Microsoft is ending support of Windows 7 in 2020, meaning anyone who remains on the platform after will be without security patches and software updates. As the cut off draws nearer, Microsoft is about to ramp up upgrade pleas with some good old-fashioned nagging. Next month, the company will begin sending Windows 7 users notifications prompting them to upgrade to Windows 10. While we think these notifications will be annoying, Microsoft calls them a “courtesy reminder”....

Microsoft has pulled the first two patches entirely but doesn’t recommend users uninstall KB4461529, as it remedies four remote code execution flaws. Instead, it says users should use Outlook Web Access to perform tasks. Obviously, all of this marks a huge inconvenience for users, with the bugs first noticed shortly after their release on November 6. Currently, Microsoft is still investigating the issues and is yet to give an ETA on when users can expect normal functionality....

Now, the Redmond giant has announced the release of Skype for Mac v7.50, which adds support for the Share extension on MacOS 10.10 or higher. The Share extensions give users a convenient way to share content with other entities, such as social sharing websites or upload services. For example, in an app that includes a Share button, users can choose a Share extension that represents a social sharing website and then use it to post a comment or other content....

This begins a new way of testing and rollout from the company that could lead to more stability. The company is also bringing 19H2 builds to users via cumulative updates rather than the regular feature update framework to reduce disruption. “As mentioned previously, we may ship features in these updates turned off by default and turn them on via controlled feature rollouts. Doing this helps us gain better feedback on overall build quality,” explained Microsoft Insider leaders Brandon LeBlanc and Donar Sarkar in a blog post....

One of the most convenient changes is the preview’s ability to automatically download updates in the background. There are several different options for this functionality, with ‘download all, then install’ being the default. Search has also been improved, the blue theme has been tweaked to be less luminous, and the document health feature has been given a visual upgrade. They’re all minor upgrades, but they should streamline the software so that users can focus on the important parts....

Upon scan, Security Essentials returned the message: “Your PC couldn’t be scanned. This program’s service has been stopped. You can start the service manually or restart your computer, which will start the service.” Naturally, restarting the computer did not solve the issue as is claimed. This left users without virus protection for some time, but a definition update is now available. You can grab 1.289.1588.0 manually here, which should fix the issue....

Looking at the Graphics page, this is located under the Display sections of the Settings app. Users can now have more granular control over which apps run on the GPU. Windows 10 will now populate a “best-effort basis” list that shows which apps are best to run under the graphics. Apps not included in the list automatically can be added manually by the user. There is also a search box available to check for applications....

Microsoft says the Surface Headphones are available from Thursday (Nov. 15) for pre-order before shipping to customers starting on Nov. 19. However, the device will only be available to customers in the United States and the United Kingdom. That means the Surface Headphones are very limited at the moment. I have been trying to figure out why Microsoft is only launching in two markets. The best explanation I can think of is the price of the headphones....

That Azure name tells you a lot about the camera. This is not a consumer-fronted device but is instead aimed at developers. Indeed, the Azure Kinect DK will not work with Xbox One consoles, fro example. Until now, the camera has been locked in pre-order, but Microsoft is now starting shipments. If you are interested in this device, it costs $399. However, it is currently limited to the United States and China markets....

One of the international features is improved weather results. As well as the usual forecast information, users will be able to a live radar map of their city, with quick links to supporting weather sites. There will also be information on forecasts in nearby cities, as well as metrics for average temperature, rainfall, and snowfall. In general, the idea is to help users plan better, and that’s furthered by a new hotel booking system....

Speaking in an interview with Wired, Lu explained how Microsoft struggles to compete with Alexa: Dedicated Device He says Microsoft and Google focused on an assistant for PC and phone. Instead, they should have focused attention on developing a dedicated device. “The phone, in my view, is going to be, for the foreseeable future, a finger-first, mobile-first device,” explains Lu. “You need an AI-first device to solidify an emerging base of ecosystems....

If you use Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage application on Android, you will be seeing an update today. The company has rolled out Version 5.1 of the app to users of Google’s platform. This is an important release because it delivers a new UI experience to OneDrive. While this is not a radical overhaul, you will certainly see the difference in aesthetic. The app is now more streamlined and efficient. Microsoft has mostly achieved this with a new tab bar, which makes using OneDrive simpler....

The filing in question was made with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (U.S. SEC) for an issue of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). In the August 14 paper, Panos Panay is named. Specifically, there were two papers submitted by Sonos, “Form 3 – Initial statement of beneficial ownership of securities” and “Form 4 – Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities”. According to the filing, the RSUs will “vest in full on the earlier of February 27, 2021 or the next annual meeting of stockholders”....

“The ornamental design for a portable speaker, as shown and described,” it reads, while providing little other supporting information. The design features a device with a circular top and bottom and rounded sides, with volume, answer, hang up, and mute buttons on its surface. Despite some rumors, the patent does not directly mention if the speaker in question is a smart one, nor does it say Cortana will be integrated....

For example, the tweet you see below was posted by the Xbox division. The obvious meaning of the video is hinting at the raw power of Project Scorpio. While the full potential of the device is unknown, we know it will be a beast. Indeed, Microsoft has boasted 6 TERAFLOPS and will allow native 4K gaming. Another teaser video posted on Facebook extends this discussion on power. Windows Central notes the 6>4 on top of the tent is Microsoft directing some gentle ribbing at Sony....

Xbox All Access would package an Xbox One console with Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live for a monthly fee. Microsoft is developing the bundle under the codename Project Largo. Speaking to The Verge, insiders on the project revealed the bundle will allow customers to spread the cost of owning an Xbox One and related services. Both the Xbox One S and Xbox One X will be available for the Xbox All Access bundle....

1 Update2 Mobile Expansion More specifically, Microsoft is developing Sticky Notes 3.0. We wrote about this overhaul of the experience earlier this month, although beyond vague pointers to a deep sync system, we did not know what the update would bring. That has now changed thanks to a report from OneWindows.es. Improving Syncing in Sticky Notes will work across platforms through the same Exchange tech used in Outlook Mail and Calendar....

While the Xbox One lost out to the Sony PlayStation 4 by some distance in hardware sales, the 8th generation of consoles has still been a success. It was during this generation where Microsoft gaming ambitions evolved beyond the Xbox consoles. Whether its Xbox Game Pass for accessing titles on subscription, Project xCloud for streaming games, or the ongoing push for backward compatibility, there have been many positives. Xbox Game Studios is arguably driving this success....

However, it seems the company is using the lull of completed projects to reshuffle. In a memo to employees, CEO Satya Nadella announced plans to axe the Windows and Devices group and form two new engineering teams. ‘Experiences & Devices’ will carry on the work of the Surface line, while also working on a “unified product ethos” and further integration of Windows, and Office 365. Rajesh Jha will head up this division, with Panos Panay as the chief product officer and Joe Belfiore continuing to drive Windows experiences....

A blog post today, the company said it will close most of its Microsoft Store locations. Those closures will happen in the United States and globally. However, Microsoft confirmed four store locations will be converted into Microsoft Experience Centers. These centers combine technology with partners to showcase what Microsoft offers, including through demonstrations. As you can probably guess, tthe companies flagship stores will become Experience Centers. Specifically, locations in New York City (Fifth Ave), London (Oxford Circus), Sydney (Westfield Sydney), and the Redmond campus location....