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Microsoft readies a universal Skype app for Windows 10
Microsoft is developing a new version of Skype that works across all Windows 10 devices, including desktop PCs, tablets and smartphones. At the moment, it's called the rather convoluted "Skype Universal Windows Platform Preview," and will be available to Windows Insiders in the coming weeks. The first build will be focused on the desktop and include most of Skype's usual features, such as group chats, one-to-one voice and video calls. Group voice and video calling are noticeably absent, but Microsoft has promised to add them "in the next couple of releases."
Xbox Live and ID@Xbox are coming to Windows 10
If the news of Xbox games coming to HoloLens and Elite: Dangerous hitting Xbox One this summer wasn't nearly enough, Microsoft has a few other tidbits to share from this year's Game Developers Conference. First up: Redmond is bringing the Xbox Live SDK to Windows 10. It's part of the universal apps push that the outfit's making with its new operating system, and will give game developers of any size access to a "vast majority" of Xbox Live's services. It wouldn't be the first time Microsoft's done something like this, but let's hope it doesn't turn into another disaster like Games for Windows Live was. The post on Xbox Wire also mentions there will be a new tier of the company's online gaming service coming as well that specifically allows "any developer to engage with the Xbox Live community." We've reached out for clarification of exactly what that translates to.
This is how Microsoft will unite your Windows 10 devices
Microsoft's big promise with Windows 10 is its ability to run apps across the entire platform. The framework for these universal apps hasn't been described in much detail, but a post on the Windows Blog gives a bit more insight under the hood. Redmond's calling these "mobile experiences," meaning apps you can use across a variety of different devices; the software is mobile, not the gizmo you're using it on. Cortana moving from smartphone to desktop and the Xbox One's Game DVR tool being available on your gaming PC are but a few examples. The idea is to offer a set of standards across the Windows 10 platform so everything remains familiar regardless of what piece of hardware you're accessing the application from. That means everything should have, in Microsoft's words, an adaptive user experience with natural inputs; calls for cloud-based services including Cortana integration and the action center and one design language across the board.
Buy Halo: Spartan Assault on one Windows 8 device and kill Covenant on the others you own
One of the big promises that came out of Microsoft's Build conference this year were apps that'd work across a number of Windows devices with a single purchase, and Redmond is using Halo to lead that charge. The first group of applications includes Halo: Spartan Assault and Skulls of the Shogun, both of which recently made the conversion to universal games -- making them playable across Windows Phone, Windows 8 and RT devices for one price. If you'd rather not pay for your entertainment, though, Microsoft also converted the likes of Wordament, Minesweeper and Hexic too. However, as Windows Phone Central notes, buying the universal version of Skulls doesn't grant access to the Xbox 360 version, nor does Spartan Assault's universal purchase unlock the Xbox 360 or Xbox One versions. Given that the Xbox division is still pretty separate from everything else though, that isn't exactly surprising.
Google Translate for iOS adds iPad support
The Google Translate app (free) has become a universal app, adding support for the iPad. Unfortunately, it appears that the only real change to the app was to scale up the user interface elements to fit the larger screen of the iPad, but based on prior experiences with the app on the iPhone it should be a very useful piece of software. The app does quite an amazing job of translating text between 63 different languages, literally everything from Afrikaans to Yiddish. For 17 of those languages, you don't even have to type in the text -- you can speak it, and Google Translate makes quick work of converting your speech to text and then translating it. For 24 of the languages, the translations can be spoken aloud. Favorite translations and your history can be set up for quick access when the iPad is offline, perfect for setting up a list of translated phrases for use while traveling in a foreign country. It's also possible to display translations on a full screen so other can easily read what you're saying or asking. The universal update became available today.
