microsoft news

Users facing issues after installing Windows 10 cumulative updates is something that we’re already familiar with. That being said, sometimes the issues are way more disturbing than what they appear. T...

Discord is a very popular name in the gaming industry, so much so that many labeled the instant chat messenger as “WhatsApp for gamers”, but aside from gaming, it’s recently gained a lot of popularity...

A couple of weeks back we reported that Google is working on Global Media controls for Chrome which will allow users to control media from a single place. Unfortunately, the Global Media controls supp...

Microsoft has today brought all the significant new features in Microsoft Launcher 5.1 beta to the mainstream version of the app. This 5.1.0.47682 release comes with several new features like Sticky ...

Two days ago Microsoft released a final Windows 10 Insider PreviewBuild 18305 (19H1) for 2018to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring. At the time Microsoft says it was the last major Insider build for...

Microsoft is updating the AndroidMicrosoft Launcher beta app to version4.8.This is a minor troubleshooting, code cleanup, crash fix, and performance tuning update readying the newest features for public release.Besides the bug fixes, the changelog remains the same as version 4.7.6 beta, including:First installation experience – New first installation exper...

Facebook deserves credit for continuing to support their WhatsApp app for Windows Phone, with the Beta just beingupdated to version 2.18.30 with a number of new features.The headline new feature is the ability to continuously share your location for a set period, allowing friends to coordinate more easily and track your arrival for example.Live Location Sha...

Recently we reported that WhatsApp is finally rolling out new UPI based payment system in India. The rollout, however, was slow and was made in batches but it looks the rollout has now been completed. In case you have decided to use the service to final payback your friends for that meal, then we have got you covered. You can head below and check out how to setup and use it to pay or receive money using WhatsApp.Before using WhatsApp Payments, you need to setup payments by linking your Bank Account. This can be done by clicking on three dots at the top right coer and going to Payments. Then start with the linking process. Make sure that you have the SIM card in your phone which is registered...

Mobile payments are one of the next frontiers in the messaging wars, and apps like Skype and iMessage already let users send money peer to peer using established payment systems like PayPal and Apple Pay.We earlier reported that WhatsApp was plaing to launch mobile payments in India, using the pre-existing Unified Payments Interface that supports much of the country’s digital transaction infrastructure, and now the first signs of that have appeared.Users in India have spotted a new menu in WhatsApp that enables the new WhatsApp payments system. With thisnew feature, users can link their UPI account either via their app, or the website, and then (hypothetically) start making payments. While t...

The effort to bring full Windows to old Windows Phones seems to be rolling along at a rather rapid pace, and the latest development should make the work a lot more relevant.We have previously seen hackers install Windows 8 RT (a now dead operating system) on a Lumia 640 XL, but today we have a very much living operating system, the recently introduced Windows 10 on ARM, ruing on a more recent and more powerful handset, the Lumia 950.The effort has of course been enabled by WPInteals, and according to Blaze_CW, has allowed him to installWindows 10.0.16299.15 for ARM on his handset.It remains to be seen if anything useful will come of this, but I am sure many of our readers either have a Lumia...

Recently we reported that Microsoft has rolled out an update for Bing App on Android. The app brought a couple of changes including Better Map support. Reading this we decided to give it a shot and test what new features Microsoft had in store for us. To our surprise, the latest update made Bing app open the Google Maps website when searching for any destination, place or anything that involved location.This was strange considering the fact that Microsoftdoes have its own Maps service called as Bing Maps. What’s more surprising is the fact that Bing uses Bing Maps on web searches on the desktop but opens Google Maps when searched using Android App.To determine the exact cause of this, we che...

Despite no longer being supported by a streaming music service or even allowing you to buy music, the Groove Music Player is still the native music playback app on Windows 10, and I suspect to the surprise of many Microsoft has continued to push out updates to the app.A new update has just arrived for Insiders on the Fast Ring which brings significant changes to the design of the app, in particular, the Playback bar.The Playback bar is now slightly translucent in line with Fluent Design, higher and the playback controls are now above the timeline, as can be seen in the screen shot above. The old design can be seen below:The update is rolling out now and will presumably come to regular Window...

In May 2017 we reported a major win for the Windows Store (now the Microsoft Store) when Apple said they would be bringing their iTunes music and phone management app to the Store “soon”, or at least before the end of the year.The Cupertino company, of course, failed to deliver, but promised: “We have been working with Microsoft to deliver the full iTunes experience to our customers and we need a little more time to get it right.”Now the first concrete sign of the work has shown up in the latest Windows Desktop version of the app.ITHome.com have noticed the build now includes a component called iTunesUWP.dll which will presumably mediate the store requirement and features for the Centeial ap...

[embedded content]Microsoft Garage today aounced a new project called “Ink to Code” which will help developers to easily move from prototyping to real development. With Ink to Code, developers can draw wire frame sketches and export them into source code on Visual Studio. It currently supports prototyping for UWP and Android user interfaces. Ink to Code uses artificial intelligence and automation to develop code from wire frame sketches. For now, Ink to Code will only support basic app visual elements including labels, text fields, text paragraphs, images, and buttons.Ink to Code not only offers time-saving benefits but also fosters the collaborative and prototyping process key for designers...

Update 2:Due to issues that some players have encountered, Rare has aounced that the Sea of Thieves closed beta will be extended by two days. It will now end on January 31.Update: Sea of Thieve’s closed beta has begun on Xbox One and Windows 10. For instructions on how to install it, click here.Original: Just before December, Rare aounced that anyone who joined Sea of Thieve’s Insider Program would be able to participate in the game’s next Alpha session. While the big Technical Test came and went last month, an exact date wasn’t revealed at the time for a Closed Beta, but now we know just when we’ll be able to sale the high seas in Beta form. Over on Xbox Wire, Rare Executive Producer Joe Ne...

After much complaints, Skype messaging is once again available on the Outlook.com beta site. The feature was temporarily removed as part of the redesign of the site and was just retued a few days ago. Unfortunately not in the full, at present only chatting is available, but Microsoft promises further development will take place, saying: More improvements to the Skype integration will come in the future, but for now, please enjoy the upgraded Skype chat experience! The non-beta version of Outlook.com, of course, offer voice and video chats, and we can expect these experiences to also be available before the beta site rolls out to regular users. Via Neowin, onMSFT ...

Facebook recently let users share their Facebook Stories to Instagram, now the firm might let WhatsApp do the same thing. According to a report originating from TechCrunch, Facebook is testing a feature which lets users share their postsfrom InstagramStories to WhatsApp. Sightings of this feature have been seen in Brazil, a region where WhatsApp is popular. TechCrunch identifies the code as publicly available code which Facebook offers to third parties to integrate Instagram story sharing with third-partyweb or Androidapps. WhatsApp Status(Stories) were introduced on the platform a few months ago, and while not as popular in weste media as Instagram and Snapchat, they reportedly have tracti...

With 2018 getting closer by the hour, we bid our final goodbyes to WhatsApp for Windows Phone 8 and Groove Music. As aounced by Microsoft a couple of months ago, today will be the last day for you to access Groove Music Pass. As for WhatsApp, the company aounced that it is ending support for older devices which included the good old Windows Phone 8 as well. As a goodbye let’s look back to how Microsoft ended up here. Back in 2006, Microsoft launched their first Mp3 Player called Zune which would go on to be one of the biggest flops for the company. Although it did paved way for what was about to come. Later on, Microsoft introduced Zune Music Pass which was similar to Apple Music or Google ...

We know that the future of Windows is intertwining it with your mobile lifestyle, usually on other operating systems, but it seems in their rush to get you to download Microsoft apps on your Android device Microsoft has gone one step too far. InWindows 10 Insider Build 17063, when you set up your device from scratch, you run into the above screen, which lacks a Skip button, and demands you give Microsoft your phone number. The number is used to send an SMS to your phone and link your phone and your PC, enabling features like Continue on PC. In earlier versions, users were able to skip this screen, but this version does not offer that facility, which is worrying for those conceed about keepi...

Earlier this year, WhatsApp dropped support for Windows Phone 7 series devices. Today, they aounced that they are dropping support for Windows Phone 8.0 and older devices from December 31st, 2017.You can no longer create new accounts, nor re-verify existing accounts after this date. However, you’ll be able to continue using WhatsApp.Along with Windows Phone 8, WhatsApp is also dropping support for several older versions of mobile operating systems. Find the list below.BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry 10 until December 31, 2017Windows Phone 8.0 and older until December 31, 2017Nokia S40 until December 31, 2018Android versions 2.3.7 and older until February 1, 2020WhatsApp team provided the follow...