BUILD2014
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Microsoft's working on Xbox 360 emulation for Xbox One, but 'there aren't currently any plans' to make it
Xbox-related news from Microsoft's Build conference last week wasn't just relegated to Kinect for Windows, it would seem. Redmond is having a hard time bringing the Xbox 360's considerable catalog of games to the Xbox One via hardware emulation. Last week an audience member asked lead partner developer Frank Savage if there were plans to bring an Xbox 360 emulator, as spotted by Kotaku's Australia wing, to its new console. Savage said there are, but "we're not done thinking them through yet, unfortunately." He went on to say that emulating the last-gen console's PowerPC architecture on the Xbox One's x86-based platform is actually pretty hard to do. We reached out to Microsoft for confirmation and were told, as Savage said, nothing has been assembled yet. "It is super challenging to emulate two completely different architectures, and there aren't currently any plans to build this," the Redmond spokesperson said. Just like that, our dreams of playing Red Dead Redemption with the Xbox One's controller have (temporarily) been dashed.
Windows Phone may come to your car with Cortana as copilot
Microsoft has a home in the automotive world, but it doesn't have a way to bring a phone's interface to your car's infotainment system -- there's no Windows Phone equivalent to Apple's CarPlay. That might change before long, though. The software giant used a presentation at this week's Build conference to show off Windows in the Car, a conceptual platform that would adapt Windows Phone's apps and basic functions to in-vehicle interfaces. Not surprisingly, the MirrorLink-based tech looks like a cross between Microsoft's mobile and desktop interfaces; while you're running mobile apps, they get more on-screen buttons than usual to help you complete tasks faster and keep your eyes on the road. The software also focuses more on voice commands (Cortana is mentioned as a good fit), and it could eventually restrict complex app functions while you're driving. You might not get to add music to a playlist until you're parked, for instance.
Here's what you missed at Microsoft's 2014 Build conference
We came, we saw, we barked orders into a phone. Though Microsoft's annual developer conference is technically called "Build Windows," we actually spent far more time at this year's event playing with handsets -- almost no PCs, come to think of it. Indeed, the star of the show was a husky-voiced lady (fembot?) named Cortana, Microsoft's new Siri-like personal assistant. Of course, Cortana wouldn't exist outside of the next version of Windows Phone (that'd be v. 8.1.), which we also got a glimpse of this week. In case you missed our three-hour liveblog -- or were too busy following our Amazon Fire TV coverage -- we've got a neat recap below. We promise we've left out all the boring bits about developer tools. Mostly, anyway.
The Engadget Podcast is live at 12PM ET!
Spring is in the air, our TVs are on Fire, and we're all back together once again for another episode of The Engadget Podcast. Amazon wasn't the only circus in town this week; Microsoft's Build conference enthralled gaggles of developers with talk of Windows 8.1, Windows Phone 8.1, and a fictional blue AI lending her voice to the latter via Cortana. Oh, and Apple finally announced their big TV initiative. APRIL FOOLS! Join us at noon ET in the stream below! Bring your questions, and a donut or two wouldn't hurt. We like donuts.
Skype for Windows Phone 8.1 easily jumps from voice to video and works with Cortana
Now that the Windows Phone 8.1 and Cortana announcements are out of the way, Skype's spilling the details on its upcoming app refresh for Microsoft's new mobile platform. The upgraded Skype app for WP 8.1 will feature a new button that you can press to turn a regular phone call into a Skype video chat. It's similar to that FaceTime option iOS users see when they make calls, though obviously, Skype's version will only work if you have the other person's account details. That's not all, though -- Skype will now also come with Cortana (the platform's Siri-like voice assistant) integration. This gives you the power to instantly launch convos by hitting the search icon and saying: "Skype, get [someone's name] on video." Other than that, the Microsoft-owned outfit is updating its Windows 8.1 and RT app, as well, so you can finally pin it to the taskbar and make it accessible on both Start and desktop screens. Unfortunately, the updated app might not be available as soon as WP 8.1 launches, but Skype says it should be out in the coming months.
New Kinect for Windows arrives this summer
Amid the volley of announcements from Microsoft's Build conference, is word that the new Kinect for Windows has a near-future release timeframe for both the hardware and its SDK. The desktop version of Microsoft's do-all sensor will be available to the public this summer, as will its development framework. Perhaps more importantly, once they're done, developers can publish their creations to the Windows Store; meaning, there'll probably be more Kinect applications for Windows in one place than ever before. As Redmond tells it, this self-publishing will happen "later this summer." Next summer (notice a theme here?), Microsoft is adding support for one of gaming's most pervasive dev toolkits to Kinect for Windows: the Unity engine -- tools developers already know the strengths and weaknesses of, which should bolster the app selection even further. Given that the Xbox One will see Unity support this year, this could mean that cross-platform apps and games are a distinct possibility. Or, maybe we'll get a cool new bank account manager instead.
Windows apps can run on Xbox, but only the ones Microsoft approves of
When Microsoft announced earlier today that universal Windows apps could run on the Xbox One, it seemed pretty...self-explanatory. A developer could easily port any Windows or Windows Phone app over to the Xbox for you to use on your TV. Right? Not exactly. Here at Build, we had the chance to sit down with Steven Guggenheimer, corporate vice president in the Developer Platform and Evangelism group, who gave us a little more insight into how this universal app thing is going to work on Xbox.
Nokia Lumia 630 and 635 bring Windows Phone 8.1 to budget seekers (hands-on)
Nokia may not be an official part of Microsoft yet -- that should finally happen later this month, if you ask either company -- but that doesn't stop the phone maker from cranking out more devices at the software giant's developer conference. This morning at Build, Stephen Elop announced three new Lumia devices, although two of them are about as close to twins as you can possibly get: the Lumia 630, which is a 3G device that comes in single- and dual-SIM flavors, and the 635, which adds LTE. Both are sub-$200 smartphones aimed squarely at both emerging markets and anyone else who just wants a Windows Phone 8.1 device without spending a lot of money in the process.
The Nokia Lumia 930 is a global version of the Icon (hands-on)
The Nokia Lumia Icon is a fantastic Windows Phone that comes with a bunch of top features that most WP users haven't been able to enjoy until recently, but it had one critical flaw: it was an exclusive to Verizon, which meant that only a handful of users in the US could buy it. For the rest of the world, the only way to get a top-of-the-line Windows Phone (in nearly every spec, that is) has been to buy the Lumia 1520, but its large 6-inch display -- though beautiful at 1080p -- simply made it too big for a lot of people. Fortunately, that's about to end because Nokia announced a global version of the Icon known as the Lumia 930, which comes with more LTE compatibility and Windows Phone 8.1. Interestingly enough, there's not much of a difference between the two devices. This actually is a bit surprising, considering Verizon has historically landed design exclusives with Nokia like the Lumia 822 and 928. The resemblance is definitely striking, with the only major hardware changes manifest in the presence of GSM bands instead of CDMA and the additional colors that Nokia will offer.
Nokia shows off 'MD-12' Bluetooth speaker to match its new smartphones
It's not all fun phones and games at Nokia's Build shindig here in San Francisco. In addition to giving us a closer look at the new Lumia 930, 630 and 635, the company is showing off a Bluetooth speaker to accompany them. The MD-12 (even Stephen Elop couldn't explain the name) is available in the same cheerful color palette as the new handsets, including a bright orange hue. On the audio front, this is really just a companion device, but Nokia is claiming the bass is still better than you'd expect on a device like this. As for size, it's especially compact -- this thing is about the size of a hockey puck, making it even smaller than, say, the Mini Jambox. That said, there appears to still be a robust battery inside: Nokia is claiming 15 hours of audio playback, compared with 10 hours for the Mini Jambox. No word on when, exactly, it will go on sale, but Elop himself said it will cost $55.
Having a chat with Cortana, Windows Phone's new personal assistant
Anyone who's played Halo, the iconic first-person shooter based 500 years in the future, knows where Microsoft came up with the name of Cortana, its new voice recognition program on Windows Phone 8.1. Master Chief might be the star of the video game series, but Cortana is the heroic digital sidekick that saves his behind in almost every level. Granted, the Windows Phone version may not help you explore an alien planet or teach you how to defeat the bad guys, but it's still capable of some great stuff. Just press the search button on the bottom of every Windows Phone device (as long as it uses 8.1, of course) and Cortana pops up, ready to listen and obey your commands. What kinds of things can she do? You can tell her to call someone, send a text, set reminders, take notes and hook you up with all sorts of information that you might need throughout the course of any given day. And since it's powered by Bing, the engine working behind the scenes has a solid amount of oomph.
Windows will be free on phones, small tablets and the Internet of Things
It turns out that those rumors of Microsoft cutting Windows prices to spur adoption were true -- and then some. The company has announced that Windows will be free for hardware makers to use on phones, tablets with screens under nine inches and Internet of Things devices. Suffice it to say that this is a huge move for a tech giant whose operating system licensing is arguably its bread and butter. Microsoft is obviously willing to take a financial hit to compete against Android, Chrome OS and other freely available platforms.
Nokia announces the Lumia 930, a 5-inch phone with a 20-megapixel PureView camera
It appears that Nokia isn't coming to Microsoft's developer conference empty-handed. Though the acquisition is still pending, Nokia went ahead and brought in some new hardware anyway. This time, the phone maker has announced the Lumia 930, which is essentially the international version of the Lumia Icon. Which is to say, it features a 5-inch full HD display and a 20-megapixel PureView camera with a Zeiss lens. The camera is clearly the star of the show here: not only does it have optical image stabilization, but the phone also ships with a Creative Studio app that'll let you add Instagram-style filters to your snapshots. There's also a new feature called "Living Images" that can be weaved into Nokia's Storyteller application. Photos and videos are automatically sorted by time and location, and if you want to be all fancy, you can add music to the background when viewing the images. Other features include four high-performance digital microphones, directional stereo recording on-board, wireless charging and a 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 processor. Of course, it also runs the latest Windows Phone 8.1 firmware, which promises plenty of new goodies like a notification center (finally!) and Cortana, Windows' answer to Siri and Google Now. It also has something called "SensorCore," which apparently hooks into the Bing Health & Fitness app. Microsoft says the Lumia 930 will launch first in Europe starting in June, and will be available in Asia and other markets at a later date. It should land on more than 100 operators, priced at around $599. Unfortunately, US availability hasn't been announced, but that could be because we already have the Icon. In the meantime, have a peek at the video after the break to get your first taste of Nokia's latest flagship. Update: You can check our hands-on of the Lumia 930 right here.
Microsoft to update all WP8 Nokia Lumia devices with Windows Phone 8.1
Just before announcing "the next generation" of Nokia handsets, EVP of devices Stephen Elop dropped some update news for the freshly outed Windows Phone 8.1. Microsoft will be updating all Lumia devices that are running Windows Phone 8 to the next version. This means that many folks already sporting one of those WP8 smartphones can expect Cortana and all her vices in the days to come.
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Microsoft teases a classic Start Menu for Windows 8.1 with built-in Live Tiles
As a part of its Build 2014 announcements, Microsoft showed off an interesting twist on its classic Start Menu. Coming to Windows 8.1 in a future update, it has the look of the Start Menu Windows users have experienced for years, but adds the Live Tiles Microsoft has been pushing as a part of Windows 8 and Windows Phone. Terry Myerson made the announcement as part of an example of how universal Windows apps will be able to run in a window (and on Xbox), although users craving something familiar will probably just be happy to see their old Start Menu again. We didn't hear any more details on exactly when to expect the update, but you can follow along with our liveblog for all of the information as it happens. Update: Myerson has posted a few more thoughts after Day 1 of Build over on the Windows Blog, calling the demo a way Microsoft "could enable more productivity for customers working in desktop mode, while building smart bridges to the new modern user experience."
Universal Windows apps are coming to your Xbox One
Many were expecting to see universal Windows apps in the Build 2014 keynote, and they have. However, Microsoft had a surprise in store -- you'll eventually see those universal apps running on the Xbox One, too. Developers will get to write apps for Windows and Windows Phone that translate to a TV screen with relatively little effort. The company hasn't said exactly when you'll see these multi-platform apps pop up on your game console, but we're hoping they appear sooner rather than later.
Microsoft pushes universal apps that run on everything Windows
Crafting a seriously great app experience for one device is hard enough, but these days developers have plenty of form factors to tackle. Microsoft is trying to ease their suffering a bit with the introduction of universal Windows apps, which just took the stage at the company's Build conference in San Francisco. Long story short, you'd theoretically only have to write an app in Visual Studio once. Most of the code (in the language of your choosing, Microsoft insists) remains the same, but that universal app will take on a different appearance depending on what device it's running on. Well, if you want it to, anyway. Naturally, developers can fine-tune the finished product too, so the experience of using the app on Windows Phone feels as polished as it does on a PC. You'd be forgiven for thinking this is a bit on the dry side, but this is a big deal -- Microsoft is trying to break down the app barrier so devs can make more consistently good apps for us faster.
Here's what a touch-native Office for Windows looks like in action
You didn't think Microsoft was going to launch Office for iPad without a Windows counterpart waiting in the wings, did you? Sure enough, Microsoft has just shown off its long-expected touch-native Office for Windows in beta form. The software shares a few interface elements in common with the iPad release, but not much -- this is clearly built for Windows tablets, with a more traditional layout that expands objects to make them finger-friendly. There will be plenty of gesture support, though. You can circle an item with your finger to highlight it, and you can pinch and swipe to get around much of the productivity suite. Unfortunately, the folks in Redmond aren't saying when this touch-ready Office will ship. The demo is just a preview of what to expect, so it could be a while before you're using the software yourself.
Windows Phone 8.1 will automatically sign in to trustworthy WiFi
Tired of having to slog through web portals on your Windows Phone just to sign on to a coffee shop's WiFi? That won't be a problem once Windows Phone 8.1 arrives. Its Wi-Fi Sense feature can automatically accept the terms of use for networks that are both free and trustworthy, getting you online much faster than usual. You also won't have to verbally share login details for your own WiFi network. You can securely share your router's password with contacts in Facebook, Outlook.com and Skype, giving friends an internet connection (but not full network access) without setting up a guest mode. If you're the sort who sometimes avoids WiFi because of the hassles involved, you may want to give Microsoft's mobile OS a closer look.
Windows 8.1 update aims to win over mouse-and-keyboard users, arrives April 8th as an automatic download
The whole point of Windows 8 was to make Microsoft's aging OS easier to use on touchscreen devices. Mission accomplished, we'd say (more or less). But now the folks in Redmond have a new challenge afoot: Make Windows 8 equally easy to use on tablets and traditional PCs. The company's already made some progress -- last year's Windows 8.1 update was all about keyboard shortcuts, better multitasking and the return of the Start button (sort of). Now, with its latest update, Microsoft is going after mouse-and-keyboard users. In particular, you can pin Windows Store apps to the desktop Taskbar, and close out of a Metro app by pressing an "X" in the upper-right corner. Heck, you can even shut down without having to open the Charms Bar. Shocking, we know. It's all very exciting, and indeed, you can see for yourselves soon enough; the update will arrive as a Windows Update download on April 8th, which means most folks will simply install it automatically. In the meantime, we've got a full primer after the break, along with a healthy dose of screenshots (we know you love your screenshots).
