Posts

Microsoft describes the Windows Desktop Program as a one-stop portal for desktop applications analytics. The service allows developers to access data through an API. Through the portal, charts and statistics break down app performance and usage. For example, how many customers have viewed the app. Additional abilities include viewable crash and failure data. Additionally, developers can track fixes and even monitor them. Monitoring app distribution is now easier with added app optimization....

The original Windows File Manager is now available as a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app. Users can try it out now by downloading it from the Microsoft Store here. This is the Windows File Manager that first appeared in Windows 3.0. Microsoft open-sourced the project last year and has now made it widely available. File Manager can be installed on mobile, PC, HoloLens, and Surface Hub. While it is a cross-platform application, the official system requirements are pegged to at least Windows 10 build 16299....

The problem stems from a new file type called “.SettingContent-ms”. Yes, this is a Microsoft file for Windows 10 and comes with a range of privileges. At its core, the file allows shortcuts to be made to the Settings app. Despite its apparent usefulness, SpecterOps security researcher Matt Nelson says the XML file is too widespread and can be exploited. According to Nelson, the SettingsContent-ms file accepts any filepath in deeplink, including Powershell and CMD paths....

The idea here is, the Xbox One X makes in-game environments look so good you may want to buy those games regardless of other elements, such as gameplay. As such, in the locations provided from game, Microsoft buries a link to the Microsoft Store page for the title. So, on its surface Visit Xbox is simply a new campaign that shows some images of in-game worlds and links to the store....

One of those was Windows’ default spell checker, the commit for which was first spotted in early July. It seems the feature is now available in Chrome Canary, albeit via the chrome://flags menu. Currently, Chrome uses Hunspell, the check used by Libre Office, Open Office, and Firefox, as well as software like Photoshop, and macOS. The plan is to let Chrome users on Windows switch to the native spell checker if they wish, increasing consistency....

Those apps can surface the following error: “The EMS System encountered a problem” with “Message: [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver] Protocol error in TDS Stream” or “Message: [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver]Unknown token received from SQL Server.” On the Windows Health Dashboard, Microsoft points out the bug is a problem for both client and service versions of Windows starting from Windows 7 and also affecting Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11....

Perhaps the biggest new addition to Microsoft Seeing AI is support for the LiDAR sensors on Apple’s new smartphones. This allows users to see unfamiliar locations in a 3D spatial audio map. This essentially means users with visual impairments will hear objects within the room. Elsewhere, Microsoft is also taking advantage of the haptic proximity sensor on the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max to use LiDAR to help assess the distance of objects....

We’ll start with new features brought to SharePoint Online in August. For example, the have been additions made to page authoring. Specifically, pages and news can now use a Web Part when showing recommended content. By leveraging Microsoft Graph, page authoring can display more accurate information regarding an organization and make suggestions based on the data. Elsewhere, a new Vertical Sections Web Part was added to the platform. This is a page-layout tool that allows content to be compiled in a single column....

However, the tool is only available in preview for Microsoft Teams. Dynamic View allows meeting hosts to have better visibility of content shared in a group. The tool automatically adjusts the size of content, such as images and slides during a meeting. In the Microsoft Teams roadmap, Microsoft explains how the tool will help video participants: “Dynamic view automatically optimizes shared content and video participants in Teams meetings. New controls let you personalize the view to suit your preferences and needs, such as the ability to show shared content and specific participants side-by-side....

Microsoft is a regular annual visitor to the Bett education conference each year. This year is a little different because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The conference is usually held at the ExCel in London but was cancelled this year. Instead, the BettFest is being held as a two-day virtual event through January 20 and 21. Ahead of that event, Microsoft is teasing some new Windows 10 laptops that will target education users:...

After waiting such a long time, users have numerous features that they have wanted for years. Microsoft is checking some of those off the list with this release. It is worth mentioning that while Notepad is not users’ note-taking app, it is still widely used by Windows 10 users for logs, development, and other text editing. If you have used the service, you will know it is a basic app with a core function that just works....

However, with many schools moving to digital whiteboard solutions, Microsoft’s tool could be a strong offering. With it, the entire class or small groups will be able to collaborate at once, while the entire canvas is mirrored to a big screen. If necessary, Whiteboard also lets users collaborate remotely. This makes it a good tool for homework projects. For users who don’t have a pen-focused device, there’s the ability to use keyboard and mouse or a touchscreen and finger....

Users can place either all pages or a single one on their canvas, resizing it to fit. They can then annotate it, collate pages from different sources, and add supporting images, sticky notes, or PDFs. The functionality adds a new aspect to the app, which has been growing steadily since its initial release. As Microsoft continues to make a play for the education market, its tool has gone from a basic drawing and mind mapping software to one that quickly integrates with the rest of its suite....

Recently, Microsoft offered a glimpse of just how popular its applications are on Android. The company says its Microsoft Word app from the Office suite has been installed on Android devices over 1 billion times. Users can see this milestone for themselves as download data is found on the Google Play Store. As for other Office applications on Android, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and OneDrive have each been installed over 500 million downloads....

You probably already know why Minecraft Dungeons has been cancelled. Mojang says the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has escalated since the first launch announcement. As such, less developers have been working on the game and the company says it won’t risk its teams. As you all know, we initially planned to release Minecraft Dungeons by the end of April. However, due to the current state of the world, this was no longer possible, as we wanted to guarantee the health and safety of our teams and empower them to deliver the best possible experience to you, our players....

Announced this week, Minecraft Earth has been crafted as the future of gameplay, especially for Minecraft on mobile devices. Developed in the same division as Microsoft’s next Halo game for Xbox, the new Minecraft experience is available for free on iOS and Android. The Verge spoke to Alex Kipman, the driving force behind Microsoft AR development through devices such as Kinect and HoloLens. Kipman has already led the company to creating holographic content across a broad range of niches....

Specifically, for iOS and iPadOS, the update brings Bluetooth mouse and keyboard support to Minecraft. Users on Apple’s iPad iOS variant will probably get more mileage from this update, but it will also work for iPhone too. So, you could send your iPhone screen to a big screen and play Minecraft with mouse and keyboard. The ability to stream your iPhone on a big screen is available on all models from the iPhone X and newer....

Rather than the unlimited free access of the early testing, regular users will get 12 hours of free time each month. These come in the form of four three-hour passes that are designed to keep you safe while using public Wi-Fi networks. There’s also a chance of unlimited access for the app’s improved closed beta: “For unlimited access, you have the opportunity to join our invite-only VPN beta We’re nearly ready to invite our beta testers to try out Firefox Private Network full-device protection,” said Mozilla in a post on the Private Network site....

Windows 10 October 2018 Update features This is the sixth major windows 10 upgrade that touches every corner of OS, includes a number of new features such as cloud powered clipboard higooglestory that syncs between your devices, a long-awaited dark theme for File Explorer, Your Phone app that allows Text From Your PC, new Snip & Sketch Tool that makes easier to take a screenshot, SwiftKey keyboard that gives you more accurate autocorrections and predictions by learning your writing style, A automatic Video Brightness Feature that automatically adjusts video brightness depending on the ambient light, Huge improvements on Microsoft edge, Notepad, Skype, Game Bar and more....

Like the platform affirming news last year, this decision has wider consequences. It once again highlights the decline and demise of Windows Phone. The consumer market is long gone, and now the organization market is also slipping away. The New York Post says the NYPD will adopt the iPhone by the end of the year. The decision ends a three-year partnership with Microsoft. Redmond initially partnered with the police department in 2014, creating a trial that put 25,000 Lumia smartphones in officers’ hands....