This is important because it helps customers save by reducing costs. In its announcement, Microsoft says “We are continually looking for ways to lower the overall cost of managing cloud infrastructure.” Maintaining virtual machines by keeping them on the latest OS version can be costly. Developers usually need to patch VM images across individual VMs at intervals (monthly, for example). This is both time consuming and not cost-effective. The new automation ability for scale sets simplifies upgrading OS images and reduces cost....

Microsoft says the virtual reality meeting place and communication tool has had a record number of inquiries from organizations wanting to adopt VR technology during the COVID-19 outbreak. To make the platform more accommodating for individuals and businesses, Microsoft has announced some new tools. AltSpaceVR now has the ability to create ticketed events, and engage in private meetings and conferences. Elsewhere, services like Patreon can link into the platform to create meetings....

To avoid giant ‘NOT FINAL’ watermarks, Sketchy Shapes in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel makes regular linework much messier. By changing the outline style of a shape, users can quickly indicate that their concept is a wireframe, with several different line styles. The feature brings it closer to the typical hand-drawn early stage sketches you might see in the first phases. At any point, users can turn off the style to indicate a step forward in the design process....

Many of Microsoft’s employees are working at home and Nadella says he wants Microsoft to be at the forefront of using technology to tie people together during these troubled times. The email sent by Satya Nadella was also posted on LinkedIn. Titled “Coming together to combat COVID-19”, the CEO explained how Microsoft’s services have become fundamental in the fight against coronavirus. “During this extraordinary time, it is clear that software, as the most malleable tool ever created, has a huge role to play across every industry and around the world....

In an alert on Thursday, the company says bad actors are targeting the flaw in Netlogon Remote Protocol. This is a Windows process that authenticates users against domain controllers. We have previously reported how Zerologon could exploit a vulnerability in Netlogon and start an elevation of privilege attack. As we reported initially, Microsoft has already sent out a patch for the flaw. This patch was supplemented a week later by two third-party patches....

In a blog post detailing the changes coming with Windows 10 May 2021 Update – which is launching this month – Microsoft confirmed Windows 10X is heading into the sunset. Microsoft reasons that the new tools it was planning for Windows 10X would instead be more valuable to the wider Windows 10 userbase: “Instead of bringing a product called Windows 10X to market in 2021 like we originally intended, we are leveraging learnings from our journey thus far and accelerating the integration of key foundational 10X technology into other parts of Windows and products at the company....

You may remember the service was meant to roll out in preview by the end of February. Microsoft missed the deadline and has been quiet since. The Cortana Skills Kit gives developers tools to create new apps and features for the Microsoft virtual assistant. It is a cross-platform service that will run on Android, iOS, Xbox, Windows, and any upcoming Cortana-powered hardware. Developers use the Microsoft Bot Network to build services and bots....

Microsoft’s Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tool is now making its way to Microsoft Defender ATP on Linux. This feature was part of Windows Defender and is now becoming available on open source distros. With EDR, Microsoft Defender detects server-level high-grade attacks and can quickly offer remedies to prevent them. Some of the core features of the tool include: “Rich investigation experience, which includes machine timeline, process creation, file creation, network connections, login events, and advanced hunting....

Since last year, Microsoft Defender has held a feature that allows users to block Potentially Unwanted Applications. However, it has been turned off my default, with users needing to choose the option to prevent PUAs installing. Microsoft says it will now turn this feature on by default. This means PUAs will be blocked automatically, and users will need to toggle the feature off it they don’t want it. PUAs are apps that have been installed on a machine without the knowledge or consent of the user....

Those rival companies are dominating in website creation, allowing organizations and individuals to easily set up websites in minutes. Microsoft’s entry onto the market could allow the company to poach some users from the likes of Squarespace and Wix. That said, Microsoft has a fairly dismal track record of entering an existing market and staying the course. It’s just as likely the website creation service will receive little support and eventually disappear than it is becoming successful....

Jonathan Norman, the head of Microsoft Edge Vulnerability Research, announced the feature in a blog post. However, Super Duper Secure Mode is currently just an experiment running in Edge preview builds for select users. And, yes, the name is a little ridiculous. I hope it is just a fun placeholder and Microsoft will change it officially on full launch. Norman says the majority of vulnerabilities that happen in V8 JavaScript come from JIT....

Specifically, threat actors are targeting users with a tech support scam that is being sent via malicious adverts through the Microsoft Edge “My Feed” section. This is known as a “malvertising” attack where a fake page tricks users into interacting with malicious content. Malwarebytes explains how the campaign functions in a blog and accompanying image. According to the company, the adware attack is sophisticated because the ad banner knows to only redirect potential victims to the scam page....

Microsoft says Math Solver is coming now available for Microsoft Edge on the Chromium base. Debuting in preview, the new feature offers solutions to math problems. It is different to the in-built calculator because it is not simply designed to give and answer. Instead, users can input math problems into Microsoft Edge and see step-by-step instructions on how to solve them. Microsoft explains the feature is designed to help students disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic: “The impact of Covid-19 has forced students to use more digital learning tools and incorporate their web browser into everyday learning,” a new post to the Microsoft Edge blog reads....

That first claim may come as a surprise. After-all, Microsoft actively develops and markets artificial intelligence products that claim to detect emotion. Face API on Azure if the company’s facial recognition technology. Among its various abilities, Microsoft says, is it is capable of detecting emotion in images. This ability was highlighted by Geert Baeke in a blog post in 2019. In the interview with The Guardian, Crawford explained why it is a flawed concept: “The idea that you can see from somebody’s face what they are feeling is deeply flawed....

While it is nice to see a new Windows 10 build laden with features, new builds must also be treated with some caution. Unfortunately, new releases are not always stable. Microsoft works to make new updates as fluent as possible. Indeed, that’s what the Windows Insider Program is for, allowing people to test features while Microsoft stabilizes the platform. Still, new releases on the scale of the Windows 10 Spring Creators Update can be problematic....

Last year’s Windows 10 version 1803 was due to reach the end of support on November 10, 2020, just after the launch of Windows 10 20H2. However, Microsoft says the support is extending to May 11, 2021, giving users an extra six months or so. If you’re unfamiliar with end of support, it when Microsoft stops supporting Windows builds. This means all updates stop. Not just new features are cut off, but security patches are also no longer available....

As reported by CNBC, Microsoft has brought in Tom McGuinness to foster relationships with partners in the healthcare industry. For example, he will work directly with health insurers and hospitals. McGuiness is a veteran of the heath industry so is suited to his position as a Microsoft Corporate Vice President. He previously worked with GE Healthcare as CEO and president of the company’s imaging business. “The job is so difficult for health-care professionals,” Deb Cupp, the company’s vice president of enterprise and commercial industries, told CNBC....

Known as Redstone 3 until today, Microsoft announced today that the successor with the Creators Update will be Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. As the name suggests, the feature upgrade will build on the Creators Update that was launched last month. So, Microsoft is sticking with its push to make Windows 10 a creator’s dream. Expect Microsoft to tweak the Creators Update experience, but the Fall Creators Update will also come with significant new features....

If you are unfamiliar with security baselines, they are a core group of configuration settings recommended by Microsoft to enhance security. These are industry-standard configurations that are tested to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Microsoft regularly updates the baseline to ensure optimum security is maintained. Windows MDM Security Baselines can now be accessed across devices through Microsoft Intune. With the release, Microsoft is also launching MDM Security Baseline for Spring 2019 Update (19H1)....

Several job postings show Microsoft is working on a sequel to its dual-screen Android handset. Those listings seem to show Microsoft will continue the smartphone market trend and give the Surface Duo a spec update. That means no changes in terms of design and form factor, but some important upgrades under the hood. Microsoft seems to be developing the Surface Duo 2 under the codename “Zeta”. Suggesting the job listings were for the handset, Microsoft has since removed them....