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Watch a Toyota-backed flying car's first public, piloted test flight
Toyota-backed SkyDrive has conducted its first piloted test flight for a flying car, edging closer to airborne taxis.
'No Man's Sky' developer ends 'legal nonsense' battle over name
There's no sign that it contributed to the delay, but Hello Games founder Sean Murray said today that after "3 years of secret stupid legal nonsense," his company's game can be called No Man's Sky. They had to settle with trademark owner Sky TV to use the name that it's very protective of -- remember when Microsoft had to rename SkyDrive as OneDrive for the same reason? According to Murray's tweets, he's learned a lot about trademark law, and might have a good idea about why Skynet never happened. Seriously though, the highly anticipated game should be on track for its rescheduled release date of August 9th, and we can't wait to see it procedurally generated universe unfold.
OneDrive takes cues from Dropbox to make file-sharing easier
Looking for some OneDrive news? Good, because we've got it. First up, now you can upload files as big as 10GB using the Mac and Windows desktop apps, and all of the mobile applications, according to Microsoft. Redmond says that its also increased the amount of simultaneous uploads and downloads which allows for faster syncing as well. Perhaps the biggest new bit, though, is the ability to get shareable file-links directly from Windows Explorer without the hassle of going to the web client and copying the file-address that way. It sounds a whole lot like what Dropbox has been doing for awhile now, and Microsoft says that this was a top feature request. Last but not least, the outfit says that it's worked to bring dragging and dropping folders directly into the OneDrive website via browser, specifically namedropping Chrome, into the fold too. If there's anything else you want to see in the app, drop Redmond a line -- it seems like those requests don't fall on deaf ears.
BlackBerry 10 finally gets its own Microsoft OneDrive app
If you worship at the BlackBerry altar and are in dire need of a cloud storage service that isn't Dropbox, Box or Mega, today's your lucky day. Now you can dump your files in Microsoft's OneDrive by way of a newly released BlackBerry 10 app. Like the Android and iOS versions before it, this OneDrive app lets you automatically upload your photos and videos as well as share your files with far-flung cohorts. Just be mindful of your limits: OneDrive (which went by "SkyDrive" before Microsoft got hit with a lawsuit) offers up 7GB of free storage to new users. That's still better than the 2GB that Dropbox gives away gratis, but Box and Mega offer 10GB and 50GB of free space, respectively. Choose wisely... or sign up for all of them and surrender yourself to the cloud.
Microsoft adds achievements to renamed Xbox cloud service OneDrive
Microsoft has officially changed the name of its cloud service SkyDrive to "OneDrive." The Windows, Windows Phone, iOS, Android and Xbox One-compatible service will also receive a monthly payment plan option in addition to a new referral program that offers up to 15 GB of additional space when inviting friends and enabling camera roll backup. Xbox One owners can use OneDrive as a means of sharing recorded gameplay clips online in conjunction with the Upload Studio app on the system. The latest improvements to OneDrive includes achievements on the game console, rewarding users for actions like adding a shared folder to OneGuide in the app and viewing 100,000 photos. The achievements do not count towards players' gamerscores, however. [Image: Microsoft]
Microsoft rebrands Office Web Apps as Office Online because it's an online version of Office
Use Office Web Apps much? Us neither, which is probably why Microsoft's answer to Google Docs felt it needed a makeover. Following SkyDrive's recent rebrand to OneDrive, Office Web Apps has received similar treatment, and now asks you to call it Office Online. Microsoft hopes this new title more accurately reflects what Web Apps was/is: an online version of Word, Powerpoint, Excel and others, free to SkyDrive OneDrive users. Furthermore, Office Online is now located at the convenient URL of Office.com, which should prompt a few more people to stumble across it and add it to their bookmarks. Otherwise, it's the same Office-in-a-browser experience with real-time co-editing features, just with a heap of new document templates and a dropdown toolbar for selecting different apps on the fly. Now, go get your spreadsheet on -- we need those TPS reports by lunch.
Microsoft intros monthly storage plans for OneDrive, Android app now does automatic camera backups
Nope, not SkyDrive -- OneDrive. In case you haven't heard, Microsoft's cloud storage service is going by a new name, and it's finally going into effect today; you should see in the upper-left corner the next time you log in. But that's not all that's new: the company also updated its Android app with automatic camera backups, so that any photos or video you take on your device will automatically be sent to OneDrive. If you recall, this is a feature you'll already find on the company's iOS app -- for whatever reason, it just took a bit longer to make its way to Android. As ever, you can opt to have OneDrive upload on WiFi only, ensuring you don't exceed your monthly data cap. You can also put limits on image sizes if you want to make the most of your 7GB of free storage space. Additionally, the company introduced monthly storage plans, starting at $4.49 a month for 50GB and going up to $11.49 a month for 200GB. Simple math tells us that's more expensive than buying the same amount of storage on a yearly basis, but hey, some of you might be commitment phobes, and we get that. Lastly, you'll want to keep an eye on Microsoft's new OneDrive Twitter account today: the company will be giving away 100GB of free storage for a year, with freebies going to the first 100,000 people who log in at a designated time. The catch: Microsoft hasn't said yet what time folks will need to log into their accounts, so if you want a chance of winning, you'll just need to watch OneDrive's Twitter feed. Sneaky, but them's the breaks.
Daily Roundup: flexible 3D-printed material, Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga review and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
App updates you don't want to miss - December 23, 2013 edition
It has been a busy few weeks with software updates coming out for both iOS and OS X apps. Grab a cup of joe and check out our list of notable updates from the past few weeks! You can also follow them on a rolling basis on our website. iOS Apps Heads Up! [iOS Universal; Category: Games; $0.99] Heads Up! is the fun and hilarious game that Ellen DeGeneres plays on her show. Now you can play with your friends! Version 2.0 adds several new decks and the ability to create your own deck. Tydlig - Calculator Reimagined [iOS Universal; [iOS Universal; $4.99] Tydlig is a revolutionary new kind of calculator that sheds the legacy limitations of old devices for a truly modern calculation experience. Version 1.1.1 adds a new menu action link for when you want to use any historical number in your current expression. Infuse 2 [iOS Universal; Category: Photography & Video; Free] Infuse is the only video player app that bridges the gap between your iTunes and other content –- so you can watch virtually anything you want. Version 2.1 adds even more formats for free users, variable-speed scrubbing, improved accuracy while scrubbing, better movie artwork and more. Infinity Blade III [iOS Universal; Category: Games; $2.99] Uncover new mysteries to wield the power of the Infinity Blade in this timeless adventure of champions and villains. Version 1.2 adds three new quests, nine new enemies, a new Arena Mode and more. Kingdom Rush Frontiers [iPhone; Category: Games; $0.99] Bigger and badder than ever before, Kingdom Rush: Frontiers is a whole new level of the furiously fast, enchantingly charming gameplay that made the original title an award-winning hit. Version 1.4 includes a new free stage, a new boss fight, new hero and more. Kingdom Rush HD [iPad; Category: Games; $0.99] Get ready for an epic journey to defend your kingdom against hordes of orcs, trolls, evil wizards and other nasty fiends using a vast arsenal of towers and spells at your command. Version 2.2 includes a new free stage, a new boss fight, new hero and more. ProCamera7 [iPhone; Category: Photography & Video; $1.99] ProCamera is a photo, video and editing app bursting with state-of-the-art technology that helps you shoot like a pro. Version 5.2 adds a new QR Code Scanner, EXIF Viewer and manual saving. Where's My Water? 2 [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Free] Get ready to join Swampy, Allie and Cranky on their next exciting adventure. Version 1.1.0 adds two new locations and removes the energy system, allowing you to play as much as you want. Sky Guide: View Stars Night or Day [iOS Universal; Category: Reference; $1.99] A star and constellation guide has never been more beautiful and easy to use. Version 3.0 adds new time-lapse feature, 64-bit support, realistic comets and more. Gneo [iOS Universal; Category: Productivity; $4.99] Gneo helps you take action with your to-dos by prioritizing all the things you need to get done. Version 1.0.5 adds a new Calendar selector, new smart notebook filter and more. Agricola [iOS Universal; Category: Games; $6.99] Europe is recovering from some hard times. You and a spouse must grow your two-room hut and empty farmyard into a productive farm. Version 1.1.0 adds the ability to expand the game by purchasing Decks I (Interactive) and K (Complex) for your game. Drafts [iPhone; Category: Productivity; $1.99] Quickly capture text and send it almost anywhere. Version 3.5.8 updates the swiping behavior so your can delete by swiping to the left, and moving or pinning by swiping to the right. Drafts for iPad [iPad; Category: Productivity; $2.99] Quickly capture text and send it almost anywhere. Version 3.5.8 updates the swiping behavior so your can delete by swiping to the left, and moving or pinning by swiping to the right. Daedalus Touch – Text Editor for iCloud [iOS Universal; Category: Productivity; Free] Daedalus Touch is the first truly next-gen text editor on iOS. Version 1.7 turns the app into a freemium title with advanced features available via in-app purchases, new font selector, new theme switcher and more. OS X Apps The Elements [Category: Reference; $19.99] The Elements is a living periodic table that gained a great deal of attention on the iPad before making a move to OS X. Version 1.0.6 doesn't add any functionality, but fixes issues with some late-2012 27-inch iMacs. Cobook [Category: Business; Free] Cobook is an über address book that compiles contacts across just about every social network imaginable, along with your standard Contacts list. Version 3.0 adds support for multiple user accounts, design tweaks and support for Instagram, Foursquare, AngelList and LinkedIn. Civilization V: Campaign Edition [Category: Games; $9.99] The latest edition of the Civilization franchise for Mac includes the Babylon, Mongols and Scenario DLC packs. Version 1.3.4 adds the "Scramble Nations" and "Scramble Continents" options via in-app purchases, along with a suite of bug fixes. SkyDrive [Category: Productivity; Free] SkyDrive is Microsoft's access-from-anywhere storage system that installs a synced folder on your Mac. Version 17.0.2021.1202 fixes some syncing bugs that previously plagued the system.
Got Windows Phone? You have 20GB of bonus SkyDrive space for the next year
If you're a Windows Phone user, check your email -- you're about to get a big holiday treat. Microsoft has followed up its earlier Surface promo by giving Windows Phone owners a free 20GB of extra SkyDrive storage for the next year. The bonus capacity stacks on top of whatever is already present, and customers have until January 31st to claim their additional cloud space. You'll have to wait for an email like the one above before you can take action, but we'd expect these notices to roll out to all registered Windows Phone users in short order.
Microsoft brings auto photo backup to SkyDrive for iOS
Microsoft has improved its SkyDrive app by letting users opt to have their photos automatically backed up to Microsoft's cloud storage. SkyDrive provides users with 7 GB of free storage just for signing up. That's a lot of photos to save on the cloud. Because Microsoft has implemented SkyDrive across its myriad of services (Windows, iOS, Xbox One, etc.) this new update has a leg up on its auto backup offered by competitor Dropdox. You can't pull up your Dropbox photos on your shiny new Xbox One. Of course depending on what sort of photos you take with your iPhone, this could be a mixed blessing. It would be terrible if you were trying to pull up a cute picture of your cat to show your mom only to accidentally show her that wild night where your friends talked you into jello wrestling. Progress has its dangers. SkyDrive's latest update also improved integration with OneNote and Office Mobile for iOS, allowing users to edit Office documents or create plain text files directly from the app. Currently the updated features are only available on iOS devices. Sorry Android fans. You can find the update now in the iTunes store.
View your photos and videos at Xbox One's launch using SkyDrive app
Microsoft announced that the SkyDrive app will launch with the Xbox One on November 22. SkyDrive, which was added to the Xbox 360 in December 2012, allows players to view and share personal photos and videos on the home console. The cloud-based service will work with the Xbox One's snap features, so players can use Xbox Music in tandem with SkyDrive to set slideshows to their own soundtrack on the TV. Microsoft's announcement blog also notes zooming and panning controls, specifically noting that players can zoom in to 4K resolution photos of places like city landscapes and sports arenas. Now if the matching Kinect voice command for such a feature were "Xbox, enhance," we'd be totally sold.
Here are five especially neat things the Xbox One can do
The Xbox One that you snag on November 22nd (or thereafter) does some pretty neat stuff besides just playing video games: live TV, NFL fantasy league and voice commands for everything. But that's all bigger-picture stuff. Some of the coolest things that the Xbox One does are in the details, many of which were just revealed this week in a press preview of the upcoming game console. For instance, did you know that the console's OneGuide feature does more than just show you what's available to watch over cable? In fact, you can customize the guide to the point where individual SkyDrive folders appear as "channels," easily selectable among your regularly scheduled programming. And that's just one of several fascinating abilities we witnessed this week.
Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 buyers get 200GB SkyDrive storage for two years, free international Skype calls for one year (updated)
Need another reason to pick up Microsoft's latest iteration of the Surface tablet, the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2? How's 200GB of free SkyDrive storage for the first two years, plus what Microsoft's calling "the best of Skype" (free international calling and WiFi hotspot access) for the first year? Because that's exactly what you'll get when you plunk down the $450 / $900 for the new Windows tablet line later this year. Both of Microsoft's services -- SkyDrive for cloud file saving and Skype for online phone / text / video chat -- are part of the purchase price apparently, though that comes with a limited time plan. But is it enough to entice consumers who were already burned once by the first Surface line? That's a question that only time can answer, but we sure don't mind the bonus stuff! Update: Microsoft's official PR says the deal applies to both versions of the new Surface (RT and Pro) and we've updated our post accordingly. Additionally, that free Skype international calling works for "calling to landlines in more than 60 countries," and the Skype WiFi deal offers unlimited access for that first year. Update 2: Oh, and should you decide you want to keep that capacious storage in the cloud past two years, or don't want to buy a Surface to get it in the first place, Microsoft's announced that users can add 200GB to their SkyDrives for just $100 a year.
Microsoft boosts base SkyDrive Pro storage to 25GB, lets administrators add more
Microsoft's SkyDrive Pro is helpful for cloud-savvy businesses, but its 7GB of storage per person now seems restrictive next to improved offerings from rivals like Box. The company won't let itself be outdone, however: it just bumped SkyDrive Pro's base storage to 25GB per user, and administrators can raise that limit to 100GB if they're willing to pay. There's some incentives to take advantage of that extra space, too. Microsoft now offers a larger 2GB file cap, automatic versioning for new users and a client view that displays all shared documents. If your employer depends on Microsoft for online collaboration, you should notice the additional storage today.
Microsoft explains Outlook.com outage, provides long-term fixes
It may have taken three days, but Microsoft has officially resolved its Outlook.com outage -- and it has both explanations and long-term solutions for affected email users. Trouble began with the failure of a caching service for Exchange ActiveSync. The resulting deluge of reconnection attempts promptly overwhelmed company servers; a slow recovery was necessary to avoid another meltdown, Microsoft says. To prevent repeat incidents, the tech giant is both upgrading its network capacity and implementing a more elegant error handling system. While the fixes likely come too late for some users, they suggest that Microsoft has learned a hard lesson about the fragility of online services.
BSkyB grants Microsoft temporary use of SkyDrive name in trademark dispute, allows it time to rebrand cloud service
BSkyB may have won the trademark case against Microsoft's SkyDrive cloud service, but there won't be any renaming going on just yet. Today, the British satellite TV provider has announced that it's reached an agreement with Redmond, allowing the software giant to temporarily continue using the name SkyDrive while it handles the transition to a new brand. The arrangement, which includes an undisclosed financial settlement, also means Microsoft won't appeal against the ruling. For now though, you'll just have to find your own way to tell the services apart, until Microsoft figures out what to call its cloud offering going forward.
Microsoft brings Office Mobile to Android smartphones
The once-mythical Office Mobile for iPhone has been available for a while, but what about that rumored Android version? As of today, it's equally real: Microsoft has launched Office Mobile for Android. Its cloud-focused approach to editing Excel, PowerPoint and Word documents will be familiar to those who've tried the iOS release, including SkyDrive storage support. What differences exist are there primarily to accommodate Google's Holo interface guidelines -- as on iOS, there's no tablet-native interface. The pricing certainly hasn't changed. While the core app is free, you'll need an Office 365 subscription to start working.
SkyDrive.com gets a slew of photo and sharing upgrades
Just about a week after rolling out offline file access, Microsoft's file hosting service is getting a number of updates. This time the features are rolling out to SkyDrive.com, starting with support for devices with high DPI. The site will detect and match photos and thumbnails to the resolution of your display. Also on the docket is photo rotation and the ever-important ability to view animated GIFs in their full stop motion glory. There are also a couple of updates on the sharing side of things, including the ability to share individual groups of files from anywhere in your account, while a new shared view shows files you've shared at the top and stuff that's shared with you below. Oh, and when you send someone a document now, recipients can edit it without having to sign in. All of those upgrades and more can be checked out in further detail at the source link below.
SkyDrive brings offline file access in Windows 8.1 update
Tired of needing the pesky internet for all your cloud-related, Microsoft-hosted files? Tire no more, as SkyDrive in Windows 8.1 adds the ability to make files available offline across your SkyDrive-enabled devices by simply clicking a button. After enabling said functionality, those files will become available across your devices even when you're away from the information superhighway (perhaps in the rural roads of Maine, per our recent experiences). We took a deep dive into Windows 8.1 in late June, exploring the SkyDrive functionality as well as a whole mess of other features -- you can find that piece right here. Windows 8.1 will arrive for the Windows 8 loyalists in the coming months (starting in August), but a preview version is available right now.