Windows 10 - page 4

Microsoft just killed its Apple Watch competitor

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The Microsoft Band 2 never caught on.
The Microsoft Band 2 never caught on.
Photo: Microsoft

The Microsoft Band may have just met its demise.

Microsoft’s online store has officially stopped selling the Band 2 which was positioned as a competitor to the Apple Watch. The company also revealed today that it will not release a new Microsoft Band 3 this year.

Apple will live stream WWDC keynote

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Get ready for iOS 10.
Get ready for iOS 10.
Photo: Apple

You won’t have to go all the way to San Francisco to watch Apple’s big WWDC keynote as it happens.

Apple revealed today that it will offer a live stream of the event, which will be held June 13 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. The company is expected to unveil iOS 10, OS X 10.12 and much more at the software-oriented keynote in front of thousands of lucky developers.

The ultimate PC replacement? Wacom Companion 2 [Reviews]

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Wacom_3
A tablet that I can actually work on.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro was titled the ‘Ultimate PC replacement’ by Apple, and for a lot of people it is. But for myself, mainly working within the creative world designing graphics, editing videos and conjuring up visual effects — this isn’t really possible on the iPad Pro yet.

But I think I’ve found the solution in the form of Wacom’s latest tablet, the Cintiq Companion 2.

Check out my full video review below.

Microsoft can’t even give away Windows 10

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Microsoft-Surface
Windows 10 is almost a year old, and Windows 7 still rules.
Photo: Microsoft

I like Windows 10. There, I said it. But unfortunately for Microsoft, millions of others have no interest in it.

Despite being free for almost a year, the company’s latest upgrade hasn’t been able to put any significant dent in Windows 7’s user base. It has only just overtaken the universally despised Windows 8.1 release.

Microsoft takes aim at Macs in latest Windows 10 ads

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Screen Shot 2016-02-29 at 15.00.01
As this, err, slow-moving creepy crawly shows.
Photo: Microsoft

The rivalry between Apple and Microsoft may not be as fierce as it once was, but that’s not stopped the long-time Apple frenemy from firing shots in Cupertino’s direction in its latest series of ads for Windows 10.

Presented by two insect educators called “The Bug Chicks” (because, obviously, Windows and bugs go together perfectly!), the ads look at various features that Apple computers just don’t offer yet. You know, like that whole “blue screen of death” lark.

Microsoft excited to almost reach iPad levels of success with Windows 10

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It's on many devices, but we still don't know what kind of devices.
It's on many devices, but we still don't know what kind of devices.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft is excited, as it’s almost got as many installs of Windows 10 as there are iPads. Of course, the Redmond-based tech company didn’t put it in as many words, rather shouting out that Windows 10 is on now on a ton of devices.

“As of today,” writes Microsoft on its website, “there are more than 200 million monthly active devices around the world running Windows 10.”

That’s surely a lot of installs, showing significant growth.

Should Apple merge iOS with OS X for iPad Pro?

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fnf_1024
It's that time of the week again!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Is merging iOS with OS X a good idea? For the longest time, the answer to that question has been a resounding no from anyone who appreciates good software — but with iPad Pro on the horizon, there may well be a growing case for it.

Friday-Night-Fights-bug-2The iPad Pro has the potential to be the ultimate 2-in-1 — a laptop that could really replace a notebook when you need to get stuff done. But in many ways, it’s being held back by iOS, which is still very much a mobile platform without many of the basics we have on our desktops — like a file manager.

So, is there now room for a new platform that delivers the best of iOS and OS X, perfectly suited to a tablet that doubles as a notebook?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Android and Cult of Mac as we battle it out over that very question!

Microsoft trade-in program pays you $300 to ditch Mac

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Microsoft is giving extra love to Mac owners.
Microsoft is giving extra love to Mac owners.
Photo: Microsoft

Looking to get a new computer this Fall? Microsoft thinks it has an unbeatable offer with its new Windows Tradeup program offers customers $200 to trade in an old PC and buy a new one at a Microsoft Store.

The deal is even sweeter if you got a Mac though, because Microsoft says it’s willing to toss you an extra $100 your way to get you to defect from  Apple.

How Microsoft’s ambitious new Lumia 950 phones compare to rivals

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Windows 10 Mobile
Windows phones could be about to make a comeback.
Photo: Microsoft
Could you fall in love with a Lumia? Photo: Microsoft
Could you fall in love with a Lumia? Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft’s new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL have arrived, with high-end specifications, iris recognition technology, and the latest Windows 10 software. But do they have what it takes to persuade you to give up Android or iOS?

Find out in our in-depth comparison below.

Microsoft’s new Lumia phones boast facial recognition, liquid cooling

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microsofts-new-lumia-phones-boast-facial-recognition-liquid-cooling-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201510Lumia-950-and-XL-png
Microsoft's new flagships have finally arrived. Photo: Microsoft
Microsoft’s new flagships have finally arrived. Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft hopes to tempt you away from Android and iOS with a pair of flagship smartphones that boast built-in facial recognition and liquid cooling.

The Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL scan your eyes instead of your fingerprints for lightning-fast unlocking, and they’re the first smartphones on the market powered by Windows 10.

Boot Camp 6 brings Windows 10 to Mac

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Boot Camp now supports Windows 10.
Boot Camp now supports Windows 10.
Photo: Microsoft

Mac users can now use Windows 10 on their OS X machines, thanks to an update for Boot Camp released by Apple this morning.The new Boot Camp 6 update is still propagating through Apple’s servers, but some users have found the update is available on Windows partitions in BootCamp.

Jimmy Fallon’s Mac throws Clippy into a rage

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Jimmy Fallon Clippy Windows 10
Hide the Mac, Fallon, or he'll rip the rest of your fingers off.
Photo: NBC

If you’re going to own a Mac, you should maybe put it away somewhere if you’re expecting a visit from Clippy.

Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon learned that lesson the hard way when he was talking up the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft’s latest OS last night. As is his wont, Microsoft Word’s built-in assistant appeared at random, and everything was cordial until the talking paper clip spotted the MacBook on Fallon’s desk.

You can check out the rest of the clip below.

Future versions of Windows could update like World of Warcraft

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Future version of Windows could update like MMOs, will Apple follow suit? Photo: Neowin
Future versions of Windows could update like MMOs. Will Apple follow suit? Photo: Neowin

These days, Apple has one of the better cloud infrastructures in the world. Even so, the sheer demand for a new version of iOS or OS X on release day can bring Apple’s network to its knees. Apple’s servers simply can’t keep up with the demand.

But Microsoft might have found a better way. In the latest version of the Windows 10 operating system beta, there’s an option to download app and OS updates from multiple sources: not just Microsoft’s cloud servers, but all local network or PCs on the internet.

In other words? The future of updating operating systems might be a lot like updating World of Warcraft.

Check out this sea of MacBooks at Microsoft’s Windows 10 event

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Photo:
And the take-home message is... Buy Microsoft? Photo: Austen Allred

Microsoft showed off a few neat concepts at yesterday’s Windows 10 conference. But while looking at the stage showed a company secure about its place in the tech world, turning around and facing the audience revealed a very different picture: a room full to bursting with MacBook-wielding journos.

Grasswire co-founder Austen Allred tweeted the above image taken at the event, adding the pithy understatement “A couple MacBooks at the Windows 10 Unveiling…”

If one were needed, it’s yet another reminder for longtime tech followers about just who won the PC war in the long run, despite Microsoft’s dominance during the 1990s. We can’t say we’re brokenhearted about it, either.

6 ways Microsoft copied Apple with Windows 10 (plus some truly new ideas)

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It's on many devices, but we still don't know what kind of devices.
It's on many devices, but we still don't know what kind of devices.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft just unveiled the future of Windows 10 today in Redmond. Along with some crazy holographic goggles that take on Google Glass and Oculus, company executives revealed the ambitious plan to make the next generation of Windows the first truly universal platform for desktop PCs, laptops, smartphones and more.

The 2.5 hour keynote was packed with new features coming to Windows 10 devices and the Xbox, but eagle-eyed Apple fanboys have already noticed a few ways Microsoft was influenced by some of Apple’s best features.

Here are 5 plays Microsoft stole from Apple’s playbook:

How to run Windows 10 on your Mac for free

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Because you can. Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
Because you can. Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

One of the selling points of a Mac these days is the ability to run Windows software on it, via virtualization or Apple’s own Boot Camp. Running Windows lets you play PC games that haven’t been ported to the Mac, or stay completely compatible with your documents from a PC-centric workplace.

Virtualization software like Parallels or VMWare Fusion (two of the best apps to run Windows software on your Mac without partitioning your hard drive for Boot Camp) isn’t free, though these applications do allow you to try before you buy. Windows 8.1, the current version of Microsoft’s operating system, will run you about $120 for a plain-jane version.

You can run the next-gen OS from Microsoft (Windows 10) on your Mac using virtualization for free, however. We took a quick run at doing just that, as originally sussed out by the fantastic folks over at iMore.