Category: Microsoft

Windows 10 Available Today in 190 Countries

Windows 10, the next generation of Windows, has officially launched today in over 190 countries globally.  Windows 10 is a free upgrade for those who are running Windows 7 or 8.1 and it brings back the Start Menu which many loathed about Windows 8.1.  It also brings an all new browser experience in Microsoft Edge and has Cortana, the voice recognition personal assistant built into it.

Having used Windows 10 for several months, I can tell you that this feels like Windows yet feels completely new.  I personally think it is the best Windows release yet and after you upgrade I think you will agree.

Microsoft Hyperlapse Now Available For All Android Users

After spending the past couple of months in a closed beta, Microsoft has release Hyperlapse for all Android users in the Google Play Store today.  For those who aren’t familiar with the app, it is a simple app that allows you to quickly and easily capture time lapse videos on your phone.  Not only do you have a wide range of speeds you can use (2x to 16x normal speed) but the quality of the videos is outstanding.

Microsoft Hyperlapse for Android – Free – Download Now

Windows Phone: Microsoft’s Greatest Failure

Last weeks announcements that over 7,000 people were being laid off from Microsoft, mostly in the Nokia acquired mobile division, was the final nail in the Windows Phone coffin.  Couple that with the multi-billion dollar write down of the Nokia business and, well, that nail is properly sunk deep in said coffin.

Make no mistake:  I love Windows Phone.  I have been using a Windows powered mobile device since the Pocket PC days and even before that in the H/PC days.  In fact you can still visit one of the last H/PC sites out there, HPC:Factor, a site I helped found.  But I left the platform in 2012 because of a lack of apps and direction.  I came back in 2014 because it looked like things were turning around.

I was wrong.  I’m terribly sad that I was wrong but I was wrong.

Over the course of the last two months you have seen a shift on my site.  That shift has been more around Android than Windows Phone.  The writing has been on the wall.  Windows Phone is dying and Microsoft all but confirmed it was on its death bed last week.  Sure there will be a new device or two for enthusiasts and developers but the cutbacks on devices should not be under estimated.

Microsoft flew the white flag last week.  The war is over.  Apple and Google won.

OneNote for Android Updated With Advanced Editing Features

Microsoft has released a new update to the OneNote for Android app that brings several new and advanced editing features to the note taking app.  The update, version 15.0.3931.1008 for those keeping score at home, follows up on the general release of the entire Office for Android Phone yesterday.  While a part of the Office suite as a whole, OneNote for Android has been out for Android phone and tablets for some time now and is on a different development cycle.  This app is also free and it uses your OneDrive account to store and sync your notes.

OneNote for Android – Free – Download Now

Microsoft Officially Launches Office for Android Phone Apps

After spending the last few months in Preview (Beta) mode, Microsoft has officially launched the Office for Android Phone apps to the general public.  The new Excel, PowerPoint and Word apps are now universal apps for both Android tablets & phones and are available for free from the Google Play Store.  If you have a device that is under 10.1″ in screen size, they are able to view, create and edit files while those with an Office 365 subscription will have every feature fully enabled.

For those who keep score at home, the Office for Android new versions are builds 16.0.4201.1008.

I’ve been testing the Office for Android apps for the entire Preview period and while there were a few bugs here and there, generally speaking they were all solid on performance and stability.  The release today brings some additional features to the apps including support for Google Drive.

Excel for Android – Free – Download Now

PowerPoint for Android – Free – Download Now

Word for Android – Free – Download Now

How To Fix Folders Not Showing Up In Office for Android Apps

Yesterday I ran into a problem with the new Office for Android apps where I was not able to see all of my folders from OneDrive in the app.  As you may know, the Office for Android apps look to OneDrive (and other storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox) for documents.  In my OneDrive, I have 6 total folders including my Pictures folder but only 2 of them were showing up.  I tried several things to get them to appear including resetting the apps on both my OnePlus One and Galaxy Tab 4 but I still got no joy.  That’s when I turned to Google+ and asked for help from the Microsoft Office for Android team.  Today I got an answer and this little work around works perfectly.

OneDrive for Android Now Supports Chromecast

Microsoft’s continual update of their apps for Android continues and the big news today is concerning OneDrive.  The cloud-based storage app OneDrive for Android has been updated to version 3.2 for those keeping score at home and now has the ability to cast your photos and files to your television via Chromecast.  It is a sign that Microsoft’s commitment to Android remains strong but also another app in the ever-growing Play Store that supports Chromecast.

OneDrive for Android – Free – Download Now

Update Comes to Microsoft Office for Android Phone Apps

Microsoft has released an update to the Office for Android apps today and it is an utter mystery what is addressed in the update. All three of the Office apps – Excel, PowerPoint and Word – have received an update and they are available now for those who have Android Tablets and if you are in the Office for Android Phone preview, you will see them available on your phone.  The version of the builds is 16.0.4201.1004 for those keeping score at home.  While mysterious “bug fix and performance improvement” updates are common in the Google Play Store, updates with literally no release notes are not as common (but not unheard of).  What Microsoft addressed in these updates is only known to them at this point but I think it is safe to assume that they are aimed at the phone builds.

Microsoft Word for Android – Free – Download Now

Microsoft Excel for Android – Free – Download Now

Microsoft PowerPoint for Android – Free – Download Now

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