Microsoft Q1 FY2017 by the numbers: $22.34 billion revenue, $5.98 billion profit

Microsoft

Microsoft has posted its earnings for Q1 FY2017 (Q3 CY2016), revealing revenue of $22.34 billion, operating income of $7.1 billion, net income of $5.98 billion, and earnings per share of $0.76 cents. The software giant beat analyst expectations of $21.71 billion in revenue and EPS of $0.68. The stock is up around 5.5 percent over yesterday, with shares trading at over $60 -- a record value for the company.

How do the latest numbers compare to Q1 FY2016? A year ago Microsoft reported revenue of $21.66 billion, operating income of $7.07 billion, net income of $5.66 billion and EPS of $0.70. So the revenue, operating income, net income, and EPS are up.

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LYNK & CO's new 01 is a shareable electric SUV with an open API

lynkandco6

Think of electric cars, and it's Tesla that naturally springs to mind. But Geely, the Chinese parent company of Volvo, wants this to change. Today the company launches a new car brand, LYNK & CO, along with not just a new electric vehicle, the 01, but a whole new ownership model.

The 01 -- which will be followed, of course, by the 02, 03, and so on -- is a compact SUV designed for sharing, and it even has its own app store. With connectivity in mind, the 01 has an open API so developers can get to work creating their own apps. Partnerships with Microsoft, Alibaba and Ericsson led to the creation of the platform, and the vehicle offers Apple CarPlay, Mirror Link and Android Auto compatibility.

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Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14951 for PC and Mobile arrives on the Fast ring

Windows-10 key

The previous two Windows 10 Insider Preview builds -- 14942 and 14946 -- introduced some fairly major new features to the OS, including the ability to collapse the App list in the Start menu, longer Active Hours settings, and precision trackpad improvements.

Today, Microsoft rolls out yet another new build, keeping up the weekly frequency. Build 14951 introduces yet more big improvements, including two large updates to the Windows Subsystem for Linux.

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Win a Microsoft Xbox One S Battlefield 1 Special Edition Bundle from Major Nelson

battlefield-1-bundle

This Friday, the video game 'Battlefield 1' hits stores. Many gamers have anticipated this game, as both the graphics and gameplay look amazing. As with previous Battlefield titles, the multiplayer and campaigns should be very rewarding. When completing the latter, gamers should expect solid storytelling.

If you are interested in playing Battlefield 1, the Electronic Arts-published title will be made available for Windows PC. If you prefer gaming on consoles, it will also be available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. If you don't own either console, don't panic -- Larry Hryb (aka Major Nelson) of Microsoft is giving away an Xbox One S. The grand prize is no ordinary version of the console, however, but the limited-edition Battlefield 1 Special Edition Bundle. There will be additional runner-up prizes given away too.

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How to significantly improve Windows 10's wallpaper quality

windows wallpaper

You may be more than happy with your choice of Windows wallpaper, but what you may not know is it’s not as good as it could be.

I’m not saying the image itself isn’t great, but the problem is Windows 10 automatically compresses the picture to help system performance, and that reduces the overall wallpaper quality, quite considerably.

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Microsoft introduces compliance guidance for Azure Government users

Microsoft Azure

In an attempt to assuage concerns regarding how its cloud software and services designed for government agencies work, Microsoft has released new documentation for potential customers of Azure Government.

Microsoft Azure Government has already earned quite a few certifications acknowledging that it meets the strict requirements of the US federal government. However, for customers that believe this is not enough, the software giant has created its new Azure Blueprint program to help users use its cloud platform in a way that is compliant with government guidelines.

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Microsoft predicts an 87 percent chance of Hillary Clinton winning the election

Hillary Clinton

The United States presidential election is set to be held on November 8, 2016, and it’s going to be one of the more interesting in recent years, as the run up has already proved.

Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are highly divisive candidates, with their fair share of bad publicity, but who will win the day? Microsoft thinks it knows, and is predicting a landslide for the Democratic nominee.

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Samsung releases Galaxy TabPro S Gold Edition 2-in-1 Windows 10 tablet/laptop PC

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Windows 10 is a great desktop operating system. It also works wonderfully on tablets. That is what makes Microsoft's OS so attractive -- versatility. It still doesn't scale very well on smartphones, but I digress.

Whether you are a home user, college student, or professional, a 2-in-1 Windows 10 device can be a really rewarding experience. Not only does it save you money by not needing to buy both a laptop and a tablet, but it is one less thing to carry too. Today, Samsung releases the Galaxy TabPro S Gold Edition 2-in-1 Windows 10 tablet/laptop hybrid. The gold-colored PC features an impressive AMOLED screen and other great specifications. Unlike the Surface devices, the keyboard case is included -- nice! Best of all? It costs less than $1,000.

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Microsoft officially releases Windows Server 2016

rack room servers IT

Microsoft has made the release-to-manufacturing (RTM) versions of Windows Server 2016 and System Centre 2016 officially available to enterprise customers.

As revealed at its recent Ignite conference, Windows Server 2016 customers will also receive the commercial version of Docker at no additional cost.

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Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14946 for PC and Mobile arrives on the Fast ring, with more new features

Windows-10 key

Microsoft is rolling out Windows 10 Insider Preview builds on a weekly basis now. Last week’s release, Build 14942, introduced several big new features, including the ability to collapse the Apps list in the Start menu, and expanding the default range of After Hours from 12 hours to 18.

Today’s update, Build 14946 for both PC and Mobile, is similarly packed with changes, improvements, and new features.

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How to fix a broken Windows 10 Start menu

Windows 10 fixed

If you’re having problems getting the Windows 10 Start menu to open, or it’s just not working as it should, you’re not alone. Quite a few people have encountered issues following upgrading to the new OS, or updating to a new build.

Rebooting might fix temporary problems, but if it doesn’t we have some more advanced solutions for you to try.

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Microsoft will roll out Dynamics 365 in November

Microsoft

Microsoft's new Azure-hosted, combined CRM and ERP service, Dynamics 365 will begin its rollout on November 1 and the company will show off some of the features of its new service in a live-streamed event this week.

In July, the company announced its plans for Dynamics 365 and began to inform its reseller partners regarding what the service would offer. At that time it was revealed that Dynamics 365 would be a combination and redesign of the capabilities of Dynamics CRM, Dynamics AX and Project Madeira which is now known to be a new small-business software as a service based on the Microsoft Dynamics NAV platform.

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Microsoft HoloLens coming to Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, and UK

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While virtual reality can transport a user into a different "world", augmented reality enhances the actual world. In other words, AR arguably has more potential than VR. Quite frankly, actual reality is pretty great already -- do we really need to be transported to a different virtual reality? Our time on the Earth is short -- who has time for make-believe? AR could one day improve our everyday lives.

One of the more intriguing augmented reality solutions comes from Microsoft. Its HoloLens device has sparked the imaginations of many, getting developers -- including NASA -- excited. Unfortunately, the device has not been available to all regions -- it was limited to the USA and Canada. Today this changes, as Microsoft announces that it will be delivering HoloLens to more countries, such as Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, and UK.

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HP Elite x3 Windows 10 Mobile phone now available from Microsoft -- who will buy it?

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Windows 10 Mobile is a virtually dead platform. True, Microsoft is still developing it, but there are so few active users, that it is totally irrelevant. It isn't a bad mobile operating system, but a lack of apps makes it a non-starter for many. Ultimately, there is no compelling reason to choose a device running it over, say, an iPhone 7.

Today, what looks to be the best Windows 10 Mobile smartphone ever -- the HP Elite x3 -- becomes available for purchase. It is only being sold directly from Microsoft in its retail locations or its online store. The big question, however, is who the heck will buy such an expensive phone without access to many popular apps? I mean, $800 is a significant chunk of change, am I right?

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How to restore the Control Panel shortcut in Windows 10's Win+X menu

Windows-10 key

With Windows 10, Microsoft has encouraged users away from the Control Panel in favour of the newer Settings. This is fine for many things, but there are still times when the Control Panel is needed.

In recent builds of Windows 10, the Control Panel shortcut has vanished from the Win + X menu (which can also be accessed by right clicking the Start button), leaving some people perplexed about how to change certain settings. Thankfully, there is a way to get the shortcut back in the latest Insider builds.

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