With it now being more than a week since Microsoft’s 2017 E3 presentation, I decided to ask On MSFT’s Kit McDonal and Laurent Giret what excited them the most and where they felt the company could have improved.

Kit McDonald: For me, I’ve been mostly excited about Minecraft cross-play. Ever since Microsoft bought Mojang, it’s been clear that they’ve wanted to push Minecraft further. They’ve been teasing for a while now that they were hoping to merge Minecraft into one ecosystem for players to enjoy the game together, but when asked, they were always tight-lipped.

Laurent Giret: I was really pleased with the final Project Scorpio reveal: I think the Xbox One X branding is good, the design of the console is impressive, and it’s consistent with the Xbox One S. As for the $499 pricing, it’s quite expensive for a gaming console, but it’s actually very affordable for a 4K gaming machine (much more than a high-end gaming PC). Besides, the Xbox One S is still available to purchase and will support all upcoming Xbox One games, so gamers on a budget will still have options.

Brad Stephenson: I thought the Xbox One X console reveal was pretty solid as well and while its price is notably more expensive than its rival consoles, there’s no denying the value for money in regards to its tech plus there’s also the fact that $499 is exactly what the original Xbox One console sold for in 2013 (albeit with the Kinect). Not a bad deal really. It was a shame that the next Tomb Raider game wasn’t on display in 4K as a title like that could really help sell consumers on the Xbox One X. Honestly though, the console is a must-buy for me. It’s just a matter of when (likely before the end of the year).

Kit: The presentation seemed to go a lot smoother than what I was expecting. Moments such as the new Porche being revealed and the sportscast of the Darwin Project made the show an enjoyable watch. I can’t wait to play some of the new titles across both Xbox One and Windows 10 this year.

Laurent: The Original Xbox Backward compatibility was another big announcement I enjoyed. This probably won’t matter much to most Xbox gamers, but it makes the Xbox One more PC-like, and overall it’s a good incentive to invest in the Xbox ecosystem.

Brad: While some of the bigger titles like Anthem and Assassin’s Creed: Origins looked great, it was the smaller entries that piqued my interest. Super Lucky’s Tale admittedly borrows way too much from the Super Mario and 3D Sonic games to be called a completely original title but it is exciting to see a family-friendly game such as this on the Xbox One (and Windows 10) and given so much exposure during Microsoft’s E3 presentation. Another game that stood out for me was The Last Night which immediately became my favorite new game of E3. I’m generally over the use of 8-bit sprites in modern games but The Last Night makes the retro style look fresh and the entire game has a glorious aesthetic that’s somehow modern and old-school at the same time. I can’t wait to play this title. Was there anything you guys didn’t like?

Laurent: The Xbox One has suffered from two perception issues: Being slightly underpowered compared to the PS4 and Sony having better first-party exclusive games. Microsoft fixed the first issue with the Xbox One X this week but the second one still remains. Yes, Forza Motorsports 7 was a great demo for the Xbox One X but it’s is clearly not for everyone, unlike the more arcade and casual Forza Horizon 3, and unfortunately Sea of Thieves and Crackdown 3 are probably not the blockbuster exclusive games that the Xbox One X needed to make a big splash this holiday season.

Kit: I’m pretty easy to please actually. There wasn’t really anything I disliked from Microsoft at E3 this year. My biggest rant is about Bethesda but that’s a whole other topic.

Laurent: Microsoft probably had the more-impressive E3 press briefing this year but I think it lacked the ‘one more thing’ to please the more hardcore fans. This could have been Xbox Play Anywhere support for Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, or the release of Halo 5: Guardians on Windows 10 (Microsoft teased us with Halo 5 Forge on the Windows Store last year). These two franchises are very popular and their absence was really disappointing.

Brad: As an Xbox One owner who uses his Kinect every day, I was disappointed to see a complete lack of the console accessory during the presentation. With Cortana now available on the console, Microsoft has the capability to turn the Xbox One into some sort of Alexa or Google Home competitor and I’m fairly confident we’ll see some degree of this happen in 2017 or 2018. I’m not necessarily surprised the Kinect wasn’t mentioned given the need to promote the Xbox One X but some sort of small mention would have been nice. A new Dance Central game or a replacement for Xbox Fitness would have been amazing and would have gone a long way in reassuring all of the Kinect users who are beginning to feel abandoned. Maybe we’ll hear more about Kinect at Gamescom?

What did you like or dislike about Microsoft at E3 this year. Did they make you want to buy and Xbox One X or any of the new 4K-enabled games? Was there anything that was missing? Let us know in the comments below.

The sirens have been blaring and the warning lights spinning for a little over a week after information leaked about Microsoft’s plans to have a massive sales force layoff in the hopes of reshaping the company’s future, once again.

As D-day approaches for a lot of unfortunate employees at Microsoft, specific details surrounding the particulars of the company’s reorg are emerging.

According to a report from Mary Jo Foley from All About Microsoft, executive vice president Judston Althoff circulated a memo today which explained the company’s restructuring plans during and after the presupposed layoffs.

Microsoft will now have three units focused on seizing commercial and public fields sales. The three units titled Enterprise Operating Unit, Enterprise Services and Commercial Software Engineering teams and Commercial Software Engineering will all work closely with counterparts Marketing and Operations and the technical core group to offer sales and support for all business types.

More than just a name change and new targets, Microsoft is looking to put more focus on vertical targets that have seemingly be grossly under supported by the company.

The idea behind the entire move is to make Microsoft nimble enough to go after what Althoff believes are six important verticals including Manufacturing, Financial Services, Retail, Health, Education, and Government. While the listed vertices are already among the targets Microsoft is currently pursuing, the new team’s focus will be on addressing the horizontals such as how to accommodate a Modern Workplace, business applications, apps, and infrastructure as well as Data and AI.

In the SMC segment, Microsoft is focusing on both corporate accounts and small and mid-size businesses (SMBs). The SMC team will be divided into a handful of teams, namely Global Demand Center, which is designed to deliver direct revenue, sales leads and”consumption at scale”; Inside Sales; Marketing & Operations; Field Sales for SMC customers; and One Commercial Partner.

We’re not sure how this will play out when Microsoft begins to report its number for the following quarters. However, it not a far leap to assume this reorg will eventually better help Microsoft address its Small to Medium sized business experience which could, in turn,  give the company a leg to stand on in that area against the likes of Amazon and Google in the ongoing productivity and cloud war with the addition of One Commercial Partner.

As Mary Jo is reporting, an all hands on meeting was held today to presumably address the concerns of those affected by the reorganization. With that being said, we’re sure to hear more about Microsoft’s shuffling of departments and employees in the coming days.

Microsoft is giving Xbox gamers a bigger reason to customize their controllers using the Xbox Design Lab.  As noted by Neowin, from now until July 10th, you can get free rubberized grips when buying a custom controller from the Xbox Design Lab.

Normally priced at $5.99, for the next week, the rubberized grips will be included for free on any order from the Xbox Design Lab.  Interestingly, the offer is also valid in the United Kingdom France, and Germany.

Safe to say that with the rubberized grips, you won’t be slipping up during those intense gaming sessions.  You can head to the Xbox Design Lab website now to customize your controller and choose from over a billion color combinations, metallic finishes.  For extra customization, you also can customize the colors of the back, bumpers, triggers,  D-Pad, thumbsticks, ABXY, view and menu button.  And, you can even engrave the controller with a personalized message of up to 16 characters.

As a reminder,  the Xbox Design Lab recently expanded to the UK, Germany, and France. But, you should also be aware that you can’t return or exchange a Xbox Design Lab controller order, so be sure to preview it before you make your final purchasing decision.

Do you think you will be picking up a custom Xbox controller because of this latest offer? Or do you settle for the standard controller instead? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

It’s no surprise that Xbox One X stole the show at E3 2017 a couple of weeks ago. After all, it was the only hardware being shown off and it had a slew of beautiful new titles that Microsoft plans to release with it later this year. One such was Anthem, the new open world third-person RPG title from Bioware. Even though its release date is still up in the air, the buzz around Anthem has already pushed Sony to take advantage of the hype.

What was an Xbox One X exclusive developer preview created for E3 2017 has now been edited by the competing publisher. Last week, Sony posted the ‘Anthem – Official Teaser Trailer’ for PlayStation 4 on their official YouTube (via Neowin).

But what fans found most curious about the repeated video is the evidence of editing. As spotted by Eurogamer, fans pointed out that the Xbox One controller buttons were actually edited over by the PlayStation buttons.

Xbox One X is reported to use the same checkerboarding techniques as Sony to run some of its games at 4K resolution. At least it was for the Anthem gameplay footage shown at E3. For Sony, that seems to be all it needs to know to pass edited Xbox One X gameplay as its own. We’d love to hear what you think!

Earlier this year, Microsoft released a $99 Surface Keyboard to go with its new Surface Studio all-in-one PC, but the company is now selling an even better version without the Surface branding (via Windows Central) . Welcome Microsoft’s Modern Keyboard with Fingerprint ID, which is basically the Surface Keyboard with a handy fingerprint sensor to use with Windows Hello.

The sensor is hidden in a normal key, and it can sign you in instantly with a simple press (be aware that Windows Hello is only supported on Windows 10 PCs). The new keyboard works with Bluetooth or a wired connection, and the Redmond giant promises up to 4 months of battery life with the included rechargeable batteries.

Microsoft is only selling its new keyboard in the US, Canada and China for now, and the company has yet to announce its availability in other markets. If you’re interested, you can get it for $129.99 on the US Microsoft Store.

Welcome back to our Windows 10 news recap. We are continuing the trend of our weekly “Windows 10 news recap” series where we go over the top stories of the past week in the world of Microsoft’s flagship operating system.

Windows XP regains some market share, Windows 7 drops, according to NetMarketShare

Taking a u-turn from May, June saw Windows XP regaining some previously lost market share in NetMarketShare’s statistics, while Windows 7 fell slightly.

In wake of ransomware attacks, India presses Microsoft for discount on Windows 10 upgrades

Following multiple ransomware attacks lately, India is pressing Microsoft to discount Windows 10 upgrades, in order to encourage more people and businesses alike to upgrade to the latest, more secure operating system.

France drops privacy law complaints against Windows 10

Last year, France’s national information comission raised concerns about the data collected by Windows 10. At the time, Microsoft said that Windows 10 followed privacy regulations. Now, the commission has said that Microsoft has made changes that has reduced data collection by half and that it now complies with privacy regulations.

Samsung Flow updated, now supports any Windows 10 PC, unlock a Windows 10 PC with a Samsung phone

Previously only available on Samsung-based Windows 10 PCs, Samsung is now bringing Samsung Flow to all compatible Windows 10 PCs, allowing PCs to be unlocked using a Samsung phone, as well as cross-device notifications, and more.

That’s it for this week – we’ll be back next week with more Windows 10 news!

Welcome to our weekly Xbox news recap series, where we go over the top stories of the past week in the world of Xbox. Let’s get started.

More Xbox One X news to be announced at Gamescom

When asked whether or not fan favorite Halo 5: Guardians would be Xbox One X enhanced, Xbox boss Phil Spencer simply said that we would hear more about these titles at Gamescom later this year – although Phil himself will be unable to attend. While we didn’t get any kind of confirmation about what we should be looking for, the context prompting this answer can tell us a few things. The most important thing to take away here, though, is that older games like Halo 5 might just be on the menu for the Xbox One X 4k treatment. Don’t get your hopes up yet, but keep an eye towards Gamescom.

Regretfully I won't make GC this year, family commitment, I'll miss great fans, bums me out. We'll talk more about Xbox @ GC soon

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) June 29, 2017

Xbox One game storefront gets revamped

Not a massive change here, but a convenient one. While users previously had to click through several tabs in order to get to the category of games they wanted to shop for, Microsoft has revamped the UI a bit to make it more convenient for people to look for things right from the main dashboard. While this isn’t the Fluent Design reimagining of the Xbox One UI that we believe may be coming soon, it’s a nice change.

Original Xbox games through Backwards Compatibility won’t change aspect ratio

Shouldn’t surprise most people, but it needed to be cleared up – when you boot up Fusion Frenzy or the original Splinter Cell on your Xbox One, you won’t be getting a better aspect ratio. Phil Spencer attributes this the the fact that giving widescreen to these games would be a significant undertaking, and would require way more resources per game than they can currently put into such a widespread project. Besides – most people would probably prefer the nostalgia of having that aspect ratio unchanged, so you can enjoy the early 2000’s in all their low-polygon glory.

No, most OGXbox games didn't have WS.  Can't really easily change the frame buffer aspect ratio on a shipped game from BC.

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) June 29, 2017

Phil Spencer sets his eyes on Japanese markets

The Xbox One never took off in Japan. This is due to quite a few things – the dominance of Sony and Nintendo as a platform outside of America and the UK, the overwhelming preference for mobile gaming in Japan, or whatever else. Whatever you think the reason may be, Xbox’s Phil Spencer attributes the lack of attention from Japan to the lack of games on the platform that would resonate with Japanese audiences. In order to address the issue, Phil Spencer cited the upcoming release of a JRPG called Code Vein, along with an Xbox One X upgrade for Final Fantasy XV, as reasons why the Xbox One X may do better in Japan.

Only the Xbox One X will download 4k assets

Not groundbreaking, but it’s nice news for those who don’t want to waste space on their console – the Xbox One X will be the only console downloading 4k assets for games. While the Xbox One and Xbox One S can play any 4k enabled game, they’ll only be downloading the 1080p assets that they can actually play. 4k assets will only be taking up space on the hard drives of those who can utilize them, making sure that nobody’s wasting their time or space on something unnecessary.

Thanks for joining us. To keep up to date with all the latest Xbox news, keep a close eye on our Xbox One tag.

The UWP app creation tool Windows App Studio is retiring, according to a recent Microsoft blog post. The Windows App Team announced today that with the evolution of Windows Template Studio, the developer tool will be phased out and shut down completely by the end of the year.

Starting in the middle of next month, only existing users will be able to sign in. As the year progresses, the team hopes to see users transition over to Windows Template Studio. Here is the projected schedule for the Windows App Studio shutdown:

• July 15, 2017
  • Only existing users can sign in
  • Finished application projects can be downloaded
  • No new dynamic collections data sources allowed to be created
  • Dynamic data will be allowed to be downloaded with a migration path provided
• September 15, 2017
  • Application editor will stop working
  • Dynamic collections API will stop providing data to your existing applications
• December 1, 2017
  • Windows App Studio will be shut down

Windows Template Studio is, for all intents and purposes, a better version of the Windows App Studio for Visual Studio 2017. Furthermore, it is open source and you can download it free on Github.

Microsoft has been living the “mobile first, cloud first” mantra almost ever since Satya Nadella took over as CEO three years ago, but now it seems poised to re-org the company to better reflect its “cloud first” roots.

According to a (paywalled) report in the Puget Sound Business Journal (via Windows IT Pro), the company is expected to reveal the re-org on July 5th, making somewhat of a big splash right after the US Independence Day holiday.

Microsoft has been doing well with Azure, solidifying a second place position behind industry leader Amazon Web Services, and the company continues to push the benefits of the cloud, especially when tied to Office 365 and Windows, but working across a number of platforms.

Where this leaves the “mobile first” part of the equation is still yet to be revealed, as although there are consistent rumors of some kind of a Surface mobile device in the works, Microsoft’s main mobile strategy at the moment seems to be to get Microsoft services on iOS and Android, and to squeeze the last remaining bits of life out of Windows 10 Mobile and Lumia.

We’ll keep you posted of course on all the latest from Microsoft as news breaks.

The past two months has been rough in terms of cybersecurity, particularly for India where upgrading to Windows 10 is considered a minority. With the recent WannaCry and “NotPetya” attacks exploiting older Windows operating systems, India has made an official request to Microsoft for a citizen discount to upgrade. Reuters reports an exclusive interview with India’s cyber security coordinator Gulshan Rai confirms that Microsoft has “in principle agreed”.

Rai told reporters that the government began its initative to push Windows upgrades not long after the WannaCry attack in May. Unfortunately, the cost of a new OS sets many of their citizens and businesses back. In India, Windows 10 Home runs 7,999 rupees (about $123 US) with Pro versions nearly doubled, Reuters pointed out. Even though Rai stated that nearly 200,000 ATMs were upgraded, that number doesn’t begin to touch the iceberg of the some 1.3 billion people in the country.

So how cheap is Microsoft expected to give away their ‘most secure’ home operating system? Exact numbers haven’t been released, and Microsoft spokespersons so far have refused to comment. However, Rai told Reuters that the one-time upgrade to Windows 10 will be discounted for the entire country, even going so far as saying that he expected the software to be “less than a quarter of the current price”.

The expected “throw-away prices” could encourage other countries to do the same, which could significantly impact projected revenue. No official confirmation has been released by Microsoft or other government officials at this time,

Another LEGO-inspired game is set to be released for Xbox One this fall. Available on September 22, 2017 in the US, and coming to the UK later in October 2017, LEGO Ninjago will be available on Xbox One and Windows 10.

Here is the official announce trailer of LEGO Ninjago on Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs.

Following the storyline of the movie, LEGO Ninjago follows seven ninjas; Lloyd, Jay, Kai, Cole, Zane, Nya, and Mater Wu as they defend their island home, Ninjago, from the clutches of the evil Lord Garmadon and his Shark Army.

The ninjas of Ninjago must battle across 8 unique locations, each location featuring its Challenge Dojo, with plenty of LEGO collectibles and upgrades to pick up along the way.

LEGO Ninjago features Battle Maps too, so you can play against your friends and family locally with up to four players or via Xbox Live!

Stay tuned for more LEGO game news and we will let you know when LEGO Ninjago is ready for pre-order!

Several Reddit users have begun to notice a rather amusing Easter egg hidden in the latest Windows 10 Insider build for those on the Fast Ring. The quirky little discovery involves the text used in a popup error box that states after the usual “[program] has stopped working” text that “Windows is opening a portal to another dimension…”

Of course, the Windows 10 PCs with this build aren’t actually opening portals (as far as we know) but it’s fun nonetheless and could lessen the frustration of a program crashing for those Windows Insiders that are helping test builds of the Windows 10 operating system. It’s highly unlikely this will make its way to public copies of Windows 10 though so if you’re an Insider, enjoy it while you can.

Have you noticed this or any other Easter eggs on your Windows 10 PC? Share them with the On MSFT community in the comments below.

Microsoft’s Phil Spencer has confirmed in a tweet that original (OG) Xbox video games that gain backwards compatibility support on the Xbox One will not receive any aspect ratio changes from their original release version.

No, most OGXbox games didn't have WS.  Can't really easily change the frame buffer aspect ratio on a shipped game from BC.

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) June 29, 2017

Basically, if an OG Xbox game had widescreen aspect ratio originally it will also have it on the Xbox One but if it didn’t on the OG Xbox, it won’t on the Xbox One. In the same Twitter thread, Spencer also communicated further with Xbox gamers about the possibility of adding Achievements to OG Xbox games. It had previously been stated that they would not receive any but this conversation seems to hint that the Xbox Team is still open to the idea and is looking at potential ways to enable them.

Spencer confirms that adding Xbox Achievements to OG Xbox titles would require them to patch each game individually and that that is something that would simply take too much time and resources. He also says they could potentially reward players with Achievements simply for playing games but that he’s not a fan of that approach. There’s also talk of one solution that would work by tracking the save file of a game however that’s something that hasn’t even been looked at yet as it might be too difficult to work out with the way the games and system are designed.

Only real option is to patch each game, won't happen. Could give achvmnt 4 "playing", don't really like that

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) June 29, 2017

Could be something with tracking the savegame but still not obvious how to make this work.

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) June 29, 2017

Is aspect ratio and Xbox Achievements important to you or would you just be happy to play OG Xbox games on your Xbox One? Let us know in the comments.

Microsoft is moving 100 employees over to the Manchester city centre, a massive hub for business in the UK. The employees will be placed at a new development in the city centre by the name of Neo, an extraordinarily fancy place that’s equipped with an on-site gym, an open-air terrace, screening rooms, and more. While it hasn’t been made clear just what these employees are going to be working on in this building – if it’s anything specific at all – this is definitely a nice place for Microsoft to plant a flag in.

We're excited to welcome @Microsoft to our Neo building in #Manchester https://t.co/IRFm1OhNzc pic.twitter.com/PytBlA9Mpr

— Bruntwood (@Bruntwood_UK) June 29, 2017

According to Bruntwood, the organization behind the Neo building, the facility “houses a number of bold and innovative features, including Bluetooth-enabled mobile door access, a customer steering group, an on-site community and engagement manager curating a year-round programme of social and business support events and a £250,000 interactive digital art space, launched with an inaugural installation by internationally-renowned artist Brendan Dawes.”

The employees selected to move into the Neo building will be taking residency very soon, with a vague time period of “July 2017” being given out.

Microsoft is partnering with Token to bring Windows 10 users a new way to unlock their Windows 10 device. Starting in December 2017, Token will offer a ring that will enable you to unlock your Windows 10 PC, car lock, door lock, or anything else that requires a biometric password to unlock. Token will also be able to replace your transit pass, and any other access cards you may have.

Microsoft hopes that this new partnership with Token will provide Windows 10 users with a new way to stay secure and remove the need for creating and using passwords. According to the post on the Windows 10 blog, 80% of people use the same password across multiple accounts, unknowingly making it incredibly easy for hackers to steal your passwords and cost you a lot of money.

Using an extra step to enhance your security profile, including enabling multi-factor verification, can be a lifesaver for your passwords. Microsoft created Windows Hello as an alternative to using a password to unlock your Windows 10 device. Windows Hello is fast and reliable and has enterprise-level security to protect Windows Hello from malicious online threats.

Microsoft believes that its partnership with Token will provide an additional level of security. The use of a biometric ring will allow you to unlock all your Windows 10 devices without worrying about remembering a password for every little prompt.

Microsoft hopes Token will provide a new way to login to Windows Hello that is easier and more secure than ever. Stay tuned for more information from Microsoft on its partnership with Token.

Microsoft recently dropped an update for Arrow Launcher on Android, and it’s packed with a couple of new features (via Windows Latest.). The update brings the most current version of the app to 3.6.0.34513, and you can read up on all the changes below.

WHAT’S NEW:

• Option to hide/show system status bar
• Show Outlook email in Recent page( only apply to Outlook app sign in user )
• Support dragging apps from frequent apps card
• Enable checkbox and image auto fit in Notes card/page;
• UI adjustment
• Bugs fix, stabilization/performance improvement

Arrow Launcher was previously updated for some last month, picking up the “Arrow Hub” card and the ability to sync files between Android phone and computer. Microsoft is clearly working on improving the app, so be sure to keep your feedback coming by submitting your feedback from inside the application.

As always, you can find the download link for Arrow Launcher below. And, be sure to drop us a comment to let us know how the experience is going for you!

Download
QR-Code

Microsoft Launcher

Developer:
Microsoft Corporation

Price:
Free

Call of Duty: Ghosts is joining Call of Duty: Black Ops II and four other Call of Duty games on the Xbox One Backward Compatibility list today. Xbox’s Major Nelson just announced the news on his Twitter account, and this follows the addition of five other games earlier this week.

Call of Duty: Ghosts is coming to Xbox One Backward Compatibility today https://t.co/qPMRNrLoTQ pic.twitter.com/7RiiLnPS0Y

— Larry Hryb ????????☁ (@majornelson) June 29, 2017

Call of Duty: Ghosts pretty much has a special place in the popular shooter franchise, as it was the first episode to be released on both 7th gen and 8th gen consoles back in Fall 2013. While the Xbox One version of the game offers better graphics, the Xbox 360 version runs at 60 FPS and features the same game modes as the Xbox One version. Moreover, it’s also $20 cheaper on the Xbox Store, in case you’re wondering.

Here is the official game description:

Outnumbered and outgunned, but not outmatched. Welcome to Call of Duty®: Ghosts, an extraordinary step forward for one of the largest entertainment franchises of all-time. This new chapter in the Call of Duty® franchise features a fresh dynamic where players are on the side of a crippled nation fighting not for freedom, or liberty, but simply to survive. Fueling this all new Call of Duty universe, the franchise’s ambitious new next-gen engine delivers stunning levels of immersion and performance all while maintaining the speed and fluidity of 60 frames-per-second across all platforms.

Call of Duty: Ghosts is not the first Backward Compatible game to also have an Xbox One version (Rayman Legends, Saints Row IV, Halo Wars and others are in the same spot), but it’s always nice when publishers don’t force you to buy the same game twice to keep playing it on your Xbox One. Hopefully, Microsoft will take note and make Halo 3 and 4 backward compatible too!

As the battle for cloud computing supremacy rages on, Microsoft and others are arming themselves with as many tools, services and partnerships as possible to remain competitive.

Microsoft recently acquired cloud management solution Cloudyn to add to its competitive edge.

This acquisition fits squarely into our commitment to empower customers with the tools they need to govern their cloud adoption and realize the strategic benefits of a global, trusted intelligent cloud. Cloudyn gives enterprise customers tools to identify, measure and analyze consumption, enable accountability and forecast future cloud spending.

Cloudyn has not only been a Microsoft partner for some years, the company has supported cost management for Azure for quite some time as well. We told you about reports of the acquisition two months ago, but now Microsoft has made it official.

Microsoft’s deal with Cloudyn isn’t just a strategic one but a realized opportunity for Azure customers. Cloudyn solutions have a proven track record for enabling its customer’s significant returns on investments in the cloud to the tune of 286 percent by establishing cloud efficiencies.

Even though the acquisition is as fresh as wet paint at the moment, Cloydyn integration for Azure users should be coming soon.

Microsoft today announced a new Windows 10 innovation which aims to help IT pros manage Windows 10 deployments. Called Windows AutoPilot, the suite of capabilities is powered by cloud-based services and joins several new enhancements to Mobile Device Management and new Device Health features in Windows Analytics, all with the ultimate goal of modernizing the way IT pros interact with Windows devices.

According to Microsoft, Windows AutoPilot Deployment is a new cloud service which will “allow IT to customize the Windows 10 out of box setup experience using a cloud configuration.” It works alongside existing Azure Active Directory and Intune mobile device management (MDM) services and will “enable a new PC to be easily transformed into a business-ready device.”

The Windows AutoPilot Deployment Program will be piloted by Surface this summer, and will also roll out to OEMs, distributors, and resellers to help them link devices to an organization. Microsoft Store for Business and the Microsoft Partner Center will also provide Windows AutoPilot capabilities, helping organizations and partners configure and link devices.

Several Windows AutoPilot features will also make their way into the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, all of which can be seen below.

• Windows AutoPilot Reset – a new reset mechanism to reset a fully configured device while maintaining MDM management and AAD connection state and automatically get the device back into a fully configured state.
• Enhanced Personalization with Windows AutoPilot Deployment – ability to pre-assign a device to a specific employee in the organization via cloud-configuration.
• Self Service Active Directory domain join – self-service deployment to get new Windows 10 devices into Active Directory domain joined state along with Microsoft Intune enrollment.

The company is also announcing new simplified management features for the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. These features include the ability to deploy and configure Windows Defender Application Guard, configure security baseline settings, and the capability to configure Windows Firewall rules. Also new is the option to show progress during the device provisioning process. Information on the other new enhancements to Mobile Device Management and new Device Health features can be seen below.

• A device joined to Active Directory domain can be automatically registered in Azure Active Directory and automatically enrolled in Microsoft Intune or another MDM service.
• The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will also add new kiosk configuration and management features, supporting new multi-app scenarios
• Device Health functionality is designed to ensure employees have the best possible experience   with Windows 10. It helps identify issues that could affect a person’s experience, before they may even notice, while also identifying steps needed to resolve those issues proactively.

Microsoft previously detailed several new security features heading to the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, so it is great to see that the company is committed to making Windows 10 secure, fast, and easy to manage. As always, let us know your thoughts on this latest news by dropping us a comment below.

Starting with the Windows 10 Creators Update, developers can now implement a new Picture in Picture mode (aka Compact Overlay windows) in their apps, which is great for allowing apps to be shown above your web browser or other windows. Very few apps support this new compact overlay mode for now, including Microsoft’s own Skype and Movies & TV UWP apps, but it looks like Groove will be the next app to get it.

According to MSPoweruser, select Windows Insiders can now test a new Mini View for the Groove Music app, which when enabled creates a smaller player window that will stay above your other apps. The mini view features playback controls including a playback bar, and it also lets users watch music videos from the Groove Music service.

credit: MSPoweruser

It’s not clear when the new Mini View will roll out to everyone, and we don’t have it yet on our Fast Ring PCs. That’s not entirely surprising, as Microsoft announced yesterday that it would stop testing new versions of native Windows 10 apps with Windows Insiders. If you already have access to it, let us know in the comments if you think this new addition will make Groove a more versatile music player on Windows 10 PCs.

Showtime Networks has just announced that its standalone streaming service is now available on Microsoft’s Xbox One console (via The Verge). The OTT service for cord-cutters initially launched two years ago on a variety of other platforms from Apple, Sony and Roku, and it’s good to see it finally land on the Xbox One in addition to the pre-existing Showtime Anytime app (a similar offering for subscribers of the Showtime television service).

Xbox One owners can try the standalone OTT service for seven days before paying the $10.99 monthly subscription. The catalog includes entire seasons of Homeland, Billions, Ray Donovan, The Affair, Shameless, I’m Dying Up Here, the brand new season of the cult-classic TV show Twin Peaks, in addition to many other movies, TV shows and sports programming. You can download Showtime’s new Xbox One app over here, sound off in the comments if you think this is a very welcome addition on Microsoft’s gaming console.

Since its launch last week, Dungeon Defenders 2 on Xbox One has experienced a load of problems ranging from server issue to complete game crashes. The game developers have been attempting some temporary server fixes over the past few days but few seem to have fixed the problems entirely.

The Xbox One crash fix patch is now in cert! We're working to get it to you as soon as possible! ????

— Chromatic Games (@Chromatic_Games) June 28, 2017

The official Twitter account announced today however that a proper game patch has been submitted to the Xbox Store and that it should go live once approved. No timeframe has been revealed for when this will get pushed out to users though.

Have you been playing Dungeon Defenders 2 on your Xbox One? Let us know if you’ve been having problems in the comments below.

Zen Studios has just announced a sequel to their popular Pinball FX2 video game aptly titled, Pinball FX3 for Xbox One and Windows 10. “Pinball FX and Zen Pinball (as it’s called on PlayStation) have been serving players for years and years, and the time has come to go next-level and take a major step forward in the pinball evolution. Pinball FX3 will now be the Zen supported pinball platform on all console and PC platforms,” the official statement reads. “Pinball FX3 is a massive game packed full of new features designed to turn pinball into a true community experience. Built around multiplayer-matchups, user-generated tournaments and league play, Pinball FX3 is now so much more than just leaderboard rankings – it elevates the competitive pinball spirit that has thrived since the early days of pinball more than a century ago.”

Pinball FX3 is said to come with a new mode for single players that will help introduce them to pinball video games. One of the biggest criticisms of Pinball FX2 was how it hid a lot of the tables’ gameplay elements and goals from the casual player so this should be a welcome addition for many.

The new game is also expected to unlock the majority of the tables gamers had bought in previous versions for free. “We are happy to announce that you will be able to import the majority of your Pinball FX2 purchases to Pinball FX3 for FREE,” says the announcement. “We’re giving you all of the new features and upgrades at no cost – and there are a TON of them, giving you reasons to never stop playing your tables. We like to think that Pinball FX3 is an endless ocean of replayability!”

Pinball FX3 is due for release in summer 2017. A specific release date will likely get announced soon. Are you excited for Pinball FX3? Let us know in the comments below.

This year, Microsoft had one of the biggest conferences – being the only company that came out with a big piece of hardware, they had plenty to talk about – and a ton of games to make nice and shiny for the cameras. To reflect on some of the big announcements, the Game Critics Awards – run by a collection of several gaming media outlets – has granted Microsoft (and/or its platform) a few accolades on what they brought out to the show floor earlier this month.

Microsoft has been touting its Windows 10 upgrade numbers claiming that over 500 million people have taken the operating system for a spin. The fact that 500 million people have upgraded to Windows 10 is, in context, rather impressive because it’s primarily not taking into consideration Microsoft’s core user base.

Over the next couple of years, Microsoft should see its Windows 10 upgrade numbers increase as its core user base of enterprise workers begin to roll out the operating system to offices.

Helping Microsoft’s push of Windows 10 into the enterprise sector is Accenture, the global management consulting and professional services firm.

Announced today, Accenture and Microsoft are teaming up to deliver Window 10 to 400,000 of its employees over the next couple of years.

For Accenture, the transition will probably smoother than most as the company has been a relatively long time customer of Microsoft services including the use of Office 365 and hosting “the biggest OneDrive in the world with over 6 Peta-bites.” Accenture, perhaps like many, has also been testing Windows deployment over some time dating back to September 2015 where the business first began running application compatibility of Windows 10.

As we noted yesterday, Microsoft is trying out a new upgrade targeting framework for Windows 10 for Insiders. However, for businesses, upgrade methods are a bit more robust and both Microsoft and Accenture have found them to be integral in helping the company move to Windows 10.

Going forward, the stories tied to Microsoft’s increasing market share numbers for Windows 10 may not be as headline-grabbing as the leaps and bounds found when consumers upgraded for free, but they’ll be just as if not more important when the OS starts showing up in offices.