Microsoft Support & Discussions

Apple has started sending out email invitations to some members of the Apple Seed program, inviting them to beta test iOS 8.3. Based on the contents of the email — some of us here received it — it looks like Apple is not doing a full-on public beta like they did for OS X Yosemite, but are instead inviting a subset of Apple Seed members to participate in the iOS 8.3 beta. In other words, not every Apple Seed member appears to be getting invited, so you shouldn't join Apple Seed expecting to get an iOS 8.3 invitation. There's no way to know how many invitations Apple sent out, or whether the company is choosing people at random or has set criteria based on prior f…

Controversy surrounds Apple's decision to use USB-C in the new MacBook. Is it one interface to rule them all, or is it just another port we'll see on future Macs? Apple's glitzy new MacBook is a pretty amazing piece of engineering and design that polarizes Mac users more than anything I can remember since the last colored MacBook, the black one that came out in 2008. The new MacBook does away with all expansion and power ports we've become familiar with — no MagSafe 2, no USB 3, no Thunderbolt 2 — in their place instead is a USB-C connector. It's a triggering event for some iPhone and iPad users who are still bitter about having to throw out or adapt their 30-p…

MixRadio, a popular music-streaming service on Windows Phone is heading over to iOS and Android very soon. We got our hands-on the Android version earlier this week, but now we have early access to the iOS app, too. It's not finished yet and it's currently in private beta, but we like what we see so far. Want to see it action? Check out our hands-on video. Windows Phone fans who use MixRadio might get jealous. The new design looks really good on iOS and Android. We wouldn't worry though. We heard this new look would make it to Windows Phone later on. The MixRadio app has 4 sections that you can quickly access at the bottom of the screen: My Mix, Mixes, Create, and…

Apple has released the third beta of OS X 10.10.3 Yosemite to registered developers. This update includes developer APIs for the new Force Touch trackpad that is a part of the new 13-inch MacBook Pro and the upcoming new version of the MacBook. The third beta build has the version number 14D98g. Registered Mac developer can download it now via the Software Update feature in the Mac App Store or from the Mac Dev Center. The final public version of OS X 10.10.3 Yosemite later this spring and will also include the new Photos app for Mac along with other improvements and fixes. Source: MacRumors [/url] Continue reading...

Apple has released the third beta for iOS 8.3 for developers. Registered developers can grab the beta from Apple's Developer Center, or as an over-the-air update to any device with the previous beta installed. In addition to iOS 8.3 beta 3, Apple has also released the lastest beta of Xcode 6.3 for Mac. Xcode 6.3 comes with an updated version of Apple's Swift programming language. Apple released the first beta of iOS 8.3 in early February, with the second beta arriving a little over two weeks ago. Source: Apple Developer Center [/url] Continue reading...

QuestRun is a new, roguelike roleplaying game for iPhone and iPad. The game takes inspiration from Japanese RPGs, while putting its own spin on familiar elements. QuestRun gives you 15 characters to choose for your adventures. The game pits you against over 60 types of monster as you battle your way through forests, deserts, dungeons, and more. Along the way, you'll level up your characters and find new gear in a semi-randomized game world. Battle takes place in three-on-three matches, and you'll need to utilize all of your powers and gear to best your enemies. As a roguelike, QuestRun will have you progress your heroes up as much as you can before they die. Once …

The Wunderlist team today announced a new update rolling out across multiple platforms. Users on iOS, Android and Windows Phone will be able to fully utilize folders. There's no longer an excuse to get mixed up between lists for work and lists for home and personal stuff. Separate said content into folders and you're good to go. It's easy to create folders too, just drag-and-drop lists onto one another. As well as implementing the above new functionality, the Wunderlist team has also launched a brand new design for the iPhone, Mac and Android. The redesign introduces colorful pictograms and making it easier to navigate around the apps themselves. But there's m…

Topps has launched Star Wars Card Trader for the iPhone and iPad, allowing users to buy, sell and trade virtual trading cards based on the sci-fi movie series. The art style of the cards are decidedly old-fashioned, and they include replicas of the first Star Wars trading card set that Topps released way back in 1977. There are also cards that have some digital visuals and animation. . The cards span the original six movies, along with The Clone Wars and Rebels animated series. They also include cards from the upcoming Episode VII: The Force Awakens film. Here's what Star Wars fans can expect from this app: The First Cards From STAR WARS: The Force Awakens -…

The iPhone 6 TETRA case adds an advanced design to your typical bumper case with its geometrically shaped corners and CNC-machined aluminum edging. Even with the combination of aluminum and shock absorbent TPU, the this case is amazingly thin and lightweight—making unncessary bulk a thing of the past. Get yours today and save 43% [/url] Continue reading...

Stanford University says that over 11,000 people have signed up for their cardiovascular study created using Apple's ResearchKit medical research platform. Released on earlier this week following Apple's "Spring Forward" event, MyHeart Counts allows users to participate in a study on cardiovascular health. Getting this many people to sign up for that kind of study would normally take much longer, according to Bloomberg: "To get 10,000 people enrolled in a medical study normally, it would take a year and 50 medical centers around the country," said Alan Yeung, medical director of Stanford Cardiovascular Health. "That's the power of the phone." While Res…

The new MacBook's trackpad is incredible. Now, imagine that technology in an iPad. I got to spend just twenty minutes with the new MacBook trackpad on Monday, but it was enough to leave me feeling wowed, impressed, and a little bit disoriented. Apple's long-in-the-making Force Touch trackpad uses haptic feedback to make your finger feel like it's depressing a button, even though the trackpad itself doesn't move. It's a sheet of glass. It doesn't have a button, it doesn't all depress at once — it does not move at all. But it feels like you're clicking. It feels like your finger is sinking into that immoveable glass and accessing deeper click levels than have ever exi…

Apple has issued an apology for the ongoing, wide-spread service outage affecting many of the company's online stores, including the iTunes Store and the iOS and Mac App Stores. The outage, which began just before 5 a.m. EDT, also hit iCloud account and sign in, as well as iCloud Mail, though service seems to have been restored to both of those. In a comment to iMore, an Apple spokesperson says that the company is working to fix the problem, which was caused by a DNS error. We apologize to our customers experiencing problems with iTunes and other services this morning. The cause was an internal DNS error at Apple. We're working to make all of the services avail…

Now's a great time to pick up a new Apple TV, or two! At Apple's Spring Forward event this week the Apple TV saw its specs unchanged but its price slashed from $99 to $69. If you already have one, now's a great time to grab another. That's what I'm doing. Yep, it's another episode of "first world problems," cats and kittens. Versatility in a little black box My family and I have enjoyed Apple TVs ever since the first one came out. It looked like a Mac mini and ran hot enough to keep your coffee warm in the wintertime. We eventually went to the smaller second-gen black Apple TV, which we still use. We subscribe to Crunchyroll, so we can get our fix of asian a…

The latest Das Keyboard for the Macintosh: Is it the mechanical keyboard you've been waiting for? Computer keyboards can use electronic or mechanical switches under the keys. I'm a big fan of mechanical keyboards, because I can type faster and more accurately on them. Metadot makes some of the best Mac-specific mechanical keyboards out there, and today they've released the Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac. Here's my review. The good Available in two switch types, clicky and tactile Media buttons and oversized volume key work well with iTunes Lighter, thinner, more efficient than previous Das Keyboard model Built-in USB 3 hub Unique "Footbar" stand N key …

Twelve South, which has made high quality stands for the iPhone and iPad in the past, will launch its first HiRise stand for the Apple Watch sometime in May. Twelve South says that the HiRise stand for the Apple Watch will be able to accommodate all of the official bands that have been announced for the smartwatch. It states: HiRise for Apple Watch is designed, like HiRise for iPhone, with a stable, metal base that lets you interact with the screen on your watch while it's charging. See alerts, reply to messages or check the time at a glance. This brushed metal stand is elevated and angled just right so you can see your Watch screen while lying in bed or glan…

Behind the idea for any new piece of technology is a question: How do designers at the front end translate hunks of metal, plastic, wires, pixels and bits into a new human experience? Microsoft’s designers approach their products from their own unique angles: Kat Holmes (who is featured in the latest episode of the podcast “Next at Microsoft”) takes her fascination with messy, complicated love stories to Microsoft’s Cortana personal assistant and ends up hitting the streets to create a documentary about relationships, while Jonah Sterling designed the Microsoft Azure cloud computing experience and also acts as a curator of his team’s workspace and daily culture. Yeongk…

The Fitbit Surge tracks steps, calories, sleep, workout sessions, and can even monitor your heart rate. Unfortunately, step count accuracy still appears to be Fitbit's Achilles Heel The Surge is Fitbit's high end fitness tracker for 2015 and features a touch sensitive screen, built-in heart rate sensor, and traditional watch style clasp. It's the most feature packed fitness band Fitbit has ever shipped. But is it enough to put Fitbit ahead of the rest? The good Touch screen is responsive and offers a lot of options without having to reach for your iPhone Workout sessions are easy to use and take only a few seconds to initiate Heart rate sensor is accurate and …

The onset of the iPhone in 2007 introduced the world to Multi-Touch, which Steve Jobs said "worked like magic". It forever changed the way people interacted with smartphones; not only was Multi-Touch an impressive technical achievement, but it was fun and delightful to use. More importantly, Multi-Touch changed people's expectations for their devices. We've gone from seeing hardware buttons everywhere to seeing simple slabs of glass. This is especially true for young children, who expect everything electronic to be tappable; touch is all they know, as they have no prior context of olden ways. The concept of touch is so ingrained in our collective muscle memory at th…

The back of this hard case is made of a thin polycarbonate that's completely transparent, so it's almost as if you don't even have a case around your iPhone 6 Plus. The edges are made of a slim rubber, making it easy to install and remove when necessary. Even the side buttons are raised for easy access! [/url] Continue reading...

Apple has updated its Apple Pay website with new partners, bringing the total number of retail stores that accept the touchless payment system to 61. The new additions include Bashas', Coca-Cola Vending, Dan's Fresh Market, Dick's Fresh Market, Fudruckers, Jamba Juice, Jersey Mike's, JetBlue, Lin's Fresh Market, Maceys, Office Max, Pep Boys, Regal Cinemas and Walt Disney World. During its "Spring forward" event, Apple CEO Tim Cook mentioned that Apple Pay can now be used to buy beverages from Coca-Cola's vending machines, with over 40,000 machines currently compatible with the payment system. That number is set to increase to 100,000 by the end of the year. The…

According to a new report out of The Wall Street Journal, Apple is planning to bring the force touch technology used in the Apple Watch to the next iteration of the iPhone. Along with the addition of force touch, the report also states that Apple is considering adding a pink color option to its lineup, in addition to the current gold, silver, and space gray options. From The Wall Street Journal: Apple Inc. plans to add sensors to detect how hard a user is pressing on a screen to its next iPhones, incorporating a technology used in its forthcoming MacBook and Apple Watch, according to people familiar with the matter. Additionally, the report notes that A…

In this digital age, the idea of community is changing rapidly. Online and social-based channels have created new ways of connecting with others who share similar beliefs, interests and passions. While some may be rightfully concerned that online social communications are not a substitute for human interaction, I continue to be fascinated with the ways people are finding to connect and share their passions. Last November, Microsoft announced a collaboration agreement with Real Madrid – ranked the “best club of the 20th century” – that accelerates the digital transformation of the club through technology. A new digital platform is at the center of this transformation, s…

Mac users looking for a full-featured mechanical keyboard experience have a new option today with the release of the Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac. The Das Keyboard 4 Professional is a mechanical keyboard that comes with a lot of the features you'd expect out of a modern keyboard. First up are the dedicated media keys, along with an oversized volume knob for quick and easy access to your media functions. Alongside the media keys, the keyboard also features dedicated function keys to access Mission Control, Launchpad, and display settings. As for the mechanical parts of the keyboard, it features gold-plated switches, which the company says will provide mo…

GameStop has announced they will be rolling out support for Apple Pay to their retail stores throughout March. GameStop's rollout is nationwide, to all 4,200 of their stores. Apple Pay is already available in some locations, and the company says they're excited about this initiative. From GameStop: "We are excited to make it easier and more convenient for our customers to shop at GameStop," said Jason Cochran, senior vice president of U.S. stores at GameStop. "Providing a positive, memorable customer experience is our top priority. Incorporating the latest in mobile technology, like Apple Pay, into our stores is another way we are offering customers options to he…

Google has just announced that Google Calendar is finally available for download in the App Store. While there are tons of calendar options available currently in the App Store, there are tons of users who have been patiently waiting for the official Google Calendar to finally be available. Like its Android counterpart, Google Calendar for iOS will allow events to be created right from Gmail, offers various assists to speed up the process of entering events, and has a great schedule view. The features aren't the only thing Google brought over from the Android version, they have also copied the Material Design language of the application over as well. In additi…