In addition, the company says new Alpha participation invites are being rolled out. Aviation aficionados will be happy to see the Boeing 747-8i make its debut on Microsoft Flight Simulator. However, the company says there are some known issues with the plane. For example, there are some graphics glitches, display problems, guidance system performance issues, and more. Microsoft says these problems will be resolved over the coming weeks. Sticking with aircraft, Microsoft Flight Simulator developers also made improvements to existing planes....

You may remember earlier this year, we reported on the possibility of the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 running the HoloLens 2. That rumor now has a contesting report as sources say it will actually be the Snapdragon 850 in the device. So, either way, Qualcomm seems to be the chipmaker of choice for HoloLens 2. You may know the Snapdragon 850 as an update chipset that levels some of the compromises made by the Snapdragon 835....

Yes, that means the Surface Pro 9 will be available in either Intel or ARM variants. This essentially mainstreams Microsoft’s Windows on ARM plans and puts it on the company’s flagship device. Aside from that huge first, the Pro 9 is very much a small upgrade on last year’s model, albeit it with significant talking points such as 5G support thanks to that ARM support. On the Intel side, the Surface Pro 9 is available running 12th generation CPUs from Intel....

In its latest move, Microsoft seems to have also stopped people in Russia from being able to download Windows 11 and Windows 10 ISOs. Furthermore, the Redmond giant has also now stopped Windows Insiders in Russia from installing new preview builds. While the company has not officially taken this stance, there are enough reports from Russian users to suggest Microsoft is taking a hard line on Windows. This could be just the start too as there is a chance Microsoft will eventually shut down the whole Windows Update system in Russia....

Called AppWindow, the new class allows UWP developers to run all application windows on the same UI thread. Microsoft has released AppWindow APIs with Windows 10 SDK Preview 18327. You can learn more about AppWindow and use the APIs from the GitHub page here. While UWP developers have always been able to create multiple windows in apps, they would need to write hundreds of lines of code. Thanks to the new class, dev’s can now create these multiple windows with just a few lines of code....

As normal, the new release works with previously released Windows 10 SDKs and Visual Studio 2017. It is worth remembering that Windows SDK is now supported exclusively through VS 2017. This is a Redstone 5 preview update, so is only available from Windows Insiders at the moment. The Preview SDK can be downloaded from developer section on Windows Insider. In terms of what’s new, Microsoft has added MSIX Support, something developers have been asking for....

Among the services PlayFab brought to Microsoft are virtual currency tracking, leaderboards, authentication, commerce, and more. The company has now integrated features from the software into live game operations through Azure cloud. The new platform was announced by Kevin Gammill, general manager of gaming cloud at Microsoft in a blog post today: “As game developers, we strive to build incredible gaming experiences with dynamic play that drives engagement,” Gammill said....

It was widely thought the company would introduce a new generation Surface Studio 3 at the event this year. However, rumors that began last month about Microsoft using old specs on the new machine raised doubts. Now it is clear both were true, there is a new Surface Studio and it does have old specs. It is called the Surface Studio 2+ and acts as a refresh of the previous model rather than an overhaul....

Microsoft points out the initiative will help games become more accessible to gamers with impairments. Specifically, developers can choose to have a title tested against Xbox Accessibility Guidelines (XAGs): “Developers now have the option to send Microsoft their Xbox or PC title and have it analyzed and validated against the recommendations provided in the XAGs,” says an Xbox blog post. Xbox Accessibility Guidelines is documentations that provides details on how developers can integrate inclusive access into their games....

Last week, we reported on Microsoft pausing what was believed to be the RTM version of Windows 10 April 2019. Specifically, it was removed for users updating from the last Slow Ring release, build 18356.16. Microsoft says an issue is preventing users on that build upgrading to build 18362. The company has delayed the release for those users while it searches for a fix. “In the meantime, Build 18362 will no longer be offered to Insiders who are on Build 18356....

1 Easier navigation, better presentation2 Developers get broader exposure3 Microsoft to “kill” gallery on April 30 Back in July 2015, Microsoft announced the release of custom visuals, along with the general availability of Power BI. Now, the company has announced in a blog post that it has begun moving the Power BI custom visuals to the Office Store. As for the custom visuals gallery, it will still be available after Microsoft has finished moving the custom visuals to the Office Store....

The savings cover Surface devices, Xbox, accessories and more, but the biggest savings are on Windows PCs. Best President’s Day Deals Searching through all of the different items can be a difficult task, so we’ve provided some of the best deals for you. Here’s a selection of PCs on sale: Alienware 15 Touch Signature Edition Gaming Laptop: 15.6-inch UHD touchscreen, Intel Core i7-6700HQ, 16 GB RAM, GTX 970M Graphics – $1399 ($1,100 off) VAIO Z Flip VJZ13BX0211B Signature Edition Laptop: 13....

According to Microsoft, yesterday’s Patch Tuesday was the last time the two older Microsoft Office versions will receive security updates. You can also throw in no more technical support or bug fixes. End of support means MacOS users need to be running Office 2019 to receive future updates. That does not mean users of the older Microsoft Office builds must upgrade. It is possible to still use Office 2010 and Office 2016, albeit without the safety net of support from Microsoft: “This means that we’ll no longer provide technical support, bug fixes, or security updates for these products, and organizations that continue to use them may face increased security risks and compliance issues over time....

It is worth noting Minecraft Earth has been testing on iOS since last month. However, those tests have been limited to just five cities around the world. With pre-registrations now open, it seems Microsoft is preparing for a wider rollout. First announced in April this year, Minecraft Earth is Microsoft’s first AR title. Developed in the same division as Microsoft’s next Halo game for Xbox, the new Minecraft experience will be available for free on iOS and Android....

Interestingly, Microsoft has also started advising people to buy brand new laptops instead of upgrading from Windows 7. According to the company, there could be driver issues when upgrading from Windows 7. “For most Windows 7 users, moving to a new device with Windows 10 Pro is the recommended path forward. Surface devices are faster and lightweight, and more powerful and more secure, with an average price that’s considerably less than that of the average PC eight years ago....

Spotted by LetsGoDigital, it details an Xbox Elite Controller with a Braille display on the back. This would give physical bumps for in-game text or dialogue, aiding those who have clues for elements on-screen but struggle with text from a distance. Though text-to-speech solutions exist, Microsoft says screen readers can lag gameplay. Its solution could provide additional data to complement screen readers, such as chat in a multiplayer game....

Microsoft describes the solution as a Flexible Magnetic Actuator. The company uses two layers of flexible magnets, which allows the magnetic attraction to be dynamically adjusted between layers. This makes it ideal as a wearable technology, for example woven into cloth or another fabric. In the Microsoft Patent, the company explains how the controller could increase or decrease friction between the magnetic layers. Alternatively, layers could be locked into place....

For example, like on Microsoft Teams, the Planner appears in a tab. This will be the same for SharePoint, where the tab can be used to house tasks in a single location. Planner makes it easier for businesses to manage teamwork operations, allowing the creation of team-wide email notifications, project due dates, and visual dashboards. There are two specific Planner abilities integrated into SharePoint. The first gives users tools to add a plan to the left navigation pane of SharePoint sites: “Adding a plan – The +New button on the homepage of every SharePoint site makes it easy to create lists and document libraries directly from your homepage....

That changed on Wednesday with the release of Microsoft Planner for iOS. Users can now create plans, share files and collaborate from iPad or iPhone. The result is a much faster, performance-tweaked experience. Users can just start up the app and retain their login regardless of any browser cache changes. However, be aware that you need an Office 365 commercial subscription to use it. Android and Windows 10 Mobile Microsoft has confirmed plans for an Android version next, though it’s not clear how long that will take....

PowerShell 7 has been in preview for over a year. It expands the capabilities of the tool that gives users a command-line shell and solution for managing scripts and modules. “Today, we’re happy to announce the Generally Available (GA) release of PowerShell 7.0,” Microsoft’s Joey Aiello writes in the announcement. “We’d like to thank our many, many open-source contributors for making this release possible by submitting code, tests, documentation, and issue feedback....