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Microsoft teases 'Minecraft' AR for your phone
Microsoft has something big in store for Minecraft fans. The company used the start of Build 2019 to offer a teaser for an augmented reality Minecraft experience for phones. The clip doesn't say much about what the experience entails, although it's safe to say you won't be building entire virtual worlds in your neighborhood -- the limitations of the real world will likely dictate what you can do.
Windows 10 will get a built-in Linux kernel this summer
The suddenly-cozy relationship between Linux and Windows is taking another step forward, as Microsoft announced in a blog post that it's going to ship a full Linux kernel in Windows 10. It will arrive first with Insider preview builds by the end of June, underpinning the new Windows Subsystem for Linux 2. The first release will be based on version 4.19, the latest stable Linux release, and will keep up with each stable release going forward. According to Microsoft this isn't its first release of a Linux kernel -- that came last year on Azure Sphere -- but it is the first time on Windows. By making this switch as a "drop-in replacement" for the current emulator, it should speed up performance significantly, with faster bootup and more efficient use of memory. Users can interface with it either by installing a distribution from the Microsoft Store or sideloading. Also, the kernel itself will be open source, with instructions available to create your own, and Microsoft has pledged to contribute changes it makes open for others to use. All of this news also came after Microsoft earlier announced a new version of its Windows Terminal command line app.
Alexa takes hands-free voice commands on Windows 10 PCs
Amazon's Alexa app for Windows 10 now behaves more like you'd expect it to -- that is, it behaves more like an Echo speaker. An update to the software has introduced the option to invoke Alexa solely through your voice, whether or not the app is in the foreground. As long as you're within earshot of the microphones, you won't have to sit right at your PC to turn on the lights or check the weather. Push-to-talk is still an option if you don't want to risk accidentally waking your voice assistant.
Microsoft's Cortana will eventually sound more like a real assistant
Virtual assistants like Microsoft's Cortana, Amazon's Alexa and Google's have finally made voice-controlled computing a reality. But talking to them still feels basic -- shouting commands isn't exactly how you'd interact with another human being. At its Build developer conference today, Microsoft gave us a glimpse at how Cortana could improve on that.
Microsoft Word uses AI to improve your writing
Microsoft is about to challenge Grammarly (not to mention Google) on its home turf. The company is developing an Ideas feature for Word's online version that uses AI to suggest grammar changes, among other assists. In addition to catching basic errors, it can recommend rewriting phrases to improve concision, clarity and inclusiveness. Your report might be more to-the-point without requiring quite so much proofreading.
Microsoft's Fluid Framework is a new take on document collaboration
Where do we go beyond web-based productivity apps like Google Docs and the Office 365 suite? That's what Microsoft is aiming to explore with Fluid Framework, a "componentized document model for shared interactive experiences." In plain English, it means you won't have to be restricted to working in just a Word document, or an Excel spreadsheet. Instead, Fluid Framework is going to let you create files that can be many different things at once. Microsoft says it'll lead "to the beginning of the free-flowing canvas," where you'll be able to just get your ideas down without worrying about how they're formatted from the start.
Microsoft wants to secure elections and political campaigns
Get the jokes about voting booths crashing left and right out of your system: Microsoft announced today that it's taking a few steps towards election security. First up is ElectionGuard, an open source software development kit that will offer public verifiability and other security measures for elections. Since it's open, Microsoft is hoping developers will integrate it into existing voting systems -- it's not trying to replace things that already work. Additionally, Microsoft says it'll offer "guidance and tools to build more accessible voting systems," though it didn't elaborate on specifics. Developers will be able to get their hands on ElectionGuard's SDK when it hits GitHub in the summer.
Watch Microsoft's Build 2019 keynote here at 11:30AM ET
We're thick in the middle of developer conference season -- Facebook's F8 event took place last week, and Google I/O kicks off tomorrow. Today, however, all eyes are on Microsoft: Build 2019 starts in just a few hours with a keynote presentation from CEO Satya Nadella. While Microsoft's event is historically light on consumer-focused news, there's no doubt the company's announcements will be significant to its massive developer community. We'll be on the ground in Seattle bringing you news from the event for the next few days, but if you want to tune in to the keynote, check out the livestream on YouTube below. You can also find a stream on Microsoft's own site here.
Microsoft's Build developer conference starts May 6th
Early May is going to be particularly busy in the tech world. Microsoft has announced that the 2019 edition of its Build developer conference will take place in Seattle between May 6th and May 8th. In other words, it starts just one day before Google I/O -- you're going to get a lot of news in a very short space of time.