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MICROSOFT ANNOUNCED ITS updates for both its mobile operating system (OS) and desktop service, Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 8.1.
At Microsoft’s developer conference BUILD, Microsoft executive, Joe Belfiore, revealed the two new updates at the event’s keynote speech.
Windows Phone 8.1 will be released to the public in the “next few months” although certain phones with it installed installed could be out sooner.
Alongside a new look, the biggest feature announced for Windows Phone was Microsoft’s long awaited personal voice assistant Cortana, which replaces the OS’ traditional search function.
Sharing a number of similarities with Apple’s Siri and Google Now, Cortana takes note of everything you share with it including reminders, interests and locations, to provide relevant suggestions and reminders.
For those who don’t want the personal assistant to note everything you do, its notebook feature allows you to allow or block Cortana’s access to specific information and functions.
Similar to Google Now, it can also remind you of events – and remind you when certain events clash – find places, schedule reminders and responds to natural language.
Cortana is only launching as a beta in the US first before it expands to the UK and other countries in the coming months.
Other features included in the update are an action centre – effectively a notification centre with toggle buttons for airplane mode and other services – and ‘Wi-Fi sense’, which allows your phone to connect to free wifi hotspots as well as share your home wifi connection without giving away your password.
It also features an improved navigation and keyboard service, the latter having fast-typing capabilities similar to Swype for Android.
Windows 8.1
The update to Windows 8.1 wasn’t as major as its mobile equivalent, instead opting for small updates to help improve the experience for keyboard and mouse users.
Some of the updates include making the taskbar visible on both the Start screen and tiled apps – so it’s easier to switch between desktop and tiled apps mode – tiles are easier to select and modify using the mouse, and a power button on the Start screen for easier shutdown.
This update will arrive on 8th April as an automatic download.
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Amnesty and others should be ashamed of themselves coming out with this kind of gift wrapped propaganda for Russia, theres only one side commiting war crimes and it aint Ukraine
@Buí agus Gorm: The rules of international humanitarian law are there to protect everyone. If you deny one side’s responsibilities you open up the Pandoras box. And a breach of international humanitarian law is not necessarily a war crime. War crimes are reserved for serious breaches. And you are right: the only war crimes that I have seen have come from the Russian side. But Amnesty should not be ashamed for standing up for international law.
@Nicholas McMurry: every rule is being broken by Russia who cares about the Russian pow’s getting a bit of a video taken of them they are getting off lightly.
@Nicholas McMurry: agreed. To put it simply, two wrongs don’t make a right.
Hang on a minute, they are not POW’s as Herr Putin has said it is not a “war”
I wonder if “organised” groups like paid Syrian mercenaries or Chechen terrorists are to be treated as POW’s? Given their track records of brutality and human rights abuses, they should be shot out of hand.
@Paul Shepherd: mercenaries are not entitled to combatant nor prisoners of war status afforded under the Geneva Convention. As for ‘terrorists’ if they are members of a local opposition, clearly identifiable and openly carrying weapons they are entitled to such status.
@D. Memery: I’m sure their victims will be relieved that their human rights will be respected.
@Paul Shepherd: perhaps you should direct your critism at the authors of the convention and the International Red Cross so! If you read the link you will note that although mercenaries are not entitled the combatant status they are permitted to be detained and tried for any crimes committed under civilian law.
If some dude came to my country and attacked my family n friends and then I captured him. I wouldn’t be caring if some yolk from the UN thought filming him was degrading. To be honest i probably wouldnt be keeping him alive in the first place.
@Rob Gale: What is the point in defending our values if we don’t have any?
I’m sorry but did Russia worry about all the innocents they have killed in cold blood? Women, children, the old and the sick. And those soldiers looked like middle Eastern blokes that joined up.
@Roy Dowling: oh b1. te me you @$$ wipe. I’m not gender biased I’m on the side of those unable to defend themselves. Why are there such €€jits here making such immature uneducated comments in the middle of a conflict.
@Anna Carr: hopefully I’ll never get close enough to you to b1.te you. People like you are why are to the problems of this world. You expect all men capable to defend themselves but no women are capable to defend themselves. Makes it more gender bias on your side.
I think Ukraine needs to take the high ground and not engage in tactics Putin would use.
Civilians didn’t sign up to the Geneva convention to protect Russian invaders. When this goes full guerilla warfare those sad phone calls will be public executions.
The general perception is that Putin started a war. I would suggest cautiously that Putin started an invasion. By way of Ukraine’s defence, a war began. Compare this war to the US troops exiting Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda (although already largely present with the country) carried out an invasion. Not a war. While I admire Zelenskyy’s bravery and hope the best for him, I can’t help but think he’s not being realistic in meeting Putin halfway. That Ireland voted to fast-track Ukraine into the EU will only stoke the fire. But then Ireland is just an EU provincial government. France / Netherlands who both vetoed the move is a tad more realistic.
have your say