Microsoft’s OneNote for Windows 8.1 has seen a considerable update, adding the ability to “scan” a document or image using a tablet’s camera, apply optical character recognition to search through text, and make better use of digital ink. The new app, available today, takes on Evernote with its new Camera Scan feature, which automatically crops, […]
We reported back in July that Microsoft had settled with UK’s BSkyB which had sued it for infringing on its “Sky” brand by calling its cloud storage service SkyDrive. Microsoft has spent considerable resources in building up the SkyDrive brand in the particularly competitive cloud storage niche, however since it opted to settle the lawsuit, it meant that the company will have to rename SkyDrive. BSkyB had agreed to let Microsoft use the brand for a “reasonable” time so that the transition could be made easily. If latest reports are to be believed, Microsoft might be close to picking out a new name. SkyDrive might be renamed to “NewDrive,” according to a connected Windows blogger named Paul Thurrott.
A website called LiveSide recently reported that the www.newdrive.com URL has already been picked up and that it was redirecting visitors to SkyDrive, however as of this writing, the link appears to be dead. For all we know though, NewDrive could only be a placeholder until Microsoft stumbles upon a brand that it feels is right for its cloud storage service. The company has used this tactic before, its email service Hotmail was codenamed Newmail internally before it was rebranded to what we now know as Outlook.com.
Microsoft Might Rename SkyDrive To ‘NewDrive’ original content from Ubergizmo. 
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It’s been about four months since the OneNote app for Windows received a significant update. Today, though, Microsoft is adding several key features, with the biggest being the ability to scan images and then search them using keywords. This new Camera Scan feature, as it’s called, automatically crops and rotates photos, removing shadows and sharpening the image where necessary. Then, it uses optical character recognition (OCR) to search for words in scanned images, making it easy to find those meetings notes you took the other day.
Additionally, the update now allows you to save things using the Share Charm. And if you want a shot of the entire screen (and not just a specific item, like a recipe), you can use the Share Charm in a Windows app and then select” screenshot” from the Share Charm drop-down. (In desktop mode, screenshots are already the standard option.) Finally, the app now has both a full-screen view and a “Recent Notes” option, which shows all your notes in the order you last used them, regardless of whether you were viewing them on Windows, iOS or Android. These are accompanied by short previews, making it easier to zero in on what you want. And that about sums it up — to get the latest version, hit up the download link below.%Gallery-slideshow123034%
Let’s just say for the sake of this story, you saved up and purchased both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One during their respective launches. That probably made a serious dent in your finances, which probably means you weren’t able to get everything you want, like all of their launch titles. If you own a PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and have just been starting at it hoping for friends or family to buy you some games this holiday season, you can take matters into your own hands as Amazon has dropped the price of next-gen games down to around $49 for several games on both platforms. (more…)
PS4, Xbox One Games Discounted At Amazon To $49 original content from Ubergizmo. 
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You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Apple today confirmed its widely rumored purchase of PrimeSense, the start-up company that made it possible for Microsoft to develop the motion-tracking technology behind the Kinect device for the blockbuster Xbox line of gaming consoles. The deal was reported by Calcalist to have been completed last week, but neither Apple nor PrimeSense would comment. Today’s […]
When it comes to Microsoft’s operating systems, the company has three under their belt. They have the regular version of Windows which are designed for Intel/AMD processors for computers and laptops, and they have Windows RT which is for ARM-based devices, such as tablets like the Surface 2, and they also have Windows Phone which has been designed specifically for smartphones in mind. Sometimes it can get a bit confusing but it seems that Microsoft is hoping to put an end to the confusion sometime in the future.
This is according to Executive VP Devices and Studios at Microsoft, Julie Larson-Green, who stated during a Q&A held at the UBS Global Technology Summit that there will come a day when the company will no longer have three versions of Windows, but will unite all 3 under a single brand. “We have the Windows Phone OS. We have Windows RT and we have full Windows. We’re not going to have three. We do think there’s a world where there is a more mobile operating system that doesn’t have the risks to battery life, or the risks to security. But, it also comes at the cost of flexibility. So we believe in that vision and that direction and we’re continuing down that path.”
Microsoft Planning To Unite Their Windows Operating Systems original content from Ubergizmo. 
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As it stands, the Sony Xperia Z Ultra is the largest smartphone available in the market, beating out the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 by a close margin of 0.1”. If you have ever held an Xperia Z Ultra, you would know that the thing is huge and while it might seem like a relatively good size for a tablet, especially for those who prioritize portability, as a phone some might argue that it is a bit big and borders on ridiculous. Well if you thought 6.4” was a ridiculous size for a phone, prepare to be blown away for 7” phones in the future, assuming if Microsoft gets their way.
According to Peter Torr, he wrote on the Windows Phone Developer Blog that one day, in theory, it would be possible to have Windows Phone devices that go as big as 7”! This post was made in relation to talking about how developers could take advantage of the fact that the GDR3 update has given them tools that can detect the size of the screen, and allowing them to keep the content of what’s being displayed similar to what’s shown on a smaller screen, as opposed to cramming more information just because of its larger display. Of course like Torr said, this is just theoretically speaking but what do you guys think? Anyone up for a 7” Windows Phone handset?
Future Windows Phone Devices Could Get As Big A 7-inches original content from Ubergizmo. 
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We had caught wind of a limited edition white Xbox One console that would be an exclusive to developers who worked on the Xbox One at Microsoft. Unsurprisingly some units have made their way onto eBay, with one going for as high as $11,300! Well the good news is that if you have the cash to splash and wouldn’t mind getting the limited edition Xbox One, you’re in luck because it looks like another white Xbox One has made its way onto eBay. At this time of writing, the console is going for $2,125 and with about 6 days to go, we wouldn’t be surprised if it managed to come close to $11,300, if not higher.
We’re not sure if the seller is an Xbox employee or if he/she is simply selling on the behalf of one, but either way the console appears to be brand new and will come with the usual, such as the Kinect sensor, a black and white controller, four Xbox One video games, and since this is also considered to be a “Day One” Xbox unit, it will also come with the achievement, which according to our earlier post, is actually something people are paying money to buy. So, any takers?
Another Limited Edition White Xbox One Console Spotted On eBay original content from Ubergizmo. 
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November has been a great month for gamers, primarily because of the fact that both Sony and Microsoft released their next generation consoles. Sony released the PlayStation 4 on November 15th and sold one million units on launch day. Microsoft released the Xbox One on November 22nd and matched Sony’s milestone. The company has announced that Xbox One was the biggest launch in Xbox history with one million units being sold, this figure surpasses Xbox 360 sales on day one and also sets a new record for Microsoft.
Most retailers are now sold out of Xbox One stock, so if you weren’t lucky enough to get your pre-order in for a Day One edition or if you weren’t able to pick it up at a retailer, fret not. Microsoft says that it is working “as fast as possible” to get additional stock to retailers so that demand can be met. Xbox One launch titles racked up some impressive gameplay on launch day as well, with over 60 million zombies being killed in Dead Rising 3, 3.6 million miles being driven in Forza Motorsport 5 and 8.5 million enemies being defeated in Ryse: Son of Rome apart from the 7.1 million combos that gamers executed in Killer Instinct. These certainly are impressive stats, despite the fact that a number of customers have complained about Xbox One Blu-ray drive failing. Microsoft has taken notice of the reports and encourages customers to reach out if they experience a similar problem with their latest Xbox console.
One Million Xbox One Units Sold In Under 24 Hours original content from Ubergizmo. 
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