Pirates can upgrade to Windows 10 for free but they won't be supported by Microsoft
Microsoft has given up trying to stop people from pirating Windows. We already knew that Windows 10 was going to be free, but now Terry Myerson has revealed that it will be free to everyone, including people who are running pirated copies of earlier versions of the operating system.
Speaking to Reuters the Windows chief said: "We are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10". The move is an admission that the fight against piracy was a battle Microsoft was never going to win, but the benefits that will be felt extend far beyond just a free copy of Windows.
Microsoft will keep your emails in check automatically
Towards the end of last year, Microsoft launched Clutter. It's a tool designed to make it easier to focus on the email that matter by moving the less important ones into a separate folder. It works in a similar way to decluttering tools offered by Yahoo and Gmail, and now it's being rolled out to everyone.
Starting in June, there will be no need to manually activate the feature as it will be enabled by default. If you're not keen on having your emails tinkered with, you can disable it, but Microsoft explains that the aim is to save you time by reducing the amount of chaff you have to sort through to get to the wheaty content that matters.
The best Microsoft Surface Pro 3 version gets a $150 discount
If you are in the market for a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 then you should definitely get the 256 GB version with 8 GB of RAM. It is the best of the bunch, offering the right balance between price and performance. It is also the model that I would leave my 13-inch Apple MacBook Air for.
Luckily, if you are considering the aforementioned Surface Pro 3 version, Microsoft is now sweetening the deal with a $150 discount, which brings the price down to a more affordable $1,149. Normally, the slate costs $1,299.
No more waiting for carriers -- Microsoft will push out Windows 10 Mobile updates
One of the frustrations facing Windows Phone users -- much like Android fans -- is that when an OS update is announced it can be difficult to find out when, or indeed if, a particular handset will receive it. Carriers can take an age to release update to their customers.
With Windows 10 Mobile, Microsoft is making things much simpler by taking over the task of pushing out updates. This means users will no longer have to wait for their mobile carrier to get around to it. It's something that will help not only to ensure that as many people as possible are using the very latest version of the operating system, but will also help to stamp out a serious problem: fragmentation.
Dell launches Windows-powered Inspiron Micro Desktop, starts at $179
For all you Windows enthusiasts out there who appreciated the Dell Chromebox, a miniature computer from the manufacturer, but wished that it ran Windows instead, your wish has finally come true. The American technology giant has launched the Inspiron Micro Desktop which shares the same design language as the Dell Chromebox, but runs on Windows. It will set you back by at least $179.
As for the specifications, the Inspiron Micro Desktop packs in 2 gigs of RAM alongside 32GB of storage, which can be expanded via external SD card or an external hard drive. There's an Ethernet port, one HDMI outlet, SD card reader and a DisplayPort. Regarding USB, it comes equipped with one 3.0 port and three 2.0 ports. It also supports Wi-Fi for connectivity.
Here's how genuine and non-genuine Windows 10 upgrades will work
Later this summer, Windows 10 will be released. Microsoft has pushed out numerous builds in recent months but details about how the upgrade process will work have been a little thin on the ground. Today Microsoft reveals how users of both genuine and non-genuine versions of Windows 7 and 8.x will be able to upgrade to Windows 10.
We already know that the upgrade process will be simple and Terry Myerson had already suggested that it would be possible to upgrade from a pirated version of Windows for free. Now the differences between the upgrade process for genuine and non-genuine version of Windows are made clear -- and pirates will have to put up with a desktop watermark.
Microsoft Research releases Hyperlapse Pro for time-lapse videos
Video and photos are universal these days. Most of us walk around with a camera in our pocket. Everyone benefits. Consider the meteor over Russia or almost instant access to breaking news of all sorts.
However, sometimes photos aren't good enough for the events in your life. Video is better -- like for a kid's birthday party or graduation, or family vacation. There's better, and there's better. Microsoft just released Hyperlapse to help you turn these videos into neat little time-lapses to make them a bit cool and easier to share.
Our attention span is shorter than that of goldfish
The results of a recently conducted study have shown that our attention span is... oh wait, I lost you.
That’s right. Our attention span has dropped from 12 seconds back in 2000, to an alarming eight seconds today. To put things into perspective, a goldfish’s attention span is nine seconds. So yes, a goldfish can read this article longer than you do without getting bored to death and opening Facebook.
Bing follows Google's lead in favoring mobile-friendly sites in search results
Last month Google announced a series of changes to the way it handled search results on mobile devices, and now Microsoft is following suit. Now there is a focus on promoting those sites that are optimized for viewing on a smaller screen. Microsoft said six months ago that it would start to push mobile-friendly sites, and today this plan is being put into action.
The project started off by simply highlighting mobile-friendly sites to aid identification, but now they will be promoted further up search rankings. If there are two sites rated equally highly for their content, the one which is considered most suitable for viewing on a mobile device will appear higher in results when a search is conducted from a mobile device.
Apple is the greenest tech giant according to Greenpeace
Internet companies might not seem like major contributors to pollution, but Greenpeace is not letting them have a free ride, in a new report showing how some companies are much cleaner than others when it comes to energy.
For those that don’t know, most large-scale Internet companies invest heavily in data centers. These data centers run on electricity 24/7, meaning companies like Google, Oracle and Amazon are indirectly pushing the rate of pollution.
Candy Crush Saga is to Microsoft as U2 'Songs of Innocence' is to Apple
Candy Crush Saga is one of my favorite games. While some will dismiss it as nothing more than a time-wasting fad, I find it to be a fun, skill-based game, mixed with a high dose of luck too.
Today, Microsoft announces that not only is Candy Crush Saga coming to Windows 10, but it will automatically be installed on the computers of some users. My love for the game is inconsequential. I am not happy that Microsoft is doing this. Quite frankly, it is reminiscent of Apple shoving that horrible U2 album, "Songs of Innocence", down the throats of its users. It is a bad practice, and I hope the company changes its mind.
Microsoft brings searchable handwriting and Apple Watch support to OneNote
The latest update to OneNote sees the addition of support for Apple Watch as well as the ability to search through handwritten notes. Thanks to handwriting recognition, it is possible to perform a search that looks through not only typed notes, but also those that have been written with a stylus.
The feature is available in the mobile and desktop versions of the app, and Microsoft says that any new handwritten notes that are saved to OneDrive will be automatically rendered searchable in a few moments. Over the coming weeks older handwritten notes will be indexed in the same way so they can also be searched.
Build 10080 of Windows 10 for phones arrives -- Universal Office apps now available
Microsoft doesn’t seem to know exactly what to call its version of Windows 10 for smartphones. It was called "Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones", and then yesterday, when unveiling the different editions of the new operating system, Microsoft called it "Windows 10 Mobile".
Today, however, it’s back to "Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones", although in the official blog post announcing the latest release -- Build 10080 -- it’s also called "Windows 10 Insider Preview for phone". I guess you just have to take your pick. Hopefully the tech giant will have decided on an official name when it releases the finished version later in the year.
Windows 10 editions revealed!
A common complaint of both Windows promoters and detractors is the overwhelming number of versions, or editions, on the market. The sheer number of SKUs can be maddening, and quite frankly, confusing for consumers.
Many people -- myself included -- had hoped Microsoft would do away with all of the editions, and only have one. Admittedly, having one edition was a pipe-dream, but with all the good moves the company is making lately, I thought two or three editions was realistic. Unfortunately, Microsoft has announced the upcoming editions of Windows 10 and there are a lot. In fact, the number of editions have increased from Windows 8!
Watch Microsoft Research's Devices and Networking Summit 2015 live here
Microsoft Research Devices and Networking Summit 2015 brings together over 175 experts to discuss cutting-edge developments, potential breakthroughs, and ongoing technology concerns.
Microsoft believes the event deserves broad participation, so will be live streaming key speeches, interviews, and demos from the Summit, and you can watch Wednesday's webcast right here as it happens.
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