Category: microsoft

Microsoft Ireland Hosts Inaugural Microsoft Dream Space Showcase

Over 300 students from 13 schools and seven clubs in rural Ireland gathered in Microsoft Ireland’s campus in Leopardstown, Dublin, for the inaugural Microsoft Dream Space Showcase to demonstrate the many ways in which their digital skills can help to solve some of today’s sustainability challenges.

The first-of-its-kind event saw 320 students from across Counties Longford, Tipperary and Kildare travel to One Microsoft Place to showcase their STEM-based projects. The innovative projects presented by the students addressed various challenges related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include wearable tech for improving young people’s wellbeing, inclusive and accessible voting systems, initiatives to clean the ocean and prevent illegal dumping, as well as measures to reduce water wastage and so much more.

The collaboration between Microsoft Dream Space, Microsoft Ireland’s STEM innovation and education programme, OurKidsCode and the Department of Rural and Community Development, as well as the participating schools and clubs, began back in September 2022, when the Microsoft Dream Space education team visited Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) in Counties Longford and Tipperary to conduct hands-on STEM education sessions as part of the do your :bit challenge.

This engagement led to schools participating in a further 10-week Dream Space programme, which empowered the students to explore the world of STEM and computer science through various curriculum subjects like geography, P.E., visual arts, and more. They also harnessed the power of the micro:bit, a pocket-sized computer, to foster computational thinking, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking.

The Showcase event provided students with an opportunity to present their STEM-based projects with a number of schools/students being recognised on the day for the outstanding technology solutions they developed. This included Drum National School in Templemore, Co. Tipperary for the project ‘Weaving Wellbeing’ which uses technology to weave wellbeing in the lives of young people and Lackamore National School, Newport, Co. Tipperary which was recognised for its project on collecting plastic rubbish in the ocean.

James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Lead and Vice President for Microsoft Global Operations Service Center, said: “Today is a very exciting day for Microsoft Ireland as we hold the inaugural Microsoft Dream Space Showcase at One Microsoft Place. Last year, we announced our intention to invest a further €3m in the expansion of our immersive Microsoft Dream Space STEM experience to ensure that every student across the island of Ireland has the opportunity to develop the skills needed to succeed in a digital economy. Today’s showcase is an important step on the road towards making that ambition a reality as well as a step forward in helping to close the digital skills gap that often exists between rural and urban communities.

“It also marks the culmination of many months of hard work by primary school students and clubs from Counties Longford and Tipperary as they sought to create innovative solutions to today’s major sustainability challenges. I’d like to congratulate all the students who are showcasing their work at this inaugural event and hope they will continue to nurture an interest in technology and innovation as they further their education.”

Bella Ryan, 6th class student, Drom National School said: “I’m very excited to be here today as part of Microsoft’s Dream Space Showcase. Dream Space has really opened my eyes to the endless possibilities presented by technology and the ways in which it can be used to solve so many of today’s problems. It has been the best memory of my eight years at Drom National School. After months of working on our projects, it feels great to be able to show them off today and hear what people think about our solutions to today’s challenges.”

Amadean Moore Walsh, Principal of Drom National School, Templemore, Co. Tipperary said: “It is such an honour to be here at One Microsoft Place as we celebrate our students’ hard work and dedication to creating digital solutions for today’s sustainability challenges. We’re so grateful to Microsoft Ireland and the Dream Space team for not only sparking an interest in STEM among the students, who often have limited access to digital opportunities, and giving them an opportunity to showcase their efforts here today, but also for supporting us as teachers to develop the digital skills needed to continue to nurture this interest in the classroom.”

As evidence of the programme’s impact, in March, Longford County Council secured funding under the Public Service Innovation Fund 2023 to become the first county in Ireland with Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate option in all nine secondary schools. The grant recognised the contributions made by Microsoft Dream Space in Longford to date. Numerous locations in County Tipperary have also been nominated for the prestigious .IE Digital Town Awards 2023, further highlighting the project’s local success.

Microsoft Ireland employees raise over €270,000 for LauraLynn

Microsoft Ireland employees successfully completed a month-long fundraiser in aid of LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, which saw the team raise over €270,000 – breaking the €150,000 fundraising target set for this year’s initiative. This brings the total amount raised through Microsoft’s annual cycle for LauraLynn since it began in 2014 to an incredible €840,000.

This year’s charity fundraiser – ‘The Microsoft Way’ – saw Microsoft Ireland employees take part in a number of activities, including walking, running, swimming, and a cycle along the Wild Atlantic Way.  As part of this cycle, a group of 100 cyclists and support crew travelled 350km along the Wild Atlantic Way from Ballybunion, Co Kerry, to Clifden, Co Galway, over three consecutive days.

All funds raised go directly to LauraLynn to provide palliative care and supports for children with life-limiting conditions and their families. These include therapies such as music therapy, play therapy and counselling, as well as vital short stays at the hospice for families in need of respite or crisis care.

Announcing the news today, James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Leader and Vice President of Microsoft International Operations, said: “Our team at Microsoft Ireland continue to be inspired by the work undertaken by LauraLynn as it provides vital care and support to children and their families across Ireland. That’s why our employees once again organised a month-long fundraising challenge this autumn to raise much needed funds.  Over 100 cyclists and support crew cycled 350km from Ballybunion to Clifden, while others played their part by walking, running and swimming.

“Since 2014, we have enjoyed a close relationship with the charity and raised over €840,000 in vital funds to empower LauraLynn to provide palliative care and supports to children with life-limiting conditions. We are very proud of all our employees for achieving such an incredible fundraising milestone.”

Kerry McLaverty, CEO of LauraLynn Children’s Hospice, said: “We are humbled by the continued support shown to LauraLynn by one of our closest neighbours, Microsoft Ireland. This is the nineth consecutive year that Microsoft employees have come out in force to fundraise for LauraLynn, and we are so thankful for their support. The generosity and commitment shown by the Microsoft Ireland team, year in and year out, has made a huge difference for children with life-limiting conditions and this year’s funds will ensure the continued delivery of vital hospice services to children and families across the country.” 

Microsoft Ireland & FIT mark One Year Anniversary of Digital Skills Training Programme, #StepIn2Tech

Microsoft Ireland today announced that more than 6,000 people have taken their first StepIn2Tech by signing up to participate in the digital skills training programme that was launched in collaboration with Fastrack to IT (FIT) just over one year ago.

StepIn2Tech was initially developed by Microsoft Ireland in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in an effort to equip 10,000 learners over a two-year period with the digital skills required to gain in-demand jobs in the digital economy. The initiative also supports those who have either recently left school or college or are mid-career and interested in developing their digital skills.

Through StepIn2Tech, learners can participate in up to five starter courses focused on productivity, coding, infrastructure, cloud, and design, helping to deepen their knowledge and skills levels in these areas. Each StepIn2Tech course is free to access and can be completed online at the learner’s own pace and with the guidance and support of FIT’s team of digi-chaperones.

On completion of one or more of the StepIn2Tech starter courses, graduates are invited to participate in the StepIn2Tech mentoring programme, which Microsoft Ireland employees are delivering, in order to develop the soft skills that are required to maximise new employment opportunities. As part of the programme, Microsoft Ireland employees provide one-to-one advice and guidance on interview techniques and CV writing. Over 400 learners have completed the mentoring programme so far with 84 Microsoft employees volunteering almost 3,000 hours between them to date.

Free training places remain available through StepIn2Tech as the initiative embarks on its second year.

James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Lead and Vice President of Microsoft International Operations, said: “It’s hugely encouraging to see that over 6,000 people have engaged with StepIn2Tech, one of a number of education and training initiatives that Microsoft Ireland has developed to empower learners – irrespective of their age, background or experience – to participate fully in Ireland’s digital economy.

“With the World Economic Forum predicting that 90% of all jobs will require digital skills by 2030, it’s crucial that dedicated pathways are made available for people to acquire the training and skills needed to access the increasingly technology-based job opportunities of today and tomorrow. It’s inspiring to hear about the experiences of StepIn2Tech graduates, such as Ilona, and to see how their lives and career paths have been enhanced through this programme. By empowering people to acquire digital skills, StepIn2Tech is aiding the transition to a digital-first economy, which must be inclusive for all.”

 

Speaking about her experience of StepIn2Tech, Ilona Tkachenko, said: “Quite soon after the pandemic hit, I was made redundant from my job and found myself at home with my family minding my two kids. As we navigated our way through that strange time, I came across this advertisement for total IT beginners to start a cyber security course. That turned out to be StepIn2Tech. The course worked brilliantly for me as I was able to do it at my own pace and, with the support of the FIT digi-chaperones. I really surprised myself with everything that I learned, and how much I wanted to keep learning and keep discovering. At the end of the course, I graduated with certificates in security fundamentals and CompTIA Security. I also engaged in the Microsoft mentoring sessions, which have been invaluable in helping me to prepare for job opportunities. I’m currently interviewing for a number of security operations analyst positions and am hoping to secure a job very soon. StepIn2Tech has opened up a whole world of opportunities for me and I’d encourage anyone who is out of work or looking to change career to take that first step.”

Peter Davitt, CEO, Fastrack to IT, said: “We’re delighted that more than 6,000 people have signed up to, quite literally, take their first step into technology since the launch of StepIn2Tech one year ago.

“With learners coming from a diverse range of backgrounds and sectors that had been negatively impacted by the pandemic, such as hospitality and retail, StepIn2Tech has proven that it can help people to develop their digital skills and avail of either new career opportunities in the digital economy or take further steps on their learning pathway. We’re very grateful to Microsoft Ireland for collaborating with us on the development of this programme and look forward to supporting many more learners through the StepIn2Tech course and mentoring programme over the coming year.”

For more information on #StepIn2Tech or to register to participate in the programme, visit: https://fit.ie/stepin2tech/.

2,500 Learners Take Their First StepIn2Tech on Microsoft’s Digital Skills Training Programme #StepIn2Tech

Today, Microsoft Ireland announced that over 2,500 people have registered for StepIn2Tech, the digital skills training programme that was launched just four months ago in partnership with Fastrack to IT (FIT).

Developed by Microsoft Ireland in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the StepIn2Tech programme aims to equip 10,000 people with the digital skills required to transfer to emerging and in-demand roles within the digital economy. It’s particularly focused on supporting those who have lost their jobs because of the pandemic and those who have either recently left school or college.

Since its launch in March, the programme has helped workers who have lost their jobs in retail, hospitality, tourism and other sectors to reset their career aspirations and pursue new career opportunities in the digital economy.

The 10,000 digital skills training places being provided by Microsoft Ireland are additional to the 50,000 further education and training places being provided by Government through the new ‘Pathways to Work’ scheme, which was recently unveiled.

Speaking about his StepIn2Tech experience, graduate David Kelly said: “I was working in a coffee shop when the pandemic hit and then I suddenly found myself at home with no job. I started to look into my options and discovered StepIn2Tech. Over the past couple of months, I’ve completed each of the learning pathways within the programme which included coding, cloud and digital marketing.

“StepIn2Tech is a great programme made even easier by the fact that learners can do it from their own home. The best bit for me was the guided mentoring and support that I received along the way. As a result of the skills that I developed by participating in StepIn2Tech, I’ve been able to secure a place on a pre-tech apprenticeship with FIT, which will hopefully provide a stepping-stone into a career within the technology sector. I’m very excited to be on a new career pathway and am optimistic about what the future holds.”

James O’Connor, Vice President of Microsoft International Operations, said: “StepIn2Tech is one of a number of initiatives that Microsoft Ireland has developed as part of our Pathways for Life education and training programme, which empowers learners – irrespective of their age, background or experience – to participate fully in Ireland’s digital economy through the development of their digital skills. We launched StepIn2Tech as a direct response to the Covid-19 pandemic with the goal of supporting an inclusive and sustainable economic recovery. The programme helps people to acquire the digital skills that are needed to secure employment in the digital economy but also to thrive in their existing roles that, because as a result of the past 18 months, may have been digitized.

“The initiative has been received positively and we’ve been delighted to see so many complete the course to date and learn of the individual success stories behind each learner. Two weeks ago, the Government announced its own ambitious ‘Pathways to Work’ scheme which focuses on helping people displaced in the jobs market to acquire new skills to secure employment post-pandemic. StepIn2Tech will support this mission and I’d encourage anyone whether early or mid-career or out of work to avail of this training to accelerate your employment opportunities.”

Peter Davitt, CEO, Fastrack to IT, said: “We were delighted to join forces with Microsoft Ireland to launch StepIn2Tech earlier this year. As a result of the pandemic, digital skills have become essential skills for a wide range of roles across multiple sectors. Furthermore, due to the pace of digital transformation that has occurred over the last 18 months, the digital skills gap has widened and so it’s essential that people leverage programmes such as StepIn2Tech to upskill to play a meaningful role in our economy’s recovery.

“StepIn2Tech has already resulted in positive learner outcomes, whereby some have chosen to pursue additional education and training opportunities and others have progressed on to apprenticeships or returned to employment. I’d like to encourage anyone who is interested in either developing their digital skills or considering a new career to register for free today to StepIn2Tech.”

For more information on #StepIn2Tech or to register to participate in the programme, visit: https://fit.ie/stepin2tech/.

Microsoft Celebrates 3 Year Anniversary of DreamSpace with Virtual Event to Mark Girls in ICT Day #ICTDay

Microsoft Ireland today marked the three-year anniversary of its digital learning experience, DreamSpace, by hosting a special Girls in ICT Day virtual event. Over 600 students from 22 girls’ primary schools across the island of Ireland participated in the virtual event, which was hosted in partnership with W5, Belfast’s award-winning science and discovery centre.

Students from 5th and 6th class at St Patricks GNS Ringsend were some of those who tuned in to the virtual session where students had the opportunity to engage in STEM learning activities including designing and testing their own bridges and coding their own Arcade games. These activities, like all DreamSpace experiences, aim to help foster critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity skills. The celebratory DreamSpace event sought to inspire primary school girls about the opportunities unlocked by science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

Over the past year Microsoft Ireland’s DreamSpace experience has adapted and evolved to meet the needs and requirements of students, teachers and parents as together everyone navigated the uncertainty of remote learning. Microsoft’s DreamSpace Digital Education Programme provided the education sector with a suite of new supports designed to meet all needs. The Virtual DreamSpace experience has continued successfully during the pandemic with the company hosting two schools a day on a guided DreamSpace experience from the safety of their classroom. Microsoft DreamSpace TV was another resource developed and introduced by the Microsoft Ireland education team over the past year and has enabled students, whilst at school or at home, to engage with a STEAM learning journey focused on computational thinking, creativity and problem-solving. And finally, DreamSpace Teacher has provided targeted supports to empower teachers to deliver their own DreamSpace experience in the classroom or by way of independent learning modules for students.

The positive impact of this extended DreamSpace programme has been proven through research undertaken by Maynooth University in partnership with Microsoft. The research looked at teachers and students who had engaged with a DreamSpace experience and found that 90% of teachers believe that DreamSpace has had a positive impact on students and led them to be more positively disposed to pursuing a career in STEM. This same research found that 87% of teachers were more confident in teaching technology in the classroom following the introduction of new materials like DreamSpace TV.

Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland, said: “When we opened the doors of DreamSpace three years ago we never could have imagined the impact it would have. Up until last year, hundreds of students would visit our campus in One Microsoft Place to engage with the digital experience and gain an understanding of how technology could shape their future. The demand for school visits was so high that as a company we were always exploring new ways to expand our reach and in 2019 we were delighted to partner with W5 to help bring the DreamSpace experience to students in Northern Ireland. It wasn’t until the pandemic hit and the world responded at speed to the need to embrace technology that we realised we had an opportunity to engage far more students than we could have thought possible.”

 “Over the past year our education team have evolved the DreamSpace experience so every school – irrespective of their location – can take part. We couldn’t think of a more fitting way to celebrate the third anniversary of DreamSpace than with this special virtual event and it was great to see so many schools participating. I’d like to thank everyone who is part of our special DreamSpace family for making it the success that it is today. Every student that has visited or engaged in a session, every teacher who has provided feedback to help us improve the experience further, and all the parents who so enthusiastically engaged with us over the past year. Each year brings something new at DreamSpace and we’re looking forward to another exciting year ahead.”

Anne Smith, Principal at St Patricks GNS Ringsend said: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to join the virtual event with the Microsoft and W5 team. The students all really enjoyed the session and they’re already asking about when we can sign up for another event or visit DreamSpace. It’s great to have events like this available to schools which help us bring technology into the classroom in a fun way for the students.”

Microsoft first opened DreamSpace following a €5m investment at its campus in Leopardstown in 2018. At that time, the company committed to engaging 100,000 primary and Transition Year students and their teachers over four years in the experience helping to shift their perception about the role technology will play in their future. In 2019, Microsoft expanded the reach of DreamSpace to schools in Northern Ireland through a partnership with W5, Belfast’s award-winning science and discovery centre. Since the launch of DreamSpace, over 60,000 students from primary and post-primary schools and over 3,000 teachers have engaged in the STEM experience that is designed to help develop critical, collaborative and problem-solving skills that will help students to participate fully in today’s digital world.

For more information about DreamSpace, log onto www.microsoft.com/dreamspace. For live updates from the Microsoft Education team follow them on Twitter @MS_eduIRL.

Microsoft-UCD Digital Policy Programme. #Microsoft #UCD

In collaboration with Microsoft in Ireland and in Brussels, UCD has established the Microsoft-UCD Digital Policy Programme at UCD with the goal of building digital policy capability amongst the public and private sector in Ireland and across the wider European Union.

In today’s rapidly-evolving digital world, it can be a challenge for legislators and policy makers to keep abreast of the pace of change and its potential impact. This programme is designed to support those in government with the skills and knowledge necessary to amend existing legislation and plan for new legislation that will protect society and provide a relevant framework in which organisations can operate.

The features of the programme will fill a short term need while also building a sustainable pipeline of skills for long-term impact. It will build on existing expertise and curriculum already offered at UCD, while also recruiting leading academics to develop and oversee its success.

Under the direction of Programme Director, Professor Kalpana Shankar, the programme aims to fulfil this demand for digital policy knowledge and skills in the policy ecosystem. The Digital Policy Programme, which will welcome its first intake of students in September, includes the establishment of new educational programmes, including a Certificate course and a Masters in Digital Policy as well as the opening of the UCD Centre for Digital Policy under the leadership of Professor Eugenia Siapera. Elizabeth Farries has been appointed Assistant Professor for the programme and there are plans to appoint a Microsoft Newman Fellow in Digital Policy in September.

The last few weeks and months have demonstrated in a very real way, the transformative impact of technology. Digital solutions have been at the heart of the healthcare and societal response that we have seen – not just in Ireland and Europe but across the globe. The technology led response, driven by innovation and the creative thinking of public servants, has been done at a pace not previously imagined. The reality is that the policy environment and legislation are not, by their nature, as responsive. In addition to the need to create a policy environment that caters for a digital future, it is likely that there will need to be amendments to policy to reflect the rapid change that has already happened. This Digital Policy Programme will help equip those in decision making positions with the skills and capabilities that they need to help inform this important work.

Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland said: “Microsoft is proud to have worked with industry partners, the public sector and leading academics to help inform the development of a programme that will build digital expertise into existing policy making frameworks. This much needed and timely programme will help to advance capabilities amongst Irish and EU policy makers on legislative and policy matters that arise in the context of digital technologies. Irish policy makers have the potential to take the lead in Europe on the evolution of laws and policies that remain relevant in a digital world while also fostering innovation and building trust.  The Microsoft team here in Ireland and in Europe are delighted to partner with UCD in the development and delivery of this new academic programme.”

Professor Kalpana Shankar, Professor in UCD School of Information and Communication Studies said: “This MSc in Digital Policy is the first of its kind in Ireland. It is designed to offer graduates the opportunity to learn more about some of the core policy issues that are arising with the prevalence of digital and data technology in all dimensions of life. The course will build on the rich offerings in the School of Information and Communication Studies as well as the wider College of Social Sciences and Law through taught modules, independent projects, and interactions with policymakers and evaluators in the public and private sectors.”

For details on the Microsoft-UCD Digital Policy Programme log on here.

#Microsoft wants you to have a #Surface with a special offer if you exchange your old #MacBook. #Windows #MacOS #Trade

Earlier this week we told you about what Microsoft brough to the table on the last event, and today we realized that the also want to give you a special discount in any of their Surface line up (but the new Studio PC) if you exchange your Macbook.

Yes! As you can see from the capture above, the Microsoft Store is offering up to $650 for your old laptop.

Obviously the offering may vary depending on the state of your product, the closer you get to pristine condition (with box and original kits), the higher the discount.

The promo code will be valid until December 15, 2016 and the offers started yesterday October 27, 2016 at 12:00PM PST and will go all the way to November 7, 2016, 11:59PM PST.

This is a great offering considering that outdated processor in some old MacBooks, but the decision is yours.

Would you change your Mac for a Windows PC? Let us know in the comment section below or join us over Twitter

Microsoft Store

#Microsoft announces new Surface Studio PC and updated Surface Book i7. #Surface #Windows

During an event yesterday, Microsoft unveiled their two new offerings in the computer department.

Aiming not only to consumers that need portability but also the ones that need a powerhouse at home, we now see the company focusing once again in hardware…Well except mobile phones anyway..

Surface Book I7

 

 

There’s no big news on the portable side as what we have is a revindication of what I should have been the first offering.

The Surface Book is a great device, but for the more demanding professionals is was aimed, Not having the greatest battery life and some compatibility issues was a let down. But those flaws were attacked and now we have a new offer with the latest I7 processor (hence the name).

Also, they improved the graphics performance and increased the battery by 30%, everything else remains the same as previous models.

They even made a video just to say that, take a look:

The new model will be available starting in November and will start at $2,399 with pre-orders already open.

Surface Studio

This was the main attraction during the event, dubbed as “Surface Studio” this All-in-one PC is aimed to professional photographers, designers as well as Illustrators.

With a huge 28″ LCD PixelSense Display and a resolution of 4,500 x 3,000 (3:2 aspect), the Studio is Microsoft take on Apple’s iMac series.

Only one big difference though, the panel is completely tactile, which offer a whole new world of possibilities.

The spec sheet is quite impressive:

Display

Screen: 28″ PixelSense Display
Resolution: 4500 x 3000 (192 DPI)
Color settings: Adobe sRGB, DCI-P3 and Vivid Color Profiles, Individually color calibrated
Touch: 10-point multi-touch
Aspect Ratio: 3:2
Surface Pen
Zero Gravity Hinge

Processor

Quad-core 6th Gen Intel Core i5 or i7

Graphics

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M 2GB GPU GDDR5 memory or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M 4GB GPU GDDR5 memory

Storage

Rapid hybrid drive options: 1TB or 2TB

Memory

8GB, 16GB, or 32GB RAM

Wireless

Wi-Fi: 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking, IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n compatible
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology
Xbox Wireless built-in3

Dimensions and weight

Display: 25.09 x 17.27 x 0.44 in (637.35 x 438.90 x 11.4 mm)
Base: 9.84 x 8.66 x 1.26 in (250.00 x 220.00 x 32.20 mm)
Weight: 21.07 lbs max (9.56 kg)

Connections and expansions

4 USB 3.0
Full-size SD card reader (SDXC compatible)
Mini Displayport
3.5mm headset jack
Compatible with Surface Dial onscreen interaction1

Cameras

Windows Hello2 face sign-in camera 5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p HD video

Audio

Dual microphones
Stereo 2.1 speakers with Dolby Audio Premium
3.5mm headset jack

Buttons and keyboard

Physical buttons: Volume and power
Surface Pen
Surface Keyboard
Surface Mouse

In the box

Surface Studio
Surface Pen
Surface Keyboard
Surface Mouse
Power cord with grip-release cable

The Surface Studio will be available in December with some pre-orders being available for the holiday season, the next batch will have to wait till next year.

The price tag of the base model will be $2,999.00 going all the way up to $4,199.00 for the high-end model.

Capable of Pen input as you’d expect from a Surface product, that’s not the only trick under the sleeve.

Pair with the “Zero Gravity Hinge” that allows it to go from monitor to drawing desk, the addition we are really impressed is the Surface Dial.

As You can see from the video above, the Dial is not just an extra tool to have around, Its what will complement the experience when your primary work is on the designing or editing process.

With haptic feedback to let you know you’re changing option without seeing using the radial input, add free location on the screen and you ready to work whenever you want.

As extra, the little gadget with not only be compatible with the new Studio Pc, but also with the Surface Book and the Surface Pro 4.

The can get a standalone Dial once available for $99 with just one color option (looks fine to me), but if you pre-order the Surface Studio before next month you’ll one for free.

But tell us, Do you think Microsoft is offering a solid option against the iMac or the MacBook that are currently on the market? Will be good enough to compete with today’s announcements from Apple?

Let us know in the comment section or join the conversation on Twitter

Hub Keyboard from #Microsoft now available for #iPhone by @Tiwaash #GarageProject

The Garage Project from Microsoft is a hit with rolling out feature packed apps at regular intervals. As a part of Garage Project “Hub Keyboard” for Android was released back in February and now the app is available for iPhone users too.

Hub Keyboard gives you quick access to all important documents and contacts, and do multi-tasking without exiting the app, lets you share URLs of Office 365 documents in OneDrive and SharePoint and the Contacts icon allows you to search for a contact to get their address, phone number, or other details without exiting the app.

You can try this intuitive keyboard for yourself on your iPhone from here.

Features of Hub Keyboard:

  • Clipboard: Easily insert one of your recently copied items
  • Documents: Grab and share URLs of Office 365 documents in OneDrive and SharePoint
  • Contacts: Share information of a contact from your phone or your Office 365 account

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