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Microsoft has resolved 80 new CVEs this month in addition to four earlier CVEs, bringing the number of security issues addressed in this month's Patch Tuesday release to 84.
Unfortunately, we have two zero-day flaws in Outlook (CVE-2023-23397) and Windows (CVE-2023-24880) that require a "Patch Now" release requirement for both Windows and Microsoft Office updates. As it was last month, there were no further updates for Microsoft Exchange Server or Adobe Reader. This month the team at Application Readiness has provided a helpful infographic that outlines the risks associated with each of the updates for this cycle.
The hype machine is real with Generative AI and ChatGPT, which are seemingly everywhere in tech these days. So it's not surprising that we're starting to hear chatter about a new, improved Siri. In fact, 9to5Mac has already spotted a new natural language system.
Do you speak my language?The claim is that Siri on tvOS 16.4 beta has a new "Siri Natural Language Generation" framework. As described, it doesn’t sound impressive, as it mainly seems focused on telling (dad?) jokes, but might also let you to use natural language to set timers. It is codenamed "Bobcat."
(Microsoft is a client of the author.)
Microsoft has unveiled its 'Copilot' generative AI for Office and I believe it is as big a game changer as the launch of Windows (and I was the launch analyst for Windows when I started my career).
With any advance like this, there is always an impact on employment, performance, and the trajectory of the related work. In thinking about generative AI, the third segment of the movie Fantasia — “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” — comes to mind. It dramatizes what can happen when someone gets an incredible power, but doesn’t know how to use it properly and lands in an ocean of trouble. The most important part of using a force-multiplier tool like generative AI is to learn how to use it well and responsibly.
Though technology companies announced massive layoffs last year, 2023 is looking much worse, as tech giants including Facebook parent company Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, IBM, SAP, and Salesforce — as well as many smaller tech companies — announce sweeping jobs cuts.
The problem: Big Tech went on a hiring binge during the pandemic when lockdowns sparked a tech buying spree to support remote work and an uptick in e-commerce, and now they face revenue declines.
Although global IT spending is forecast to rise in 2023, with enterprise software and IT services experiencing the greatest growth, the overall increase is expected to be modest, with data center systems and communications services growing by less than 1%, according to market research firm Gartner. Meanwhile hardware sales are forecast to decline.
After a run that lasted for a decade, the end has come for Google Glass, with the announcement this week that the tech behemoth will discontinue the enterprise version of the augmented reality (AR) glasses.
Sales of Google Glass Enterprise were halted as of Wednesday, though support will continue for another six months, according to a company announcement.
“After September 15, 2023, you will continue to be able to use the Glass Enterprise Edition device and existing software. No software updates from Google are planned,” Google said in a FAQ.
After announcing its Microsoft 365 Copilot chatbot to automate various tasks in multiple Microsoft office apps, Microsoft on Thursday demonstrated the tool’s capabilities and introduced a new extension called Business Chat.
Microsoft 365 Copilot is generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology based on GPT-4, a large language model (LLM) created by OpenAI, which is also the basis for the wildly popular ChatGPT chatbot.
With the arrival of the iPhone 14, Apple has only sold smartphones with eSIM support in the US. But that may be about to change. At least one analyst thinks Apple plans to extend eSIM use to Europe and some Asian markets by next year, when SIMs will be removed from its devices.
eSIM for the rest of us?We’ve expected the move since Apple began with eSIM inside the iPhone in 2018, though consumers have complained at the complexity of setup in the US. In part, these challenges reflect inconsistent approaches to the tech across mobile carriers, but there could be a reason for that — particularly if Apple and Google begin to try to monetize carrier choice on new devices.
Applications aimed at helping office workers do their jobs more effectively in a remote or hybrid work environment — such as videoconferencing, project management, and other collaboration software — have surged during the pandemic era. But many employees don’t spend their workdays sitting at a desk.
Employees who work away from a desk in such verticals as healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, service and repair, transportation, logistics, construction, utilities, and retail are usually referred to as frontline workers. Many of these workers act as the “faces” of their organizations, coming into direct contact with customers; others perform the behind-the-scenes tasks that keep the modern world humming.
India is trying to emerge as a competitive alternative to China in the semiconductor sector amid the intensifying chip war between the US and China.
India and the US last week signed a memorandum of understanding on establishing a semiconductor supply chain, which experts see as an opportunity for both nations to reduce global dependency on China.
“The MoU seeks to establish a collaborative mechanism for the semiconductor supply chain resiliency and diversification in view of the US CHIPS and Science Act and India Semiconductor Mission (ISM),” said Charlie Dai, vice president and research director at research firm Forrester.
India is set to announce its first semiconductor fabrication facility in the next few weeks, as the country moves to become more self-reliant for its chip supply in the wake of pandemic supply chain disruptions and the ongoing US semiconductor restrictions to China.
The country is well-positioned to foster a vibrant chip industry in the next three to four years on the “back of enabling policies” and the government’s drive to boost its manufacturing ecosystem, Indian IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said on Tuesday, according to a PTI (Press Trust of India) report.
Office 365 and Microsoft 365 subscribers get more frequent software updates than those who have purchased Office without a subscription, which means subscribers have access to the latest features, security patches, and bug fixes. But it can be hard to keep track of the changes in each update and know when they’re available. We’re doing this for you, so you don’t have to.
Following are summaries of the updates to Office 365/Microsoft 365 for Windows, with the latest releases shown first. We’ll add info about new updates as they’re rolled out.
Note: This story covers updates released to regular Office 365/Microsoft 365 for Windows subscribers. If you’re a member of Microsoft’s Office Insider preview program or want to get a sneak peek at upcoming features, see the company’s “Release notes for Office for Windows Desktop (Beta builds)” page.
Clean Energy Charging is not a conspiracy to reduce the speed or efficiency of charging when you plug in your iPhone. It is a harbinger of how most future electronics will consume power.
What is Clean Energy Charging?Announced with iOS 16 and introduced in the US last fall, Clean Energy Charging selectively charges your device when lower carbon-emission electricity is available. In some regions, this might be during the daytime when solar and renewable energy production peak, but in most cases, it will be at night.
To support the feature, your iPhone gets a forecast of carbon emissions on your local energy grid. It then charges the device when the cleanest energy is available.
Tableau, a subsidiary of Salesforce, has launched new AI-powered capabilities to help make data more accessible to business users and improve support for data-driven decisions and analysis.
The announcement comes a week after Salesforce revealed plans to add new generative AI functions to its CRM platform at its Trailblazer DX ’23 developer conference.
Eight out of 10 business leaders agree that data is critical for decision-making, however, many still struggle with how to use it, according to a recent Salesforce survey of 10,000 business leaders. Furthermore, 41% of the business leaders polled said that they did not understand their data because it is too complex or not accessible enough.
The US government, worried about the continuing growth of cybercrime, ransomware, and countries including Russia, Iran, and North Korea hacking into government and private networks, is in the middle of drastically changing its cybersecurity strategy. No longer will it rely largely on prodding businesses and tech companies to voluntarily take basic security measures such as patching vulnerable systems to keep them updated.
Instead, it now wants to establish baseline security requirements for businesses and tech companies and to fine those that don’t comply.
It’s not just companies that use the systems who might eventually need to abide by the regulations. Companies that make and sell them, such as Microsoft, Apple, and others could be held accountable as well. Early indications are that the feds already have Microsoft in their crosshairs — they’ve warned the company that, at the moment, it doesn’t appear to be up to the task.
Computing giant Google announced today that it will release previews of three new AI features, including AI composition for Google Workspace, developer prototyping and coding via PaLM and MakerSuite, and validated models for its Vertex AI service.
The Workspace features, currently, are focused on Docs and Gmail. Users can use Google’s AI to rewrite emails in a particular style or tone, or even generate documents out of whole cloth. Simply asking the system to “generate a sales pitch” or similar will create a simple document that users can then edit to meet their needs. The AI can also help redraft documents to fit a more formal tone, or shorten them for brevity.
Artificial intelligence (AI) research firm OpenAI today revealed the latest version of its computer program for natural language processing that powers ChatGPT, the wildly hyped chatbot with a fast-growing user base.
ChatGPT creator OpenAI announced the new large language model in a blog post, saying it will have better features than its predecessor, GPT-3.5 Word of GPT-4 first leaked last week when Andreas Braun, CTO of Microsoft Germany, let slip that it would be launched this week.
A Windows launch isn’t the end a process — it’s really just the beginning. As with Windows 10, Microsoft continually works on improving Windows 11 by fixing bugs, releasing security patches, and occasionally adding new features.
In this story we summarize what you need to know about each update released to the public for the most recent version of Windows 11. For each build, we’ve included the date of its release and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it. The most recent updates appear first.
The easiest way to install updates is via Windows Update. Not sure how? See “How to handle Windows 10 and 11 updates” for full instructions. Note that Windows 11 version 22H2 is being released as a phased rollout and may not be available to you in Windows Update yet.
The launch of a major Windows 10 update isn’t the end of a process — it’s really just the beginning. As soon as one of Microsoft’s feature updates (such as Windows 10 version 22H2) is released, the company quickly gets to work on improving it by fixing bugs, releasing security patches, and occasionally adding new features.
In this story we summarize what you need to know about each update released to the public for the most recent versions of Windows 10 — versions 22H2, 21H2, 21H1, and 20H2. (Microsoft releases updates for those four versions together.) For each build, we’ve included the date of its initial release and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it. The most recent updates appear first.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has announced it will be cutting a further 10,000 jobs and leaving 5,000 vacant roles unfilled.
The news comes four months after CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that it was cutting 11,000 jobs, impacting 13% of its global workforce.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page and Meta’s news blog, Zuckerberg said that members of the company’s recruitment teams will know by March 15 whether they've been affected, with restructurings and layoffs within Meta’s tech groups expected in April, and then its business groups in late May.
Apple Reality, India and security are emerging as three of the biggest stories for Apple in 2023, but there is another: Apple Silicon, principally the move to 3nm process technology in the upcoming A17 and M3 (series) processor upgrades. We’re beginning to hear whispers suggesting what those chip upgrades mean.
I'm a writer. That means many of my fellow writer buddies are worried sick about losing their jobs. Indeed, no one will say, "We laid people off because we could replace them with ChatGPT for $20 a month."
But that's actually already happening.
I'm concerned about this, too — but I'm not yet sweating bullets over it.
Why? Because, as of now, ChatGPT does a crappy job of writing non-fiction. That isn't stopping publishers from using it, of course. But readers are beginning to notice something is amiss, complaining that the "how to" story they just read turned into a "how not to" tale or that one AI-generated piece reported one of the people quoted in it is dead — when they're still very much alive.
Google's ChromeOS is the Rodney Dangerfield of modern operating systems: It's been around for ages now, and it pops up in all sorts of unexpected places. No matter how hard it works, though — boy, oh boy — it just can't get no respect.
Much like Dangerfield, ChromeOS's struggle to be taken seriously dates back to its childhood. When the software first entered the universe in the simpler tech times of 2010, it truly was a barebones effort. The entire platform was essentially just a browser in a box — a full-screen view of Google's Chrome browser, with no real apps to speak of and not much else around it.
The global value of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) will grow dramatically from $100 million today to $213 billion by 2030, once the virtual money gains greater adoption for domestic payments, according to new data from Juniper Research.
By 2030, 92% of the total value transacted through CBDCs around the world will be paid domestically, as cross-border payment systems face an uphill battle for adoption, Juniper predicted.
Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in Santa Clara, CA, billed itself as “the financial partner of the innovation economy” and had more than $342 billion in deposits — including money from many influential venture capitalists, start-ups and tech firms.
That was before last week happened, when a sudden run on the bank opened the door to the prospect of a larger meltdown in the financial system. After a weekend scramble, the Biden Administration, the US Treasury, the Federal Reserve, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) devised a way to back up the full value of SVB deposits beyond the federally insured ceiling of $250,000. (The same is true for Signature Bank, which also failed.)
I’m sure you’ve seen the ads: “Get Perpetual Office for a dirt-cheap price that’s so cheap it’s too good to be true.”
It is, though they don’t phrase the pitch quite like that. Instead, the advertisement says: “One-time purchase. No subscription. This is a Microsoft Office 365 account that activates up to 5 devices on all supported platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, iPadOS, Tablets. You can install and activate as many times as you want on all 5 devices. Activation is permanent and lifetime. You can always reinstall or transfer to another device. Cloud storage is not included. The login name provided cannot be changed or merged with a personal account. Microsoft Office 365 includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Access, and Publisher. This software is multilingual, you can choose your language during installation. Digital Download – Redeem instructions will be emailed to you after purchase.”
Is there a turf war between Apple’s operations and design teams over the first-generation Apple AR glasses? Or are we now hearing about old news being rehashed as competitors spread negative gossip in fear of Apple’s looming AR launch?
What we think we knowWe can’t be certain, but this is what happened on the Apple Rumor Merry-go-round in the last 48 hours:
The Financial Times claimed Apple CEO Tim Cook might have ordered the launch of the new devices this year, despite warnings from those working on the project that the product isn’t yet ready. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman later said the events described took place in 2018 when then-design lead Jony Ive pushed for AR above VR, with Apple compromising on a mixed-reality headset. Gurman also said 11 high-ranking executives left the company in the second half of 2022. These were people in command of hardware, software, design, privacy, cloud, and other key verticals across the company. This may not relate to the above, but hints at some internal instability.Apple has reportedly been working on AR glasses for seven years or more.
Microsoft Forms is a web app that allows users to create various types of forms that gather information from people online and store that data in the cloud for review.
Why is this useful? Surveys, questionnaires, and other interactive forms are a vital part of doing business. They provide a great way to interact with employees, teammates, customers, and potential business partners. You can use online forms to collect customer feedback or business requirements, conduct market research, gauge employee satisfaction, register attendees for an upcoming event, test learners’ knowledge after a training course, and more.
Forms is included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions for individuals and businesses, and a limited version is available for free to anyone with a Microsoft account. In this cheat sheet, we will cover how to use this program to create questionnaires, add specific types of questions, and view and analyze the responses.
Tech sector employment fell by 11,184 positions in February, a modest reduction of 0.2% of the total tech industry workforce of more than 5.5 million.
Unemployment in the tech sector also jumped from 1.5% in January to 2.2%, in February, according to data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and CompTIA, a nonprofit association for the IT industry and workforce.
The unemployment rate for tech occupations is still below the national rate of 3.6%, which saw a .1% increase from January.
The number of technology occupations in all industries declined by .6% or 38,000 positions, according to CompTIA’s report. Tech occupations in the US economy still total more than 6.4 million workers. Among all tech industries, tech manufacturing added a net new 2,800 jobs, the fifth consecutive month of positive gains.
What do you think about when you hear the words “the future of finance?” For most people, images of mobile payments, online banking, and other cutting-edge technologies come to mind. But what about decentralization? If you’re unfamiliar with the term, decentralized finance (DeFi) is a subset of blockchain technology that focuses on financial applications powered […]
The post How DeFi is Reshaping the Future of Finance appeared first on IT Business Edge.
While financial markets have rallied in recent weeks, there are still many enterprise software companies that are trading at depressed levels. It’s common for there to be losses of 50%+ for the past year. Just a few include Okta, Twilio, and DocuSign. This has also put tremendous pressure on funding for startups. During the second […]
The post Enterprise Software Startups: What It Takes To Get VC Funding appeared first on IT Business Edge.
RPA Tools automate repetitive time consuming tasks using machine learning (ML) and AI. Compare RPA Software now.
The post Top RPA Tools 2022: Robotic Process Automation Software appeared first on IT Business Edge.
The enterprise landscape is changing, and along with it cybersecurity needs. Employees are increasingly remote, applications are moving to the cloud, and IT infrastructure is becoming more complex, with IoT and mobile devices and branch offices among the many connection points outside of traditional firewalls. To keep up with all these changes, enterprises need a […]
The post Top Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Solutions appeared first on IT Business Edge.
In a world where data breaches are becoming increasingly common, it’s essential to take steps to protect enterprise information. That’s where data loss prevention tools come in. These tools can help companies protect their data from hackers, accidental deletion, insider threats and more. Businesses need to ensure the tools they use are practical and effective […]
The post Best Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Tools appeared first on IT Business Edge.
Analysis of data fed into data lakes promises to provide enormous insights for data scientists, business managers, and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. However, governance and security managers must also ensure that the data lake conforms to the same data protection and monitoring requirements as any other part of the enterprise. To enable data protection, data […]
The post Data Lake Governance & Security Issues appeared first on IT Business Edge.
Last year, Match Group – which operates online platforms like Tinder, Match.com and Hinge – shelled out $1.725 billion to acquire Hyperconnect. This was a play on the metaverse. Unfortunately, Match had challenges in making the strategy work. In the latest shareholder letter, Match CEO Bernard Kim noted: “I’ve instructed the Hyperconnect team to iterate […]
The post Metaverse’s Biggest Potential Is In Enterprises appeared first on IT Business Edge.
Keeping up with the ever-changing IT needs of a growing business can be a logistical nightmare. That’s why so many organizations have outsourced IT management to managed service providers (MSPs). Managed services continue to grow at a steady pace, boosted by remote work and the challenges of staffing an IT team with talent in high […]
The post Top Managed Service Providers (MSPs) 2022 appeared first on IT Business Edge.
The metaverse can be an intimidating term conjuring up visions of some futuristic virtual world, but it’s perhaps best viewed as virtual experiences brought to the internet, something akin to an interactive video game. There are huge obstacles to creating a larger world that spans individual virtual platforms, so for now it’s perhaps best to […]
The post The Value of the Metaverse for Small Businesses appeared first on IT Business Edge.
Mark Zuckerberg introduced Facebook’s rebranding to Meta at the company’s annual Connect event last year to reposition the company for the “new internet,” the metaverse. The metaverse has been around for some time as a kind of urban legend, perhaps aptly described in the 2011 science fantasy book Ready Player One. That was until some […]
The post How Revolutionary Are Meta’s AI Efforts? appeared first on IT Business Edge.
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If you have encountered total identified Windows installations:0, this guide can help. We will discuss different ways to fix the issue along with the causes of the problem. Let’s start! What does total identified Windows installations:0 mean? Total Identified Windows Installation:0 appears during the installation process of the Windows operating system. This means that the […]
The post Total Identified Windows Installations: 0 [Meaning & Fix] appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
Epson printers are very good but some of our readers reported the Epson printer error 1131 or Epson printer utility setup error 1131 out of the blue. It’s needless to say that the printer is unusable at this point but in this article, we will help you fix the problem immediately. Why do I get […]
The post Epson Printer Error 1131: What Is It & How to Fix it appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
SystemSettings.exe is an executable file containing machine code in a non-readable form. This file runs as a background service on your Windows PC to ensure that Windows apps function properly. What is the SystemSettings.exe error? When the SystemSettings.exe runtime error occurs, a System Error prompt appears on the screen with a message: The system detected […]
The post SystemSettings.exe Error: What Is It & How to Fix It appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
amdacpbbus.sys is a system file that appears on Windows computers running AMD hardware and software. But it’s also sometimes the source of the Blue Screen of Death or BSoD. As you can imagine, having a faulty AMD driver can put a hamper on gaming. Imagine your system crashing in the middle of an online match. […]
The post amdacpbus.sys: How to Fix This Blue Screen Error appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
Some files on the system may camouflage as genuine system files while infecting them with viruses and malware. One such file is the uiSeAgnt.exe on Windows 11. Hence, this article will explain what uiSeAgnt.exe is and provide ways to disable it. Since these files can also cause exe files not to open on your PC; you […]
The post UiSeAgnt.exe: What Is It & Should You Disable It? appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
Like every other console, playing games on the PS4 console can run into several errors impeding its performance. However, the PlayStation Error WS-44750-0 is one of those errors that users complain about the most. This article will discuss some basic steps to resolve it and get your PS4 working. Also, we have a detailed guide […]
The post Ws-44750-0 PS4 Error: What Does It Mean & How to Fix It? appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
Some of our readers have reported encountering the 0x000000BE Blue Screen error when running their PCs. The error is usually accompanied by An attempt was made to write to read-only memory error message. Nonetheless, we’ll take you through some fixes to resolve the error. Also, you can read our detailed guide about some factors that […]
The post 0x000000BE: What is This Error Code & How to Fix It appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
Encountering the error, the Device has either stopped responding or has been disconnected can be annoying. Since this error appears when you attempt to copy files from external devices like printers, scanners, or external hard drives on your PC. Luckily, this article will proffer solutions to fixing the error. Likewise, we have a detailed guide […]
The post Fix: Device Has Stopped Responding or Has Been Disconnected appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
Nvidia GeForce Experience allows users to optimize graphics card settings, update drivers, etc. Users may encounter a GeForce Experience driver download failed error during an update. Hence, we’ll explore the causes and provide solutions to troubleshoot them. Alternatively, you can read about how to fix the Nvidia graphics card if it’s not detected in Windows 11. Why […]
The post GeForce Experience Driver Download Failed: 5 Ways to Fix It appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
FindTime is a new add-in that helps with plowing through your Outlook calendar and finding available time for your events. Lately, some of our readers have complained about FindTime not working. So, this article will discuss why the add-in isn’t working and some fixes for it. Also, users complain about Microsoft Outlook crashing when opening […]
The post FindTime Not Working on Outlook: How to Enable It appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
Microsoft news recap is a weekly feature highlighting the top Microsoft news stories of the past week. Sit back, grab some coffee, and enjoy the read!
Microsoft offers new remedies in bid to win over EU regulators for Activision Blizzard deal
As Microsoft continues to battle for approval of its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the company has reportedly offered further remedies to help win approval from EU regulators, however the details of what’s being offered have not be released.
Microsoft natively embeds Adobe Acrobat in Edge
Following Microsoft’s previous announcement that it plans to integrate Adobe Acrobat into Microsoft Edge, some users are now beginning to receive an update with Adobe Acrobat integrated into Edge, making the PDF viewer built-in to Edge powered by Adobe Acrobat’s PDF engine.
Linkedin adds AI to writing recruitment ads, profiles, LinkedIn Learning
It feels like AI is touching every digital experience at the moment, and LinkedIn is no exception. New AI assistance features have been introduced to LinkedIn, including writing suggestions when updating your LinkedIn profile or producing a job description. 100 AI-relate courses have also been added to LinkedIn Learning.
Minecraft on Chromebook now available with early access version
An early access version of Minecraft for Chromebook was released this week, marking the first time Minecraft has arrived on Google’s computer platform.
That’s it for this week. We will be back next week with more Microsoft news.
Welcome back to another OnPodcast show! We’re at episode 106 and we’re talking about Microsoft gambling with Office 365 as it adds AI into it.
Then it’s the headlines sections where we cover Chromebooks getting Minecraft, new Outlook being pushed to everyone, AI ethics layoffs at Microsoft, and more.
Thanks as always for joining us and see you again next week!
A recent promotion shows off a pretty impressive gaming rig that’s available in Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles. The video was shown on Instagram and Twitter. In it, a user can be seen playing Crysis on the car’s dashboard display screen (answering that age-old question: can it run Crysis?).
Granted, that game is from 2007, but it’s an impressive feat nonetheless. The video shows the player using a Razer keyboard and mouse.
But can it run Crysis? pic.twitter.com/MNedMuy12Y
— Tesla (@Tesla) March 14, 2023
It is the latest example of Tesla and other electric car makers making a more pronounced effort to up their infotainment offerings on their onboard displays. Over the past year, we’ve reported on BMW bringing casual gaming to its iDrive displays and the (perhaps farfetched) possibility of Sony Honda Mobility integrating PlayStation 5 into its cars.
In the Tesla Holiday Update released late last year the Steam gaming platform was integrated in beta form, along with Apple Music. The models X and S boast 10 teraflops of processing power—the same as in Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.
Reuters has reported that Microsoft is offering new remedies to appease the European Commission in regards to its proposed merger with Activision Blizzard. The exact details of what Microsoft is offering was not disclosed by either Microsoft or the European Commission, however.
Earlier this week Microsoft formally struck deals with two smaller cloud gaming platforms—Boosteroid and Ubitus—to bring Call of Duty and other Xbox titles to those platforms for the next 10 years, similar to the deals previously arranged with Nintendo and Nvidia. Likely this new concession package includes similar deals with other parties. According to an unnamed Microsoft spokesperson,
We have stood behind our promise to bring Call of Duty to more gamers on more devices by entering into agreements to bring the game to the Nintendo console and cloud game streaming services offered by Nvidia, Boosteroid, and Ubitus. We are now backing up that promise with binding commitments to the European Commission, which will ensure that this deal benefits gamers into the future.
The European Commission will now seek feedback from competitors as well as the public. It has pushed back its provisional deadline from April 25 to May 22.
Via Barron’s.
If you’re an iOS user and have been longing to be part of the Edge beta program, now’s your chance. Microsoft is now allowing iOS users interested in testing new Edge features to sign up for the Edge Insider program.
For those unaware, Microsoft uses Apple’s TestFlight app for this since iOS doesn’t allow users to simultaneously install the Edge Stable, Beta, and Dev channels on the same device.
To test out the new features in Edge, you’ll need to download Apple’s Testflight app, then join the program. The TestFlight program does come with its own fair share of limitations where only up to 10,000 users can sign up to test early versions of the browser.
We recommend not waiting too long if you want to sign up to receive either Dev or Beta channel releases. You should also ensure that your device is running iOS 13 or iPadOS 13 or later.
via: Neowin
Pirate-themed online action adventure game Sea of Thieves turns five years old on March 20. And to mark the occasion developer Rare has released a new Deluxe Edition to coincide with both the anniversary and the launch of Season 9. Let’s break it all down below.
What to expect in Sea of Thieves Season 9The ninth season brings 100 levels of progression and rewards to be claimed by increasing Renown. The optional Plunder Pass adds even more bounty to be had throughout the season. Also added in Season 9 are new Chests of Fortune—which can only be claimed by conquering a Fort of Fortune—and Fates of Fortune cosmetic set pieces.
Those who’ve achieved Pirate Legend status (all 1 million+ of you) can embark on new Voyages that will, of course, lead to new bounty. But all Sea of Thieves players will reap benefits from the new season with figurative boatloads of improvements, which you can check out in the release notes.
This new deluxe edition of the game is now available on the Xbox Store, and has been added to Xbox Game Pass.
Celebrate five years since Sea of Thieves’ launch with this special edition of the game, which includes a copy of Sea of Thieves itself with all permanent content added since launch, plus a 10,000 gold bonus and a selection of Hunter cosmetics. The Hunter Cutlass, Pistol, Compass, Hat, Jacket and Sails will ensure you cut a formidable figure as you set sail for adventure!—From the Xbox Store description.
Sea of Thieves 2023 Edition (Free, Microsoft Store) →
Wrap upPlayers will be happy to know that Sea of Thieves is now also Steam Deck Verified, so there are more ways to play than ever. To learn more about the game head on over to its website.
Featured image via Xbox.com.
As Microsoft moves to seamlessly integrate artificial intelligence into its search engine Bing, and Microsoft 365, ChatGPT has seen an influx in usage. Moreover, the recent release of ChatGPT 4 is sure to contribute to its continued growth in popularity.
There has been a strong uptake in the utilization of the AI tool. Results from a recent survey conducted by WorkYard regarding the utilization of ChatGPT 3.5 AI tool among small to mid-sized digital firms indicates that a considerable 40% of the 1,000 firms sampled embrace automation through the tool. This can be seen as evidence that the business world is gaining an appreciative stance towards the cost-saving abilities AI offers in terms of replacing human work resources.
The survey indicates that employing ChatGPT can be a beneficial strategy for businesses aiming to cut expenses.
Findings from the survey revealed that with ChatGPT 3.5, tedious tasks have become much less burdensome, freeing employees to focus on more important matters. Most importantly, it also leads to cost savings – from up to a 90% cut in staff recruitment costs for social media management to up to 24 cents savings per outgoing email – which translates to a sweet deal for employers. Furthermore, companies can save an average of $90 – $300 per blog post, $15,000 per month on customer service teams, and up to $4,000 per month by automating data analysis, as per WorkYard.
The survey states that introducing ChatGPT-4 to multiple industries could be the key to slashing costs. As far as video content creation is concerned, GPT-4 is capable of doing the animating and editing for you – saving you up to 60% of your budget. Similarly, letting the AI tool team up with AI-powered apps eliminates the need for individual training, cutting costs by 30-50%. Plus, Its advanced translation technique reduces translation expenses by up to 60%. As for programming, GPT-4 can assist developers by automating certain tasks and banks on a 30-50% cost reduction.
We’ve come to the end of yet another week, which means it’s time to walk you through some of the new key features that Microsoft announced as coming to Microsoft 365. Here’s everything you need to know:
Microsoft 365 CopilotYesterday, during Microsoft’s Future of Work with AI webcast the company announced Microsoft 365 Copilot. A new experience that blends the power of large language models with your data in the Microsoft Graph and the Microsoft 365 apps.
The Copilot is incorporated into Microsoft 365 in two ways. First up, it’s designed to work alongside the user. It’s embedded across Microsoft 365 apps, that is, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and more.
Next up, the company has launched Business Chat which is designed to work across all Microsoft 365 apps and data in real-time: user’s calendar, emails, chats, documents, meetings, and contacts.
The new feature will automatically inherit your organization’s security, compliance, identity, and privacy policies and processes.
What’s more, it ships with two-factor authentication, compliance boundaries, privacy protections, and more to ensure that your security and privacy are maintained.
“Copilot works only with content to which your users already have permission to access,” says Microsoft.
It should be noted that this will not have any impact on Azure Active Directory (AAD) users. The feature is currently shipping to a limited set of commercial customers through a Private Preview program.
Microsoft hasn’t indicated when we should expect it to start rolling out to other users.
New Files app in TeamsTeams users will soon access a new Files app, one that’s designed to let you store, organize and collaborate on all your files anytime from anywhere and across all of your devices securely.
The feature tagged 97677 in Microsoft’s 365 Roadmap adds a modern experience to all of your content from your chats, channels, or meetings including any location from OneDrive or SharePoint.
The menu bar is also getting an update to further enhance the user’s navigation. Here’s everything you’ll be able to do using the updated menu bar:
Home: Get back to your recently accessed files My files: Access your personal OneDrive files Shared: Find files shared with you and files you have shared across M365 Downloads: Locate files downloaded from Teams on your computer Quick Access: Pin document libraries or channels files tab to access them quicklyThe new Files app is currently rolling out in Preview and is expected to hit general availability by mid-April.
OneNote viewer in Teams mobile appsThe OneNote viewer feature is shipping to Microsoft Teams. With the feature tagged 103097 in the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, users will be able to open and view OneNote notebooks directly from their Teams mobile apps.
However, if you’re looking to make edits, you’ll need the standalone OneNote mobile app. The feature has completely rolled out for Android users and is expected to hit general availability for iOS by late March.
In related news, the web-based Outlook is expected to ship to more users later in April. The company will avail a toggle through which users can transition from the legacy version to the new app.
However, the New Outlook only supports Microsoft Exchange Online and personal Microsoft accounts at the moment. You’ll need a Microsoft 365 subscription too.
And finally, 3D avatars are finally coming to Teams. The feature is expected to hit general availability in May. It will revolutionize how people communicate especially during meetings.
That’s it for this week folks! Keep it OnMSFT.com for all your news updates, guides, and more.
Hi, OnMSFT.com readers! It’s the OnPodcast crew here with the usual reminder to tune in and watch our show! This week we’ll be on episode 106, and we’re talking about Microsoft adding AI to something that actually matters for the company, Office 365.
Don’t miss our show on Sunday at 12 PM ET and 9 AM PT on our usual channels.
Please watch or listen to the normal channels to get this week’s Microsoft news and events from OnPodcast.
Big news of the week – Microsoft followed Google’s announcement of adding AI to its office productivity suite with the new Bing Chat inspired Copilot platform coming to Office 365.
Episode 106 Headlines:
Minecraft on Chromebook now available with early access version – OnMSFT.com The New Outlook for Windows will be available for more users in April – OnMSFT.com Microsoft natively embeds Adobe Acrobat in Edge – OnMSFT.com Microsoft hit by more layoffs yet again, AI division affected – OnMSFT.com Video filters in Microsoft Teams meetings ship to general availability – OnMSFT.com 6 out of 7 companies queried approve the Activision Blizzard deal according to latest CMA documents – OnMSFT.com