Microsoft's Xbox Live service facing numerous issues, Phantom Squad claims responsibility

At around 9:26PM GMT (1:26PM PST), reports began to surface of issues with the Xbox Live service - posts on the official Xbox Forums ranged from issues with signing in, to launching games and purchasing content.
Several users are receiving the '0x87de0017' error code when attempting actions on their Xbox One and Xbox 360 game consoles - Z0riL, on the Xbox Forums, reported that this error is being received when attempting to launch a game or app on the console. He also seemed to suggest that not all consoles are affected.

Oddly enough, My brother also has an xbox one that's not in preview and his is working fine whereas I get the 0x87de0017 error opening any games or apps. I did try iron brigade earlier and all was ok.

A message that was later posted on the Xbox Live Status Page confirmed that there are issues with the Xbox One, Xbox 360 and other devices using Xbox services.
According to the Status Page, the following services are experiencing issues:
Xbox Live Core

• Signing in
• Creating, managing or recovering an account
• Search capabilities

Purchase and Content Usage

• Buying items
• Redeeming codes
• Downloading purchases (including games and apps)

A brief statement informed users that they are working on the issues:

We are aware of these issues and are working to get it fixed ASAP! Thank you for being patient while we work. We’ll post another update when more information becomes available

These issues come shortly after an announcement by a hacking group called Phantom Squad, that threatened to attack Microsoft and Sony's online gaming networks this Christmas. Whilst unlikely to be related, it does reiterate the importance of being able to ensure that the offered services can withstand such issues.
Update: 23:15 GMT - Phantom Squad has sent out a Tweet on their official Twitter account in relation to the ongoing Xbox Live issues.
Whilst this tweet neither confirms nor denies Phantom Squad's involvement with the service outage - it does lead to suspicion that they may well be behind the issues.
23:17 GMT - A further tweet sent out by Phantom Squad has all but confirmed that they are claiming to be involved with the outage.
Source: Xbox Live Status | Image: Xbox

Microsoft's Xbox Live service facing numerous issues, Phantom Squad claims responsibility

At around 9:26PM GMT (1:26PM PST), reports began to surface of issues with the Xbox Live service - posts on the official Xbox Forums ranged from issues with signing in, to launching games and purchasing content.
Several users are receiving the '0x87de0017' error code when attempting actions on their Xbox One and Xbox 360 game consoles - Z0riL, on the Xbox Forums, reported that this error is being received when attempting to launch a game or app on the console. He also seemed to suggest that not all consoles are affected.

Oddly enough, My brother also has an xbox one that's not in preview and his is working fine whereas I get the 0x87de0017 error opening any games or apps. I did try iron brigade earlier and all was ok.

A message that was later posted on the Xbox Live Status Page confirmed that there are issues with the Xbox One, Xbox 360 and other devices using Xbox services.
According to the Status Page, the following services are experiencing issues:
Xbox Live Core

• Signing in
• Creating, managing or recovering an account
• Search capabilities

Purchase and Content Usage

• Buying items
• Redeeming codes
• Downloading purchases (including games and apps)

A brief statement informed users that they are working on the issues:

We are aware of these issues and are working to get it fixed ASAP! Thank you for being patient while we work. We’ll post another update when more information becomes available

These issues come shortly after an announcement by a hacking group called Phantom Squad, that threatened to attack Microsoft and Sony's online gaming networks this Christmas. Whilst unlikely to be related, it does reiterate the importance of being able to ensure that the offered services can withstand such issues.
Update: 23:15 GMT - Phantom Squad has sent out a Tweet on their official Twitter account in relation to the ongoing Xbox Live issues.
Whilst this tweet neither confirms nor denies Phantom Squad's involvement with the service outage - it does lead to suspicion that they may well be behind the issues.
23:17 GMT - A further tweet sent out by Phantom Squad has all but confirmed that they are claiming to be involved with the outage.
Source: Xbox Live Status | Image: Xbox

Microsoft Band falls to just $49.99 in the UK, with free extra charging cable worth $16.99

Now that Microsoft's Band 2 is on sale, the company and its partners have been working to clear inventory of its first-gen health- and fitness-focused wearable device in recent weeks.

The original Band first went on sale in the UK earlier this year, priced at $169.99, but has recently been available from Microsoft for as little as $69.99 (including a free screen protector) and, just a few days ago, for only $54.99 from Amazon.

Today, you can buy the Band for just $49.99 at the Microsoft Store, and the company will sweeten the deal further by including an additional charging cable worth $16.99 with your purchase.

The first Band was far from perfect, but it had plenty to offer - including compatibility not only with Windows Phones, but also iPhones and Android handsets - and at this price, it might also prove to be a decent Christmas stocking-stuffer. Don't wait too long though - this latest deal is scheduled to end on November 30.

Source: Microsoft Store

Microsoft Band 2 gets buggy update with on-screen music controls

A feature update for the Microsoft Band 2 brings on-screen music controls and activity reminders. It did not take long to get first bug reports about that update.
The addition of music controls is Microsoft answer to one of the most requested features. While the touchscreen displays the song title, you can now pause and play, skip forward and back, and turn the volume up and down.
However, according to Rod Trent on WinSuperSite.com,

"if you use a Bluetooth headset to connect to your smartphone the Band will not connect".

it’s not just affecting headphones but "any second Bluetooth device you want to connect to your smartphone." Usually this should just work out fine as the Bluetooth 4.0 specification allows multiple, shared Bluetooth instances.
Trent also reports that the new feature of "custom names or categories for Exercise activities has syncing problems with the Dashboard.

"When I kicked off my morning weight workout I chose the new "weightlifting" category, but when the Band synched with the Dashboard the activity is registered just as "My exercise"."

Other feature upgrades

Apart from the above minor problems, there are more feature improvements which seem to work just fine.
Activity reminders will remind you to get up and move when you've been still for too long. You can choose time intervals and days you want to be reminded and also set a period of time when you don’t want to receive reminders, like when you’re sleeping or driving.


According to Microsoft the exercise tile also has been improved and makes it "easier to track your duration, calorie burn, and heart rate for your favorite exercises." You can select custom or popular options, like yoga or weightlifting. "Exercise sessions can be reviewed in the Microsoft Health app or Web Dashboard. Summaries and observations will be grouped by exercise type for better insights into your performance", Microsoft adds in the release description.
A new 'What's New' Tile will automatically appear on your band when new updates are available.

Google could remove SMS/MMS capabilities in future update to Hangouts

Google has been trying hard to push the Hangouts app as a complete solution for instant messaging, voice calls and SMS. However, a rumour has now indicated that the company might be looking to remove the app's SMS and MMS capabilities.

Phandroid has revealed that Google is testing a build of Hangouts sans SMS support. Since the discontinuation of Google Talk earlier this year, Hangouts has been the company's go-to app for all types of communication. Google has failed to make the app as popular as Talk, which might have urged the company to rethink its current strategy.

According to the report, the company wants to focus on instant messaging with Hangouts and utilize the Messenger app for SMS / MMS. For those curious, Google Voice and Project Fi capabilities will still remain as part of the app. It is worth noting that the company also has a separate Hangouts Dialer application which provides internet based calling functionality in some parts of the world, in case it plans to drop Voice from Hangouts.

Source: Phandroid | Image via Google

Creating your own browser with HTML and JavaScript

Over the past several months, we have made numerous improvements to the Microsoft Edge rendering engine (Microsoft Edge HTML) focusing on interoperability with modern browsers and compliance with new and emerging standards. 

In addition to powering Microsoft Edge, EdgeHTML is also available for all Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps via the WebView control. Today we would like to demonstrate hoe the WebView control can be used to create your own Browser in Windows 10.
Read More Here: Creating your own Browser with HTML and JavaScript

Advertisers: How to manage your ad business from Windows Dev Center

Windows Dev center is now your key destination for monetizing app promoting your apps across phone, tablet and PC, writes Vijay Rajagopalan on the Microsoft advertising blog.

In many cases, he says, the transition in automatic, though if your Microsoft Accounts are different in pubCenter and Dev Center, you will need to manually link your accounts.

Visit the Microsoft Advertising Blog for an FAQ on the topic, as well as for additional details on how you link your accounts.

Partners: Learn about one company’s 3 Keys to staying on top of the technology

Planet technologies, which has moved more than 2.5 million seats to Office 365, and primarily works with government agencies, has learned more important lessons to helping customers make the transition to the cloud.

Investing in mastering the technology is probably the “single biggest key to success in our playbook,” writes Miquel Wood of Planet Technologies in a guest post on the Microsoft Partner Network blog.

“Upgrades and add-ons come thick and fast these days, and simply enrolling employees in the standard training classes is no longer enough,” Wood says. “In order to be able to take advantage of new functionalities, we developed Technical Leads. As part of their jobs, these employees are assigned one solution or aspect of a solution, and it’s their responsibility to stay on top of it.”

To learn more, read Wood’s post on the Microsoft Partner Network Blog

Shazam update delivers more personalized experience with email sign-in

The latest update to shazam gives you a more personalized experience when you log into shazam.com with your email address. When you do that, you can pull up the music you discovered through the app, which recognizes music when you hold your phone up to it and tap the Shazam tag.

Shazam also gives you lyrics in the real time, offers song recommendations based on past Shazams, previews your shazams with Groove Music Playback – and adds favorite songs from chart to My Shazams.

Install Shazam App for free on Windows Phone, PC at Tablet.

Sniff out cyberattacks with Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics

Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics, now generally available, is designed to help you detect suspicious user and entity activities, known malicious attacks and other security issues. 

The above video shows just how easy it to deploy in your environment and offers step-by-step guidance.

Learn more at the Active Directory Blog and Download the Evaluation bits today.

Microsoft may offer some Windows 10 patch notes to enterprises

IT administration may get more information than originally planned about Windows 10 patches, as Microsoft ponders how much to tell business customers about modifications to the new OS.

“We have heard that feedback from enterprise customers so we’re actively working on how we provide them with information about what’s changing and what new capabilities and new value they’re getting,” Jim Alkove, a vice president in the Windows group, said during a press briefing.

Read More Here: Microsoft May Offer some Windows 10 patch notes to enterprises

To rated Gameloft Games in the Windows 10 store

Gameloft had has a presence in the Windows Phone and Windows Store for some time now. The developers have built up a respectful collection of fantastic gaming titles that can easily help you pass short bits of time with our satisfy your itch for longer gaming spurts. Many of their gaming titles are universal, being able for both Windows Phone and Windows Devices and many allow for game progress to be saved across devices.

There are the likes of Asphalt 8: Airborne, Dragon Mania Legends and World at Arms to stock your gaming library with. Additionally, many of Gameloft’s titles have been adopted as Xbox gaming titles and while some stand out stronger than others, it is hard to find a terrible Gameloft game.

If we have overlooked your favorite Gameloft game from the Windows 10 store, don’t be shy and toss out your recommendations in the comments below.

Advertisers: How to manage your ad business from Windows Dev Center

Windows Dev center is now your key destination for monetizing app promoting your apps across phone, tablet and PC, writes Vijay Rajagopalan on the Microsoft advertising blog.

In many cases, he says, the transition in automatic, though if your Microsoft Accounts are different in pubCenter and Dev Center, you will need to manually link your accounts.

Visit the Microsoft Advertising Blog for an FAQ on the topic, as well as for additional details on how you link your accounts

Microsoft Advertising Blog

WhatsApp for Windows Phone gets yet another minor update

Whatsapp for Windows Phone users received yet another update, which is actually the second one for the popular messaging app this week. The new version number is 2.12.126.0. However, the app still doesn’t come with an updated change log, which likely means it’s a minor update for bug fixes and unnamed improvements.

Last week, Whatsapp got a rather large update, adding in a number of features such as ability to select multiple chat messages that can then be forwarded or deleted. If you happen to notice anything major in this update, let us know in the comments.

Download Whatsapp for free from Windows Phone Store

TWC9: Windows 10 on 75, Windows 95 0n 20, 10 by 10 for Windows 10 and more… | This week on Channel 9

This week on Channel 9, Nikola and guest host Shen Chauhan discuss the week’s top developer news, including;

[00:23] Windows 10 Now on 75 million devices [Yusuf Mehdi]

[00:52] Windows 95 launched 20 years ago [Mary Jo Foley] [01:23]

Cortana now available on android in public….

Read More Here: TWC: Windows 10 on 75, Windows 95 on 20

‘Township’ update includes prize-packed airport, City Market dealer and more community buildings

“Township” gives players the chance to build their perfect place to live in this blend of city-building and farming. New features include an airport, where deliveries earn valuable prizes and a dealer at the City Market to help you find things you need.

There are five more community buildings – including a flower shop, car wash, two new types of houses - and a new pavement option for city streets, 16 new expansions and a storage place for decorations.

 Install Township for free on Windows Phone, PC and tablets.

How power BI is making a difference for Kids

Power BI is a cloud-based business analytics service great for exploring and visualizing data – and for making a difference in how people live and work.

In Texas, the Boy & Girls Clubs of Greater Fort Worth uses a solution built with Microsoft Azure and Power BI to track its programs. It can see how youngsters are doing in school and what programs are helping them.

“Being able to analyze patterns of participation is extremely important for us to be able to predict how well these kids will do in the future, and whether or not our programs are working,” said Daphne Stigliano, the organization’s CEO.

In Australia, Power BI is also helping the government boost tourism, with an analytics service that gathers data and insights for informed decision-making.

To learn more, go to the Power BI's Blog

Creating your own browser with HTML and JavaScript

Over the past several months, we have made numerous improvements to the Microsoft Edge rendering engine (Microsoft Edge HTML) focusing on interoperability with modern browsers and compliance with new and emerging standards. 

In addition to powering Microsoft Edge, EdgeHTML is also available for all Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps via the WebView control. Today we would like to demonstrate hoe the WebView control can be used to create your own Browser in Windows 10.

Read More Here: Creating your own Browser with HTML and JavaScript

Build better cloud apps with new SQL capabilities in Azure

Microsoft on Thursday announced several new SQL database capabilities in Azure, including new pricing tiers for elastic database pool and higher-end sale options for SQL databases. The updates will enable developers to build even better cloud applications and use data to make them even richer and more intelligent, writes Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of Cloud + Enterprise.

 Get all the details at Scott Guthrie’s blog.

All the info, in lots more languages!

As we promised earlier this week, Kinect for Windows information for developers has migrated. You’ll now find it in the Windows Dev Center. (dev.windows.com/en-us/Kinect). Where it’s in some pretty snazzy company.

Perlez-vous francais? Sprechen sie Deutsch? We’ve got you covered, since our Dev Center pages are now available in 23 languages. So cruise on over to our new home and pay us a visit. You’ll find information about everything Kinect for Windows, from hardware specs and feature to information on creating innovative apps that let users interact naturally with computers and computing devices. And you won’t need a bilingual dictionary to read it!

Source:

The Kinect for Windows Team

Go to Battle in “Age of Empires: Castle Siege,” now ready for Windows 10

The medieval battles are thrilling in “Age of Empires: Castle Siege”, in which you choose your civilization, fortify your walls and prepare your troops.

The action is now even more exciting, with updates that enable the game for Xbox Live and make it ready for Windows 10, with support for touch, Keyboard and mouse features.

Install “Age of Empires: Castle Siege”, for free on your Windows PC. Also, keep up with what’s hot, new and trending in the Windows Store on Twitter and Facebook.

Download "Age of Empires: Castle Siege" from Microsoft Windows Store.

New advantages of ‘Lara Croft GO’ designed for smartphones and Tablets

New advantages of ‘Lara Croft GO’ designed for smartphones and Tablets

Globe-trotting explorer Lara Croft has investigated dangerous caves and tombs around the World and now, the free “Lara Croft GO” puts her in new adventures designed just for smartphones and Tablets.

She’s still navigating jungles and ancient ruins, but with turn-based puzzles. Help her discover deep secrets and face deadly challenges as you uncover the myth of the Queen of Venom.

Install game for Windows Phone, PC’s and Tablets.

Download "Lara Croft GO" from here.

How to shoot best ever video with your Microsoft Lumia

Whatever you have the new Microsoft Lumia 640 XL, the ever popular Lumia 520 or any other Windows Phone altogether, these tips will help you capture great video from your smartphone.

There are plenty of fantastic Windows Phone apps out there to help you record and edit video. Besides Lumia camera, of course, Microsoft Hyperlapse and Movie Moments are Just two Windows Phone apps we recommend.

But if you don’t follow some basic – but essential video-recording tips-the fanciest software and filters won’t help you create compelling video.

The next time you shoot video with a Lumia or other smartphone, follow these tips.

Storyboard your Video:

What’s the story, Morning Glory? Take a few minutes to envision your final video: What’s the story you want to tell? By mapping out exactly what you need to capture, you won’t miss any important moments.

For example, if you want to record your parents’ 40^thwedding anniversary celebration, you will want video snippets of your parents greeting their guests, cutting their anniversary cake, and taking a turn on the dance floor. You may also want to record your siblings and other relatives and friends as they give toasts or speeches to honor your mom and dad.

Let there be Light:

If you don’t want grainy streaky video, shoot in the best light possible. If you’re outside, shoot in mid-day or in golden hour (watch the angle of the sun so your object isn’t silhouetted).

Avoid low-light such as dusk or dawn and when shooting inside turn on the extra lights in the room.

Get close to the Action:

Don’t make your viewers squint to see what’s happening. If you’re shooting your kid’s piano recital or the fancy moves of a friend doing sick aerials on his skateboard, get up close.

What’s the expression on your child’s face as he played his piece? How many revolutions did your friend whip out on his board? Details matter.

Get Great Audio:

Crisp clear audio is just as important as crisp, clear video. Lumia smartphones such as the Lumia Icon, Lumia 930 and Lumia 1520feature four high-performance microphones.

But whatever or not you use these Lumia devices, make sure don’t covers the Microphones. Also get close (but not too close) to the full audio source for full distortion-free sound.

Keep it Steady:

While many Lumia smartphones features optical-image stabilization, make sure your video doesn’t judder or shake by resting your elbows on a table or other hand surface, bracing your arms, or investing in an inexpensive smartphone tripod.

And here’s one bonus tip.

Keep recording:

Shoot more footage than you may actually need. If you shoot 30 to 50 percent more than you’ll use, you can cherry-pick the best parts to create a compelling, edited video.

Do you find these tips helpful? Are these one or two essential video recording tips you would like to share? Let us know below?

14 reasons why you shouldn’t upgrade to Windows 10

Microsoft has currently reported that Windows 10 is now running on over 75 million computers around the World, which signals a great jump start for the new operating system that will be part of our life for years to come.
Previously I have shared with you a number of good reasons why you should upgrade to Windows 10, which included new technologies under the hood, the return the start menu, Cortana, Action center, Settings app and many few new features and changes. However, with the good there is always the bad. Today we’re going to go through fourteen reasons you should consider to halt the upgrade until a later feature packed update gets released.
Top 14 reasons not to upgrade to Windows 10,

1. Upgrade problems

While the software giant has managed to fix many of the issues that cause the upgrade process to fail, many users have been reporting failures to upgrade to Windows 10 due to different number of reasons. Some people are finding compatibility issues with hardware and software and there are situations where the operating system can’t complete the upgrade process. One of the most common issues has been the problem activating Windows 10.

2. it’s not a finished product

Microsoft is changing the way it builds Windows, with the release of Windows 10, the company will no longer release major updates. Instead Microsoft is now offering “Windows as a service”. Technically Windows will never be considered complete, which means that the operating system will continue to be a work in progress. As a result, we are likely to see more bugs and other issues in the regular basis.

3. The user interface still a work in progress

While the new operating system offers an updated user interface, it fails short to be a complete design. For example, there is a big inconsistency around the context menus. Right-clicking on the desktop, using Start Menu, taskbar, Mail app, Microsoft Edge just to name a few scenarios, you will be presented with a different context menu style.

Read More Here:

14 Reasons why you shouldn't upgrade to Windows 10

Watch for Surface Pro 3 NFL Season

As the season kicks off this year, you’ll once again have the chance to see how our unique technology partnership with the NFL is continuing to change the game. Surface was, of course, part of the game last season. You likely saw players and coaches picking up the Surface Pro 2 devices in the bright blue rugged cases to review plays during games. While every Surface Pro device can run virtually any desktop application as well as any app from the Windows Store, they can also be managed and deployed for a single purpose. In the case of the NFL these devices ran one proprietary application – the Sideline Viewing system. This customized app allowed players and coaches to review and markup color still images rather than rely on the printed black and white photos used in the past, allowing them to make on-field adjustments much faster than they could with the paper system. It was a great step towards using technology to review plays and make decisions in real time.

This year, you’ll see new Surface Pro3s in action on the sidelines and they are bigger, lighter and brighter than ever before. They will of course still perform in all the rigors of the NFL environment Like heat, cold and rain, but we’ve added some new features to the application is response to feedback we received last year.

Surface Pro 3 with the Surface Sideline viewing system (SVS) will offer up the following new features;

*. The Surface Pen can now mark-up plays in four different colors.

*. Marked-up plays can be saved to individual profiles for easy reference allowing coaches and players to access their individual notes from any Surface.

*. Addition of a whiteboard for sketching players.

*. Increased daylight readability thanks to the amazing Surface Pro 3 screen which is brighter and has more contrast.

*. Access to the entire games play series for quick reference of the entire game.

In addition to the utilizing Surface on the Sidelines on the game day, NFL teams are also integrating Surface devices throughout many facets of their business and Football operations. The beneath the Surface video series which launched this morning takes a deeper look at how surface is impacting the game for NFL organizations – from players, to coaches, to front office, to scouts, to IT personnel and more.

Don’t let anything stop you in ‘On the Run’

“On the Run” has a simple goal: don’t stop until you’ve made it out of town. You start off going fast, and it only gets more frantic from there as you race along city streets and parks, through tunnels and more.

There’s a lot of action on this journey, as police are chasing you from checkpoint to checkpoint. But you can catch the slipstream from other cars to go faster and earn super-speed, or collect boosts to clear a path through traffic. Choose your car from a large fleet, then upgrade it.

Install "on the run" for free on Windows Phone

For more information, follow us on 

New Windows Microsoft advertising SDK with support for video interstitials

Today Microsoft is releasing several important capabilities that allow you to increase ad revenue in your apps.

*. Microsoft Universal Ad client for Windows 10

*. Support for video interstitials on Windows 8.1, Windows phone 8.1, Windows 10, ideal for Games

*. Ad mediation for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 apps to manage multiple and SDKs and increase fill rate.

Read More Here: new windows Microsoft advertising

Digital Gift Cards: Treat Someone

A gift is something you remember for years to come. Use your Lumia and Digital Gift Cards to put a smile on someone’s face. For whatever reason you want to give a digital gift-your brother’s birthday or your son’s first day back at school-there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Much like a physical gift card that you load up with money, the Digital Gift card app on your Lumia sends an electronic card to a recipient. It can be used to purchase digital content like apps, Games, Music, films and TV shows on their Windows Phone, Tablet, PC or Xbox.

Facebook said to be working on a breaking news app

Facebook has reportedly started testing a breaking newa app that would recieve alters directly from publications followed by the users. In order to compete better with twitter, Facebook has been introducing new features that make it similar to the micro-blogging network.

A few years ago, company introduced trending topics similar to twitter but the feature is generally late in picking up the trends as compared with twitter. As a result, people's reliance on twitter for news as it happens has grown over time and facebook probably wants to change it, as the company is now working on an app that will allow news outlets to push directly notifications to followers about breaking news.

 Business insider managed to get its hands on a screen grab showing the said features and also talked to a person involved in its testing. It is expected that user will have to download a separate app that will recieve notifications from the publications followed by the user. The publishers will be provided a dashboard to send out the alerts with 100 characters of text and a link to their article which will probably be opened using an in-app browser.

Windows 10 encrypted: How to Bitlocker-encrypt and protect your whole Windows 10 system

Windows 10 has new fancy log-in options like fingerprint, facial and iris recognition. But anybody with a bootable USB-stick might just steal your files. Unless you encrypt it with Bitlocker or similar tools.

Per default, windows secure user account and data with a password. You need to log-in to access your files.

But unfortunately there is no default windows 10 encryption of your drive. This means anybody with a bootable USB-drive might gain access to your data by passing the Windows 10 login-mechanism. Just imagine you loose your Surface Pro 3 tablet or it gets stolen. Thieves and hackers might just copy your files and use your data. Even worse, they might also get access to passwords stored in Web browsers and login into your online accounts.

Why windows 10 does not advertise its great built-in BitLocker encryption when you install or upgrade? As our short tutorial shows, activating BitLocker on Windows 10 and encrypting your files is a no-brainer.

  Turning on BitLocker encryption for a Windows 10 System disk

Right click on your system drive symbol in Windows 10 file explorer. Then select turn on BitLocker.

A)     If you see the following error message, then continue with Step-2 –open windows ten group policy editor

Read More Here: Windows 10 encrypted: How to Bitlocker encrypt and protect your whole Windows 10 system

Five ways to keep your head up on a commute with Lumia

While we all love to use our smartphones, there’s no need to constantly have your face buried in it. We’ve found five ways you can still use your Lumia and look up at the same time.

If you’re on your daily commute, one thing you’ll notice almost daily is the sea of scalps-or the top of people’s heads.

That’s not because you may be taller than everybody else. Everybody is usually staring down at their phones, hiding away in their smartphone screen.

Lift that chin, re-join reality, and let the real world back into your life with these face-up activities.

Read More Here: Five ways to keep your head up on a commute with Lumia

How to Force Windows 10 to search with Google: Changing The Taskbar Default Web Search

If you like to use Google as the default search engine in Edge, this tip is for you: you can get Google search results directly from the Windows 10 Taskbar, even with search suggetions.

Bad News:windows 10 does not allow you to pick Google as the standard / default for the windows 10 Taskbar search field.

Good News: It does not matter.

As Windows 10 opens search results with the default browser, there is an workaround. You just have to switch the Google Chrome as your main browser of windows 10 and then make it translate Bing search results into Google results. Thanks to some smart developers, this is very easy.

1.       Install Google Chrome

If you do not have it, download Google Chrome and install it  in Windows 10. Here you can already select it as the Default browser of Windows 10.

2.       Set Google Chrome as default browser in Windows 10

If you had chrome already installed, make sure to set it as the default browser in Windows 10. Type default browser in Windows 10 Task bar search field and select Choose a default web browser in the settings.

3.       Install an extension that redirects from Bing to Google

With chrome as the default browser, Windows 10 search will open now search suggestion results in Google Chrome instead of new Microsoft Edge Browser. To switch from Bing to Google as Windows 10’s default search engine, you need to install one of the following extensions.

Read More Here: How to force windows 10 to search with Google

Windows 10: the quickest way to create user accounts

In Windows 10, adding and managing user account has become a bit complicated. But instead of clicking through those several new dialogs in the new settings, you can just add, remove and edit users via Computer Management.

Microsoft wants everybody to use their many online-services in the cloud. For that reason they changed the standard procedure to create user accounts: When you add a new Windows user, you are asked to use an existing Microsoft-account with login and Email.

This however, is not necessary. In Windows 10 you can also add a user without a Microsoft account. A small blue link will offer you the respective option. But by far the quickest way to create and manage users in Windows 10 is still the Computer Management console. This is how it works,

1.   Open Computer Management

Right click the Windows 10 start button and select Computer Management.

2.   Change to Local Users and Groups

In the left pane, click on Computer Management (Local) > Local users and Groups > Users. This will show you a complete overview of all existing users in Windows 10. As you can see, there are pre-defined accounts named Administrator and Guest already any other account you have already created in windows 10 will show up as well.’

3.   Creating/Adding a new user in Windows 10

In the Menu, click Action>New user to add a new account.

Windows 10 opens the new user dialog Define a User name and a password, then click create and you are done. If you later want to link that new Windows 10 user to a Microsoft account you can do it in the new settings.

Your added Windows 10now appears in the list. When you right click on the user name,you can easily change its password, deactivate or delete the user, make it an Administrator or add it to a user group.

If you want to make your Windows 10 user an Administrator, you simply add it to the respective group call Administrator. Just right-click on the user name change to Member of and click Add. In Enter the object names to select write Administrator and click OK.

Windows 10 Defender: You can activate scheduled scans with this hidden option

Windows 10 uses windows defender as a free default antivirus solution. While protection is solid, Windows Defender seems to lack an option for scheduled scans. But luckily there is a hidden option for automated scans which is just missing in the interface.

10 improves many features and offers a much better experience than Windows 8. But nothing has done with Windows Defender. Microsoft’s own free antivirus app comes with the same reduced features set it already had in Windows 8.

Windows Defender still lacks an option for automated / scheduled scans in its interface.

There is a custom scan option which offers nothing else than picking the drives and folders for scanning. “Custom options”- a bold exaggeration.

Turning on automated virus scans with the hidden scheduler

But not so quick! In best Microsoft style, a feature for scheduled scans is indeed there – but they just didn’t put it into Windows Defender’s interface. To use it, you have to refer to the Windows 10 Task Scheduler.

1.    Open the Windows 10 Task Scheduler

Type task in the search bar and click on Task Scheduler.

2.    Open Scheduled Scans in the Windows Defender task section

Once the Task Scheduler opens, browse down to Microsoft->Windows -> Windows Defender in the left hand plane. Search the item Windows Defender Scheduled Scan in the right-hand side and double-click on it.

3.    Create a Trigger

Change to the Trigger Tab and click new to create the new Trigger. In the On a schedule panel you can select the time and date you want it to run. You can do a scan every day, weekly or at specific days every week.

That’s everything. Once you save you trigger and reboot, your automated scans should be active. Windows 10 will show your scheduled virus scan in a list. If you want you could also combine different triggers.

Hyperlapse for Windows Phone updated to work on more Lumia Devices

Microsoft’s recently launched video app Hyperlapse, which lets users create smooth, handheld time-lapse videos, has received another updated today in the Windows Phone Store. This update will allow more Lumia devices to access and use Hyperlapse for the first time.

Specifically, the app can now be used on any Lumia that has a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 type of processor and has at least 512MB of RAM. Keep in mind that phones with just 512MB cannot capture HD videos; users will need a phone with at least 1GB of RAM for that feature to work.

If you happen to also own an Android smartphone, you are in luck as Microsoft has also launched a Hyperlase video app for that platform. It was in beta but you can now download it from Google Play Store.

Download Hyperlapse from Windows Phone Store

All the Xbox Owners can now stream Games to Windows 10 Devices

With the launch of Microsoft’s new operating system less than two weeks away, all the Xbox one owners who are using an early version of the OS can now stream their games to a Windows 10 device.

This functionality was unveiled this year and allows for any Xbox one game to be streamed over a local network to a Windows 10 PC or tablet. It was enabled for Xbox one preview program members in June, but is now available to everyone with Windows 10 installed.

If you’re equipped to do this, you’ll need to do a few things to get started:

*. On your Xbox one, go to the preferences area of the settings menu and enable the “Allow game streaming to other devices” option.

*. Make sure you have the newest Xbox app version installed on Windows 10 you’re streaming to.

*. Inside the Xbox app, go to the connect menu and use “Add a device” to connect to your console.

* connect a wired Xbox one or Xbox 360 controller to your device.

*. Go to the home menu, choose the game you want to play from recently played section and choose play from console.

*. Alternatively, go to the Game streaming section of the Home menu, which allows to control your Xbox one directly from your PC or tablet.

One thing to note is that the Xbox one is still essentially in use while streaming; a notification will appear on the system pointing out that streaming has begun, and it’ll look as if console is being in the TV it’s plugged into.

In addition to enabling game-streaming for everyone, new features are being rolled out for the Xbox app this month. This include a way to start parties upload game clips and screenshots and to create an Xbox live profile for those who don’t already have one.

Microsoft Edge: How to Change the default search engine to Google, DuckDuckGo or others

If you used Google as a default search engine in internet explorer, you surely might want to do the same with Microsoft Edge. As Microsoft’s Edge browser does not use search extensions, this works a bit different.

Microsoft Edge uses Bing as a search engine. Luckily, changing the default to Google, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo or any other search engine does not require a download from Microsoft.

Setting Google as the Default search engine in Edge

The option to add the google search engine is still a bit hidden. But if you know how it works setup is quick and easy.

Unlike Internet Explorer, Microsoft’s Edge browser now natively supports open search which is a collection of simple formats for the sharing of search results which has been developed by Amazon.com

Google has just decided to support OpenSearch, so Microsoft Edge will be able to use it. Once the feature gets activated, you can set Google as default search engine with the following procedure.

           Thanks to our friend at Google for rolling out OneSearch 1.1 support for Microsoft Edge http://t.co/11ZumQbDwA

------Jacob Rossi (@jacobrossi)

1.   Adding Google or any other OpenSearch compatible search engine to Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge follows the OpenSearch 1.1 specification to discover and use web search providers. To add any openSearch compatible search engine to Microsoft Edge, you have to just visit the search engine’s homepage.

So, to change from Bing to Google as the default search in Edge, just visit http://google.com

2.   Activating Google as the default search engine in Edge Browser

Click the three dots in the upper right corner of Edge to open the settings. Then scroll down and click on advanced settings.

In advanced settings, scroll down to Search is the address bar with and click on <add new>.

The menu add a search provider shows all the search engines Microsoft Edge has automatically detected via OpenSearch.

Click addto add it to the selection menu in Advanced Settings. with add as default you can directly replace Bing as the default search engine in the Edge.

At the moment Google is not showing up, even if you have visited http://google.com before. The reason is that implementation of OpenSearch has not been finished at Google. Just check back again in a few days.

And it is free! How to get Windows 10 for free without Windows 7 or Windows 8

Microsoft has finalized windows 10 and users of Windows 7, Windows 8 and RT Windows 8.1 will get it as a free upgrade. But with a little trick you can get your and activated copy of windows 10 even without that upgrade, although Microsoft said differently.

                                Microsoft’s free upgrade confusion

Microsoft previously had created some confusion about a supposed giveaway for testers of the windows 10 insider preview. In June rumors appeared that Microsoft was considering giving Windows 10away for pirated copies after the blog post from Terry Myerson.

“While our free offer to upgrade to Windows 10 will not apply to Non-Genuine Windows devices, and as we’ve always done, we will continue to offer Windows 10 to customers running devices in a Non-Genuine state.”

                           I’m confused now – So how do I get Windows 10 now for free?

With the release of windows 10 RTM as the latest windows 10 insider Preview version Microsoft has factually decided to upgrade everybody on the insider program to final and full version of windows 10.

When you apply the automatic upgrade from windows 10 Insider Preview Build to Windows 10 RTM Build 10240 and check with the winver-command, you can see the changes.

The watermark on the desktop will also be removed and you now will be happy user of a valid and free copy of the final version of windows 10.

      Is this a licensed copy of Windows 10? What about activation and the product key?

You can check you current license status of windows 10 by running the command slmgr.vbs /dlv

Then you will see something similar to this window.

What this meant is that by upgrading from windows 10 insider preview to windows RTM build 10240 via automatic updates you get dedicated a retail license.

And your copy of windows 10 is also activated. You can check this by typing see if windows is activated in the search field.

This will open the windows 10 activation menu in update and security of you windows 10 settings. if nothing has changed since the writing of this article you will see that you actually got a fully activated version of windows 10.

How do I get my free copy of windows 10 without having installed the Windows 10 Insider Preview?

That’s quite easy. Just install the windows 10 Insider preview using One of the many leaked ISO Builds. Just take care to use the one of the later builds as earlier ones might not work with the automatic upgrade.

Is my copy of Windows 10 RTM legal?

Let’s say this is a bit unclear. As Microsoft is giving you the final version of Windows 10 as an automatic upgrade, you should not worry until further notice. Is seems that although Microsoft does not want to admit publically, they actually decided to give the final version of Windows 10 as a gift to their beta-testers.

We don’t expect them to deactivate the windows 10 RTM version in the future. But if this happens, you will still have enough time to save your stuff and switch to another purchased version.

Amazon has been updating its audible app for Windows

Amazon has been updating its audible app for Windows Phone on a rather rapid pace since updates began once again in March after a update of over a year. This week, the app got updated again with a couple of new features, including a way to search for a specific audiobook from the audible store directly from the app.

Yes, this would seem to be a basic feature to include in this kind of shipping app for its initial, but at least it is in there now.

As were reported a few weeks ago, the windows 8.1 version of the audible app was recently removed from the windows store of Windows Phone.

But now it is expected to retain in a new version for the launch of windows 10.

Latest

Audible Windows Phone update includes audible search directly from app

Read More Here: Amazon has been updating its audible app for windows phone

Cortana comes to IOS and Android as Microsoft builds a bridge to Windows 10

Microsoft is rolling out a red carpet for iPhone and Android users, giving them a standalone version of Windows Phone’s Cortana digital assistant and some help syncing their data to Windows PCs.

Cortana will be an installable app for iPhones and Android devices. While it won’t have the same deep operating system hooks as the Windows Phone version—don’t expect to conjure the virtual assistant with hardware buttons, for instance—it’ll otherwise support all the same internet, queries and actions. For instance, users will be able to set reminders through Cortana on Windows 10, and get notified on iPhone and Android.

In windows 10, microsoft will also do a better job teaching users to sync their data from iPhone and Android devices. A new Phone Companion app will act as a sort of educational tool for existing Microsoft products, pointing users to mobile app versions of Cortana, Onedrive, Skype and Office.

Microsoft Office 365 users report problems with exchange online

A number of office 365 Exchange online users worldwide can neither get or receive mail.
I am…..

Read More Here: Microsoft Office 365 users report problems with exchange online

Firefox for Windows 10 design guidelines get revealed by Mozilla

Recently it was revealed that Mozilla would be making a version of its popular Firefox browser for Windows 10. But at the time, details were pretty scarce. More details about the browser, specifically the design specification have been revealed.

In addition, a few of the first imaging showing how the browser look have been made available as well. On the Surface, the Windows 10 version of Firefox looks very similar to the version that is available now and that was done on purpose . Read More Here: m.windowscentral.com/firefox-windows-10-design-guidelines-get-revealed-mozilla

Ear Trumpet is a new app for Windows 10 which brings better Volume Control

With windows 10, Microsoft announces a new volume control. To be honest, the volume control on Windows 10 is pretty bad currently and does not let you change volume for each apps --- which is pretty disappointing.
Thankfully, there is new app for windows 10 developed by windows enthusiasts Rafael Rivera and David Golden. The app, dubbed as Ear Trumpet adds a new pop-up near the volume control on Windows 10 which let you control the volume for each app.
 Unfortunately enough, the app doesn't replace the exiting volume control on Windows 10, but it still much better to have the ability to manually control volume for each of the app. If you are using windows 10 than you can Download it from Here

Gallery: Xbox Music app update on Android and iOS

We have already shown the new Groove branding for Microsoft's music app on Windows 10 today and now there are updates for the Xbox app on Android and iOS.

 These updates do not include the new Groove name however, they do finally deliver the abality to stream or download stored on your onedrive without the need for an Xbox one music pass. The complete list of changes in this update are;
*. You no longer need the Xbox music pass to run the app.
*. Music in you OneDrive music folder now appears as part of your collection.
*. In addition to playlists you can download individual songs and albums for offline use.
*. Filter your music to see just what is available offline.
*. Various bug fixes.

Microsoft is now selling Subscription for EA access Gaming service

This week, Microsoft UK began offering free 12-month subscription to EA access with purchases of its Xbox one - a deal that, so far, hasn't made it Stateside. But Microsoft's relationship with EA access in the US did just get a big cozier. As Major Nelson also known as Microsoft's Larry Hryb, revealed today, the Microsoft store has now begun selling EA access subscriptions for the first time.

 EA access offers users unlimited access to a regularly updated library of games known as the "Vault" , and is available exclusively for Microsoft's Xbox one.

Game currently available for unlimited play include FIFA 15, Battlefield 4, Peggle 2, Need for Speed Rivals, Titanfall and others all adding up to over £400 worth of titles. The subscription also allows gamers to download upcoming games before they're generally released and includes an additional 10% discount on all digital EA game downloads purchased for the Xbox one.

 You can buy a 12 month subscription for EA access from the Microsoft Store for $29.99, available now.

'Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta' will be available for download on July 29

'Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta' will be available for download on July 29, the same day windows 10 becomes available for PC's and tablets.

The announcement was made at Minecon 2015, where all things Minecraft are celebrated. "Just like the first release of Minecraft all those years ago, thid version will develop and evolve over time with the help of your feedback", writes owen hill of Mojang, in a post on Xbox wire. "That's why it has Beta in the title-because it's not quite finished and will become even more fun over time."
 The beta version includes support for multiple inputs- you can switch between controller, touch and keyboard control - and you can record and share gameplay highlights using the built-in gameDVR. Players who already have the PC editions of Minecraft can download the windows 10 beta version for free.
Others can download "Minecraft: Windows 10 edition beta" at a discounted price of $10 throughout the beta period. Players who can download "Minecraft: windows 10 edition" during the beta phase will still have game when it comes out of beta and will recieve all future updates to the game at no additional cost, Writes windows team in a blog post.

Skype for Business Windows Phone app now available

The Skype for business app for windows phone is now available, the latest release in the series of deliveries for communication-powered productivity.
 If you are familiar with the Lync app for windows phone, you'll immediately notice several enhancements. They include revamped emoticons, improved security and notifications and Skype's intuitive and familiar interface.
The Skype for Business app for Windows Phone follows the release of app for business client for windows. The new Skype for business server and skype for business online in office 365

Sports, fantasy and strategy will collide this September in Blood Bowl II for Xbox One and Windows

Anyone who played the games during the 16-bit era probably remembers a classic EA sports title called Mutant league Football.
That game drew inspiration from real life board game blood bowl, which depicts a very football like sport played by human and fantasy races. Blood Bowl takes place in a cartoonish version of the Warhammer fantasy universe. French Developer cyanide studio's first.........

Read More Here: Sports, Fantsy and stragety will collide this September

The latest Trials Fusion DLC for Xbox and PC lets you be a cat riding a Unicorn

Trials Fusion is a pretty fun game for Xbox one, Xbox 360 and PC that lets you go wild on a motorcycle and takes on ever increasingly difficult obstacles.
UbiSoft has a new DLC package coming on July 14 called "Awesome level max" and it lets you play as a cat riding a unicorn, pretty awesome.
 Check it out in the trailer up top. It's not the Ninja cat on a Unicorn, but its as close as we'll get for now. The DLC will also be available to PS4 owners and will showcase new challenges and the best community made maps. Via Gamespot