music and animated cutscenes. Head over to Minecraft.net to get more details and install the Minecraft for Windows 10 Starter Collection if you don’t have it already. Continue reading...

HP has unveiled its lightest consumer laptop yet: the HP Pavilion Aero 13 laptop PC, starting at less than 2.2 pounds (1 kg). This is also the first Pavilion laptop to feature a full magnesium aluminum chassis, a 4-sided narrow bezel and a 90% screen-to-body-ratio. https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/06/HP-Pavilion-Aero-13_NaturalSilver_CdeckBuild_Hero.jpg Find out more about it over at HP. [1] Not all features are available in all editions or versions of Windows. Systems may require upgraded and/or separately purchased hardware, drivers, software or BIOS update to take full advantage of Windows functionality. Windows is automatically updated, w…

Gateway is expanding its Ultra-Slim Notebook series to include laptops outfitted with the latest 11th Gen Intel processors. These will be available exclusively in Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com. These lightweight Windows devices have the Intel Pentium Quad Core Processor and Intel’s Tiger Lake 11th Gen Processor for lightning-fast connections, computing power and superior visuals for gaming and streaming, as well as for creative projects and learning. Tuned by THX provides a more immersive entertainment experience with enhancements to maximize warmth, loudness and intelligibility from small speakers. https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021…

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As of June 28, Xbox Cloud Gaming is available to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members with Windows 10 PCs and Apple phones and tablets, via browser, across 22 countries. If you’re a member or want to become one, go to Edge, Chrome or Safari on your PC or mobile device to start playing hundreds of games from the Xbox Game Pass library. Another big part of this milestone: Xbox Cloud Gaming is now powered by custom Xbox Series X hardware. Microsoft datacenters have been upgraded around the globe to give players faster load times, improved frame rates and an experience of a new generation of gaming. Read more over at Xbox Wire. *Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) on mobile requires Xbox…

Today, we introduced Windows 11. What makes Windows, well, Windows is the variety of apps available - from core to casual games, from sophisticated productivity suites to social experiences, from creativity tools to niche hobbyist apps, from developer tools to entire virtualized environments. A few years ago, we launched the Microsoft Store on Windows. The Microsoft Store is now one of the most used apps on PCs, and customers tell us they love the convenience and reassurance it brings, compared to the risks of installing apps from the web. However, app developers have told us that technical and policy constraints built into the original foundations of the Store sometimes …

At a time when the PC is playing a more central role in our lives, Windows 11 is designed to bring you closer to what you love. Windows has always existed to be a stage for the world’s innovation. It’s been the backbone of global businesses and where scrappy startups became household names. The web was born and grew up on Windows. It’s the place where many of us wrote our first email, played our first PC game and wrote our first line of code. Windows is the place people go to create, to connect, to learn and to achieve – a platform over a billion people today rely on. The responsibility of designing for that many people is one we don’t take lightly. The past 18 months br…

The latest season of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Elite, is now here, and it covers a lot of ground. Halo fans will see a fresh set of Elite customization options to choose from, two new maps for matchmaking with Edge and Waterfall, the return of the Halo 4 Champions Bundle, Firefight being added to the social matchmaking menu and the Custom Game Browser (CGB) for Halo: Reach. But, there’s much more! Head over to Halo Waypoint to get the full rundown. Continue reading...