Microsoft Support & Discussions

Earlier this week, Microsoft announced that it would be making certain Office features available for free on iOS, including the ability to create and edit documents. Previously, users had to buy an Office 365 subscription to access the functionality. If you bought an Office 365 Personal or Home subscription just to be able to edit documents on your iPad, you are now eligible to receive a refund from Microsoft. The Office 365 subscription — which costs $6.99 (or $69.99 yearly) for the Personal version and $9.99 ($99 yearly) for the Home edition —allows you to unlock additional features, like 1TB OneDrive space, access to desktop Office applications and more, but if yo…

Today, we’re releasing the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) 5.1 which will continue to improve your security posture by providing increased application compatibility and hardened mitigations. You can download EMET 5.1 from microsoft.com/emet or directly from here. Following is the list of the main changes and improvements: Several application compatibility issues with Internet Explorer, Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash, and Mozilla Firefox and some of the EMET mitigations have been solved.

Apple has announced that WatchKit, the software development kit (SDK) for the Apple Watch will be coming in two parts — actionable notifications and glances (widgets) this month, and full-on native apps next year. So what does that mean? After combing through everything Apple has shown and said to date, developer David Smith has shared his expectations: Next June at WWDC I then expect we will receive the tools necessary to build out more fully capable applications. Just like we have seen with iOS I'd guess this will be a progressive expansion of capability with each successive year. Just as early iPhone OS apps were severely constrained to save battery life, we'll p…

Under the direction of SVP of retail Angela Ahrendts, it looks like Apple is trying to simplify the path to AppleCare support via its online system and its retail chain. In the past, there was a separation on Apple's panel for users to choose between phone, chat, or forums-based support where the Genius Bar located in retail stores was given a separate system. The new system would unify everything so users don't have to choose up-front which AppleCare method they would want to use to resolve their issues. Now, when there is a problem with an Apple product, the unified system begins by asking customers to detail the issue first. Certain issues could be diagnosed onlin…

The same Korean website that claimed there was a "huge potential recall" facing the 128GB iPhone 6 Plus , when no such recall had been planned or has since been announced by Apple, has now doubled down on their crazy by claiming Apple will be changing the type of NAND Flash storage they've been using in both it and the 64GB iPhone 6. To the best of my understanding, just like the "recall", Apple is planning no such change. Their latest allegation, attributed to "industry sources", is that there's a "defect" in the triple-level cell (TLC) NAND storage, stemming from its controller IC. What the "defect" is, they don't say. They state TLC NAND is slower than single-level …

Earlier this year, pro skateboarding legend Tony Hawk and publisher Activision announced plans to release a new mobile game called Tony Hawk's Shred Session sometime in the summer of 2014. That date came and went with no such launch. Today, Hawk confirmed that Shred Session "has been put on hold indefinitely." Hawk didn't give a reason for the decision, but he did add, "I'm currently working with Activision on a console game for 2015 (along with a new mobile game). I think fans of THPS series will be hyped." That's "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater" for those of you unfamiliar with the original console game that was first released in 1999 and became both a massive hit on its o…

Just a couple of weeks before the release of the highly anticipated film The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 in movie theaters, Kabam has released a new tie-in game, The Hunger Games: Panem Rising, for the iPhone and iPad. Here's a quick rundown of the game, which is free to download and play but does contain in-app purchases: Developed by Kabam's Beijing studio, The Hunger Games: Panem Rising is an action-packed role-playing card mobile game, where players immerse themselves into the world of Panem. Assuming the role of a resistance leader, players will recruit a team to aid Katniss Everdeen in the rebellion against the oppressive Capitol. Players will be ab…

The Doodler against ... the Joker? That's the premise for this first "episode" in the new Doodle Jump DC Super Heroes game for the iPhone and iPad, where the classic jump game has been merged with elements from the DC comic book universe of super heroes. Here's the rather odd summary of the game: The initial Doodle Jump DC Super Heroes episode takes place in the fabled crime-ridden Gotham City, as The Doodler dons Batman's cowl to chase down infamous villains, who have stolen powerful energy crystals that threaten the well-being of countless innocents. Players jump and fight their way up, up, up Gotham City's historic skyline to battle Batman's archenemies: The…

AT&T announced that it would be acquiring Mexico wireless carrier Iusacell to create a North American Mobile Service area covering 400 million customers and businesses in the U.S. and Mexico. The deal will bring 8.5 million Iusacell subscribers under AT&T's umbrella. AT&T credits recent reforms in Mexico made under Prsident Pena Nieto for the deal. Iusacell's network covers 70 percent of Mexico's population right now and AT&T is looking to expand that. The deal is worth $2.5 billion. AT&T to Acquire Mexico Wireless Provider Iusacell DALLAS, Nov. 7, 2014 — AT&T* (NYSE:T) has entered into an agreement with Grupo Salinas to acquire Mex…

Blizzard has unvieled some new details surrounding the last addition to StarCraft II, Legacy of the Void. Legacy of the Void builds off of the story told in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, and Heart of the Swarm, and places you in the role of a Protoss commander. Blizzard showed off some of the multiplayer features today at Blizzcon, and posted a new trailer for the game. Legacy introduces some new elements into StarCraft II multiplayer. Automated tournaments run once per day at specific times. Anyone can sign up and face the challenges of the elimination rounds. Archon mode is a new mode of cooperating in multiplayer. You and another player share control over a sing…

After the European Commission said it was investigating Apple for its tax arrangements with Ireland in June, Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan said Friday that he expects the case to be dropped. Noonan's comments were made in Brussels, and he said that the EU doesn't have a strong case. My legal advice is that the Irish authorities will win the case quite easily and that there isn't a very strong case by the Commission. It's more likely that investigation will be dropped rather than there being further investigations. The European Commission is investigating if any EU laws were broken as a result of a tax deal between Ireland and Apple. Source: Reuters …

In a planned $120 million upgrade to add iPads to its terminal at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport, United Airlines is hoping that the tablets will make travel more enjoyable. Ranked as one of the worst airports in the nation for on-time flights, United Airlines is hoping that the iPad will offer flyers a diversion while they wait for their flights. By 2015, every restaurant and gate seat in United's Terminal C will have an iPad, letting travelers get flight updates, browse the web, buy food and make retail purchases with a 15-minute delivery guarantee. So while your United flight may not arrive or take off in a timely manner, you'll at least h…

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft will be getting its first expansion next month. Focusing on the rivalry between Warcraft's Goblin and Gnome races, the expansion is called, appropriately, Goblins vs Gnomes. First previewed last month, the expansion features over 120 new cards. These include the new Mech minion type. Mechs can be both neutral and class-specific. There will be specific Goblins vs Gnomes available in the in-game shop when the expansion launches in December. The pricing will be the same as expert-tier card packs. Source: Blizzard Continue reading...

Unsealed court documents on Friday revealed that bankrupt sapphire supplier GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) felt that it was forced by Apple into accepting the revised deal where Apple would provide financing and GTAT would shoulder the risk of sapphire production. GTAT executives were allegedly told to put on their big boy pants and accept the agreement as Apple doesn't negotiate with its suppliers. The unsealed documents give us a rare look into the confidentiality agreements that Apple suppliers have to sign as well as the Master Development and Supply Agreement between Apple and GTAT. GTAT also asserts that Apple had injected itself into the manufacturing proc…

If you're having issues with the rear iSight camera in your iPhone 5c, it's possible a replacement could fix the issue. A bad rear camera assembly could have many different symptoms. The most common is spots or purple haze showing up in photos. If the spot is always in the same place, the assembly is defective. If the shutter won't open or your Camera app freezes, that could also indicate a bad camera. Other symptoms include lines through photos, hazy or unfocused shots, and blacked out photos showing up in the Photos app. Luckily a camera replacement in the iPhone 5c isn't terribly difficult. We can walk you through how to get replacement parts and how to perform this re…

Today Facebook is rolling out a new feature that will give you more control over what you posts you see in your News Feed. You'll now see a list of the top people and pages in your feed, and you'll be given a one-click option to unfollow them if you chose to do so. You can also choose a filtered view for a specific person, group, or page, or hide the dialog completely if you like things the way they are. With this new addition, you'll have more control over what posts you see in your News Feed. If you aren't into seeing posts from a specific friend, just unfollow them and be done with it — you can always "reconnect" with them at a later time. Facebook will still try …

Rogers is introducing a new international roaming plan for those customers traveling to the United States. The Roam Like Home plan allows Rogers customers to access their Share Everything minutes, text, and data while in the United States for $5 per day. Rogers will charge you for a maximum of ten days with Roam Like Home, for a total of an extra $50 on your bill. If you're in the U.S. for an extended stay, any days past the first ten cost you nothing extra. Charges for Roam Like Home only apply on days when you actually use your phone in the United States. New Rogers Share Everything customers will be automatically enrolled in Roam Like Home. Existing Share Every…

I get asked about iPhone 6 case recommendations a lot, especially for protective cases, especially by people whose occupations require them. For the last few years I've simply recommend Otterbox or LifeProof and been done with it. This year, however, the feedback for the Otterbox Defender for iPhone 6 has been less than reassuring — the top question on Amazon's page right now is "Has anyone sought feedback from Otterbox on all the complaints this case has received? Has anyone received comments from Otterbox about the issues?" — and, almost two months post-launch, the LifeProof for iPhone 6 still hasn't shipped. So, I'm left wondering — what should I recommend? Part of …

We've gathered together some great discounts on iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps, accessories, and devices for you today. We'll keep showing sales that are ongoing after double-checking that they're still active and the price is the same, as well as updating the list with anything new that we find. Of course, if you spot any great deals, don't be shy - drop a tip in the comments! Today's top iOS and Mac app deals Boson X - $2.99 Free Star Walk 2 - $2.99 $0.99 Tydlig - $2.99 $0.99 Death Worm - $1.99 $0.99 Kinomatic - $2.99 $1.99 75% off Big Bundle in Over Swype - $0.99 Free Cut the Rope 2 - $2.99 $0.99 Lapse It Pro - $1.99 Free Minuum - $3.99 $0.99 A Dark Roo…

Apple has stopped selling Fitbit devices in the Apple Online Store. The move comes after a report last month that Apple would remove Fitbit products from retail locations. No word yet on if Fitbit products have been removed from Apple's physical retail locations. Previously under the Fitness & Sport section, Fitbit's devices are nowhere to be found. The Store is still selling rival products like Jawbone's UP24, the Withings Pulse, and the Nike+ Fuelband SE. No formal announcement of the removal was made, and no reason has been given. It's possible that it is related to Fitbit's decision to forego HealthKit integration for the time being. Source: Apple Online S…

If you've enabled iCloud Photo Library on your iPhone or iPad, you may have noticed that all of your videos aren't showing up. I first noticed this a few days ago while searching for a video I know I had taken on my iPhone a few days prior. For some reason, it wasn't showing up on my iPad, which also has iCloud Photo Library enabled. Digging deeper, some videos that I actually took on my iPhone were also missing. As it turns out, there's a switch you can flip across your devices in order to get videos syncing properly to and from iCloud Photo Library. And for the time being, it also seems to fix the missing videos bug too! How to fix video syncing issues with iCloud Ph…

This performance inspired case delivers dual-layered protection with an integrated stand for hands-free viewing. Comprised of a durable exterior fused with a soft impact-resistant interior liner, Pop! Stand offers enhanced protection in a slim design. Continue reading...

Popular puzzler Monument Valley is getting its first expansion next Thursday, November 13. Called Forgotten Shores, the expansion sees you resume the adventures of Princess Ida across eight new levels, with a variety of new puzzles to solve. Monument Valley originally launched earlier this year with ten mind-twisting levels. The game was noted for its brevity, and fans will undoubtedly be glad to hear that more levels are on their way. If you're new to Monument Valley, or just need help getting through be sure to check out our 10 tips and hints to help you while you wait for Forgotten Shores' release. Source: Continue reading...

Pocket Casts has been updated to version 5.0, bringing along several new features and improvements. Most noticeable is the new player design, along with new features for iOS 8. The new player features a more refined design over the previous version. Bigger controls dominate the lower part of the screen, with a large Play/Pause button, along with new skip buttons. The buttons to skip forward and back now show you the amount of time they will skip, which can be adjusted in the apps settings. Additionally, you no longer access Up Next and episode information by pressing buttons, instead swiping back and forth on the podcast artwork. The other major changes are to not…

The iPhone 6 Plus is Apple's first "phablet" sized phone. That puts it in direct competition with other super-sized smartphones, particularly the brand new Samsung Galaxy Note 4. On paper, the Galaxy Note 4 has twice the megapixels, but does that translate into photos that are twice as good? If you're basing your next smartphone purchase on camera quality, you're probably more interested in how they actually perform in the real world. How's the color accuracy? What's the low-light performance like? From focus to exposure to white balance to everything else, which camera brings home the best shots? iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: Specifications iPhone 6 Plus Gala…