Beacon Transcript

Information which Matters to You

Friday, January 22, 2021
Log in

Microsoft Added Three New Games to Xbox 360

By

"Microsoft Added Three New Games to Xbox 360"

Microsoft updated its oldies list with three niew titles.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – According to a recent announcement released by Microsoft, old games aficionados have three more reasons to get excited about. The tech company said that it added three new great games to Xbox 360. Gamers will now be able to dig in and play SoulCalibur II, King of Fighters ’98 and Halo Wars using Xbox One’s backwards compatibility mode.

Apparently the rumors were true. Microsoft has just announced that the list of games working with Xbox One’s backwards compatibility just got updated. Users will now be able to experience the SoulCalibur II, the original PS2 title, with no makeup and no additions.

But, wait! Apart from SoulCalibur II, players will be able to relieve the time of epic PVP battles in Halo Wars. Construct your base, build your army and raise hell among the Covenant in this great game. Moreover, those who love the Street Fighter franchise or any other type of arcade-like games can take a crack at King of Fighters ’98, another great title.

It would seem that Microsoft has gained popularity after launching the backward compatibility mode for Xbox One. Presently, Xbox 360, Microsoft’s reliquary of oldie includes over 100 great titles. Furthermore, to give the players a sense of affiliation, the tech company designed Xbox One’s interface from scratch.

Since last November, Xbox’s current UI closely resemble Windows 10. Game-wise speaking, according to the list of great games posted on the web back in December, Microsoft revamped some cool games like Dark Souls: Prepare to Die, Borderlands, Mass Effect and even the first Assassin’s Creed.

Probably the coolest game included in the December list is Fallout 3, the original game plus all DLCs ever released for the game.

An official statistic posted by Microsoft back in March announced that since the backwards compatibility mode was introduced, gamers have accumulated approximately 30 million hours of gameplay.

Now keep in mind that the compatibility app is free for download. However, you will have to buy the games in order to play them. Moreover, you should also know that not all games can be played using this mode. Keep an eye out for the compatibility sign. You’ll usually find it in the upper-right corner of the store after you’ve taped on a game’s icon.

But Xbox One has more than one feature. According to Microsoft, November’s software update now lets users stream Windows 10, Game DVR, allows a multiplayer mode and even screenshots.

So, without further ado, head on over to the gaming library, take your pick and kick some cans.

Photo credits:youtube

Why Holoportation is better than Teleportation

By

"Why Holoportation is better than Teleportation "

A new clip on YouTube shows the benefits of using augmented reality technologies.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – Teleportation seems like fun at first, but it gets very annoying. Beam me up, energize, ready for teleportation, these are all punchlines we have heard one too many times. But what if there is a better way to bridge distances without actually having to travel from one place to another?

Presenting HoloLens and its latest application called Holoportation. Let’s see why holoportation is way better than teleportation. First of all, with teleportation you just travel from one place to another. You’re at home, sipping your coffee, and bam, you wake up on the other side of the world. That’s how teleportation works, or rather how it will work if our science guys will be able to pull this one off.

There was actually a successful teleportation experiment, performed in Germany, where a team of scientists managed to beam classical information from one stream of particles to another, using a powerful laser and a quantum property called entanglement.

Well, it would seem that the guys from Microsoft managed to pull off a much cooler experiment. Using the AR-device and a new technology called Interactive 3D Technology, the wearer of the headband, can teleport anywhere in the world and even interact with his or hers environment and even with other persons.

But, don’t think that you’ll be able to strap on the headband and head to Mars. Although its sound pretty amazing, the technology still has a couple of limitation. First of all, a special environment is needed to perform the holoportation experiment.

Dozens of cameras, affixed all over the chamber, record, in real-time, the participants, every movement, and translates the information into a digital signal that, in turn, is processed by a computer. Basically, the computer creates an alter-ego, which can be transmitted to anywhere in the world, provided that the location has similar equipment.

When the user puts the headgear on, it can see and hear the other person who is wearing a similar gear. Moreover, the movements seem to be so fluid, that the wearer actually thinks that the other person is next to him or her.

Shahram Izadi, the leading researcher at Microsoft’s AR department, posted a clip on YouTube, in which he demonstrated the potential of the new system. And might we say that it’s pretty darn amazing. In the 4-minute long clip, the researcher explained the holoportation technique with the help of his daughter and Sergio.

All in all, the new technology looks and feels pretty fantastic, and, according to Microsoft, AR-based technologies will be more sought than VR.

Photo credits:flickr

Let the Phone do all the Work with Microsoft Hub Keyboard

By

"Let the Phone do all the Work with Microsoft Hub Keyboard"

Hub Keyboard allows users to access other features directly from the keyboard.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – Ever get frustrated over having to switch between applications all the time just because that sweet little keyboard of yours can’t get things straight? Well, it seems that Microsoft thought really hard and came up with a solution. Let the phone do all the work with Microsoft Hub Keyboard, an app designed to save you a lot of time.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was actually an application out there that could help us do some heavy lifting when it comes to working outside of Office applications? Imagine how long it takes to access documents or photos or video or whatever once you are inside a conversation. Think about the frustration, the shattered nerves and the homicidal thoughts you’d harbor against your defenseless smartphone.

Well, you can now cut back on your Dexter routine because Microsoft’s here to save the day. And it doesn’t have a super-hero cape, just a bunch of great ideas. The application, which is called Microsoft Hub Keyboard, comes straight from the drawing board of Garage, Microsoft’s innovation division.

The idea of a true multi-tasking keyboard belongs to Steven Won, the senior designer of the Office division. Won said a while ago, that it’s quite laborious to work around with documents and presentations once you are engaged in a conversation. So, he thought of a plan, ran it over a couple of times with his team, and actually manage to build something that can help the user in some many ways.

Actually, the process was much more complicated. It wasn’t enough for a man to have an idea. Won took his project to the science fair held by Microsoft. There he managed to win the hearts of some techie. And, long story made short, the company liked his idea, put together a team of 7 techies and created the application.

The history lesson is over, so let’s take a look at the application. How do you use the Hub Keyboard? Basically, you can download and install it like any other app found in the online store. Once installed an activated, each time you will want to type in a message to someone, a charm bar appears just above the word suggestion bar.

From here, you can perform a quick search for documents, PowerPoint presentations, excel sheets, photos, pictures, contacts, mail and others. Unfortunately, you can only use this application in order to search for Office 365 documents. But think about how much time you will save by having an improved toolbar which you can use to search for things throughout your phone.

And to make things spicier, you can also use the Hub charm bar in order to translate words and sentences into other languages.

Let the phone do all the work with Microsoft Hub keyboard, an app designed to spare your phone from an untimely death.

Photo credits:www.wikipedia.org

Plumbago should make your John Hancock Legible

By

"Plumbago should make your John Hancock Legible "

The experimental application needs more testing before it can perform flawlessly.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – Recently, Microsoft launched a new experimental application which should smoothen your handwriting. Designed to work with Surface Pro, Plumbago should make your John Hancock legible and your life much easier thanks to the improved UI.

Although most of us are still uncomfortable with the idea of writing with a stylus on a tablet, it would seem that this is indeed the future. And it’s probably a much better idea to use an app to scribble our thoughts rather than using plain paper. It might be also good for the trees, come to think of it.

Well, without further ado, here’s Microsoft Garage’s latest application. The novel app is called Plumbago (not lumbago), and the whole idea behind it is to improve the quality of your handwritten notes. And no, we are not going to make any jokes about the doctor’s handwriting, even though everyone loves hieroglyphs.

Long story made short, Plumbago is an odd one. According to several reviews posted on the web, Plumbago is a combination between OneNote, Sway, and Word. Well, with all these perks, one would think that the new application is quite a sight to behold.

In truth, all the users who tested the application said that they have seen no distinguishable difference in terms of legibility between Plumbago and OneNote for example. This aspect can be quite a turn-off for some of the users who were looking forward to downloading an application that can enhance the quality of their handwritten notes.

So, how does this app work? Well, according to the reviews it is much easier to use than OneNote. Simply configure your personal notebook, which can contain up to 25 pages. Change their style, background, the usual stuff before you begin to complain about writer’s block.

Among the backgrounds you can choose, there is a template which closely resembles those obnoxious notebooks we used to have in school. It might be cool to write down something using this template if your handwriting would look like someone came from behind and strangled you while you were writing.

What about smooth writing? In principle, the application contains a handwriting smooth toolbar, with a sort of dial. In theory, users could use the dial in order to sharpen their handwritten notes. But, it would seem that almost all the testers reported that the option has quite a lot of issues.

For example, one of them reported that the smooth bar doesn’t enhance the quality of the notes. Moreover, it would seem that the application has other issues, like changing orientation. One user reported that upon changing orientation from portrait to landscape, Plumbago was unable to recognize the notes scribbled in the lower part of the screen.

Plumbago should make your John Hancock legible, but it seems that the application needs a couple of more tweaks before it can fulfill its purpose.

Photo credits:www.pixabay.com

Xiaomi Rolls out a Windows 10 Firmware Update for Mi4 LTE

By

"Here's how to flash your Mi4 LTE handset"

The new custom ROM can only be installed on the Mi4 LTE versions only, meaning that the Mi4w HPSA handsets are not compatible with Win 10.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – Recently Xiaomi, a China-based phone maker, announced that it was successfully in developing a stable Windows 10 ROM in association with Microsoft. Xiaomi rolls out a Windows 10 Firmware update for Mi4 LTE. Moreover, flashing your Android phone to Windows is quite easy.

Although the Windows 10 custom ROM isn’t entirely new, Xiaomi decided there is still room for improvement. And so the Chinese phone maker struck a deal with Microsoft, in order to develop a more stable version of the Windows 10 update for the Mi4 handset.

After a couple of week of tinkering around with the phone’s functions, the two companies were successful in developing a bug-free version of the celebrated mobile version of Windows 10. The custom ROM was around for some time before Xiaomi decided that it is time for an intervention. Unfortunately, the first version of Windows 10 had a lot of glitches.

Flashed handsets users reported that after updating to Windows 10, they had several problems with the phone’s battery. Moreover, the screen would freeze from time to time and sometimes the phone wouldn’t charge when it was turned off.

But thanks to the partnership struck with Microsoft, the team of developers working for Xiaomi managed to fix all the major issues of the new Windows 10 ROM. Here’s the complete list of bugs fixed in the new Window 10 firmware update:

  • Vibration button is now enabled (head on over to Settings, press the Extras button and choose Vibration settings);
  • The freezing screen issue was patched;
  • The phone can now photos at close range, meaning that the image stabilizer issue has been fixed;
  • The alarm clock issue was fixed;
  • Xiaomi fixed the battery drainage issue;
  • Input method was fixed;
  • The quick settings page was fixed;
  • Outlook can now sync all your contacts and information.

If you haven’t already installed the Window 10 ROM on your Mi4 smartphone, here’s a quick tutorial on how to do it. Before starting the process, make sure to backup all your data in case something goes wrong during the flashing process.

Also, keep in mind that not all Mi4 handsets are capable of handling the new Windows 10 custom ROM. According to the Chinese phone maker, only the LTE version of the phone can run the Windows 10 update. This means that other Mi4 handsets, like the HSPA version of the phone, mainly sold in India, won’t support the new ROM. So double check your phone model before starting the process.

Xiaomi rolls out a Windows 10 firmware update for Mi4 LTE version, patching out many of the glitches found in the first version of the ROM.

Here’s a step-by-step tutorial on how to flash the custom ROM on your Mi4 LTE handset

  1. Head on over to Mi’s official web page and search for a file called MiFlash20150601. You should find a zip file with a size of 25.96 MB. Download the file on your computer.
  2. Decompress the contents of the zip archive using your favorite software.
  3. The package should contain one executable named MiFlash20150601.exe. Double-click on it in order to start the installation wizard.
  4. A new window will appear on your screen, telling you what the package contains.
  5. Chose an installation path and press Next.
  6. A windows warning will appear, prompting you that the files you are currently installing are not digitally signed. Click on Install this driver software anyway in order to continue with the installation. When it’s over, click on Finish.

That’s about it. But the process is far from over. The steps above shows you how to download the flash tool from Mi’s official web page. Bear with us for a while longer, because this is where the process becomes tricky.

After installing the flash tool, the next step is to download the Windows 10 custom ROM from Microsoft’s official page. To do this, you must register to the Microsoft Insider section.

Here’s how to do that:

  1. Bear in mind that in order to register to Microsoft Insider, you must have a Microsoft account. If you don’t, head of over to the registration section and create an account.
  2. After completing the first step, go to this address and select Getting Started. In the getting started section, select Sign into your Microsoft Account and then hit the Submit registration page
  3. After completing this step, head to the Mi section. You should see a download link for the package.

Now, after you’ve completed the steps above, pick up your phone and plug into your computer, using the USB cable.

Follow the steps below in order to complete the flashing process:

  1. You must enable the developer mode on you Mi4 LTE handset. To do that, head over to Settings, tap on About Phone. To enable the developer mode hit the MIUI Version button five times in a row.
  2. USB debugging must also be enabled. Head to Settings, tap on Other Setting and click on Developer Options. In this section, you should see a button entitled USB Debugging. Click on it in order to enable the USB debugging mode.
  3. Switch to your computer.
  4. The first step it to complete the installation of the custom ROM on your computer. To do that you must enter the command prompt window, by pressing start and typing in cmd. You can also bring up the command line by pressing the windows key and the R button on your keyboard. In the run section, type in cmd and press enter.
  5. In the command prompt window, you must call up the installation folder of the flashing tool. The default path is
    C:\ Program Files (x86)\ Xiaomi\ MiPhone\Google\ Android.You can do that by adding cd in front of the path.
  6. Once you access the corresponding path, type in adb reboot edl and hit Enter. Now the ROM is installed on your computer.

Now it is time to set up the Window 10 ROM on your phone. Keep in mind that your Mi4 LTE handset must be connected to your computer during all the steps listed above.

Here’s what you have to do in order to complete the last steps of the procedure:

  1. Start the MiFlash tool. Once the program is running, you should see a path line in the upper section, and on your left, you should three buttons called Refresh, Flash, and Help.
  2. Navigate to the firmware’s download folder. The default folder should be located right on your desktop. It should look something like this C:\Users\litiening1996\Desktop\10586.1102.3063.Retail.
  3. Press the refresh button located in right corner of the application. A new section appears below, showing you the communication port, the progression bar and the status of the installation.
  4. Copy address from the firmware’s installation folder into the flash tool.
  5. Hit the Flash
  6. After a few seconds, the tool says that the operation was completed successfully.
  7. Unplug your phone from the computer and restart the device.

Your phone will now be running the new and improved version of the Windows 10 Firmware ROM.

 Photo credits:www.wikipedia.org

Microsoft Launched News Pro for iOS

By

"Microsoft Launched News Pro for iOS "

News Pro for iOS brings you the most relevant news by analyzing your Facebook or your LinkedIn profile.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – Ever wondered what you can do to sort out the news popping in your news feed? Microsoft, the tech giant might have come up with a nifty solution this time that is guaranteed to show you only the most relevant news out there. Microsoft launched News Pro for iOS, an application that can show you relevant news based on your occupation.

For those working in the news business, variety is the key to success. But for those who just want to peruse through the latest news, while sipping their morning cup of Joe, it is very difficult to choose between news that are relevant and news that pose no interest.

Microsoft, in its endeavor to promote its products outside the conventional platforms, has just released a new type of news application that can bring you only the most relevant news out there by analyzing your LinkedIn or your Facebook profile.

So, how this work? Let’s say that you’re in the IT business. Wouldn’t it be nice once you open the news feed page to see only articles and news about new IT products or the latest research in the IT industry? It would, but, unfortunately, not many news-oriented applications have this kind of option.

Of course, you can set multiple filters in order to sort out any irrelevant news, but you still end up reading about the latest trend in cancer treatment, even though you’ve been searching for something like the Pentium Bay Trail or something.

Well, with Microsoft’s latest application, there’s no need to apply news filter in order to gain access only to the most relevant news. All that you have to do is head on over to the iOS store and download the News Pro application.

Fire up the application and in a couple of seconds, the app will ask you to sign-in using either your LinkedIn account or your Facebook account. If you don’t have a LinkedIn or a Facebook account, then it’s probably a good idea to create one, because the application really needs one in order to get to know you better.

After you sign-in, the application will take a few minutes in order to analyze your preferences and then you’re good to go. The app will remember these setting and every time you’ll open News Pro, it will only show you the news closer to your line of work.

Microsoft launched News Pro for iOS but the application is only available in the United States. If you’re living outside of the US, you can always change your regional settings in order to make the application work.

Photo credits:www.pixabay.com

Categories