Microsoft Office 2016 goes Global

October 15, 2015

Microsoft has finally begun rolling out the MS Office 2016 which is the latest edition of its Office productivity suite, including its cloud-based subscription service Office 365.

Office 2016 will be bringing new versions of desktop apps for windows including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Access. These new versions will allow users to work and collaborate together without strain.

The chief executive officer of Microsoft Satya Nadella said in a statement,

“These latest improvements will be another important step forward in the bid to transform the Microsoft Office from a set of familiar individual productivity apps to a connected set of apps and services that is designed for the modern workstation”.

Sometime ago, Microsoft launched its much awaited Windows 10 operating system that was designed to work on laptops, desktops and Smartphones. This has been part of Nadella’s push towards winning back the lost ground in the mobile and tablet arena.

The Office 2016 works on laptops,desktops and smartphones

The latest product from Microsoft provides built-in intelligence tools that allow users create and update files in the cloud from the desktop, use a new smart lookup feature to integrate an insight from the web into any Office document and publish data directly from Excel in Power BI.

The Office 2016 offers Skype in-app and Office 365 group integration, and a new “Tell Me” search tool has been included in the Word program.

The most useful change that was discovered in the Office 2016 is that multiple people can now co-author documents in Word, One Note and PowerPoint in real time, a feature that was previously reserved for only the Office web apps.

All these new features have been accompanied by a better enterprise security and protection, giving all users of the Office 2016 the needed safety, security and privacy while making use of the latest innovation from Microsoft.

Subscribers to Office 365 will soon be getting notification to migrate to Office 2016. However, if you can’t wait to use it you can download it at your Office account profile.

Already the Office 2016 is now available in Nigeria’s leading online store, Jumia. Available at the store, include the Office Home & Student 2016 and Office Home & Business 2016. Checkout here

Hulu to launch a virtual reality app for Samsung Gear VR in November

Jia Khan

October 13, 2015

Hulu, the popular video streaming service, plans to launch a VR application in November to be interfaced with the Samsung Gear VR headset, according to a CNET report.

This $99 Virtual Reality device will surface next month, way ahead of the competitors Oculus, Sony etc. Currently, a $199 device from Hulu is available in the market but the company as well as the tech-savvy enthusiasts have high expectations pinned on the low priced version with enhanced features as well as specs.

The statement by Tim Connolly, Hulu’s Head Distribution, was pumped full of energy and depicted the company’s high anticipations from the launch. He said:

“We’re ready to fly.We consider that this task will help us in gaining a stronger position as an innovator and be there at first for which others are planning”

Hulu is making much progress in the Virtual reality domain and new devices are making their mark already. Some rumors have also surfaced regarding the media giant Hulu stating that the company is designing some sort of device setup that can be viewed through 3D only. Hulu is also working on a short VR film called “The Big One”.

With this particular app, users will be able to view sort of enhanced 2D (that is still in implementation phase by the company) in addition to watching the 2D effects.

Hulu thinks of this app as an interaction to transport viewers into a different world. This implies that a person who is virtualized can roam about in a virtual room, sit there and even watch 2D video content. The company aims to evolve into content development in future.

Hulu will probably work on a series of Virtual Reality devices that will feature only 2D formats to experience through the Gear VR set. This app can be utilized with several Samsung phones including the Galaxy S6, S6 Edge and Note 5 flagships that are to be released next month.

Expectations as well as competition are really high as Hulu’s competitors, especially Oculus, have set a difficult target.

Microsoft Hololens Prices at $3000 for Developer Edition, Shipping Q1 2016

Jia Khan

October 8, 2015

Microsoft has announced the opening price and estimated availability of its Windows-10 powered Hololens augmented reality headset. The company said they will make HoloLens kits available in the first quarter of the coming year.

According to Terry Myerson, Executive VP of Microsoft Windows and devices group,

“Whether it’s for productivity, a health care, design or entertainment, HoloLens creates experiences that aren’t possible on any other device, or any other platform.”

The kit containing a head gear and a battery – operated Windows computer with generating capabilities of 3D CG objects will cost $3000 for the initial edition targeted at developers.

The Hololens will initially be sold on invite-only basis and company is now accepting applications on its website.

The high price indicates that the product is not consumer-oriented and is designed to cater a particular segment of the market.

According to Microsoft, the Hololens headsets are meant to serve commercial customers and developers. The company though has not yet revealed the number of kits they are planning to release but Microsoft has already contacted NASA and some other professionals.

The good part is that the development edition is totally cordless and can be used without any physical wire.

The HoloLens functionality was illustrated using Project Xray which is an augmented reality game and showed how shooting game can be played while sitting in a living room.

For those who are interested, Microsoft is looking for professional, creative developers who can contribute to build a high-powered community.

HoloLens along with its exceptional build and unique AR experience is certainly a choice of modern developers to contribute towards a dynamic tomorrow.

It’s now up to the creative developers to use this device to develop new platforms and other interactive creations.

Free Microsoft Course Teaches Absolute Beginners to code Windows 10 Apps

Jia Khan

October 5, 2015

Microsoft recently introduced a course named ‘Windows 10 development for absolute beginners’. As the name implies, this course specifically caters those with very little programming background.

According to Microsoft, just a basic intro to C# will be required and sufficient. To serve the purpose, the company recommends its ‘C# Fundamentals’ first.

The ‘Absolute Beginner’ series will assist the amateurs in developing Universal Windows Platform apps compatible with various devices including phones, tablets, personal computers, Xbox, HoloLens and Raspberry Pi.

The course will act as a guide of creating Windows 10 apps on the UWP. Bob will give new challenges, assists in creating a cheat sheet and unveil the techniques and procedures in a friendly manner.

The course has been designed in two parts. First past depicts the simple way of making an app. Followed by a guideline to develop full-fledged apps including:

A weather app with map functionality: The sample app allows users to make calls to external web services for retrieval of data from third party.

A soundboard capable of playing funny sounds: Video#49 will allow users to develop an app by permitting them to filter sounds by category.

An album cover matching game: This sample app will allow the users to access documents, images and music from the known folders.

An encyclopedia of marvel characters with Cortana integration: Finally, video 71 will allow the users to explore the Universe heroic characters with the help of their API. This sample app also demonstrates the inclusion of Cortana integration into an app.

For all aspiring developers, Microsoft’s Beginners Guide will definitely serve as a groundbreaking experience. Checkout the Guide

LG launches its Watch Urbane 2

Jia Khan

October 4, 2015

Following the huge success of Watch Urbane, LG has released a new and updated second version christened Urbane 2. LG Watch Urbane 2 immediately stands out for its attention to detail and sleek design but what makes this stunning Watch a delightful gadget is the option of cellular network connectivity.

Powered by Android Wear OS, LG Watch Urbane 2 is remarkable in its design and functionality as it does not require smartphone integration to work.

The wearable comes with support for cellular connectivity including connectivity options like 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. LG claims Watch Urbane 2 is water and dust-resistant which earned it IP67 certification.

LG has been quite happy with the design of the Watch Urbane 2 and flaunted it in a statement saying

“hairline-etched in the stainless steel body and durable hypoallergenic TPSiV™ elastomer band.”

In addition to the conventional crown button,two new buttons have been added on the right-hand side of the dial that provide the user a quick access option so as to navigate device.

LG Watch Urbane 2 display is an amazing 1.38-inches P-OLED screen, which comes supported with a resolution of 480 x 480 pixels and a pixel density of 348 pixels per square inch.

LG Watch Urbane 2 is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 400 SoC at 1.2 GHz with 768 MB RAM and 4 GB of internal storage space.

Urbane 2 will be powered by a 570 mAh battery which comes with a Power Saving Mode for prolonged usage. Fitness conscious consumers would love the heart-rate monitoring, stress level tracking and workout tips features of LG Watch Urbane 2.

LG Watch Urbane 2 will be released only in the U.S. and Korea initially. Later the smartwatch will hit Europe, CIS, Asia and Middle East markets.

NASA confirms Liquid water on Mars

Jia Khan

October 1, 2015

NASA has confirmed the existence of liquid water on Mars, during warmer seasons, after the publication of a research in Nature Geosciences.

This info came from data from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), a spacecraft that studies the planet from the orbit.

MRO recognized the appearance of several dark spots on Mars that appeared and disappeared depending on the temperature and seasonal changes. The argument is supported by leaks that show the liquid water flow downwards from a hill.

Tentatively, this isn’t the first study or report regarding the revelation of water on Mars. Scientists are of the view that Mars once had been a home of an ocean over 4 billion years ago. And current revelations from Mars Curiosity Rover also depict the presence of some liquid over the Martian Surface.

The arguments among scientists over presence or absence of water on Mars has taken a rather comical turn. Alfred McEwen, planetary geologist, Planetary Image Research Laboratory, joked in “Scientific American”,

Congo! You discovered water on Mars for the 1000^th time

Scientists have supported their arguments and ideas due to the appearance of dark streaks or spots on Mars, called Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL). The streaks show a varying a pattern as they fade during colder season and reappear during the hot season.

Michael Meyer, scientist for the Mars Exploration Program at NASA said,

“The streaks appear in spring, and escape in the fall.”

Ojha, geomorphologist Lujendr has also voiced his views on it saying:

“Something is hydrating these salts, depending upon the seasons, as it appears in the springs but fades in the falls. So the water on Mars is briny rather than pure one. Though salts lower the freezing point of water. Even if RSL are slightly underground, then the surface would be a little bit colder than the Mars surface and it will allow water to stay on Mars rather than vanishing.”

The presence of water on Mars is a universal phenomenon and the human race, as a whole, is looking at the consequences that will be fruitful for us.

Samsung announces $99 Gear VR Headset with Oculus for Galaxy Phones

Jia Khan

September 26, 2015

Oculus has announced several gadgets in a conference at Dolby Theater in LA where it also announced a set of streaming apps like Netflix. But the mind-blowing announcement was the Gear VR headset that is going to be sold just for $99.

This new device is more elegant and lighter than the previous versions released by the company. The Gear VR Headset features a trackpad, back button and motion sensors to sense acceleration and gyroscopic position but it is still dependent on a smartphone screen to work.

Phone screens are simply docked into this headset using a USB cable.

The VR headset now support more Galaxy phones mostly the recent flagships like Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 Edge+, Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Samsung has declared this model to be nearly 22% lighter than its predecessor.

This headset features improvised touchpad and enhanced gaming and video experience.

One will also be able to view Facebook’s newly launched 360-videos. JK Shin, CEO Samsung Electronics stated

“Samsung has got hands on the latest cellphones and I must say that unveiling Gear VR last year was nothing exceptional. We are looking at virtual reality as the coming future and the partnership with Oculus on Gear VR will bring some revolutionary technology for the users.”

Earlier edition of Gear VR received immense positive response from the public. Peter Koo, Samsung Mobile’s VP technology strategy also declared partnerships with Twentieth Century Fox and Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.

The purpose of the partnership is to bring movies to Gear VR, including the Alien trilogy, Hunger Games and Pulp Fiction.

This device will be officially available this fall. Gear VR Headset will hit the markets this fall and will be available for under $100.

Pebble Launches Round Smartwatch

Jia Khan

September 25, 2015

Pebble has launched a new version of its smartwatch range, named Pebble Time Round, after the successful voyage of the predecessors Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel.

The new device features an impressive circular frame rather than the previous square shaped one and much resembles the Moto 360 and Huawei Watch.

The most awesome feature of Pebble Time Round is that it is much thinner and weighs a mere 28 grams which is almost half the weight of the smallest Apple Watch.

This watch is almost 100 grams lighter than its predecessor that measured a 42mm Round. The Round of the watch is 7.5mm thick that makes it quite thinner, just like a band on your wrist.

Pebble claims this watch to be the smartest, thinnest and lightest of all other smartwatches. The always-on round e-paper display adds much to this watch and it seems quite easy to access the desired option.

The Pebble Time Round Smartwatch comes in different variants including 14mm and 20mm versions coated with either black, silver or rose color.

Pebble claims that this watch provides a longer power backup that can last for almost two days after just 15 minutes of charging. Analysts think that this feature will make this watch fly higher.

Just like its predecessors, Pebble Time Round will also surface with color e-ink display and will be compatible with Android OS and iOS.

Pebble has also released a new version of SDK for the app developers to design the apps according the shape and requirement of this watch. Along with long power backup, Pebble also claims this watch to be water proof to be used in rainy conditions.

Currently, Time Round is only available at Pebble Official Site and costs just $249 but it will be available at different retailers like Amazon, BestBuy and Target by the start of November this year.

Microsoft Band 2 is sleek with Curved Screen – Leak

Jia Khan

September 21, 2015

Microsoft is reportedly working on the successor model of its wearable, dubbed Microsoft Band 2, which is going to be unveiled in the company’s October 6 mega event.

Some pictures of the upcoming device have surfaced with a tag “MicrosoftInsider.es” and the source claims that the pictures of Band 2 are totally genuine and authentic.

The pictures reveal a new classy design for the wearable device that supports a curved screen with metallic touches physical buttons placed on its side. Analysts think that the physical buttons will enable better and comfortable navigation.

Microsoft Band 2 will not only serve as a social connector but includes some fitness features like tracking one’s steps during walks or some sort of exercise.

The curved screen is the most fabulous feature of the new band which will now allow the Band to fit exactly to the wrist structure of the user.

The leaked snaps show the Microsoft band 2 has a smaller curve on the bottom side compared to the screen but still, something is better than nothing.

The physical buttons on the side, somehow, look odd but the metallic finish has given it a better look. One thing that seems to be unchanged is the thickness of the device which is almost the same as was seen in its predecessor.

Somehow, it looks little bit chubby at the bottom and upper ends.

The sensors are almost the same as those found in the first generation Microsoft Band. These include the heart rate monitor, accelerometer, GPS, microphone, ambient sensor, Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) and UV sensor.

In addition, Microsoft Band 2 will also monitor and measure the height of workouts.

Microsoft Band 2 will support platforms like Windows Phone, iOS and Apple and such devices will be able to use Health app by Redmond to help in exercise and workout.

It is rumored that the device will also feature sleep monitoring. Microsoft Band 2 will be unveiled on October 6 event next month.

Microsoft Office 2016 launches Next Week

Jia Khan

September 18, 2015

Microsoft is set to launch Office Suite 2016 next week, most probably on September 22. The software was rumored to initially be offered to professionals and domestic users only.

Julia White, GM of Office 365 Technical Product Management, confirmed the rumors floating around saying:

“You may have heard the rumors but I am happy to confirm that Office 2016 will be broadly available starting on September 22.”

Some of the new features include Maths input tool for Word, improved PowerPoint, cloud integration, Excel and a Darker theme. In addition, it also offers easy file sharing, more efficient grammar check and Real Time Presence in Word.

According to Microsoft, more than 1 million users have used Office 2016 on Mac and Windows platform since it was launched on Windows Preview.

Mobile users can access the utility free while it is being offered at the rate of £95 to students, office and home consumers.

The recent update is for the existing desktop version instead of Universal suite which is more touch friendly and is available on laptops, phones and tablets.

The desktop version will remain the most powerful and practical version and will smoothly run on older systems as well.

Office 2016 also provides OneDrive Outlook attachments, latest interface, IT tools and multiple user editing. Microsoft is also facilitating users with regular update alerts which will benefit users with advanced security patches and latest specs.

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