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.
We already suspected that Windows and Skype were going to get particularly cozy after Microsoft phased out Messenger, but it’s now official: Windows 8.1 will ship with Skype pre-installed. Those who haven’t already downloaded the messaging client will get it when they upgrade their OS (or buy a Windows 8.1 PC) after October. The move won’t change much for existing Skype users, but it could easily lead to a jump in Skype adoption when the app will soon come bundled with the majority of PCs.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Microsoft
Source: Windows Experience Blog
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Microsoft has announced that Windows 8.1 will be arriving on October 17th (well, in the US, anyway), confirming an earlier rumor of a mid-month launch. For some reason, the company’s specified an exact release time of 12am on October 18th in New Zealand, which is 4am PT or 7am ET on October 17th. At that time, the free update will begin rolling out across local Windows Stores, and will be available “at retail and on new devices” from the 18th onwards, depending on your region. Check out our hands-on and subsequent coverage for an idea of what to expect from the update.
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Tablets, Software, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Getting acquainted with Windows 8.1 has been a slow process that started early this year, but it looks like it’ll finally hit shelves in roughly two months. According to an unnamed source cited by ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley, the RTM build of the operating system is still on track to hit manufacturers by the end of August, and the OS — along with new hardware carrying it — will be publicly available come mid-October. Those hoping to get their hands on the near-final software ahead of time via MSDN or the sunsetting Technet are out of luck, however, as the outlet’s tipster claims the final portions of 8.1 won’t be obtainable through those means until general availability. If you need something to help pass the time until then, you can always dive into our in-depth hands-on with the update formerly known as Blue.
Filed under: Microsoft
Via: The Verge
Source: ZDNet
Tired of needing the pesky internet for all your cloud-related, Microsoft-hosted files? Tire no more, as SkyDrive in Windows 8.1 adds the ability to make files available offline across your SkyDrive-enabled devices by simply clicking a button. After enabling said functionality, those files will become available across your devices even when you’re away from the information superhighway (perhaps in the rural roads of Maine, per our recent experiences).
We took a deep dive into Windows 8.1 in late June, exploring the SkyDrive functionality as well as a whole mess of other features — you can find that piece right here. Windows 8.1 will arrive for the Windows 8 loyalists in the coming months (starting in August), but a preview version is available right now.
Filed under: Software, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Just a month or so before Windows 8.1 gets sent to OEMs and the Redmond giant has helpfully provided new hardware certification requirements for them to meet. Announced at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference, these prerequisites include Bluetooth support in all devices with WiFi, front-facing 720p webcams in all systems with integrated displays and higher fidelity specifications for audio equipment. This comes on top of Windows 8.1’s native support for Miracast wireless displays, internet sharing, NFC capabilities, WiFi Direct print and biometric authentication, which all points to some pretty interesting hardware coming our way. These new certification must-haves are set for 2014 and 2015 devices though, so we likely won’t see them for a while yet. Until then, familiarize yourself with our in-depth Windows 8.1 hands-on so you’ll be all set when they arrive.
Via: WinBeta
Source: ZDNet
If you enjoyed Windows 8’s central Photos app that not only stored your local images but also those from other sites, you might be disappointed with Windows 8.1, if a post in Microsoft’s forums is any indication. After a commenter noticed that Facebook and Flickr integration was gone, one of Redmond’s employees said it was no longer necessary since other apps (including one arriving soon from Facebook) can now do that, unlike when Windows 8 was first launched. The spokesperson added that Microsoft “welcome(s) Flickr to do the same” and recommended the People app as another way to “socially engage” with your photos. Subsequent commenters felt differently, with one summing up the sentiment by saying the OS was moving backwards from its Hub pinnings and “forc(ing) you to be app-centric (like Android or iOS) instead of content-centric.”
Filed under: Software, Microsoft
Via: The Verge
Source: Microsoft Community
With Windows 8.1, Microsoft made a significant change to the way users search: it unified the experience to include web, cloud, app and system results. Now, the company’s putting something else into Smart Search: Bing Ads. It’s okay if this strikes you as a bit troubling — most users are accustomed to seeing ads display within browser-based search, not OS-driven queries. But that’s the new face of Win 8.1, like it or not. So the next time you use that convenient all-in-one search sidebar, expect to see sponsored results like the one above appropriately highlighted and packed with site previews, links, addresses and phone numbers. Basically, it’s no different than what you’re getting from a regular Bing search, only now it’s baked into your live-tiled OS. You can thank Microsoft in the comments below.
Filed under: Software, Microsoft
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Bing Ads Blog
We came. We handled Windows 8.1. We grabbed news about the latest and greatest from Microsoft. We picked up a few new Steve Ballmer catch phrases (“touch touch touch touch!”). Then, we left. In a nutshell, this was our experience covering Microsoft Build 2013 this week at the Moscone Center, though it obviously was much more involved. Fortunately, we were able to bring you, dear reader, along for the action — but in case you missed any of the excitement as it happened, you’ll find a list of all of the announcements, hands-ons and other posts we covered during the event below the break. Feel free to also visit our Build event page for an extra visual oomph.
Filed under: Announcements, Microsoft
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