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Microsoft takes veiled shots at Apple in its new ‘fairness’ principles

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Microsoft Windows
Windows 1.0 is the operating system you haven’t been waiting for.
Photo: Microsoft

It’s been a hot minute since Microsoft and Apple were the big tech rivalry. But Microsoft is ready to renew cold war hostilities for old time’s sake. At least, if a new blog post is to be believed, that is.

In a new blog post promoting the Microsoft Store on Windows 10, Microsoft takes a few thinly veiled shots at Apple, cashing in on the current rough time Apple is having regarding its allegedly monopolistic running of the App Store.

Apple requires streaming games to be listed individually in App Store [Updated]

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Apple’s App Store will stay empty of streaming games services for now.
New rules don’t seem intended to bring the Google Stadia cloud gaming service to iPad any time soon.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple laid out new rules for streaming games services hoping to be listed the App Store. But it’s not clear if the changes will result in Microsoft, Google Facebook and others actually introducing iPhone and iPad versions of their services, which are already available for other platforms.

Microsoft’s folding, dual-screen Surface Duo now available, priced $1,399 [Updated]

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Surface Neo foldable
Available for pre-order today.
Photo: Microsoft

Update: The Surface Duo is available to buy. Reviews haven’t been wholly positive, although most seem to agree there is plenty of promise for the future.

Microsoft’s folding, dual-screen Surface Duo is finally available for preorder. The Android device, which boasts two 5.6-inch displays, starts at $1,399. Orders will begin shipping on September 10.

App Store approvals mean major headaches for cloud gaming services

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Microsoft Project xCloud on iPhone
Despite a beta test, the Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming service isn’t headed for iPhone.
Photo: Microsoft

Google Stadia and Microsoft Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming services aren’t debuting on iPhone or iPad anytime soon. And the holdup isn’t for technical reasons. It’s about Apple’s App Store policy.

These services could bring desktop-level games to Apple mobile devices. But Microsoft’s offering definitely won’t debut in the App Store this autumn, and Google’s isn’t available, either.

Make older Macs feel new again by switching web browsers [Pro tip]

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Switch browsers to speed up an old Mac
Some browsers are better than others on older machines.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Pro-tip-4

Got an old Mac that’s crawling to a halt every time you browse the web? It might not be your hardware that’s in need of a change. Before splashing out on new components, try switching browsers instead—or consider what to do with old MacBook to give it a new lease on life.

Microsoft president may have complained to Congress about App Store antitrust issues

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Microsoft Windows
Microsoft vs. Apple? It's like the 1990s all over again!
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft President Brad Smith reportedly raised concerns to the U.S. government about Apple’s management of the App Store, which he considers anti-competitive.

The two companies’ infamous rivalry has cooled somewhat since its 1990s peak, but Apple and Microsoft aren’t exactly BFFs either.

Former Mac boss thinks Apple Silicon could break up Windows and Intel

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Microsoft Surface Pro X
Now that Apple is giving up Intel, and Surface Pro X shows Microsoft is considering it, the future could be grim for Intel.
Photo: Microsoft

Macs moving from Intel to Apple Silicon could cause Windows computer-makers to dump Intel as well, according to Jean-Louis Gassée, the former head of Mac development back in the 1980s. He thinks the move could be led by Microsoft.

Antitrust issues? Microsoft president says App Store business model must be investigated

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Microsoft Windows
Microsoft went through its own antitrust case in the early 2000s.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft’s president Brad Smith has seemingly joined the number of voices criticizing Apple for taking a 30% cut of app revenue.

The Microsoft executive said that the policy is far more anti-competitive than the complaints that led to the Microsoft antitrust case of the early 2000s. The antitrust case against Microsoft helped reshape the tech landscape 20 years ago.

Microsoft Remote Desktop now lets iPad users control their PC using a mouse

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better touch tool magic mouse
It's like turning your iPad into a portable Windows PC.
Photo: Harpal Singh/Unsplash

While a large number of iOS users are also Mac customers, many people will use an iPhone or iPad but also rely on a Windows PC in some capacity. For those customers, Microsoft’s Remote Desktop app is a great tool, letting them access and use their professional or enterprise Windows PC through another device.

The latest update for the app is a big one for iPad owners — adding some eagerly anticipated features to the iOS app, including support for the Apple Magic Mouse 2 and Apple Magic Trackpad 2, external mice, and more.

Free-to-play Forza Street finally races onto iPhone and iPad

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Forza-Street-iPad
Play today to earn a bonus Ford GT.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Microsoft’s insanely popular Forza racing series has finally landed on iPhone and iPad. The free-to-play Forza Street, which first debuted on Windows two years ago, is available to download now from the App Store.

The game promises gorgeous visuals, fast-paced racing action, and iconic cars any racing fan will be familiar with. There are also some sweet bonuses for those who play within the first 30 days of the game’s release.

These are the best games for reducing stress during lockdown

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Sims-4
Sims, available on Mac and iOS, is rated the best stress reliever.
Photo: EA

A good video game is a great way to escape the COVID-19 pandemic and forget, just for a little while, about the nasty impact it’s having on the world. But which video games should you play? Which titles are proven to help?

A new study reveals the best games to play for reducing stress — and those that should be avoided if your primary goal is a positive, calming experience. We’ll highlight those you can enjoy on Mac and iOS.

Microsoft disses Thunderbolt as too insecure for Surface devices

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A Thunderbolt 3 cable is also a USB4 cable.
Microsoft says Thunderbolt is secure. Virtually every other computer maker apparently disagrees.
Photo: Caldigit

Microsoft claims it won’t adopt the Thunderbolt standard for its Surface laptops and tablets because it’s inherently insecure, according to an internal company video leaked onto Twitter recently.

Thunderbolt was developed by Intel and Apple, and it’s widely used on Macs. It’s also been adopted by virtually every PC maker. But not Microsoft.

COVID-19 might not kill on-site Apple internships this summer

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internship
Apple internships are a bit more serious than those portrayed in the horrendous movie The Internship.
Photo: 20th Century Fox

Apple and other big tech companies are scrambling to update their summer intern roles in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.

Google, Microsoft, Twitter and IBM all revealed to Axios that they will be moving all of their internships to online-only positions for the summer. One of the only major companies that plan to have on-site roles is Apple, but many of them will be online too.

Apple’s IS&T division sounds like a chaotic war zone

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apple-hq
Not everyone loves working at Apple.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s Information Systems & Technology division (IS&T) has come under scrutiny in a new book that analyzes the business practices and cultures of America’s biggest tech companies.

Scoring a coding job at Apple is a dream gig for most developers, but an excerpt from Alex Kantrowitz’s book, Always Day One, reveals that if you accept a job on the IS&T team, you better be ready for “a Game of Thrones nightmare.”

Microsoft Family Safety for iOS helps protect and monitor loved ones

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Microsoft-Family-Safety.gif
Share locations, track driving stats, and more.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft on Tuesday revealed its brand-new Family Safety app designed to make it easier to protect and monitor your loved ones.

Family Safety will be part of the upcoming Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) overhaul, and will include features like location sharing, driver safety stats, activity reporting, and more.

Microsoft Build 2020 goes online-only amid COVID-19 pandemic

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Microsoft-Build-2020
Like WWDC and others, Build will go digital this year.
Photo: Microsoft/Cult of Mac

Microsoft is keen to go ahead with this year’s Build conference, but the event will now be online-only, the company confirmed on Friday. Build was scheduled to take place in Seattle from May 19 to May 21. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced Microsoft to go completely digital instead.

Microsoft’s announcement came just before Apple announced that WWDC 2020 will also go ahead with “an all-new online format.”

Microsoft Outlook gets way more iPad-friendly

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Microsoft Outlook for iPad
Microsoft Outlook on iPad can at last show email next to a calendar.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Microsoft’s combined email and calendar application finally offers full support for iPad multitasking. Outlook now supports Split View, so users can have their mail and calendar open next to each other.