Windows is still, by quite some margin, the big fish in the pond of desktop (and now tablet) operating systems. Yes, many users have struggled to adapt to the touch-focused Windows 8 era and beyond, but while the Redmond still holds a strong position over the likes of OS X and Chrome OS, the company is beginning to feel the heat. Microsoft's recent inaction, such as its late entry into the smartphone and tablet game, are already biting it on the behind as pressure from Apple and Google's respective ecosystems continues to mount, and in order to stave off the competition, the company is to offer discounted Windows 8.1 licenses to manufacturers of low-priced Windows devices.
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 made a pretty big thing about its rebranding of SkyDrive to the new OneDrive name yesterday, and to try and drum up as much buzz as possible for the old-new service, the Redmond outfit offered a free 100GB of cloud storage to the first 100,000 people to sign into OneDrive.com. Obviously that offer didn't take too long to be exhausted, with news of the offer spreading around the Internet like wildfire.
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.
Microsoft is expected to drop the eagerly-awaited Windows Phone 8.1 update in the near future, and with several features already having been revealed, it looks as though the Redmond giant is making great strides to improve the keyboard typing experience. According to a report over at The Verge, which cites "sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans," the company is in the process of developing a greatly-enhanced keyboard which will offer a broader feature set similar to that of the popular Swype Android touch-type pad.
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.
The Xbox 360 may have won the last major console battle over the PlayStation 3, but even though the latest machines have only been around for a couple of months, Sony's latest PlayStation 4 is already establishing a degree of authority over its Redmond-made rival. By the close of the year, the PS4 had sold 1.2 million more units compared with the Xbox One, and even though the latter did sell more in December in the United States, sales figures for January by NPD Group indicate that Sony's new machine outsold its adversary by a ratio of almost 2-to-1, but there’s a small surprise lurking inside the numbers.
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.
Microsoft has just unveiled a new stereo headset for the Xbox One, the features of which will make for a premium in-game and general entertainment experience. But if you already have a headset that you wish to use with your Xbox One rather than buying a whole new one, then the good news is that you can hook it up to your new console by means of a legitimate Xbox One Headset Adapter, which the Redmond is selling separately. Further information can be seen after the break!
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.
