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The “accept cookies” pop-up is a familiar sight as we browse the internet. How do you know which are safe? And are they even necessary? The Windows Resource Center has broken cookies down into their main ingredients so you can make the best call. A new blog posts summarizes why cookies can be a good thing, helping your favorite websites get to know you so they can offer what you want and make browsing and shopping experiences smooth. It also shows how cookies can be bad, and points you to tools to help keep your private information private as you navigate sites that use cookies. Head on over to the blog post, and safe surfing to you! Continue reading...

Lenovo’s latest additions to its ThinkPad portfolio include a completely redesigned X13 and X13 Yoga with 16:10 aspect ratio displays and updated T and L series. The company also introduced a new premium display and refreshed ThinkPad mobile workstations with flexible processor options, discrete graphics and improved displays. You can tailor the new ThinkPad laptops to your needs, with options that include 11th Gen Intel Core vPro processors and the latest AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Mobile Processors. [caption id=attachment_175397" align="aligncenter" width="955]https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/02/01_Thinkvision_P40w_Hardware_Partition_In_Pbp-1024x768.jpg ThinkVision P40w[/caption] If you’re looking for a new display, the ThinkVision P40w features a 39.7-inch screen with 21:9 aspect ratio and expansive 5120 x 2160 WUHD resolution. It includes Natural Low Blue Light technology, with TÜV Rheinland Eyesafe Display Certification to reduce eye fatigue caused by high-energy blue rays, while maintaining color accuracy and performance. The USB-C docking monitor has up to 12 ports, including two Thunderbolt 4 ports and up to 100W charging with Smart Power technology. Users also have instant access to two PC sources at the click of a button, and with True Split they can see both those sources simultaneously through Picture-by-Picture. They can choose which source to share to a video conference display. Find out more, including pricing and availability, at Lenovo. Continue reading...

Minecraft: Education Edition's Lessons in Good Trouble includes many famous activists throughout history and the world – such as Malala Yousafzai, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst – and learning zones that take learners of any age to many places, including Selma, Alabama, India, Pakistan, the U.K. and South Africa. The latest two lessons are on the Black Lives Matter and the U.S. civil rights movements (focused on the march across Edmund Pettus Bridge, the Greensboro Lunch Counter Sit-Ins and Rosa Parks’ protest against public segregation). There will be 10 lessons in all, releasing over the course of spring. They all reinforce how “good trouble” – the kind Congressman John Lewis was known for causing to secure the right to vote – can build a better world. In addition to Good Trouble, the Minecraft Education team also released two new lessons for Black History Month that cover Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and include self-identifying exercises that lead to a “Museum of Me.” Good Trouble is gaining great traction, with more than 2.1 million downloads around the world. Find out more about the lessons, the educators who developed them and children who have experienced the world at Microsoft Stories. Continue reading...

At Microsoft we’ve been focused on learning about effective allyship in the workplace. Part of the mindset necessary for allyship is about accepting what we don’t know, being willing to be wrong, and even taking some risks to drive meaningful change. On March 17, we’re going to try something we’ve never done before: Microsoft will host Include 2021, a free, global, digital event open to all and focused on diversity and inclusion. Include 2021 will feature global experts in academia, social change, and diversity and inclusion leading in-depth conversations about how we spark and support lasting culture change. Anyone can register for this public event and learn more about speakers and topics by visiting the Include 2021 site. Lasting change doesn’t happen in a day or during a single event; it requires a shift in mindset, and a commitment to ongoing individual and collective action. Include 2021 will offer one dedicated space to gain new perspectives and engage in important, challenging conversations. During the event, we’ll explore the human, business and geopolitical case for diversity and inclusion. We’ve invited a number of powerful industry experts who lead this work across the globe, including: Kimberlé Crenshaw, co-founder and executive director of the African American Policy Forum; Kenji Yoshino, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law, NYU School of Law, and director of the Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging; Chase Strangio, deputy director for Trans Justice with the ACLU’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and HIV Project; Eduardo Briceño, global keynote speaker and workshop facilitator on growth mindset and learning organizations, Pahara-Aspen Fellow, co-founder and CEO of Mindset Works; Binna Kandola, business psychologist, senior partner and co-founder of Pearn Kandola; and Stephanie J. Creary, identity and diversity scholar and researcher, assistant professor of management, Wharton People Analytics faculty member. We’re honored to feature a group of speakers with deep expertise on a range of topics, including allyship, covering, intersectionality, privilege, gender, disability, race and ethnicity, age, faith, and mental health. We will also share learnings from some of our partners who are nurturing inclusion within their own organizations, as well as candid stories from our employees about why inclusion matters and what they need from others. Include 2021 is about fueling learning and leveraging external expertise to accelerate our inclusion journey. Our hope is that the conversations started will continue long afterward and will encourage each of us to engage in diversity and inclusion with intention, purpose and relentless empathy. We will also launch a site on Microsoft.com with insights from external experts along with some of our own diversity and inclusion learning content. These resources will be available to anyone who might find them useful for their own organizational or individual inclusion journey, while we continue our own. Please stay tuned in the coming days and weeks for more information. It may seem unusual for a company like Microsoft to host a public event about diversity and inclusion. This event is not about trying to “hack” diversity and inclusion because we think we have all the answers. This is about recognizing our privilege and the access we have to key resources and embracing the opportunity to amplify the work of world-class thought leaders who have been in this space for decades. We hope others will choose to engage, share and learn alongside us, because we believe that inclusion is a choice and a practice. Real progress on diversity and inclusion doesn’t happen without real work. But if we approach it with intention, commitment, empathy and humility, we might just be able to make meaningful, sustainable change together. We hope you will join us March 17 at Include 2021. Learn more about our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion and the programs and policies that support our work at https://aka.ms/2020DIReport. The post Include 2021: A global event to engage on challenging topics to accelerate diversity and inclusion appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

Today, we are introducing the next feature update to Windows 10, version 21H1. As people continue to rely on Windows more than ever to work, learn and have fun, we understand the importance of providing the best possible update experience to help people and organizations stay protected and productive. It is a responsibility we do not take lightly and why for the first time an H1 (first half of the calendar year) feature update release will be delivered in an optimized way using servicing technology, while continuing our semi-annual feature update cadence. In today’s blog I will cover details on how we plan to service the release, its scope, and next steps. Fast and focused Based on feedback and learnings during the past year of extensive remote work, learning and play, version 21H1 will be delivered with servicing technology (like that used for the monthly update process and how 20H2 was delivered). Windows 10, version 21H1 will have a scoped set of features improving security, remote access and quality. The features we are releasing in this update are focused on the core experiences that customers have told us they’re relying on most right now. So, we optimized this release to support our customers’ most pressing needs. New features include multicamera support for Windows Hello and security related performance improvements. Windows Hello multicamera support to allow users to choose an external camera priority when using high end displays with integrated cameras. Windows Defender Application Guard performance improvements including optimizing document opening scenario times. Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Group Policy Service (GPSVC) updating performance improvement to support remote work scenarios. Customers running either Windows 10, version 2004 or version 20H2 who choose to update to the new release will have a fast installation experience because the update will install like a monthly update. For consumer or commercial users coming from versions of Windows 10 earlier than the May 2020 Update (version 2004), the process of updating to the new release will be the same as it has been and will work in a similar manner to previous Windows 10 feature updates, using the same tools and processes. As this Windows 10 release is targeted for the first half of 2021, all Windows 10 editions of version 21H1 will receive 18 months of servicing. Next steps Our multilayered approach to the development and launch of feature updates continues and includes fully leveraging the Windows Insider Program to obtain user feedback and data insights on quality. We will begin releasing 21H1 builds to Windows Insiders in the Beta channel today to those Insiders who seek to opt in, and new features will be offered in future Windows Insider Preview Builds as they are ready. Broad availability of Windows 10, version 21H1 will begin later in the first half of this calendar year, and we will provide more information on the release and how to get it as we get closer to the launch of this next feature update. We look forward to hearing your feedback. Continue reading...

Forza Street players who want to know about the latest Showdown and what’s coming next can turn to the Forza Developer Blog to find out about the introduction of the 2017 Mercedes-AMG GT R. The blog also teases a bit about the next Showdown, which will have an ‘80s theme. The Forza team has also introduced a new speedometer and are working to improve the user experience as Forza Street’s one year anniversary rapidly approaches. Find out more over on their blog. Continue reading...

https://blogs.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/2021/02/Cropped_Rik-van-der-Kooi-at-march.jpg Rik van der Kooi at the Seattle Children’s March, June 13, 2020. Numerous devastating, disturbing and very public situations of racial injustice over the past year have compelled me – a straight, white man – to examine the role I play in perpetuating social inequities and the opportunity I have to help eradicate them. How do I use my privilege, my access to opportunities without barriers, to eliminate acts of hate and violence on communities of color? The disproportionate impact of the pandemic on the Black community? The starkly different response from law enforcement to the mob invading the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 as compared to protests in support of Black Lives Matter? These questions require genuine reflection on privilege, systemic racism and the work ahead – and as an ally, they compel me to do more with my position to enact real change. Growing up in Europe, I am all too aware that race discrimination and the inequitable treatment of minorities is a worldwide challenge. Increasingly though, across the globe, people are starting to speak up in search of a different future. Whether this is an outward, loud approach or a focused community conversation, this work is critical. As just one ally, I can start to enact change, but I believe it will take a groundswell of people coming together to stop the spread of discrimination and hatred by standing up for what is right. How do we approach something that seems so intractable? These systemic global issues with deep historical roots are overwhelmingly hard to fully comprehend, let alone act on. I have found that it requires listening and learning differently than ever before, and: Doing the work. For me, one aspect of this is looking harder at cultural truths, diving into history to learn what really happened and tracing that forward to the systemic disadvantaging of racial and ethnic minorities today. It also means seeing the same pattern in the many countries around the world that have histories of colonial atrocities and systemic subordination. Overcoming the tendency to avoid, reject and revise uncomfortable discussions on race across history. No matter where we were raised, revisionist history shaped how we see the world. And no matter who we are as people, it is hard to learn that some of what we have believed to be true for so long is exactly the opposite. So, it is a regular practice in my conversations to pay explicit attention to this and question what I once held to be true. Speaking truth to power and being prepared for disagreement. This is where allyship rings most true for me. Speaking truth to power means doing what is right – even in the face of criticism and backlash. A simple example of that is when I field questions about whether we are focusing too much on diversity and inclusion in our day jobs, and in the way our organization has pushed for appropriate education and reflection moments like Juneteenth. Or, when people question why I am one of the executive sponsors of our Blacks at Microsoft employee resource group when I am not from the community. Each of our capacities to enact change will be different, but are we standing up when we see inequity in our communities, when a colleague is overlooked or bullied, when our candidate pipelines are woefully monochromatic, when our white friends are reflecting on Black Lives Matter protests? For me, allyship is not a passive activity. It is not enough to read, to make declarative position statements and converse about the issues. Real change requires activation and likely takes more heart, energy and empathy than we possibly have poured into many other things in our lives. So as I reflect on Black History Month, and the rich history that led to it, I resolve to do more, to be yet a better ally. Like me, many of you reading this have had the benefit of white privilege all your life – an absence of systemic barriers to your advancement. Now, how do we use our privilege to lift others, make space for others and pave the way for true equity?” The post Black History Month 2021: One ally’s perspective appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

Today we’re excited to announce that Microsoft’s presence in Georgia is growing. We will complete our new office space in Atlantic Yards this year, and we’ll be adding even more space for our future. This includes plans for a new datacenter region with a presence in Douglas and Fulton counties, and the purchase of a 90-acre parcel of land to house a future campus at Quarry Yards and Quarry Hills. These are all significant investments and put Atlanta on the path toward becoming one of Microsoft’s largest hubs in the United States in the coming decade, after Puget Sound and Silicon Valley. When we open the doors to our offices in Atlantic Yards this summer, we will be able to seat 2,500 employees across the region, including our sales locations in Alpharetta, Buckhead and Midtown. And this number will grow further as we scope and build out facilities in Quarry Yards and Quarry Hills. We understand the impact that an investment of this size has on a city like Atlanta. It has huge potential, but if not done right, the downsides can outweigh this promise. That’s why we’re launching this expansion based on three principles and several concrete steps: First, we will take a phased approach so we can listen to and learn from the community before we make decisions about our design for Quarry Yards and Quarry Hills. Second, we will expand our presence with world-class environmental sustainability. We are committed to being a carbon negative, water positive, zero waste company by 2030. We will engrain these commitments into our designs in the region with a focus on zero carbon, renewable energy, minimal water, zero waste and resilient strategies and focusing on environmental justice and equity solutions. Third, we will grow our presence and simultaneously create new opportunities for and reinvest in the community. We will make these decisions based on consultation with the community and with a focus on creating greater opportunity for more people in Atlanta to benefit from the expanding digital economy. This starts today, as we are committing to develop plans that will dedicate 25 percent of the 90 acres we have purchased at Quarry Yards and Quarry Hills for the construction of affordable and empowered housing and other local community services and needs. This will also include programs to enable people to develop digital skills. In part we’ll consider adding to Microsoft’s own skilling programs on artificial intelligence and our existing Technology Education and Literacy in Schools (TEALS), including for the Douglas cluster of Atlanta Public Schools. But we also know that strong non-profits in Atlanta have already created impressive skilling programs, and we recognize that some of our best investments may be to help these grow faster. We look forward to supporting Atlanta’s outstanding colleges and universities, including Georgia Tech, Georgia State and four of the nation’s most renowned historically Black colleges and universities – Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College. We want to help bring affordable broadband to more people in Atlanta, including through our national Airband Initiative. We want to help Atlanta’s diverse and critical non-profit organizations thrive with greater access to technology and funding. And we hope these groups will also benefit from the generosity of Microsoft’s growing employee population, each of whom can donate up to $15,000 a year to non-profits and gain a one-for-one match from Microsoft itself. These are not small commitments (at least to us) and we take none of this lightly. But these are easy decisions to make, and for two very important reasons. First, we deeply appreciate the opportunity to become a bigger part of everything Georgia has to offer. As a company, Microsoft has been in Atlanta since 2007. We’ve benefitted from Atlanta’s broad hospitality and the opportunity to become a part of one of the country’s great business communities. We’ve gotten to know the faculty and students at the local universities, including many who graduated and joined as employees to help us live our mission by engaging in the city’s uniquely rich culture of civic and community engagement. In short, we’ve learned that Atlanta is a great place to invest and grow. Second, we have learned over the years that you can’t have a healthy company without a healthy community. We are excited to do our part to make Atlanta an even bigger and more successful community in the future. We look forward to getting to know more people in Atlanta, and to having more people get to know us as well. We’re a lot like other successful companies, but in some ways we’re different too. Our biggest question today is not what Atlanta can do to support Microsoft. It’s what Microsoft can do to support Atlanta. And we know it will take a conversation with the entire community to find the answer. We can’t wait to get started! The post Investing to grow in and with Atlanta appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

The Microsoft partner ecosystem is extensive, diverse and powerful. For decades it has been and continues to be at the center of how Microsoft delivers technology, services and cloud-to-edge solutions that enable business transformation for customers around the world. In fact, partners influence more than 95% of Microsoft’s commercial revenue, either directly, or in partnership with Microsoft. Given the COVID-19, economic and geo-political challenges everyone has experienced in the last year, and the many ways that partners across our ecosystem have helped customers build resiliency, adapt to change and overcome challenges, today’s updates and perspective as to how partners are innovating, taking advantage of new opportunities and realizing growth are particularly relevant. In the last year, our partners have played critical roles, providing services and solutions that enable digital transformation for organizations and entire industries, and delivering innovative devices that help people adapt to new ways of working, learning, collaborating and staying connected. Partners make more possible, and the innovative devices, services, applications and cloud-to-edge solutions they deliver are empowering people and organizations around the world to do and achieve more. Here are some examples of how Microsoft and our partners are enabling innovation: Partners across the ecosystem, including more than 800 Independent Software Vendors, 17 device partners and over 1,000 Systems Integrators, are continuously delivering innovative Teams devices, Teams apps and custom Teams solutions on our technology stack – all of which enable enhanced collaboration and increased productivity for customers. In the last year, Microsoft and its device partners have expanded our vision and device portfolios to address the evolving needs of millions of consumers, students and businesses around the world who are still working and learning remotely. In addition to PCs, this includes collaboration devices, smart meeting room systems and true intelligent edge solutions for smart buildings. Conference Room solutions represent tremendous opportunity for partners as there is an estimated market opportunity of 48 million meeting rooms with only a 6% penetration rate, according to Wainhouse Research. In December, Microsoft announced general availability of Azure Stack HCI, along with new Azure Stack HCI integrated systems from Dell Technologies, HPE, Fujitsu, Lenovo and DataON. In addition, a variety of partners are using the Intel Select Solutions for Azure Stack HCI offerings to simplify customers’ Azure Stack HCI deployments, and to enable the scale and efficiencies they need to realize business transformation. New Independent Software Vendors, including Altaro software, Commvault, Datadog, Veeam and Veritas, now support Azure Stack HCI, ensuring that customers have more tools to choose from. In October 2020, we announced general availability of the Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare that provides trusted and integrated capabilities that deliver automation and efficiency on high-value workflows and enables deep data analysis functionality for both structured and unstructured data so customers can turn insight into action. Microsoft Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partners, including Allscripts, AvTex, HCL, Innovaccer, Mazik Global and Popcorn Apps, and system integrator partners, including Accenture, Avanade, Cognizant, DXC Technology, EY, KPMG and PWC, are providing industry-specific IP and solutions, built on Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, that address the most urgent challenges the healthcare industry faces today. Microsoft continued to see growth in the 2nd quarter of FY21, especially across the Microsoft Commercial cloud (+34% YOY). This trajectory is expected to continue as Microsoft partners build devices, applications and cloud-to-edge solutions. We are dedicated to helping partners continue to build resiliency, adapt to change and overcome challenges. We do this by investing in the resources, tools and opportunities that allow them to co-innovate and develop next-generation solutions that help differentiate in the marketplace, gain market share, support their success and meet customer needs. Below are some of the investments we have made and opportunities that we believe will enable partners to innovate and grow in 2021 and beyond: Partner program updates Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program: The Cloud Solution Provider program helps partners move beyond just reselling licenses to become partners who are more involved in their customers’ businesses. We are investing in the program to help partners embrace the benefits of digital transformation including migration of open licensing into CSP, perpetual software licensing in CSP and providing a CSP Program Guidebook for partners. The commercial marketplace: Microsoft has made publishing solutions, services and offers in Microsoft’s commercial marketplace easier, so partners can reach nearly 4 million active users across 140-plus countries. In addition, partners can realize new opportunities by participating in Microsoft’s co-selling programs. Co-sell: We are increasing our focus on co-selling within the small- and mid-sized business segment (SMB). This includes making targeted marketing investments in top SMB customers, supporting and growing our ecosystem of ISV partners who serve SMBs and streamlining the way we help partners develop their practices. New commerce experience: The new Microsoft commerce experience will create a consistent and simplified purchase experience, giving customers greater flexibility in how and where they buy Microsoft and partner solutions. The new commerce platform will let partners reach more customers and help influence their digital transformation strategies while reducing licensing complexity and costs so their own businesses can be more sustainable. Partner Center: Partner Center is a centralized place for partners to manage their relationships with Microsoft, customers and other partners. After a multi-year effort to build a unified partner experience, Microsoft reaches its final milestone this spring with nearly all channel capabilities delivered and globally available inside Partner Center. The unified access to processes and programs include co-sell, CSP, solution publishing in the commercial marketplace, referrals, and Microsoft Partner Network benefits, such as certifications and incentives. Using the Insights dashboard, organizations have access to powerful reporting with a unified view of data across different partner programs, licensing models and products. New resources and offerings Advanced specializations: In January, we launched our first two advanced specializations for Business Applications, the Small and Midsize Business Management advanced specialization and the Low Code Application Development advanced specialization. This means we now have advanced specializations across all five commercial solution areas – modern workplace, business applications, Azure (apps and infrastructure, and data and AI), security. Advanced specializations provide an opportunity for partners to demonstrate their experience in specific technical scenarios and enable customers to identify the partners that best fit their needs. Technology is more important than ever. In times like these, partners who embrace change have opportunities to drive digital transformation around the world. We look forward to continuing the journey with partners to build cloud-to-edge solutions that make more possible for many years to come. Survey Insight: Meeting Room and WfH Technology Trends and Drivers – End Users Q4 2020, published Nov 2020. https://insight.wainhouse.com/reportaction/MR-SURV-20Q4-EndUserIdeation/Marketing Research Note: Total Addressable Market of Conference Rooms & Analysis of Video Conferencing Before and After COVID-19, published April 2020. https://insight.wainhouse.com/reportaction/MRC-RN-Mar-2020-ConferenceRoomTAM-COVID-Impact/Marketing The post Microsoft’s partner ecosystem: Enabling innovation and business resilience appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

This week marks the beginning of Lunar New Year, celebrated around the world by more than 2 billion people, who this year will ring in the Year of the Ox. The last time the Ox made an appearance was in 2009 – the year of the very first version of Minecraft. Get festive with free skins in the Marketplace and Character Creator. Find out more at Minecraft.net. Continue reading...

The Minecraft Dungeons community has crossed a major milestone: reaching 10 million players across all supported platforms, since its launch in May. To celebrate reaching this monumental point, players will see a new cape and a pet. Find out more at Minecraft.net. Continue reading...

For the first time, the Forza franchise is headed to Steam, on March 9, with the award-winning Forza Horizon 4. Put the game on your Steam wishlist and you’ll be notified when the game is available to buy. Steam players will soon join millions of monthly Forza Horizon 4 players as they race across historic Britain in the open-world automotive adventure and join a creative community that celebrates automotive culture. With cross-play, Steam players drive alongside their friends and rivals who are racing on Xbox devices, Windows 10 PCs and cloud gaming with Game Pass Ultimate on Android mobile devices. Find out more on Xbox Wire. Continue reading...

In honor of Black History Month, Undead Labs has commissioned Black artist Ty Ferrell to create a limited edition T-shirt, which is available from the official Xbox Gear shop. In-game, a free cosmetic version of the T-shirt, will be available to State of Decay 2 players. “At Undead Labs, we make games about surviving together. The heart and strength of the community lie at the foundation of the State of Decay games, and this is by design. We believe this is also true in the real world, and that we do our best work when we come together,” writes Wonder Russell, comms director at Undead Labs. Profits from the T-shirt sales will go to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), in addition to a one-time $5,000 donation from Undead Labs. Find out more at Xbox Wire. Continue reading...

If you play Minecraft Dungeons, Feb. 24 is a day you’re going to look forward to, as it’s when you can embark on six new missions thanks to the Flames of the Nether downloadable content. Players can collect new artifacts, weapons and gear. There’s also a free update releasing that day that includes a major new feature called Ancient Hunts, which are procedurally generated end-game missions that weave in and out of the Nether. Find out more over at Minecraft.net. Continue reading...

Paul Martin, Dhayana Sena, Marissa Urban and Eden Hamblin are four of more than 325,000 Xbox Ambassadors around the world. The program, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, began as a way for Xbox gamers to help other gamers through troubleshooting, technical support and helping them reach new levels in a title. From there, it grew into a community that showed up for each other in many other ways, including initiating charity streams, teaching STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to girls and creating relationships with all kinds of gamers around the world, says Lea Natalello, who joined the Xbox staff in 2017 and works closely with the Ambassadors. When she started, there were 50,000 in the community. “From day one, the Xbox Ambassadors community has always been about the gamer and our fans,” Natalello says. “Then, over time, we started thinking about what the word help really means. We talked to the community and asked them what it meant to be an Ambassador. What we found was that many wanted to give back to the gaming community that had done so much for them. We were able to really grow into this program and community that empowered good gamers to share that goodness as far as they could reach.” Find out more about the Ambassadors and the program at Microsoft Stories. Continue reading...

At Microsoft, we are committed to building products that add to your peace of mind by letting you securely access what you care about, wherever you are. Millions trust us daily to access documents, mails, chats and so much more both on phones and PCs. An area where customers reported they still experience hassles is remembering and managing their passwords. Safely storing and remembering passwords for many sites is hard and leads to customers using unsafe practices like using the same or similar passwords on multiple sites or storing passwords where they can be read or compromised. Today, we are excited to introduce autofill capabilities across devices and platforms, which will solve the hassle of remembering and typing your passwords. Autofill is currently being rolled out on iOS and Android as part of the Microsoft Authenticator app, and on Google Chrome as an Autofill extension. Autofill and sync your passwords across mobile, Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome Autofill stores your passwords under your Microsoft account. To get started with autofill on mobile, open the Microsoft Authenticator app, and then sign-in on the Passwords tab with your Microsoft account. If you have passwords saved under your Microsoft account on Microsoft Edge, they will sync to the Authenticator app. We also heard from customers who use multiple browsers that they need a secure way to access their Microsoft Edge passwords even when they’re browsing on Google Chrome. To address this need, we’ve launched a Microsoft Autofill extension on the Chrome Web Store. Microsoft Autofill extension lets you autofill and save your passwords to your Microsoft account while browsing on Chrome, which ensures your passwords stay in sync no matter where you use them – on your mobile, Microsoft Edge and Chrome. https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/02/Picture4d-1.gif Extra care to secure your passwords Passwords require a high level of security – so we’ve taken extra care to ensure your passwords and autofill information are protected. Signing into the Authenticator app requires strong multi-factor authentication, which provides an additional layer of security on top of your Microsoft account password to protect your data inside the Authenticator app. Furthermore, autofill on a site or app you visit on your phone requires biometric or PIN input, and the app is designed to request your permission before autofilling your passwords. In addition, your passwords are encrypted both on your device as well as on the cloud. While this release enables autofill for passwords, we’re also actively working on securely bringing all your autofill information from Microsoft Edge to your mobile devices via the Authenticator app, including payment info, addresses and more. However, that’s just the first step. Our users interact with multiple apps and sites daily and need a secure way to autofill and save various types of data, from passwords to even free-form text. Online security will continue to be critical as individuals and organizations embrace remote work, and our mission with this offering is to help our customers securely and conveniently manage their sensitive data even as new security challenges emerge. We look forward to your feedback! Thanks, Vishnu Nath Partner Director of Program Management Microsoft Mobile and X-Device Experiences Continue reading...

Editor’s note: Today, Kurt DelBene, executive vice president at Microsoft, shared the below update with Puget Sound employees on our previously-announced initiative to stand up a vaccination site on our Redmond campus. To: Microsoft employees in Puget Sound Date: Wednesday, 2/3/2021 Subject: Update on the community vaccination site in Redmond Hi Everyone, Even as we recognize numerous challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to our global structures and economies, we also know that hardships can lead to innovation. Positive outcomes can come from applying the strength of an individual or an organization to solve new problems. At Microsoft, we are in a position to apply our strengths and partner with the community to address the most pressing health issue of our time. As you may know, Microsoft recently announced that we would provide technical support to enable effective vaccine distribution and administration in Washington State. We also committed to work with local healthcare organizations, business partners, and state and local governments to stand up a community vaccination site on our Redmond campus for all eligible members of the public. Teams across Microsoft have been diligently working with community partners to safely and equitably open the vaccination site to the community. I’d like to share our progress on this initiative. What the community vaccination site is Microsoft is partnering with EvergreenHealth and Overlake Medical Center & Clinics to relocate their vaccine operations to our Redmond campus to help reduce the burden on local health care facilities. The Redmond location will join a collective of community sites and provide a way for our facilities to contribute to the regional need, in particular, the underserved and highest risk populations in east King County. Once an initial ramp-up phase is complete, the vaccination location, hosted at the Microsoft Conference Center (Building 33), will be open to all eligible people in the community, according to the vaccine allocation and prioritization guidelines set by the Washington State Department of Health. EvergreenHealth and Overlake will manage the administration of the vaccine and as capacity builds, will coordinate with officials from Public Health – Seattle & King County to focus on vaccinating our community’s most vulnerable populations. Microsoft’s role is to provide technology, staffing resources, and facility support. Starbucks is also a contributor to the site given their expertise in human-centered design, workflow optimization, and operational efficiency. All vaccines will be administered by third-party healthcare professionals. At this time, the Redmond vaccination site does not have volunteer opportunities. More to know: We’re preparing the site alongside our health partners who are focused on getting doses to those in Phase 1a and Phase 1b-1 and coordinating with officials at Public Health – Seattle & King County to ensure high-risk populations have access to the site as more vaccines become available. This helps make sure our shared goals for equity are being met. As the Department of Health expands eligibility, vaccinations at our site will stay aligned to the state’s guidance, with a continued emphasis on outreach to high-risk individuals within each tier. Preferential arrangements will not be made for Microsoft employees and their families. The Redmond site will not support walk-up guests. The vaccination site will be accessible by appointment only and we will share more soon about how eligible members of the public may schedule an appointment. Microsoft has committed to covering the costs of this vaccination site, including staffing, supplier, and vaccine administration costs. The site will welcome uninsured Washingtonians among others in the community. Who the community vaccination site will serve This community vaccination site will align to the eligibility guidelines set by the Washington State Department of Health. Ultimately, the site will provide free vaccine administration to members of the community who meet eligibility guidelines, and we will not ask for insurance information. While ramping up to greater capacity, the Redmond site will predominantly be used to administer first and second doses to healthcare and frontline workers who held previously scheduled appointments via the EvergreenHealth and Overlake systems. Additionally, the site will seek to serve the highest risk populations within Phase 1b-1. You’ve heard me say this before, but I want to emphasize that Microsoft unequivocally supports equitable distribution and is committed to using our resources to support our community’s most vulnerable and underserved populations. We are grateful to Public Health – Seattle & King County for providing council on the best ways to reach and serve these communities. More to come Once the vaccination site on our Redmond campus is ready to serve all eligible members of the community, we will work with our partners to get the word out more broadly to the community. If you have questions about the vaccine or are seeking vaccine locations that may have appointment availability, please find resources at Public Health – Seattle & King County or contact your healthcare provider. I’m grateful we can partner with local business leaders and healthcare professionals in this way. We share a belief that supporting this effort will contribute to the overall health of our community and help rebuild the economy. This is a unique opportunity for our company at one of the most critical times in history. My thanks to everyone who has been doing incredible work to make a way for us to host this vaccination site for our Puget Sound community. Kurt The post Update on the community vaccination site in Redmond appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

I’m looking forward to participating in Episode 2 of Envision, which will air in the Americas on Tuesday, Feb. 16, and then be broadcast the following day in Asia Pacific and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Presented by Accenture, Avanade, and Microsoft, Envision is our digital series for business leaders and has become a truly global event. It’s where decision makers from around the world can come together to exchange insights and perspectives on today’s key business challenges. During Episode 2, I’ll describe how our world is being shaped by five macro forces across health, climate change, employment, technology and GDP, and how they are creating exciting opportunities and driving innovation. We’ll also be joined by Caroline Fanning, chief human resources officer of Avanade; David A. Rodriguez, global chief human resources officer of Marriott International; and Ellyn Shook, chief leadership and human resources officer of Accenture, who will examine the challenges facing the workforce as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and how organizations can respond. The host of Envision, Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company, will talk with Craig Gorsline, chief growth officer of Avanade, and Lucas Joppa, chief environmental officer of Microsoft, about how organizations can embrace sustainability to not only help the environment but drive economic growth. We’ll also explore the future of healthcare and share customer stories of healthcare innovation. In addition, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria will share insights from his latest book, “Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World,” and the social, political and economic changes we can expect to see following the outbreak. For Episode 2, along with the main program, we’re adding 14 area breakout sessions across our three broadcasts led by local business leaders such as Linda Lin, general manager of Avanade’s Greater China Region; Gretchen O’Hara, vice president of AI and Sustainability Strategy for Microsoft U.S.; and Frank Riemensperger, market unit lead for Accenture in Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Russia. I hope you’ll join us. Visit the Envision website to register and select the broadcast for your region. For those who missed Episode 1, which focused on how leaders and organizations can find purpose, take a look at this complete recap and our highlight video. The post Episode 2 of Envision: Exploring the five macro forces impacting our world appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

I was in elementary school when I realized how much my life would be defined by the color of my skin. The math teacher was introducing us to the concept of probability. At the start of class, she wrote four numbers on the board. She asked us to guess what they represented – none of us had any idea. They were, she explained, life expectancies – those of a white woman, a white man, a Black woman, and a Black man, in descending order. A hush went over the room. I was uncomfortably aware that I was the only Black student. I still recall the furtive looks my classmates gave me as they whispered to each other … “Why is Sarah going to die earlier?” I felt a wave of confusion. All I was able to process was that something – something I did not understand – was fundamentally flawed in me simply because I had more melanin in my skin … and that my life would be shorter … lesser … because of it. It was later that I would learn the numbers I was shown that day are the inevitable result of systematic race-based discrimination and oppression; a product of a decision by some to debase, control and exploit others for power and economic gain … a dark practice that is an undeniable part of our human history … and, as the horrifying events of 2020 viscerally showed, a practice that is alive and well to this day. Even with this backdrop, my belief is stronger than ever that we can and will change the dynamics that threaten, shorten and plague the lives of Black people and people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds. While the losses of this past year are incalculable, it was a year that also brought an awakening – an enhanced understanding that we are all humans; a growing recognition that overt racism, systemic discrimination and unconscious bias are omnipresent, must be dealt with head on and cannot be relegated to “the past.” We also see a widening conviction that change must, and will only, come from our actions, our words, our vigilance and our deeds. Glimmers of change are all around us: people of every race, origin and color coming together to advocate for equal rights. Leaders, not just Black leaders, but leaders of every type and station, from individuals to institutions taking action to eradicate race-based inequality. And individuals, neighbors, allies, friends and strangers stepping forward and deciding to be part of the change. We are making Black history … human history … now. This year I come into Black History Month with hope, joy and conviction: Hope that comes from witnessing the progress we have made, joy that comes from the belief that we are at an inflection point and conviction that comes from knowing we are writing a better future, with learnings of history as our guide. As I think about the limitless possibilities in front of us, my thoughts turn to the elementary school children of today, and the importance of enacting change becomes even more clear. Let us not be afraid or intimidated, and let us stand up for what is right. Let us build on this moment and continue to advocate for equality for all. Let us intentionally create a more inclusive world where no child is defined by their color. Because when we do that, we build a better future for everyone. The post Our future appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

Sea of Thieves enters a new era with the arrival of Seasons, its latest content update. New Voyages, Events, rewards and ways to play are all packed into Season One, available as a free download for all players on Windows 10 PC, Steam, with Xbox Game Pass and across Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Seasons are designed to run for around three months. Making your way up through the 100 levels in Season One will unlock a reward each time, from gold and Doubloons to cosmetics and even Ancient Coins to spend on goods in the Pirate Emporium. Get all the details on Xbox Wire. Continue reading...

A year ago, we launched the biggest commitment in Microsoft’s history to focus on the climate crisis. As Satya Nadella, Amy Hood, and I announced last January, Microsoft committed to become carbon negative as a company by 2030 – meaning that by that date we will remove from the environment more carbon than we emit. By 2050, we committed that we’ll remove from the environment all the carbon that Microsoft has emitted directly or through electricity use since the company was founded in 1975. As we reach the one-year anniversary of this pledge, which we coined our “moonshot,” I want to share the initial progress we’ve made and some lessons we’ve learned. We’re also announcing a few key milestones today: We forecast that in our first year we reduced Microsoft’s carbon emissions by 6 percent, or roughly 730,000 metric tons. We have purchased the removal of 1.3 million metric tons of carbon from 26 projects around the world. We are committing to transparency by subjecting the data in our annual sustainability report to third-party review by the accounting firm Deloitte and to accountability by including progress on sustainability goals as a factor in determining executive pay, starting with our next fiscal year. Today we are also publishing our most comprehensive sustainability report to date, and you can access it here. It reviews not only our commitment to be carbon negative, but also to become water positive, zero waste, and create a “planetary computer” to gather data that will help improve the world’s biodiversity. In this blog I want to address our most significant steps since last January, and perhaps most important, share some thoughts on lessons we’re learning as we move forward. Reducing our carbon emissions First, while we’ve naturally spent much of the first year building the foundation for the decade ahead, we’ve also started to make real and measurable progress in reducing Microsoft’s carbon emissions. During our first year, we reduced our emissions by 6%, from 11.6 million metric tons to 10.9 metric tons.[1] By 2030, our goal is to cut our emissions by more than half. This means that if we sustain and then improve upon these reductions for 10 consecutive years, we will reach and hopefully exceed this goal. A small part of last year’s reduction was due to the type of decreased activity the world experienced because of COVID-19. Obviously that aspect is unsustainable, making other and more significant sources of progress more important. At the top of this list is the need to accelerate a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy in our facilities and emissions reductions by our suppliers. As we take stock, two underlying changes are proving critical in moving us faster and farther. The first is the expansion of our internal carbon tax to “scope 3 emissions,” meaning carbon emissions by our suppliers and from customer use of our products. For years we have applied an internal carbon tax to our scope 1 and 2 emissions. This meant that each part of Microsoft paid internally (at a rate of $15 per metric ton) for the carbon emitted for its direct emissions like travel and electricity. At the start of our new fiscal year this past July 1, Amy Hood expanded our internal carbon tax to include scope 3 emissions, beginning with a lower rate of $5 per ton that will increase each year. Already this is incentivizing teams across the company to focus on their suppliers and the emissions from their products. My favorite example comes from our Devices team, which built an Audit Management System using Microsoft Power BI to track performance and enable continuous supply chain improvements. Similarly, our Xbox team developed a new feature that reduces power from 15W to less than 2W when the device is in “standby mode.” These improvements point to the long-term importance of the change we made last year to our Supplier Code of Conduct by requiring a greenhouse gas emission disclosure. This has increased transparency and helps us to more effectively partner with our suppliers to reduce their emissions. Now we’re making this data an explicit part of our procurement processes, including in our buying decisions. As we share in our Environmental Sustainability Report, one thing we continue to learn from this aspect of our work is that we must raise the bar on standards. As we said last January, we need to get real on carbon math. The current methods used for carbon accounting are ambiguous and too discretionary. We need clear protocols to ensure that progress reported on an accounting statement is truly progress in the real world. Another point of progress, while not splashy, is also indispensable. As we work to decarbonize our supply chain, the role of contracts is key. Supplier contracts today do not include a price on carbon – and they must. Passive purchasing is not sufficient. Our experience this year has given us greater conviction that the foundation for almost all progress is the combination of accurate standards, real economic incentives, and effective technology-based measurements. We think that it’s a powerful mix that can accelerate progress around the world. Removing carbon from the environment Our most dramatic action this past year has been our work to remove carbon from the environment. We’re announcing today that we have now purchased the removal of 1.3 million metric tons of carbon from 15 suppliers across 26 projects around the world. This is both a giant leap and a modest step. On the one hand, we believe this is the largest annual carbon removal purchase any company has ever made. It’s creating a new and dynamic economic market that the world needs. But compared to what we need to accomplish by 2030, it’s only an initial step. Using our moonshot analogy, I think of it this way – if our goal is to get to the moon by the end of this decade, this is the equivalent of sending an astronaut into orbit around the earth. It puts us on the right path, but we have a long journey ahead. Click here to load media These purchases come from a Request for Proposals (RFP) we published in July, with the goal of removing 1 million metric tons of carbon. The response was incredible. We received proposals from 189 projects from 79 applicants in more than 40 countries, including proposals for 55 million metric tons of carbon removal this year. In partnership with our third party technical and scientific experts, Carbon Direct and Winrock International, we reviewed all these bids. We sought to be clear eyed about the durability and risk of each removal proposal. In other words, for how long would carbon be removed? How much of the removal would have happened without the project? And what were the risks of leakage by shifting emissions to another area? This process helped us create a carbon removal portfolio that meets our needs today and bets on future technologies. Even more important, this has helped us assess a variety of strengths and weaknesses that will benefit from shared and continuous learning around the world. First, the strengths. This begins with some key principles that worked for us this past year. This includes a commitment to combine carbon reduction with carbon removal, so the second doesn’t become an excuse to avoid the first. That’s what we’ve worked to do by reducing our own emissions and embarking on carbon removal. In addition, it’s imperative that we move away from paying for carbon avoidance and focus on paying for carbon removal. What’s the difference? Think of it this way. Carbon avoidance may involve paying someone to not emit carbon on your behalf, while carbon removal involves paying someone to remove carbon on your behalf. Of course, the carbon crisis at times requires that we avoid taking new steps that would emit additional carbon. But paying someone not to emit carbon is literally paying someone to do nothing. And we know we won’t solve the climate crisis by doing nothing. We need to do something, and it needs to be big. Now, the weaknesses in our efforts, which also are big. As we note in our lengthier report, today there is no real existing carbon removal ecosystem and the world must build a new market on an unprecedented scale and timeline, from nearly scratch. This will be incredibly hard, requiring integrity, public-private coordination, and heavy investment simultaneously. We’re hopeful that our RFP will contribute to something that’s much bigger than ourselves. Our early sense is that the world is not just ready but anxious to create this new market. That’s why we are making all 189 carbon removal proposals publicly available, except for proprietary information. We’re also sharing our learnings about what worked and what didn’t so that others can accelerate their own carbon removal. I encourage you to read our carbon removal white paper to learn more. There’s a second big weakness in our initial work as well. Reflecting the state of the market today and our immediate need for carbon removal, nearly all the carbon removal solutions we are purchasing are short-term and nature-based. The small remainder come from medium-term blended or big bets on long-term technology solutions. If we look at this work through our moonshot analogy, this is not the rocket that will take us to the moon. The world needs to invent substantially stronger technology-based solutions than are available today. That’s why we established last year our $1 billion Climate Innovation Fund, which is now investing in new technologies like direct air capture. And it’s why the world will need many more investments from across the philanthropic, private, and public sectors. We’re encouraged by the broadening investments in this space and the public leadership of the European Union, the United States, and other governments. Much more will need to follow. Advancing transparency and accountability Quite rightly, another growing theme around the world is the need for institutions to put in place the transparency and accountability that will hold everyone’s feet to the fire. The European Union’s comprehensive Green Deal is a good example of the trend. And today we are taking two steps to help move Microsoft in this direction. First, to be transparent, we are releasing our carbon, water, waste, and ecosystems data in our sustainability report, which was reviewed by an independent third-party. Today, we’re also committing to having our future reports reviewed by Deloitte. Second, we are announcing today that progress on sustainability goals will be included as a factor in determination of executive pay starting with our next fiscal year in July. This will add to the practice we’ve had since 2016 to tie a portion of executives’ compensation to environmental, social and governance measures starting with diversity representation gains. Between now and July, the Compensation Committee of Microsoft’s Board of Directors will assess, review, and approve these changes. This will apply to the compensation of the members of the company’s Senior Leadership Team, including CEO Satya Nadella. Looking ahead As we look forward, we’re struck by both the daunting nature of the challenge and the increasing prospects for progress. Last year many companies around the world launched new sustainability initiatives. We’ve seen significant progress on net zero commitments, including by Starbucks, Maersk, Cemex, Unilever, Amazon, Apple, Google, and Stripe. Increasingly, investors and shareholders are asking for or even demanding this type of change. As BlackRock CEO Larry Fink put it this past week, “We know that climate risk is investment risk. But we also believe the climate transition presents a historic investment opportunity.” In short, the world increasingly is putting the full weight of capitalism behind private sector investments to address the climate crisis. This makes it likely that the past year’s corporate announcements will reflect the wave of the future rather than a one-time sensation. The geopolitics of carbon are also improving. As a company that never left the Paris Climate Accord, we take heart that the United States government is now back in it. There is a real prospect for a renewed and strong trans-Atlantic partnership between the European Union and the United States. In both Brussels and Washington, D.C., there is a rapidly growing focus not only on reducing carbon emissions, but on addressing environmental equity and the need for a just transition to a net zero carbon future, a principle we’re incorporating in our own work as well. Clearly, closer trans-Atlantic cooperation is just the start. There is no issue that requires more consistent and broader multilateral collaboration than sustainability. And even in a world that is divided by so much, there is now hope on the horizon for the type of work that will bring every government to the table. A final lesson from our work this past year is that when it comes to the carbon crisis, knowledge is the ultimate power. We all have so much to keep learning. During the next three decades we will need technology breakthroughs on a par with those that propelled humanity to the moon a half century ago. This will require new investments and collaboration. The path toward progress also requires conversation. So much of our own learning has come from bringing people from different disciplines and places together. On a personal note, it has often come from our biggest cheerleader and most thoughtful critic – Bill Gates. We’re excited that Bill will do even more to expand the global conversation with the publication next month of his book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster. We’ve been learning from Bill and the lessons in the draft of his manuscript for the past year. As we’ve so often learned, a book isn’t just words on a page. It’s a platform for conversation. And as much as anything, this is a conversation the world needs to have. [1] Due to differences between our fiscal year carbon accounting methods and this calendar year update the verified numbers included in our annual report differ slightly from those estimated in the blog. The post One year later: The path to carbon negative – a progress report on our climate ‘moonshot’ appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

The Lords of the West downloadable content is available now on PC for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, which you can get through the Microsoft Store and Steam. It includes two new civilizations – Burgundian and Sicilian – in three new fully-voiced campaigns and 16 new achievements. Xbox Game Pass members can use their member discount to save 10%. Get all the details over at Xbox Wire. Continue reading...

While 2020 can certainly be characterized as a year of disruptive change, it was also a year of accelerated innovation across industries and technology trends that, in many cases, were already gathering pace. For example, well before the pandemic, many of our customers had embraced a modern compute paradigm in the cloud and were increasingly looking to create an economic flywheel or engine to unlock further innovation. They also showed a keen interest in democratizing digital experiences that allow everyone in their organization, from the frontline worker to the C-suite, to be part of the innovation process. Further, they made the strategic decision to put their data to work by building a connected data estate. Customers accelerating their digital journey in this way are ultimately more agile, resilient and positioned for continued growth in 2021 and beyond. https://blogs.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/2021/01/University-of-Sydney-1024x683.jpg The University of Sydney built the AI-infused Corona Chatbot, which leverages Microsoft Cognitive Services, to support students with COVID-19 queries. Rapid industry innovation and customers’ response to COVID-19 The beginning of the year brought industry-leading customer innovation. Faurecia, LG Electronics and ZF announced automotive experiences highlighting cloud, edge, IoT and AI services. Samsung announced a new smartphone with a push-to-talk button to make communication easier for frontline workers, Canada Goose built on the principle of the endless aisle, and H&M shared its continued work toward a more sustainable future using Azure IoT. Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bosch Group and ZF Friedrichshafen joined the Open Manufacturing Platform, an initiative founded by Microsoft and BMW. We announced groundbreaking partnerships with BlackRock, the NBA, the NFL, and The Coca-Cola Company, and acquired Affirmed Networks and Metaswitch Networks. Then unexpectedly, the COVID-19 outbreak pushed organizations to grapple with a new reality. Business continuity became paramount and customers turned to technology to adapt as quickly as possible. Telemedicine took on a critical role and frontline workers at St. Luke’s University Health Network found technology-based solutions to scale the triage process and preserve protective gear while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a COVID-19 assessment bot so organizations could more easily screen patients for potential infection and care alternatives. We worked across industries to accelerate research and scientific discovery, and joined a White House-led consortium, participating alongside C3.ai and top universities. Preserving a culture of learning was more important than ever, and teachers and students at the University of Bologna, University of Sydney and Case Western Reserve University turned to remote options to continue classes and maintain social connections. We also joined a coalition to contribute resources and technology expertise to ensure #LearningNeverStops. Read more customer stories from January – March 2020 https://blogs.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/2021/01/Sri-Lanka-photo-scaled-1-1024x511.jpg Brewing up change under COVID-19: Transforming how tea is bought and sold in Sri Lanka. Digital technology to recover and adapt to a new normal As the year went on, customers continued adopting digital technologies to increase agility, accelerate their recovery and quickly respond to changing needs. The Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust looked to mixed reality to limit the number of clinicians in high-risk areas and preserve personal protective equipment, and PCL Construction began manufacturing and assembling AI-enabled Citizen Care Pods to provide convenient COVID-19 testing. UnitedHealth Group launched a tool to help manage employee symptom screening, and ImmunityBio turned to our cloud for computational analysis on vaccine development. From deploying smart cameras and analytics capabilities, to increasing operational efficiency and more, customers including Sony, Hitachi, GE Aviation, BNY Mellon, and Volkswagen all turned to digital technologies to further advance their businesses despite the pressures of the pandemic. Bound by social distancing requirements, the Sri Lanka Tea Board and its Tea Traders Association developed an e-auction system to save nearly 2 million jobs, and organizers of the maintained a virtual experience for their community while under a shelter-in-place order. As industries adapted to a new normal, we saw customers embrace the digital future. For instance, we partnered with Walgreens Boots Alliance and Adobe to launch a cloud platform to provide more personalized health care and shopping experiences, and announced a multiyear collaboration with FedEx for customers and businesses to better compete in a growing digital landscape. And by collaborating with companies like Workday and SAS, we are helping our joint customers improve business performance with cloud technologies. We also launched our first industry-specific cloud offering – Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare – designed to create better patient experiences for improved health outcomes. Read more customer stories from April – June 2020 https://blogs.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/2021/01/LOL_Hero-1024x682.jpg Land O’Lakes and Microsoft formed a strategic alliance to pioneer new innovations in agriculture and support rural communities. Resiliency across industry and increased adoption of cloud-first business strategies Building resiliency and adapting to change typically takes time and preparation, yet we saw the shift to digital capabilities accelerate at an incredible pace. Government organizations, including the Georgia Office of the State Treasurer and New Jersey Courts, adopted secure remote work environments to maintain critical state services and court proceedings. Even empowering employees required new tools aimed at productivity, safety and security. Whether it was virtual or in-person, customers like Suffolk, Biersdorf AG, Lumen (formerly CenturyLink), and T-Mobile provided employees with secure remote access, thermal imaging for temperature checks, and more. Increasingly, customers are also embracing cloud-first business strategies to improve organizational and end-user agility. For example, Mastercard, Morgan Stanley Capital International, Finastra, Refinitiv, National Australia Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Munich RE turned to the cloud to provide secure customer solutions. PepsiCo, Woolworths, Marks & Spencer, Office Depot and JB Hi-Fi all streamlined their business models. AT&T unveiled a new solution to help businesses connect machines and equipment to the cloud, citizen developers at Telstra automated manual processes and SK Telecom brought the first gaming cloud to the Asian market. We also partnered closely with Citrix to help companies reimagine the workplace of the future and adapt to changing market conditions with cloud-based tools and services. Irrespective of industry, customers also continue to harness the power of digital to advance their purpose. We made announcements with bp and Shell about increasing our joint sustainability efforts. The European Parliament is using AI technology to ensure its debates are accessible across 24 languages, and PBSF developed a system that allows for rapid intervention for newborns at high risk of neurological injury. In addition, our alliance with Land O’Lakes is pioneering new agriculture innovations and helping close the rural broadband gap, Africa’s Talking is helping surface economic opportunity even in regions with limited local cloud access, and Sodexo is helping develop employment opportunities for frontline workers with disabilities. Read more customer stories from July – September 2020 Partnering to reimagine the future of industries https://blogs.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/2021/01/AzureSpace_Still_02-1024x576.png Partners bring deep expertise to new Azure Space venture. In the last quarter of 2020 Microsoft introduced Azure Space, an initiative to deliver innovation for the space community through investments in people, partnerships and products using the power of AI and intelligent edge computing. We announced our partnerships with SpaceX, SES, Viasat and others to bring satellite connectivity and a roadmap of new geospatial offerings to organizations across the public and private sector. In the automotive industry, we shared news of our strategic partnership with CNHi and Accenture to develop connected industrial vehicles that will enhance CNHi’s digital capabilities to grow topline revenue, build a digitally enabled workforce and enhance sustainability. U.K.-based Wayve is using our cloud platform to support development of cutting-edge autonomous driving for urban environments, and in the U.S., Cox Automotive turned to Microsoft 365 to facilitate secure communication, saving $1 million and helping the company move to remote work across its 25 brands, including Kelly Blue Book and Autotrader.com. In the energy industry, Microsoft signed on to become part of Northern Lights – a joint effort with the Norwegian government and energy firms Equinor, Shell and Total – to standardize and scale carbon capture and storage across Europe. Furthering our work with Shell and Equinor, we announced co-development efforts to build a smart inventory management solution to give energy companies better control over available equipment and to optimize stock levels. In Denmark, Energinet is re-developing its Datahub solution with an opensource approach leveraging Azure and GitHub to make data more accessible for the electricity market and enable creation of intelligent solutions that boost the green transition globally. In financial services, Vanguard created a unified digital workplace by deploying Microsoft 365 to its 23,000 employees and implementing Teams to remain productive while working remotely. Judo Bank in Australia is using Microsoft 365, Teams and Surface devices to ensure employees can continue working seamlessly, safely and securely during the pandemic, and Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI) operated without interruption during the pandemic by pivoting its 46,000 employees to remote work in just one week thanks to Microsoft 365. In India, Paisabazaar.com is helping customers get access to credit remotely during the pandemic through an end-to-end digitization stack built upon Azure. Banco de Credito e Inversiones (BCI) in Chile is focused on providing its customers with sophisticated technology experiences by developing a hybrid cloud model that improves performance and reliability of its systems while boosting agility. In healthcare, we continued our close collaboration with Humana to create a dashboard built on Power BI that brings together disparate data for actionable insights, supporting key business decisions and driving citizen development through a data-driven culture. Australia’s NSW Health Pathology is using our Power BI platform to gain visibility into rapid testing results for 1.7 million patients. We also publicly launched the Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare offering, and Providence adopted this solution to empower clinicians on the frontlines and respond rapidly to the pandemic. In manufacturing, we partnered with Zeiss on their cloud-first approach to standardize its equipment and processes on Azure and leverage Azure high-performance computing (HPC), AI and IoT to provide original equipment manufacturers (OEM) with new quality management solutions. In Ireland, Johnson Controls is using Azure Digital Twin technologies to provide their integrated digital twin technologies for designing and managing buildings and spaces. BlueScope is using Azure Synapse and Azure Databricks to transform its data and analytics to ensure limitless analysis capability. Dell Technologies standardized virtual collaboration for 157,000 employees using Microsoft Teams and incorporating Microsoft 365 apps to drive efficiency. And in the racing world, we are working with the Renault DP World F1 team in France to accelerate and optimize innovation cycles using AI and Surface. In media and telecommunications, we are working with Warner Bros. to help a new generation of students through basketball-inspired coding programs featuring LeBron James and Bugs Bunny. Our collaboration with Verizon is bringing Azure cloud and edge capabilities together with the company’s mobile edge computing platform to help developers build applications with ultra-low latency. We are also partnering with Deutsche Telekom to deliver high-performance cloud computing experiences with Azure and support people and businesses be more connected and productive with Microsoft 365 and Teams. We saw strong momentum across all our solutions within the retail and consumer goods industry. RB, a leading consumer goods company in the U.K. selling more than 20 million products, is using our cloud platforms to work more closely with supermarkets and retailers across the world. PepsiCo is using our AI solution Project Bonsai to create the perfect Cheeto using data from a computer vision system. Dr. Martens is using Dynamics 365 for greater visibility into their business, and Crocs is streamlining communications with customers, retailers and colleagues using Teams. MARS Petcare invested in RealWear hands-free headsets equipped with Teams to support remote collaboration and boost efficiencies through autonomous maintenance efforts, and we collaborated with Starbucks to create new digital experiences for customers, including new Teams meeting backgrounds and an app that makes it easy to show appreciation for colleagues by sending a Starbucks gift card in Teams. In Japan, ZOZO Group is using our Microsoft 365 security solution as it shifts to a cloud environment. In government, the Department for Work and Pensions, the largest U.K. government department with 90,000 employees serving 25 million citizens, is moving to a cloud-first strategy by deploying cloud-native Surface Pro devices to increase security and efficiency for its workforce. Australian scientists with the Department of Agriculture, Environment & Water is using AI and cloud technologies to protect its Kakadu National Park from the effects of uranium mining. In the U.S., the Department of Veterans Affairs is accelerating modernization efforts and deploying cloud-based dashboards to track and react to active COVID-19 cases and bed space at VA hospitals, and the Samish Indian Nation is maintaining ancestral traditions even with social distancing in place using Microsoft Teams. We also saw continued momentum in education, with the University of the District of Columbia and University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine all leveraging Surface devices to deliver modern teaching experiences. The past year has brought to light new challenges for our customers, as they reaffirm their purpose and find their footing in a variety of shifting industry contexts. As a digital partner of choice committed to helping them navigate these challenges, we are maintaining our focus on industry expertise, especially through the talent we hire, the technology investments we make together with our partners, the solutions we create and the partnerships we engage on. Taken together, this approach enables us to be better partners to our customers, deploying vertical-specific clouds for their needs, working side-by-side with them to co-innovate and co-develop next-generation solutions that help differentiate them in the marketplace, gain share and support their success. The post How customers accelerated industry innovation during a year of disruptive change: A look back on 2020 appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

While the holiday season has come and gone, the new year brings a renewed opportunity for reflection, goal-setting and personal growth. The start of the new year makes me appreciate our team’s progress and I’ve got to tell you, there’s a lot of great stuff coming in 2021! This month marks the one-year birthday of the new Microsoft Edge and to celebrate this milestone, you’ll see some beautiful new designs and visual themes so you can customize Microsoft Edge to reflect your unique personality. Thanks for your feedback and continued support over the last year! Over the holidays, I hope you’ve had a chance to experience why Microsoft Edge is the best browser for shopping with built-in coupons, the ability to compare prices, gift suggestions in Bing and more. I’ve heard from friends and family how Microsoft Edge helped save time and money this holiday season, and I couldn’t be happier . We plan to bring more shopping features to Microsoft Edge and Bing in the coming months so keep the feedback coming! You most likely already have Microsoft Edge installed, so launch it and check it out. If you’re on a Mac or mobile device, download it and let us know what you think! Today, I’m excited to announce several features that help you start your new year off right. Here’s what’s new this month in Web Experiences and some of my New Year resolutions: Resolution 1: Make the most of your time online in 2021 Research online and stay in the flow with sidebar search in Microsoft Edge https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/01/W10_20H2_Laptop_Edge_Sidebar-Search_16x9_en-US.gif Great for looking up unfamiliar words for school, recipes, or even that obscure toy your niece requested for her birthday, sidebar search is now generally available in Microsoft Edge. While browsing web pages, simply highlight a word, right click and search. A side panel will open with search results so you can get quick answers without having to navigate away from your current page. I love this one because it helps me stay focused and I can easily get back to where I left off without opening a new tab. It’s also great for reading up on topics I might not be familiar with or going deep on research. Stay up to date on your Outlook email right from the Microsoft Edge new tab page https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/01/W10_20H2_Laptop_Edge_NTP-Outlook-Mail_16x9_en-US.gif I multitask a lot in my browser and always keep an eye on my inbox to stay productive. This month, you’ll start to see incoming emails directly from the new tab page of Microsoft Edge. With the new smart tile for Outlook, you can see your three most recent emails and also start a new email or meeting request in Outlook, directly from the new tab page. To get started, open a new tab page and click the plus sign beside your current quick links. Under suggestions, click Outlook. You’ll need to sign in to Microsoft Edge with the same account you use for Outlook to enable this feature, and it will help make your life easier by consolidating your workstreams. And if you’re looking to save time and stay productive at work, Microsoft Edge has you covered! Learn more on our new page. History and tab sync keeps your latest information at your fingertips https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/01/W10_20H2_Laptop_Edge_Settings-Sync_16x9_en-US-1024x576.jpg Moving between devices is getting even easier with this release. Now you can sync your history and tabs, in addition to favorites, passwords and autofill information. This is now available on desktop and mobile to all customers who are signed in with the same profile. To enable history and open tabs sync, go to the Edge settings < profiles < sync and turn on the toggles. You can view your history and open tabs by selecting the “history” option from the menu, or by using the keyboard shortcut CTRL + H. Automatic profile switching comes to macOS One of our most loved features, called Automatic Profile Switching, makes its way to macOS this month. I like to keep my work browsing and personal browsing activities separate, and profile switching makes it so easy. Now macOS provides the ability to switch sites that authenticate with a user's work profile so it’s easier to toggle between work and personal browsing. To get started, check with your local admin if automatic profile switch is enabled for your organization. If so, sign in with your Microsoft personal and work accounts and you’re ready to go. Resolution 2: New year, new look. Express yourself in 2021 Reflect your personality and make Microsoft Edge your own with exclusive themes View: https://www.youtube.com/embed/bRhq1E4p99A Browsers act as portals to our online world. Since a majority of time spent online is through a browser, they are part of how we think about and experience the web each day – and now you can make Microsoft Edge your own with themes. For our 1-year anniversary, I’m excited to share we’ve created 24 new themes so now you have more ways to personalize your browser, with more coming over time. We’ve also partnered with Xbox to offer themes from your favorite franchises, including Halo, Gears, Forza, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Sea of Thieves, Grounded, Ori and the Will of the Wisps and more. Read more about our new themes. Browse our new library of themes on the site and install to get started. The hardest part is choosing only one. Fortunately, you can use different themes for different accounts. I chose one for my personal and another theme for my work account, which makes it even easier for me to keep the two separate. And if you don’t find one you want, you can also install themes from other stores, including the Chrome Web Store. Icons in Microsoft Edge get a fresh face For the new year, I’m also excited to share that Microsoft Edge is now incorporating elements of the Fluent design system, starting with our icons in the browser interface. In our latest release you'll notice subtle updates to icons in Microsoft Edge that are rounder and softer in appearance. They are built from a consistent key-line and grid which allows for more visual consistency when scanning menus, lists, etc. This is just the beginning of our design journey and we’re already imagining how to bring Fluent design throughout our products. We can't wait to share more of our vision in the near future. Resolution 3: Achieve your personal goals this year Get a fresh start and find a new job with Microsoft Bing https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/01/browsing-bing-jobs-search-results-and-more-listings.gif Last year was hard for many of us around the world. As the pandemic drudges on, the joblessness rate continues to rise. So, we wanted to deliver a way to make job searches faster, easier and more comprehensive for you. By aggregating job openings from different sources across the web and providing powerful filtering capabilities, the Microsoft Bing job results let you quickly browse and find jobs relevant to your employment needs and qualifications. To try it out, you can search for “jobs hiring near me,” or if relevant, search for more specific roles or companies. With the job openings that are returned, you can filter as needed by job types, annual salary, location and more. Clicking “see more listings” will take you to our full-page job search portal, which layers in additional information like full-length job description, as well as deeper filtering capabilities and a more comprehensive list of job openings for you to browse, so you can do a more in-depth search if you’d like. Whether you are looking to land your first job or thinking about a career switch, our new job search experience on Microsoft Bing takes some of the pain out of what usually is a lengthy task. Get quick resources for your wellness goals with Microsoft Bing https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/01/mediterannean-diet-search-result-foods-to-eat-and-recipes.jpg In the new year, like many people, I set resolutions to keep my mind and body healthy. The last thing I want to be doing for these resolutions is to spend a lot of time and stress finding helpful resources. To help with that, Microsoft Bing has released visually rich, summarized information right on the search results page. For example, a search for “yoga poses” shows a carousel with playable videos showing different poses that I can quickly sort by level of difficulty, body target area and skills I want to focus on. A search for “Mediterranean diet” shows summarized results pulling together the summary of the diet, foods to eat and avoid, a daily eating plan and more. And, if I don’t know what things I want to try, I can search for something more general like “how to deal with stress,” and quickly get an aggregated view of things I can try for relief, general coping habits, and some common causes for stress I can look out for in my life. To get started, search the queries listed above, or whatever wellness-related topics that are top of mind for you! Make more than sourdough bread in 2021 with recipes on Microsoft Bing https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/01/browsing-Bing-recipes-search-results.gif If you’re like me, you’re probably tired of cooking the same things and want to quickly get some fresh culinary inspiration. You’re probably also tired of spending time browsing a bunch of individual blogs and sites where the recipes themselves are buried beneath text and ads. That’s why we’re excited about our new Microsoft Bing recipes features that help you quickly find a recipe that suits your needs. For example, search for “healthy veggie recipe” and you’ll get a collage of images that show you what each dish looks like, along with aggregated reviews and nutrition info. Click on any dishes that catch your eye, and you’ll get a high-level summary of ingredients needed, possible substitutions, and an option to scale the recipe up or down by number of desired servings, so you can see at a glance if a recipe is right for you. You can watch any available videos for a recipe inline to learn more about how to get started, or click through to the site for full preparation instructions. Learn more with knowledge cards in Microsoft Bing https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/01/polar-bear-Bing-knowledge-card.jpg Microsoft Edge and Bing place the world’s information at your fingertips. Whether you’re a student working on a project, or just curious, we want to help you quickly find what you’re looking for so you don’t have to wade through lots of pages. That’s why we’ve released knowledge cards on Microsoft Bing that provide quick, easy and visually rich summaries of popular topics, aggregated from multiple sources, to help keep your search easy and fun. You can currently see our knowledge cards on topics like animals and a few other topics, with more coming soon! Resolution 4: Maximize your computer’s performance this year Sleeping tabs improves browser and system performance https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/01/W10_20H2_Laptop_Edge_Sleeping-Tabs_16x9_en-US.gif If you’re like me, you have about a dozen tabs open at once to quickly access the information you need. Having too many tabs open can slow down your system and clog up computer resources. Well we’ve solved that to make your life easier as you browse. Microsoft Edge now has a sleeping tabs feature that boosts browser performance by improving memory and CPU resource usage, rolling out now. When you have several tabs open, it will release system resources for inactive tabs to help power new or existing tabs as well as other applications, preventing slowdowns and sluggishness. To get started, enable the sleeping tabs option in the browser settings menu. I just wish my kids would go to sleep by themselves at night. Resolution 5: Be prepared for whatever comes your way Be prepared for anything mother nature throws your way with Microsoft Weather https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/01/Weather-GIF.gif Weather forecasts are often unreliable since most weather services are based on century-old methods with limited accuracy that aren't sensitive to topography -- it could be sunny in one location but just a few miles away it could be raining buckets. At Microsoft, our goal is to deliver the most accurate weather forecasts to our users. This month, we're excited to announce the launch of the Winter Storm Center that will enable our users to plan better for the winter season. First and foremost, we use a state-of-the-art neural weather model that applies deep learning on radar images and other spatial, temporal data to predict rain or snow at a hyper-local resolution of 1 km and at an accuracy and scale not possible by existing weather providers. In addition, we are delivering these forecasts in a new immersive weather map experience which enables our users to know not only when a snowstorm is going to hit hardest at their specific location but also follow weather advisories and local weather news in one place. Check it out here. Resolution 6: Strengthen online security for you and your family Secure your online accounts with password generator https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2021/01/W10_20H2_Laptop_Edge_Password-Generator_16x9_en-US.gif Anyone who knows me knows I love to shop. I admit I did quite a lot of it over the holidays using Microsoft Edge and thankfully saved some money with our built-in capability that searches for potential coupons. But have you ever been a victim of identity theft or had one of your online accounts hacked? Since the start of the pandemic, data breaches have been on the rise as people use their computers more than ever before to shop, bank and surf the web. This month, we are announcing password generator to help keep you and your family safer online. With password generator, Microsoft Edge will automatically suggest a secure password when you’re changing an existing password or signing up for a new online account, automatically saving it to your browser autofill settings. Again, such a simple, easy solution that makes me feel SO much better about browsing the web. To get started, make sure you have Microsoft account sign and sync enabled in Microsoft Edge. And along with tracking prevention, Microsoft Defender SmartScreen, and Password monitor rolling out soon, Microsoft Edge has got your back. You can read about more updates in our Microsoft Edge 88 Privacy and Security blog. We hope your 2021 is off to a great start and can’t wait to share more great things coming from Microsoft Edge and Bing this year. Continue reading...

At this year’s first-ever, all-digital Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft’s device partners announced innovative new Windows hardware and software for all kinds of gamers. They also embraced graphics cards that fully support DirectX 12 Ultimate in their flagship gaming PCs. Xbox Wire’s Will Tuttle calls DirectX 12 Ultimate “the latest gold standard for gaming graphics on both PC and Xbox Series X|S consoles.” Over at Xbox Wire, Tuttle rounds up some of these gaming devices, from the thinnest, most ultraportable gaming laptops yet, to immersive displays and sleek designs, to new graphics cards. Continue reading...