Hello there,
Happy May. May the new month be a peculiar one for you all.
Few days at Microsoft’s annual developers’ conference, Build
2015, the CEO Satya
Nadella revealed the company’s strategy to several thousand avid .NET
and Win32 app developers.
And here are the few things he spoke of: “We want to move our users from needing Windows to choosing Windows to
loving Windows,” Nadella said.
1. The new Windows
10 browser finally has a real name: What Microsoft had been referring to as “Project
Spartan” now has an official name: Microsoft Edge. Tech journalists may now
safely retire all references to 300 and introduce new metaphors involving
soap operas and “cutting-edge” technology. Internet Explorer will still exist
in Windows 10 for compatibility with websites that need it in order to function
correctly, but Edge will be the primary way Microsoft diehards surf the Web.
2. And it’s going
to party like it’s 1999: Edge will have Cortana built in, so you’ll be able to search by
asking the Microsoft minx questions. It will accept pen input for annotating
webpages (though we’re not exactly sure how or why you’ll use this), and the
homepage will feature recommended apps, videos, and sites. From where we were
sitting, Microsoft Edge looked an awful lot like a Web portal from the late
1990s. So maybe not so cutting-edge.
3. The HoloLens is
even more wicked cool than we thought: The 3D-augmented-reality glasses that Microsoft’s
Alex Kipman introduced to much fanfare last January have gotten even cooler, if
that’s possible. On stage, a Microsoft demonstrator used an untethered HoloLens
unit to walk through a virtual living room that looked not entirely unlike a 3D
version of Microsoft Bob. Among other cool
tricks, HoloLensers will be able to run normal Windows 10 apps literally anywhere
and control them using hand gestures; they’ll also be able to “pin” their
calendar or a video screen to the walls of the room or have it follow them as
they walk around. Note that Microsoft demo’d this in a room largely devoid of
actual furniture, thus avoiding any trip-and-fall lawsuits.
4. And will
introduce another obnoxious term of art: The Airtap. To control items
wearing the HoloLens, you use a hand gesture called an “airtap” — as in,
“Airtap the virtual HD display floating on the wall in front of you to launch a
video.” Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.
5. But it will
still be a long time before you’ll be able to buy one: Kipman said
Microsoft brought “hundreds” of untethered HoloLens computers to the Build
conference to whet developers’ appetites for the technology. And it
demonstrated how the HoloLens can be used to teach anatomy, design buildings,
study art, interact with real physical objects, and much more.
 |
| HoloLens can be used with a 3D anatomy app.
(Photo:Yahoo Tech) |
So far, though,
Microsoft has yet to announce when a software development kit might be
available that will allow anyone to build apps for the device, let alone
possible pricing or commercial availability.
6. Office is going
to get a lot smarter: Microsoft is turning its flagship suite of productivity software
into a platform. This means developers will be able to build apps that plug
into Excel, Word, and the like and automatically pull in data from different
sources. On stage, Microsoft demonstrated an add-in from Uber that reminds you
to call for a ride with enough time to make your next meeting; the app
automatically grabs your current location from Windows Maps and your
destination from Outlook. Slick.
7. Windows is going
to get a lot pushier: Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore touted the personalization aspects of
Cortana, which will constantly be watching what you’re up to and suggesting new
apps for you to download, based on the ones you already use. It will also watch
how you use your tablet and periodically suggest new things to try, such as
using a stylus. There was no word whether you’d be able to turn off any of
these features.
8. Your favorite
Android and iOS apps may be coming to Windows — finally:Microsoft announced
a handful of tools that will make it easier for developers to take existing iOS
and Android apps and port them over to Windows. This means that Microsoft’s
anemic apps store may fill up faster; it will also likely enable you to run iOS
and Android apps on your Windows 10 desktop or laptop.
9. Your Windows 10
apps will now run on virtually any device: One of the key developments
pushed at Build is “universal apps” — the fact that Microsoft is using one code
base for all Windows platforms moving forward. That means the software that
runs on your PC will also run on your phone, tablet, and other devices.
And lastly, he pointed out that;
One day, your phone
could be your only computer: Once the same code is running on all your Windows
devices, it won’t matter which one you use anymore. Belfiore demonstrated a
scenario where a person hooks a Windows phone to a full-size keyboard, mouse,
and big screen display, and manipulates a PowerPoint presentation that’s
identical to one that would normally be edited using a desktop or laptop PC.
Wow. These are necessary and worth noting as Microsoft moves on.
Enjoy the best of her products & remember to add value to someone's life this month.
Enjoy.....
