Microsoft Edge for iOS gets iPhone X support

Microsoft has updated its Edge mobile browser for iOS platform, adding full screen support for Apple's iPhone X.

This will allow the Edge browser to fill the entire screen on iPhone X, embracing the devices "notch" at top of the display. Previously, Microsoft rolled out similar support for the Skype and Outlook apps.

The Edge browser was released for Android and iOS platform in October as a preview, and the official app was rolled out to the public at the end of November. The app is already popular on Android platform, as it has crossed a million downloads within two weeks of release. 

The mobile app offers desktop Edge users a way to sync their passwords, favorites and reading lists between devices. There's also a feature called 'continue on your PC' which allows you to immediately open the page you're looking on your mobile device, right on your PC with a tap of a button. 

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Microsoft Garage releases Outings travel app

Microsoft's latest app offering for Android and iOS platform is called Outings. The app is part of Microsoft Garage project, and acts as a digital travel companion to help you discover and search for interesting places.

With Outings app, you can check for outdoor adventures, historical sites, city life, kid-friendly activities, beautiful vistas or the hidden gems. The app also offers curated high-quality stories from travel blogs and beautiful image of a place to show the information.

You will also be able to save search to a bucket list, so you don't forget your next destination, and share them with friends and family instantly. 

According to Microsoft Outings app offer the following features:

• Stunning images Get an immediate feel for the adventure that awaits you with beautiful photos.
• Get inspiration for your next adventure Choose topics that interest you and swipe through travel stories tailored just for you.
• Save and share with friends Instantly save places you’re interested in to a folder for safe keeping. Share with friends and family, so you can get trips on the calendar.

The Microsoft Outing app is available for download for iOS devices on Apple Store, and for Android devices from the Google Store. Note that the app is only available in select countries.

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Microsoft officially releases Edge browser for Android and iOS

Microsoft released the beta preview of its Edge browser for Android and iOS platform back in October. Now the web browser has come out of beta, and is officially available for both iOS and Android devices.

The Edge browser offers the same feature for both Android and iOS platform such as Favorites, Reading List, New Tab Page, Reading View and Roaming passwords across your PC and phone.

There's also a feature called 'continue on your PC' which allows you to immediately open the page you're looking on your mobile device, right on your PC with a tap of a button. As a new addition Microsoft has added Dark theme for Edge.

Microsoft Edge for iOS is available in the United States (English), China (Simplified-Chinese), France (French) and the UK (English). Microsoft Edge for Android is available in the United States (English), Australia (English) Canada (English and French), China (Simplified-Chinese), France (French), India (English) and the UK (English). Microsoft said that it will add support for more languages and release the browser app for other markets over time.

Microsoft Office apps now available for all Chromebooks

Microsoft's Office apps such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint are already available for Google's Android platform. But the apps were not available for Chromebook, even though they supported Android apps. However, that's changing now, as Microsoft Office suite support is extending to ChromeOS.

Without making any formal announcement, Microsoft has silently made available its Office Suite of apps for all Chromebooks. It is available for download from the Play Store.

Chrome Unboxed a website well-known for Chromebook related stuff tried the app on a couple of Chromebook models including Samsung Chromebook Pro, Pixelbook, Acer Chromebook 15 and more, and the apps worked just fine.

All the 10.1-inch Chromebook models can create and edit documents for free of charge after logging in to Microsoft account. But anything large, you will need an Office 365 supscription to edit the documents.

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Microsoft's new Surface Pro with LTE arrives in December

Microsoft unveiled the Surface Pro with LTE support back in May, and promised to release it before the end of this year. Today Microsoft at Future Decoded event in London has revealed some details of the 2-in-1 tablet.

The company has announced that Surface Pro with LTE model will be available first to business customer on December 1, followed by consumers in early 2018. 

It also revealed that the Surface Pro LTE model will feature Intel Core i5 processor, and Qualcomm Snapdragon X16 modem. The LTE chip uses Cat.9 modem and offers speed of up to 450mbps and supports 20 LTE band. This  means the 2-in-1 will work with a wide variety of 4G networks in any country around the world. 

The base model of Surface Pro LTE with an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD will be priced at $1,149. There's another model with Core i5, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD priced $1449.

The other specs of the LTE model are similar to the WiFi version. It features  12.3-inch (2736 x 1824 pixels) PixelSense touch display, 8MP/5MP rear & front cameras, WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1, USB 3.0, microSD card reader, Surface Connect and MiniDisplay port. It supports Surface Pen and sports a hinge with full 165-degree range of motion.

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Windows 10 Mobile Fall Creators Update will roll out this week

Last week Microsoft published the list of devices that will get Windows 10 Mobile Fall Creators update, but didn't reveal a time frame.

Now Brandon LeBlanc, a senor program manager at Microsoft took to Twitter to confirm that Windows 10 Mobile Fall Creators update will start rolling out sometime this week. Infact the update is already rolling out to Windows 10 Mobile devices in Finland, but this week it will expand the roll out to open market devices.

The Windows 10 Mobile devices that will receive Windows 10 Mobile Fall Creators update include:

• Microsoft Lumia 550/650/950/950 XL
• Alcate Idol 4S/ Idol 4S Pro/ OneTouch Fierce XL
• HP Elite x3
• Wileyfox Pro
• Softbank 503LV
• Vaio Phone Biz
• MouseComputer MADOSMA Q601
• Trinity NuAns Neo

As you can see the 2015's Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL is missing out. This is no surprise given that the last preview builds have caused most of apps to crash on the device.

The Windows 10 Mobile does not bring any new interesting features, but improves the experience of the existing features like Continuum, VPN, Applocker and more. Also it brings Two factor Authentication, new emojis and bug fixes.

The Windows 10 Mobile Fall Creators Update is likely to be the last major software upgrade for the platform. Going forward, Microsoft will continue to service existing devices with bug fixes and security updates. 

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Microsoft Skype Lite gets group video calling

Earlier this year, Microsoft India released a toned downed version of Skype called Skype Lite, designed  for low-end Android phones and to be more data friendly.

Now Microsoft has added a new feature to the Lite version, that will allow you to make group video calls. The new addition comes on the occasion of Diwali, where people make more phone calls and send more texts to their family and friends to exchange Diwali wishes. The popular WhatsApp, which has over 200 million users in India, doesn't offer group group video calling functionality.

To make a group video call, simply tap on the call tab on Skype Lite, and start the group call with your friends. In addition Microsoft is also making it easier for people to attend a video call, who don't have a Skype account.

You can also share a Skype Lite group call link with your friends who are no registered with Skype on popular social apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or SMS, and invite them to join the call. Anyone who receives the group video call link from you can join the call as a guest on Skype Lite right away, by providing a name, without the need to sign up or sign into a Skype account. The guest account is valid for 24 hours.

Along with the group video calling function, Microsoft has also added a couple of more features: a new Skype bot called Ruuh, which apart from chatting, will also help your create fun, personalized Diwali cards. And a new collections of Diwali themed emoticons. 

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Microsoft outs list of devices that will get Windows 10 Mobile Fall Creators Update

Now that Microsoft has begun the process of rolling out Windows 10 Falls Creators update to Windows PC, the focus shifts on Windows 10 Mobile.

Microsoft has released the list of devices that will get Windows 10 Mobile Fall Creators Update (Version 1709). A total of 13 devices are included in the list.

Again the list is a bit disappointing, because two of Microsoft's 2015 Windows Phone models that received Creators update are left out: Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL. That said the update will be released for flagships HP Elite X3, Lumia 950/950 XL, and the mid-range Lumia 550, Lumia 650 among others. 

The Windows Phones that will receive Windows 10 Mobile Fall Creators update include:

• HP Elite x3.
• HP Elite x3 (Verizon).
• HP Elite x3 (Telstra).
• Wileyfox Pro.
• Microsoft Lumia 550.
• Microsoft Lumia 650.
• Microsoft Lumia 950/950 XL.
• Alcatel IDOL 4S.
• Alcatel IDOL 4S Pro.
• Alcatel OneTouch Fierce XL.
• Softbank 503LV.
• VAIO Phone Biz.
• MouseComputer MADOSMA Q601.
• Trinity NuAns Neo.

Microsoft mentions that Windows 10 Mobile devices not listed above will continue to receive security and servicing updates according to Microsoft's Support Lifecycle policies.

As for the Windows 10 Mobile Fall Creators update roll out, it can be expected anytime soon. 

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Windows 10 Fall Creators Update released

Right on schedule, Microsoft has announced the start of rollout of Windows 10 Fall Creators update to Windows 10 PCs. The update is rolling out across the world in phases, starting with newer machines first.

The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will bring a host of new features like Fluent design system, which adds changes across visuals such as blur effects and transparency. Microsoft says the new design will deliver "intuitive, harmonious, responsive and inclusive cross-device experiences and interactions."

Another major addition is support for Windows Mixed Reality, which is Microsoft's virtual and augmented reality experience, and will be built into Falls Creator update. This function will let you connect a Mixed Reality headset to the PC, and interact with apps and games in virtual environment using a pair of motion controllers.

Microsoft has also announced that Mixed Reality headset from Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Asus are now available for purchase. The Headset-motion controller bundles start as low as $399.

Here are some of the other features:

1. Windows Story Remix: Uses AI and deep learning to organize and transform your photos and videos into stories with soundtrack, themes and transitions.
2. Microsoft Graph: Aims to sync all your Microsoft app across all platforms, so that you can pick up from where you left on any device, be it Android, Windows or iOS.
3. Timeline: Lets you jump back in time to find what you were working on, whether it was two hours or two months ago. You can easily hop back your files, apps and sites, as if you never left.
4. Pick up where you left off: Log out of one device and Cortana asks if you want to continue working in your app, doc or website on your next device.
5. Clipboard: A fast and easy way to copy and paste just anything between connected devices, whether you are on a Windows PC or smartphone.
6. One Drive Files On-Demand: Access all your files in the cloud without having to download them and use storage space on your device
7. New apps on Windows Store: iTunes, Autodesk, SAP Digital Boardroom
8. Updated Windows Inking: Ink directly into PDFs, making it easier and faster to comment and share with others; Smart Ink applies artificial intelligence to inking automatically makingthe squares you draw more perfect, or turning boxes into a table.
9. Updated Game Mode: Allows your games to use the full processing power of your device, right from a new button on the Game bar.
10. GPU in Task manager. Windows Task Manager now displays information about the graphics hardware and performance of your system.
11. Updated Windows Defender: It is now smarter and defends better than before.
12. Eye Control: Implements eye tracking technology that lets you type, and operate a mouse just using your eyes for those with Lou Gehrig’s disease.
13. My People: Pin you top people to the taskbar for quick access; People-first sharing; see emoji from pinned contacts.
14. Improved Cortana: Voice-activated power commands like ask Cortana to shut down, restart, or sleep your PC.
15. Microsoft Edge:  Annotate text using colors, underline, add comments or copy text; pin favorite websites to task bar; Edit URL of any Favorites in the Favorite menu or the Favorites bar; Full screen mode (press F11 or choose the new Full Screen icon within Settings menu)
16. Find My Pen: Windows can now tell you where you were when you last inked you computer
17. Others: Currency Converter (added in the native calculator); Recover PIN and password from lock screen; Narrator (screen reader) intelligence; Dictation; Microsoft Tips app; Mixer Game streaming service

Microsoft announces Surface Book 2 (in two sizes)

Microsoft has finally introduced the Surface Book 2, the first true successor of Surface Book, which debut in 2015. It is still powerful and has a detachable display that can be used as a tablet. The company is offering two models: one with 13-inch display and the other with 15-inch display,and both are Windows Mixed Reality ready and equipped with up to Intel 8th gen Core processor and discrete graphics.

The 15" Surface Book 2 sports 3240 x 2160 resolution Pixel Sense touch  display, and is powered by Intel's 8th generation Core i7 8650U processor. It packs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB GPU, 16GB RAM, and comes with storage options of 256GB, 512GB and 1TB SSD. Microsoft touts the Surface Book is twice as fast as the latest MacBook Pro, and offers more battery life.

It has 8MP rear camera and 5MP front camera, and includes two USB Type-A ports, a USB type-C port, Surface connect, Bluetooth 4.1, WiFi 802.11ac, SD card reader and headphone jack for connectivity. It also features support for Windows Hello face authentication, backlit keyboard, stereo speaker Dolby Atmos, and promises up to 17 hours of battery life on a single charge, and up to five hours of video playback in tablet mode.

The 13" Surface Book 2 flaunts 3000 x 2000 resolution Pixel Sense touch display, and will be offered in two models: 7th gen Intel Core i5 processor/ 8GB RAM/ GeForce GTX 1050 2GB GPU or Core i7 processor with 16GB RAM, with storage options of 256GB, 512GB or 1TB SSD. Other features are same as 15-inch model.

The Surface Book 2 supports S Pen, as well as the Surface Dial, while the 15" Surface Book 2 has built-in Xbox One wireless support, so that you can pair Xbox One controller and compatible headsets to play with no cords or additional dongles required.

Coming to the pricing, the 13" Surface Book 2 prices start at $1499 (Rs. 97,000), while the 15" model starts at $2499 (Rs. 1,62,000). They will be available for pre-order on November in the U.S via local Microsoft Store and Microsoft.com, and start shipping from December 16. 

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Microsoft Edge browser preview now available on Android

Microsoft launched its Edge browser for Android and iOS devices as a preview last week. However, it was only available for iOS devices. And now the company has launched a preview for Android.

The Edge preview is available for download from the Google Play Store, and will support devices running Android 4.4 and up. The Android version of Edge has some of the key features found on Windows 10's desktop app including  Favorites, Reading List, New Tab Page, Reading View, among others.

There's also a feature called 'continue on your PC' which allows you to immediately open the page you're looking on your mobile device, right on your PC with a tap of a button.  For this feature to work, you PC should run Windows 10 Fall Creators update, which will roll out next week.

Microsoft Edge for Android features

• From PC to mobile,  browse seamlessly across your devices, while your information syncs in the background.
• Go anywhere and pick up where you left off by easily moving content between your mobile device and your Windows 10 PC.
• Passwords and favorites are synced across your devices so your browser is always personalized to you.
• Hub View makes it easy to find and manage your content like favorites, reading list, history and books all in one place.
• Reading View allows you to reorganize the content on a webpage to make it easier to focus on what you’re reading.
• Find, view, and share content effortlessly with a built-in QR Code Reader to pull up information at a touch of a button, Voice Search to use the web in more familiar ways, and InPrivate mode to keep your browsing data private.

Since this is a preview, we can expect more features to be added in the final release. You can download Edge Preview from the Play Store here.

Microsoft brings Cortana to Skype on Android and iOS

Microsoft is rolling out its intelligent assistant, Cortana, to the mobile Skype app on Android and iOS. It will be available in two ways. 

First, Cortana on Skype will live inside your chats, and offer useful information based on your chat like restaurant options or movie reviews. It will also suggest smart replies allowing you to respond to any message quickly and easily. Cortana will also automatically recommend you to set up a reminder, when it detects, you're talking about an upcoming events.

In addition, Cortana is also a Contact in Skype, so now you can have natural conversation in one-on-one chats with Cortana, just like you would with friends, family and co-workers. You can ask Cotana for weather update, check flight status, give you a stock quote, suggestion for the best restaurant in your area and more.

Microsoft says that Cortana in Skype will be gradually rolled out starting today to Android and iOS users in the U.S. 

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Microsoft exec admits Windows Mobile is dead

It looks like Microsoft is finally giving up on Windows 10 Mobile and Windows Phone. In a series of tweets, Microsoft's Joe Belfore has revealed that the company will no longer develop new feature or devices for Windows 10 Mobile platform. However he assured that Microsoft will continue to support the Windows Mobile platform by releasing bug fixes and security updates for existing users. This will leave many Windows 10 Mobile users disappointed.

One of the main reasons for failure of Windows Mobile operating system was due to the lack of apps. While Android and iOS platform supports millions off apps, the Windows Mobile app ecosystem only has a fraction of it. Microsoft even paid developers to create apps for the platform, but the app developers were not ready to invest because the number of Windows Mobile  users were low. 

Furthermore Belfore admitted that he switched platform for the sake of platform/hardware diversity, and now uses an iPhone. He also recommended others to do it (switch platform), and said Microsoft will support Windows 10 customer who want to use Android and iOS on their phones.

The Windows Mobile operating system has been dead for more than a year, and this is the first time Microsoft is publicly admitting defeat. The last Windows Phone from Microsoft was Lumia 950/950 XL and Lumia 550, and released two years back.

Even though Microsoft is done with Windows Mobile hardware and software, the company will make its presence felt by bringing some of its popular apps and services to rival platforms. The company  has been focusing on releasing apps and experiences for Android and iOS devices. It recently announced Edge browser for iOS and Android devices, and before that released MS Office, Cortana, Bink Search, Arrow Launcher (now Microsoft Launcher) and more. Microsoft also started selling Android phone with "Microsoft Edition" tag in its retail stores starting with the Galaxy S8, pre-loaded with Microsoft service and app.

Meanwhile, Microsoft's head Satya Nadella recently revealed that he was against the idea of buying Nokia and entering the smartphone market with Windows Phone platform. Also Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates revealed that he is now using an Android Phone, with a lot of Microsoft apps.

The latest development on Windows Mobile operating system comes soon after HP announced that it is ditching Windows 10 Mobile platform. The company had released a premium flagship model called Elite X3, which had all the top features and hardware, but failed to attract any attention and the reason is same, due to the failure and low user base of Windows Mobile operating system. 

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Microsoft brings Edge browser to Android and iOS devices

Microsoft has almost given up on its Windows Mobile operating system, but has been releasing apps such as Bink search, MS Office, Cortana, Arrow Launcer and more on rival platforms, Android and iOS, to make its presence felt in the smartphone segment. Now Microsoft's latest offering to Android and iOS is its web browser that debut in Windows 10 and replaced Internet Explorer — Edge

The Edge browser will be available as Preview for Android and iOS and will be available only for Windows Insiders.

The Android and iOS version of Edge will have the same features as Windows 10 Mobile and desktop version including Favorites, Reading List, New Tab Page, Reading View, across your PC and phone, making it easier to find, view and manage content on the go, so you can browse seamlessly. Also your passwords and favorites are synced across your device, if you're logged into your account. 

There's also a feature called 'continue on your PC' which allows you to immediately open the page you're looking on your mobile device, right on your PC. 

Microsoft Edge for Android and iOS features

• From PC to mobile,  browse seamlessly across your devices, while your information syncs in the background.
• Go anywhere and pick up where you left off by easily moving content between your mobile device and your Windows 10 PC.
• Passwords and favorites are synced across your devices so your browser is always personalized to you.
• Hub View makes it easy to find and manage your content like favorites, reading list, history and books all in one place.
• Reading View allows you to reorganize the content on a webpage to make it easier to focus on what you’re reading.
• Find, view, and share content effortlessly with a built-in QR Code Reader to pull up information at a touch of a button, Voice Search to use the web in more familiar ways, and InPrivate mode to keep your browsing data private.

Edge for iOS is now available for a limited number of users in Apple's TestFlight system. The Android app will be available soon via Android's Play Store Early Access. 

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Microsoft Xbox One S goes on pre-order in India, price start at Rs. 29,990

Microsoft introduced the Xbox One S, an upgraded version of the original Xbox One internationally back in August 2016. And now after a long delay, the Xbox One S has hit the Indian market. 

The Xbox One S is now up for pre-order on Amazon India, Flipkart and select retailers, and will ship from October 5. Microsoft is offering the Xbox One S Forza Horizon 3 Bundle, which will be available in 500GB and 1TB storage options priced at Rs. 29,990 and Rs. 34,990 respectively. Those who pre-order will also get two addition games – Gears of War 4 and Battlefield 1. It also comes bundled with 14-day trial membership of Xbox Live Gold.

As mentioned earlier, the Xbox One S is an upgraded version of Xbox One X, and is 40 percent smaller, and comes in white color.

The Xbox One S comes with 4K Ultra HD video support (including 4K Ultra HD Bluray) and HDR capabilities for both gaming and video for richer and more luminous color in games, built-in power supply and an IR Blaster. The gaming console comes with an optional stand that allows it to be placed horizontally or vertically.

There's 3 x USB ports and (one on the front) and controller pairing button on the front. The dedicated Kinect port has been removed from the back. However, Kinect for Xbox will still be compatible with Xbox One S via the Xbox Kinect Adapter for USB connection.

It also comes with a also comes with a newly designed Xbox wireless Controller. It has the same White color scheme as the console, but has textured grips on the back and Bluetooth connectivity, which both adds more wireless range when used with Xbox One S.

All Xbox One games, accessories and Xbox Live services will work with the new Xbox One S.

New Surface devices reportedly arriving at Microsoft's October 2017 event

According to a report from The Verge, Microsoft will launch at least one new Surface device at a keynote at the company's annual Future Decoded event in London on October 31. A keynote by Panos Panay, Microsoft’s Surface head of product, will be delivered at the event.

This is no surprise, given that Microsoft has been unveiling new Surface devices in the month of October for last several years. Last year (2016) it announced Surface Studio AIO PC, and a year before (2015) announced Surface Book laptop, Surface Pro 4 2-in-1 tablet, Microsoft Band 2 and Lumia 950/950XL/550 smartphones.

It is not clear what Microsoft will announce at this years event, but the company has been working on a couple of Surface products:

• Surface Pro LTE version
• Surface Book 2
• Upgraded Surface Hub
• ARM-powered Windows laptop with Snapdragon chipset and LTE in partnership with PC makers HP, Asus and Lenovo

Unfortunately, the highly-anticipated Surface Phone will be still missing in action, and give the event a skip.

The most likely candidate is Surface Pro LTE version and the Surface Book 2, which is due for a upgrade since two years. It is likely to use Intel’s new 8th generation Kaby Lake R processors. Whatever the device is, Microsoft's plan will be to make it available by the holiday season.

Earlier this year in May, Microsoft launched a new Surface Laptop with Windows 10 S OS, targeted at education market, with the aim to compete with Chromebooks.

Windows 10 Fall Creators update will be out on October 17

Microsoft has announced that its next major software update to Windows 10, "Windows 10 Fall Creators Update" will release to the public worldwide from October 17.

The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will bring a host of new features like Fluent design system, which adds changes across visuals such as blur effects and transparency. Microsoft says the new design will deliver "intuitive, harmonious, responsive and inclusive cross-device experiences and interactions."

Another major addition is support for Windows Mixed Reality, which is Microsoft's virtual and augmented reality experience, and will be built into Falls Creator update. This function will let you connect a Mixed Reality headset to the PC, and interact with apps and games in virtual environment using a pair of motion controllers.

Mixed Reality Headset will be available from companies like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo, and will release on October 17, when the Fall Creators Update ships.. The price starts at $299, and the headsets will also work with affordable Laptops/PC.

Here are some of the other features:

• Windows Story Remix: Uses AI and deep learning to organize and transform your photos and videos into stories with soundtrack.
• Microsoft Graph: Aims to sync all your Microsoft app across all platforms, so that you can pick up from where you left on any device, be it Android, Windows or iOS.
• Timeline: Lets you jump back in time to find what you were working on, whether it was two hours or two months ago. You can easily hop back your files, apps and sites, as if you never left.
• Pick up where you left off: Log out of one device and Cortana asks if you want to continue working in your app, doc or website on your next device.
• Clipboard: A fast and easy way to copy and paste just anything between connected devices, whether you are on a Windows PC or smartphone.
• One Drive Files On-Demand: Access all your files in the cloud without having to download them and use storage space on your device
• New apps on Windows Store: iTunes, Autodesk, SAP Digital Boardroom
• Updated Windows Inking: Ink directly into PDFs, making it easier and faster to comment and share with others; Smart Ink applies artificial intelligence to inking automatically makingthe squares you draw more perfect, or turning boxes into a table.
• Updated Game Mode: Allows your games to use the full processing power of your device, right from a new button on the Game bar.
• Updated Windows Defender: It is now smarter and defends better than before.
• Eye Control: Implements eye tracking technology that lets you type, and operate a mouse just using your eyes for those with Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will be available as a free update for existing Windows 10 users, and is most likely to be rolled out in phases.

Microsoft's Cortana and Amazon's Alexa will soon talk to one another

 Microsoft and Amazon has announced a first-of-its kind partnership under which the tech giants digital assistant Cortana and Alexa will be able to speak to one another and you.

It will be available later this year, and will allow users to access Alexa via Cortana on Windows 10 PCs, followed by Android and iOS in future. In return users will be able to access Cortana on Alexa-enabled devices like Amazon Echo, Echo Dot and Echo Show. One of the benefits of this collaboration is that users will be able to access unique features of both digital assistants.

Cortana users will be able to have Alexa shop on Amazon.com and manage their Amazon orders, control smart home devices, and acess many of Alexa's third party skills by asking Cortana to open Alexa.

Similarly Alexa users will have access to Cortana's unique features  booking a meeting or accessing work calendars, reminding you to pick up flowers on your way home, or reading your work email simply by asking Alexa to open Cortana. 

"Ensuring Cortana is available for our customers everywhere and across any device is a key priority for us," said Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, in a press release. "Bringing Cortana's knowledge, Office 365 integration, commitments, and reminders to Alexa is a great step toward that goal." he added.

"There are going to be multiple successful intelligent agents, each with access to different sets of data and with different specialized skill areas. Together, their strengths will complement each other and provide customers with a richer and even more helpful experience. It’s great for Echo owners to get easy access to Cortana." Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, said in a press release.

As mentioned earlier Alexa and Cortana will be able to talk to each other later this year.

Microsoft announces Xbox One X Project Scorpio Edition

Microsoft introduced its most powerful gaming console Xbox One X, at the annual E3 2017, back in June.  Now the console is up for pre-order starting at $499. In addition, Microsoft is also rolling out a special edition called Xbox One X Project Scorpio Edition for a limited time. To recall Xbox One X was referred to as Project Scorpio during its development.

The hardware inside is the same as the original model, but the difference is in-terms of aesthetic. The Project Scorpio Edition has a "sophisticated and dynamic graphic pattern across the exterior, vertical stand, and “Project Scorpio” printed on both the console and controller." It is priced same as the regular model, starting at $499. 

Microsoft XBox One X / Xbox One X Project Scorpio Edition features
The Xbox One X features six teraflops of processing power, topping arch rival Sony's Play Station 4 Pro's four teraflops. It is equipped with 2.3GHz octa-core processor and 128GB GDDR5 RAM, and has a memory bandwidth of 326 GB/s. It is capable of running 4K games at 60fps. However, 1080p display can even take the advantage of the enhanced hardware, as Xbox One X can perform "super sampling".

The console offers complete 4K entertainment package with 4K UHD for Blu-ray drive and streamed content, HDR support for gaming and video, spatial audio and Dolby Atmos support for enhanced sound experience. 

Other specs include advanced liquid cooling system, built-in power supply, 3 x USB 3.0 ports and IR blaster. The console can be placed horizontally and vertically with an optional stand.

Moving on, Microsoft also announced that it now has over 100 Xbox One game titles ready and enhanced for the Xbox One X. Some of the notable games include Halo 5, NBA 2K18, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, ReCore: Definitive Edition, FIFA 18, Star Wars Battlefront II, Below and remastered versions of Disneyland Adventures, Rush: A Disney-Pixar Adventure and Zoo Tycoon. You can check out the complete list here.

Pricing and availability
The Xbox One X Project Scorpio Limited Edition is priced at $499 (Rs. 31,970) / 449 GBP / 499 EUR and is now available for pre-order from Xbox.com, Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Best Buy, Gamestop, Target, Walmart among others, and will start rolling out November 7.

Microsoft India release Kaizala, a mobile group and work communication app

Microsoft has released a new chat and productivity app called Kaizala designed for Indian enterprises. The app is aimed at large group communications, and work management.

With Kaizala, organizations can seamlessly communicate and collaborate with large number of people within or outside the organizations, to assign task and track completion status, and gain actionable insights. The app also makes it easy to get announcements and updates from the main office, invite people to meeting, send feedback via polls or surveys, or simply chat with others one-on-one or in groups. You can even send and receive locations, photos, videos, documents and more.

The app uses an individual's mobile number as their primary unique ID, similar to Whatsapp. It is powered by Microsoft Azure cloud platform, has offline support and has been optimized to work on 2G networks to enable connectivity in remote locations.  It also integrates with Office 365 subscription. 

There's also an enterprise version called Kaizala Pro, that allows organizations to have full administrative control of their group. It offers additional feature like user and group management, system integration and automation using Microsoft Kaizala APIs, advanced reporting and analytics, ability to publish custom actions, ability to create public groups, and organizational profile and directory. The pro version subscription costs Rs. 130 per user per month

Microsoft says Kaizala has seen significant adoption among Indian organizations such as YES Bank, Apollo Telemedicine, Republic TV, United Phosphorous Limited and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan. These organizations are currently piloting Kaizala app for their internal teams.  

In addition, the Government of Andhra Pradesh is also using Kaizala for real time governance. More than 30 government departments and over 70,000 users in Andhra Pradesh government use Microsoft Kaizala for day-to-day work.

Microsoft Kaizala is available in India as a free download on iOS and Android devices. However, the pro version will cost Rs. 130 per user per month.