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Microsoft isn't giving up on VR and AR yet
Whatever happened with Microsoft's Mixed Reality platform? Headsets from partners launched with surprisingly little fanfare last fall alongside the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. And for the most part, they were solid VR headsets. On a technical level, they were even more convenient than the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, since you didn't have to set up any sensors to use them. Since the initial wave of headsets, prices have fallen sharply, which says more about how poorly they're selling than their quality. It was as if Microsoft released a platform to the wild and simply stepped away.
Miniature horses were the best thing at Build 2018
Don't worry, everyone, I found the Microsoft petting zoo. That's right, that miniature horse you see up there (her name is Midnight Mocha) is staring warily at you from the top floor of the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, where Microsoft's Build developer conference is underway. The zoo, as I'm calling it, is part of a larger relaxation section, the likes of which we've seen at other tech and gaming conferences. But a dedicated space with rented therapy animals? That's new.
Microsoft's Layout and Remote Assist apps are just what HoloLens needs
It's one thing to talk about how much HoloLens could help businesses, and it's another to show it. That's just what Microsoft did yesterday, when it led me into two elaborate demos for its latest Mixed Reality apps: Layout and Remote Assist. The former lets you design physical spaces virtually, rather than just relying on blueprints. Remote Assist, on the other hand, lets you collaborate with people while letting them see through your eyes using HoloLens. While they're not the sort of apps that would make HoloLens a must-have for everyone, based on my demos, they could make life easier for certain professionals. And that's exactly what Microsoft wants.
AI can help a billion people, but Microsoft can't do it alone
"It cracks me up when I meet someone who says, 'Hey, I don't think I have people with disabilities in my company.' And that's when I know they've got people there that are not speaking up."
Watch Microsoft's Build 2018 Day 2 keynote at 11:30AM ET
Yesterday's epic three-and-a-half hour keynote at Build wasn't enough for Microsoft, as the company still has plenty more to say to developers. Today, Joe Belfiore, Corporate Vice President of Operating Systems, hits the stage. Given his area of expertise, we expect him to give us a better sense of what's next for Windows 10, as well as how the Microsoft Graph ties together your experience across different platforms. It kicks off at 11:30AM Eastern.
You can soon pay bills directly through your Outlook inbox
If you manually pay the bills that pour into your email inbox, you know it can get tiring: you typically have to launch your browser or an app and wade through any number of screens to send your money. Microsoft might have a better way. It's developing a framework that uses Microsoft Pay to handle bill and invoice payments directly inside Outlook. Companies will need to use a supported service (such as Braintree, Stripe, FreshBooks and Intuit), but this could reduce payments to just a few clicks.
Watch Microsoft's Build day one keynote in under 15 minutes
If you were hoping to hear about the future of Windows at today's Microsoft Build keynote, well, we have some bad news. CEO Satya Nadella and a large cast of Microsoft spokespeople spend much of their time talking about the massive cloud computing power in Azure, which powers the company's AI and machine learning efforts. Of course, there were plenty of interesting tidbits -- like how the Kinect is being repurposed to help with development in both AI and machine learning. And there were a few consumer-focused announcements, as well -- if you've ever wanted to get your Android text messages on a Windows PC, you're in luck. Microsoft will have plenty more announcements tomorrow, but for now, check out what the company showed off on Build 2018, day one. Click here to catch up on the latest news from Microsoft Build 2018!
Microsoft Build 2018 by the numbers
During a marathon presentation at the annual Build developers conference, Microsoft executives laid out their vision of a smarter, more responsive IoT-driven future. The company is leveraging AI to better serve those with physical disabilities, repurposing the Kinect to boost its Azure development, and investing heavily in its developer community. Numbers because how else would we have realized the keynote went on for longer than Infinity War?
Microsoft's AI future is rooted in its gaming past
The Kinect will never die. Microsoft debuted its motion-sensing camera on June 1st, 2009, showing off a handful of gimmicky applications for the Xbox 360; it promised easy, controller-free gaming for the whole family. Back then, Kinect was called Project Natal, and Microsoft envisioned a future where its blocky camera would expand the gaming landscape, bringing everyday communication and entertainment applications to the Xbox 360, such as video calling, shopping and binge-watching. This was the first indication that Microsoft's plans for Kinect stretched far beyond the video game industry. With Kinect, Microsoft popularized the idea of yelling at our appliances -- or, as it's known today, the IoT market. Amazon Echo, Google Home, Apple's Siri and Microsoft's Cortana (especially that last one) are all derivative of the core Kinect promise that when you talk to your house, it should respond.
Microsoft's AI cone recognizes faces and voices during meetings
Microsoft has a new tool for making meetings easier. It recognizes speech patterns, automatically transcribing them for remote participants (capable of "multiple" simultaneous translations) in addition to visually recognizing meeting participants as they walk into the room. And because the black, conical speaker is always listening, it means meeting notes are transcribed automatically.
Alexa and Cortana finally team up in limited beta
Last year, Amazon and Microsoft announced that their digital assistants would soon be able to communicate and work each other. Initially, the companies said users would have access to these more integrated assistants by the end of 2017. That didn't happen, but today during Build 2018, Microsoft gave a demo of how Cortana and Alexa can work in conjunction and it looks like users will get access to these abilities in the near future.
Microsoft hopes money will entice more developers
Today's the first day of Build, Microsoft's developer conference, so what better time than to announce a huge incentive to attract even more developers? The software giant has just announced that starting later this year, all consumer apps (except games) sold in the Microsoft Store will ship a whopping 95 percent of the revenue earned from app and in-app purchases to the developer. That is, if the customer purchases the app via a deep or direct link. If the customer gets your app via a Microsoft-assisted method, like getting featured on the Microsoft Store, then devs will get 85 percent of the revenue, which is still a pretty good amount. This new fee structure only applies to purchases made on Windows 10 PCs, Windows Mixed Reality, Windows Phone and Surface Hub devices. It does not apply to Xbox or games in general; those will continue to use the current fee structure. Microsoft is clearly trying to draw more developers to its side, especially as it continues to expand Windows 10 PCs and invest in cutting-edge concepts like Mixed Reality. A 85 to 95 percent revenue split to developers is a pretty good start, and who knows, it might result in a lot more apps for consumers like you and me. Click here to catch up on the latest news from Microsoft Build 2018!
Microsoft's digital ink tool makes sense of your chickenscratch
During its Build conference today, Microsoft introduced Project Ink Analysis, which does exactly what you'd think: Make sense of digital writing. The toolkit both understands words and provides features typically found in text editors, like alignment and bulleting.
Microsoft repurposes Kinect to boost AI and Azure development
Kinect didn't die, it just changed forms. Today at its annual Build developers conference, Microsoft announced Project Kinect for Azure saying that the sensor array will have all the capabilities we're familiar with, but in a smaller more power-efficient package. Meaning, time of flight depth sensors, IR sensors and more, now with Azure AI. "Building on Kinect's legacy that has lived on through HoloLens, Project Kinect for Azure empowers new scenarios for developers working with ambient intelligence," Microsoft said.
Microsoft wants to use AI to help people with disabilities
One of Microsoft's biggest announcements at Build this year is all about using artificial intelligence for social good. Through the new AI for Accessibility program, Microsoft has committed $25 million over the next five years to helping people with disabilities worldwide (a figure that currently sits at over one billion, according to The World Bank). Just like its AI for Earth initiative, which uses the technology for environmental innovations, the company will handle this program through investments, grants and expert assistance when necessary. And, as you'd expect, the AI solutions will also connect to Microsoft's cloud services.
Microsoft's Android launcher can run apps from your Windows Timeline
Windows 10's Timeline feature is now decidedly more useful away from your PC, provided you use the right software. To start, Microsoft Launcher on Android now supports Timeline -- you can pick up where you left off with cross-platform titles like the Office suite. iPhone users, meanwhile, can access Timeline through Microsoft's Edge browser.
Windows' 'Your Phone' puts mobile files and alerts within reach
Satya Nadella hasn't even taken the stage to kick off Microsoft's Build developer conference here in Seattle, but the company has already released some news ahead of its opening-day keynote. Among the tidbits is that Windows is soon getting something called "Your Phone," a drag-and-drop experience that makes it easier for Windows users to access their phone's notifications and files from their desktop. Though this experience is at its best with Android phones, Microsoft is also providing some limited continuity for iOS devices in the form of shared browsing data. The catch? You need Microsoft's Edge browser installed on both your Windows machine and iPhone or iPad.
Microsoft 365 now includes machine learning tools
Today at Microsoft's annual developer conference, the company announced a slew of new tools for its Microsoft 365 suite, which combines Windows 10, Office 365 and its Enterprise Mobility + Security package. Among the additions is Windows Machine Learning, a new platform that will help developers create machine learning models in the intelligent cloud and then put them into use.
Microsoft taps mixed reality for better collaboration and user support
Today at Build 2018, Microsoft announced two new mixed-reality apps for Microsoft HoloLens that will provide new opportunities for developers and bring VR, AR and more into the workplace. Microsoft Remote Assist and Microsoft Layout will be available as a free preview (for a limited time) starting May 22nd. You can find technical requirements here.
Watch Microsoft's Build 2018 keynote at 11:30AM ET
Microsoft's Build developer conference kicks off today at 11:30AM Eastern with a keynote from CEO Satya Nadella. As we've covered, you can expect to hear more about the company's AI plans, the increasing role of the Microsoft Graph in Windows 10 and whatever the heck the company is doing with Mixed Reality. And of course, there'll be plenty of Azure chatter, because we know the cloud is really paying off for Microsoft. We won't be liveblogging the event this year, but you can bet we'll have a ton of news coming soon.
