The Engadget team is on the ground in Seattle to cover all the news and announcements revealed at Microsoft Build 2024.
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The Nokia Lumia 930 is a global version of the Icon (hands-on)
by
Brad Molen04.03.2014
The Nokia Lumia Icon is a fantastic Windows Phone that comes with a bunch of top features that most WP users haven't been able to enjoy until recently, but it had one critical flaw: it was an exclusive to Verizon, which meant that only a handful of users in the US could buy it. For the rest of the world, the only way to get a top-of-the-line Windows Phone (in nearly every spec, that is) has been to buy the Lumia 1520, but its large 6-inch display -- though beautiful at 1080p -- simply made it too big for a lot of people. Fortunately, that's about to end because Nokia announced a global version of the Icon known as the Lumia 930, which comes with more LTE compatibility and Windows Phone 8.1.Interestingly enough, there's not much of a difference between the two devices. This actually is a bit surprising, considering Verizon has historically landed design exclusives with Nokia like the Lumia 822 and 928. The resemblance is definitely striking, with the only major hardware changes manifest in the presence of GSM bands instead of CDMA and the additional colors that Nokia will offer.
Nokia shows off 'MD-12' Bluetooth speaker to match its new smartphones
by
Dana Wollman04.03.2014
It's not all fun phones and games at Nokia's Build shindig here in San Francisco. In addition to giving us a closer look at the new Lumia 930, 630 and 635, the company is showing off a Bluetooth speaker to accompany them. The MD-12 (even Stephen Elop couldn't explain the name) is available in the same cheerful color palette as the new handsets, including a bright orange hue. On the audio front, this is really just a companion device, but Nokia is claiming the bass is still better than you'd expect on a device like this. As for size, it's especially compact -- this thing is about the size of a hockey puck, making it even smaller than, say, the Mini Jambox. That said, there appears to still be a robust battery inside: Nokia is claiming 15 hours of audio playback, compared with 10 hours for the Mini Jambox. No word on when, exactly, it will go on sale, but Elop himself said it will cost $55.
Microsoft pushes universal apps that run on everything Windows
by
Chris Velazco04.02.2014
Crafting a seriously great app experience for one device is hard enough, but these days developers have plenty of form factors to tackle. Microsoft is trying to ease their suffering a bit with the introduction of universal Windows apps, which just took the stage at the company's Build conference in San Francisco. Long story short, you'd theoretically only have to write an app in Visual Studio once. Most of the code (in the language of your choosing, Microsoft insists) remains the same, but that universal app will take on a different appearance depending on what device it's running on. Well, if you want it to, anyway. Naturally, developers can fine-tune the finished product too, so the experience of using the app on Windows Phone feels as polished as it does on a PC. You'd be forgiven for thinking this is a bit on the dry side, but this is a big deal -- Microsoft is trying to break down the app barrier so devs can make more consistently good apps for us faster.
Windows 8.1 update aims to win over mouse-and-keyboard users, arrives April 8th as an automatic download
by
Dana Wollman04.02.2014
The whole point of Windows 8 was to make Microsoft's aging OS easier to use on touchscreen devices. Mission accomplished, we'd say (more or less). But now the folks in Redmond have a new challenge afoot: Make Windows 8 equally easy to use on tablets and traditional PCs. The company's already made some progress -- last year's Windows 8.1 update was all about keyboard shortcuts, better multitasking and the return of the Start button (sort of). Now, with its latest update, Microsoft is going after mouse-and-keyboard users. In particular, you can pin Windows Store apps to the desktop Taskbar, and close out of a Metro app by pressing an "X" in the upper-right corner. Heck, you can even shut down without having to open the Charms Bar. Shocking, we know.It's all very exciting, and indeed, you can see for yourselves soon enough; the update will arrive as a Windows Update download on April 8th, which means most folks will simply install it automatically. In the meantime, we've got a full primer after the break, along with a healthy dose of screenshots (we know you love your screenshots).
Windows Phone 8.1 and Cortana officially revealed at Build 2014
by
Chris Velazco04.02.2014
As predicted, Microsoft is using its Build developer conference to launch Windows Phone 8.1, the latest and (we hope) greatest version of its mobile OS. The company's fed us a bunch of information about the update already, and a vast number of leaks have covered nearly all remaining features. Still, it's about time for us to get the skinny on everything the new upgrade entails, so let's break down exactly what you can expect from Windows Phone going forward.
Microsoft's opening-day Build keynote is happening now, get your liveblog here!
by
Dana Wollman04.02.2014
It's technically called "Build Windows." But this year, the biggest news coming out of Microsoft's annual developer conference might not have much to do with Windows at all. Sure, we're expecting a software update, for which we've already seen copious leaks. But what about Windows Phone? Is version 8.1 on the way? Maybe we'll even hear about Cortana, Microsoft's answer to Siri. And hey, what of Nokia? Is this acquisition gonna ever close or what? Lastly, can we see some new hardware? Might we catch a glimpse of some new phones ahead of tonight's Nokia shindig? Your guess is as good as ours, which means you'll want to follow our liveblog as we give you the blow-by-blow.April 2, 2014 11:30:00 AM EDT
Microsoft plans to bring Windows to robots and 'a whole new class of small devices'
by
Mat Smith04.02.2014
Microsoft's Build 2014 kicks off tomorrow, but it's not just Windows Phones, tablets, Office or even the return of Clippy. Redmond has plans to bring its operating system, well, everywhere else. A Windows on Devices site has apparated into existence, mentioning robots, talking bears, the Internet of Things and Intel's Galileo acting as developmental hardware. It looks like Microsoft's planning a charm offensive on the maker community, with the site linking out to a Big-styled -- presumably Microsoft-powered -- floor keyboard as well as Maker Faire. The first SDK will appear soon, (by the end of Spring 2014) with additional releases through out the year. Microsoft says it'll have a life-sized piano to show-off its Windows on Devices conceit and naturally, it reckons its cloud services will serve as the perfect online accompaniment.
Video shows off Microsoft's Cortana virtual assistant in action
by
Brad Molen03.04.2014
"Hi there. I'm Cortana. I can help make life a bit easier for you." These are the first words of Microsoft's still unannounced virtual assistant codenamed "Cortana," according to a new video leaked by UnleashThePhones.com. If it's true, this is the best look we've had of the rumored Windows Phone 8.1 service so far. The video begins by showing Cortana as a dedicated Live Tile, and then takes us through the setup process. You'll be prompted to login with your Microsoft Account, which is required to enjoy all of the service's features; according to the permissions page, Cortana will have access to sources like your location data, voice input, contacts, calendar, search history, emails and texts, browser history and more.
Tamriel Infinium: Outside the box healing and tanking in The Elder Scrolls Online
by
Larry Everett03.04.2014
In last week's Tamriel Infinium, I had my top-tier theorycrafter and friend Calls1gn throw together some off-the-wall DPS builds for The Elder Scrolls Online. But he could theorycraft all day, and it wouldn't mean anything if he couldn't put it into practice. Luckily, ZeniMax opened the doors to the ESO beta again this past weekend. I was totally intrigued by the melee Sorcerer with pets. After playing that type of character at low levels, I have to say that it's an extremely lazy class. Now, I didn't have all the abilities because they required a higher-level character, but even at my low level, I mostly sat back and watched my pets do their thing while I found one mob to beat on. It worked and was more than viable.Of course, building a DPS class is easy, right? What about something that requires a bit more concentration? What about a tank or a healer? Building a DPS character is a bit less difficult than tanks or healers, but that doesn't make them any less difficult to play. Still, your playstyle does change, and your focus changes if you want to tank or heal.I asked Calls1gn to build us a few tank and healer classes, too. I wanted a Dragonknight healer because there are few DK abilities that have anything to do with healing, and I wanted a Sorc tank because -- well, just because. He delivered.
Field Journal: Picking up the pieces of Fallen Earth
by
Matthew Gollschewski02.20.2014
I was introduced to Fallen Earth way back in the mists of time, around when I first started reading Massively. It was one of the earliest Choose My Adventures, and I was so impressed that I made my own account and joined in on the fun part of the way through. My character even made a few cameos in the column later on.I have a lot of fond memories of the game, and a significant part of that is due to the crafting system. There are some really good ideas in there, even if the execution has always been a bit flawed. Despite those flaws, I wouldn't trade my early days with the game for anything. Well, other than a better version of the same game.
Windows Phone 8.1 leak reveals new messaging and storage settings, and more
by
Joseph Volpe02.11.2014
Up until now, the most we'd heard about the next rumored update to Microsoft's Windows Phone OS centered on two features: Cortana, the company's Siri-like digital assistant, and Action Center, its native notification center. Today, however, we have a clearer idea of where Windows Phone 8.1 could be headed thanks to a Reddit user who's allegedly gained access to the new SDK as part of Microsoft's developer preview program.
A foundation for future growth: Examining LotRO's class restructuring
by
Justin Olivetti10.17.2013
Let's start out with the elephant in the room: The comprehensive and radical class changes that are coming to Lord of the Rings Online with Helm's Deep have a portion of the community rattled. After all, we are protective of our characters and concerned about changes that affect them, and this looks to be a doozy. You want to hear a secret? Turbine's a little scared too.When asked if this might become LotRO's NGE -- the reviled shift in Star Wars Galaxies' gameplay structure -- the devs said it's something they've been asked a lot these days. They know that there's a part of the playerbase that's fearful, and in all honesty, the devs have had a few sleepless nights over the changes too. But past the fear is the certainty that this is the course the game needs to take right now, and that certainty grows by the day as they continue to test the changes on the beta server.The team told us as such during a class tour today, going on to show us the scope of what's going to happen. What we're looking at here is the old class trait system thrown in the trash to be replaced by specializations and trait trees, as well as the paring down of many class skills into a more manageable number. It's going to impact everyone all at once, so if this is your game of choice, you'll want to read on.
Windows Store recommendations could one day reflect your usage patterns
by
Dana Wollman06.28.2013
Yesterday was the day Microsoft made Windows 8.1 available as a public download; today's the day we ask "what's next?" Here at the company's annual Build developer conference, we sat down with Ted Dworkin, the man who oversees the Windows Store, to do a deeper dive on the store's latest redesign. In particular, we were curious about that new Bing-powered recommendation engine, and how it might become smarter over time. What ensued was a Pandora's box of a brainstorming session. Naturally, Dworkin wouldn't make any promises about what we'll see in future updates, but he did offer some compelling ideas about how Microsoft could take people's usage patterns into account when recommending apps. For instance, while Windows already knows which applications you've downloaded, a future version of the store might also be aware of which apps you use most frequently, which ones you've uninstalled, which ones you've shared, which ones you've pinned, which ones you've unpinned, et cetera. On a privacy note, the recommendation engine is already optional, so there's no reason why you couldn't disable this kind of data collection too. For starters, this an interesting idea for the developers attending Build this week -- there are definitely people out there who download apps because they're testing them (or reviewing them) and not because they plan on using them every day. Even more broadly, though, who among us hasn't gone on a downloading spree, just to see what they liked? With usage patterns taken into account, you might get more useful picks, ones that ignore that random Twitter client or Angry Birds game you installed. Again, Dworkin wouldn't say for sure if Microsoft plans on implementing any of this, but our vote would be "yes" if it leads to more recommendations we'd actually use.
Foursquare checks into Windows 8 with its first native tablet app
by
Melissa Grey06.27.2013
For Windows 8 tablet users, becoming the mayor of your favorite fro-yo place (everybody's gotta have a dream) is about get easier. Just a few weeks after announcing a tablet UI customized for Android, Foursquare took to the stage at Build today to announce its first native tablet app, designed specifically for Windows 8. While an app for Windows Phone 8 already exists, tablet users had been left in the cold without software optimized for their devices. So far, Foursquare hasn't specified an exact release date for the app, but we'll keep you posted as we learn more.
Rhapsody debuts app for Windows 8 at Microsoft Build 2013
by
Edgar Alvarez06.27.2013
Today during Microsoft's 2013 edition of Build, Rhapsody announced that it's releasing a version of its music app designed for the Windows 8 operating system. As you might expect, the Win8 variant will bring many of the same features found on its iOS and Android counterparts, including the ability for subscribers to create playlists and stream / download songs from Rhapsody's ample library of tunes. There will be some tidbits tailored specifically for Redmond's OS, however, such as a Snap Mode for simple multitasking and an option that allows tracks to be pinned to the Metro-style home screen. The company told us the application will hit the Windows store shortly, so we'll be sure to update this post as soon as we have a link to the download.Update: Rhapsody's Windows 8 app is now up for grabs via the Windows store, linked down below for your convenience.
Microsoft confirms Internet Explorer 11 is coming to Windows 7
by
Brad Molen06.26.2013
With Windows 8.1, Microsoft has pushed out a revamped version of Internet Explorer that is supposed to be significantly faster than its predecessor, not to mention the fact that it claims to be easier on battery life. Fortunately, it appears that the company fully intends to make IE11 available to Windows 7 users as well. While Microsoft opened up about this fact, it wasn't so keen to offer up any timing expectations. Thus, it's quite possible that we may not see it show up on Win7 until after it's had some time to bedazzle those who are already packing the latest and greatest version of Windows.
Microsoft launches Bing platform for developers
by
Jon Fingas06.26.2013
Microsoft wants developers to make Bing a central part of their apps, and it's powering that with a new developer platform unveiled today at Build. The Bing kit will let programmers tap the search engine's wealth of knowledge, providing direct information and translations when they're relevant. It should also grant access to natural interfaces, such as gestures, as well as real-world map data. Microsoft showed the platform at work in both Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8, so it's clear that developers who want Bing's resources won't be locked into any one device type.
Internet Explorer 11 to support WebGL and MPEG Dash
by
Jon Fingas06.26.2013
Few would say that consistency is good for its own sake. Microsoft certainly agrees -- it just revealed at Build that Internet Explorer 11 will reverse the company's previously cautious stance on WebGL. The new browser will support the 3D standard from the get-go, joining the likes of Chrome and Firefox. IE11 should improve plain old 2D as well, as there's hardware acceleration for video streaming through MPEG Dash. All told, Internet Explorer should be a better web citizen -- and deliver a speed boost in the process.
Next-gen Kinect for Windows opens dev kit applications, costs $400
by
Ben Gilbert06.26.2013
Microsoft's new version of Kinect for Xbox One is also headed to the world of PCs, like its previous incarnation. The new Kinect for Windows sensor won't be available publicly until some point in 2014, but developers can apply for an early, $400 development kit starting right now (due before July 31st at 9AM PT), Microsoft announced today. In that $400, developers (if accepted) will get early SDK access, a pre-release "alpha" version of the device, a final retail version (at launch), and private access to both APIs and the Kinect for Windows engineering team (in private forums and webcasts). Should you get in, you'll find out more come this August.
Windows 8.1 to support 3D printing through native API
by
Jon Fingas06.26.2013
As quickly as 3D printers have taken off, they haven't had true OS-level support. Microsoft is fixing that with Windows 8.1: a built-in API will let developers weave 3D printing into their own apps. While the experience will be slightly more complicated than firing up an old-fashioned inkjet, it should include familiar-looking printing dialogs and persistent settings. The only real challenge will be picking up a 3D printer in the first place -- but that's getting easier by the day. %Gallery-192352%
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