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https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/640a51b14fe16cd80c2eb927cbc9616e.gif A group of engineering students knew exactly what they wanted to build at a student technology competition, and they had just 15 hours to do it. As they worked furiously alongside other MIT students, the young women hit a series of snags. They had to wait in long lines to use the 3D printer and laser cutter they needed to shape various parts for their project. Some of the supplies their design called for had already been snatched up by others. Bonnie Wang, an engineering and materials science major, recalls it as “one of the most hectic 15 hours of my life, ever.” They cobbled together their prototype with barely 15 minutes left. It was clunky, with taped corners, an array of wires sprouting from the middle and gaps they’d hastily filled with cardboard — but it worked. In the wee hours of that morning in February, they were awarded a first-place trophy for their invention: a device that could turn printed words into Braille. It was a moment that left them even more energized to create something that could help blind people around the globe — and to cement their place in the growing subset of world’s inventors who are women. Read the full story. The post How six scrappy young inventors built a breakthrough text-to-Braille translator device appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

This Saturday, Sept. 24, Xbox and Ford Performance will host the Forza Horizon 3 launch event at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles from 4-7 PM PDT (11 PM – 1 AM UTC). The event will feature a meet-and-greet with Ken Block, Xbox’s Larry Hryb (“Major Nelson”), hundreds of cars on display, free food and giveaways, live music from Peanut Butter Wolf and DJ Flow and the opportunity to go hands-on with Forza Horizon 3 on Xbox One and Windows 10 before its Sep. 27 release. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/38845c7c46f00d38f3ee27e8573b4676.jpg The event is free to the public (online RSVP encouraged) and will be streamed worldwide on twitch.tv/forzamotorsport. Head over to Xbox Wire to learn more about the launch celebration! Continue reading...

Today, I’m pleased to announce the availability of Microsoft Azure from datacenters in Germany that offer a first-of-its-kind model developed in response to customer needs. The Microsoft Cloud Germany provides a new, differentiated option to the Microsoft Cloud services already available across Europe. Customer data in the two new German datacenters is managed under the control of a data trustee, T-Systems International, an independent German company and subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom. It provides additional controls for customers’ data, as access is only provided with the permission of customers, or the data trustee. Microsoft’s commercial cloud services in these new datacenters adhere to German data handling regulations and give customers additional choices of how and where data is processed. Our new cloud offering meets our global Trusted Cloud principles of security, privacy, compliance and transparency, in addition to the controls for customers’ data under the data trustee. Because of these factors, the Microsoft Cloud Germany creates increased opportunities for innovation and economic growth for highly regulated partners and customers operating in Germany, the European Union and the European Free Trade Association. As part of our mission to enable every person and organization to achieve more, we continue to make Microsoft Cloud offerings more accessible to organizations around the world that need their data to remain within specific borders. Microsoft was the first global company to make onshore public cloud services available to customers in China, through 21Vianet, and today is first with a differentiated cloud offering in Europe, which customers are already starting to embrace: “Microsoft Cloud Germany enables us to fuel our customers’ trust in public cloud solutions: Together with a leading German insurance company we opt for Azure Germany to provide actuarial applications in a flexible, scalable hybrid cloud environment,” says Karsten Kirsch, geschäftsführender Gesellschafter der direkt gruppe GmbH. “Intelligent Industry 4.0 solutions are a key competitive advantage for the Port of Hamburg. With Microsoft Cloud Germany, we will be able to use a cloud solution that meets our compliance restrictions and allows us to use innovative applications to improve our processes,” says Dr. Sebastian Saxe, Chief Digital Officer, Chief Information Officer and Head of Services, Hamburg Port Authority. “Microsoft Cloud Germany enables the successful digital transformation of customers, even those that have had reservations about public cloud solutions or have to meet strict compliance requirements. The openness of Microsoft’s platform is significant: We are now able to move Linux-based applications as well as SAP to the cloud,”, explains Robert Gögele, General Manager, ASG Avanade Deutschland GmbH. With availability in Germany, and recently announced availability in the United Kingdom, Azure now has 30 regions – more than any other major cloud provider – scaling the Microsoft Cloud to more customers around the world than ever before. The availability of Azure in Germany will be followed by previews of Office 365 and Dynamics 365 later this year, and the general availability of Office 365 in the first quarter and Dynamics 365 in the first half of 2017. Follow these links to learn more about Microsoft Cloud Germany from the Azure blog or Azure Germany web page. The post Microsoft Cloud expands with first-of-its-kind offering for Europe appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

Grab a new, participating NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 or 1070 graphics card, system or laptop to get a full-game download of Gears of War 4 for PC. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/fd6dafdb858e528ff22612b53174eae0.png Yesterday, we shared the new launch trailer for Gears of War 4. Today, GeForce announced their Gears of War 4 GeForce GTX Bundle, which includes a full-game download for PC. Play Video Restricted Content Confirm your age to continue month JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember day 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 year 201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 GeForce GTX 1080 – the 4K Gears of War 4 experience with everything set to max Gears of War 4 launches Oct. 11 on both Windows 10 and Xbox One and includes cross-platform online campaign co-op, cross-platform online Horde mode gameplay, and platform-specific competitive multiplayer. In addition, the PC version boasts enhanced graphics, support for 4K and 21:9 Ultrawide resolutions, and a multitude of options that enable PC gamers to customize the experience to their liking. Our recommended NVIDIA GPU for Gears of War 4 is the GeForce GTX 1060, which will deliver an incredible experience on PC. But, if you’re looking for even more power for higher resolutions and framerates, select GeForce GTX 1080 and 1070 graphics cards, systems and laptops are now bundled with a full game download of Gears of War 4. It’s an Xbox Play Anywhere title, which means bundle purchasers can play it across their Windows 10 PC and Xbox One for no additional charge. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/a17f077a177f2b63798f89bb2de14b44.jpg For an “Ideal” 4K Gears of War 4 experience with everything set to max, Microsoft recommends the GeForce GTX 1080. To see how that experience looks and plays, check out the 4K Gears of War 4 PC gameplay video below. Play Video Restricted Content Confirm your age to continue month JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember day 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 year 201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 When playing Gears of War 4, you’ll be able to modify the look of the game with nearly three-dozen graphics settings, covering Anti-Aliasing, Ambient Occlusion, Level of Detail, Effects, Lighting, Shadows, Textures, and much, much more. Or if you’re unsure of what they do and how they’ll affect your game and performance, let GeForce Experience automatically configure them with a single click, giving you the ideal balance between performance and image quality. Play Video Restricted Content Confirm your age to continue month JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember day 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 year 201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 The Gears of War 4 GeForce GTX Game Ready bundle is available now – head over to the Gears of War 4 bundle landing page to discover which stocklists in your country are participating, and which GeForce GTX 1080 and 1070 graphics cards, systems and laptops are included. A full breakdown of system requirements can be viewed here. *If you are buying an eligible GeForce GTX GPU, system or laptop, please ensure the seller is participating in the Gears of War 4 GeForce GTX bundle; NVIDIA cannot provide download codes and coupons for purchases made at non-participating retailers and e-tailers. Continue reading...

https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/38845c7c46f00d38f3ee27e8573b4676.jpg The day racing fans have been waiting for is nearly upon us: Forza Horizon 3 is almost here! If you’ve pre-ordered (or purchased) the Forza Horizon 3 Ultimate Edition, you’ll be able to start your engines on September 23. If you grabbed the Deluxe or Standard versions of Forza Horizon 3, you can hit the road starting on September 27. To get you pumped for some gorgeous high-speed action, the team at Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios has released the official launch trailer for Forza Horizon 3. This time, you’re in charge of the Horizon Festival. Customize everything, hire and fire your friends, and explore Australia in more than 350 amazing cars. Make your Horizon the ultimate celebration of cars, music, and freedom of the open road. How you get there is up to you. Read more over at Xbox Wire, and pre-order Forza Horizon 3 or Forza Horizon 3 Ultimate Edition today! Continue reading...

At Microsoft’s research labs around the world, computer scientists, programmers, engineers and other experts are trying to crack some of the computer industry’s toughest problems, from system design and security to quantum computing and data visualization. A subset of those scientists, engineers and programmers have a different goal: They’re trying to use computer science to solve one of the most complex and deadly challenges humans face: cancer. “We’re in a revolution with respect to cancer treatment,” said David Heckerman, a distinguished scientist and senior director of the genomics group at Microsoft. Head over to Microsoft Stories to find out more. Athima Chansanchai Microsoft News Center Staff The post Microsoft researchers explore using computer science to help ‘solve’ cancer appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/81bbf5f5030986def6ab3cbffac2839e.jpg Today, we’re excited to announce that Gears of War 4 has been released to manufacturing ahead of its Oct. 11 worldwide release. This event, also known as “Going Gold,” is a major milestone in development, marking the release of the gold master disc to Xbox replication facilities around the world. Play Video Restricted Content Confirm your age to continue month JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember day 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 year 201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 This also marks a major milestone for Xbox as the first-ever Gears of War title available in the Xbox Play Anywhere program, available simultaneously for Xbox One and Windows 10 PC. Additionally, Gears of War 4 also supports Cross Play across Xbox One and Windows 10 PC in all of the game’s modes, including Versus, campaign and the all-new Horde 3.0 survival mode. The event was celebrated today by Microsoft’s Board of Directors, who traveled to the Microsoft Canada Excellence Centre in Vancouver, B.C., to help mark the occasion alongside Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, and Rod Fergusson, head of the Vancouver-based development studio The Coalition, responsible for the development of Gears of War. Head over here to read more over at Xbox Wire! Continue reading...

Today’s Windows 10 tip is all enabling beautiful photography to show up automatically on your lock screen with Windows Spotlight images. Windows Spotlight updates daily with images that highlight beautiful scenery from around the globe. Images are also selected to depict a spirit of action, whether it is discovery and exploration, creating, curiosity or fearlessness. Windows Spotlight is also used to help you get the most out of Windows, including sharing tips and tricks. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/c6919e087fda6838b1658cef7a1053ff.gif To enable Windows Spotlight images on your lock screen simply head to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and where you see the background drop down menu select Windows Spotlight. Continue reading...

Play Video Restricted Content Confirm your age to continue month JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember day 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 year 201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 Gears of War 4 is an Xbox Play Anywhere title, what that means is that you’ll be able to play across both your Windows 10 PC and Xbox One. This officially marks the countdown to October 11th, when Gears of War launches on both Windows 10 and Xbox One. Gears of War 4 is an Xbox Play Anywhere title, what that means is that you’ll be able to play across both your Windows 10 PC and Xbox One, as all game progress, Gamerscore, and Achievements are saved on and accessible through Xbox Live. Gears of War 4 encourages players to ‘Never Fight Alone’ by teaming up with a friend through cross-platform co-op gameplay on Windows and Xbox One platforms. To learn more about the trailer released today and how you could gain early access to Gears of War 4 head over to Xbox Wire. Continue reading...

We are at the threshold of unprecedented value creation for industry and society, driven by the accelerating pace of change enabled through digital technology. Whether it is about bringing together patient records so they can be shared quickly for better patient outcomes, or changing the focus from disease management to wellness in healthcare, digital transformation is changing how we work and live. Called the Fourth Industrial Revolution, this significant disruption of traditional industries is fueled by speed, the falling cost of technology and how quickly companies are growing. There is broad agreement that the economic opportunity from digital transformation could be as high as $100 trillion across all industries over the next decade. This impact is broader than economics alone. Take the automotive industry as an example. Recent analysis from the World Economic Forum estimates approximately $670 billion of industry value and nearly $3 trillion of societal value at stake by 2025, with 1 million lives saved due to digital transformation, and the mass adoption of autonomous vehicles. From Uber to Tesla and Airbnb, high-profile startups have already disrupted traditional industries. Every business and industry is considering what digital transformation means for them, and how it helps them reimagine their company and their industry. The question isn’t “if”; and the challenge isn’t “when,” but “how?” Embracing digital has had mixed results. Why? There’s no set path to digital maturity and mastery. What is the magic recipe for success? When you look at successful companies in different industries, two core themes emerge. First, enormous organizational change requires strong leadership — a clear vision tied to real business outcomes. Second, digital must be embraced across the entire business. Start with small projects that can be measured and learned from, but plan for all areas of the company. The digital roadmap can be built from a few questions: How does the customer experience change from sales to service? How does the company empower people to work together, do their best work and get more done? How do operations get optimized for efficiency? How does digital open possibilities to transform products, business and, perhaps, the industry? Look at the automotive industry. We will reimagine how we build cars. We will reimagine how we buy cars. We will reimagine what it is to “own” a car. We will democratize the automotive experience for billions of people across the world, and we will do this with our emerging digital capabilities. Traditional car manufacturers – not known for digital innovation – are embracing the ideas of connected cars and autonomous vehicles. Real social and economic impact will be realized. From entertainment and connectivity to predictive maintenance and customer support, the in-car experience is changing, as is our expectation of road safety. Digital will transform every aspect of the automotive industry from core operations (supply chain, manufacturing, dealerships/retail, service) to the entire value chain (service, aftermarket, financing, vehicle insurance). Digital transformation marks the inflection point where new technology becomes the central nervous system of the business, connecting sales, marketing, finance, HR, production, logistics and customer service, while changing forever how companies operate and people interact. The cloud, data analytics, artificial intelligence, augmented reality and other emerging technologies are the tools that enable new, improved and, sometimes, disruptive new business capabilities. It’s about combining those tools with business insight and techniques such as design-led thinking to examine a problem from a different perspective and envisage new opportunities. Microsoft is partnering with automotive companies worldwide to provide the digital platform to help you rethink the possibilities for human mobility. This report surfaces “what could be” in the digital transformation of the automotive arena. Welcome to the era of the connected company. The connected people. The connected world at large. Digitally enabled and transformed. Read the full report. The post The future of automotive: Scenarios driving the digital transformation of an industry appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of This Week on Windows! Head over here to read more about the updates to your action center available with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. Read more about the new powerful desktop apps in the Windows Store or keep reading to see what’s new in the Windows Store! Here’s what’s new in the Windows Store this week: ReCore – Buy for $39.99 https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/9f073728c1a9a067dbc48e3680d1ad6f.jpg ReCore, the first Xbox Play Anywhere game, is available on Xbox One and Windows 10 in North America, Latin America and most Asian countries. From acclaimed creator Keiji Inafune’s Comcept Inc., Armature Studio, the makers of the award-winning Metroid Prime franchise, and Microsoft Studios, ReCore is an original action-adventure game crafted for the modern generation. Learn more over at Xbox Wire and get the game here! Celebrate 50 years of Star Trek with a special Microsoft Rewards offer https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/e4d32e26e27c34bd6d05df9b467b41db.jpg We’re celebrating 50 years of Star Trek and giving you the chance to earn great rewards with a special offer on Star Trek movies and TV shows in the Windows Store. This offer includes Star Trek movies and TV series spanning the franchise since the original Star Trek launched. Head over here to learn more! Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta Fantasy Texture Pack – Buy for $2.99 https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/3d2d7d25cfebf68d636ed638211ff1fa.gif Your imagination runs a little freer with the new Fantasy Texture Pack ($2.99) for Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta ($9.99, with IAP options), ready to help you create a land of knights and heroes – and perhaps a few medieval legends of your own. This latest texture pack brings brighter colors, gorgeous water, more detailed trees and leaves and stone that feels more finished. Photo Editor Pro | Polarr – 90% off https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/965ec9201a2066fd4ca3fbdaede3433b.jpg In a Windows Store exclusive, the powerful, easy-to-use photo editing features of Photo Editor Pro | Polarr are a lot easier to come by, thanks to a deep, limited-time discount ($1.99, regularly $19.99: a 90% discount). Designed for both new and seasoned photographers, Polarr helps you edit like a pro, with advanced auto adjustments, more than 100 handcrafted filters and a complete set of global and local coloring tools. This offer is good through Sep. 29, 2016 – get the app here from the Windows Store! Watch South Park, season 20 https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/85210364ad2b0f9ba13619f74c6b1bb1.jpg South Park begins its 20th season, and with it the return of the most famous foulmouthed and eternally elementary-school-aged students in America. Stream it now on the Comedy Central app or on the Comedy Central channel within the Sling TV app. Or watch the current season, and past favorites, on Microsoft Movies & TV or via Hulu. For a limited time, when you buy Season 20 of “South Park” on Microsoft Movies & TV and pre-order the game “South Park: The Fractured Whole,” you’ll get $10 in Microsoft credit to spend in the Windows Store and a free copy of “South Park: Stick of Truth.” VUDU – Free https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/abe5edf24cb191d7adee39e154701c20.jpg Discover, watch and collect the latest movies and TV shows with VUDU. From fan favorites like Creed, Spectre, The Peanuts Movie, Supergirl, The Shannara Chronicles and more, VUDU has more than 100,000 titles. VUDU is ready for Windows, but it’s also on Smart TVs, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and more. Get it here from the Windows Store today! Have a great weekend! Continue reading...

In this edition of Weekend Reading, we have stories on how Microsoft HoloLens is helping thyssenkrupp Elevator service technicians make quicker fixes, how researchers achieved a major milestone in speech recognition and the beginning of the more than 4,200-mile Old Glory Relay, sponsored by Microsoft. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/c40d6ace8a59e10b5297f7a880b5b460.jpg Stairs are great for a workout and a necessity during emergencies. But when you need to get up several floors fast, nothing beats an elevator. With 1.2 million units, customers in 150 countries and more than 50,000 employees, thyssenkrupp Elevator knows a thing or two about keeping elevators running. Using the predictive maintenance capabilities of the Azure IoT Suite, thyssenkrupp’s service technicians already identify problems with elevators, which allows them to make time-saving interventions and quicker fixes before it inconveniences their customers. Now, with the use of Microsoft HoloLens, they will be able to work hands-free while on the job and make remote calls to more experienced technicians who can walk them through solutions – and provide them with valuable on-site education. Get all the details on the Transform blog. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/3796f60fe5caaa23dc838a85609a8701.jpg Geoffrey Zweig manages Microsoft’s Speech & Dialog research group. In the quest for computers to understand speech as well as humans do, Microsoft researchers have reached a milestone in achieving a word error rate (WER) of 6.3 percent, the lowest in the industry. “This new milestone benefited from a wide range of new technologies developed by the AI community from many different organizations over the past 20 years,” says Xuedong Huang, the company’s chief speech scientist, who reports the milestone in a recent benchmark evaluation against the industry standard Switchboard speech recognition task. Read all about it on Next at Microsoft. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/a9464bde702de3dd7ea67159856685f3.jpg Microsoft’s Old Glory Relay group. Sunday, on the 15th anniversary of 9/11, a reveille sunrise ceremony at Seattle’s Space Needle kicked off the Old Glory Relay, in which 62 teams will take the American flag on a 4,216-mile relay to Tampa, Florida. Team Red, White and Blue, an organization committed to supporting veterans as they move back into civilian life, organized the relay, which is in its third year. Microsoft, which provides training and resources to help service members transition into successful careers in technology through programs like Microsoft Software & Services Academy, has once again signed up to be the presenting sponsor of the Old Glory Relay. In a new round of testing with other browsers, Microsoft Edge again emerged as the best choice for extending battery life on Windows 10, thanks to the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. It’s up to 24-43 percent more efficient than the competition for general purpose browsing (video playback, multi-tab productivity, shopping, social media and more). When streaming video, it lasts up to 23-69 percent longer – more than 90 minutes longer than Google Chrome. Get all the details on the Windows Blog. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/abb94adb1cac5bc3d7588579da09df12.jpg Evernote for Windows 10 This week, we saw a lot going on in the world of apps and games. New, rich, fully featured apps built using the Desktop Bridge are now in the Windows Store for Windows 10 customers running the Anniversary Update, including the all-new Evernote app for Windows 10, Arduino IDE, Double Twist, PhotoScape, MAGIX Movie Edit Pro, Virtual Robotics Kit, Relab, SQL Pro, Voya Media, Predicted Desire and korAccount. The bridge gives developers the ability to bring their existing desktop apps and games over to the Universal Windows Platform (UWP). This allows the app or game to reach all Windows 10 devices over time, including phones, Xbox One and HoloLens. Also check out the latest episode of “Minecraft: Story Mode” – “A Journey’s End?”; as well as VUDU and “ReCore” – the first Xbox Play Anywhere game – now on Xbox One and Windows 10. Then head over to the Windows Store and celebrate the 50th anniversary of a beloved sci-fi small screen pillar by getting bonus Microsoft Rewards points when you buy select “Star Trek” series or movies. With Video Breakdown, a new platform released through the Microsoft Garage, you could search for videos about a specific topic, jump to the moments that mention it and share those segments. Get all the details on Fire Hose. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/a7e91fcf7e33006b4ff8093789c62c95.jpg This week on the Facebook and Twitter pages, we shared Fast Company’s article on Microsoft’s unique program for employees with autism. Millions of autistic adults often find themselves risking discrimination in the workplace, starting with the interview process. Microsoft, as one of the largest companies to focus on this effort, is leading the charge to fix the stigma associated with autism and similar disorders. That’s it for our round-up. See you next Friday for another Weekend Reading! Posted by Athima Chansanchai Microsoft News Center Staff The post Microsoft HoloLens speeds service for thyssenkrupp Elevator, researchers achieve speech recognition milestone and Old Glory Relay kicks off — Weekend Reading: September 16 edition appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

This week’s launch of ReCore also marked the launch of Xbox Play Anywhere—a big day for Xbox gamers, everywhere. As an Xbox Play Anywhere title, ReCore (along with upcoming titles including Gears of War 4 and Forza Horizon 3) is launching simultaneously on both Xbox One and Windows 10 PC, and so you can play on both platforms at no additional cost. Plus, you can pick up where you left off on another Xbox One or PC, bringing all your game saves, add-ons, and achievements with you. We realize that there are still some questions around this new program. How does Xbox Play Anywhere work? What are the benefits of buying an Xbox Play Anywhere game? What other titles will support Xbox Play Anywhere? Well, we’re happy to share that we’ve got the answers to your most pressing questions. How does Xbox Play Anywhere work? When you buy an Xbox Play Anywhere digital game through the Xbox Store or the Windows Store, it’s yours to play on both Xbox One and Windows 10 PC at no additional cost. To take advantage of Xbox Play Anywhere, you will need to have installed the Windows 10 Anniversary Edition update on your PC, as well as the latest update on your Xbox One console. Then, simply log into your Xbox Live/Microsoft account and your Xbox Play Anywhere games will be available to download. How can I purchase an Xbox Play Anywhere Title? With Xbox Play Anywhere, it doesn’t matter which platform you buy the game for. You can either pre-order or purchase digitally on Xbox One or Windows 10. As long as you’re using the same Microsoft Account on both platforms, you can purchase on either and play on both. Does Xbox Play Anywhere cost extra? No. When you buy an Xbox Play Anywhere digital game, the ability to play on both Xbox One and Windows 10 PC is included at no additional charge. Get answers to more of your questions over at Xbox Wire, or read more about Xbox Play Anywhere at Xbox.com! Continue reading...

Back in June, we shared a look at Microsoft Edge’s industry-leading efficiency, which allows Microsoft Edge users to rely on more battery life than the other browsers we tested. With the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, we made a number of additional improvements to make Microsoft Edge last even longer, and today we’re rerunning our tests with the latest version of each tested browser to see how things match up. At the risk of giving away the ending, the results may look familiar! With the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, Microsoft Edge is more efficient than ever, and still the best choice for extending your battery life on Windows 10 – up to 24%-43% more efficient than the competition for general purpose browsing, and lasting up to 23%-69% longer when streaming video. Netflix streaming test conducted on identical Microsoft Surface Books. See methodology document for details. Microsoft Edge is even more efficient for browsing the Web Our improvements to Microsoft Edge, as well as improvements to Windows as a whole, have paid off with 12% better overall rendering efficiency in simulated browsing (compared to Windows 10 version 1511). https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/7dbf06acd5a2462cb331daed9897c91b.pngOf course, our competitors haven’t been sitting still! We’re thrilled to see the response our first round of tests inspired, including battery life improvements landing in recent releases of other browsers, as well as a spirited debate over methodology and results. With that in mind, we’d be remiss if we didn’t check in on the progress of each browser we measured. We repeated our lab test on the latest stable releases of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox*, and Opera (with Battery Saver on) on identical devices running the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. How did it go? https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/8816574b9952e39988cfbca910479145.png Average power consumption in milliwatts for identical workloads in Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera (with battery saver mode enabled). Unless specified, all browser settings were left at their defaults. See methodology document for details. *Firefox 47 was tested, due to a limitation in Firefox 48 that prevents our web driver tests from working properly. We’re thrilled to see improvements across the board, but the trend may look familiar! Microsoft Edge remains the most efficient browser on Windows 10, offering 24%-43% more efficiency across a sample of typical activities including video playback, multi-tab productivity, shopping, social media, and more. Microsoft Edge lets you stream even longer Our customers are experiencing improved battery life with Microsoft Edge every day, and the easiest way to see it for yourself is to watch it in action! In the video above, we repeated our Netflix streaming test on the Anniversary Update, and Microsoft Edge lasts up to 23%-69% longer than the other browsers we measured – more than 90 minutes longer than Google Chrome. The Chrome team recently released a similar video, where they focused on comparing the latest version of Chrome to a release from last year to demonstrate some improvements. However, they didn’t include other browsers in this test. Because the format was so similar to our tests, we shot a second video to compare like for like, this time using their methodology: looping the same video from Vimeo, instead of Netflix. In this test, Microsoft Edge lasted even longer – more than 13 hours! – and still beats Chrome by more than an hour. Microsoft Edge even lasted 62% longer – more than five hours! – when compared to Firefox. Vimeo streaming test conducted on identical Microsoft Surface Books. See methodology document for details. Regardless of which test you choose, the conclusion is the same: Microsoft Edge lets you browse and watch longer, so you can get more out of your devices without worrying about finding an outlet. Realistic and transparent power tests From the moment we decided to revisit our tests, we were committed to measuring real-world scenarios with a completely transparent methodology. To back up our results, we’re open sourcing our lab test on GitHub and publishing the full methodology for our video tests, so anyone can see the setup and even reproduce the tests independently. While we’ve open sourced the tests and made some minor updates to maintain compatibility with updates to third party browsers, our approach is very similar to our previous tests. We measured efficiency in a few different ways: In our lab test, we simulated common real-world activities like searching, watching videos, shopping, and reading e-mail, using multiple tabs with background activity to simulate a natural browsing session and measuring power consumption directly with hardware instrumentation. We’ve open-sourced this full test, and you can see everything you need to reproduce the lab tests for yourself on our GitHub repository here, or review the methodology document here. Next, we repeated our video rundown test, looping a streaming video on a range of identical devices and recording when each died. You can find the video test methodology documented here (Netflix test) and here (Vimeo test). Results confirmed by real-world measurements We’re confident in the quality of our tests, but ultimately nothing beats real-world experiences. To validate our improvements and make sure we’re giving our customers the best experience possible, we monitor aggregated telemetry on power consumption from millions of Windows 10 devices around the world. Let’s check in on the Anniversary Update numbers and see how each browser fares! https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/fcfdf8a0042be57c7ab17f92b6c18d42.png These numbers are from actual Windows 10 (version 1607) devices used in the real world, not artificial tests or hypotheses. People using Microsoft Edge continue to get more out of their battery every day. This data is consistent with the lab results above, demonstrating that Microsoft Edge is more efficient in real-world, day-to-day use than the competition. What improved in the Anniversary Update The improved efficiency with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update reflects a number of updates across the product, including improved background tab efficiency, more efficient Flash, improvements to the app frame itself, and improved networking. You can learn more about how we designed Microsoft Edge in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update for efficiency in our blog post on the Microsoft Edge Dev Blog, Building a more power efficient browser. A continued focus on longer battery life There is more to come! We understand how important battery life is to Windows customers, which is why we’re passionate about making Microsoft Edge the most power efficient browser on Windows 10. We’ll continue to deliver power-saving features and optimizations in the upcoming releases, using fewer CPU cycles and minimizing the impact of background activity when tabs are visible and out of view. All so you can do more and use less. Continue reading...

The all new XPS, weighing in at less than three pounds, is available in a beautiful new rose-gold finish and the Inspiron laptops are available in a variety of colors ranging from sparkling white to midnight blue. These new PCs will be available beginning October 4, 2016. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/054781f3f97f7784829a3ecf6a9e830f.jpg Dell XPS 13 laptop powered by Windows 10 Dell designed this fresh lineup of PCs to take full advantage of Windows 10 and the recent Windows 10 Anniversary Update to empower you to be productive on-the-go. With features like Cortana*, your personal digital assistant, Microsoft Edge, touchscreens that let you take full advantage of Windows Ink and infrared cameras that allow you to sign in to the device easily and securely with Windows Hello, this lineup has your needs covered whether you’re a student, business professional or family. Here’s a closer look at the new lineup: Dell XPS 13 laptop – stylish design and built for premium performance Click to view slideshow. Designed and built for premium performance with new powerful 7th Generation Intel Core processors, mobility and visual fidelity, the new XPS 13 features Dell’s exclusive virtually borderless and premium Full HD or UltraSharp QHD+ InfinityEdge display, and now offers even more power and a better battery life of up to 22 hours in a stylish new rose-gold color. Other features include: Powered by Windows 10 New beautiful, Rose Gold color available in two configurations: Intel 7th Generation Core i5; 8GB memory; 256GB SSD; 13.3-inch FHD Intel 7th Generation Core i7; 8GB memory; 256GB SSD; 13.3-inch QHD+ with Touch [*]New larger 60WHr battery delivering longer battery life, up to 22 hours on FHD and up to 13 hours on QHD+ [*]New Killer 1535 Wireless-AC technology for strong and reliable WiFi connection [*]Stunning 13.3-inch screen in an 11-inch frame [*]Weight starting at 2.7lbs and measuring a super slim 9-15mm [*]Constructed with machined aluminum, carbon fiber and Corning Gorilla Glass for incredible durability and stunning design Inspiron 15 & 17 5000 laptops – brilliant colors and features to fit your style Designed to deliver exceptional value, the Inspiron 15 5000 is perfect for individuals and families who share a PC. The Inspiron 15-inch FHD touch-enabled laptop offers an optional infrared camera that allows you to sign in to the device easily and securely with Windows Hello. The Inspiron 17 5000 is a great desktop replacement allowing you to take your projects or entertainment on-the-go. Other features include: Powered by Windows 10 New thinner design for portability and an array of fun colors including Sparkling White, Midnight Blue, Fog Night, Matte Gray, Black, Bali Blue, Tango Red or Cosmic Purple Optional infrared camera with Windows Hello lets you log in with just a look (15-inch FHD touch configuration only) Vibrant, optional FHD display for beautiful graphics with optional touch on 15-inch version TrueColor makes images and video up to twice as vibrant and more realistic DVD drive with optional Blu-ray writer for extra storage and watching videos Pricing and Availability The Dell XPS 13 will be available starting Oct. 4 at $799 USD and the Dell Inspiron 15 and 17 5000 will be available starting Oct. 4 at $549.99 USD. To learn more visit Dell.com. We’re thrilled to see world-class Windows 10 devices like these from Dell, which offer you great performance in stylish designs along with the best Windows 10 has to offer. *Cortana available in select markets. Continue reading...

Hello Windows Insiders! Thanks for being patient with us as we upgraded some of our engineering tools last week. Our build monitoring system is purring again and today we are excited to be releasing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14926 for PC and Mobile to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring. An important note about build expiration Just as we’ve always done with pre-release versions of Windows, Insider Preview builds have expiration dates. Starting tomorrow September 15th, PCs running really old Insider Preview builds will start to see build expiration notifications once a day. Then on October 1st, these PCs will start rebooting every 3 hours and then on October 15th – these PCs will stop booting all together. If your PC is running one of these old Insider Preview builds, please make sure you update to Build 14926 via Settings > Update & security > Windows Update. Build 14926 has an updated expiration date of May 1st, 2017. If your PC is running the Windows 10 Anniversary Update (Build 14393) in the Slow and Release Preview rings today – this does not apply to you and you will not be notified of your build expiring. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/bb727ef1bffaf5df9d7c08e8a93694ce.png Introducing Microsoft Rewards There are now more ways to get rewarded with Microsoft. Microsoft Rewards is a new rewards program that just launched earlier this week. It builds on the foundation of Bing Rewards, but with expanded ways to earn. With Microsoft Rewards, you earn points for searching with Bing, shopping at the Windows and Microsoft stores, and browsing the web with Microsoft Edge. As a Windows Insider, you can continue to earn points even on Insider Preview builds. Then you can redeem your points for Xbox or Windows gift cards and pick from thousands of games, movies, TV shows, music, and apps. Or you can use your points to get Microsoft Store discounts, Skype Credits, Xbox Live Gold memberships, and more, or even donate them to charity. To join, click here! What’s new in Build 14926 Snooze in Microsoft Edge: We know you all love when we get creative with you, so we have added an experimental “Snooze” action on a tab in Microsoft Edge which provides you with a way to set a Cortana reminder on the website you are viewing. People often keep tabs open in their browser indefinitely as a “to do” list, and do not close those tabs until the action associated with that website is complete. This feature lets you put a site into a Cortana reminder that will show up as a notification and in Action Center, allowing you to quickly open that site in Microsoft Edge when you’re ready to get back to it. Updated Wi-Fi settings page (Mobile): As part of our experience of unifying the settings experience across devices – we have updated the Wi-Fi settings page via Settings > Network & wireless > Wi-Fi on Mobile to match how it works on PC. The new Wi-Fi settings page isn’t complete yet as we continue to port over functionality. If need, you can fallback to using the Wi-Fi (legacy) settings page to access any missing functionality. In addition, we added the capability for you to connect to WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) networks on your phone. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/487904c84ceb2eb12602aa2c1c641a55.png https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/28c0a6fc761a9186f401124770d4b5a9.png Improving your PC upgrade experience: One of the ongoing feedback items we’ve heard is how the apps that come preinstalled with Windows will reinstall after each upgrade – particularly noticeable for our Insiders that receive multiple flights per month. We’ve heard your feedback, and starting with Build 14926, when your PC updates it will check for apps that have been uninstalled, and it will preserve that state once the update has completed. This means if you uninstall any of the apps included in Windows 10 such as the Mail app or Maps app, they will not get reinstalled after you update to a newer build going forward. Making pin login easier: Ever tried to enter your pin, only to discover the numbers you’ve been typing are nowhere to be seen because Num Lock was off? We’re happy to announce that that will no longer happen! With this build, regardless of your Num Lock state, numbers will be input if you’re typing into the pin password field. Let us know what you think! Other improvements and fixes for PC We fixed the issue causing Adobe Acrobat Reader to crash when you try to launch it. We fixed the issue causing the Settings app to crash when navigating to Settings > Personalization. We fixed an issue where Windows icons and text are not rendered correctly on some devices with Intel Atom (Clovertrail) processors. We’ve improved scaling for full screen games where the aspect ratio doesn’t match the native display resolution, for example, when playing Counter Strike: Global Offensive using a 4:3 stretched resolution. We fixed the issue where some people would experience a bugcheck (bluescreen) after plugging/unplugging certain types of Kindles such as the Paperwhite and Voyage. This build improves the performance on websites with changes to large numbers of HTML Elements containing text by improving spellchecker efficiency. This results in substantially improved performance on websites like TweetDeck. We have addressed the largest cause of reliability issues in Microsoft Edge running on Insider Preview builds. This should improve reliability on major websites such as Facebook and Outlook.com. We fixed an issue resulting in certain links (for example, Facebook) displaying a default favicon in the Microsoft Edge Tab, rather than the logo intended by the website. We fixed an issue where the Wi-Fi icon in the taskbar might show full bars when connected to a Wi-Fi network with low signal. We have fixed the issue which prevented the wireless network adapter in Surface Pro 1 and Surface Pro 2 devices from working. This also fixes the issue with the Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows not working. and other wireless network adapters from third-parties such as D-Link. We fixed an issue where File Explorer’s “Open Command window here” context menu option was opening set to the C:\Windows\System32 path, rather than the desired directory. We fixed an issue potentially resulting in the taskbar no longer auto-hiding when a full screen window has focus (for example, when watching videos, gaming, or when using Remote Desktop). Note: If there’s an app that is asking for attention, it’s by design that the taskbar won’t hide (so you can see that there’s something trying to notify you). Other improvements and fixes for Mobile We fixed a scaling issue on devices such as the Lumia 635, 636, or 638 where the bottom of certain apps, like Messaging and Maps, would get cut off and rendered off screen. We heard you and we have addressed the largest cause of reliability issues in Microsoft Edge running on Insider Preview builds. This should improve reliability on major websites such as Facebook and Outlook.com. We fixed an issue resulting in the sound of key presses and lock/unlock being barely audible when the phone was using a moderate volume. We fixed an issue where, if Quiet Hours had been turned on, banner notifications might not start appearing again until Action Center was opened or an interactive notification popped up and was dismissed. We fixed an issue where Cortana would crash when trying to open Reminders page. We have improved the reliability of VPN Settings page via Settings > Network & wireless > VPN. We fixed an issue resulting in the thumbnail for portrait videos displaying with an incorrect aspect ratio in the Photos app when panning through the Camera Roll. Known issues for PC While using Narrator and Groove Music, if you navigate to the progress bar while a song is playing then Narrator will continually speak the progress of the song e.g. update with the current time of the progress bar every second. The result is you will be unable to listen to the song or hear any other control you navigate to. You may experience a black screen when signing out and switching to another user account and will be unable to log in to that account. A reboot of your PC should allow you to log in to that account. Oracle VM VirtualBox will crash on launch after upgrading to this build. Optional components may not work after upgrading to this build. To get it working again, go to “Turn Windows features on or off”, scroll down and check the right optional component and click ok. After a reboot, the optional component will be enabled again. After updating to this build, Windows Calculator may not work. To get Calculator working again, go to the Store and re-download/install Calculator. For keyboard users, using tab to navigate the Settings app will not work in this build. The arrow keys should work as a temporary workaround. Known issues for Mobile Some devices such as the Lumia 650 will fail to install this build with Error 0x80188308. We are currently investigating this issue. Action Center no longer closes if you swipe up on the empty space (area of Action Center that doesn’t show any notifications). Using your phone as a mobile hotspot will work the first time but subsequent attempts to use the feature will result in the inability to enable the hotspot until the phone is rebooted. Team Updates We heard feedback from many of you Windows Insiders that you’d like to organize #WINsiders4Good events in your own city. We are putting together a “Create-A-Thon in a Box” which we will publish to the Windows Insider website and invite our Insiders to “flight” the kits and let us know how they work. We are going to kick this off in October in partnership with the Microsoft retail stores to celebrate the Microsoft-wide GIVE campaign. Stay tuned to this spot for more news on that. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/269f4b70cea54f2bdeeebea872ce0643.jpg Keep hustling, Dona <3 Continue reading...

A few months ago at Build 2016, we announced the Desktop Bridge, which lets developers bring their existing desktop apps and games over to the Universal Windows Platform (UWP). This allows the app or game to reach all Windows 10 devices over time, including phones, Xbox One and HoloLens. Today, we’re excited to welcome these new, rich, fully featured desktop apps to the Windows Store for Windows 10 customers running the Anniversary Update, including the popular notetaking app, Evernote! Here’s what’s been updated in the all-new Evernote app for Windows 10. “We’re excited to bring the full-featured Evernote app to the Windows Store. By using the Desktop Bridge to build the app we have now enabled new Windows 10 specific features like Live Tiles and notifications. The Windows Store makes updates seamless, so you can always take advantage of the latest and best features of Evernote on your Windows 10 PC.” — Seth Hitchings, VP Engineering, Evernote More intuitive sidebar navigation https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/789d75dc92c710773c7d38d3b6eceeea.jpg The left sidebar has been redesigned for a more streamlined workflow, so you can find and manage your content even faster. Select ‘Notebooks’ to pull up all your notes in the Note List, and drag and drop a notebook in or out of a stack to move it to a different location. ‘Trash’ now sits permanently as its own section for easier access to deleted notes. And, you can collapse the left sidebar into a thin navigation strip for when you need that extra bit of working space. Smarter search and discovery https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/d76c007e2707d753f80f4ac9c1fe4fa5.jpg The search bar sits at a new, more natural place on top of the Note List, closer to your results. Evernote will make suggestions and will also scavenge through ‘Trash’ for notes that might have been accidentally deleted. No matter how many notes you have in Evernote or how complex your tagging structure is, it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. Colorful ways to organize https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/43912ffb4ec0f9e54787bc4e221b8820.jpg The new Evernote for Windows lets you add color to important notebooks and tags for quicker identification and access to your notes. To assign a color, right-click on a desired notebook or tag, select ‘Style’ and pick your preferred color. When you color-code a tag, all notes with that tag will show the color in the Note List. Tabs to keep work and life separate https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/77ae734385d7f6f6ba31e5a5b2ec4e34.jpg Previously, personal and business notes, notebooks, tags, and shortcuts existed together within their individual sections. Now, personal and business content exist in two separate spaces, as indicated by the two tabs on top of the sidebar. The latest version is designed for all types of Evernote Windows users in mind, whether you have just a handful of notes or thousands of them. Head over here to read more about all the new UWP apps! Continue reading...

Today we’re excited to announce that ReCore, the first Xbox Play Anywhere game, is available starting now on Xbox One and Windows 10 in North America, Latin America and most Asian countries. It launches in Japan on Sep. 15, and fans in Europe and other global regions will be able to join the fun on Sep. 16. From Keiji Inafune’s Comcept Inc., Armature Studio and Microsoft Studios, ReCore is an original action-adventure game that builds on our shared passion for classic games like MegaMan and Metroid with features such as a deep crafting system and a large world to explore. We hope you enjoy these characters’ many adventures on the planet ”Far Eden”, where dangers, mysteries and challenges await in its windswept dunes and hidden dungeons. As the first Xbox Play Anywhere game, ReCore gives you access to both the Xbox One and Windows 10 versions of the game for the price of a single digital purchase of $39.99 / £29.99 / €39.99. Progress and Achievements are shared across devices so players can easily pick up where they left off, no matter where they play. Head over to Xbox Wire to read more about today’s news and get ReCore from the Windows Store! Continue reading...

Did you know that you have an action center that lets you monitor and interact with notifications and settings? And did you also know that it recently got an upgrade with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update? Here’s what’s new with the action center: https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/668a17e2834a010191d5a4c8442e4017.gif You can find the action center by clicking the dialogue box at the bottom right corner of your screen, by using the keyboard shortcut Windows key + A or by swiping left from the screen edge on touch devices. There you’ll see the new, fully customizable quick actions – settings you can change quickly, without going through the settings panel. The action center is also your one-stop shop for notifications to see what’s going on with apps and other programs from across your device. Plus, now you can also get web notifications in your action center via Microsoft Edge sites like web.skype.com or web.groupme.com. And as always, the action center is fully customizable – check out settings, then system, then notifications and actions to enable and disable what notifications you see in the action center. Have a great week! Continue reading...

Today we’re celebrating 50 years of Star Trek and giving you the chance to earn great rewards with a special offer on Star Trek movies and TV shows in the Windows Store. This offer includes Star Trek movies and TV series spanning the franchise since the original Star Trek launched. You can be amongst the first to pre-order the newly released movie, Star Trek Beyond. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/e4d32e26e27c34bd6d05df9b467b41db.jpg Earn great rewards simply by purchasing or renting any of the Star Trek content in the Windows Store We recently introduced Microsoft Rewards, a program that gives members the ability to earn rewards by searching with Bing, as well as earn points when shopping with Microsoft and browsing the web with Microsoft Edge. To start earning Microsoft Rewards, simply purchase or rent selected Star Trek titles in the Windows Store. Earn 500 rewards points for selected movie rentals, 3,000 rewards points for selected movie purchase and 4,000 rewards points for the purchase of a complete TV season*. With Microsoft Rewards points, you’ll be able to redeem points for Xbox and Windows gift cards, Microsoft Store gift cards, sweepstakes entries, and charitable donations. We’re thrilled to celebrate 50 years of Star Trek with this bonus Microsoft Rewards offer, giving you the chance to relive your favorite moments from the classic franchise. Head over to the Windows Store now to see all the Star Trek titles available. *Offer valid for a limited time. Excludes Star Trek single TV episodes, games and music. Valid online in Windows 10 Store and https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/movies-and-tv. US only. Limit 1 bonus offer per purchased item. Continue reading...

Here’s what’s new in the Windows Store this week: We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of This Week on Windows! To learn more about how you can search your PC and web with Cortana*, check out our Windows 10 Tips blog post. Head over here to read about the Microsoft Solitaire Collection milestone and learn all the ways you can get ready for the football season with Microsoft, and keep reading to see what’s new in the Windows Store! Halo 5: Forge Bundle for Windows 10 PCs – Free https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/36646defde1ba4ba0895a11a838a0727.png We are bringing the Forge toolset to Windows 10 PCs with the release of the Halo 5: Forge Bundle. The precision, speed and control available on PC using keyboard and mouse will make it easier than ever for creators to bring their Halo vision to life. Learn more on Xbox Wire and get the Halo 5: Forge Bundle from the Windows Store! The Walking Dead: Michonne – Buy for $4.99 an episode https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/d7c569ad8f18c7ebb9f027943ebf4419.png For fans of Robert Kirkman’s best-selling comic books, The Walking Dead: Michonne will be a welcome new adventure with one of his most popular characters. As Michonne, players watch the story of this blade-wielding hero unfold – and decide how the story flows by making choices for her. Get it from the Windows Store today! Forza Motorsport 6: Apex – Free https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/42ab8f3c146ab1f1a13902d644ba0131.jpg We’ve reached an important milestone in the development of Forza Motorsport 6: Apex. As of today, we’re lifting the “beta” tag and releasing Apex as a full-fledged product in the Windows 10 Store. This content update for Apex will bring wheel support to the Forza Motorsport series on Windows 10 for the first time, a major landmark for the Forza series on Windows 10. X-Men Apocalypse – Buy for $14.99 https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/c1daf8600fbe0dd28e90f0f637260ee8.jpg Apocalypse, the most powerful mutant the world has ever seen, is bent on the destruction of humanity. Will the X-Men be able to prevent the extinction of mankind? Watch X-Men: Apocalypse now, available in the Movies & TV section of the Windows Store more than three weeks before Blu-ray and DVD. Office Lens – Free https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/07b974c56d6a5212145db41b29236954.jpg Office Lens trims, enhances, and makes pictures of whiteboards and docs readable. You can use Office Lens to convert images to PDF, Word and PowerPoint files, and you can even save images to OneNote or OneDrive. Like magic, it will digitize notes from whiteboards or blackboards, and you can sketch your ideas and snap a picture for later. Get it from the Windows Store today! Head over to the new and updated section in the Windows Store to see what else is new in the Windows Store this week, and have a great weekend! *Cortana available in select markets Continue reading...

Forza Horizon always gives players the chance to drive to the music they love, and today we’re excited to unveil that Forza Horizon 3 is taking it to an all-new level! https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/11a084fdf6b4de37d715a7b9980f5663.jpg The Forza Horizon 3 original soundtrack features a broader musical selection than any Horizon game before with nearly 150 songs across eight, in-game radio stations. On top of returning favorites like Horizon Pulse and Horizon Bass Arena, several new stations add new and classic hits from genres across hip hop, indie rock, punk/metal, and of course, classical music. There’s even more to the Forza Horizon 3 music experience than a sweet soundtrack. Now, for the first time ever, you can rock music you choose as you drive the Horizon with a Groove Music Pass on Xbox One or PC. New to Groove? Test drive millions of songs with zero obligations.* Our 14-day, no-credit-card trial gives you nonstop music, plus playlists, artist radio, and more – all for the low cost of free. With Forza Horizon 3 and Groove, it’s all about playing what you love – one press of the button and you’re on the way. Head over to Xbox Wire to check out the Forza Horizon 3 music stations and full track list! *Some restrictions may apply. Visit https://www.microsoft.com/groove to learn more. Continue reading...

https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/9a8653fa5a8ea90b7d1f7d934b553677.jpg This week, we’ve got some inspiring footage to share of robotic surgery that is helping those with prostate cancer, a look at how Microsoft’s mentors help their coworkers, and a story from a proud Marine who is now a proud Microsoft employee. Robotic surgeons worldwide lend a ‘hand’ to fight prostate cancer: Doctors around the world have made huge strides in prostate cancer treatment and recovery by using cutting-edge technology to simplify operations and increase education. Earlier this year, thousands of registered viewers got a free cinematic glimpse into the exciting future of such medicine with the Worldwide Robotic Surgery Event (WRSE24), a 24-hour global undertaking that streamed live robotic surgeries and lectures from four continents using LiveArena Broadcast channels, Microsoft Azure and Azure Media Services. It was the third installment in an ongoing medical series in which some of the world’s leading robotic surgeons broadcast live operations to a captive audience of mainly robotic doctors in training, as well as other interested, non-squeamish parties. “Live surgery is very educational because you see how surgeons deal with different problems,” says noted urologist and surgeon Dr. Peter Wiklund, the chairman of molecular medicine and surgical sciences at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. “It’s much more realistic for the people watching because the surgeon and viewers get the exact same view.” Mentors help advance employees’ careers at Microsoft: John Gilmour says he wouldn’t likely have the great job he has now at Microsoft if it weren’t for his manager and mentor, Jacquelyn Crowhurst. Two years after she hired him as a platform strategy advisor, a sales director role opened up on her team. He didn’t think he had enough experience for it, but Crowhurst helped convince him to apply. “She encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone,” he says. She also helped build his confidence and made sure he had peer support and coaching while he settled into the role. Nurturing others’ success is a favorite aspect of the job for Crowhurst, general manager of the U.S. Developer Experience (DX) and Evangelism Tools Team – and that kind of mentorship is a big part of how new employees grow their expertise and advance their careers at Microsoft. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/917c2c277dc6dc74e5fb50b05613e39f.jpg Microsoft mentor Jacquelyn Crowhurst. From the Marines to Microsoft: Ryan Burns joined the Marines right after high school, and worked on helicopter engines as a turboshaft engine test cell operator. It was work he enjoyed, and he wondered if he would find that kind of job satisfaction when he was out of the Marine Corps. Then he enrolled in the Microsoft Systems & Software Academy (MSSA), which provides active duty U.S. service members with the career skills necessary to meet the IT industry’s high demand for talent. Burns is now a software engineer for the Universal Store Team at Microsoft, something he enjoys very much. “The MSSA program challenges veterans to actually do something big — possibly bigger than what they did in the military,” he says. “That is one thing that most people will never find in their life again, and I didn’t know if I would ever find it. Now I wake up every morning and I know that I’m doing something that’s just as challenging and just as rewarding as being a Marine.” Sling TV now available for Windows 10: Sling TV, the internet streaming service, is now available on Windows 10 PCs and tablets. With the app, you can watch popular entertainment at home and on the go, starting at $20 a month. There are no long-term contracts, no equipment rental fees and no hidden fees. You can watch live and on-demand sports, lifestyle, family, news and information programming from networks including ESPN, Disney, AMC, Comedy Central, HGTV, TNT, TBS, Fox and NBC (select markets only), A&E, VICELAND and CNN. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/d233dd0b9a4387a8d6eb2d8a3d7621ef.png Sling TV app for Windows 10 PCs and tablets. Ready for kick off? So are we! Kick off your football season with Bing, Surface NFL Type Covers, Cortana, Outlook and Touchdown! Collection. Fans can now brag about their team loyalties on their Surface devices with the addition of new Special Edition Surface NFL Type Cover, available for all 32 teams. With Cortana, you can track your favorite sports teams’ score updates, upcoming games and get final score notifications. With the Touchdown! collection in the Windows Store, you’ll be able to watch the game your way on Windows or Xbox, follow favorites, stream games, view schedules and stats, listen on-the-go, plan tailgates and more. And over on Outlook.com, a new Interesting Calendars feature gives you the ability to add a team’s schedule directly to your Outlook.com or Outlook on the web calendar. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/07cfbec49a79535c60bec6746b389396.jpg This week on the Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages, we highlighted Gabe Fleisher, the 14-year-old editor-in-chief of “Wake Up To Politics.” When he was just 9 years old, Gabe founded WUTP, channeling his passion for politics to help inform people of current political events. Now in 9th grade, he continues his mission with the help of Microsoft software. Every morning, Gabe scans the news, organizes his thoughts in OneNote, drafts the newsletter in Word, then circulates to his audience – all before the morning bell. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/4483efec4cbb250969d7778d88329b6e.jpg That’s it for Weekend Reading. Thanks for joining us, and we’ll see you here same time, same place next week! Suzanne Choney Microsoft News Center Staff The post Lending a robotic ‘hand’ to fight prostate cancer, and a human hand to mentor employees – Weekend Reading: Sept. 9 edition appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

Since the release of Halo 5: Guardians last year, the team at 343 Industries has continued to provide free content updates, expanding the experiences available to players within our community and supporting the game post-launch. Today, we are releasing Anvil’s Legacy, which is our ninth major, free update for Halo 5: Guardians on Xbox One. In it, we are releasing two new maps and a bunch of new REQ content, but perhaps the biggest news relates to Forge. Along with Anvil’s Legacy, we are finally bringing the Forge toolset to Windows 10 PCs with the release of Halo 5: Forge. The precision, speed and control available on PC using keyboard and mouse will make it easier than ever for creators to bring their Halo vision to life. All content created with Halo 5: Forge on Win10 PC will be shared with the Xbox One community and vice versa. Creators will be able to build, shape and play their content on either platform through their file share. We’ll also be allowing players to play custom Arena multiplayer games on Windows 10 and making available all of the existing Halo 5 Arena maps, so you’ll be able to set up custom matches with friends over Xbox Live to play and test your creations on the PC before sharing them with the world. Best of all, Halo 5: Forge is a free offering. Anyone with a Windows 10 PC that meets the minimum requirements (which includes having Windows 10 Anniversary Update, get it here) for the game can download the client and join the community, building and playing within the Halo 5 ecosystem. Head over to Xbox Wire to read more about today’s news, and start building and playing in Halo 5: Forge now. You can download Halo 5: Forge and the Halo app bundle, for free, via the Windows Store here: Download Halo 5: Forge Bundle. Continue reading...

Football season is here! Today, we’re sharing ways you can celebrate with Microsoft, from weekly game predictions to Special Edition Surface NFL Type Covers. Let Bing predict which teams will win https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/63b9f07eb3dcb089ab9e2a480b6e3748.jpg Bing has you covered this professional football season from basic player info to schedules and more. The Bing team created a unique professional football experience powered by Bing Predicts for all types of football fans looking to get the edge, including: Game by Game Predictions – Predictions on which team will win every weekly matchup. Fantasy Football Predictions – Weekly predictions of who to start in your fantasy league by position including predictions of how many points each player will achieve in PPR leagues. Carousel appears during Fantasy Football related queries. NFL Playoff Predictions – Each week we will update the predictions of who has the best chances to make the playoffs and win the division. Bing’s very own intelligence spin on Power Rankings. Search your team on Bing and get all the latest info. Celebrate with Surface NFL Type Covers https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/03b0d1290ea923bf635f1b9da49da840.png For the past four years, Surface devices have been used on the sidelines, in the coaches’ booth, and by many teams as a playbook. In early August, we announced that we are bringing the excitement of Surface on the sidelines to fans everywhere with the addition of new Special Edition Surface NFL Type Cover, available for all 32 teams. To learn more about the special edition Surface NFL Type Covers, visit a blog by Panos Panay, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Devices. Track your favorite teams with Cortana https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/995eb1b04b037348388aa91a0083d8cf.jpg Cortana lets you track your favorite sports teams’ right in your notebook. Select your favorite football team and Cortana will provide score updates, show upcoming games and matches and can even notify you with the final score. Give it a try today! Follow the games with the Touchdown! Collection in the Windows Store https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/77f2e16423cf92f2d86bc4db9c082bee.jpg It isn’t just back-to-school time, it’s back-to-football time, too, with the NCAA kickoff last week and pro football this week. The Touchdown! Collection in the Windows Store is ready with great ways to watch the game your way on Windows or Xbox, letting you follow favorite teams, stream games, view schedules and stats, listen on-the-go, plan tailgates and more! Keep track of your football games schedule with Outlook https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/5d1edd944b3ac0f57a1fd5349964317a.jpg Following professional and college football game schedules just got easier thanks to a new Interesting Calendars feature for Outlook.com and Outlook on the web. The new feature allows fans to add their team’s schedule directly to their Outlook.com or Outlook on the web calendar. Once added, the calendar is synced across devices and automatically updates if there is a change to the schedule, so you never miss a game. For more information on the feature, please visit the Office Blog. Continue reading...