The rumors turned out to be true. Microsoft has officially entered the health-tracking wearable market, releasing the Microsoft Band smartwatch and Microsoft Health service. Available cross-platform on Android, iOS and Windows Phone, Microsoft Band and Health can track and provide insights into a user’s heart rate, steps, calorie burning and sleep patterns. Microsoft Health also works with … continue reading
Hype can be a divisive word. In terms of emerging technology, hype can be spun as positive buzz, inflated expectations, in-demand and trendy, or markedly oversaturated. But what it doesn’t translate to is real-world value. Research firm Gartner defines its yearly Hype Cycle report as a “model designed to help clients make intelligent decisions about … continue reading
Nokia enters post-device future with Nokia Z Android Launcher The Nokia Z Android Launcher, a home screen replacement for Android phones that learns and evolves based on usage patterns, has released its first major update and opened its pre-beta to download and test the launcher. Developed by the Nokia Technologies Group, a separate entity from … continue reading
BlackBerry takes on Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Cortana BlackBerry has announced a new feature expected for BlackBerry 10.3: BlackBerry Assistant, a virtual assistant similar to Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Cortana. The virtual assistant is voice-activated and helps manage simple tasks such as searching e-mail and calendar, sending invitations, and figuring out what’s trending on Twitter. … continue reading
Microsoft has evolved considerably from its early days selling developer tools, or its era focusing on Windows and Office, or its run as a server software maker, or its first iteration as a cloud/online services company. Despite all the myriad changes, it’s always been true that Microsoft does not excel at innovation. In fact, when … continue reading
To mark the start of the next fiscal year, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella sent out a lengthy memo to employees laying out, among other things, a proposed reorganization of the company, a renewed focus on devices and services and a call to action to “reinvent productivity.” The memo, entitled “Bold Ambition & Our Core,” talks … continue reading
Universal Windows apps, SDKs and Cortana point to a company that still loves its developers … continue reading
