The journey from Microsoft Security Bulletin to Security Update Guides
For decades, the Microsoft Security Bulletins have provided IT administrators with a monthly list of vulnerabilities and accompanying patches. Much to the chagrin of the IT community, these Bulletins have been replaced by the Security Update Guides portal (SUG), which many administrators believe will be a lot more work for them, especially for patch management professionals who already have enough on their plate.
Moreover, the additional time to research and understand the security patches required for their unique environments will only lengthen the time to patch. While the portal is searchable by Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE), Knowledge Base (KB) article, product or release date, the change in process will impact the daily routines of IT administrators and security professionals around the world.
Microsoft releases monster Windows 10 Fall Creators Update Build 16226 to the Fast ring, and it's packed with new features
Two weeks ago, Microsoft released Build 16215 to Windows 10 Insiders on the Fast ring. This introduced a wealth of new features including major UI improvements to Start and Action Center, and updates to the Edge browser, Cortana, My People, Night Light, and more.
Today, the software giant rolls out Build 16226 and this one is similarly jam-packed with new features and improvements.
Amazon and Microsoft lead IaaS market
Market analyst Gartner has released a new magic quadrant that visualizes how cloud companies are currently sitting in the market. According to the report, Amazon and Microsoft are the sole leaders of the market, with the rest far, far behind.
Amazon Web Services is leading the charge. Microsoft is (sort of) trailing, but it is still considered a leader in the IaaS market.
If anyone still cares, there's a new Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview Fast Ring Build out today
Do people still use Windows Phones? Yeah, believe it or not, these gluttons for punishment are still out there. Why do they still use Windows 10 Mobile? Who really knows -- I am sure a psychologist would have a field day with these people.
Despite the almost non-existent market share, Microsoft is still stringing these loyal users along, providing periodic updates through the Insider program. I actually think it is sort of cool that the Windows-maker still throws these folks a bone every once in a while. Today, Dona Sarkar pushes her magic release button and sends Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview Build 15226 to the Fast ring. Huzzah!
CyberTeam claims to have shut down Microsoft Skype, targeting Steam next
Skype has been having problems this week as a result of a DDoS attack which began on Monday. The Skype team acknowledged the problem, confirming that "some users will either lose connectivity to the application or may be unable to send or receive messages" as a result.
In order to mitigate the impact, Microsoft made some configuration changes which seems to have helped. A group called CyberTeam has claimed responsibility for the attack, and says it plans to target gaming platform Steam next.
Microsoft: We disabled third-party anti-virus software in Windows 10 Creators Update to keep users safe
Two weeks ago, Kaspersky Labs filed antitrust complaints against Microsoft in Europe, alleging that the software giant disabled third-party antivirus software in Windows 10 in order to benefit Windows Defender.
In a long blog post today, Rob Lefferts, director of program management for Windows enterprise and security, admits (without mentioning Kaspersky specifically) that Microsoft "temporarily" disabled some parts of AV software it considered incompatible with Windows 10 Creators Update.
Microsoft Stream rolls out to Office 365 Enterprise customers
Last year Microsoft announced the preview of its Stream enterprise video service, intended to make it easy to share and discover business-relevant video content.
Today Stream becomes available as a stand alone product and is being rolled out to Office 365 Enterprise customers around the world.
Now is the time to buy Microsoft Xbox One S
On November 7, the Xbox One X will become available. Want to know a secret? It plays the same games as Xbox One and Xbox One S. In other words, the $500 "X" console gives a similar experience as the $250 "S" variant. While both can play 4K media, only the X model can display actual games in that resolution, however. If that doesn't matter to you, why spend the extra money? You can use the savings to buy more games!
Today, Microsoft announces a trio of deals that will make buying an Xbox One S even more attractive. Not only can you get the console itself for $249, but you can also score a $50 gift card or free Xbox Wireless Controller. While the promotion also includes the "non-S" variant of the console, that is becoming harder to find, so you should probably stick with the S at this point. Any savings would be negligible anyway.
Microsoft is killing off SMBv1 in Windows 10 to thwart the likes of WannaCry
From the fall, Microsoft is disabling SMBv1 in Windows 10. With the release of Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (or Redstone 3 if you prefer), the protocol that was exploited by the WannaCry ransomware will be no more.
The file sharing protocol was developed by Microsoft over two decades ago, and the company recognizes that the time has come for it to be retired. Internal builds of Windows 10 being tested by Microsoft already have SMBv1 disabled, and similar builds will make their way to Windows Insiders and the wider public in due course.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 S recovery images for Surface Laptop allowing downgrades from Windows 10 Pro
With the Surface Laptop, Microsoft is testing the water with Windows 10 S, its cut-down version of Windows 10. For those who find they can't live with the restrictions the operating system imposes on them, there is the possibility of upgrading to Windows 10 Pro -- but Microsoft warns that this is a one-way, irreversible process.
Except it's not, of course. While it's not possible to "uninstall" Windows 10 Pro and downgrade to Windows 10 S, there's nothing to stop you from restoring your computer to its factory state -- something that Microsoft has just made a great deal easier by releasing the recovery images for Windows 10 S version 1703.
Microsoft has made no attempt to make the Surface Laptop even slightly repairable
It has been a few weeks since Microsoft launched the new Surface Laptop, and the Windows 10 S machine has been very well received. If you do get one, though, you'd better hope that nothing goes wrong with it.
A teardown of the device reveals that the Surface Laptop is largely held together with glue, and if you were to attempt any sort of repair, you would likely damage it. It also shows that components such as CPU and memory are soldered in place so they can't be replaced or upgraded. Overall it was given a rating of 0 out of 10!
Before you buy Microsoft Surface Pro, check out the ASUS Transformer Pro T304 Windows 10 PC
The Surface Pro only just went on sale, but you might want to reconsider that purchase. Don't get me wrong, Microsoft's hybrid tablet looks great, but ASUS has a very similar new Windows 10 PC that might be better. Called "Transformer Pro T304," it features the ports that are missing from the Surface Pro, such as HDMI and USB-C -- no dongles needed. Don't worry, there is a USB Type-A port too.
Not only does the Transformer Pro T304 have plenty of ports, but plenty of horsepower too. Regardless of configuration, you get a 7th-generation Core i7-7500U and 12.6-inch display with a 2160x1440 resolution. While the display is slightly larger than Surface Pro, the resolution on the ASUS machine is less -- something to consider. For memory, 8GB is standard, but you can opt for 16GB. The increase in RAM also gets you a storage bump, going from 256GB to 512GB. The superior model also gets Windows 10 Pro rather than Home.
Here's why the Xbox One X is so damned expensive
When Microsoft revealed that Project Scorpio was the Xbox One X, there was immediate excitement about "the world's most powerful console". But while there is eager anticipation of true 4K gaming, and a wealth of titles to look forward to, there is something of a dark shadow hanging over the upcoming console: that price.
At $499, the Xbox One X is (or will be) the most expensive gaming console on the market and there are understandable questions about why the price is so high. Vice President of Xbox and Windows Gaming VP, Mike Ybarra, has shed some light on the issue revealing that Microsoft simply wasn't willing to compromise.
Microsoft Modern Keyboard with Fingerprint ID is designed for Windows Hello, coming soon
Earlier today, Microsoft quietly unveiled a cool new product. Called "Microsoft Modern Keyboard with Fingerprint ID," it is designed for Windows Hello -- the biometic login feature found in Windows 10. It features Bluetooth 4.0/4.1 and a wireless range of up to 50 feet.
The weird thing about the product is that it has what Microsoft calls a "hidden" fingerprint scanner. I call this odd because the scanner is literally in a key with a fingerprint label on it! In other words, it is hiding in plain sight. It seems Microsoft is proud that the reader itself is "hidden" underneath the key, but since it is labeled as such, I don't know why that matters.
Microsoft boasts artificial intelligence that can 'beat' Ms. Pac-Man
Move over, Billy Mitchell. There's a new 1980s arcade video game master, and his name is...well, he doesn't have a name. And it's also not a "he" -- it's Microsoft's latest demonstration of artificial intelligence.
The team at Maluuba, a Canadian artificial intelligence firm acquired by Microsoft earlier this year, has managed to program a system that can play the Atari 2600 version of Ms. Pac-Man indefinitely without ever being hit by a ghost, allowing it to rack up a score of 999,990 before being reset to zero.
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