For a period of time tech journalism derided Apple for a seeming deluge of spec bump improvements to its Macs over the years. Year after year Apple would update its Mac lineup with the latest Intel chip, bump the number of transistors it listed on its slide shows and seemingly called it day. To the chagrin of reviewers and tech enthusiasts, it felt like Apple was being stingy with the impressively massive hardware changes the industry craved as yearly identifiers of “new & improved.”

Now that I have my hands on the Surface Pro 7+ I can see the logic behind simply tweaking the processor and shipping a relatively identical product, in fact, it may be one of the smartest decisions Microsoft’s done for its Surface lineup in a couple of years.

Late last week, Microsoft was kind enough to send OnMSFT a review unit of its latest Surface Pro, the Surface Pro 7+. Microsoft’s latest 2-in-1 is practically identical to the Surface Pro 7 that came out the year before and holistically the same as the previous four versions. However, during what can euphemistically be summed up as an unconventional year for the world, Microsoft unconventionally rolled out its follow-up to the Surface Pro 7. Normally released during the Fall, Microsoft released the Surface Pro 7+ in mid-winter with only a refreshed Intel 11th generation chip and a hardware tweak to make swapping SSD easier.

With about a week’s worth of time under my belt, I can say my first impressions of the Pro+ are rather glowing. The Pro+ feels faster, and the battery life is noticeably improved. I have yet to really test the LTE on the device, which may hamper battery life, but other reviewers are seeing no noticeable difference in battery performance during their testing.

Surface Pro 7+ for Business (with LTE) review.

TL;DR: Intel 11th Gen + Xe graphics make a huge impact on performance, with some extra battery life too.

Sure, it's a bit boring, but it's a workhorse for enterprise.https://t.co/7jyPoKCs0I pic.twitter.com/CgUO1GAHGH

— Daniel Rubino (@Daniel_Rubino) February 12, 2021

Microsoft and Intel have made some claims about graphical performance improvements but I haven’t opened any of my old CAD projects to test that just yet, but simply moving windows around the OS and animations feel more fluid.

I can note that the device does seem to get hotter much quicker than my last experience with a Surface Pro which was back in 2017, so I’m not sure if the device legacy in between the two is known for that.

The only other in-your-face change is the new access panel for the SSD. I don’t have the tools to open that hatch yet, they’re on order from Amazon, but it’s a cool feature for enterprises to quickly swap devices without having to clear an entire device beforehand.

As I just mentioned, it seems Microsoft’s Surface Pro 7+ is an enterprise play only for the moment. Rumors have it that the consumer-grade version of the Surface Pro 8 may need to wait as long as next year to see that release. If the rumors hold true, I think it’s an unfortunate business decision on Microsoft’s part because so far, I think they have a solid winner on their hands.

If Microsoft would simply release this version to consumers it wouldn’t need to test new firmware (something that’s constantly plagued Surface devices), it can squeeze performance out of the latest Intel chip which appears to be a solid improvement, and while dated, the iconic design is still a favorite among buyers. Last quarter, Microsoft reported that its Surface line passed the $2 billion dollar revenue marker and if it spent the remainder of this year milking their R&D investments from the last 4 years, they could easily cross that marker during what will undoubtedly be a soft year for PC sales. At least that’s my armchair Tim Cook strategy.

The Microsoft Store has announced a free virtual event for educators on March 4. Titled “For You, By You: A How-to Event Series for Educators to Supercharge Classroom Engagement,” the 90-minute event should provide useful resources for teachers in what remains a challenging time for educators. The virtual event will also feature various special guests including Microsoft Education’s Director of Marketing Mark Sparvell as well as Life is Good Playmakers Founder Steve Gross.

Kahoot!, a global learning platform will also be presenting a session to showcase how educators can leverage Kahoot!’s integration with Microsoft Teams to connect and engage with students. Another session will be dedicated to Flipgrid, a video-based social learning platform app that Microsoft acquired a couple of years ago.

The virtual event will kick off at 2PM PT on March 4, and Microsoft also promised “a few surprise celebrity appearances.” Interested educators can register now on this page, though be aware that space will given on a first come first serve basis.

Following its launch in the US in September, Microsoft’s dual-screen Surface Duo is now available in four new countries starting today. Surface fans in Canada, Germany, France, and the UK can now buy the Surface Duo from the online Microsoft Store and other retailers, though the dual-screen device is currently more expensive in these markets compared to the US where the Duo recently dropped to $999.

If you live in Canada, the Surface Duo starts at CAD $1,869.99 for the version with 128GB of storage, and you’ll need to pay $1,999 for the 256GB version. To sweeten the pot, Microsoft offers free Surface Earbuds ($259.99 value) with every purchase.

In the UK, the Surface Duo starts at £1,349 for the 128GB model, and you’ll need to pay an extra £100 for the 256G model. If the UK Microsoft Store doesn’t offer free Surface Earbuds with every purchase, you can still save up to £500 when you trade-in eligible devices.

In France and Germany, the two Surface Duo models are priced at €1,549 and €1,649, and consumers in these markets can also save up to €500 by trading-in eligible devices. Overall, the Surface Duo is probably a bit too expensive in these countries, and you may want to wait for a couple of months to see if Microsoft drops the price as it did in the US recently.

If you already own a Surface Duo, Windows Central spotted that the February Android Security update has started rolling out for unlocked Surface Duo devices, and you can see if it’s available in the Settings app

Does a truly cross-platform development even exist for your business? Back in the day of the early internet age, and an era of desktops in every household it was thought to be a pipe dream by many in the industry. However, today, an app can work seamlessly well regardless of the device which is now a reality with robust tools that have developed over time for the past several years.

Which one is better suited for small business users and students small projects that does not take up resources. Let’s explore!

Xamarin

Xamarin is more handy when you need to create an application quickly and want a high quality user interface for your business applications, and even for interactive business applications that are AR and VR based, which is not possible with PWA cloud based apps. Xamarin based apps are reliable in terms of security for mobile banking based applications and finance based applications under a contained native app suitable for business owners that do not want their business and personal financial data on floating in the web. Further, Xamarin based apps brings opportunities to small business app makers in terms of monetisation and promotion opportunities of app services under App Stores.

Progressive Web Apps

Progressive Web Apps (PWA) is a comparatively new technology that is currently on the meteoric rise in popularity. Even though the development is not mobile per se, the result you get is equivalent if not sometimes better than a native mobile app experience. You can upload it to a store if need be, but it also works directly from the browser. In essence, it is a complex website that can work offline. It’s implemented with the help of a Service Worker, JavaScript code that works in the background and does the caching, while also handling such features as updates and notifications. PWA brings opportunity for small businesses owners who can quickly deploy apps using its web stack to their customers with few lines of code from a slew of growing PWA development tools.

The Future App Market

Many enterprises will still stick with solutions such as Xamarin.Forms or native apps for the moment, as they are still realize their investments in the technology. They are more likely to stick to native applications, and this provides some incentive in keeping Xamarin.Forms relevant. With more established mature existing native SDK libraries compared to PWA based applications that have a large customer base with cloud infrastructure, Xamarin may still have an advantage.

Summary

Xamarin has improved over the years since Microsoft acquisition with more robust and mature tools under Visual Studio IDE with regular and substantial updates. The cost to development of native cross platform apps has decreased, reducing the barriers to entry of App Stores, tools are more efficient and that has reduce development times for cross platform based apps on Android, iOS and UWP.

PWA needs maturity in the market in terms of app development tools, lots of dev time, the problems of offline PWA limitations, and the missing components of hardware acceleration from different mobile chipsets and hardware components that is holding back potential. Furthermore, slow page loading speeds and also constraints by the browser’s speed and the quality of internet connection, whereas a native Xamarin app directly uses device OS roots. However, PWA has a growing potential to compete with native apps that breaks barriers to entry like app store approvals and with more mobile friendly tools coming out.

However, for businesses, Xamarin native apps are still king for those that are familiar with native apps. Xamarin tools are more suitable to maintain business applications for those that want to deliver a high quality service to their customers with a high quality robust, mobile friendly native application user interface. Xamarin native apps are still dominant in distribution channels of mobile app stores, an advantage over PWAs because the absence of PWAs on renowned mobile app marketplaces may turn into a disadvantage. As a result, you may miss an opportunity for promotion and target audience coverage which can be costly as a small business owner.

Stay tuned for more related enterprise, small business developer related articles here on OnMSFT. Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Microsoft has introduced a new Document Translation feature for its Azure Translator service in public preview. The company has announced that Translator Cognitive Service will now allow organizations to translate documents in a batch in various file formats preserving their original structure and layout.

“Translation of documents with rich formatting is a tricky business. We need the translation to be fluent and matching the context, while maintaining high fidelity in the visual appearance of complex documents. Document Translation is designed to address those goals, relieving client applications from having to disassemble and reassemble the documents after translation, making it easy for developers to build workflows that process full documents with a few simple steps.”, said Chris Wendt, Principal Program Manager.

The standard translation services that are currently available in the market have certain limitations. They support translating documents in plain text or HTML, and users can only translate a specific character count in one go. Customers need to manually split large documents into smaller pieces, translate them individually, and then combine the translated sections into a single document. This leads to a significant problem when translating large complex documents with rich content in them.

The incorporation of the Document Translation feature into the Azure Translator service brings more accuracy and reliability to translation. The cloud-based feature has the capability to process source documents by automatically recognizing the format of the input document, extract textual content, and translate it into the target language selected by the user.

It preserves the original format and layout as presented in the source document while reconstructing the translated document and saves it to a specific location on the device. The list of supported file formats includes HTML, Text, PowerPoint, Excel, Word, PDF, Outlook Message, and more.

Microsoft has been consistently working to improve its document translation technology, and this service will definitely help consumers translation agencies, large enterprises who frequently need to deal with volumes of complex documents. To get started, you will need to create a free Azure account, and you can find pricing details here and additional information on this page.

February’s two new mid-month Games With Gold titles are now available to claim, download, and play for all gamers with an active Gold membership and a console from either the Xbox One or Xbox Series X families.

The first game is Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition, a single-player 2D platformer with a strong retro Sci-Fi aesthetic that came out in 2018.

Here’s the game description:

The world of Salt hangs on the brink of collapse. The citizens, once free spirits, now stand oppressed and isolated. But not all is lost, for out of this aether of fear arises a heroine, a ray of hope. Her name is Dandara. Welcome to a unique 2D metroidvania platformer full of mystical creatures and boundless exploration. Defy gravity as you jump across floors, walls, and ceilings alike. Discover the mysteries and secrets hidden throughout the world of Salt and its diverse array of characters. Empower Dandara for combat and survival against enemies bent on oppression. Awaken, Dandara, to bring freedom and balance to this directionless world.

The second game, Lost Planet 2, is an Xbox 360 title that released way back in 2010. It supports local multiplayer for up to four players and online multiplayer for matches with up to 16.

Here’s the full game description for Lost Planet 2:

Rediscover the world of LOST PLANET 2, the latest entry in the 2.7 million-selling action shooter series! Over 10 years on from the events of the original, LOST PLANET 2 returns to the troubled world of E.D.N. III, with a globe-trotting story of a planet torn apart by the battle for precious thermal energy.In addition to the all-new 4-player co-op Campaign, LOST PLANET 2 introduces a new character customization system, an arsenal of new weapons and VSs to pilot, and a host of massive new Akrid to use them on.LOST PLANET’s famed online multiplayer battle also makes a return, with new maps, modes, and more for up to 16 players!

This month has been a pretty good one for Xbox Live Gold subscribers as it’s given them five full video games to claim as opposed to the usual four. Gears 5, Resident Evil, and Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb have already been available this month though it’s worth noting that the ability to claim the latter title expired on the 15th.

Have you played any of February’s Game With Gold titles yet? Let us know which one’s your favorite in the comments below and then follow us on Twitter and Pinterest for more Xbox gaming news.

Download
QR-Code

Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition

Developer:
Raw Fury

Price:
$14.99

Download
QR-Code

Lost Planet 2

Developer:
CAPCOM CO., LTD.

Price:
$3.99

Microsoft has finally shared all the details about Windows 10 version 21H1, the next version of the OS to be released later this Spring. As expected, this will be another minor update just like 20H2 was last fall, and this will actually be the first time since Microsoft shifted to a bi-annual release cycle that the “Spring” update for Windows 10 is a minor one.

Windows 10 version 21H1 is available today for “seekers” in the Beta channel. To download it, you’ll need to go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and then choose to download and install 21H1, which is the build 19043.844 (KB4601382). The installation process will be very fast, similar to the upgrade path from version 2004 to 20H2.

“Windows 10, version 21H1 will have a scoped set of features improving security, remote access and quality. The features we are releasing in this update are focused on the core experiences that customers have told us they’re relying on most right now,” explained John Cable, Vice President, Program Management, Windows Servicing and Delivery.

New features in Windows 10 version 21H1 include multi-camera support for Windows Hello, which will allow users of PC with an integrated camera to use an external camera for authentication. The update also brings performance improvements for Windows Defender Application Guard as well as Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Group Policy Service (GPSVC) updating, the latter getting support for remote work scenarios.

Windows 10 version 21H1 will be available for non-insiders “later in the first half of this calendar year,” Cable said today, and we should get a release date in the coming weeks. In the meantime, Microsoft has also released a new 20H2 build for Insiders in the Beta channel who don’t want to install the 21H1 update yet. You can learn more about this new 20H2 build in our separate post.

Microsoft’s response to Sony’s first-party gaming line up out of the gate is arguably softer than some fans would like, however, its response to gamers’ accessibility needs at least feels strong and thoughtful.

Over the past few years, companies such as Microsoft, Apple, and Google have made public showings of their efforts to address inclusion, representation, and accessibility throughout their software and hardware experiences. In 2021, Microsoft is taking its accessibility efforts further by creating a uniform framework for its game developers to leverage when considering members of the Gaming & Disability Community.

At the end of January 2020, Microsoft and industry experts collaborated on the Xbox Accessibility Guidelines (XAGs) as a new “comprehensive set of best practices to support the gaming industry in driving accessibility efforts forward.”

Among the tenants of XAGs conception were improving guideline language, creating a succinct goal statement for developers, improving the overview sections with contextual information, high-level scoping developer questions, key areas to target, adding background and foundational info, and lastly, better implementing guidelines.

• Improved Language: The language used in the XAGs has been improved to ensure that guidelines are clear and easily understood. A focus on removing overly technical terms, or adding additional context to help readers understand terms, was a top priority.
• Clear “Goal”: Each XAG now has a succinct “goal” statement. Readers can more easily find XAGs relevant to their current work by quickly reading through goal statements.
• Improved Overview: To ensure that developers understand the importance of each XAG guideline, improved overview sections now provide key contextual information including a summary of the impact a XAG can have on gamers with disabilities as well as those facing situational impairments.
• Scoping Questions: High-level questions ask developers to identify whether certain elements are present in their game. This yes/no determination can help developers more easily identify which XAGs are key priorities to be focused on first.
• Key Areas to Target: Helps developers identify areas across their game experience that should be addressed when implementing XAG guidelines.
• Background and Foundational Info: As some XAGs are more complex than others, additional background and foundational information has been provided to help make certain XAGs easier to comprehend.
• Implementation Guideline examples: To help clarify guidelines that were difficult to understand, numerous examples (in the form of images and videos) have been created and aligned with various guidelines to demonstrate real-world examples of specific guidelines in action.

According to Microsoft’s Xbox team, the end result is, “Developers now have the option to send Microsoft their Xbox or PC title and have it analyzed and validated against the recommendations provided in the XAGs. Where issues are found, they are noted with reproduction steps, screenshots, and other information to help the developer understand what aspect of a given experience may be challenging for certain gamers with disabilities.”

Perhaps, even cooler than meeting Microsoft’s increasingly stringent requirements for accessibility is that developers now also have access to those who are part of the Disability Community of gamers as early testers. Through XAGs, every test pass now includes members of the Gaming & Disability Community as actual real-world experiences to test use cases against to get more accurate feedback regarding their game and its development.

Microsoft is making strides in crafting gaming experiences for as many fans as it can get to the platform, but in the end, it’s ultimately up to developers to provide the more meaningful and longer-lasting experiences to all fans of gaming, including those who rely on accessibility considerations.