Microsoft has $500K in prize money for HoloLens science projects

Microsoft wowed me a few weeks ago with its internal HoloLens programs, but like we've seen with Kinect, the coolest uses aren't always the ones Redmond devised. To help make more applications a reality, the tech giant has opened up what it's calling the Academic Research Request for Proposals. Five awards -- each including $100,000 and two HoloLens development kits -- will go to accredited universities and be announced this October 6th. The official reasoning here is that Microsoft wants to "better understand the role and possible applications for holographic computing in society." So, to see what people outside of the Redmond campus think augmented reality is capable of. Got it. Other objectives include spurring research for mixed reality and generally getting more people to make holograms. A few examples the company lays out are data visualizations (similar to Epic Games) and creating 3D models for medical training.

Microsoft stresses that these proposals need to be absolutely complete and that those submitting them be fully capable of carrying out the research or experiments. From the sounds of it, projects that answer high-value research questions and could be easily published in places like academic journals will curry favor among judges. All that to say, Microsoft isn't giving any of these awards out lightly. Think your US-based institution has what it takes? Deadline for sign-ups is September 5th.


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Microsoft to finalize Windows 10 this week

Microsoft to finalize Windows 10 this week !

Microsoft is planning to finalize Windows 10 this week, ahead of its official launch later this month. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that the company is currently working on final copies of Windows 10, with a release to manufacturing (RTM) build expected later this week. RTM candidate builds have already been spotted online. Once the RTM build is ready, Microsoft will send the final copy of Windows 10 to its PC partners ahead of a release to the public on July 29th.

"WE WILL NEVER BE DONE."

While the RTM process has been a significant milestone for previous releases of Windows, it’s more of a minor one for Windows 10. Microsoft is moving Windows 10 to a "Windows as a service" model that means the operating system is regularly updated. That’s part of the reason Windows 10 is considered the "final version of Windows," as regular updates means it’s never really finished. "We will never be done," explained Windows chief Terry Myerson last week, and we’ll start to see future Windows 10 updates roll out regularly in the coming months. Those include extensions support for Microsoft’s Edge browser and many app updates for the built-in Windows 10 applications.

An example of Microsoft’s rapid progress with Windows 10 can be seen in recent builds that the company has provided to testers. Microsoft released three separate versions of Windows 10 last week (build 10158, 10159, and 10162) and each contained minor improvements. While there’s still a debate around the readiness of Windows 10, Microsoft has been squashing hundreds of bugs in the OS in just a week. Driver problems and other software bugs still remain on some systems, but the RTM milestone won’t mean these stay a problem for long. Once Microsoft has finalized Windows 10 this week the company will continue to work on bug fixes ready for the July 29th release date. Windows 10 testers will get a copy of the final version first, and the company will be rolling out the OS to the public in waves starting on July 29th.

Microsoft rebrand the Xbox Music to Groove

Microsoft rebrand the Xbox Music to Groove

Microsoft killed off the Xbox Music branding in its music and video apps for Windows 10, but today the company is rebranding the entire service to Groove. In a blog post detailing the changes, Microsoft's reasoning for the new name appears to be because "Groove describes what people feel and do with music." Groove will be largely the same as Xbox Music, but Microsoft is planning to update it regularly in the coming months. At launch, alongside Windows 10 later this month, the Groove app will work in both light and dark themes with features that are currently in the Windows 10 preview.

While there's no free streaming version of Groove, following the end of Microsoft's free music streaming last year, the company is pitching this updated service to those with big collections of MP3s. Groove will support the ability to upload music to Microsoft's OneDrive cloud storage service and access the songs for free from Windows devices, Xbox consoles, and Android or iPhone handsets. Like Xbox Music before it, there's also a subscription service for $9.99 a month or $99 year that provides access to stream and download music from the Windows Store.

Alongside the Groove rebrand, Xbox Video is also getting a new name. In Windows 10 the app will simply be called Movies & TV, with access to download TV and movies or import personal collections. You can rent or buy movies and TV shows, and they'll be available on all Windows 10 devices and Xbox consoles, but there doesn't appear to be plans to extend this to Android and iOS devices just yet.

Microsoft says "Windows Insiders who are a part of the Fast ring and upgrade to the next PC build will see these updates," which suggests that a new build will be made available to testers ahead of the Windows 10 release on July 29th. Microsoft is planning to finalize Windows 10 this week, and the company is currently putting the finishing touches to the OS before it starts regularly updating it over the coming months.

Update, 3:50PM July 6th: Microsoft mistakenly referred to Groove as Groove Music in its announcement. The company says it's simply Groove and is working to correct its mistake. This article has been updated to reflect the correct name.

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Windows 10 the last Windows version?

Windows 10 the last Windows version?

Right now we’re releasing Windows 10, and because Windows 10 is the last version of Windows, we’re all still working on Windows 10
These words were said by Microsoft developer Jerry Nixon at company’s ignite conference. But, what does this statement mean? So Microsoft won’t be making operating systems anymore? Or, it’s something else? Well, the truth lies in another statement by Microsoft: “Windows as a service.”

With the upcoming launch of its most complete operating system to date, Microsoft wants you to think of more than an operating system when you think of Windows 10. It aims to challenge your conventional definition of OS and wants to evolve the world’s most popular operating system as a service. So, calm down, Microsoft won’t be grounding your favorite operating system. But, it won’t be releasing any other Windows version in foreseeable future.

Actually, Microsoft doesn’t like to call Windows an operating system anymore. The company has been discussing the idea of Windows as a service from some time but hasn’t said anything specific on the topic. The Verge writes that it’s possible that there won’t be any major future Windows release in the conceivable future. The software company wants to release regular improvements and updates instead of any big release like Windows 10.

Microsoft will make sure that the apps and Start Menu act as an independent part and would be updated regularly on whole Windows ecosystem spread across various sized devices. This may take few months’ time, but the company has already shown some promising commitment to this ideology by releasing number of apps and Windows 10 services ahead of the summer launch of Window 10.

Nixon told the Verge: “Recent comments at Ignite about Windows 10 are reflective of the way Windows will be delivered as a service bringing new innovations and updates in an ongoing manner, with continuous value for our consumer and business customers. Customers can be confident Windows 10 will remain up-to-date.”

So, it’s safe to think that Microsoft will refrain itself from launching a big upgrade to the Windows 10 operating system in near future. Just like your Chrome browser gets updates and you don’t know the current browser your browser, you will receive constant Windows 10 updates without worrying about the Windows 11 or Windows 20 release around the corner in future.

Just like your Chrome browser gets updates and you don’t know the current browser your browser, you will receive constant Windows 10 updates without worrying about the Windows 11 or Windows 20 release around the corner in future.

Did you like Microsoft’s idea? Share your views in comments below!