Microsoft’s killer feature for its Chromebook competitor is Office

Microsoft just unveiled a new operating system at a press event this morning. Windows 10 S is a streamlined and more secure version of Windows 10. But it still looks and feels like a normal PC. And it runs essential __apps like Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

While I haven’t used Office __apps for years, I spent most of my days using them back when I was in a student. I used Word to write papers, PowerPoint to prepare presentations and Excel to calculate stuff. And this is a great way to convince companies to buy Office subscriptions as most employees are already familiar with Office apps.

Microsoft is fully aware of that and plans to take advantage of that with its Chromebook competitors.

Sure, you can use Word Online, Google Docs and other web apps on your Chromebook. And Google has been saying for years that you’ll soon be able to run Android apps on your Chrome OS device. But very few Chromebooks currently support Android apps, such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint for Android.

Microsoft is restricting Windows 10 S devices to Windows Store apps. It means that you won’t be able to download app from the your browser and install it. Developers will have to submit their apps to the Windows Store first.

But the company instantly reassured everyone by saying that Office apps are coming to the Windows Store soon. So it means that you’ll be able to buy a $189 Windows 10 S laptop and run full-fledged Office apps. And if you’re a student or teacher, Office 365 is free. Update: Office 365 for Education only gives you free access to online versions of Office apps, so you’ll still have to get a license through your school.

Microsoft is probably going to use Office apps in its advertising campaigns for Windows 10 S devices as it’s a sweet deal if you want a cheap device that runs Word. This is going to be Microsoft’s killer feature when it comes to selling those devices and eating up Chromebook’s market share.

Now it’s still going to take years as schools don’t take this kind of decisions lightly. Districts don’t switch to another vendor because Microsoft is slightly ahead of the competition. It’s going to be a long fight, but it looks like Microsoft thinks it’s worth starting it.

Microsoft Surface Laptop With Windows 10 S Announced (Video)

As well as announcing their new Windows 10 S OS, Microsoft also added a new device to its Surface range with the launch of the Microsoft Surface Laptop.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop will be available in four colors Platinum, Graphite Gold, Cobalt Blue and Burgundy and prices start at $999.

At 2.76lbs and 14.47mm at its thickest point, no other laptop this light and thin* can match the sleek design, power, performance, and battery life of Surface Laptop.

You can open this Surface with just one finger and see the brilliant 13.5” PixelSense™ Display, made with edge-to-edge Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3. It’s the thinnest LCD touch screen display on any laptop.

You can now pre-order the Microsoft Surface Laptop and the device is launching in June, you can find out more details about this new notebook at the link below.

Source Microsoft

Filed Under: Technology News, Top News

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10.5 Inch iPad Pro, What We Know So Far

We have been hearing rumors about the new 10.5 inch iPad Pro for some time, the last thing we heard was that Apple had started manufacturing the device.

Apple are expected to release three different iPad Pro tablets this year, a 12.9 inch and 9.7 inch model like the existing versions and the new 10.5 inch iPad Pro.

The new 10.5 inch iPad is expected to have the same footprint as the 9.7 inch model, although it will come with a larger 10.5 inch screen and this will be achieved by having a much thinner bezel on the tablet.

The new larger iPad will apparently come with a modified version of the iPhone 7 processor, the iPhone 7 has the Apple A10 processor and the new iPad Pro is said to come with a new A10X processor.

We can also expect the new iPad Pro to come with more RAM than the current models, the design of these new tablets is expected to remain the same as the current models.

As yet there are no details on exactly when Apple will launch its new iPad Pro range, rumors have suggested a May launch for the tablets, although we suspect that Apple could wait until their Worldwide Developer Conference in June to launch these new models.

We are looking forward to seeing what the new 10.5 inch iPad Pro is like, as soon as we get some more details on exactly when this new iPad will launch, we will let you guys know.

Filed Under: Apple, Apple iPad

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JamStack Attachable Guitar Amp Launches For $148 (video)

Musician’s looking for a portable way to amplify their guitar may be interested in JamStack, being marketed as the world’s first attachable guitar amplifier.

The design of JamStack enables it to be attached in seconds to produce fantastic sound using your smartphone loaded with the companion application to create effects, loops and more.

Whether you’re jamming in the park, practising in your apartment, or showcasing your talent on the sidewalk, the JamStack’s impeccable tone, lightening fast setup time, and unlimited effects mean you’ll be reaching for it every time you get a chance.

The JamStack is the world’s first guitar amplifier to attach to the base of any standard electric guitar. This means you’re up and running in seconds and aren’t bound by cables or power outlets.

By integrating with your smartphone it allows you to access any effect, __play along to your favourite songs, perform loops, tune, and much more. No more cables, no more limitations. __play guitar anywhere, with outstanding tone and volume.

For more information on the new JamStack jump over to the Indiegogo website for details by following the link below.

PowerUp Pocket MacBook And Mobile Charger (video)

A new portable battery pack has been launched via Indiegogo called the PowerUp which unlike other rocket battery packs cannot only charge your mobile devices such as a smartphone or tablet but can also charge up your MacBook laptop.

The all in one charger is also equipped with a handy USB hub that is capable of allowing you to charge and synchronise your devices while on the go.

Check out the video below to learn more about the pocket battery pack and its array of features.

This is the ultimate all-in-one MacBook charger you’ve been waiting for. Charge your MacBook and up to 3 other devices all in one place. Connect and sync USB devices with new USB-C MacBooks. Ditch all the other chargers and dongles and save bag space. PowerUp is the only device that does it all! Get one now for the same price as a standard Apple MacBook charger.

Versatile. Sleek. Compact. PowerUp isn’t just a MacBook charger, it’s also a USB hub and charging station for your devices. Leave the mountain of chargers at home and charge your MacBook, phone, tablet, and other devices all in one place. PowerUp’s 60W AC power can simultaneously charge your USB-C MacBook and up to 3 USB devices.

For more information on PowerUp jump over to Indiegogo where it is now available to back pledges starting from $129, with shipping expected to take place during July 2017.

Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge And S6 Active Get Android Nougat On AT&T

AT&T has started to release the Android Nougat update for a number of Samsung Galaxy S6 handsets on its network.

The Android Nougat update has be released for the Galaxy S6, the Galaxy S6 Edge and the Galaxy S6 Active.

The update has been released as an over the air update for all three handsets  and it brings a wide range of new feature to the Galaxy S6 range of devices.

The Android Nougat update is about 1.2GB for the Samsung Galaxy S6, 1.3GB for the Galaxy S6 Edge and 1.2GB for the Galaxy 6 Active.

The update is now available for all three handsets and you can check to see if it is available for your device from the settings menu, if you receive the update, leave a comment below and let us know.

Source Android Police

Filed Under: Android News, Mobile Phone News

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Windows 10 S laptops will start at $189 and ship this summer

Microsoft’s answer to Chrome OS is called Windows 10 S. This new operating system is a streamlined and secured version of Windows 10. It runs sandboxed __apps and doesn’t require expensive hardware.

And this is where Microsoft shines as it can talk with all major PC OEMs to convince them to build Windows 10 S devices. The company announced that Acer, Asus, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Samsung and Toshiba are all working on Windows 10 S devices.

Entry-level Windows 10 S devices will start at $189, which should help convince schools when it comes to buying a ton of laptops for their students.

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These devices come with a free one-year subscription of Minecraft: Education Edition. But that’s not all. Office 365 online __apps will also be free for both students and teachers.

Windows 10 S devices will ship this summer, just in time for the new school year. Schools will be able to download Windows 10 S for free if they want to upgrade older devices to Windows 10 S. Let’s see if this will be enough to compete with Google in the education space.

Apple stops paying royalties to Qualcomm

It’s no secret, Apple and Qualcomm have been fighting relentlessly for a few months over royalty payments. Apple told Qualcomm that it would stop paying the disputed licensing fees. Qualcomm confirmed the aggressive move and said that its revenue and profits would be lower than expected.

Apple said that it is waiting for a court decision to resume payments. Of course, the company expects to pay a lower fee after the decision.

Qualcomm executive vice president and general counsel Don Rosenberg said in a statement that “Apple is improperly interfering with Qualcomm’s long-standing agreements with Qualcomm’s licensees. These license agreements remain valid and enforceable.”

If you missed a couple of episodes, you might be wondering what happened between these two companies. Qualcomm is a key chipset supplier for many of the smartphone makers around the world, manufacturing the systems-on-a-chip or LTE modems that power your devices. But that’s just one part of Qualcomm’s business model.

The company also has a ton of patents related to wireless technologies. In other words, if you want to build a smartphone, you need to license those patents from Qualcomm. While revenue from chips is growing faster than licensing revenue, it still represents around a third of the company’s total revenue.

But Qualcomm may have gone a bit too far. In December, South Korea’s antitrust regulator fined Qualcomm roughly $850 million (1.03 trillion won) for its patent royalty activities in South Korea.

According to the regulator, Qualcomm licenses too many patents, forcing smartphone makers to pay expensive royalties for patents they might not even need. In addition to that, Qualcomm has been menacing smartphone makers, telling them that they can’t get Qualcomm chipsets if they don’t pay those royalty fees.

The FTC agreed, and Apple filed a suit more or less similar to that case in January. In Apple’s case, Qualcomm forced Apple to pay more royalties than other smartphone makers because Apple is using chipsets manufactured by competitors. Apple is asking for $1 billion.

And because that wasn’t enough, Qualcomm filed a countersuit, Apple filed another suit in China. I wouldn’t want to sit at a dinner table with representatives from Apple and Qualcomm.

Today’s news means that Apple is quite confident it’s going to win the suits. Qualcomm had to adjust its financial forecast for the third quarter. Revenue should range between $4.8 billion and $5.6 billion with lower profits. The company previously expected between $5.3 billion to $6.1 billion in revenue.