Microsoft Support & Discussions

I'll be frank: I hate putting cases on my iPhone. They take away the fit and feel of the device in your hand, they can be overly bulky or clunky, and they almost always get dirty. But after breaking my iPhone 6's screen, I resigned myself to using some sort of cover — no caseless fit and feel is worth a broken glass screen. Luckily, I've found quite a few awesome iPhone 6 cases in the months since I've started rocking one, the latest of which is Case Scenario's Pantone Universe Cover + Bumper. It's stylish, quirky, and — best of all — super-comfortable to use in-hand. The thing that struck me about the cases when I first saw them on display at CES this year was th…

Apple only makes one phone — the iPhone. Sure there're two different sizes of the current generation model, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, as well as two previous generation models, the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, but the range and diversity is nothing like the portfolio pushed out by Samsung. Which is what makes Apple's monstrous Q1 2015 quarter, and possibility that, for the first time, they surged past Samsung to become the largest smartphone seller in the world, so interesting. Ben Bajarin, writing and graphing for Tech.pinions: I have access to live device data which helps me put parts of this puzzle together. From all the sources I have, and trying to get closer…

What music playing app do you use on your iPhone Apple builds the Music app right into the iPhone. It lets you browse and search your songs, create playlists, and access iTunes Match and iTunes Radio all from one, unified place. The App Store has several music app alternatives, however, that focus on different features or simply offer different takes. Whether you want more playlist options, social integration, or a safer option while driving, there are a lot of other apps to choose from. If you're still looking for a Music app, here are some of our favorites. And when you choose — or if you've already chosen — let us know which one you went with in the poll! 1. E…

It looks like T-Mobile will be showing multiple new ads during Super Bowl XLIX. In addition to their ad starring Kim Kardashian, T-Mobile will also air a spot featuring comedians Chelsea Handler and Sarah Silverman. While the full ad hasn't yet been posted online, the carrier did post a behind-the-scenes video. T-Mobile has yet another new ad that takes aim at the data practices of their rivals. Called "Data Vulture", the ad stars Rob Riggle and, well, a vulture and was produced specifically for NBC's online livestream of the Super Bowl. The carrier has also announced an endorsement deal with Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman. The deal includes three magenta bus…

Ventev's 2A Lightning Charger with USB port keeps your device juiced up while your passenger does the same, right off the same charger! This dual output car charger works with any lightning device and provides a quick 2A charge and an illuminated port. Yours today for only $16.95 Continue reading...

AT&T's prepaid carrier Cricket is increasing the data allotment for all of their plans without making any changes to the pricing. It's a bit of a shake-up, offering one of the best data packages among prepaid carriers. Here's what's changed: Basic: $40/month, previously 1GB, now 2.5GB Smart: $50/month, previously 3GB, now 5GB Pro $60/month, still 10GB Where things get a little more crazy is the "Advanced" tier, which offers 20GB of data each month, and for a "limited time only" can be had for the same $60/month as the Pro plan. That is, however, so long as you purchase an LTE-capable device to go with that plan. All plans included unlimited voice an…

Two U.S. senators have sponsored a bill that would make it easier for companies like Apple to bring the cash they are keeping overseas into the United States. Currently, U.S. companies that repatriate their foreign earnings are taxed at 35%. The new bill, sponsored by Senators Barbara Boxer and Rand Paul, is called the Invest in Transportation Act of 2015 and would see these companies taxed at a much lower rate, according to the announcement: Allows companies to voluntarily return their foreign earnings to the United States at a tax rate of 6.5 percent. The rate is only for repatriations that exceed each company's average repatriations in recent years, and funds mus…

NSFW is a weekly op-ed column in which I talk about whatever's on my mind. Sometimes it'll have something to do with the technology we cover here on iMore; sometimes it'll be whatever pops into my head. Your questions, comments and observations are welcome. It'll be no surprise to you to read that I'm pitched on new products all the time. Every day I get dozens of email solicitations from developers, marketing and PR people to cover new products for iMore. And many of them have variations on this: "How much will it cost for our product to be written about on iMore?" The answer is: Nothing. We don't take a dime to cover any product on iMore. In fact, even the sugg…

Apple Pay — or Pay — launched in October of 2014 as part of iOS 8.1. It enabled the NFC-based tap-to-pay system in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, and the online payment system in both iPhones 6 and the iPad mini 3 and iPad Air 2. While it hasn't yet rolled out internationally, Apple Pay has expanded to more banks, retailers, and apps in the U.S. We went in-store with it at launch, but how's Apple Pay doing now, some three months later? Apple Pay and banks Peter: My bank was there on day one, and I had absolutely no problem signing up my debit card in Apple Pay. I know a lot of other people haven't been as lucky. One of the few times I've been happy to be w…

Jeff Williams, senior vice president of operations at Apple, took over day-to-day leadership of the ops team following Tim Cook's transition from Chief Operating Officer (COO) to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Since then Apple has shipped a flabbergasting number of iPhones, a huge number of Macs and iPads, and started ramping up to ship the first batch of Apple Watches. To say Williams runs the best ops team in the business does him and them a disservice — No one else even comes close. That's no dount why he's getting some much-deserved attention following Apple's blow-out Q1 2015 results. Neil Cybart, writing for Above Avalon: One thing became abundantly clear afte…

If you store a lot of documents in iCloud Drive, and you're on a limited data plan, you may not want apps moving large files around unless you're on Wi-Fi. Cellular data use with iCloud Drive is nowhere nearly as intensive as streaming music or videos, but if you want to make sure not a bit goes by without your say so, you can manage it all in Settings. How to turn cellular data on or off for iCloud Drive syncing Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. Tap on iCloud. Tap on iCloud Drive. Scroll all the way to the bottom and turn Off the option for Use Cellular Data. Continue reading...

Before you throw yourself into chicken wings and football, here’s a quick look at this week’s highlights from Microsoft. Office continued to expand everywhere, with Office for Android coming out of preview, Outlook for iOS making its debut, and Outlook for Android releasing a preview. The unveilings continue the cross-platform march of Office for iPhone and iPad. They also follow news that universal Office apps on Windows 10 will include new touch scenarios for devices small to humongous (lookin’ at you, Microsoft Surface Hub). “These are all important steps toward our goal of bringing the power of Office everywhere – to everyone, on every device,” wrote Julia Wh…

Apple has updated iTunes for OS X to version 12.1 today. Coming along for the ride is a new notification center widget, along with performance improvements for syncing with your iOS devices. The new widget allows you to see what's playing, as well as control playback of tracks directly from the notification center. Additionally, you can also purchase songs directly from the widget when listening to iTunes Radio. You can get in on these new features now by checking for the update from the updates section of the Mac App Store. Happy updating! Continue reading...

The iMore show brings you everything you need to know about the week in iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple! On this episode we talk Apple's Q1 2015 results, the iPhone phenomena, Mac growth, Apple Watch ship date, and the evolution of the iPad. With Peter Cohen, Rene Ritchie, and special guests Georgia Dow and Jason Snell. Subscribe in iTunes: Audio Subscribe in RSS: Audio Download directly: Audio Show notes Apple Q1 2015 results Apple Watch ships in April The Year of Apple Pay Mac sales continue to kick the PC market's ass The 'great product' strategy Apple's ASP and the difference between cost and value Why Apple is underestimated so insanely always iOS 8.…

Adobe has added another iPad app to its growing library called PaintCan. Instead of providing finely detailed artistic tools, PaintCan allows amateurs and pros alike to add broad, artistic filters to photos. These brushstrokes are added selectively to areas you want. Parts of the image can remain as sharp and detailed as you like, while the rest around it can look like it's been handpainted. Here's a quick run-down of what Adobe PaintCan is capable of. Presets: PaintCan features practical presets for many common painting situations. Start with Background presets, add some Details, and finish of with some Extras to create your personal masterpiece. Manual Control…

Apple's taken a bunch of steps in the past few years to make it easier to find directions for any given address, including data detectors that intelligently make addresses tappable in Messages, Maps search suggestions in Safari, and more. But the system isn't perfect, and I often find myself executing far too many steps every time I want to get directions for a location — even more so if I want to use Google Maps. Instead, I offer a simpler solution: Using Workflow, you can quickly get directions to any address from your clipboard. Friend didn't format their address in a way iOS can parse? Don't want to go through the hassle of copying and pasting an address from one p…

Version 2.0 of Disney's Infinity Toy Box has come to iPad, leveraging the Metal API to offer exceptionally shiny graphics. The wide-ranging platforming game for iPhone and iPad includes level creation tools and a bunch of collectible heroes from Marvel and Disney. Infinity Toy Box 2.0 is fully cross-platform so you can pick up where you left off on consoles and PC. Though separate from the original Infinity Toy Box, all of your previous progress is carried over. Here's a breakdown of what's new in Disney Toy Box 2.0, for those interested. Try 3 Characters for Free - They rotate often, so check back to explore new characters and play styles. Build Toy Boxes Fa…

One of our favorite document scanning apps for iPhone and iPad, Scanbot, has been updated to version 3.5 with quite a few imporovements. For one, you can now set tasks and due dates related to documents you take a picture of through the app, provided you're running the Pro version. Those reminders tie in with the native Reminders app and Evernote, providing proper system notifications for when that bill is due or that document needs any other kind of attention. There's also 1Password integration, so you can get connected with related cloud services with minimal fuss. Here's a look at the full changelog for Scanbot 3.5. For All Users Added support for si…

The SURFACE Case with kickstand is the perfect iPhone 6 hard case; combining a super-slim design, protective outer shell and a magnetic kickstand for convenient viewing. The exterior features a custom soft coating that provides additional grip, too! Available in 8 colors for only $18.95 Continue reading...

If you're looking to get an SD card or a USB drive, be sure to check out Amazon's Gold Box deal of the day, through which the retailer is offering heavy discounts on Sony's memory products. Here are all the SD and microSD cards on offer: Sony 16GB SDHC/SDXC Class 10 UHS-1 R40 Memory Card - $7.99 (down from $19.99) Sony 32GB SDHC Class 10 UHS-1 R40 Memory Card - $10.99 (down from $34.99) Sony 64GB SDXC Class 10 UHS-1 R40 Memory Card - $23.99 (down from $64.99) Sony Media Solutions 128GB SDXC UHS-1 Memory Card - $49.99 (down from $99.99) Sony 16GB Class 10 Micro SDHC R40 Memory Card - $7.99 (down from $14.99) Sony 32GB Class 10 Micro SDHC R40 Memory Card - $11…

It's time to gear up and buckle down for this weekend's big game! No matter what team you're rooting for this year, we can all agree that 15% off all accessories here at the iMore Store is a pretty sweet deal. We've got cases, chargers, screen protectors, etc. for the hottest Apple devices including the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5S, iPad Air, iPhone 5C and many more. To receive 15% your entire cart, use coupon code: GAME15 at checkout and you're all set! We also offer FREE shipping on all orders over $50 and provide expedited shipping options for those that need their order on the fly. So, place your bets for your favorite team and save some serious cash on…

The fantastic upcoming first-person shooter Evolve is being reimagined for mobile as a match-3 iOS game called Hunters Quest, available for free today in the App Store. As in the original, players are hunting a big, bad alien and have to work together to make sure they don't become the prey. Over time you earn ability mastery points in the mobile title which carry over to the full-fledged console game. The mobile title also provides simplified replays of your latest console or PC matches for strategic review. The open beta weekend not long ago saw a whooping 2.2 million matches played, and looking at the latest gameplay video, it's easy to see why Evolve is going to be…

Last week, we saw the new experiences coming with Windows 10, including how Office universal apps for Windows 10 will deliver new touch scenarios for the smallest devices all the way up to Microsoft Surface Hub. This came on the heels of our recent Office for iPhone release and Office for iPad update, as well as the Preview of Office for Android tablets. These are all important steps toward our goal of bringing the power of Office everywhere – to everyone, on every device. To date, we’ve seen more than 80 million downloads of Office on iPhone and iPad worldwide. The Office apps remain in the Top 10 Best Productivity Apps category with a 4+ rating. Since the Office for …

SoundCloud revamped the user interface of its iPhone app last year, and is now bringing the changes over to the iPad. Version 3.7.1 for iPad features a cleaner layout with an emphasis on album art, simplified controls for navigation and playback, and consolidation of your likes and playlists in one location. You can also access a user's profile from a track or playlist by clicking on their name. SoundCloud mentions that the update does not feature the audio recording feature: Please upload any locally stored sounds before upgrading your iPad app, as audio recording has been removed from this version. For future recording, we recommend downloading one of the man…