microsoft announces windows phone 8.1

Windows Phone 8.1 and Cortana officially revealed at Build 2014

As predicted, Microsoft is using its Build developer conference to launch Windows Phone 8.1, the latest and (we hope) greatest version of its mobile OS. The company's fed us a bunch of information about the update already, and a vast number of leaks have covered nearly all remaining features. Still, it's about time for us to get the skinny on everything the new upgrade entails, so let's break down exactly what you can expect from Windows Phone going forward.

Microsoft's Joe Belfiore took the stage and talked up (among other things), new hardware partners like Prestigio and Micromax that should help the company penetrate those valuable developing markets. As multiple leaks have pointed out ahead of time, 8.1 indeed comes with a notification center (called the Action Center) that users can invoke by swiping down from the top of the screen -- from there you can view and dismiss your email and social notifications as well as toggle WiFi and Bluetooth connections. Pretty standard fare, if you ask us.

What's a little less standard are WP8.1's customizable lock screens: Developers can tweak them in some pretty stunning ways, though Microsoft hasn't yet said when they'll actually get access. Throw in the ability to set your own images as the background for your Live Tiles and you've got yourself a level of personalization that's been sorely lacking from Windows Phone to date.

And yes, Cortana is here too. She completely replaces the standard Bing search interface in Windows Phone... which makes sense considering she's powered by Bing anyway. But what can she actually do? Cortana can handle the usual tasks that you'd expect of a modern digital assistant: She can make calls and send messages, as well as jot down reminders.

Third-party developers can tap into Cortana as well so users can call out to them by name (think "Skype, call Michael"). Want to make her even smarter? Users can also define their interests (think sports, traffic updates) in a "notebook" so she knows what to keep tabs on in the future. On-stage demos have a history of turning sketchy quickly, but Belfiore's repeated voice interactions with Cortana sounded surprisingly natural. No stilted computer-speak here -- Microsoft may have finally crafted a digital assistant worth talking to. That said, she's still firmly in beta for now.

Considering Windows' prevalence in the workplace, it's no surprise that Windows Phone 8.1 has some new IT-friendly features too. There's support for enterprise VPNs, along with signed and encrypted messaging to keep those corporate secrets under wraps.

There are plenty of other makeovers here too. The updated Windows Store does a better job of introducing you to featured apps once it's been fired up, and it's now easier to sort through them all based on categories like "top paid" and "new + rising." WP8.1's Calendar has also been tweaked lightly: A tiny weather icon lives in corner, and we can now look at a week's worth of appointments in one shot. A newly added Wi-Fi Sense feature streamlines the process of jumping on a wireless network, and the on-screen keyboard now supports what Microsoft calls "shape writing" -- the now-familiar ability to trace out words by dragging your finger over keys.

That's quite a bit to cram into a single update, and the only question that remains is when we can get our grubby mitts on it. Windows Phone 8.1 will be pre-installed on new devices that could hit as soon as the end of April, and the update will hit existing models in the "coming months."

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Microsoft Power Cover doubles the Surface's battery life for $200 on March 19th

With the right accessories, the Surface Pro makes a mean alternative to your average laptop -- but even with the second generation model's improved battery life, it doesn't last long outside of the house. Soon, that might be less of an issue: Microsoft is preparing to ship out the tablet's Power Cover keyboard later this month. The $200 Type Cover variant was originally announced with the Surface 2, but didn't make it to market with the new tablets. Now the company has given it a March 19th ship date, promising buyers 70% more battery life for Surface Pro,Surface Pro 2 and RT-based Surface 2 slates. Pricey? A bit, but can you think of a better way to nurse your Windows 8 slate on an international flight?

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Microsoft moved 3.9 million Xbox Ones, while Surface sales soared

Microsoft moved 3.9 million Xbox Ones, while Surface sales soared

The company's search for a new CEO is still the dominant narrative surrounding Microsoft. But if you're able to get past the quest to replace Ballmer, you'll find a company that's starting to get something of a second wind in its long life. For one, its new Xbox One console is selling quite well. After getting off to a slightly rocky start and trailing the latest PlayStation in initial sales, it outsold its rival in the US for the Month of December. All told during the last quarter Redmond pushed 3.9 million of the next-gen (now-gen?) gaming rigs out to retail channels. That's in addition to 3.5 million Xbox 360s, which are still selling well and are quite a bargain compared to the new systems.

Another unit that struggled early on, Surface, seems to be righting the ship as well. (Though, its rough patch lasted a ways longer than the Xbox One's.) Revenues from Surface sales more than doubled from $400 million last quarter to $893 million. And let's not forget, that $400 million dollars represented a 47 percent increase over the quarter before that.

Obviously, things are not all rosy. Its desktop consumer Office and Windows 8 offerings continue to see revenues fall. But, the growth of its device division and increased income from Bing (which, stunningly, now accounts for 18.2 percent of searches in the US, according to Microsoft) are beginning to compensate for the "softness in the consumer PC market."

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Nokia's dumbphones face an uncertain future at Microsoft

Nokia's dumbphones face an uncertain future at Microsoft

"Year-on-year decline." Those are words that no company looks forward to publishing in its earnings reports, but unfortunately we've seen them printed more often than not on Nokia's quarterly statements. Though there have been a few ups and downs, struggling profits and sales have been a general concern for a long time, and unfortunately this quarter's earnings report did little to soothe our worries; Nokia sold 600,000 fewer Lumias than the previous quarter. Now that Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia's devices and services division is nearly complete, much of our focus has turned to how the merger will affect the Lumia lineup of Windows Phones. An even bigger mystery at the moment, however, is what Microsoft will choose to do with the rest of Nokia's phones -- namely, the Mobile Phone division, which consists of the company's basic featurephones and the Asha lineup of advanced featurephones, none of which run Windows Phone.

Just after Microsoft announced its intent to acquire the phone maker, Nokia insisted that the division wasn't going anywhere; it has "substantial global reach ... and a strong customer base," but in emerging markets like India and China, it faces intense competition from fully functional smartphone platforms for a similar cost. Even worse, as we learned in yesterday's report, sales from this division were flat -- and as the competition gets heavier, it's going to get worse, not better. Is it worth it for Microsoft to try saving a lineup of handsets that don't feature Windows Phone OS? Or does it make more sense to push lower-end Lumia devices to cater to the next billion smartphone users?

"We've seen several companies make huge moves to compete in emerging markets, where even a difference of $10 or $20 can have a significant impact."

In yesterday's report, Nokia stated: "Our Mobile Phones net sales were affected by competitive industry dynamics, including intense smartphone competition at increasingly lower price points and intense competition at the low end of our product portfolio." In other words, an influx of cheap Android and Firefox OS devices is making it difficult for Nokia's lower-end devices to remain relevant in fiercely competitive countries like India and China.

The Ashas, which bridge the divide between featurephones and smartphones, range from $70 to $100; however, Android devices like the Galaxy Pocket cost around $85 in the same markets and offer similar specs with a much wider variety of apps. Firefox OS devices like the ZTE Open are now available for around $75. Heck, even the Lumia 520, which uses the Windows Phone platform, costs roughly the same as an Asha.

We've seen several companies make huge moves to compete in emerging markets, where even a difference of $10 or $20 can have a significant impact. Unfortunately, this means it's much more difficult for the Asha lineup to compete today than just a couple years ago when they were first introduced. At the time, the concept was sound -- if you offer a featurephone with smart abilities like a developer platform, messaging/email, social networking and so on, the customers will come. But today, as other platforms like Android and Firefox begin to flourish in emerging markets for the same prices, developers have less incentive to focus on making apps for Asha products, and consumers will become more hesitant to buy into the ecosystem.

There's still a place for the simplest of phones. The $20 Nokia 105, for instance, is a basic candybar phone that offers a few nice extras like FM radio, flashlight and (best of all) month-long battery life. But what about the $85 Nokia 301 (pictured above), which offers a camera, HSPA connectivity and Mail for Exchange? How about the $160, aluminum-clad Nokia 515? We're not so sure there's a place for them in the years to come. It's fantastic to see a lot of variety in the low end, but these handsets won't be able to stay afloat in a sea of similarly priced phones that have more capabilities.

"These handsets won't be able to stay afloat in a sea of similarly priced phones that have more capabilities."

Nokia states that featurephones won't be going away under Microsoft's reign, and everything under the Mobile Phone umbrella will continue on. But outside of the Nokia 105, we just don't see how selling a featurephone that costs more than $60 makes sense -- and if Microsoft continues the Asha lineup, it would have to add even more functionality in order to compete with phones that boast full smartphone platforms. This is where a device like the oft-rumored Normandy would play an interesting role, since it's reportedly an Asha-class phone that features a forked version of Android. However, Microsoft may not be so keen on Nokia launching the phone for that very reason.

Regardless of what happens to the Normandy in the end, we doubt it will have much of an effect on Microsoft's end goal -- to help Windows Phone blossom and grow. The best place to do that right now is in emerging markets, where it's finally becoming affordable to get a smartphone. Nokia created a lot of momentum with low-end smartphones like the Lumia 520, which Softpedia claims was the best-selling Windows device in the world in September. Microsoft should take advantage of those successes instead of focusing on products that deter from its objective.

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Surface 3: what we want to see

Yes, it includes the death of Windows RT

With Surface 2 and Windows 8.1 RT, Microsoft has certainly addressed some of usability issues that plagued the original Surface RT models.

Based around an Nvidia Tegra 4 chip, the second generation Surface hardware is faster and has a superior battery life. It also boasts an improved 1080p HD display, redesigned kickstand and a competitive price tag that undercuts Apple's iPad. You can see how Surface and Surface 2 compare in Surface vs Surface 2.

So what will Microsoft do next? What might a Surface 3 device look like in 2014?

Surface 3: The Windows RT dilemma

There's arguably nothing wrong with the Surface hardware. We like it. The Surface 2 looks good and feels good. It's smartly, stylishly designed and the two-stage kickstand makes it easier to position the device comfortably for work. Although not including one of the iconic click-in keyboards as standard is frankly criminal.

A Surface 3 tablet should look fundamentally the same, albeit with a customary millimetre shaved off its magnesium alloy waistline and a few grams shifted from its chassis. Hardware isn't the problem. The problem is Windows RT.

With Dell recently dumping the 'Lite' Windows 8 OS citing poor sales of its XPS 10, any new Surface hardware could be held back by the limitations of the RT software, which restricts users to using 'Metro' apps. It's Windows, but not as consumers know or expect it.

Admittedly, Windows 8.1 has improved the usability of the OS, and Office RT is now included. Any future Windows 8.2 update should do even more to iron out the inconsistencies. The Windows Store also boasts more apps than a year ago - over 100,000 at the last count. By the time a Surface 3 line-up rolls out, there should be double that number.

But a stripped down version of an OS that many people already dislike isn't going to help Microsoft claw back the $900 million it has lost on Surface RT so far. At the moment, there's no clear benefit to running RT over the full version of Windows and so no clear benefit for investing in a non-Pro Surface tablet, Surface 3 or otherwise.

If Microsoft wants to be bold, Surface 3 needs to quietly dump Windows RT and eliminate customer confusion. The popularity of the Surface Pro model and the powerful potential of the new Surface Pro 2 point the way forward for a more successful, populist Surface 3.

Surface 3: Mini or Maxi?

If Microsoft does stubbornly stick with Windows RT (and it will), then perhaps a Surface 3 line-up will offer more hardware options.

Before the Surface 2 launch, there were strong rumours of a 'Surface Mini' with a 7.5-inch or 8-inch display, especially as Windows 8.1 now provides improved support for smaller tablets. This would range it against more compact slates such as the iPad mini and the Google Nexus 7, not to mention the Acer Iconia W3 and Toshiba Encore.

At the other end of the scale, we can imagine a bigger touchscreen model. There are rumours of Apple experimenting with 12- and 13-inch iPaddisplays and where Apple leads, the other manufacturers are sure to follow. With this in mind, perhaps fingerprint sensors might become standard issue too, after their iPhone 5S debut.

Or we might see an even larger device that takes its cue from Sony's VAIO Tap 20. Such a 'Surface Maxi' would move Surface into all-in-one desktop PC territory, although it would require ditching Windows RT in favour of the full-fat Windows 8 OS. A Surface Pro 2 XS or XL would be ideal.

Surface 3: Is there a smartwatch in the works?

With wearable tech all the rage, it must surely have occurred to Microsoft that the touchy-feely Surface brand could be extended into smartwatch territory. Like the Galaxy Gear, a 'Surface Watch' with a small screen and obligatory built-in fitness tech could be launched as a companion device for its Windows-powered tablets and smartphones.

Then there's Surface gaming to consider. Gamers have long hankered after a portable Xbox and devices such as the Razer Edge give us glimpses of how this idea could work. Yet Microsoft barely touched on the gaming potential of its Surface 2 hardware at launch, choosing instead to focus on productivity and business.

But with reports of Microsoft cloud-streaming Halo 4 to a low-end Windows PC and a Windows Phone, a future Surface 3 device could easily evolve into a portable games console.

Surface 3: The obvious answer

Surface 2 is affordable but limited by its Windows RT software; while the Surface Pro 2 has all the versatility of a Windows PC but, in tablet terms, costs way too much. Surely any Surface 3 machine needs to hit the sweet spot between the two - full Windows functionality at an affordable and competitive price point?

What would you like to see in a Surface 3 device? Leave your comments below.

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iPad Air vs Microsoft Surface 2

How do the iPad Air and Surface 2 stack up against each other

Now that the iPad Air has been made official, how does it stack up against the recently launched Microsoft Surface 2? Is there even a comparison?

Let's compare the two tablets and see how they really fare against each other.

Before we dive in, let's recall the big picture when it comes to each device. The iPad Air is the next iteration of the iPad, but it's half a pound lighter. It also has the new A7 chipset and a 5MP iSight rear camera. Oh, and Apple promises up to 10 hours of battery life, too.

The Surface 2 is the successor to the Microsoft Surface. It runs Windows RT 8.1 and promises up to 28 days of standby time, though most reviews online show about six to seven hours of real-world use.

iPad Air vs Microsoft Surface 2: Display

These days, when you're buying what is essentially just a big slab of screen, the display really matters. Here, we have a 9.7-inch 2048 x 1536 display on the iPad Air versus a 10.6-inch 1920 x 1080 display on the Surface 2.

The winner in terms of sheer resolution and sharpness is the iPad Air. At normal viewing distances, you really wouldn't be able to tell the difference. But side-by-side, you'd probably be able to tell which one is best. But don't strain your eyes, because we're telling you now it's the iPad.

iPad Air vs Microsoft Surface 2: Processor and performance

There's more to performance than just plain old hardware. You can put a 200 horsepower engine in a motorcycle and it will fly, put that in a 5,000-pound truck and it's a different story. Likewise, chipsets and processors in tablets and smartphones don't tell the whole story.

Here we have Apple's new A7 chipset with 64-bit architecture powering iOS 7. Apple claims that, thanks to the A7, the new iPad Air is going to be eight times faster than the previous model.

The Microsoft Surface 2 has NVIDIA's Tegra 4, which has had performance issues depending on the device and software running.

Given our experience with iOS 7 and Windows RT 8.1, we can safely assume that the overall user experience as a result of performance will be better with iOS, and therefore, the iPad.

iPad Air vs Microsoft Surface 2: Battery life

Apple promises up to 10 hours of real world use with the iPad Air. Microsoft seems to only offer standby times, but most reviews online show six to seven hours of real world use.

Perhaps for many prospective buyers, the battery life isn't as important if the tablet is going to be for home use. But if you plan on taking a tablet with you on your commute, you'll definitely want the iPad for that extra juice.

One interesting thing is that reports on the web are mixed regarding battery life on the Microsoft Surface 2. Some claim that it's great, others are not impressed. The ones who tend to be excited about it are reviewers who are comparing it to its predecessor, so you may want to take that into consideration if you plan to buy it.

iPad Air vs Microsoft Surface 2: Apps

When you buy a tablet, you're really buying it for one main reason: apps. You're running browsers, social networking apps, productivity apps, games and so on. It's really one of the biggest considerations, or at least it should be, when buying a new tablet.

Hands down, the iPad Air wins here. If there was one consistent thing reviewers disliked about the Microsoft Surface 2, it was the lack of apps.

iOS has always had the biggest number of quality, tablet-designed apps when compared to Android or Windows. That hasn't changed, and it becomes more obvious once we start comparing the iPad to other tablets.

If you're not going to use a browser only - and why would you? - you should strongly consider the iPad Air over the Surface 2.

iPad Air vs Microsoft Surface 2: Pricing

Perhaps the one thing that the Surface 2 has going for it is pricing. Starting at $449, it's $50 cheaper than the iPad Air. If money were truly an issue, and $50 wasn't worth getting a better overall tablet experience, the clear winner is the Surface 2.

However, we believe that in most cases you get what you pay for. Not only will you get better battery life with the iPad Air, it's a lighter and more svelte tablet, too.

Then there are the apps. Sure, the iPad Air starts at a hefty $499, and cost up to $929 if you get a 64GB model with Wi-Fi + cellular connectivity, but you're buying into the richest app ecosystems available today.

Verdict

It's clear that in every category that matters, the iPad Air edges out the Surface 2 We do wish that it wasn't such a landslide victory in this comparison, but that's the reality of it.

Where Microsoft is really lacking is in its app selection. There aren't very many good apps for the Surface 2, or on Windows RT 8.1. Perhaps developers are going where the sales and money are, and that makes sense.

When it comes to build quality and weight, battery life, apps, display and performance, we give this one to the iPad Air in every category. Oh, and obviously the Apple tablet takes it in the value category, too. For the money, you just get more bang for your buck with Apple tablets.

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Surface 3: what we want to see

Yes, it includes the death of Windows RT

With Surface 2 and Windows 8.1 RT, Microsoft has certainly addressed some of usability issues that plagued the original Surface RT models.

Based around an Nvidia Tegra 4 chip, the second generation Surface hardware is faster and has a superior battery life. It also boasts an improved 1080p HD display, redesigned kickstand and a competitive price tag that undercuts Apple's iPad. You can see how Surface and Surface 2 compare in Surface vs Surface 2.

So what will Microsoft do next? What might a Surface 3 device look like in 2014?

Surface 3: The Windows RT dilemma

There's arguably nothing wrong with the Surface hardware. We like it. The Surface 2 looks good and feels good. It's smartly, stylishly designed and the two-stage kickstand makes it easier to position the device comfortably for work. Although not including one of the iconic click-in keyboards as standard is frankly criminal.

A Surface 3 tablet should look fundamentally the same, albeit with a customary millimetre shaved off its magnesium alloy waistline and a few grams shifted from its chassis. Hardware isn't the problem. The problem is Windows RT.

With Dell recently dumping the 'Lite' Windows 8 OS citing poor sales of its XPS 10, any new Surface hardware could be held back by the limitations of the RT software, which restricts users to using 'Metro' apps. It's Windows, but not as consumers know or expect it.

Admittedly, Windows 8.1 has improved the usability of the OS, and Office RT is now included. Any future Windows 8.2 update should do even more to iron out the inconsistencies. The Windows Store also boasts more apps than a year ago - over 100,000 at the last count. By the time a Surface 3 line-up rolls out, there should be double that number.

But a stripped down version of an OS that many people already dislike isn't going to help Microsoft claw back the $900 million it has lost on Surface RT so far. At the moment, there's no clear benefit to running RT over the full version of Windows and so no clear benefit for investing in a non-Pro Surface tablet, Surface 3 or otherwise.

If Microsoft wants to be bold, Surface 3 needs to quietly dump Windows RT and eliminate customer confusion. The popularity of the Surface Pro model and the powerful potential of the new Surface Pro 2 point the way forward for a more successful, populist Surface 3.

Surface 3: Mini or Maxi?

If Microsoft does stubbornly stick with Windows RT (and it will), then perhaps a Surface 3 line-up will offer more hardware options.

Before the Surface 2 launch, there were strong rumours of a 'Surface Mini' with a 7.5-inch or 8-inch display, especially as Windows 8.1 now provides improved support for smaller tablets. This would range it against more compact slates such as the iPad mini and the Google Nexus 7, not to mention the Acer Iconia W3 and Toshiba Encore.

At the other end of the scale, we can imagine a bigger touchscreen model. There are rumours of Apple experimenting with 12- and 13-inch iPaddisplays and where Apple leads, the other manufacturers are sure to follow. With this in mind, perhaps fingerprint sensors might become standard issue too, after their iPhone 5S debut.

Or we might see an even larger device that takes its cue from Sony's VAIO Tap 20. Such a 'Surface Maxi' would move Surface into all-in-one desktop PC territory, although it would require ditching Windows RT in favour of the full-fat Windows 8 OS. A Surface Pro 2 XS or XL would be ideal.

Surface 3: Is there a smartwatch in the works?

With wearable tech all the rage, it must surely have occurred to Microsoft that the touchy-feely Surface brand could be extended into smartwatch territory. Like the Galaxy Gear, a 'Surface Watch' with a small screen and obligatory built-in fitness tech could be launched as a companion device for its Windows-powered tablets and smartphones.

Then there's Surface gaming to consider. Gamers have long hankered after a portable Xbox and devices such as the Razer Edge give us glimpses of how this idea could work. Yet Microsoft barely touched on the gaming potential of its Surface 2 hardware at launch, choosing instead to focus on productivity and business.

But with reports of Microsoft cloud-streaming Halo 4 to a low-end Windows PC and a Windows Phone, a future Surface 3 device could easily evolve into a portable games console.

Surface 3: The obvious answer

Surface 2 is affordable but limited by its Windows RT software; while the Surface Pro 2 has all the versatility of a Windows PC but, in tablet terms, costs way too much. Surely any Surface 3 machine needs to hit the sweet spot between the two - full Windows functionality at an affordable and competitive price point?

What would you like to see in a Surface 3 device? Leave your comments below.

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Hands on: Microsoft Surface 2 review

Surface RT is reborn, but is it better?

Move over, Surface RT. You've been replaced.

Of course, the Surface RT isn't actually going anywhere, but today at a press conference in New York Microsoft unveiled its next-gen tablets, the Surface Pro 2 and Surface 2.

Apparently the original RT line was so smeared with failure, Microsoft decided to shuck the moniker for fear it would continue to keep customers away - but that hasn't stopped it keeping Windows RT with the new Windows 8.1 RT retread.

• Get the Surface 2 from Microsoft

The Surface 2 comes with a much lower $449 (£359, about AU$279) launch price tag than the less-equipped Surface RT. That's already a check in the "improvement" box.

Microsoft looks to have learned its lesson and put out an updated device with a beefier 1080p screen, the entire Microsoft Office pre-loaded, as well as a faster - but not fastest - speed 1.7GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 4 processor.

Hardware is one thing, but does the Windows 8.1 RT experience still drag down this upgraded slate? We find out in our hands on with the new Windows Surface 2.

Getting our hands on the Surface 2, the tablet instantly feels sturdier than the last iteration. It might be partially because the tablet is now made of just two magnesium pieces (the shell itself and the kickstand), but it simply feels like a thin, solid slate of silvered metal topped with glass, giving it a very industrial look.

Although the Surface 2 scales towards the larger-end of tablets with a 10.6-inch screen, it's light in the hand. Its weight certainly didn't distract us as we flicked across the screen while holding it one-handed, something we can't say about the device's more power-trained brother.

We also appreciated the new screen that's finally high-definition at 1920 x 1080 resolution. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon processor managed to keep up with all our application switching. We'll still reverse our final judgment on whether the processor is powerful enough after we've run the tablet through a few taxing games of Spartan Assault.

Peripherals

Oddly the most impressive pieces of tech to come out of the new Surface line were actually the new Touch and Type Covers.

The new, thinner Type Cover offers slightly quieter word processing for the tack-tack self-conscious library goers. But the real show stopper was the new Touch Cover. The cover lets you do even more with an array of 1,092 touch sensors, whereas the old Touch Cover only packed 80.

The keyboard is more sensitive to your drumming finger and you can even glide your fingers all over the touch keys as it were Swype for Android.

Microsoft also unveiled a new touch-based music cover that lets you mix Skrillex with beats that react to how much pressure that you put on the sensor sheet. There are plans to release even more sheets, so we could see some very interesting uses of analog touch covers in the future.

Early verdict

It's still too early to say if the Microsoft Surface 2 is a safe Windows 8.1 RT tablet to stick with, especially after getting burned by the first semi-capable Surface RT. There's definitely a decent pairing of hardware compared to all the 10-inch tablets.

It might not have the specs to compete with flagships like the iPad 4 and Nexus 10, but Microsoft certainly have given the Surface 2 a better fighting chance than the RT ever had. Thanks to Microsoft Office built-in and impressive accessories, including potentially more unique covers down the line, the Surface 2 is already off to a far better start than its predecessor.

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Forza 5 has Microsoft's 'robot' advantage, says director

Collaborating is the real next gen

Forza 5 Motorsport will be helping to kick off the Xbox One launch on November 22, but just how "next gen" will it be?

According to Turn10 creative director Dan Greenawalt, it's about much more than just looking better, and Microsoft has a fairly decent advantage in this area.

With so many areas of research within the company, game teams are able to bleed other areas of the company for ideas.

"We have research working on medical technology, we have research working on robotics and artificial intelligence," said Greenawalt, speaking about Microsoft broadly. "And we're able to use that to bring that power to bear in a game. That's incredibly difficult for a game company to do, but it's not very hard for Microsoft."

"So I know Microsoft is not thought of the gaming sexy brand, but as a creator, I love being involved," said Greenawalt. "Being able to get on an email or get on an IM with a 25 year PHD from research in Cambridge that works on robotics...I can't do that if I work in almost any other company in the world."

The birth of Drivatar

One aspect of Forza 5 that this has clearly played into is the cloud-based Drivatar feature which learns and mimics your racing behaviour, letting others race you even when you're away.

But Greenawalt went on to add that this was only the start of finding innovative uses for the cloud, and that other will soon be coming up with even bigger and better ideas.

"We're going to ping pong around for a year, people are going to keep coming up with new ideas. That, to me, is the most exciting component. Because it's in an essence unpredictable, whereas the optimisation of the hardware, that's predictable. You know it's going to happen."

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Windows 8.1 release date, news and features

All the latest on the Windows 8 update

Microsoft has revealed full details about the comprehensive update to Windows 8, now known as Windows 8.1 and formerly known as Windows Blue.

The Windows 8.1 release date is October 17 - it will be available to existing Windows 8 users for free on Windows Update. It will be available to buy in retail from October 18 and has already been released to manufacturers (this stage is known as RTM). Volume licencees will be able to get their hands on it ahead of the update, too.

We've also had plenty of time with the new update and are running it every day, so check out our brand new Hands on: Windows 8.1 review. To whet everybody's appetite, Microsoft has released a preview version, called the Windows 8.1 Release Preview. It'snow available to download.

The first Windows 8.1 laptops and Windows 8.1 tablets have already been announced, with numerous devices being launched already includingToshiba's Encore tablet, Dell Venue 8 Pro and Microsoft's Surface Pro 2. Surface 2 runs the new version of Windows RT, which is also known asWindows 8.1 RT.

The official confirmation from Microsoft came back in the Summer: "Today we are excited to share that starting at 12am on October 18 in New Zealand (that's 12:00pm in the UK and 4:00am in Redmond - October 17th). Windows 8.1 will begin rolling out worldwide as a free update for consumers on Windows 8 through the Windows Store. Windows 8.1 will also be available at retail and on new devices starting on October 18 by market."

October will mark a year since Windows 8 was released.

The big headline news is that the Start button has returned to Windows 8 with Windows 8.1, although it still goes to the Start screen rather than the Start menu. There is also more integration between the desktop and Start screen to stop the jarring of the two interfaces.

On stage at the Microsoft Build developer conference in San Francisco, Steve Ballmer said that in coffee terms, Microsoft was "refining the blend" between the desktop and Modern UI interfaces and a lot of Windows 8.1 enhancements have been designed to make the change between the two interfaces far less jarring.

Ballmer also promised plenty of new, smaller Windows 8 tablets would be released as well as new apps from Flipboard, Facebook and the NFL - though we didn't see any screenshots of these in action.

In our own hands on review, Mary Branscombe sums the new release up as a moderate success. "Windows 8.1 isn't a whole new operating system: it isn't the same leap as Windows 7 to 8. But it's more than a service pack as well.

"Performance feels generally faster, even for simple things like zipping up files. The interface changes won't please everyone, especially if you liked the Windows 8 Start screen and don't feel you need for yet another Windows key on screen - or if you were hoping for the Windows 7 Start menu back.

"Some things, like customising tiles on the Start screen, feel a little more long-winded until you get used to them. But generally the interface feels more consistent and easier to learn. And the expanded PC Settings gives the mass of control panel options a clean, simple interface that Windows has needed for years."

We've picked out the top enhancements in Windows 8.1 along with some quotes from Leblond about each one.

1. Lock screen slideshow

"As people started using Windows 8, we found that people were using their Lock screens to show pictures of their families," Leblond says. So in Windows 8.1, you can turn your PC or tablet into a picture frame by making your Lock screen a slide show of your pictures - either locally on the device or photos from Microsoft SkyDrive.

You can unlock the camera or answer a Skype call quickly without needing to fiddle with a password. If small tablets get popular, that will be useful.

2. The Start screen evolves

Windows 8.1 offers more colours and backgrounds for the Start screen - including some with motion. You can also choose your desktop background as your Start screen background.

However, it's still perfectly possible to get a really garish looking Start screen, like this - does anybody actually use these patterns?

3. Different tile sizes

As in Windows Phone 8, the Windows 8.1 Start screen features a variety of tile sizes including a new large and new small tile. It's also even easier to name groups and rearrange tiles, says Leblond: "We found people were accidentally moving tiles on their Start screen so in Windows 8.1, you press and hold (or right click) to move things around."

You can even have large double-size tiles (check the weather in the picture above) but apps need to be written specifically to take advantage of this.

To select a tile, you now need to press and hold it. You can now select multiple apps all at once, resize them, uninstall them, or rearrange them into a group: "View all apps just by swiping from the bottom to view all apps, and we've added the ability to filter your apps by name, date installed, most used, or by category.

"You want the Start screen to be about all the things you love. So when you install a new app from the Windows Store, we no longer put that app on your Start screen. Instead, you'll find these apps under apps view as mentioned above and marked as 'new' where you can choose to pin the apps you want to your Start screen."

The Start screen has also been refined to work with all screen sizes more effectively - Microsoft believes Windows 8.1 really can scale from 8-inch tablets to 27-inch devices.

4. Aggregated search

Instead of having to select an app and then search when you go to the Search charm, Bing now powers an aggregated search system from the web, your files, SkyDrive and elsewhere. Leblond says: "We think this will really change the way you interact with the Web and with Windows making it quicker and easier to get things done. It is the modern version of the command line! Results from local files, apps, and settings are easily accessed in the same convenient view by scrolling to the left."

In the Desktop, the Search charm now overlays a Search pane on the desktop rather than chucking you over to the Start screen. More evidence that Microsoft is 'refining the blend' between desktop and Modern apps.

5. Enhanced apps

New app enhancements are also coming to all the built-in apps like Mail and Xbox Music, while there are new apps for food and fitness and there is a 'modern' version of Office that's set to launch.

The Photos app now has some new editing features that let you quickly edit or adjust photos when you view them in the Photos app or open them from other places like the Mail, SkyDrive, and Camera apps - you can now create Photosynth panoramas directly within the app.

6. More snap views

If, like us, you use Windows 8 a lot, you'll have been frustrated by the lack of 50:50 split snap views. This is the game-changer for Windows 8 apps. "You will have more ways to see multiple apps on the screen at the same time," says Leblond. "You can resize apps to any size you want, share the screen between two apps, or have up to three apps on each screen if you have a multiple displays connected, you can have different Windows Store apps running on all the displays at the same time and the Start Screen can stay open on one monitor (yes!).

This is one of the fundamental changes in Windows 8.1 and makes multi-tasking and multi-monitor use a lot easier. Also in Windows 8.1, you can have multiple windows of the same app snapped together - such as two Internet Explorer windows." We're really looking forward to that.

7. An enhanced Windows Store

The Windows Store gets a new look in Windows 8.1, designed to make it easier for you to find new and interesting apps. Instead of having to guess what the featured apps at the front of the Store do, a carousel flips through large images and descriptions of each of the six featured apps in turn (swipe down if you don't want to wait for it to flip).

App updates will now install automatically in the background as they come through the Store. And search is available in the upper right hand corner for finding the apps you want. Leblond elaborates: "The improved Windows Store is designed to show more info than before in Windows 8 with detailed lists of top free apps, new releases, and picks for you on the homepage. The app listing is more descriptive and informative and includes an area for related apps to help with app discovery."

8. Save direct to SkyDrive, plus offline files

In Windows 8.1 your files can be saved directly to SkyDrive - it's completely integrated into the OS. The SkyDrive app has also got a new update so that files are available even when offline - as in the desktop version.

There's no longer a separate desktop interface for picking folders to sync.

9. You no longer need the desktop Control Panel

The updated PC Settings in Windows 8.1 gives you access to all your settings on your device without having to go to the Control Panel on the desktop. "You can do things like change your display resolution, set power options, see the make and model of my PC, change the product key, let me do Windows Update, and even join a domain – all from PC Settings," says Leblond. You can also manage SkyDrive from PC Settings as well.

10. A new Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer 11 will ship with Windows 8.1. "IE11 will offer even better touch performance, faster page load times and several other new features we think you will enjoy," says Leblond. "For example, you can now adjust the appearance of modern IE11 to always show the address bar and you can have as many open tabs as you like. And you can access your open tabs in sync across your other Windows 8.1 devices."

11. Better with a mouse and keyboard

For devices without touch, Windows 8.1 features a number of improvements for easier navigation using a mouse and keyboard. "PCs today are evolving for a world of mobile computing where people interact with their devices through touch, and we designed Windows 8 for this," explains Leblond. "But we also recognize there are many non-touch devices in use today - especially in the commercial setting."

12. A change to the Start 'tip' and the Start button

You've already heard about this one, right? Leblond adds that there are also options to change what the corners do, and options to boot into alternate screens: "For example, if you prefer to see the Apps view versus all the tiles, you can choose to have the Start screen go directly to Apps view."

Here's a picture of the new Start button on the desktop.

13. Improvements to the Desktop and All programs

Your tiles will overlay over your desktop background when you access the Start screen from the desktop, while you can now swipe up from the Start screen to access your All programs view. This really is a game changer.

14. Changing app switching

You can now also change the settings for the hot corners and App switching, so you can prevent the Charm bar or app switching bar from appearing if you don't want them to.

15. Changes to Windows Explorer

File libraries no longer show up in Explorer automatically, even though they're still the way you put media into the Xbox Music and Video apps and the first place Mail looks when you add attachments.

To avoid filling all the storage on a tablet with a small drive, all you get by default is the Documents and Pictures folders from your SkyDrive.

You can see your other folders and the names of all the files in them and when you click on a file Windows 8.1 automatically pulls it down from SkyDrive and caches it offline and syncs changes to it.

When you right-click on folders in Explorer the option to add them to a library is still on the context menu, but if you want to find and work with them in Explorer you have to turn them back on in the navigation pane. Instead you see This PC where you're used to seeing Computer, along with SkyDrive which is installed as part of Windows (in both 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1) and syncs some of your files automatically.

16. Native 3D printing support

Windows 8.1 also includes baked-in support for 3D printing. It's still niche, of course, but it's an interesting development.

Here are our earlier Windows 8.1 rumors

Windows 8.1 release date

The final Windows Blue release date is late 2013, while there will also be some new Windows Blue hardware.

In a post on the official Windows blog early in May, Tamy Reller, Microsoft's chief marketing office and chief financial officer, confirmed what we already knew - the update will be available "later this year", and certainly by Christmas.

Reller went on to say that the update will provide "more options for businesses, and give consumers more options for work and play". Microsoft now has more than 70,000 Metro/Windows 8-style apps in the Windows Store.

Reller later confirmed the Windows 8.1 name during a conference call with J.P. Morgan, where plans for the operating system were discussed.

Windows Blue desktop

Could Windows Blue enable users to boot straight to the desktop? Some rumours think so. You can't boot straight to the desktop in Windows 8, though you can resume to it.

Some coden supposedly includes an option that disables the start screen so users would jump straight to the desktop layout - known as "CanSuppressStartScreen".

"To be honest I don't have an answer because I don't know. I'm loathe to speculate. It seems highly unlikely to me. I haven't seen anything either way. I'd be surprised, but that's my personal view."

"I think it's a continuation of us always building on what's there. Windows 8 is built on Windows 7 and starts from where Windows 7 stops, and I don't think there will be a change to that approach. We'd be crazy to throw anything away.

"But what form that takes we'll have to wait and see I suppose. I think we have said that we'll be releasing updates more frequently, but precisely what that means I don't know. There's the apps as well, we've released plenty of updates to our apps."

Windows Blue sync

It seems that more features will be synchronized between PCs and your user account with Windows Blue. It looks like this will extend to the Start screen as well as device associations and Internet Explorer tabs.

Further Windows development

According to a February 15 job posting on the Microsoft Careers site, the software giant is seeking an engineer to join its Windows Core Experience Team.

That part of the operation will be working on improving the centrepiece of the new Windows UI, including the start screen, application lifecycle, windowing and personalisation, according to the post.

This seems to suggest that Windows Blue will bring more than a few tweaks under the bonnet and offer tangible visual enhancements to the Windows 8 software.

Indeed, the post mentions Windows Blue by name and says the updates will look to "build on and improve Windows 8" as time goes on.

An excerpt reads: "We're looking for an excellent, experienced SDET to join the Core Experience team in Windows Sustained Engineering (WinSE). The Core Experience features are the centerpiece of the new Windows UI, representing most of what customers touch and see in the OS, including: the start screen; application lifecycle; windowing; and personalization.Windows Blue promises to build and improve upon these aspects of the OS, enhancing ease of use and the overall user experience on devices and PCs worldwide."

Windows Blue will extend to other platforms

It is also thought that Windows Blue updates will be extended to multiple Microsoft platforms, including Windows server, the mobile OS Windows Phone 8 and applications like SkyDrive and Outlook.com.

Indeed, another post on Microsoft's job site mentions Windows Phone Blue by name, so that is definitely on the horizon.

The plan from Microsoft's point of view is reportedly to move towards a more regular update pace, rather than the three year gap that separatedWindows 7 and Windows 8, with little improvements in between.

Apple has enjoyed great success in this arena, gradually adding new strings to the bow of Mac OS X every year, through its feline-themed updates.

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