Windows 10: Happy with Anniversary Update?

The Big Review One year after the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft has released the Anniversary Update, bringing new features as well as usability tweaks to the operating system.

Windows 10 was always more than just another release. Notable innovations include the concept of Windows-as-a-service, with regular updates (free for consumer editions); and the idea of "One Windows," with a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) for applications, along with shared code across PCs, tablets and devices.

Microsoft also sought to win back users who disliked the dual personalities in Windows 8, re-introducing a desktop Start menu and making UWP applications run in a window rather than full screen. Not everything in Windows 8 was discarded, though. The UWP is the next generation of its Windows Runtime platform, and the Windows App store remains.

Strategically, Windows 10 marks the moment when Microsoft decided it was more important to have as many users as possible on the latest version of its operating system than to generate revenue from upgrades. Profits come from apps, advertising, and integration with cloud services. CEO Satya Nadella described the strategy as to "grow new monetization through services across a unified Windows platform," when he was speaking at the company's recent earnings webcast.

Nadella added that "Bing profitability continues to grow, with greater than 40 percent of the search revenue in June from Windows 10 devices." Cortana, the personal digital assistant built into Windows 10, always uses Bing for search, and users will find it hard to avoid occasional promotional notifications, particularly in the consumer editions including Windows Pro.

What's new in the Anniversary Update

New features in Windows 10 Anniversary fall into two categories: those which immediately affect the user experience, and low-level updates of interest to developers and admins. In this case, the latter are more interesting, but nevertheless there are numerous feature updates and tweaks to the user interface. The original Windows 10 was a rushed release, and fine-tuning is welcome.

The Start menu has been tweaked, and is now a three-column affair with the All Apps list always on view. This saves a click, compared to the earlier effort, but it is unlikely to satisfy those still in love with the Windows 7 Start menu with its simple hierarchical structure and tidier appearance.

If you ask the question, "Why is the Windows 10 Start menu as it is?", the answer is a long story about Windows Phone and Live Tiles and Windows 8 and tablets, and then Cortana thrown into the mix. It is functional though; and not so important when you consider all the other ways to launch applications, such as taskbar pinning, desktop shortcuts, and Search.

Talking about Cortana, there are a few changes here as well. The first is that Cortana cannot be disabled in the normal user interface, whereas there was previously an Off option in Settings. Next, there is an option to use Cortana from the lock screen. Third, notifications can now sync across devices, so you get missed call notifications on your PC, for example.

A Windows 10 annoyance is that Cortana doubles as Windows and Start Menu Search. In Windows 7, you can type into the search box in the Start menu and be confident of finding an application if it is installed. In Windows 10, there is uncertainty about whether you find your application or setting, or search the web. From Microsoft's perspective, this is core functionality. According to this article, if you disable web search you disable Cortana, and if you have Windows 10 Pro or below, you cannot change the setting anyway.

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Source: Windows 10: Happy with Anniversary Update?

New Samsung phone unlocks by scanning your eyes

NEW YORK (AP) — You'll be able to unlock Samsung's new phone by just looking at it.

The Galaxy Note 7 will come with an iris scanner, which matches patterns in your eyes with what was detected by your phone during setup. It offers an alternative to fingerprint ID, which doesn't work well when fingers are wet. Of course, the four-digit passcode will still work.

Beyond that, though, the updates in the Note 7 are mostly enhancements, such as a stronger glass screen and more storage — 64 gigabytes, with a slot to add more. Even the iris technology isn't new, as Microsoft's Lumia 950 phones had it.

The Note 7 comes with a better camera — but it's the same one that the smaller Galaxy S7 phones got in March, save for interface enhancements to access settings and switch between the front and rear cameras more easily.

Samsung had lost its mojo after Apple matched the company on size with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in 2014, but thanks to the popularity of the S7, Samsung just reported its best quarterly financial results in two years. The new Note 7 phone comes weeks before Apple is expected to announce new models.

Samsung typically releases its regular-size phones in the spring and jumbo phones in August. This time, Samsung has just one large model, which stays at 5.7 inches. It will have curved edges — a well-liked feature limited to a special "Edge" model before. The Note 7 will be available in the U.S. starting Aug. 19. Prices haven't been announced.

Samsung is also releasing an updated virtual-reality headset — with a dedicated home button, a wider field of view and a black interior to improve viewing. The new Gear VR will be available Aug. 19 for $100. A previously announced 360-degree camera called Gear 360 also comes out that day, for $350. As phones mature and innovation slows, VR has been one area in which gadget makers try to entice consumers.

As with past Note phones, the Note 7 comes with a stylus. It expands on a feature that lets you magnify text and images by hovering the pen over it. With the pen, people will have ways to easily create and share GIF animations.

The Note 7 also expands on a feature to give sensitive files an additional layer of security. You'll be asked for an iris scan, fingerprint or passcode to access documents you place in a Secure Folder. This way, if you're handing the phone to friends to browse pictures, you're not inadvertently giving them access to confidential work documents.

In previous phones, Samsung's Private Mode merely hid files and worked only with selected apps. Samsung says Secure Folder stores sensitive documents and even entire apps in a separate, secure location.

Source: New Samsung phone unlocks by scanning your eyes

Windows 10 Anniversary Update: What new things can Cortana do?

After experiencing the updated Cortana in the new Windows 10 Anniversary Update, it would be difficult to imagine using Windows without her. Cortana now has many features to make daily tasks much easier and almost effortless.

Many things can now be done without touching your keyboard or mouse at any point. Making a reminder, searching for something on the internet, or finding your phone and making it ring. There are also things Cortana can do to go along with other improvements to the software. Probably the most useful feature Cortana now has is the ability to set a rich reminder by just speaking.

Cortana also gives you the option to let her know what you like. If you like sports, you can add your favourite teams and she will update you with games and scores for those teams. If you are a fan of trying new food at restaurants, Cortana can give you recommendations of places that are receiving good reviews. Here's everything Cortana can do.

Rich reminders

Cortana is accessible from the 'ask me anything field' on the left of the taskbar. It can now set reminder without additional info from you. Just click the microphone and ask her to remind you to get groceries, and that's that.

However, setting a reminder or looking for information has never been more simpler on a PC. If you say, "Hey Cortana, remind me to call mom at noon," it will automatically set a reminder for noon. If you need to get some flowers for a loved one, you can say, "Hey Cortana, flower shops," and you'll get a list of all the flower shops in your area, their address, and the ability to call them.

These reminders also give you the option of making them rich by adding a time or photos, which in the future, gives you the option to ask her about the place you may have gone and what it looked like. You may need to enable the features like "Hey Cortana" by opening Cortana bar and clicking on the gear button. This will show you all of the settings Cortana has, such as ensuring she only answers to your voice, or letting her work even when your device is locked. This gives you the ability to play music or set reminders without unlocking your device.

Cortana reminders also always appear at top of Action Center (but that can be changed to another app in Settings).

Cortana across devices

Something that makes setting reminders through Cortana even better is the ability to receive those reminders across multiple devices. Whether you have a Windows phone or Android, you can download Cortana and receive updates and reminders on your computer and phone.

The Cortana app can also be used to send information like message alerts, missed calls, and battery saver information to your computer. If you receive a text message, you can answer it from your computer when the notification appears in the Action Center.

Lock screen

If you have a subscription to Groove, the music app in Windows 10, you don't even need to unlock your device to play music. While at your lock screen, ask Cortana to play rock music or a certain artist, and she will play that music.

With the ability to use Cortana on the lock screen, so many things can be accomplished in seconds without having to wait for a computer or laptop to unlock and load just to play music or set a rich reminder.

Cortana coupons

If you enjoy shopping online, Microsoft Edge may be the internet browser for you with Cortana's ability to find you coupons. If you are on a website like Target, Cortana will alert you that she has found coupons and asks if you would like to use them. The only downfall is that these coupons may have nothing to do with what you're shopping for.

Find my phone Cortana find my phone

Losing your phone is easy to do, and it is frustrating when have it on vibrate and can't hear it ringing. If you ask Cortana to find your phone however, she will locate it and then give you the option to dismiss it or make it ring.

Identifying music

Sometimes little things are overlooked in updates, but it is the small features that make using your device more enjoyable. Cortana has the ability to identify a song that is playing, and when you ask her what song is playing, she brings up a menu with information about the song as well as a list of songs you have searched in the past. By selecting the song, it opens the Windows Store, so you can instantly buy the album or even listen to the song for free. 

Source: Windows 10 Anniversary Update: What new things can Cortana do?

Nokia to come back to Vietnam with two new phone models

Nokia will return to the global market, including Vietnam later this year with two new phone models, according to distributor FPT Trading.

Nokia will return to the mobile phone market later this year. This information was confirmed during a meeting between representatives of Microsoft (currently owns the rights to exploit the brand Nokia but is about to transfer to the Global HMD) and the distributor FPT Trading last week.

According to James Rutherfoord, CEO of mobile device commodities of Microsoft Asia - Pacific, HMD Global (the owner of Nokia commercial rights for 10 years) planned to launch two new phone products in the fourth quarter 2016 and at least two smartphones in the early second quarter 2017.

Currently, the basic phone manufacturing factory of Microsoft in Bac Ninh, Vietnam, is managed by FIH Mobile, a subsidiary of Foxconn. This plant can directly produce two new Nokia phones, which are expected to be launched later this year.

Meanwhile, representatives of retailers in Vietnam said Nokia and Microsoft had not made any contact with agents.

In May, unnamed sources from the partner that recruits personnel in Vietnam for Microsoft Mobile told Zing.vn that this firm ended contracts with hundreds of salespeople, technicians and managers from June 1.

However, Microsoft Mobile's termination of its contracts staff in Vietnam does not mean that Microsoft Mobile is about to stop operating in Vietnam.

On its official website, Microsoft Vietnam confirmed that Microsoft will continue to develop Windows 10 Mobile and support Lumia phones like Lumia 650, Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL, as well as devices from its original equipment manufacturers (OEM) such as Acer, Alcatel, HP, Trinity and VAIO.

Source Vietnamnet

Source: Nokia to come back to Vietnam with two new phone models

Microsoft deploys Xbox One Summer Update with loads of new features

Microsoft is rolling out a major Xbox One firmware update today, giving console owners access to long-requested system features like user-selected background music and voice commands via Cortana.

This week's update also tweaks several aspects of the Xbox One dashboard, overhauling the console's Game Collection screen and improving content-sharing functionality, among other changes.

Related: Xbox One DVR plans cancelled

After installing the latest Xbox One firmware update, players will be able to listen to their own music during gameplay using the console's newly released Pandora app. Microsoft revealed that Pandora is "the first of many partners who will support Background Music," announcing that upcoming Groove Music and iHeartRadio apps will offer similar functionality.

Rival console manufacturer Sony previously introduced streamed background music support for its PlayStation 4 console via a Spotify app released in 2015. Previously, Xbox One players needed to use the console's Snap functionality to listen to background music loaded on a connected flash drive or other physical media source.

This week also marks the launch of Cortana on Xbox One. Initially available for Windows Phone devices and Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system, Cortana is a digital assistant that interprets and executes voice commands via a headset or the Kinect peripheral. Microsoft notes that Xbox One owners can use Cortana to "find great new games, see what your friends are up to, start a party, accomplish common tasks, turn on your Xbox One if you're using Kinect, and more."

Players can also look forward to an overhauled Xbox One Game Collection screen that displays more titles on screen and offers new sorting options. Installed content is now emphasized over previous purchases and backward compatible releases, and available game updates are now clearly listed under a separate tab.

Other improved features in store for this week's update include language region independence, automatic Activity Feed sharing, and 60 fps game recording. The Xbox One Summer Update is available as a free download starting today, and players will be prompted to update when connecting to Xbox Live.

Source: Microsoft deploys Xbox One Summer Update with loads of new features

Why you shouldn't write off Windows 10 Mobile just yet

Microsoft has never had much success with its mobile phone business, and buying Nokia for $7.2 billion (around £5.5 billion, AU$9.7 billion) back in 2013 didn't help Redmond claw its way to relevancy, either.

Revenues from its phone business, which includes Lumia-branded handsets, dropped over 70% in the three months leading up to July, on top of a 50% decline in the quarter before that, and a similar drop in the previous quarter.

Research firms, such as Gartner and IDC, peg the market share of Windows 10 Mobile at somewhere between zero and 1%, a figure that could also be described as a rounding error equivalent to BlackBerry's share of the market.

Billion blunder

The company hasn't been releasing many new handsets of late and recently revised its stated goal of getting Windows 10 onto one billion devices by 2018 because of "the focusing of our phone hardware business."

The "focusing" in question is, by and large, a mystery. Microsoft declined to show off any new Windows 10 Mobile details earlier this year at its Build conference, and after this was picked up on by the media, Redmond was subsequently forced to release a statement clarifying its commitment.

The platform the company built with Windows 10 has been growing and now has 350 million active users across a range of devices, including Xbox, PCs, tablets, and (some) smartphones. But the downward revision of the big billion goal – and its reasoning – is embarrassing for Microsoft and signals just how far its mobile ambitions have fallen.

There is, however, a way to turn this around.

Office 365 is now used by some 23 million subscribers

Deep and meaningful relationships

Microsoft has always had the best, by which we mean the deepest, relationships with big enterprise customers who run Windows, use Office, and most likely have some kind of Azure setup humming in the background.

While Amazon has snapped up growing startups with its Amazon Web Services platform, Microsoft has retained many big clients, which are defined as companies with over 100,000 employees, $10 billion (around £7.5 billion, AU$13.5 billion) in revenue per year, or both.

According to Gartner, Microsoft software and services are used in these kinds of companies the majority of the time, and the dominance only starts to fade as the organisations become smaller than 250 employees or generate less than $50 million (around £38 million, AU$67 million) in revenue.

As you'd expect, the bigger the company the more money Microsoft generates from it. Office 365, the cloud version of its productivity software, is used by over 23 million people, many of which are employees of big firms.

These relationships – which are likely years old – could be used to sell Windows-based smartphones.

Microsoft should bundle its devices and services to create compelling enterprise offerings

Advantage Microsoft

"In the enterprise segment, Microsoft has a chance," said Francisco Jeronimo, a senior researcher at IDC, in an interview earlier this year. "They are looking at selling a bundle of products and services, rather than just the operating system, and when they go to a client and offer a device that comes with Continuum, the docking station, and Windows 10, it can be quite interesting."

The features that Microsoft has developed for its mobile operating system are some of the best-in-class. Continuum, for example, uses a $99 (around £75, AU$133) dock – called the Display Dock – which attaches to a mouse and keyboard to turn a Lumia smartphone into a fully-fledged computer running Windows 10.

Demos of a smartphone turning – literally – into a computer are really impressive and, more importantly, represent something only Microsoft is doing currently. Apple, which makes the iPhone, chooses to keep its desktop and smartphone operating systems separate, and Google, which develops Android, has chosen never to merge Chrome OS and Android in any meaningful way.

So, either by design or by accident, Microsoft has a huge, marketable advantage that would be uniquely beneficial to enterprise customers.

Source: Why you shouldn't write off Windows 10 Mobile just yet

How to install Pokemon GO on Windows 10 Mobile

Pokemon Go is available on Android and iOS — but if you are on Windows 10, there isn't any official app yet. Thankfully though, there is a new third-party Pokemon Go app for Windows 10 which lets you play Pokemon Go on your Windows Phone. The app is based on the Universal Windows Platform, which means it might be available for Windows 10 PCs in the future — but for now, it's only available for Windows 10 Mobile. Once the app is available for PCs, we will update this article with instructions on how to install it on your PC. In the meantime, if you want to try it out on your Windows Phone, you can follow the instructions below.

1) Create a Pokmon Go Trainer account

For Pokemon Go to work on Windows 10, you will first need to have a Pokemon Go Trainer account and a starter from Pokemon Go on Android/iOS. To create an account, just head over to the official website here and create an account. After that, you need to login to Pokemon Go on Android or iOS. You can use Bluestacks if you don't have an Android or iOS device, but we're using a real Android device for this tutorial. Once you are logged into the Pokemon Go on Android/iOS, you should be good to go.

2) Enable Developer Mode and Device Portal on your device

Now, you need to enable Developer Mode on your Windows 10 Mobile. To do so, open the Settings app, go to the Update & Security section, and enable the Developer Mode. Once that's done, scroll down and you will see a toggle that lets you enable Device Portal — go ahead and enable that. Once the Device Portal is done, you will see an IP address which you need to visit from your PC. Go ahead and visit the exact same IP address on a browser on your computer.

3) Download PoGo UWP and install

This is the step where you will be installing Pokemon Go on your device. First, you need to download the app on your PC. Just head over to this link, and download the latest ARM appx available. Once that's done, you need to download this file, and then this file. Put all those files in one single folder to make the deploy process slightly easier. After that, open a browser and visit the Device Portal IP address. On the device portal, go to the Apps section from the sidebar. After that, follow the steps below:

From the App Package, select the .appx you downloaded

Click on the "Add Dependency" button twice

Browse and select one of the other files for the first dependency

Then select the second file for the last dependency

Once that's done, make sure your phone isn't locked

Click on Done and wait for the Device Portal to install the app

…and it should be installed successfully

4) Run the app

Once the app has been successfully deployed, Pokemon Go should show up in the All Apps list on your Windows 10 Mobile. From there, open the app and login with the same Pokemon Go Trainer Club Account. After that, you should be able to use Pokemon Go on your Windows 10 device — but once again, it's in its early stage, and it can be quite buggy.

How's Pokemon Go on Windows Phone? Let us know in the comment section below.

Source: How to install Pokemon GO on Windows 10 Mobile