Microsoft Support & Discussions

A story made the rounds earlier today calling into question the new Spotlight Suggestions feature in OS X Yosemite and iOS 8. In an effort to garner attention, it reports the collection and usage of the information required to enable this feature in a needlessly scary way. As any long time reader knows, security and privacy are always at odds with convenience, yet features like Spotlight Suggestions — and Siri before it — do an excellent job balancing as much convenience as possible with maintaining as much privacy and security as possible. Here's Apple's statement on the matter: "We are absolutely committed to protecting our users' privacy and have built privacy ri…

Apple posted its fourth quarter results today, and and for the third straight quarter reported declining iPad sales. During Apple's call with financial analysts, Cook addressed the issue. "If you back up and look at it, we've sold 237 million [iPads] in just over four years," he told an analyst, repeating an argument he's made before: Apple sold more iPads in its first four years of existence than it did iPhones during its first four years. What's more, said Cook, Apple worked to reduce channel inventory prior to last week's introduction of new iPads. He also suggested that analysts' focus on quarterly numbers, as opposed to annual numbers, provides an unrealistic…

iOS 8.1 was released a short time ago. Among the hallmark features are the addition of Apple Pay support for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, along with new features and functionality like MMS/SMS Handoff support on supported Macs. There's a lot of other stuff besides. Here's the complete list, according to Apple's release notes: Apple Pay support for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus (U.S. only) Photos includes new features, improvements and fixes Adds iCloud Photo Library as a beta service Adds Camera Roll album in Photos app and My Photo Stream album when iCloud Photo Library is not enabled. Provides alerts when running low on space before capturing Time Lapse videos [*…

iOS 8.1 will run on iPhone 4s and newer, iPad 2 and newer, and iPod touch 5. If you have enough available storage space on your device, you can install it using Software Update. If you're already running iOS 8, storage shouldn't be a problem. If you're still on iOS 7, you'll have to pay closer attention and may need to update using iTunes instead. How to update your iPhone or iPad to iOS 8.1 using Software Update Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. Tap on General. Tap on Software Update. Wait for the new iOS 8.1 update should show up. Tap on Download and Install. Follow the directions to agree to the terms of service, install, and reboot. …

Apple has released iOS 8.1, which adds important new features, including Apple Pay. You can update your device either over the air or through iTunes. Apple Pay will allow iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners pay securely using their phones at participating retailers. Additionally, some merchant apps will allow you to pay for goods and services using Apple Pay. iOS 8.1 will also see the beta of iCloud Photo Library become available for all users. iCloud Photo Library syncs your photos across all of your devices, and uses you iCloud Drive storage space. Those users that have been missing their Camera Roll will be happy to find that it has made a return with iOS 8.1. …

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 Apple device deals iPhone 5 refurb 64 GB - $389.99 iPhone 5 refurb 32 GB - $359.99 iPhone 5 refurb 16 GB - $329.99 5th generation iPad 16 GB - $399.99 $349.99 3rd generation iPad 16 GB - $349.99 $299.99 Verizon iPhone 4 refurb 8 GB - $82.99 Sprint iPhone 5s 16 GB - $549.99 $…

Apple first announced its new 27-inch iMac with its 5K Retina display a few days ago and now the new and expensive iMac, along with the cheaper new Mac mini, is now available for pre-order at other US retail websites. Amazon is selling the new Retina iMac for $2.499, but its listing shows that is currently out of stock. Best Buy has a pre-order listing for the iMac at the same price. The $499 Mac mini is also available for pre-order at Amazon and Best Buy, among other locations. MacMall is selling both products for $5 off their regular prices. Shipments of the new Macs are expected to begin sometime later this week. Will you jump in and purchase these new Macs? …

Today, we released Security Advisory 3010060to provide additional protections regarding limited, targeted attacks directed at Microsoft Windows customers. A cyberattacker could cause remote code execution if someone is tricked into opening a maliciously-crafted PowerPoint document that contains an infected Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) file. As part of this Security Advisory, we have included an easy, one-click Fix itsolution to address the known cyberattack.

On Monday, we published the Microsoft 2014 Citizenship Report. Microsoft’s citizenship commitments, to serve our communities and fulfill our responsibilities to the public, are based on our core belief that these commitments and actions contribute long-term value to society and to our business. As a reflection of that belief, we publish the Microsoft Citizenship Report each year at the same time as our Annual Report. During fiscal year 2014, Microsoft made strong progress across the broad range of our citizenship commitments, including, for the first time, surpassing $1 billion in total company annual giving. Highlights from the Microsoft 2014 Citizenship Report inc…

Today I joined our CEO Satya Nadella onstage in San Francisco to talk about Microsoft’s approach to delivering the industry’s complete cloud – one for every business, every industry and every geography. Cloud is transforming our world today at an accelerated pace and businesses are redefining what is possible with Microsoft’s cloud. From creating an intelligent asset monitoring system that improves business operations in real time, to reaching millions of users on every imaginable device, to storing and distributing massive amounts of data – the cloud is behind it all. When I talk to customers and startups about how to meet today’s business challenges with cloud, I tal…

Photo by Ally Kazmucha Every day, millions of photos are taken around the world, and a good chunk of those are taken on an iPhone. It's no wonder why — the iPhone is super portable, has an amazing iSight camera and an incredibly easy to use Camera app. Combine that with the ability to share photos instantly via Twitter, Instagram and other social networks, and you have the perfect solution for capturing and publishing any moment imaginable. So, each week we're going to scour the social networks for uplifting, inspiring, touching, and all around amazing photos using #iphone #iphoneography #vscocam and similar hashtags and embed the best of what we find. And since iMore …

Every week Apple adds tons of new media content on iTunes — music, books, movies and more. It's impossible to keep up with all of it, but it's not impossible to pick out the very best. Here they are! This week we've got a new gorefest about Nazi zombies, new music from Stars and We Were Promised Jetpacks, and much more. No One Is Lost - Stars Canadian indie poppers Stars produced a dance-heavy album that the band itself claims to "out-throb the throb" of dance clubs. To draw inspiration they recorded the album in a space above a Montreal dance club. There are traces of EDM here, with slow dance numbers, new wave-influenced songs and straight up power pop. Any way …

Beats by Dre might be owned by Apple now, but that doesn't mean they aren't charting their own course with their products and advertising, and enlisting big time star power like LeBron James. Where the most inspirational that Apple gets is the likes of their "Your Verse" ad campaign, Beats put together a series of videos delving into James's return to Cleveland, Ohio and his home town just to the south of Akron. Oh, and he wears the Beats by Dre Powerbeats2 Wireless headphones while working out. It's an interesting series of ads for Beats, taking on the title of "Re-Established". Beats itself has started changing itself after the multi-billion purchase by Apple. Not …

It's rare that we get an unfiltered view of an Apple executive, but Jony Ive's recent interview and Q&A with Vanity Fair is definitely one of those rare moments. It's a full 25 minutes of Jony Ive answering questions about what his typical day as Senior Vice President of Design at Apple, what the small core design team is like, and how they balance design and functionality (hint: they're one and the same in Ive's mind). Normally when we get an Apple executive interview, say with CEO Tim Cook, we get a controlled piece in a major news outlet. Not so here — Ive even takes several questions form the audience, delving into why he went into industrial design versus ar…

Where this bumper case shines is around the edges of your iPhone 5C. It combines a hard, polycarbonate frame with a translucent TPU inner material that helps absorb shock. You're getting the best of both worlds in a simple, yet protective case for only $11.95 today! Continue reading...

If you have already updated your Mac to OS Yosemite, you can now take advantage of a new app made for the operating system, iStat Mini, that allows you to monitor what's going on inside your PC. Here's a quick description of the app: iStat Mini is a compact way to keep an eye on your CPU, memory pressure, disk usage and network activity. Simply slide out OS X Yosemite's Notification Center to glance at the stats, then slide it back again to free up your workspace. The developer of iStat Mini has already released similar monitoring programs for older versions of OS X as well as iOS, so this should be in good company. Do you want a quick way to check on what…

Microsoft has finally launched the iPhone version of its previously announced Xim app, which offers users a way to quickly share photos with others. The app was released for the Windows Phone and Android platforms a couple of weeks ago but now it's available for iPhone users. Here's a quick look at the app, which comes from the Microsoft Research division: Stop huddling around one small screen – xim instead so everyone can see the images on their own device Xims swipe and zoom together, so everyone stays in sync automatically – it's fun too Only one person needs to have Xim installed in order for everyone to participate Invite people from your phone's contact …

Yahoo has launched an update for its Flickr iOS app that finally brings a native iPad interface for its photo storage service, but there's a big catch: It requires iOS 8 to be installed on the tablet If you have taken the plunge and updated your iPad with the latest OS from Apple, you can now install the new Flickr app. In a blog post, Yahoo says: Catch your favorite moments with our powerful camera, then bring them to life on your screen with high resolution images - we're talking up to three million pixels per photo! Improve photos and videos with live filters and a set of professional editing tools on iPad, then explore with our new search features. Quickly …

The Amzer Shellster combines the protection of a durable, textured hard case and the convenience of a swivel clip holster for your belt, pocket or purse. Pick up this entire combo today in any color you wish for 64% off the list price! Continue reading...

Looks like the out of court settlement between Bose and Apple-owned Beats over patent disputes wasn't the final straw in the on-going battle between the two companies, as Apple has now removed Bose products from its online and retail stores. Models from other brands like Sennheiser, Bowers & Wilkins and Marshall are available for purchase, suggesting that the removal is a more targeted effort centering on Bose's offerings. The two companies locked horns recently over an NFL sponsorship deal that forbade players from wearing non-Bose headphones during press conferences and any on-camera events. Beats' co-founder didn't seem to mind the coverage, however, stating t…

Earlier this month, Jony Ive took part in an interview at Vanity Fair's New Establishment Summit, where he shared details on numerous topics including his relationship with Steve Jobs, development of the first iPhone as well as product design, centering around the Apple Watch, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The publication has now posted the full 25-minute interview online. In the interview, Ive also touched upon Xiaomi's products: I don't see it as flattery. I see it as theft. I have to be honest. The last thing I think is 'Oh, that is flattering ... all those weekends I could've been home with my family' ... I think it's theft and it's lazy. I don't think it…

Apple's Town Hall is small, almost intimate. A stark contrast from the cavernous Flint Center. It was a smart choice for the October 2014 iPad and Mac event. When updates are subtle and dense, it's good to see them close up. That was the case with the new iPad Air 2, and even more so with the Retina 5K iMac. Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, kicked off the event with a review of the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and Apple Watch — the updated starships in their lineup and the new shuttlecraft they'll be introducing early next year. That relationship, the phones becoming larger and more powerful windows into apps and the internet at the expense of pocketability and convenience, yet the …

Apple may have dropped a ten-ton-hammer of news on us yesterday with the announcement of the 5K Retina iMac, but what everyone was really waiting for is finally here: the iFixit teardown. With their usual vigor, iFixit has taken this gorgeous display and picked it apart, piece by piece, in pursuit of documenting each and every component inside. Packing some powerful hardware, the basic guts of the new iMac have already been listed in detail. If you're a bit more curious, however, you may want to know what exactly powers the display on this beast. As iFixit details, Apple gets a helping hand from quite a bit of Texas Instruments hardware in order to render its 5210 x …

Console gamers everywhere have been enthralled with Shadow of Mordor, an action-heavy game based on the universe created by J.R.R. Tolkien. While we don't have a mobile version of Shadow of Mordor to play, Kabam and Warner Bros. Interactive released a Middle-Earth game of their own – Lord of the Rings: Legends of Middle Earth. Legends of Middle Earth is a free to play character collecting strategy game in which players assemble a team composed of characters from the Lord of the Rings trilogy and do battle against teams sent by Sauron. While very light on strategy, the simple controls and hordes of characters to collect should appeal to fantasy fans looking for someth…

Disney is planning to release a mobile game on November 3rd based on its upcoming animated film, Big Hero 6. Titled Big Hero 6: Bot Fight, the game looks to be a "match 3" style puzzle game that allows players to do battle with enemies by matching similarly colored blocks together. As Polygon reports, players will have access to hundreds of different bots from the Big Hero 6 universe, and will be able to upgrade their teams by evolving the bots over the course of the game. Based on an obscure Marvel comic book, Big Hero 6 takes place in the fictional city of San Fransokyo where a team of crime-fighters, led by Hiro Hamada and his robot Baymax, come together to sto…