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Windows 10 Mobile begins its roll out this December
What, you thought the Microsoft news would end once the keynote from the Windows 10 Devices showcase did? Guess again because Redmond's latest operating system hits existing mobile phones starting in December -- the outfit said as much on its Lumia Facebook page. However, as Winbeta notes, it's going to be up to carriers to actually push the updates out to your handset. A way to sidestep that, of course, is by signing up for the Windows Insider preview program. Is your device going to get the update? That's a little iffy. First off, it needs at least 8GB of internal storage, and then it needs to be running Lumia Denim (system version 8.10.14219.341) to be eligible. So if you have a low-end Lumia you might be left wanting.
HoloLens 'Project XRay' lets you blast robot armies with a ray gun fist
Microsoft took time during today's Windows 10 Devices event to give the audience a more in-depth look at what its new HoloLens AR system is capable of. Minds were blown, jaws were dropped and more than a few digital robots were blown to smithereens during the 8-minute demo.
Microsoft's upgraded Band is a little sleeker, and smarter too
For all its promise and potential, the original Microsoft Band wasn't exactly a runaway hit. It's OK -- they can't all be winners. Even more surprising than the Band's existence in the first place is that Microsoft is taking another crack at the fitness gadget formula with a 2015 model of its oft-scorned wearable. It's a little smarter and a little sleeker, and maybe -- just maybe -- that'll be enough to change a few minds on the matter.
Lumia 950 XL vs. the competition: The big flagship phones are here
It's become commonplace for phone manufacturers to offer two sizes of their flagship phones: big and bigger. Microsoft is following suite with the new Lumia 950 and 950 XL, the latter of which is poised to compete directly with devices like the brand-new iPhone 6S Plus and the Nexus 6P. If you're looking for a flagship phone running your platform of choice, now's a great time to be in the market. The most notable difference about these devices is what operating system they run, but if you want to see how they stack up on a spec-by-spec basis, check out the table below.
Microsoft's Surface and Lumia event: by the numbers
The dust is settling on Microsoft's Windows 10 Devices event where the company showed off all the shiny devices that it's about to start selling. But if you weren't able to sit through our excellent liveblog, then perhaps you'd like to read this breakdown of the show based on the key numbers. It's like an extended highlights reel, but with a more statistical edge. Get all the news from today's Microsoft event right here.
The Lumia 950 vs. the competition: A battle of flagships
The smaller of the new Lumias is quite the powerhouse on paper, but how does it stack up against the latest iOS and Android devices? At first glance, Microsoft's newest flagship, the Lumia 950, seems plenty powerful with its 1.8GHz hexa-core Snapdragon 808, 3GB of RAM and 5.2-inch Quad HD AMOLED display. However, we've got the face-off after the break with a side-by-side comparison between the Lumia 950, iPhone 6s and Nexus 5x so you can decide for yourself which one best suits your needs.
Surface Book vs. the competition: Flagship laptops go head-to-head
And then there were three: with the introduction of the Surface Book, Microsoft has joined Apple and Google in offering a premium laptop that runs its own platform. But how does it stack up next to its rivals, the 13-inch MacBook Pro and the Chromebook Pixel? We've put the specs of each side by side to help you sort things out. As you'll soon see, the three only share a few things in common. They reflect the unique philosophies of their creators, whether it's Microsoft's fondness for tablets, Apple's preference for powerful (if conventional) laptops or Google's desire for lean-and-mean web machines.
The Surface Pro 4 vs. the competition: Tablets for productivity
It's been an up-and-down ride for Microsoft's line of Surface tablets -- but the company finally hit on a formula that worked with the Surface Pro 3. It's a device that has inspired a number of competitors, most recently from Microsoft's long-standing rivals Apple and Google. The newly-announced iPad Pro and Pixel C both take clear and obvious cues from the Surface lineup, but fortunately for Microsoft it now has a brand-new Surface Pro 4 to compete with these newcomers. While much of your interest in these devices will likely come from which operating system you prefer, we've lined up the specs below so you can get an idea as to how these tablets will all stack up when they hit stores later this year.
High-end Windows Phones make a comeback with the Lumia 950 and 950 XL
You could be forgiven for forgetting that Windows Phones were ever really a thing -- iOS and Android devices keep making headlines. After all, it's been ages since we got a high-end phone from Microsoft or one of its partners. It was... frustrating to say the least, especially if you were one of those people who fell under the spell of Microsoft's mega-marketing blitz. Now, though, we've got two new high-end Windows Phones -- the Lumia 950 and 950 XL -- ready to bring the best of Redmond's new vision of software straight into our pockets. I spent a little time here in New York City to futz around with both, and one thing seems clear: While the hardware doesn't feel like Microsoft's best, there are plenty of good ideas here.
Hands-on with Surface Pro 4, Microsoft's ideal hybrid tablet
The Surface Pro 4 is here and ... it's pretty much just like the Surface Pro 3. Microsoft basically refined its design from last year to create a hybrid tablet that's slightly thinner and 30 percent more powerful. It also included a slightly larger 12.3-inch screen in the Surface Pro 4 (0.3 inch bigger than the SP3) without making the case larger. Instead, Microsoft just chipped away at the bezel around the screen. All that makes for a Surface Pro that feels exceedingly familiar, but also wonderfully refined. While the Surface Pro 3 was good enough to replace most laptops for me, the SP4's improvements should make that true for even more people.
Here's our first look at the Surface Book, Microsoft's answer to the MacBook Pro
Wow. Microsoft finally did it. After years of rumors and speculation the company finally unveiled its very own laptop. Not a tablet that could replace a laptop (although there's that too), but a bona fide laptop, with an attached keyboard. Well, almost. The Surface Book, at first glance, looks like a traditional clamshell notebook with a touchscreen. In fact, though, it's more like a lovechild between the Surface and Lenovo's Yoga line. Which is to say, it has a removable display that supports pen input but, if you reattach the screen facing away from the keyboard, you can also fold it down into tablet mode. Oh, and on the inside, it has enough horsepower to take on the MacBook Pro.
Artists rejoice: The Surface Pro 4's stylus has 1,024 touch levels
At the big Windows 10 devices event today, Microsoft's Panos Panay said that 53 percent of Surface Pro 3 owners use the device's stylus. So, when it came to building the improved Surface Pro 4, it made sense to upgrade the writing and doodling experience, too. Most importantly, the new "Surface Pen" has 1,024 degrees of pressure sensitivity, four times that of the Surface Pro 3, and an "all-year" battery life, which is something of a double-edged sword since you can't actually recharge it. The Surface Pen also has a tail eraser for manual undoing, and a selection of interchangeable tips for different tasks that change how the Pen feels and responds.
Microsoft has a docking station for your Surface Pro tablet
Microsoft isn't just unveiling a phone dock today -- it has a dock for your computers, too. The tech giant's new docking station gives the Surface Pro 3, Pro 4 and Surface Book the kind of connectivity you'd expect from a desktop. There are two 4K-capable DisplayPort outputs, four USB 3.0 ports and an Ethernet jack for your wired internet link. Microsoft's Surface Dock is available for pre-order now (with an expected release date of October 26th) at $200, which should be inexpensive enough that you can forget about buying a second PC. Get all the news from today's Microsoft event right here.
Microsoft's Surface Book is its first (and 'ultimate') laptop
And then Microsoft dropped a bombshell on stage. "What if you wanted a Surface -- but you wanted a laptop Surface, something with a bigger screen, something with the perfect typing experience of a laptop?" Microsoft's Panos Panay asked at the company's Windows 10 devices event. "We made the ultimate laptop; we made Surface Book." That's right, it's Microsoft's first in-house laptop -- with a 267 ppi, 13.5-inch display, a sixth-generation Intel Core processor, up to 16GB of RAM and a claimed 12-hour battery life. Microsoft is calling it the "ultimate" laptop ...but just like every other Surface in the product line, it's still a detachable, convertible PC.
Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 type cover has 'laptop class' feel
Microsoft has completely remade its Surface 4 Pro Type Cover, adding better type feel, a fingerprint sensor, a larger trackpad and more. For starters, the company gave its Surface Pro 3 users some love by making the new keyboard compatible with the older model. It's also the thinnest and lightest yet, and since the Surface Pro 4 itself shrunk from 9.1 to 8.4mm, the whole package is much smaller. The keys are also quieter, have more space between them and a better feel, which may finally make it a viable option for folks who couldn't handle the Surface Pro 3's slightly mushy keyboard.
Microsoft's Display Dock turns your Windows phone into a mini PC
When Microsoft talked about Windows 10's universal apps enabling experiences you couldn't get on other platforms, it wasn't joking around. The company has revealed a Display Dock that turns Windows 10 phones into makeshift computers -- shades of Motorola Atrix, anyone? The add-on lets you plug in a conventional 1080p monitor (DisplayPort or HDMI) and up to three USB peripherals to run universal apps at desktop sizes, alongside a desktop-like taskbar and task switching. There's no mention of pricing just yet, but it's bound to cost a lot less than the Lumia 950 and other compatible phones. Get all the news from today's Microsoft event right here.
Microsoft's Lumia 550 offers entry-level Windows 10 for $140
Back when Lumia phones were under Nokia's charge, the 5-series was a budget-friendly range. Nothing's changed now that Microsoft is in control, as the freshly announced Lumia 550 will attest. As you might expect, the spec-sheet likely won't start any fires, but the price might: $140. The Lumia 550 barely got any stage time at the Microsoft Windows 10 devices event (that went to the two new flagships), but we did hear it sports a quad-core processor, and LTE -- much in line with the rumors we'd heard (and pictured above).
Meet the Lumia 950, Microsoft's first Windows 10 flagship
Microsoft has announced the Lumia 950, the smartphone that will carry the burden of being the company's first Windows 10 mobile flagship. The device comes with a 5.2-inch WQHD (2,560 x 1,440) OLED display that'll also offer up constantly glanceable notifications that'll save on battery life. In addition, the unit comes with the same liquid-cooling technology that you'll find inside the Microsoft Surface Pro 3. Internals-wise, the company is promising an hexa-core Qualcomm processor and 32GB of internal storage, but the phone can actually take up to a 2TB microSD card as soon as they're available to buy.
Microsoft's 5.7-inch Lumia 950 XL is liquid cooled and $649
While the Surface Pro 4 may garner the bulk of the attention from today's Microsoft event, the folks in Redmond had other stuff to reveal, too. Those other announcements include a pair of smartphones, one of which is the supersized Lumia 950 XL. Thanks to a handful of leaks, we already had an idea what the handset would look like and some details of its spec sheet. The 950 XL features a larger OLED screen than its sibling, measuring 5.7 inches at 518 ppi. It also offers 32GB of storage that you can expand via microSD card up to a whopping (theoretical) 2TB. There's a 20-megapixel camera with a Zeiss lens around back with triple LED RGB natural flash, optical image stabilization and a dedicated camera button as well, continuing to leverage the photo chops from Nokia. That wordy flash description basically means people will look more natural in photos where you have to employ said feature. And, of course, all of that runs on Windows 10.
Microsoft HoloLens reaches developers in early 2016 for $3,000
Microsoft has been answering a lot of questions about HoloLens as of late, but a few questions have remained: When can you get it? And will you need to mortgage your home to get one? Well, those mysteries have been solved... if you're a programmer. The crew in Redmond has revealed that a Development Edition of its holographic computing headset will launch in the first quarter of 2016 for $3,000. That's not a completely outlandish price tag, but it's safe to say that you won't be getting this early HoloLens purely for kicks -- this is to help prepare apps for the eventual mainstream version of the device. Still, it's good to hear that this exotic wearable tech won't be limited to Microsoft's campus for much longer. Get all the news from today's Microsoft event right here.
