15-09-2015 17:42 - edited 07-10-2015 10:11
15-09-2015 17:42 - edited 07-10-2015 10:11
Hello
Microsoft are holding a special event on 6 Oct in New York with a huge agenda of equipment including:
Full run down can be found at:
Hope this is of interest
DD
Taken from the event live:
Hololens
The event opened with Microsoft Hololens being formally announced with development kits being priced at $3k and available for developers in Q1 2016. There was a huge display of holograms in your living room - a lot of new future fun! Onwards...
Microsoft Band2
It was stated that it is user feedback that has improved it - it must curve around the wrist was one feedback.
It has guerilla glass and improved touch as well as all the original features that people liked. Cortana integrated as part of the Microsoft Band2/Health apps.
Customers asked for something specific - how to track elevation. This was resolved with an 11th sensor - the barometer, which tracks height in real time.
Microsoft say it is clear that the band is providing data for users to track their own health which customers are using. There is a lot of data available, from running routes to calories burnt, sleep patterns, heart rate... it is a long list. The new band2 has constant and immediate access to all the data applicable to the owner - Microsoft Health enables people to dig in and track where they ran and what they achieved. You can also access this via your Microsoft Health apps on phone and in Windows10.
An amazing new and very clever feature is VO2 Max whih is enabling people to identify maximum volume of oxygen they can consume. Top sports athletes do this - now you can too. Only the Microsoft Band2 does this outside of the lab.
Golf also benefits - it provides shot detection to help identify types of swing, based on built in sensors to track and monitor your game, discounting practise swings and knowing where you are.
Band2 will continue to work with all of the operating systems still. Microsoft have brought in a large number of new partners including Uber, Facebook, MyFitnessPal - all one touch away. Weight loss company "Lose It!" announced as joining at this event.
Price and Availability:
Band2 available Oct 30, $249 - £199 in the UK Pre-order available from today.
Surface and Lumia
Surface is now worth $3.5Billion each year, with other hardware vendors selling Microsoft. Lumia is now considered as an opportunity to reinvent the smart device category. More businesses are taking on Lumia (key - business).
Panos Panay introduced the Mobile Device Section.
New phones:
There is a huge desire within the team to bring great devices to market. 110 million devices in 8 weeks running Windows 10. Desire to bring that fresh consistent updates to the Windows 10 on Phone. Full office, including full Outlook on a phone. The Lumia 950 family brings all this.
Hardware specs confirmed:
"Nothing more important than the camera at the moment. " - so with that, the following was noted.
Other hardware information included:
Continuum for phone empowers the user to use the phone like a PC.
Microsoft Display Dock turns the phone into a PC, with a proper PC experience. It's a PC in the pocket... and the phone remains the same whilst using continuum - you don't lose the phone when it becomes your PC. Copy and paste is still available - all the keyboard shortcuts work like it really is a PC.
Microsoft OneDrive and Cloud integrated. USB drives will mount within the phone using the Microsoft Display Dock - enabling people to connect thumb drives to their phone.
A surprise announcement was the Lumia 550 - a budget Windows 10 device and will be available in December. Prices around £100 (from the suggested $139) and is likely to be as popular as the 430 or 530. No specs yet.
Lumia 950 and 950XL - how much and when:
Available in November.
950: £499
950XL: £549
Carriers to be confirmed, although O2 are listing the device on their forthcoming sheets.
Lumia 550 - how much and when:
Available in December. $139.
Surface Pro4
Challenge for consumers over purchase of laptop vs tablet - its now gone with the Surface. Surface Pro3 has helped people grow with it and the way people have adapted to use this product.
Performance is key to the surface - 30% faster than the Surface Pro3, 50% faster than MacBook Air.
Surface connection dock:
Two 4k display ports
4 USB 3.0
Ethernet
One productive connection.
New Type Cover
Lighter type cover, backlit, scissor desgin, precision glass trackpad - Pro3 compatible. 1.3mm key travel. 40% larger track pad. Fingerprint reader integrated for those who don't have or want Hello (Pro3 compatible)
Windows Hello
Windows Hello will log in a user without having to change user log ons. No need for shared user accounts! Integrated into Pro4.
Prices and availability:
Starts at $899.
Available for pre-order now, out Oct 26.
SurfaceBook.
Customers wanted a bigger screen - hence the SurfaceBook. It features a unique hinge with backlit keys. Microsoft bill this as "The Ultimate Laptop". It was clear from the presentation that they view this as a direct head to head MacBook Pro competitor, with demonstrations of the high end GPU capabilities. Editing 3D images and 3GB movie files in Premiere live on stages was done with ease. It was also clear that although planned, the laptop was not just going through motions - it was something that the customer could do, too.
Key facts:
Surface Dock works with the SurfaceBook as well. The hinge is called "Dynamic Fulcrum Hinge". Then the real "cool" factor was shown - it can act like a Surface tablet - detachable from the keyboard (using muscle wire). It was also pointed out that the GPU is in the base, not the screen where the PC is - so take it off the keyboard, it will loose the GFX power, even though it maintains the other bits like processor, memory, sdd, in the tablet element.
It does make the device quite thick... does that really matter though?
Performance:
In comparison to Macbook Pro - 2x faster.
Prices and availablity:
$1499, Pre-order now, out Oct 26
on 20-11-2015 10:11
We are all getting a bit melodramatic here. None of the other networks are stocking the 950xl either. So if you dont want to switch, buy it from Microsoft and drop your sim in it, or buy it from Carephone Warehouse with an O2 Plan
on 20-11-2015 10:37
on 20-11-2015 10:37
I want to see what the prices are on O2's website, as they look pretty reasonable on Carphone Warehouse. Although it's annoying how you can pay £29.99 and then £31 a month for 3GB data, or £59.99 and then £27.50 a month for 1GB data, but nothing in between. I'd like a bit more of a range from O2 and the benefit of the Refresh contracts, although if it's anything like the iPhone contracts it will be ridiculous prices 😕
on 20-11-2015 11:31
on 20-11-2015 11:31
Hello @Chris_K - trying to talk to the business retention team, we've had no luck in trying to pre-order the 950 (let alone feed back that we do want the XL). The team are unable and unwilling to push for prices to be released - almost like they don't want to process my contract renewal.
With the XL not coming to O2 Business or Consumer, I want to try to consider my options - being out of contract for 3 months, we've got an opportunity to push and reduce our costs with O2 - we can't make an informed decision though without the information.
Ultimately what I think I'm saying here is... help?! Can we discuss about the issues with the portfolio ansd teams and customers getting all the information please?
Yours almost in desperation
DD
on 20-11-2015 16:35
on 20-11-2015 16:35
I appreciate the frustration some of you have due to us not carrying the 950XL. I am unaware of the precise reasons for this, but our portfolio team will have reasons for their decision. Unfortunately these reasons may not always be ones we can discuss in public - it could be NDA, commercial agreements, business sensitive. Regardless though, I have collated feedback across the Community and via our other Social Media channels (Facebook/Google/Twitter) and have sent this to the team so they're aware it's a device you've been looking forward to.
With regards to the 950 - we will not have pre-orders for this device, but we expect the launch & on-sale date to be the 3rd of December. We do not yet have finalised tariffs/costs - these will be live shortly before the launch date, and this is why the retentions team have been unable to give you a cost indication.
I understand this information may be frustrating or may not help you make an informed decision and for that I am sorry, but the information you want isn't something we have available yet I'm afraid.
on 21-11-2015 11:14
on 21-11-2015 11:14
Maybe everone should tweet their dissapointment to @Anonymous on twitter?
on 21-11-2015 12:07
on 21-11-2015 12:07
on 21-11-2015 12:34
on 21-11-2015 12:34
on 21-11-2015 14:21
on 21-11-2015 14:21
on 26-11-2015 17:45
Word is 950 orders will start shipping next week in the UK.
on 26-11-2015 20:50