Pedro Hernandez

Microsoft has launched a new virtual machine (VM) machine option for cloud customers whose workloads aren’t constantly running at full tilt but may occasionally need a little more processing power. Called B-Series virtual machines, the instances offer users a way to accommodate these “bursty” cloud workloads without overpaying for the computing resources they barely use. […]

Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will have more to offer than new mixed-reality experiences. When the desktop operating system update arrives on Oct. 17, it will be able to tap into an upgraded version of Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) to help customers protect end-user systems and the data stored in them. Windows Defender […]

Microsoft Outlook’s functionality-enhancing add-ins are now available for the Android version of email application. Mobile Outlook add-ins first debuted for Apple iOS on Feb. 2. The initial batch included Dynamics 365, Evernote, GIPHY, Microsoft Translator, Nimble, Smartsheet and Trello. Now, owners of Android smartphones, like the soon-to-be released Samsung Galaxy Note8, can get in on […]

The September update for Power BI Desktop brings a new “drillthrough” capability, one of several features Microsoft demonstrated during its Data Insights Summit in June. Power BI Desktop users can now add another layer of interactivity to their reports with new drillthrough filters, according to Amanda Cofsky, a Microsoft Power BI program manager. “Drillthrough filters […]

Microsoft is serious about extending the reach of its Slack-like team chat collaboration application, Teams. The software giant announced the availability of a new guest access feature on Sept. 11, allowing users to invite external colleagues into their group chats. “Beginning today, anyone with an Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) account can be added as […]

It looks like Microsoft Wants to implement a plug and play process for internet of things devices. Microsoft wants to speed IoT deployments for its customers with a new cloud offering called Azure IoT Hub Device Provisioning Service that automates device connections and enables “zero-touch device provisioning” for even millions of devices. Microsoft claims this […]

Apart from powering smart speakers and powering intelligent services, artificial intelligence (AI) also has a knack of bringing technology giants together. On Sept. 7, Microsoft and Facebook announced Open Neural Network Exchange (ONNX), a format for deep learning models that encourages interoperability between AI frameworks. ONNX was do-developed by the two companies as an open-source […]

Samsung Galaxy Note8 Has Features, Performance to Win Back Buyers Samsung Galaxy Note8 hits stores Sept. 15, but will buyers flock to it? The South Korean electronics maker has to be at least a little concerned. The Note8’s predecessor, the Note7, was prohibited from commercial airline flights and eventually recalled after multiple reports of battery […]

Microsoft and Adobe announced an expansion of their existing strategic partnership on Sept. 7, bringing the Photoshop maker’s e-signature technology to Azure. Adobe Sign is now the “preferred e-signature solution” for Microsoft’s software and services portfolio, including Office 365, the two companies said. In turn, the e-signature service will make a new home on Microsoft’s […]

Windows Insiders, members of Microsoft’s early access program, can now take the software maker’s newer, less resource-intensive Windows Server container images for a spin. Windows Server preview build 16278 is now available for download, announced Dona Sarkar, head of Windows Insider program, in a Sept. 5 announcement. Microsoft says the latest Nano Server base image […]

A lot is riding on the new Galaxy Note 8 phablet from Samsung. It’s scheduled to hit store shelves on Sept. 15 and a successful launch will help Samsung  finally put the Note 7 debacle to rest. The Galaxy Note models have been popular with smartphone buyers. If the Note 8 is successful, Samsung risks […]

Microsoft is focused on collaboration and teamwork in its latest bundle of updates for Office 365, starting with the general availability of the new co-authoring feature in Excel. “Now anyone can work together at the same time in spreadsheets stored in SharePoint Online, OneDrive, or OneDrive for Business,” wrote Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president of […]