In a concerted effort to turn its mobile fortunes around, Microsoft seems to be taking the logical step of hand-picking some of the best features of both Android and iOS, amounting to an increasingly exciting Windows Phone 8.1 update. We've already heard that a new Swype-like keyboard will enhance the typing experience on the Redmond's mobile ecosystem, and following yesterday's video demo of the new Action Center notifications system, it has today become apparent that Cortana, the voice assistant feature set to debut with WP 8.1, will combine some of the strengths of both Google Now and Apple's Siri.
Microsoft's Xbox One has enjoyed a relatively solid first couple of month in terms of sales and general reception, but now the launch phase has commenced, the real work starts in the console's battle for supremacy against Sony's PlayStation 4. This year will see an exciting range of games and peripherals released for the Redmond's entertainment system, and leading the way is today's announcement of the official Xbox One Media Remote. Revealed to the world by Larry Hryb, better known in gaming circles as Major Nelson, it offers all the features one would expect of a remote, and will launch next month for the price of $24.99. Further details can be seen after the break!
Windows Phone 8.1 is due to hit the scene very soon, and judging by the recent spate of leaks and information regarding the software update, we have some significant improvements to look forward to. Following on from yesterday's report that a revamped, Swype-like keyboard would offer dramatic improvements as far as typing is concerned, the new notification center, dubbed 'Action Center,' has been given a video demonstration.
After being forced to ditch its SkyDrive name following a dispute with the telecommunication and TV giant BSkyB, Microsoft has today begun the rebranding process that will see SkyDrive become OneDrive. Existing users won't notice a great deal other than the new name, but Microsoft is now also offering people who use its service the ability to increase their free storage capacity via referrals a la Dropbox, with the potential to earn an extra 5GB of space.
It's a big year for Windows Phone, with the smartphone market hotter than ever before and Nokia reportedly on the verge of making Android a part of its family with the Nokia X Normandy smartphone. Microsoft's mobile version of Windows has long been rumored to be on the verge of becoming a real competitor for iOS and Android, and 2014 needs to be the year that Redmond puts Windows Phone into overdrive.
Titanfall beta is now available for download for everyone. Titanfall is arguably the most awaited game of the current generation of game consoles. What's more, Titanfall isn't even out yet and it's already the talk of the internet. Why? Because there's been a limited beta running for it, and that creates buzz.
It may have its detractors in both the PC and Mac world, but Windows 8 certainly has its good points. It seems that we're not the only ones to think that either, with the news coming out of Microsoft today that the controversial Windows 8 can now boast 200 million licenses sold.
According to sources of The Verge, Microsoft could be toying with the idea of bringing Android app support to both Windows and Windows Phone, in a move that could, in theory, help breathe new life into a mobile platform that is patently bereft of apps. Of course, such a drastic move would cause controversy, no less because it could spell the beginning of the end of Windows Phone as a mobile platform, but as the Redmond continually struggles to entice developers into creating apps for the Windows Phone Store, options are becoming increasingly limited.
A new study carried out by Annalect has discovered that men prefer Microsoft over Apple. The research was devised to look closely at the 'Changing Role of Men', and found that, in terms of brands that "resonate" with the male population, Microsoft edged it over old rival Apple.
The Wall Street Journal has just waded into the growing speculation around the purported Android-based Nokia smartphone - allegedly known as the Nokia X - by noting that the Finnish company does in fact intend to announce the device at this year's Mobile World Congress, which kicks off later this month.
