Microsoft

Microsoft to buy LinkedIn for $26bn

The software giant will pay $196 a share - a premium of almost 50% to Friday's closing share price.

The deal will help Microsoft boost sales of its business and email software.

Microsoft said that LinkedIn would retain its "distinct brand, culture and independence".

Microsoft unveils Xbox One S and teases Project Scorpio

The firm also announced another new console, Project Scorpio, which will offer virtual reality and 4K gaming.

It will be released by Christmas 2017 but no details of a price were given.

The Xbox One S, however, will cost $299 (£210) and include support for High Dynamic Range (HDR) gaming, with extra levels of brightness and more colour.

Pictures of the device, which will also include 4K DVD and Blu-Ray playback, were leaked ahead of E3.

One analyst said many gamers might not be ready to buy a new console so soon after the Xbox One's release.

Xiaomi buys Microsoft smartphone patents

Experts say the patent deal paves the way for the Chinese firm to sell its handsets in Western markets.

Microsoft will benefit from the fact that some of its Android apps - including Office and Skype - will now be pre-installed on Xiaomi devices.

The announcement comes at a time when Xiaomi has been struggling to meet sales targets.

Microsoft to crack down on 'terrorist content' across Xbox, Outlook

In a blog post, the company said it would focus on services such as gaming tool Xbox Live, the consumer version of its Outlook email service, and its consumer documents-sharing service.

But for its search engine Bing, Microsoft cited free expression and said it would remove links only when that "is required of search providers under local law".

Initially, Microsoft will rely on consumers to report objectionable content.

The company also said it would fund research of a tool that scans content and flags images, audio and video.

Microsoft opens door to PS4 vs Xbox One multiplayer

Microsoft has already announced plans to support Xbox-One-to-Windows-10 multiplayer, but has now taken it one step further by adding rival consoles into the mix.

There's no guarantee that Sony will take Microsoft up on the offer, of course, but the technology is there should they choose to accept.

Microsoft's Chris Charla made the announcement on the Xbox blog, confirming that cross-network multiplayer would begin with Rocket League on Xbox One and PC.

Microsoft gearing up to dish out Windows 10 Mobile

A Neowin reader has spotted a beta app called Mobile Upgrade Advisor hidden away on the Windows Phone store.

It's a tool that tells Windows Phone users whether their device is eligible for Windows 10 and helps them free up space for the OS.

Although the app isn't available for the public to download, its very existence suggests that Microsoft is almost ready to dish out the update.

There is still no official word about which phones will receive Windows 10 Mobile, but those with less than 8GB of storage will not be supported.

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Windows 10 reportedly passes 200 million installs

WinBeta's inside sources are claiming that the Microsoft software has gained an additional 90 million users since October.

Such a leap sounds dubious but the figures take into account all devices, not just PCs, plus Christmas sales of Windows 10 hardware is sure to have helped its cause.

Microsoft is yet to reveal official install figures for Windows 10 since the 110 million downloads it announced in October.

Windows 10 Mobile update pushed back to early next year

The Redmond firm has announced that its latest operating system will not be rolled out to older devices until "early 2016".

"This November we introduced Windows 10 to phones including brand new features such as Continuum and Universal Windows Apps with the introduction of the Lumia 950 and 950 XL," said Microsoft in a statement.

"The Windows 10 Mobile upgrade will begin rolling out early next year to select existing Windows 8 and 8.1 phones."

Microsoft reverses course, downgrades OneDrive offerings

In a blog post entitled “OneDrive storage plans change in pursuit of productivity and collaboration” — wording reminiscent of when a company announces layoffs by “right-sizing” — the company said that it will be eliminating its Unlimited plan for Office 365 and reducing maximum storage on its other plans.

Here’s the recap, from Microsoft’s blog:

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Microsoft Launches The Surface Book, A Convertible Laptop Done Right

It has a 13.5-inch display, a trackpad made of glass, a backlit keyboard and a machined magnesium body. Microsoft has one trick up its sleeve — the screen is detachable.

It has the latest generation of the Intel Core processor and an Nvidia GPU with GDDR5 memory. According to Microsoft, it’s the fastest 13-inch laptop ever made. In addition to that, it has 12 hours of battery life. The keyboard is said to be very quiet, and the display has a good pixel density of 267 ppi.