Microsoft Killing Windows Phone for Android

When a company as big as Microsoft undergoes one of its biggest changes fueled by a disaster called Windows 8, rumors are inevitable. Just like Windows 8 for PCs, Windows Phone 8 was a similar sobfest. Even though in the emerging markets, low-range Lumia devices like Lumina 520 managed to create a stir, but overall it hasn’t been that impressive when it comes to economics.

Rumors are that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and top offices at Redmond are discussing the option to drop the Windows Phone from the mobile phones and tablets. According to MSFT Nerd Twitter handler, Microsoft would offer Android phones with pre-loaded services and apps.

These rumors are being backed by some big changes happening at Microsoft. After the complete overhauling of the Microsoft top executive posts, it recently sold a part of Bing Maps to Uber. The technology company also agreed to close its web display advertising business and selling it to AOL and AppNexus.

Few days ago in a letter to the Microsoft employees, CEO Nadella said: “Tough choices in areas where things are not working.”

He further said: “We will need to innovate in new areas, execute against our plans, make some tough choices in areas where things are not working and solve hard problems in ways that drive customer value.”

Well, the phrase “things not working” remind me instantly of Windows Phone.

Well, keeping everything in mind and the upcoming launch of Windows 10 Mobile this year, this looks like a rumor for now.

We’ll have to wait and see how well (or, bad) Windows 10 Mobile performs this fall. It would be unfair of Microsoft to scrap the Windows 10 Mobile without giving it a proper chance.

As a keen observer of the Microsoft world, I’ll be looking into this story closely in the upcoming times and bring you the latest on SPR Tech

Would you like this rumor to come true? Tell us in comments below.

Microsoft HoloLens Destroyed in SpaceX Launch Explosion

Last week Microsoft told the world that they were partnering with NASA to send HoloLens to space.A couple of days later, Elon Musk had one of the worst birthdays ever when SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket exploded just minutes after its launch.

Back in January, at the Windows 10 launch event, Redmond announced that it is partnering with NASA to help in the space exploration. In an official press release about the Project Sidekick, it was said that Microsoft HoloLens will be used to aid astronauts and the device was scheduled to launch with the SpaceX’s seventh commercial resupply to the International Space Station on June 28.

As we all know, the Falcon 9 rocket that carried Microsoft HoloLens as a part of the supply, never made it to the International Space Station.

NASA has said that SpaceX shuttle suffered an anomaly that caused the explosion. Elon Musk had said that the explosion was a result of the overpressure in the upper stage oxygen storage tank.

It is a definitely a sad news for Microsoft and NASA. In the past, Microsoft has said that HoloLens would be a real benefit in space and will be much more than just a normal virtual reality headset.

.@SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched at 10:21am ET. After liftoff, the launch vehicle failed. [replay] #SpaceX #ISShttps://t.co/eeFWm8VqBZ

— NASA (@NASA) June 28, 2015

NASA’s associate administrator for communications said, “We are disappointed in the loss of the latest SpaceX cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.”

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expressed his grief via Twitter:

Space is hard... @NASA we're with you and ready to try again!

— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) June 28, 2015

“Microsoft HoloLens is about transforming the ways you create, connect, and explore,” said Alex Kipman, technical fellow, Windows and Devices Group at Microsoft. he called the Project Sidekick a great example of the future applications of HoloLens to unlock new potentials and benefit the astronauts with holographic computing.

Forbes writes that next SpaceX launch hasn’t been confirmed but a launch later this year is expected to take place.

Stay tuned with SPR Tech to stay updated with the latest space and virtual reality.

Do you have something to add? Tell us in comments below.

Apple Launches Cheap SIM, Provides Services Over 90 Countries

Apple is known to bring new products to its users from time-to-time. The last big launch iPhone 6 was a huge success that made the Samsung Galaxy S6 sales look so tiny. Now, Apple has brought yet another gift to its customers after the much-hyped and controversial Apple Music app- this time in the form of a SIM card.

For the iPad users in Australia, Apple has launched its latest sim cards that can be used to access the internet for as cheap as $50 for three gigabytes. Apple has partnered with GigSky for this venture.

GigSky chief executive Ravi Rishy-Maharaj said:

We’re elated to offer iPad users a new way to stay connected around the world. Travellers have the freedom to email, map and tweet wherever they go, without the usual challenges of connecting.

The  internet plans are impressive in some countries ranging from a month to a few days service. Apple SIM users on international roaming will be able to use 3GB internet service for $50 in UK, Germany, Greece and Italy, whereas 1GB for $50 in USA, France and Denmark. For users looking for smaller plans, it costs $10 in India and Russia for 40MB for usage over 3 days. Similar plans are available for other countries as well.

This partnership between Apple and GigSky will allow the iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 3 users to access a GigSky plan in any of the 90 countries  listed below.

The full list of countries supported by GigSky is:

• Albania
• Aruba
• Australia
• Austria
• Bangladesh
• Belgium
• Bermuda
• Bolivia
• Bonaire, Saba, St. Eustatius
• Brunei Darussalam
• Bulgaria
• Cambodia
• Canada
• Christmas Island
• Cook Islands
• Croatia
• Curacao
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Dominican Republic
• DR Congo
• Egypt
• El Salvador
• Estonia
• Faroe Islands
• Fiji
• Finland
• France
• French Guiana
• Germany
• Ghana
• Greece
• Guadeloupe
• Guam
• Guatemala
• Guyana
• Haiti
• Hungary
• Iceland
• India
• Ireland
• Italy
• Lao
• Latvia
• Lesotho
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Macao
• Malta
• Martinique
• Mozambique
• Nauru
• Nepal
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Norway
• Panama
• Papua New Guinea
• Paraguay
• Poland
• Portugal
• Puerto Rico
• Qatar
• Romania
• Saint Martin (French)
• Samoa
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Africa
• Spain
• Sri Lanka
• St Barthelemy
• St Maarten
• Suriname
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Tahiti (French Polinesia)
• Tanzania
• Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turkey
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Vanuatu

This collaboration would help the Apple users to stay connected to the world without having much trouble looking for a free Wi-Fi zone.

For more information keep visiting SPR Tech

Apple To Taylor Swift: Let’s Get Back Together

In an open war between the tech giant Apple and the pop artist Taylor Swift, Apple has finally agreed to pay labels for rights to stream their music on Apple Music. This happened a day after pop star Taylor Swift criticized the company for its three month free trial policy.

The company, senior vice president of internet services and software Eddy Cue tweeted that Apple would pay the labels and the artists during the 90 day trial period. Earlier, disappointed by the trial, Swift, 25, had written an open letter and said that she would not release her latest album “1989” on Apple Music streaming service, she called this policy of Apple of not paying the labels for music sales, during the three months trial as unfair and hence took this decision.

Interestingly, she remarked “We don’t ask you for free iPhones. Please don’t ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation.”

“We know how astronomically successful Apple has been, and we know that this incredible company has the money to pay artists, writers and producers for the three-month trial period even if it is free for the fans trying it out,” Taylor wrote and said that the whole artist community shared her sentiments.

In an interview with Billboard, Cue said Swift’s letter prompted the company to make its decision. “When I woke up this morning and saw what Taylor had written, it really solidified that we needed a change,” Cue said. “And so that’s why we decide we will now pay artists during the trial period.”

Now, with Apple taking this move the war is expected to end.

Do appreciate Taylor Swift for her stand? Tell us in comments below.

Free Internet Provider Outernet Launching Its Own Satellites

A US-based independent startup called Outernet is on its way to change the world by doing something unimaginable. Outernet aims to provide free internet on earth using the low orbit satellites. Now, Outernet is aiming something huge. This weekend, Outernet made an announcement which says that with the help of U.K. Space Agency, Outernet is going to launch three new nanosatellites at the beginning of 2016. Clyde Space, a technology company from Scotland, will be making these nanosatellites.

Out of the total world population, half of it don’t have good internet connection. This media startup Outernet distributes internet like a radio broadcast. It wasn’t much time ago when Outernet started providing its service to the 1.3 billion people of North America, Middle East, Asia Pacific and Europe.

CubeSats are tiny satellites, a bit more than the size of a shoebox. Outernet hopes to give internet services the same way we receive radio signals. These CubeSats operate from Low Earth Orbit in UHF frequency which transmits the signal which could be picked up with a cheaper hardware.

A CubeSat from Clyde Space

Recently Outernet launched “Lantern” which is a different kind of a WiFi hotspot which creates WiFi signal by receiving satellite data.

These new developments can ensure better reach of information to the needy. Founder and CEO of Outernet Syed Karim told Mic.,

“We could send all of Wikipedia. Essentially, anything that lives on your computer is what we can transmit over Outernet. Everyone on the team believes in the notion of universal access to information. I’ve been told by people who interacted closely with North Korean defectors and they said there is Internet there and it’s very limited. They have their own version of Wikipedia.”

With its own satellite in space, there won’t be any restrictions or censorship on the broadcast. Outernet can spread accurate news and unbiased textbooks to all parts of the world. This could be a milestone step towards the direction of achieving free internet.

Facebook is Probably Tracking Your Rainbow Profile Picture

The US Supreme Court ruling to legalize gay marriages all across the nation was a revolutionary step and it was received with happy emotions all over the world. The tech companies like Google and Facebook too expressed their happiness in their own way. Google showed rainbow colors on searching the term gay marriage while Facebook chose to go via a more personalized path.

As from the past few days, you would have seen your news feed full of rainbow pictures. While people found it a great way to express their support, it’s possible that Facebook might be conducting another experiment with its “celebrate pride” feature. Earlier Facebook’s data scientists are known to track the voting behavior and moods of the users.

So when Facebook does something once again, naturally Facebook is also keeping track of who’s using it. And, Facebook hasn’t denied it. According to Facebook, this  rainbow filter was built by two Facebook interns during an internal hackathon recently.

The Atlantic asked Facebook if these rainbow profile pictures are “another experiment.” A spokesperson from Facebook responded that “it’s not an experiment or test- everybody sees the same thing.” Back in the past Facebook has conducted studies on people’s profile picture and this time it’s safe to say that Facebook is also keeping track of who is using this feature.

Facebook didn’t deny that the website was tracking which users support gay marriage and it’s adding their information to its database. Based on some past research papers, we can say that Facebook is looking closely to everything you are doing on the social network.

Well, it’s a great way to celebrate an event like this but remember, Facebook is always watching.

Gizmodo reached out for clarification and Facebook still failed to deny tracking. They made sure that they won’t be using this to target ads or anything, but tracking isn’t denied.

So yeah, Facebook is watching you.

Did this rainbow profile picture tracking surprise you? Tell us in comments below.

With inputs from The Atlantic