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The post Introducing x64 emulation in preview for Windows 10 on ARM PCs to the Windows Insider Program appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

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With people continuing to work from home and in hybrid working environments, Lenovo has expanded its solutions portfolio with the addition of new accessories, updated management software and a platform-agnostic compute device with Intel Unite. The ThinkSmart Cam and ThinkSmart Bar are the company’s first branded accessories optimized for ThinkSmart solutions – but they can be used with most meeting room formats, including Microsoft Teams Rooms*. The ThinkSmart Cam is a smart meeting room 4K HDR (High Dynamic Range) capable camera suitable for huddle, small and medium rooms. The Cam supports high resolution frame rates with a wide field of view and provides advanced features such as active speaker tracking, autozoom, auto framing and people counting. It’s expected to be available in January. The ThinkSmart Bar is a lightweight standalone premium sound bar with four built-in beamforming microphones for an immersive meeting room audio experience. It’s expected to be available in February. The Cam and Bar are equally efficient in large meeting rooms as they are in dedicated home offices, offering scalable flexibility. ThinkSmart Manager, which is available now with your ThinkSmart device, centrally manages both. ThinkSmart Manager 2.0, which arrives in March, delivers a single console remote management utility to ease IT admins’ burdens by minimizing local high-touch service of devices. This version adds executive dashboard in-meeting analytics for Microsoft Teams Rooms, user configurable email notifications and bulk claiming technology. Also new is a mobile app for iOS or Android devices that provides status, claiming and push notifications with a dashboard view of deployed devices. https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2020/12/05_ThinkSmart_Edition_Tiny-1024x768.jpg A 10th Gen Intel Core processor with vPro powers the new ThinkSmart Edition Tiny for Intel Unite, which runs Windows 10 IoT. It comes pre-loaded with Intel Unite to enable a smooth deployment process and helps IT departments manage collaboration infrastructure. Visit Lenovo for more information. * Check with Lenovo for supported unified communications platforms. Continue reading...

The latest Sea of Thieves monthly update, Festival of Giving, is now available and free for all players with Windows 10, Xbox Game Pass and across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass and Steam. Pirates can rake in riches and a range of prizes through a line-up of time-limited Events. In the 12 Deeds of Giving Event running through to Jan. 20, beating Challenges grants goodies. Alongside this, pirates are encouraged to give generosity a go in Plundered Presents, which brings bonus payouts and Gold Hoarder goods in return for gifting treasure to other crews. On Dec. 30 this makes way for a line-up of half a dozen new Challenges with their own rewards to send pirates roaring into 2021. You can also grab stats on your 2020 piratical performance by checking out Your Story So Far. Read more at Xbox Wire. Continue reading...

With the release of the free Howling Peaks downloadable content, those who play Minecraft Dungeons Hero Edition can now climb a mountain – without ever having to leave their couch or desk. Also available now: a free game update and new Season Pass. Head over to Minecraft.net to get all the details. Continue reading...

Super7, a new game mode for Forza Horizon 4, is now available for free for everyone playing on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10 PC, Xbox Game Pass and cloud gaming with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The community can create individual challenges based on drift, speed, air and more. When you choose to play Super7, seven randomly selected challenges appear. If you can win all seven in a row, you’ll get an exclusive reward. Get all the details at Xbox Wire. Continue reading...

The post Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.685 (20H2) appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Mojang Studios is ending the year by celebrating the Minecraft community in weekly free giveaways. Minecraft Starter Collection for Windows 10 players can look for free content made by community creators for both Bedrock and Java editions of the game, with new character creator items and maps over the course of four weeks, released each Monday. You could also get a free week of Java Realms between Dec. 8 and Jan. 13. Find out more at Minecraft.net. Continue reading...

As we approach the end of one of the most tumultuous years in recent memory marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have an opportunity to take stock of how the challenges faced by governments, businesses and individuals have tested us collectively, and how we have responded. While this pandemic has taught us that no one is 100 percent resilient, government agencies focused on the notion of mission resiliency, including agile infrastructure, ongoing digital transformation and topline security, have proven more capable of quickly pivoting and adapting in the face of a crisis. We saw government customers embracing innovation at an accelerated rate and expect this to continue – as leaders shift their mindsets and operations to be more agile, anticipating the needs of citizens and government workers. This pandemic has been tragic and devastating to so many citizens, across the U.S. and globally. As a result of the increasing reliance on technology to support remote “everything,” this period has demonstrated the most accelerated shift to digital transformation in decades. At our third annual Government Leaders Summit, Microsoft’s premier event for U.S. federal government officials, we showcased examples of government customers who have reimagined new ways of working, as they navigate the changing landscape. These stories include: Digital transformation at the Department of Veterans Affairs – Our teams helped the VA deploy AI-based chatbots, so veterans have 24/7 access to COVID-19 testing, scheduling telehealth visits, refilling prescriptions and even assistance payments. We also helped the VA implement cloud-based dashboards, powered by Microsoft’s Power BI, Bing Maps Platform and Azure App Service to help the agency have near real-time information on bed utilization and even open access to civilians as local hospitals reached capacity with COVID-19 patients. Rapid shift to remote work for the Department of Defense – In less than a month, the DOD and Microsoft created a Commercial Virtual Remote (CVR) work environment built on Azure Government, Microsoft 365 Government and Microsoft Teams. CVR delivers secure chat, meetings, calls, collaboration and other telework functionality for 3.2 million DOD employees to ensure seamless continuity of operations. Implementing zero-trust solutions at the Small Business Administration –To help securely manage the nearly 20,000 newly remote workers, the SBA leveraged Microsoft’s cloud security capabilities to enable dynamic security access controls based off of user risk scores, location, user behavior, device, identity and other data. This zero trust-like approach, developed under challenging circumstances, allowed the SBA to operate and meet critical needs like distributing pandemic-related funding while ensuring security and trust in its systems. Facilitating mission resiliency for government Microsoft is committed to helping agencies adapt to new ways of work and serve the public and facilitating the goals of mission resiliency. As part of this effort, today we announced a number of advances to our government cloud offerings, including: Delivering enhanced capabilities for Azure Government – We offer broadest range of commercial innovation for mission at all data classifications, and today my colleague Tom Keane, corporate vice president of Azure engineering, shared an update on new capabilities. We’ve recently completed the buildout of our Azure Government Top Secret regions and we’re working with the U.S. government on accreditation. We’re also expanding the rugged edge portfolio to bring cloud intelligence and compute anywhere you need. And to further mission resiliency, we are offering two additional modules for the Azure Modular Datacenter (MDC): Network High Availability module and the High Availability power module, both add-on feature options for the MDC. Microsoft 365 Government committed to support U.S. government data requirements – As part of our commitment to supporting federal government agencies, the defense industrial base, and the DOD, we are committed to delivery of Microsoft 365 Government to support U.S. secret and top-secret data. We’ll have more details to share in the new year. Dynamics 365 and Power Platform update – To support the DOD’s goals of moving mission-critical applications to the cloud, Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform have received an IL4 Provisional Authority. This is an important step in our ability to serve defense agencies as it allows them to transfer previously supported datacenters to Microsoft’s managed cloud. Re-imagining the future together We’re incredibly excited about this progress and our continued partnership to provide the federal government with the platform it needs to deliver on its diverse and complex missions, whether it’s a rapid shift to remote work or supporting COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Agencies operating with the necessary courage, culture and capabilities have been able to accelerate in the face of adversity. At Microsoft, we are committed to supporting our government customers with trusted technology solutions and people-centric partnerships, which help advance continuity of services and the highest mission resiliency as we build into the future together. For more details about our work, please visit the Microsoft Government page here. The post Enhancing mission resiliency for government appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

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For those who have mastered State of Decay 2’s challenges, there are new updates and content, including Lethal Difficulty, which represents the ultimate test of survival skill, with corresponding new achievements worth a total of 100 additional Gamerscore. Lethal aspects can also be mixed and matched with Custom Difficulty, so every player can fine-tune their ideal apocalypse. Players can also check out the Stay Frosty Pack, which adds over a dozen themed items that can be earned through in-game challenges or discovered in the open world. State of Decay 2 is now optimized for Xbox Series X and Series S consoles, too. State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition is available with Xbox Game Pass, Xbox One, Windows 10 PC, Steam and the Epic Games Store. Find out more at Xbox Wire. Continue reading...

The post Releasing Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.1070.0 to the Beta Channel appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

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The Block Friday sale in the Minecraft Marketplace has commenced and will be in effect through Nov. 30. Up to 100 maps and items will be on sale for 33% off during the entire week, but make sure to check in regularly because there will be two new 75% offers daily. Also look out for a free skin pack. Head over to Minecraft.net to find out more. Continue reading...

There’s no getting around the fact most of us are going to miss being together with friends and family for the holidays. But of course we can still gather online, and Windows can help, with the Meet Now tool. Meet Now makes it easy to share a meeting link that everyone can join, no sign-ups or downloads required. For instance, if one of your clan makes awesome pumpkin pies, he or she can show the rest of you how it’s done over a Meet Now session. The Windows team has come up with other ways to help you share your holiday meals. Find and share recipes, create a family cookbook and more. Head over to the Windows Resource Center for these and other tasty tips. Continue reading...

Note: In Part 2 of a two-part series, Rick Wagner shares Microsoft Federal’s 2020 progress in delivering solutions and tools for digital transformation and efficient mission-focused operations. Please see Part 1 for examples of federal agencies achieving success in addressing pandemic impacts and meeting diverse missions. In Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s 2020 letter to shareholders, he reflects on the past year and the opportunity ahead. I was struck by one of his statements, which captures why I’m honored to lead Microsoft Federal: “I’m proud of how our ecosystem of customers and partners has stepped up over the past year to help people and organizations in every country use technology to be resilient and transform during the most trying of circumstances.” This is especially true in the United States, where our Microsoft Federal team and partners provide trusted leading-edge cloud and AI solutions to empower federal agencies in addressing extraordinary challenges, fulfilling demanding requirements and enabling secure, agile digital transformation. It’s also why our first-ever digital Government Leaders Summit on Dec. 7 will focus on mission and leadership resiliency. Best-in-class technology Looking back over the year, Microsoft has made significant progress in providing best-in-class technology for our federal customers to quickly achieve commercial parity while meeting the highest levels of government security and compliance. We’re delivering the latest cloud and AI innovation directly to U.S. federal agencies. For example: We’re excited to join other companies in supporting the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), the U.S. Air Force’s top modernization priority. Our technologies will help integrate the Air Force ABMS capabilities into the larger Joint All-Domain Command and Control, the Department of Defense concept to connect sensors from all military branches into a single network. FedScoop recently reported that the U.S. Navy is working to integrate all telework capabilities into a long-term solution powered by Microsoft 365. According to the article: “The goal is to be able to sync up more features, including a link between email and calendars,” and “by 2021 to have as many services as possible be digital and cloud-native to support both teleworking and in-person needs once more workers can come back to bases and the Pentagon.” Microsoft 365 is a great example of a product that enables remote government access, empowers cross-agency collaboration and complies with stringent security requirements. Last month, Microsoft took the next giant leap in cloud computing – to space. Azure Space is aimed at making Azure the platform and ecosystem of choice for the mission needs of the space community – on or off the planet. By combining a new set of offerings, a partner ecosystem and a global strategy focused on innovation, Azure Space will offer an integrated cloud and satellite experience connecting to almost any device anywhere. It also will serve as the bridge between the Pentagon and satellite providers. Another recent blog showcased our Power Platform return to the workplace solution, which enables enterprises and government agencies to prepare facilities and employees when a return to the physical workplace makes sense. We partnered with CBRE, the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, to develop this comprehensive, end-to-end solution for location readiness, workplace care management, employee health and safety management, and location management. This same blog also notes that Microsoft Power Platform – used by 97 percent of the Fortune 500 – offers government employees tools for even greater digital transformation, including: Power Apps, Power BIand Power BI for the U.S. government, Power Automate and Power Automate U.S. Government, and Power Virtual Agents. [*]In late March, we confirmed that Azure Government Secret achieved provisional authorization to host government data classified as secret, meeting Department of Defense (DOD) Impact Level 6, Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 503 and facility accreditation ICD 705. We also announced: A new third secret region to provide increased availability for national security missions to stay ahead of unique threats. The release of 48 new Azure Government services, bringing our total FedRAMP High services to 101. It’s worth noting that this most recent Azure Government news comes after a three-year series of news highlighting significant advancements to meet government and DOD requirements: Announcing new Azure Government capabilities for classified mission-critical workloads, Oct. 17, 2017 Announcing Azure Stack for Azure Government customers to enable IT modernization and tactical edge scenarios, Aug. 13, 2018 Enabling intelligent cloud and intelligent edge solutions for government, Oct. 9, 2018 Technology and the US military, Oct. 26, 2018 Advancing tactical edge scenarios with Dell EMC Tactical Microsoft Azure Stack and Azure Data Box family, Feb. 4, 2019 Announcing Azure Government Secret private preview and expansion of DoD IL5, April 17, 2019. Embracing technology As the world around us continues to evolve in unpredictable ways, we’re seeing dramatic shifts in how the federal government is embracing technology with speed and agility to achieve objectives, better serve citizens, and further efficiency and effectiveness. The government customers I talk with are focused on digital transformation and seizing opportunities at the accelerated pace required to deliver modern mission outcomes. Microsoft Federal and our partners are committed to supporting the success of U.S. government agencies by continuously investing in our trusted cloud and AI capabilities. You’re invited: Microsoft Government Leaders Summit Another part of our investment is the Microsoft Government Leaders Summit,10 a.m. to noon ET, Dec. 7. On behalf of our Microsoft Federal team, it’s my pleasure to invite you to a digital event dedicated to helping federal government leaders reimagine a future of innovation and transformation to advance our nation. The post Microsoft Federal delivering solutions for secure digital transformation appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

WWE Superstars Kofi Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods have debuted as multiplayer characters in Gears 5, as part of The New Day Pack. You’ll see the WWE Superstars in custom COG (Coalition of Ordered Governments) armor inspired by their flashy ring gear, unique weapon skins and over 700 lines of newly recorded battle chatter. Find out more over at Xbox Wire. Continue reading...

The end of the year is almost here and for me it’s a time to reflect on everything our team has accomplished, celebrate successes and prepare for the year ahead. We launched the new Microsoft Edge last January and since that time we’ve come a long way – but we’re just getting started. With the new Microsoft Edge we’re challenging the status quo when it comes to the web and the browser, focusing on better privacy, stronger performance, saving time and providing value back. With December only two weeks away, there’s no more putting off the decorating, the cooking and the holiday shopping. This holiday, many of us are trying to keep our family traditions alive, even at a distance, while saving money where we can (myself included). If you’ve already started your holiday shopping, you’re way ahead of me . If not, there’s still time to tick everything off your list while saving time and money with Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Bing – we’ve got your back! Microsoft Edge is the best browser for shopping this holiday. In fact, Microsoft Edge is the only browser with built-in tools to help you save time and money while shopping online with new features like auto-fill coupons and more proactive price comparisons. And this month, our new shopping hub, Shop the Look, and deals hub in Microsoft Bing make shopping even easier and quicker than before. And with many of us online more than ever, we want to be sure we’re safe when shopping online. Microsoft Edge is more secure than Chrome and Firefox by offering better protection against phishing and malware attacks on Windows 10. Just another reason to switch to Microsoft Edge. If you haven’t yet tried the new Microsoft Edge, launch it on your Windows PC and give it a spin. If you’re on a Mac or mobile device download it and let us know what you think! Now for what’s new this month in Web Experiences: Save time and money with coupons in Microsoft Edge on desktop and mobile https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/2/2020/11/NewsDuo2.gif With the launch of Surface Duo last month, people are getting to experience Microsoft’s vision for the new way to get things done. With the flexibility of two screens, you can open an article without losing your place on a list of headlines, drag and drop to save videos to a playlist, or just make an article or gallery full-screen to take advantage of Surface Duo’s beautiful displays. Maybe my favorite feature though is book mode – where one article is sized just-right for reading across both screens, just like the pages of a book. It just feels natural with this device to flip pages, makes it easy to focus on one thing at a time, and the weight of the device will have you getting lost in headlines or videos without needing to change devices. I can’t wait to work my way through my book list this holiday season. In addition to the news experience on Surface Duo, Microsoft News is built into Microsoft Edge, integrated into the Microsoft Launcher for Android and is available as a free standalone app. To read more about how Microsoft Edge works on Surface Duo, check out this post. We hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday, and that Microsoft Edge and Bing help you save time and money this year! [1] Coupons are currently available in U.S. markets and now available on desktop and iOS. Coming soon to Android. [2] Price comparison is currently available on desktop versions of Microsoft Edge in U.S. markets. [3] Deals on the new tab page are currently available in U.S. markets. [4] Microsoft Bing’s Deals Hub is only available in U.S. and U.K. markets. [5] Microsoft Bing Shopping Hub is only available in the following markets: U.S., U.K., A.U., C.A., D.E., F.R. [6] Microsoft Bing Shop the Look is only available in U.S. markets. [7] Microsoft Bing product details are only available in the following markets: U.S., U.K., A.U., C.A., D.E., F.R. Continue reading...

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Note: In Part 1 of a two-part series, Rick Wagner shines a spotlight on federal agencies demonstrating resiliency to respond and rebound from 2020 challenges and reimagine a future of innovation and transformation. As we look ahead to the close of 2020 and the beginning of a new year and administration, I’m more excited than ever to be leading our 3,000-member Microsoft Federal team. Formed in July – the same time I came aboard – this new organization reflects Microsoft’s commitment to, and investment in, federal government agencies and the specialized partners who join us in supporting their mission-critical work. In this year of unprecedented challenges, we’ve seen U.S. government agencies respond to the health and economic crisis posed by a global pandemic, civil unrest over policing and racial justice issues, raging wildfires, catastrophic hurricanes and more. Unlike the private sector, the business of government is always open, especially during times of uncertainty, adversity and disruption. I’m inspired by the speed of federal agencies to address evolving demands while advancing government and our nation. I’m also proud that Microsoft Federal kept pace with our customers in using technology as a core enabler for innovations that serve everyone. Leadership, resiliency, momentum Federal agencies are demonstrating leadership, resiliency and momentum in building solutions for some of the most pressing issues of 2020. That’s why our Microsoft Government Leaders Summit digital broadcast on Dec. 7 is focused on empowering mission and leadership resiliency. With our trusted cloud, AI and other leading-edge capabilities, federal organizations are quickly tackling coronavirus issues to ensure seamless delivery of important services and continuity of operations. For example: With the pandemic forcing a move to remote work, the Department of Defense (DOD) needed a rapid global solution. DOD and Microsoft created a secure Commercial Virtual Remote environment built on Azure Government, Microsoft 365 Government and Teams. Computerworld acknowledged DOD’s “rapid deployment in less than a month” to connect millions of workers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) used our Healthcare Bot service to release a Coronavirus self-checkerto help the public make decisions about seeking appropriate medical care. By early April, international healthcare organizations had created 1,230 COVID-19 self-assessment bots, reaching 18 million individuals and serving more than 160 million messages. Nextgov credited the Department of Veterans Affairs for deploying an AI-powered, conversational coronavirus chatbot using our Healthcare Bot service “to help veterans and their caregivers find answers to pressing questions triggered amid the pandemic.” Roll Call and FedScoop reported on the DOD’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center integrating supply-chain data to better inform the military’s response to the pandemic. In weeks, Project Salus produced an Azure- and AI-powered prototype with data from 150-plus sources to quickly assess national supply chains and identify potential shortages of water, medicines, food and other essentials. Meeting diverse missions While the pandemic requires great agility and resiliency, federal agencies also moved forward across several fronts to better meet their diverse missions, such as: Veterans Affairs, Microsoft, Medivis and Verizon joined forces in February as Project Convergence to establish the nation’s first 5G-enabled hospital at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Not only will this public-private partnership result in 5G-based innovations, but it will create opportunities to improve veteran healthcare by leveraging the power of Microsoft HoloLens 2and our Azure cloud. USA Today recently highlighted this initiative, with Susie Adams capturing its impact: “Doctors will be empowered to plan and perform live surgeries, see ultrasounds in 3D, and train doctors, surgeons and nurses to learn and understand human anatomy in new ways.” Microsoft is partnering with the U.S. Air Force to support its mission through more modern IT solutions, including Microsoft 365, Teams and Azure. The move is allowing the Air Force to scale more easily, improve cloud performance, and empower better cross-agency collaboration and communication while complying with strict DOD requirements. With two tropical storms headed for the Gulf Coast, we partnered with a S. Navy team over the Aug. 22–23 weekend to successfully deploy an enhanced weather model in a production-like Microsoft Azure environment. Capable of rapidly scaling weather and ocean pattern predictions on demand, the system confirmed the potential of using our secure cloud to deliver faster, real-time tropical cyclone forecasts. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are working with Microsoft to use AI and machine learning to help monitor endangered beluga whales, threatened ice seals and polar bears. GCN reported that our AI-powered models reduced analysis time by an impressive 93%. Accelerating progress We’re working with the federal government to accelerate progress in other ways, such as The First Five Consortium with the Department of Energy to develop disaster-response AI tools that help first responders quickly address floods, wildfires and windstorms. The Wall Street Journal explained the name as a reference to “the importance of the first five minutes in responding to a natural disaster,” and Susie Adams noted our Azure cloud and AI models will be used to analyze massive and disparate data sets in real time to help first responders better allocate resources or inform the public. Microsoft Federal and our industry team are pleased to collaborate with the DOD in advancing microelectronics technology and strengthening the American microelectronics industrial base through the Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes (RAMP) using Advanced Commercial Capabilities Project. We believe RAMP is vital to protecting national security, maintaining U.S. technological leadership and strengthening the economy. We also hope the path is soon cleared to begin the essential work on the DOD’s Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI), providing fast, responsive, flexible and adaptive cloud services to users at all classification levels. Originally announced Oct. 25, 2019 but stymied by litigation, we remain committed to delivering the best technology, the greatest value to our women and men in uniform, and the highest speed to adoption, innovation, capability and scale. Respond, recover, reimagine Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has been widely attributed with seeing the world going through three pandemic phases: respond, recover and reimagine. As evidenced by the above examples, federal agencies have successfully responded to initial COVID-19 impacts and are now rebounding through collaboration and modernization with secure cloud and AI solutions. We’re also seeing great strides to shape a future of economic growth, transformation, and increased public trust and confidence. For more than 40 years, Microsoft has supported federal agencies as they fulfill missions and create more efficient, effective government. Microsoft Federal is fully dedicated to continuing our company’s history of serving as the trusted partner to government customers as they digitally transform, reimagine tomorrow and achieve more for all of us. An invitation Please join us for the first-ever digital Microsoft Government Leaders Summit, 10 a.m. to noon ET, Dec. 7. Register today to hear from: Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Brad Smith, Toni Townes-Whitley, myself and others discussing the government landscape and what’s needed to address the most pressing issues for federal agencies. Federal leaders who are responding to change and recovering through collaboration and modernization. Author and historian Walter Isaacson, sharing insights on the leadership and resiliency strategies that powered great historic transformations during challenging times – and how these lessons can provide a roadmap for leaders in times of extreme disruption. The post Federal agencies advancing government and our nation appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

Accenture and Microsoft’s unique partnership began in the year 2000, when the two companies co-founded Avanade to create a center of innovation for the Microsoft platform. Today, we truly believe there is no greater partnership in technology and consulting. “It’s about bringing together the power of the Microsoft technology suite with Accenture’s industry know-how to really address the challenges our clients are facing,” says Emma McGuigan, Global Lead, Accenture Microsoft Business Group, “and all of that is powered by Avanade.” Building on our longstanding strategic alliance to serve clients and deliver technology-based solutions, we are excited to share that Envision, Microsoft’s event for business leaders, has been reimagined as Accenture, Avanade and Microsoft present Envision, a digital broadcast series. Accenture, Avanade and Microsoft present Envision is where business leaders can engage and learn from one another as they navigate change. This series will bring together thought leaders, industry executives, and members of our combined leadership team for in-depth discussions on the topics that are top-of-mind for business decision-makers today. It is a challenging time right now for many organizations. As Avanade CEO Pamela Maynard recently put it, “There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has had both a devastating human impact while at the same time being a catalyst for change. Today, our clients are readying themselves for the new reality and looking to build organizational resilience and drive their growth.” If the past several months has taught us anything, it is that no business is 100% resilient, but those that are fortified with some digital capability are more resilient than others. As companies look to respond, recover and reimagine their businesses for the future, there is no doubt that technology will be central to that effort. Envision is a chance for us to come together as leaders to talk about these challenges and share our own experiences in this period of rapid change. Our first episode of Envision for business decision makers will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 15. Register now at envision.event.microsoft.com. We look forward to connecting with you and having you as part of this conversation. The post Envision: Where business leaders come together to share insights and perspectives appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

When you download the free cross-platform play update for Minecraft Dungeons, you and your friends will be able to engage with each other no matter what platform or console you or they are on, including Windows, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation. In related cross-platform news, cloud saves are coming soon to Minecraft Dungeons, which means you’ll be able to play on one platform, use the new cloud save feature, then pick up the game and your progress on another platform. Find out more on Minecraft.net. Continue reading...

Halo 4, the final installment of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, is now available through the Microsoft Store, Xbox Game Pass and Steam. Humanity’s threat of extinction at the hands of the Covenant has been avoided, but an ancient evil awakens. Stranded and shipwrecked on an alien world, the Master Chief must find a path back home while unravelling a sinister plot hatched by the Forerunners. Halo 4 also features 25 multiplayer maps, as well as an updated armor customization system that allows you to change more pieces than ever before. Find out more over at Xbox Wire. Continue reading...

Gears 5 is relaunching its multiplayer suite with its largest post-launch update ever, “Operation 5: Hollow Storm.” The game now has twice the multiplayer content since launch and significant feature updates that give players more freedom to play as they want. A themed update, “Operation 5” takes fans back to the battles in Gears of War 2 and Gears of War 3 and adds seven characters, five maps, 13 new achievements and one returning weapon – the Scorcher. Find out more on Xbox Wire. Continue reading...