Windows10Devices Event

Microsoft’s October 6 event in New York City has ended, with several expected announcements and a few surprises. You can stream the full event at Microsoft’s site. New Lumia phones, Surfaces, the HoloLens, and even a revamped Microsoft Band made an appearance. A full stream of tweets is available at the hashtag #Windows10Devices, including a few from the DT crew at the event.

The following is a list of all the devices and software announced at the event:

• Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL and Lumia 550
• Hololenses with Project
• Surface Pro 4
• Surface Book
• Microsoft Band 2

Click on each of the links above to learn more about the Windows10Devices.

Windows10Devices: Microsoft Band 2

Microsoft announced the second generation of the Microsoft Band at its event earlier, a small update adding a new, more functional design and two sensors to track elevation and VO2 monitoring.

The design of the new Microsoft Band has no rigid edges, and features a curved LED display made from durable Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The screen is scratch- and water-resistant and boasts related IP68 certifications, making it an excellent all-weather device.

Two new sensors have been fitted inside the Microsoft Band; a barometer to check elevation changes in real time for hiking and mountain climbing, and a VO2 monitor that lets users know their maximum rate of oxygen consumption. VO2 monitoring is usually only available on high-end watches and fitness devices, making its inclusion a rather impressive feat for the Microsoft Band.

All of the features available in the first version of the Band are back in the second, including GPS mapping, guided workouts, sleep counters and notifications for your favorites apps. It will work with iOS, Android, and Windows Phone devices, and Microsoft Health will be available on all three of the platforms.

The new Microsoft Band also has Cortana integration, enabling users to find health and other information without touching the display. If you miss a workout, Cortana will remind you and help you to reschedule. Apps like Uber, Facebook, and Lose It are all integrating with the new wearable and with Cortana, allowing users to order a cab, post a status, or even pay for a Subway meal.

For golf fans, the new Microsoft Band is capable of automatic shot detection and offers a scorecard, letting the user track their scores and swings. This functionality should be coming to more sports in the future, allowing hobbyists to train more effectively
The Microsoft Band will be available for $249, with shipping slated to start on October 30.

Windows10Devices: Surface Book

The name Microsoft has long been synonymous with the PC market thanks to the Windows operating system, but it’s only been recent successes like the Xbox and the Surface line of convertibles that have caused the company to take hardware manufacture more seriously. At the Windows10Devices event, Microsoft announced its first traditional laptop.

Dubbed the Surface Book and pitched as ‘the fastest 13-inch laptop ever made,’ Microsoft’s first foray into laptops is a certifiably high-end system. From the 3000 × 2000 resolution of its 267 ppi PixelSense display, to its backlit keyboard, and five-point multi-touch trackpad, this is a luxury machine from top to bottom.

Under the hood, there’s a Skylake processor (base Core i5 dual-core, with i7 optional) and an Nvidia GeForce GPU with GDDR5 memory. We saw the benefits of that power during the demonstration, with League of Legends running flawlessly and video being edited with ease in Adobe Premiere. Customers will be able to fit their Surface Book with an SSD as large as 512GB, and opt for the cheaper option of Intel HD graphics rather than the GeForce GPU.

Though designed to look like a clamshell laptop, the Surface Book’s display can be detached and used as a tablet. It’s built for use on the go, with a weight of 1.7 pounds and a bag-friendly width of just 7.7 millimeters when the detachable keyboard is removed. Plus, twelve hours of battery life should ensure that you’re never caught short. Unlike the Surface Pro 4, the Surface Book includes the keyboard as a standard feature.

When your screen is detached, it’ll function just as any other Windows-based tablet would. However, you’ll need to reattach it to gain the full benefit of Nvidia’s hardware accelerated graphics, as the GPU is situated in the base of the unit.

It should be plain to see that Microsoft is taking a swipe at Apple’s flagship laptop with the device — even if it hadn’t been referred to as twice as the MacBook Pro during the reveal. Everything from the name to the form factor suggests that the Surface Book is gunning for Apple’s territory.

However, Microsoft’s effort isn’t just part of the Surface line for name recognition. This is a 2-in-1 hybrid, and that gives it a considerable advantage over the MacBook. Microsoft has been doing lots of work in this field with previous Surface releases and the many bits of tablet functionality present in Windows 10, so it’s sure to be at the core of the Surface Book.

Microsoft is also packing in its Surface Pen with all models of the Surface Book, further emphasizing that this device can be both a laptop or a tablet depending on the situation at hand. While Apple may have taken a stab at Microsoft with the iPad Pro, this is as strong a response as Microsoft could have hoped to assemble.

The key to this new device’s success, however, is whether or not consumers will see enough value in its hefty price tag. The Surface Book will retail for $1,499, with pre-orders starting October 07 and shipping on October 27.

Windows10Devices: Surface Pro 4

As Panos Panay took the stage at Microsoft’s early October press conference, most everyone knew that he had brought the new Surface Pro 4 with him. Still, the latest and greatest from Microsoft, managed to pack in some features that no one expected, while slimming down in the process.

The Surface 4 boasts an improved display, packing a 2763 x 1824 at 267 ppi into a 12.3-inch screen, but leaves the footprint of the Surface Pro 3 untouched. It’s slimmed down, however, from 9.1 mm to a very trim 8.4, which Microsoft suggested is to accommodate the USB 3.0 connection – it would be thinner otherwise. The base model weighs 1.69 pounds, and if you opt for a Core i5 or i7, it weighs just slightly more at 1.73 pounds.

If you use the stylus with the Surface Pro 3, the improved Surface Pen is sure to impress. It now senses 1,024 pressure levels, which lends it a much more tactile feel as you write and draw with it. There’s an eraser too, so you can simply flip the pen to change what you wrote.

Both the pen and touch support are powered by a new system Microsoft calls PixelSense. It’s a sophisticated combination of hardware and software features that allows for an impressively accurate and responsive touch system. Both the Gorilla Glass 4 outer layer and the backlight are thinner than ever, so it feels like you’re really writing on the screen.

There’s a new keyboard cover, which now has an integrated backlight, redesigned scissor switch keys, and a much larger glass touchpad with 5-point multitouch support. The fingerprint sensor allows you to use Windows Hello, and since the width and height are the same as the Surface Pro 3, the new keyboard is compatible with models already out in the wild. Pricing is $130 for the new keyboard, similar to the old one.

The ports have been revamped with an emphasis on simplifying the connectivity of the device. The new setup allow you to hook into a hub that provides four USB 3.0 ports, two 4K-capable DisplayPorts, and Ethernet, all through one connection. The dock is expensive though, at $200.

Under the hood, the Surface Pro 4 boasts the newest in Intel’s Skylake processors. The most basic model offers an Intel Core m3 processor, with customization options all the way up to Core i7. Microsoft claims the Surface Pro 4 is 30 percent faster than the Pro 3, and 50 percent faster than the MacBook Air, but that’s going to be largely dependent on the actual configuration of the system. Other specs have improved too, with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of internal storage.

Just because no one was surprised to see the newest in the Surface Pro lineup, doesn’t mean it’s not an exciting release nonetheless. Following a rocky start, Redmond’s very own two-in-ones have been picking up steam, and the Surface Pro 4 is well timed to take advantage of that momentum. Pre-orders start October 7th, with delivery on the 26th of October, with the base m3 model, which includes 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, starting at $899. If you’ve got more to spend, you can configure the Surface Pro 4 to include an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD for a steep $2,699 — though that model isn’t currently available for pre-order.

Windows10Devices: Hololenses with Project X-Ray

At the Windows 10 devices event, Microsoft once again demonstrated the massive potential of its HoloLens project, an all-new game developed specifically for the capabilities of the headset.

Project X-Ray sees players tasked with defending the real-world space around them from a horde of mechanical enemies. As the game began, the walls set up on stage began to crack, giving way to an ominous machine that began spewing small flying robots that quickly opened fire.

Fortunately, the player is equipped with a handheld device which the HoloLens uses to map a holographic blaster upon. We saw this weapon fire accurately at enemies, as well as using “vortex mode” to Hoover them up, then repel them away as another form of offense — not to mention a demonstration of holograms interacting with one another.

While the gameplay itself may have been rather simplistic, the overall experience looks like a wholly engaging use of VR. Seeing the way that the game interweaved with a real-world environment was very impressive, perhaps giving HoloLens a certain edge over technologies like Sony’s PlayStation VR.

After what seems like years of research and development, 2016 looks set to be the year that virtual reality makes its play at mainstream acceptance. Microsoft’s HoloLens project may be a relative newcomer compared to the likes of the Oculus Rift, but it seems that the two devices might both be on track to launch next year.

Microsoft has announced that applications for a HoloLens development kit will begin from 6th October, 2015. The kit itself will cost $3,000, and is expected to begin shipping in 2016, but there’s still no official word on when a consumer version is likely to see release.

Windows10Devices: Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL and Lumia 550

Microsoft has finally launched a set of high-spec new Lumia smartphones, the long-rumored 950 and 950XL.

Lumia 950 and Lumia 950XL

Introduced by Panos Panay, the new man in control of Lumia and Surface at Microsoft, there are two phones — the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950XL. The 5.2-inch Lumia 950 uses a hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, and comes with 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage space. The good news is under the rear cover is a MicroSD card slot that can raise this number by a massive 200GB, plus there’s a removable 3000mAh battery that can be wirelessly charged. The AMOLED 2560 x 1440 pixel screen is fitted to a 150 gram body that measures 8.2mm thick.

For the Lumia 950XL, Microsoft’s chosen the Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor and equipped it with the same amount of RAM and internal storage space. The removable battery’s capacity has increased to 3340mAh. The screen size has also been increased to 5.7-inches, and although it has the same 1440p resolution, it’s covered in Gorilla Glass 4, rather than Gorilla Glass 3 on the Lumia 950. The device is slightly heavier at 165 grams, and a little slimmer at 8.1mm.

Each phone has a 20-megapixel, f/1.9 aperture, 6-lens camera on the rear, equipped with optical image stabilization, a triple LED flash, and a dedicated camera shutter release. On the front, it’s the same 5-megapixel wide-angle selfie camera, that can shoot 1080p video. The rear camera can shoot 4K video at 30fps.

While the specs sounds great, the real pull of the new Lumia phones will be Windows 10, which will almost certainly be pre-installed on the two devices. Interestingly, both smartphones will come with dual-SIM variants. Microsoft has added dual-SIM to all of its low-end devices, but this is the first time one of its premium Lumia devices will receive a dual-SIM variant for the Asian market.

The Lumia phones use the latest USB Type-C connector, which provides a fast charge, and quick transfer of data across to your computer. Microsoft has installed Windows 10, along with various standard apps including Skype, Outlook, and Office. A beta version of Windows Hello is on the phone for quick, secure unlocking, and the major software draw is Continuum for phones. Using the USB Type-C connection, and a Microsoft Display Dock, the Continuum feature ports the phone’s main screen onto your desktop. Apps on the phone scale on a monitor for a PC-like experience.

Lumia 550

A Lumia 550 was also announced, an affordable smartphone with a quad-core, 1GHz processor, a 5-megapixel rear camera, and 8GB of internal storage space. Windows 10 is installed, just like the 950 and 950XL. Rumors put the screen size at 5-inches with a 960 x 540 pixel resolution, but Microsoft hasn’t confirmed the final specs just yet. Vodafone in the UK has said it’ll stock the phone in the near future.

Cortana: The Ultimate Assistant

Cortana is the name for the intelligent personal assistant and knowledge navigator for Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 10. Cortana builds off Microsoft’s previous voice technology called TellMe, purchased by Microsoft in 2009.

Cortana competes against Apple’s Siri and Android’s Google Now voice assistants.

The first evidence of Cortana’s existence was found in June 2013 in the Windows Phone Central forums, appearing as ‘zCortana’ from a developer device that was accidentally sold to a non-Microsoft employee.

Naming and Voicing

The name Cortana was reserved for the AI in Microsoft’s Halo gaming series. While there was a desire to call Microsoft’s next-gen personal assistant Cortana as an official name, it was not clear that the company could do so, due to numerous marketing and trademark concerns.

However, on April 4 2014, Microsoft finally unveiled Cortana to the public during Build 2014. Microsoft chose the name Cortana due to a popular groundswell of fans who requested the name.

Jen Taylor, who currently voices Cortana in the Halo games, also voices the knowledge navigator for Windows Phone 8.1.

Look and Features

The current look of Cortana is both futuristic and minimalist, being represented as an orb with animation. From a pre-release description of Cortana by an inside source:

“The personality of Cortana is currently represented by a circle graphic that expresses what it’s doing (searching, identifying music, etc.) by various animations like spinning, flipping, etc. …more animations [have] come in over time, and the color is based on your theme color.”

Cortana can integrate with third-party apps via a new API introduced by Microsoft at their 2014 Build conference. For instance, users can say “Foursquare…checkin” and the personal assistant launches the Foursquare app and brings up locations around you to choose for checking in.

Cortana can set reminders, track your flights, tell you the weather, send messages, and answer questions. All searching on Windows Phone 8.1, including Internet Explorer, is handled through Cortana, which itself is powered by Bing.

Various sections of Cortana can also be pinned to a user’s Start screen, including Weather, Reminders, and News for quick access. The app, upon launching, can optionally deliver a ‘Daily Glance’, which includes your weather, traffic, and headlines.

Cortana can also make NFL and other predictions and speak Klingon.

Finally, another change is how users start Cortana as the app is now initiated via the Search key. Users will no longer have to hold down the Start key to launch the voice assistant.

Technology

The natural language processing capabilities of Cortana are derived from Tellme Networks (bought by Microsoft in 2007) and are coupled with a Semantic search database called Satoru. Computing power for Cortana is provided by Microsoft’s extensive cloud computing resources that also power Microsoft Azure.

Forthcoming features

The Cortana team, led by Marcus Ash, is adding new features to Cortana roughly every two weeks. Those new features are added to the Cortana ‘What’s New’ page hosted by Microsoft.

Evidence for package tracking by Cortana was found in the Windows 10 registry, suggesting that this is a forthcoming feature.

Starting with the Lumia Denim update later in 2014 for the Lumia 930 and Lumia 1520, users will be able to activate Cortana via passive voice, meaning they do not physically have to launch the voice assistant. Instead, users can simply say ‘Hey, Cortana’ and the phone, through passive-voice technology, will wake to take the request. This feature is dependent upon the Qualcomm Snapdragon 80x chipset series and SensorCore.

Updating

Cortana updates are delivered independently of those to the main Windows Phone OS, allowing Microsoft to provide new features at a faster pace. Not all Cortana-related features can be updated in this manner as some features such as “Hey Cortana” require the Windows Phone update service and the Qualcomm Snapdragon SensorCore Technology.

Expansion to other Platforms

In January 2015, Microsoft announced the availability of Cortana for Windows 10 desktops and mobile devices as part of merging Windows Phone into the operating system at large. On PCs and tablets running build 9926 or later, Cortana is accessed through the search button in the taskbar, while on smartphones Cortana is brought up using the search key on the device, and is very similar in design and functionality to its Windows Phone equivalent.

On May 26, 2015, Microsoft announced that Cortana would also be available on other mobile platforms. An Android release was set for July 2015, but an Android APK file containing Cortana was leaked ahead of its release. It will be followed by an iOS release later in the year.

During E3 2015, Microsoft announced that Cortana would come to the Xbox One as part of a universally designed Windows 10 update for the console.

Mircrosoft has also launched a beta version of Cortana for Android and iOS.