Technology

Microsoft makes its case for Windows 10

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Microsoft figures one way to get people psyched about Windows 10 is to make sure there are plenty of cool features and apps for smartphones and tablets that use the new operating system. That’s why the tech giant is making its case Wednesday before an army of software developers who may be crucial allies in its campaign to build enthusiasm among consumers for the next version of Microsoft’s flagship operating system, coming later this year.While Microsoft has already previewed some aspects of the new Windows, a parade of top executives will use Microsoft’s annual “Build” conference to demonstrate more software features and app-building tools, with an emphasis on mobile devices as well as PCs.

Ultimately, they’re hoping to win over people who have turned to smartphones and tablets that run on rival operating systems from Google and Apple.During the three-day conference, Microsoft may also show off new Windows smartphones or other devices and reveal more details about such tech initiatives as the company’s new Spartan web browser; its Siri-like digital assistant known as Cortana; and the HoloLens, a futuristic “augmented reality” headset that projects three-dimensional images in a wearer’s field of vision.But perhaps most importantly, this year’s conference is an opportunity for Microsoft to persuade an audience of more than 5,000 techies and independent programmers that it’s worth their time to create new apps and programs for Windows 10.

Experts say Microsoft needs a rich variety of apps if it wants to appeal to people who are increasingly using mobile gadgets instead of personal computers.”Getting developer buy-in is absolutely the crucial thing,” said J.P. Gownder, a tech industry analyst at Forrester Research. He said Microsoft has struggled with a “chicken-and-egg” problem, in which developers have been reluctant to build mobile apps for Windows because relatively few people use Windows phones and tablets. Microsoft hopes it has solved that problem by designing Windows 10 so it’s easier for developers to build “universal” apps that work on a variety of Windows devices, from phones to PCs and other gadgets, Gownder said.

The company also has a big carrot to wave in front of those developers: Microsoft has already said it will release Windows 10 as a free upgrade to people who now have PCs or other gadgets running the previous two versions of Windows, provided they upgrade in the coming year. The offer could create a huge new audience of Windows 10 users in a relatively short time, Gownder said. Microsoft has not said exactly when Windows 10 is coming, and some analysts are hoping the company will announce a release date at the conference, along with details about how it will distribute future upgrades.

CEO Satya Nadella and other executives have hinted they’d like to move away from the old notion of selling each new version of Windows as a separate product. Microsoft’s had early success in selling its Office productivity software on a subscription basis, in which customers pay an annual fee to use programs like Word, PowerPoint and Excel. Nadella is presiding over a major overhaul of a company that once dominated the tech industry, in the days when PCs were king. He has redesigned some of Microsoft’s most popular programs for mobile devices and invested in new “cloud-computing” services, in which businesses pay to use software that’s housed in Microsoft’s data centres. Microsoft still relies heavily on selling traditional software for PCs and corporate computer systems.

But its latest quarterly earnings report, issued last week, offered some signs that the decline in that business is slowing, while Microsoft’s cloud-computing business is growing rapidly. The news drove Microsoft’s share price up 10 percent in one day. The stock has continued to climb, closing Tuesday at $49.15. Nadella will discuss the company’s strategy and financial performance at a gathering of Wall Street analysts in San Francisco later on Wednesday afternoon.

Source: Microsoft makes its case for Windows 10

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Free Windows 10 is not an upgrade … it’s marketing

Windows 10 is not a free upgrade, Microsoft said last week. It’s a “marketing and promotional activity.”
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The odd nomenclature appeared in Microsoft’s 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that highlighted the company’s first quarter financial numbers.

In the 10-Q segment devoted to revenue recognition — typically several paragraphs of static boilerplate — Microsoft brought up Windows 10, specifically the free upgrade it plans to hand out to users of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 after Windows 10’s summer debut.

“This offer differs from historical offers preceding the launch of new versions of Windows as it is being made available for free to existing users in addition to new customers after the offer announcement,” Microsoft said. “We evaluated the nature and accounting treatment of the Windows 10 offer and determined that it represents a marketing and promotional activity, in part because the offer is being made available for free to existing users [emphasis added].”

There was method to Microsoft’s apparent madness. …

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Redstone: The codename for the next Windows update coming in 2016

Microsoft loves to use codenames and from the past few years, there are two in particular that you may recall; Blue and Threshold. With Windows 10 (Threshold) coming to market sometime this summer, Microsoft is already starting to work on the next update for the OS.

Microsoft has said multiple times that Windows will be moving at a faster cadence than in the past and they are already working on a release for 2016. The codename for the project is ‘Redstone’, a popular item in the recently acquired game, Minecraft.

At this time, not much is known about Microsoft’s plans for Windows vNext, but the company has now entered the planning stages of the update, as confirmed by two internal sources. This shouldn’t come as a big surprise as the company is perpetually planning for the next iteration of its software, regardless of the platform.

We will be curious to see if any more code names pop up using the Minecraft terminology. We have already seen several names from the Halo series spring to life, like the Spartan web browser and of course, Cortana too.

It would seem logical that this will not be a large update for the OS. Seeing that Windows 10 is an overhaul of the entire platform, Redstone will likely be relatively minor in comparison. Until Microsoft clarifies what the post-Windows 10 world looks like for the platform, there are many questions left to be answered.

It is worth pointing out too that Windows Server is expected to be released in 2016, so Redstone could possibly be related to this project as well. It’s early days for the this project but as we learn more and solidify what Redstone will become, we will keep you updated.

For now, know that Redstone is the next codename for Windows update and if you happen to see it pop up anywhere at Microsoft, make sure to let us know.

Source: Redstone: The codename for the next Windows update coming in 2016.

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Patch for Windows 7 and 8 will notify users to upgrade to Windows 10

Windows 10 is still months away, but that isn’t stopping Microsoft from deploying some tools that will remind users to update to the newest operating system once it becomes available.

A recent “recommended” patch showed up in Windows Update, linked to KB3035583, which seemingly prepares machines for the new OS. The knowledge base article describes the patch as enabling additional capabilities for Windows Update notifications in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 SP1.

But looking at the files the patch installs in System 32, we can see that at least one of the executables mentions downloading Windows 10. Not only that, but the patch itself seems to pave the way for Microsoft to display ads and notifications to users, letting them know when the new OS becomes available.

In the same system folder, users can find a config XML file that goes through the program’s behavior depending on what “phase” Windows 10 is in. For example, currently the program doesn’t display any notifications or act in any way because we’re currently in the “None” phase. But as we get to the “RTM” phase of Windows 10, users will likely see a new Live Tile show up on their Start Screen, pointing to the upcoming OS. Similarly, taskbar notifications will also be displayed when Windows 10 launches, prompting users to update.

Though some may see this as a bit intrusive, it isn’t that different from what Microsoft does with big updates. The company is obviously looking to update as many people as quickly as possible to the new system and avoid the debacle that was the Windows 8.1 update.

However, Windows 10 is only expected later this summer, so the company’s plans will likely become much clearer as we get close to the operating system’s launch.

Source: Patch for Windows 7 and 8 will notify users to upgrade to Windows 10.

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Microsoft Releases Preview Of Its New Browser ‘Project Spartan’ In Fresh Windows 10 Build

Microsoft wasn’t kidding when it promised to ship Windows 10 builds more quickly. Today, less than two weeks after its last iteration, the company has kicked out a new build that has an important new feature: Project Spartan.

Windows 10 Technical Preview x64 Build 10041-2015-03-31-19-58-19

The new build number is 10049, up a total of 68 from the preceding release.

If you are now on the “fast ring” of the Windows Insider program, say hello to the new code. For the rest of you on the more conservative build cycles, wait for the dust to settle. You can, of course, change your ring setting and get the new tools more quickly. (Note: This is not the upcoming build that will support a host more Windows Phone handsets. This build is nearly all about Project Spartan.)

Windows 10 Technical Preview x64 Build 10041-2015-03-31-19-58-25Project Spartan, the current, public codename of Microsoft’s new browser, will replace its venerable predecessor not all at once, but in steps. This fact has caused some confusion.

What can Project Spartan do? It comes with Cortana, the company’s digital assistant that lives in both current builds of Windows Phone and Windows 10. By bringing it to the browser, Microsoft makes progress on what appears to be an implicit goal to make sure that Cortana lands on every screen where the company vend a platform. (Xbox, gear up.)

Microsoft highlighted pen capabilities, simple reading views, and a rendering engine built for the modern Web as points in the browser’s favor during a call.

Windows 10 Technical Preview x64 Build 10041-2015-03-31-18-54-27This is the first public release of Project Spartan. So what we will see is a preview of Microsoft’s browser vision. Project Spartan remains an incomplete product, the company said in a call. That’s hardly a sin for beta software, of course, but it will be a decent data point to stress-test Project Spartan regardless — how far along and stable is this new vision?

According to a separate blog post from the company, 10049 has a some bug fixes, and known issues. That’s par for Windows 10 course.

Build, Microsoft’s developer conference, is next month, meaning that Microsoft might eventually hit pause on new builds to store up new bits to show off at the event. Today, however, was not such a case.

Source: Microsoft Releases Preview Of Its New Browser ‘Project Spartan’ In Fresh Windows 10 Build | TechCrunch.

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