Microsoft Build 2015 - II

Hello friends, I am back again with the second installment in our series of Microsoft Build 2015. Last time we talked about Microsoft’s services like Azure, Office and Microsoft’s answer for bringing more apps to Windows ecosystem. This time we will be looking at Windows10 for Phone, Hololens, Microsoft Edge, and Continuum for phones, Cortana integration in third party apps and lots more. So let’s get started.

Windows 10 for Phone & Continuum

Before diving into deep details of Windows 10 for Phones first get clear on the name. MS has still not announced any official name for next version of OS for phone. So we are going to call it what we want toJ. In the past few months Microsoft was working very hard to bring its apps on mobile phones but these were not for Windows Phone. Instead Microsoft was pushing its apps and services on Android and iOS. MS released the new Office, Outlook, Onedrive. Most of the Windows Phone users were feeling that MS is abandoning its own loyal users, but this is not the case, as has always been iterated by top Microsoft management best experience will be for users on Windows. So the question is why these new and improved apps on rival platforms when own platform is struggling. The answer is looking into Microsoft’s long term goal of being on top of cloud computing and is trying to woo as many customers into its services.

At Build 2015 Microsoft showed that it was working on something big for its own mobile platform. Microsoft showed off Continuum. Company’s latest innovation in mobile. This feature will turn your phone into a full PC. The feature will be launched with next launch of Windows 10 for Phone.. This feature will require new hardware capabilities which will come with new phones which Microsoft is keeping under secret. Leaks for those phones are coming in but nothing is official about those phones. Continuum enabled phones will have the hardware capable of handling two different screen. So you will be able to work on your phone while you can share photos on big monitor for kids to enjoy. If Microsoft is able to achieve what it wants and expects Continuum to do then this could change the future of smartphones and the way people work. Watch the video below where Joe Belfiore explains how your next windows phone will turn into a full PC.

This feature may be reserved for “Premium Windows Phone” which is not a bad thing, as top end phones need to create a Hero Halo for their lower rated siblings.

 Microsoft Edge

Internet Explorer once was a mighty browser. It still is but since the time Microsoft crushed Netscape with IE, the world has moved on to Mozilla and Google’s Chrome. Internet Explorer still has some strength left in its legs but tag of the best browser for downloading other browsers doesn’t help. So for changing all of this Microsoft started building a new browser for Windows 10, which will be available for PC, tablets and mobiles. Microsoft code named the new browser Project Spartan and during Build’15 conference released the official name ‘Microsoft Edge’. Microsoft Edge will have some cool features built in like Cortana Integration, digital ink annotation and also a built in reading list. Here is the video for Microsoft Edge.

For enterprise customers IE is not going to be dead it will be kept alive by Microsoft. Edge will come with built in support for PDF and Adobe flash so no need for extra add-on.  Really a good move by the company. During conference company also revealed that its latest browser is fastest among the modern browsers, for real life scenarios, we have to wait and see. Microsoft is planning to release Edge to Insider preview members in coming builds of the OS.

As far as I have seen Project Spartan working on my Lumia 730 with Windows 10, it looks good and feels faster and easy to use. Also company during its Ignite event confirmed that Extension support is coming to Edge in Windows Phones. If this happens it would be first time as both Chrome or Safari don’t have this built in feature in them.

Microsoft HoloLens

This technology is really from the future. This could be the next big thing in technology and Microsoft is betting big on this thing to make it a reality. HoloLens is Microsoft’s answer to Google Glass which in any case is not moving too fast forward since its release. With HoloLens company is changing the way of looking augmented reality. With this you can create holographic 3D models, change them, colour them and even print 3D models. On stage Microsoft showed how this can be used for learning human anatomy for medical students. Also this device will work on Windows 10. So developers with Universal Apps can get access to this which is pretty amazing. With this you can put your Skype App on your wall, you can watch videos while on the move in your house. Here is the video for HoloLens in working.

Microsoft did not announced exactly when this device will be ready for marketing or its price. Those people who reviewed the units at private event by company have one issue mainly of limited field of view. But let’s see how far Microsoft is ready to push boundaries this time as this is the make or break case for the company as many times in the past it lost opportunities of gobbling up the market with its innovation to some other company.

So how do you like this year’s Build event? Sound off  in the comments section what you liked what you don’t or what was more expected or anything more you want to know.

Well there are other events lined up in the coming months. Recently, Google has announced its I/O event for this year on 28^th-29^th May, where it’s almost certain of launching the next version of Android. Since last year it was ‘ L for Lollipop’, this year it is going to be ‘M’. Who knows what it will be called, Mango or McVegie. Adding up, Apple has already announced that the  2015 version of WWDC will take place from June 8-12. Lots of new and exciting things are going to come so stay tuned. I’ll be updating soon all the news and views.

Till then take care stay happy and ‘Don’t Use Mobile Phone While Driving.' Cheers!