Articles about Minecraft

Back in January, Microsoft announced Minecraft: Education Edition. Later, the company released an 'early access' version to some educators. At the time, some folks were dubious that a video game could serve as a legit tool in the classroom. With that said, Minecraft isn't really a video game in the traditional sense -- it can be viewed more as a virtual world. In theory, the platform could better engage young students when compared to, say, sitting in a dull classroom and staring at a chalkboard.

Whether Minecraft: Education Edition will be a success remains to be seen, but we will find out soon. You see, on November 1, the tool will leave 'early access' and become available to all educators. It will be sold, of course, on the Windows Store. It will cost $5 annually per user, but Microsoft promises price breaks for school districts that purchase certain licenses. In other words, larger districts can likely negotiate to pay less per user.

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Minecraft is insanely popular, and for good reason. Not only is it fun, but light on resources. In other words, it can run on many desktop and laptop computers, not to mention smartphones and tablets. There is even a special Windows 10 edition in Microsoft's app store.

Today, Microsoft announces that it is bringing Minecraft to China. While that news is great, the way they are announcing it is a bit disappointing. You see, the company has produced a video showing creative designer of Minecraft, Jens Bergensten, playfully mocking old-school dubbed martial arts videos. While I am sure it was not the intention, it feels a bit culturally insensitive. Surely the people of China are more than these tired stereotypes, right?

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Minecraft is a surprisingly popular game. The design pays homage to block-like graphics of games from earlier days -- a time when a large amount of Minecraft fans weren't even born! We have the technology to make more lifelike environments, with curved edges and circles, but that would be blasphemy to the Minecraft community. "What's old is new" as some folks say, I suppose.

Today, The Oculus Team announces that it has worked with Microsoft to bring Minecraft to Samsung's smartphone-powered virtual reality platform, the Gear VR. Owners of this solution can now experience a more-immersive Minecraft experience, by leveraging Samsung's heasdset and a third-party controller.

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Minecraft isn't just a game, it's a phenomenon. When I go shopping at a store like Target, I see toys, clothes, and more featuring things from the game. When Microsoft bought it for $2.5 billion, I thought it was crazy, but between merchandising and other potential revenue generating aspects, it could end up being a bargain.

If you are a super-fan of Minecraft, you are no doubt planning to attend MINECON 2016 -- a conference for both players and developers to come together and celebrate the game. Today, Microsoft announces crucial details for scoring tickets, so you need to pay attention.

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You may recall my three sons ran a successful Kickstarter campaign last fall for their $99 Mineserver, a multiuser Minecraft server the size of a pack (not a carton) of cigarettes. On the eve of their product finally shipping here’s an update with some lessons for any complex technical project.

At the time we shot the Kickstarter video my kids already had in hand a functional prototype. Everything seen in the video was real and the boys felt that only producing custom cases really stood in the way of shipping. How wrong they were!

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Many people fear artificial intelligence, and the reasons range from sensible to science-fiction. Some people are worried it could lead to a loss of jobs, while others fear a robot-fueled apocalypse, such as in the Terminator films. Me? I'm not worried, but excited. Don't fear progress, y'all.

Today, Microsoft announces a new artificial intelligence solution, called Project AIX. It is quite intriguing, and should excite millennials, as it is based on the wildly-popular Minecraft video game. The really interesting aspect, however, is that Microsoft is making it an open source project.

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Going to school for many students is a total drag. In some schools, technology lags behind the "real world". Heck, I'm not an old guy, yet I had to learn the 100-year old Dewey Decimal System in elementary school -- something totally worthless nowadays. In other words, my interest in learning was negatively impacted by a lack of excitement and a failure to focus on the future. We kids knew the things we were being taught were dated.

Luckily, children have it much better these days. Between iPads, Chromebooks, and smartphones, everything is at their fingertips. Today, however, Microsoft-owned company, Mojang, announces that it is making education much more exciting with Minecraft: Education Edition. Yes, the wildly popular block-based game is being adapted for learning thanks to the purchase of third-party MinecraftEdu.

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When Microsoft bought Minecraft-maker Mojang for a boatload of money, many people -- myself included -- were perplexed by the move. Don't get me wrong, it is a wildly popular game which has much value, but it didn't seem to fit with the company's goals. HoloLens, however, made the world collectively understand the Minecraft purchase and vision.

Today, on this United States Independence Day, Microsoft makes a huge announcement regarding the blocky game. Timed to coincide with the July 29th new operating system launch, comes Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta. Holy macaroni, the 29th will be like Christmas in July!

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