Until now, developers creating Azure Mobile Apps have only been able to download a client from the Quickstart blade. With the new ability, users can instead find all the projects in repository form on GitHub. It is worth noting that the previous method is still available to developers who prefer that path. Thanks to the new availability, developers can fork a repository and start building apps without accessing the Quickstart blade....

“npm is a critical part of the JavaScript world. The work of the npm team over the last 10 years, and the contributions of hundreds of thousands of open source developers and maintainers, have made npm home to over 1.3 million packages with 75 billion downloads a month,” he said. “Together, they’ve helped JavaScript become the largest developer ecosystem in the world. We at GitHub are honored to be part of the next chapter of npm’s story and to help npm continue to scale to meet the needs of the fast-growing JavaScript community....

Windows 10 version 1803 is known as the April 2018 Update. Microsoft confirmed last month this Windows build will reach end of service on November 12, 2019. It makes sense for the company to be going full steam ahead with its roll out of Windows 10 May 2019 Update to older builds. On its @WindowsUpdate Twitter account, Microsoft said it using machine learning to deliver Windows updates to Windows 10 version 1803....

The company has announced bandwidth improvements, as well as innovative new video encoding and decoding techniques. It’s also installing new server blades with the power of multiple Xbox’s, combining their components. It seems Microsoft Research is also part of that equation, getting a mention in Microsoft’a blog post about the matter. Teams are working to combat latency, but also test xCloud on upcoming advances like 5G and the current 4G....

This is an interesting and surprising update because Microsoft delayed its monthly patches. Instead of rolling out Patch Tuesday as normal, the company postponed it. In a statement, Microsoft claimed it needed to fix a last-minute problem. There will be no Patch Tuesday this month, with the next roll out delayed until March 14. If the company felt the need to break that delay to fix the Flash Player, then it must have been a serious problem....

One of the most significant additions builds on the gesture system Microsoft has been slowly patching in. Users can now swipe up on folder or app icons to open or click to launch. It’s joined by further customization options in the last row of the expanded dock, which not has a variety of choices. You can add apps, folders, pinned contacts, search bar or widgets to suit your needs. Microsoft is also refining its UI, adding a blur option, animation adjustments, and app badges in the drawer....

By leveraging the SDK, developers can integrate Microsoft’s blockchain technology with third-party SaaS. The company says it created Azure Blockchain Development Kit as another part of its serverless technology. The idea of the SDK is to provide an extension of the Azure Blockchain Workbench. Developers can use this service to set up, deploy, and manage a consortium network. Among the integrations in the SDK are off-chain identity, Azure services, and monitoring, messaging, and data APIs....

As the name suggests, Learn Chinese offers tools to help people learn how to speak Chinese languages. Microsoft has compared the application to a teacher’s assistant. In other words, the company does not see this as a replacement for a human language teacher. However, Learn Chinese is available 24/7 and can be focused on one student… the user. Whenever a person uses the app and speaks, Learn Chinese provides feedback....

Starting with the Hover File Card, this feature has been on OneDrive for some time but was limited to specific files. Microsoft says starting this month the File Card will be visible across all file types. The feature allows users to a have a quick look at important files. By expanding file support, the cards are now available for non-Office documents. Furthermore, OneDrive guests can also view cards, as well as external users with permission....

Microsoft says the new Share Dialogue in OneDrive will arrive on the Windows 10 and web versions of the service. We presume that will also mean Windows 11 when Microsoft launches the platform later this year. In terms of the new dialogue, users will now see a “Shared with” section. This lists all contacts you have shared a file instantly without needing to dig around. It will make it easier to see who has access to files at a glance....

The company calls the group “Seaborgium” and says it has actively been working to steal information from NATO nations, such as the UK and US. Sometimes, the group makes the data it steals public to create disinformation campaigns. According to the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC), Seaborgium is using Microsoft OneDrive to reach victims. For example, the group lures unwitting users through impersonation of service attachments or through PDFs with links to attack URLs....

Now Microsoft is expanding the availability of its mixed reality/augmented reality headset again. This time, the company says pre-orders for the HoloLens 2 Industrial Edition are now open. Customers who jump on board with a pre-order will receive the Industrial Edition when it ships this spring. Microsoft points out that demand for HoloLens 2 in industrial situations is now enough to justify this version: “As part of listening, and always learning, we heard strong demand for HoloLens 2 to operate in environments that have rigorous requirements or are regulated by industry certifications....

A source spoke to CRN and explained that the 21-year veteran will lead a merger of both groups as Microsoft seeks more “integration and collaboration across the full Microsoft portfolio and ecosystem.” Microsoft is eager to put more focus on the cloud workspace as Azure Virtual Desktop sales continue to grow. Manchester is an ideal candidate to lead the combined divisions as he previously worked in Azure Virtual Desktop and is an architect of Microsoft’s cloud workspace project....

Azure Sentinel was announced in February and has been running in preview since then. Microsoft says over the preview window, it has been working with partners to tweak Sentinel into a production-ready solution. “Traditional on-premises SIEMs require a combination of infrastructure costs and software costs, all paired with annual commitments or inflexible contracts. We are removing those pain points, since Azure Sentinel is a cost-effective, cloud-native SIEM with predictable billing and flexible commitments....

With that in mind, Windows 10 April 2018 Update has received a massive cumulative update. Microsoft has fixed a slew of problems. The company also released an update for 19H1, the next full Windows 10 release. Perhaps Microsoft wants to get these versions out of the way to focus on the broken October 2018 Update. Launched earlier this month, the latest full Windows 10 release (version 1809) has been plagued by problems....

The company recently announced the 1TB version of the device in ten other countries alongside discounts for students, parents, and faculty members. The new markets are Australia, Austria, China, France, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Users in these countries can now purchase the devices either online via Microsoft stores or from authorized resellers and participating partners. As for the offer, eligible buyers can save up to $449 when they purchase the tablet along with Xbox One at the Microsoft Store....

Nothing has changed in terms of functionality. VFS for Git (like GVFS) serves as Microsoft’s own virtual file system to work in conjunction with Git. Microsoft has already changed most of the relevant filing over to the new name. For example, the GitHub project and readme files both carry the new branding. However, some aspects of the service are still running under the GVFS banner. A quick glance at the official project website shows Microsoft has not yet updated it to VFS for Git....

According to a report from WinFuture, Microsoft will release a 15-inch variant of the Surface Laptop. Previous generations of the device have been limited to a smaller 13.5-inch form factor. For the Surface Laptop 3, Microsoft is seemingly going to give customers more choice. It is worth noting that the Surface Book currently has a 13.5-inch and 15-inch choice. If Microsoft does offer a larger Surface Laptop 3, the company’s hardware output will become increasingly blurred....

For users, it means the ability to check how many reward points you’ve earned and the ability to spend them on gift cards and more. The Xbox release means gamers will no longer have to switch to a PC to buy games, movies, or more. For the unfamiliar, Microsoft Rewards used to be named Bing Rewards until late 2016. It lets users earn ‘points’ from Bing searches, buying Windows products, using Edge, dealing with downtime, and even watching movies....

When Microsoft confirmed its was switching Edge to a Chromium base, the company said it will support all Chrome extensions. Earlier this month, the Microsoft Edge Insider addons page went live before being taken down again. That time it seemed like someone at Microsoft had pulled the trigger too fast and the page was then removed. Now the company seems to be opening the doors on the addons page officially....