Four days ago, Microsoft China released a Bing branded AI chat bot Xiaobing. Initially, the Bing chat bot was exclusively available in Tencent’s WeChat, the most popular mobile messaging app in China. But since yesterday, Tencent immediately banned all Xiaobing’s conversations because of privacy and security concerns.…
The disturbing disappearance of the Surface Mini
On Tuesday, Microsoft announced the Surface Pro 3, available now for pre order, and shipping beginning June 20th. There are plenty of reasons to either be excited for, or nervous about, the fate of the third generation of Surface Pro, but it’s what Microsoft didn’t announce this week …
Microsoft quietly pushes Cortana China specific features to users
Today I noticed some changes to Cortana on Windows Phone 8.1. Microsoft has quietly pushed China specific features and contents to Chinese users, though Cortana is still only available when the phone is set to US(region, speech and language).
Chinese users, with Cortana enabled WP8.1 phones, don’t need …
Surface Pro 3: Can Microsoft Think Different about hardware?
Today in New York City, Microsoft unveiled the Surface Pro 3, a 12″ 3:2 ratio tablet/laptop hybrid that refines the Surface line and comes across as a showcase device for what a Surface and One Microsoft can do together. Rather than bow to pressures to compete directly …
The Satya Nadella Mythology
Tomorrow, new Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is expected to unveil the next generation of Surface devices, and mark his 112th day on the job, by our count. It’s a good mark for the beginning of Nadella’s transition from his self-imposed “first hundred days” of meeting with customers, partners, …
Microsoft Careers job teases Cortana on Windows
Since Microsoft announced Cortana along with Windows Phone 8.1 at Build 2014, “Will Cortana come to more platforms” seems to be one of the top questions. Cortana herself has said she’s a fan of PCs – a hint that Cortana could go beyond Windows Phone, but Microsoft has …
Microsoft announced new WP OEMs K-Touch and Blu
Today, two new phone makers K-Touch and Blu join Windows Phone OEMs camp. Microsoft announced these two OEM partners at the Qualcomm Reference Design and Wireless Innovation Summit in China.…
Outlook.com adds new features, boasts “the most sophisticated rules in webmail”
In a blog post on the Outlook.com blog today, Microsoft announced the upcoming release of Advanced Rules, which allow you to create “multi-condition” and “multi-action” sets of rules, and you can combine and customize your existing rules and use a number of optional conditions, including several that are …
Surface Mini: On the way, but at what price?
Yesterday Microsoft sent out invitations to “a small event” in New York City on May 20th, and word on the street is that the company will finally be announcing a smaller version of the Surface. From what we’re gathering from the rumors swirling out there, Satya Nadella will …
Does “One Microsoft” include Nokia, Xbox apps?
Last Friday, Microsoft and Nokia made it official, and now the Nokia devices and services businesses (apart from HERE Maps and location services) are now part of Microsoft. This morning, in a live blog session on the Nokia Conversations blog (which is also now part of Microsoft, …
