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Ahead of CES 2017, HP announced exciting new PC innovations built for Windows 10 that will change the way people interact with their PCs, including the next-generation Sprout Pro by HP that boasts a new sleek and streamlined design with new hardware and software such as Windows 10 Pro to power 3D experiences. In addition, HP’s latest updates to its premium portfolio celebrates ingenuity and power in beautifully crafted designs, while a new curved gaming display takes game play to the next level. These new devices will start to become available for pre-order as early as today. Here’s a closer look at what HP announced: The new Sprout Pro by HP powered by Windows 10…

Ahead of CES 2017, Acer announced an impressive new lineup of Windows 10 PCs focused on performance and entertainment. These new devices feature stunning 4K screens, optional Tobii eye tracking for a more immersive gaming experience and facial recognition cameras that unlock Windows Hello. The new devices Acer announced today include three new Aspire Series devices, comprised of two high performance laptops the Aspire V Nitro Black Edition and the Aspire VX 15, and one desktop the Aspire GX, as well as the highly-anticipated, curved-screen notebook, the Predator 21 X gaming laptop, shipping early this year! Here’s a closer look at what Acer announced: The Aspire …

Ahead of the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show, Toshiba announced the new Portégé X20W, a premium 2-in-1 convertible PC running Windows 10 Pro. The New Portégé X20W features a 360-degree, dual-action hinge that allows this device to easily transform from a powerful, performance-oriented notebook into a premium digital inking tablet by simply rotating the display. Measuring 15.4mm thin and weighing less than 2.5 pounds, the Portégé X20W has a battery life of up to 16 hours and is designed for mobile professionals, educators and students. The Portégé X20W is designed to take advantage of the best of Windows 10 and includes multi-directional microphones to support Cortana, a…

The new year has arrived and Forza is celebrating 2017 in the best way we know – with amazing cars ready to hit the open roads in the Forza Horizon 3 Rockstar Car Pack! Whether you’re cruising the wine country of Yarra Valley or tackling the most extreme elevations of Blizzard Mountain, the Forza Horizon 3 Rockstar Car Pack features seven cars that will kick your year off to a high-speed start. This pack features everything from classic Japanese power to a Ford trophy truck that’s ready to conquer anything Australia can throw at it. Then there’s the awesome BMW i8, making it production car videogame debut here in Forza Horizon 3. And that’s just the start of this inc…

Each of these new devices was thoughtfully designed to meet your needs and habits, whether at home, in the office or on-the-go. These devices also take advantage of great Windows 10 features, including Windows Hello with built-in face recognition cameras and fingerprint readers, and touch screens that light up Windows Ink. Also, built into these new devices are noise-cancelling microphones to support Cortana*, your personal digital assistant. Here’s a closer look at what Lenovo announced today: A premium PC experience with the ThinkPad X1 family ThinkPad X1 Carbon https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/d80da5ea329a9625b15d92c99fee52b5.png The…

Today, we’re showing you how you can enable “Hey Cortana” so you can simply ask Cortana for whatever it is you need with your voice! “Hey Cortana” lets you interact with Cortana hands-free so you can master multitasking. You can even use “Hey Cortana” to interact with Cortana above your lock screen so you don’t even have to login to your computer to have Cortana help you out. Here’s how to enable “Hey Cortana:” https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/5fc7fd4b8c63df4adfd9c08782c25a3e.gif To get started, click on the Search bar, then click on the Settings icon and find the button to enable Hey Cortana. Here are a couple things you can ask for when yo…

If you got a new Windows 10 PC this holiday, we’re here to show you the latest features to keep you productive and having fun! Here are a few ways you can get started with Windows 10: Head over here to read more about the Get Started app Learn more about all the current features available on Windows 10. Set up Windows Hello on your PC Get the most out of Microsoft Edge and write on the web with Microsoft Edge. Learn how to search your PC and the web with Cortana. Read up on everything you need to know about getting started with Xbox Play Anywhere. Get started with Windows Ink Workspace. Check out our weekly tips for more on getting started with Windows 10 w…

Artificial intelligence (AI) made incredible strides in 2016, and the growth appears set to accelerate as we enter the New Year. A team of Microsoft researchers has released a dataset of 100,000 questions and answers that other AI researchers can use – for free – in their quest to create systems that can read and answer questions as well as a human. The MS MARCO dataset is based on anonymized real-world data from Bing and Cortana queries and is part of an attempt to spur the breakthroughs in machine reading that are already happening in image and speech recognition. The move is also aimed at facilitating advances toward “artificial general intelligence,” or machines…

Windows 10 is packed full of features that will help you be more productive and have fun. With Windows 10, you have your very own digital personal assistant in Cortana, who you can count on to help you find things, complete tasks, set reminders and work across your devices more productively; a browser called Microsoft Edge that provides you with a web experience that’s faster and safer; Windows Hello, password-free sign-in that gives you the fastest, most secure way to unlock your Windows device, compatible apps and Microsoft Edge websites; the Windows Store, which gives you access to great content across apps, games, movies and music; and awesome gaming features with the…

This Week on Windows, we’re taking a look at some of the biggest Windows news of the year, including the Windows 10 Anniversary Update and the things you can do with it, Xbox Play Anywhere, HoloLens and much more. This year was a big one for Windows 10, from game-changing updates to Windows Holographic. Let’s take a look at some of this year’s highlights: The launch of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update The Anniversary Update gave us several key features and brought us easy notetaking and screen sketching with the Windows Ink Workspace. It also improved the power and efficiency of Microsoft Edge and introduced us to extensions – the web add-ons designed to he…

We’re counting down to the New Year with a brand-new collection in the Windows Store and today, we’re highlighting some of its awesome year-end deals you can enjoy on your Windows 10 PC.* GAMES https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/e0ce27a7a671efd4f284c223d40c27d1.png Gears of War 4: Ultimate Edition – $30 off Until Dec. 28, purchase Gears of War 4: Ultimate Edition for just $69.99 (that’s $30 off the regular $99.99 price) and play the beginning of a new saga for one of the most acclaimed franchises in video game history. And there’s a bonus: when you purchase this title on your Windows 10 PC, you can also play on Xbox One with Xbox Play Anywhe…

It’s finally here – I’m thrilled to say early access to Halo Wars: Definitive Edition starts today for folks who pre-ordered the digital version of Halo Wars 2 Ultimate Edition! Having Halo Wars on PC has been something the community has asked for since the game launched so many years ago, and it’s surreal that it has finally happened with Halo Wars: Definitive Edition. Halo Wars: Definitive Edition is set to launch in February alongside Halo Wars 2 Ultimate Edition, but we thought it would be great to give everyone a chance to start playing now to sharpen their skills in preparation for the next game. The game you’ll get today is early access – it’s only available t…

We’ve showed you how to draw on your memories with the Photos app update – today, we’re going to show you all the ways you can use the app to edit your holiday photos! Editing your images has never been easier In the first version of the new Edit experience, we introduced a new simple way of enhancing and adjusting your pictures with new filters and smart sliders. Just launch Edit from the full screen viewer to get started. With the new editor, you can also easily crop, rotate and enhance your images. If you want to add a filter as well, go ahead and select one from the new set of beautiful-looking filters. We also added the possibility for you to further adju…

We’re excited to share that the Windows Store team has put together awesome collections of apps, movies, TV shows, games and more to help get you in the holiday spirit! https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/36905363e4fe4bfe8eca15ebf76733e5.jpg MOVIES & TV All your favorite holiday hits are in the Movies & TV section of the Windows Store. From feel-good family favorites to non-traditional classics, our Holiday Movies & TV Guide is your go-to source for seasonal entertainment. Here’s a few of our favorites: Holiday Family Films Find plenty of yuletide cheer with perennial favorites like Elf, A Christmas Story, National Lampoon’s Chr…

Exclusive offers on must-have holiday gifts including Surface Book, PCs, Xbox games and more! Still looking for last-minute holiday gifts? Microsoft Store has the perfect gift for the tech person in your life with its Holiday Super Sale starting December 17 through December 24. Save on your holiday shopping with the technology you want, all in one place and at great prices. Whether you’re looking for a deal on Surface or Xbox games, find your perfect Holiday gift by visiting your local Microsoft Store or microsoftstore.com. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/531ee9807d8efbd6b8b908b04fd009d8.jpg Holiday Super Sale U.S. offers at microsoftstore.…

This Week on Windows, we’re talking about how to stream your favorite Xbox and Windows 10 game titles to Oculus Rift, sales on movies and TV in the Windows Store and more! In case you missed it: We shared an update on the many wonderful things happening across the board for Surface https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/c28f786aa9e68dc3076244a7eab763e4.jpg We’re so proud of the momentum and progress we are making with our Surface line-up. We’re learning a ton from Surface and Surface Hub customers and have an amazing team of hardware and software engineers dedicated to continually improving our products. Read more in our blog post from Monday. …

https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/c9dfd40a07859d8e7d92c3541c2cfd77.gif We’re getting closer to the end of the year, but the news has yet to slow down at Microsoft. In this edition of Weekend Reading, we share big developments in artificial intelligence, a new ecosystem of intelligent location-based services and how compatible Xbox One S is with 4K TV. On Tuesday, Microsoft introduced Zo, the next evolution in chatbots; shared how Cortana, in partnership with Harman Kardon, will be present in a new way in your home; and announced that more than 67,000 developers are now using Microsoft’s Bot Framework and Cognitive Services. “We’re really moving …

Today, we’re excited to announce that Astroneer will launch into Game Preview for Xbox One and on the Windows Store on Dec. 16! https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/095783b4796519e5c39549645047fdce.png Astroneer is a game about independent space explorers prospecting the stars for fortune and glory. This is a game about discovery and mystery, as you uncover rare artifacts and the resources you need to find them, on vast worlds where every cubic inch of space can be explored. It’s a game about creativity, as you use your tools to dig, build, sculpt, and shape the very ground to serve your needs, whether utilitarian or aesthetic. It’s a game about solit…

Location is essential in understanding the world around us, and making sense of complex location data has enormous potential to transform lives, cities and industries. The journey starts with an ecosystem that leverages the heritage and first-class expertise and technologies of our partners. As a step in this direction, TomTom, HERE and Esri — all titans in mapping technology — joined us Wednesday at the Microsoft Technology Center in Detroit to share our goals of pioneering intelligent location-based services across Microsoft services and technologies. Through a new partnership, TomTom and Microsoft announced they will join forces to integrate location-based services …

https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/58a8349b45f505649d1bddf013726160.gif On Tuesday, Microsoft introduced Zo, the next evolution in chatbots; shared how Cortana, in partnership with Harman Kardon, will be present in a new way in your home; and announced that more than 67,000 developers are now using Microsoft’s Bot Framework and Cognitive Services. “We’re really moving from a world where we have to understand computers to a world where they will understand us and our intent, from machine-centric to human-centric, from perceptive to cognitive and from rational to emotional,” Harry Shum, executive vice president of Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence a…

Focusing on the Creators in all of Us Since I was a kid, I have been drawn to computers because of what they enable each of us to make, to create. Recently Microsoft announced new hardware such as the Surface Studio and Dial, the Windows 10 Creators update, and new software such as Paint 3D, all focused on creators. Creation is a theme that extends across our suite of experiences, including the Photos app that comes with Windows 10. We have now made available the next step in this creator’s journey with an update to Microsoft Photos. We’re making it fun to view all your digital memories in photo or video form, with a refreshed user experience that makes it plea…

Ready for a frozen adventure? Well, the wait is over because the Blizzard Mountain Expansion for Forza Horizon 3 is here! Available today in the Microsoft Store either as a standalone purchase or as part of the Forza Horizon 3 Expansion Pass, Blizzard Mountain invites players to the snowy elevations of a brand-new playable area of Forza Horizon 3’s Australia. A big part of the fun with Blizzard Mountain is the amazing roster of new cars and trucks coming to the game, each of which have been hand-picked to provide maximum fun in the extreme elevations and challenging weather conditions that can only be found on the mountain. Heading off the list is the brand new 2016 …

Starting today, Rift owners can now stream their Xbox One library to Rift with the new Xbox One Streaming to Oculus Rift app, including favorites like “Gears of War 4,” “Forza Horizon 3” and “Halo 5: Guardians,” the biggest sports games, indie darlings, Backward Compatible Xbox 360 games, and more titles coming in 2017. Thanks to game streaming technology between Xbox One and Windows 10, the greatest Xbox console exclusive games can now be played on Windows 10 PCs, and now on Oculus Rift. What’s more, Rift works natively with Windows 10, which makes it easy to set up, jump in and have an incredible VR gaming experience with the fastest framerates and top performance. T…

Today, I’m excited to share another significant commitment by Microsoft to democratize AI: a new Microsoft Ventures fund for investment in AI companies focused on inclusive growth and positive impact on society. I also have an update about the growth of our overall portfolio of companies. AI holds great promise to augment human capabilities and improve society by tackling some of the world’s biggest problems. Our recently announced partnership with OpenAI is a key example of us working to use AI to address important issues such as climate change, inequality, health and education. Building on that, our participation in the Partnership on AI, and other efforts, we’ll mak…

That’s right, you read the headline correctly – Killer Instinct: Definitive Edition releases for Windows 10 today. Previously available only on Xbox One, the Definitive Edition packs up ALL the content we’ve ever released – every character (psst, there are 26), stage (20 in full glory), costume, color, trailers and tracks – and puts it all into one box of awesome goodness. As an added bonus, it also comes with behind-the-scenes videos, never-before-seen concept art, and a full universe map so you can read the bios and backstories of all your favorite characters. With this release, Killer Instinct: Definitive Edition is now an Xbox Play Anywhere title – which means if…