Category: #Microsoft

Minister Richard Bruton joins Microsoft to celebrate ‘Lift-Off’ at DreamSpace #AI #VR #AR

Microsoft today hosted 60 students from St. Laurence’s Boys National School, Stillorgan and TY students from Coláiste Bhaile Chláir, Claregalway at its new innovation and education hub, DreamSpace, at its campus in Leopardstown, One Microsoft Place.

These students are the first to have the opportunity to participate in a fully immersive technology experience which has been developed by Microsoft in Ireland to inspire, encourage and challenge students at primary and secondary level to further develop their digital skills.

Microsoft has invested €5m to develop DreamSpace and is committed to bringing 100,000 primary and Transition Year students and their teachers to One Microsoft Place over the next four years to participate in the DreamSpace experience. Students and teachers who visit will leave equipped with critical collaborative, problem-solving and learning skills that will help them to participate fully in today’s and tomorrow’s digital world. By Engaging students in a series of creative and innovative tasks, Microsoft is hoping to shift their perception about the role technology will play in their future.

The experiences undertaken by students visiting DreamSpace will be highly interactive and will evolve as new technology and tools come on stream. Students will undertake experiences in emerging technologies such as AI, AR, VR and demonstrate how through these technologies robotics can be brought to life – encouraging the students to consider how it can be applied to help address real world issues facing society today.

Commenting at the launch of DreamSpace today, Minister Bruton said: “This Government has very ambitious plans in the area of STEM, as part of our overall goal to make Ireland’s education and training service the best in Europe by 2026. 

“In that context, I’m delighted to join Microsoft in officially opening DreamSpace this morning. Having joined primary and TY students in their immersive DreamSpace experience this morning, I am confident that every child who has the opportunity to visit will leave here inspired to embrace STEM subjects and to get the best start in a world where digital skills are key to success.”

“I would like to thank Microsoft for its consistent support and investment in the education space over the years and welcome this further investment in creating a unique space for students across Ireland.”

Speaking at the first session at DreamSpace today, Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland said: “At Microsoft, we’re determined to open everyone’s eyes and minds to how technology can help our young people to not only imagine a better future, but to build it. With digital transformation a reality of every aspect of our personal and professional world’s today, it is important that young people understand the power of technology at the earliest opportunity.  We want them to understand that it is not just the power of technology that is important but rather the power of technology together with their own imagination. The combination of the two will help to shape, change, protect and improve our world and our society for generations to come. We want to ensure that all our young talented people in Ireland understand, appreciate and maximise the role that they can play in the development of their own future.”

 

“That’s why we’ve invested €5m in the creation of a dedicated innovation and education hub, DreamSpace at our new campus at One Microsoft Place. As a physical embodiment of our own transformation as a company, our new building is the perfect place to give our children the knowledge to feed their curiosity and push the boundaries of what can be done, both today, and tomorrow.”

The investment in DreamSpace in Ireland is just another example of the company’s commitment to ensuring that young people not only participate in today’s digital age, but also help createtomorrow’s digital world. Over the coming months and years, the Microsoft team will welcome teachers, youth leaders and children to help equip them with the skills and ambition to encourage them to unlock the opportunities that digital transformation offers and strengthen Ireland’s position as a European digital leader.

Microsoft’s new €134m campus, One Microsoft Place,opens in Dublin #Microsoft #Dublin

An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar T.D., was today joined by Peggy Johnson, Executive Vice President, Microsoft Corporation; Cathriona Hallahan, MD, Microsoft Ireland and Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland at the official opening of the company’s new 34,000sqm campus, One Microsoft Place, in Leopardstown, Co. Dublin. The opening of the building marks an important milestone in the company’s ongoing cultural transformation.  This new work space facilitates team members from different parts of the business, with a diverse range of skill sets and roles, to come together as ‘One Microsoft’ to work together on behalf of local and global customers.

Commenting at the launch event the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar TD said: “The opening of this campus is a landmark day for Microsoft, which first came to Ireland 33 years ago, and a testament to the calibre of our tech talent who have contributed so positively to Microsoft’s global growth. As a flagship multinational investor, Microsoft has strongly endorsed Ireland as an investment location for the world’s top tech firms. The Government is determined to ensure that Ireland continues to harness emerging technologies for social and economic benefit.  We are aiming to be a European leader in STEM education by 2026 and our enterprise policy is based around supporting research and innovation.  Ireland is now ranked 10th globally for the overall quality of its scientific research, an increase of 26 places in 13 years. With this focused and ambitious approach, I believe we can make Dublin the tech capital of Europe.”

 

The design and layout of the building has been based around the theme of mountains and lakes – at the centre of the atrium space is a wood carved mountain and a digital lake with an LED waterfall flowing into it. Microsoft employees are already making use of the different rooms, open spaces and relaxation areas to work together formally and informally to solve and anticipate customer challenges. People can choose to meet at the bleacher seating, can have quiet time in one of the many phone booths, or can have lunch at the beach cafe or Italian pizzeria before picking up a loaf of Microsoft bread baked daily by the in-house baker.

 

As part of today’s celebration, Cathriona Hallahan, MD, Microsoft Ireland, detailed the local ambition that the Irish team has set itself: “As a team, we have the opportunity – and the responsibility – to educate and inform people and organisations about the greater impact they can have if they embrace digital transformation. Importantly, we have a responsibility to equip young people in Ireland with the skills and ambition they need to imagine, create and navigate their own future.

“As part of the development of the new campus, we invested over €5m in the creation of a dedicated innovation and education hub, DreamSpace, with a supporting digital skills programme. We plan to bring 100,000 young people and their teachers to our campus over the next four years to give them an understanding of the transformational nature of technology, equip them with the digital skills they need to engage fully with technology and encourage them to use their imagination to create their own future.  Working with young people, the building’s legacy will be about cementing Ireland’s position as a global digital leader, while continuing to support our customers today and tomorrow.”  

Lead designers for the building were RKD Architects and Gensler. Mace and CBRE provided project management services with BAM as the lead contractor working with its key MEP partner, Jones Engineering.

Fun Building Facts

  • 34,000sqm campus (4 floors), One Microsoft Place, in Leopardstown, Co. Dublin
  • 2,000 employees with 71 nationalities
  • Height of the building atrium is equivalent to 5 Dublin Buses sitting on top of each other
  • The new campus has the floor space of four football pitches
  • Over 125,000 LED lights have been used to create the Digital Lake
  • All desk power leaders laid out back-to-back would wrap around St Stephen’s Green 5 times.
  • Total IT cabling used in the building would stretch from Dublin to Dingle (350km)
  • Combined height of all desks in the building is twice as high as Ireland’s tallest mountain (Carrauntoohil)
  • 25,000 individual pieces of furniture have been collected from all four corners of the world for use in the building
  • 265 trees planted
  • 5 restaurants – Chefs table, Italian Quarter, Street Kitchen, Forage and Gather and Pulse salad bar
  • Microsoft bread maker on site
  • Microsoft Barista on site with two barista bars located around the building

Irish firm Action Point collabs with global tech giants Microsoft, Dell and Intel #IoT

Irish Tech Leader Action Point to Launch New Smart-Manufacturing Solution at IoT World Congress in Partnership with Microsoft, Dell and Intel

Irish firm Action Point has collaborated with global tech giants Microsoft, Dell and Intel to develop IoT-PREDICT, a new Industrial Internet of Things solution aimed at the manufacturing sector and which is to launch at the IoT World Solutions Congress in Barcelona this week which takes place from the 3rd  – 5th of October. IoT-PREDICT securely gathers extensive real-time data from the production floor to help manufacturers reduce down time, improve overall equipment effectiveness and deliver cost savings.

  • Irish tech firm Action Point has partnered with Microsoft, Dell and Intel to develop an out-of-the-box solution for manufacturers eager to harness the business opportunities presented by the Industrial Internet of Things. Action Point served as the “glue” between the 3 partners during the design and development process.
  • IoT-PREDICT quickly gives manufacturing companies around the globe the real-time insights they need to improve overall equipment effectiveness and deliver cost savings to the business.
  • IoT-PREDICT uses smart sensors to gather vibration, temperature and power consumption data from the production line to troubleshoot production problems, enable predictive maintenance scheduling and reduce production downtime.
  • A unique collaboration, IoT-PREDICT’s smart-manufacturing software was developed by Action Point with Dell providing the Industrial Edge Gateway technology and Microsoft the Microsoft Azure cloud platform-based data visualisation, analytics and alerting tools.
  • With the engineering user kept firmly in mind, IoT-PREDICT’s product and packaging design was developed by multi award winning Irish firm Dolmen Design.
  • There are 4000 manufacturing firms in Ireland spending more than €12 Billion annually on suppliers, employing over 159,000 people and according to IBEC, 88% will be investing in new technology in the future.

From left to right is Ivan O’Connor (Head of IoT, Action Point), Aongus Hegarty (President, EMEA, Dell EMC) and Aisling Keegan (Vice President & GM, Dell EMC Ireland & NI).

Action Point’s Head of IoT, Ivan O’Connor said; “Our aim was to have relevant and accurate industrial IoT data flowing from the factory floor to the engineering and management team’s desktops within 10 minutes of opening the box.”

Sam George, Director, Azure IoT, Microsoft Corp.  said, “We are pleased to see Action Point has developed an IoT solution on Microsoft Azure, Azure IoT and Windows 10 IoT OS to enable remote monitoring at scale in industrial settings. IoT PREDICT, built on the trusted and global-scale platform,

Speaking ahead of the official launch in Barcelona  Dell’s EMEA Director – IoT and Embedded, Marc Flanagan said “We were incredibly excited to work on IoT-PREDICT as part of our vision for Industrial Automation.”

Design and usability were a major focus for the Action Point team during product development. They enlisted the help of multi-award-winning Dolmen Design to design a compact, pre-assembled and pre-configured system for quick and easy installation and commissioning in any industrial environment.

Action Point have in recent years delivered a number of successful technology solutions for global manufacturing clients such as Analog Devices, Johnson & Johnson, ALPS Electric Ireland and others. The launch of IoT-PREDICT takes place at this week’s IoT Solutions World, which takes place in Barcelona from the 3rd – 5th of October. You will find the team exhibiting at the Microsoft booth #301, Hall 5 at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via Conference centre. More information can be found at www.action-point.com/iot-predict

#TechWorld – Tech News & Deals App Now Available On Windows Platform #WPDev

The founder of “TechWorld” Siddhant Jain whom is a technology lover and also writes about tech and sports a You-Tube channel.. Not only this he creates apps and now has entered into the Windows Phone space with a brand new app following on from the previous apps last year he created called Tech World. Following the launch of TechWorld on Android he then went on to create an app for motoring fans called Autoworld. Given Windows phone is dying a slow death there is still plenty of users and news feeds are slowly dying along with it so this app which is excellent on Android should be no different on the Windows Platform..

Siddhant Tells us..

I HOPE THROUGH MY APP, CHANNEL AND WEBSITE, TECH LOVERS GET THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROBLEMS IN USING THESE TECHNOLOGIES, FIND SOLUTIONS TO THEIR PROBLEM.

 

 

Siddhant is continually adding content to the app as before with previous versions as its a work in progress,With a nice clean UI you can just scroll down the page or select from the list of content providers in the list which is present right now which is been updated as we speak.. Currently present now on the app is tech sites like The Verge, CNET ,Windows Central,Android Central,Sidtech and TechbuzzIreland is also in there too, Watch out for more in the coming weeks..

 

Siddhant also adds..

In this technology based era , Tech world is offering the most comprehensive daily breaking news from trusted sources worldwide. It is packed with inspiring articles, interesting facts, latest tech deals, and high quality tech videos, making it an exceptional read for anyone with a professional or at-home interest in the world of science and technology . Our writers(Sid Tech) are as passionate about gadgets as you are and this is reflected in insightful articles that cover every aspect of technology . Tech world allows you to stay on top of the latest tech news and rumours in one elegantly designed reader . Finger swipe your way through the day’s headline about latest technology and gadgets .

Find Sid Tech On Website : http://techworldsid.com

Snapchat – sidtech (https://goo.gl/TTULYJ)

Twitter- https://twitter.com/SidTechWorld

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/sidtechworld

Insta – https://instagram.com/sidtechworld/

Download below 

 

 

Microsoft announces plans to hire 600 people with immediate effect.  #Microsoft #Ireland #Jobs 

Ireland is selected as the location for a new EMEA Inside Sales Centre with the immediate creation of 500 new roles. 

Recruitment of 100 people across Finance, Operations, Engineering, Sales also underway

Employees at Microsoft rewarded with a range of benefits to support them at work and at home 

Microsoft today announced that it is to hire 600 people, significantly increasing its commitment to Ireland. Following the selection of Dublin as the location for one of four global Inside Sales Centres, 500 new roles have been created with immediate effect. The Company also announced that it is recruiting a further 100 people across its existing operations with opportunities in a broad range of roles with opportunities available in Operations, Engineering, Data Centre Management, Technical Solutions, Search Account Management and traditional customer sales. These new recruits will join the 1,200 people already working with Microsoft in the Dublin based EMEA Operations Centre, the European Development Centre, the Irish Sales and Marketing Subsidiary and at the Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) Data Centre.

500 digital inside sales professionals are being recruited immediately to serve customers from the state-of-the-art Inside Sales Centre in Dublin. The establishment of an EMEA Inside Sales Centre supports the evolution of Microsoft’s interaction with customers and partners –  transforming and digitizing the sales experience.

The EMEA Inside Sales Centre will enable highly trained sellers to leverage leading-edge technology tools and analytics to better meet customer needs. The approach creates a sales experience for customers which is personalized to address their business challenges or business opportunities, and enables them to engage with Microsoft through their preferred channel. The Inside Sales Centre in Dublin will serve customers across EMEA in over 30 different languages.

Speaking at the announcement of the new investment, An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D., said:

 “Ireland and Microsoft have enjoyed a long and prosperous history since their establishment in Ireland in 1985 and I’m delighted that this relationship continues to bloom with the announcement of 600 new jobs in Dublin. The Government has worked hard in recent years to make Ireland an even more attractive place to invest and growth substantial European operations. Today’s announcement underlines the strong commitment of Microsoft to its Irish operation and the strength of leadership of its Irish management team. The establishment of their transformational Inside Sale Centre is a testament to the attractiveness of Ireland as a location with our strong commitment to our EU membership, a competitive tax regime, a business-friendly environment and a skilled workforce with high levels of education. Finally, I wish all Microsoft employees every success in the future on their new state of the art campus in Leopardstown.”


Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland said:

“Our CEO, Satya Nadella, is creating a culture of innovation and is bringing amazing technology to people with products like HoloLens and Surface Studio, with lots more to come. The team in Ireland has a long track record of helping the company to deliver against its vision and strategy and now there are opportunities for 600 more individuals to play their part in making the vision a reality. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the government and the IDA for helping to bring this investment to fruition.”


Lisa Dillon, Managing Director, EMEA Inside Sales said:

“The way we meet our customers’ needs is changing.  We are creating an industry-leading digital marketing and data-driven sales approach to engage customers on their terms. We are looking for people to join us as we create the future of digital selling. The team we hire in Ireland will play a vital role in empowering our customers and partners across EMEA, drawing on the full array of Microsoft products and services in an era of digital transformation.”


The recruitment process for the newly created Inside Sales roles in Ireland has already started, but truly gets underway today with an ambition to have the organisation fully operational by the middle of the year.  While many roles require previous sales or technical experience, the company is also seeking to recruit graduates with a few years’ experience who have the passion and aptitude necessary for these exciting opportunities. Microsoft is offering an extensive array of benefits in addition to a competitive package for the right candidates. Individuals with the relevant skills are being offered the opportunity to enjoy an exciting and rewarding career with one of the world’s leading technology companies.

Microsoft today stated that the successful candidates for Inside Sales and the other roles across the organisation will benefit from a progressive career path, including continuous investments in personalised professional development plans which will include the opportunity to secure additional qualifications and certification to help them become world class digital sellers.

For those in Inside Sales, the Microsoft Digital Seller Programme will give the recruits the opportunity to work towards a Diploma in Digital Selling in their first year and to attain a Post-Graduate Diploma in Digital Selling in year two. Managers will have the opportunity to work towards a Post-Graduate Diploma in Digital Sales Leadership. These certifications will be awarded by Dublin Institute of Technology.

Those working at Microsoft benefit from Fuel Your Everything, an employee wellbeing programme designed by the company to assist employees in fuelling their mind, body and life. This holistic wellbeing offering is provided in two ways: through a set of Wellbeing Experiences, which aims to develop employee capability or key life skills, including, financial wellbeing, mindfulness, peak performance and a parenting programme. There is also a wide range of Wellness Centre treatments such as a Gym, Spin classes, Yoga classes, health screening, physiotherapy, dental and optical, massage, reflexology, barber and even a nail salon! Employees also have access to extensive high end catering facilities to meet all their needs, complimentary private health insurance, three fully paid working days to volunteer for non-profit organisations of their choice and a matching funds programme where the company matches employee donations.

Lisa Dillon concluded: “If you start here with us in Inside Sales, you will have the opportunity to develop your career within the company with almost limitless opportunities both here and abroad.”

Martin Shanahan, CEO at IDA Ireland said:

This year will be a milestone year for Microsoft in Ireland. Not only will the company increase its workforce significantly, but it will also move into a new campus in Leopardstown before the end of the calendar year. The €134M investment in the new campus will create an unrivalled workplace for the Dublin-based team, with views of the mountains and race and golf courses, technology embedded throughout the building, state-of-the-art gym and exercise spaces, a range of cuisine at bespoke designed restaurants, and rooftop terraces. The new campus is proving a significant attraction for people who are looking for an airy and modern workplace of the future which facilitates their desire to be close to open spaces while retaining easy access to the city centre, sea and mountains through a range of public transport links.

Further details of the available roles can be found at www.microsoft.ie/InsideSalesDublin.

Richard Bruton joins Microsoft & CoderDojo in calling on schools to take part in Global Hour of Code Campaign

Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, today took part in a Minecraft Hour of Code at Microsoft’s offices in Sandyford. The Minister joined Microsoft, CoderDojo and 6th class students from St Olaf’s National School, Sandyford as they prepared for the global Hour of Code campaign taking place from the 5th – 11th of December.

 

Microsoft is supporting the campaign by inviting every school in the country to take part in a free Minecraft Hour of Code on Wednesday, December 7th at 11am. Microsoft is delivering a tutorial through Skype and schools can log on to www.microsoft.ie/HourofCode2016 to sign up to take part. Those who can’t make that time can download the tutorial for free and take part at a time that suits at Code.org/Minecraft.

 

To coincide with the Hour of Code campaign, Microsoft today released the findings of a new study of 1,000 Irish girls and young women aged between 11 and 18 focused on the area of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). The study shows that girls in Ireland become interested in STEM subjects at age 11 with interest beginning to fall at age 15, highlighting the importance of engaging girls in primary school cycle.

 

Research also found that 54% of girls can imagine themselves pursuing a career in one of the STEM disciplines. 53% of those polled believe there are encouraging role models out there for them. However, 30% of Irish students don’t understand how STEM is relevant to their lives.

 

 


2-12-2016
Picture shows from left Cathriona Hallahan,MD,Microsoft Ireland; with Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, who took part in a Minecraft Hour of Code at Microsoft’s offices in Sandyford. The Minister joined Microsoft, CoderDojo and 5th class students from St Olaf’s National School, Sandyford as they prepared for the global Hour of Code campaign taking place from the 5th – 11th of December. Microsoft is supporting the campaign by inviting every school in the country to take part in a free Minecraft Hour of Code on Wednesday, December 7th at 11am. Microsoft is delivering a tutorial through Skype and schools can log on to http://www.microsoft.ie/HourofCode2016 to sign up to take part. Those who can’t make that time can download the tutorial for free and take part at a time that suits at Code.org/Minecraft. Pic:Naoise Culhane-no fee

 

Speaking at Microsoft today Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD said: “I’m delighted to join Microsoft to take part in an Hour of Code this morning. For the generation of children recently born and starting to enter primary school, creative thinking and problem-solving skills will be absolutely key to how they develop and achieve their potential. In particular, their ability to think critically and develop solutions in the digital world will be vital for their prospects in life. I am determined that we should continually improve the education system in this area. That is why I have asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment to consider approaches to introducing the teaching of coding in primary schools. This will ensure that every child has an opportunity to develop the computational, and flexible and creative thinking skills that are the basis of computer science and coding. I am acutely conscious that we need to give all children the best start in a world where such skills will be key to participation and success. Computer science, which will include coding, will be offered as a full leaving certificate subject from 2019, and a coding short course is now available at junior cycle.”

 

The Minister continued, “The success of the CoderDojo project is a fantastic example of the benefits of teaching coding to young children – hugely popular with children, it teaches creative problem solving skills in a manner that engages and excites them. I believe that we must learn from successful programmes like this to improve the experience and outcomes of the education system for our children.”

 

 

The Minister concluded by saying “I hope that next week all schools in the country take the opportunity to engage students on one of the free tutorials Microsoft is offering.”

 

The research shows that girls reject the idea that boys have a natural aptitude and superior skills in STEM, with 60% of Irish girls disagreeing with the jibe “I will never be as good in STEM subjects as boys.” 50% of girls feel that there are encouraging role models out there, but 44% stated that when they picture a scientist, engineer or mathematician they still picture a man first.

 

“Digital literacy is a core skill required for the future – whether you are an artist, a doctor, a retail assistant, a care giver – access to information and being connected is critical. Increasingly we are also seeing the need for skills such as problem solving and computational thinking. These will be essential skills for the future for many jobs that have not yet even being imagined. We need to encourage more young girls to sustain their initial interest in science and technology, and to build capabilities in computational thinking,” commented Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland.

 

“We’re partnering with Code.org and CoderDojo again this year for the Hour of Code to make coding more accessible to hundreds of students in Ireland and help more young girls nurture their interest in technology. Schools across the country are invited to join us in participating in the Hour of Code, which is the perfect opportunity to give coding a try for the first time.”

 

“The research findings we have announced today show us that girls at age 11 are interested in STEM subjects and we have a five to six year window to nurture this interest. It’s our responsibility to engage with girls at a primary school age and continue to deliver the message to them around the opportunities a career in STEM disciplines can offer. The introduction of coding into the secondary school curriculum in 2019 is a step in the right direction however we now need to begin to look at how we engage earlier at a primary level and with more regularity. I hope all schools, parents and teachers will support the Hour of Code campaign and help students across the country to take part in the free Minecraft tutorial we have created.”

 

Encouragement and mentorship are key

The insights gained from this research can help educators, policymakers and companies like Microsoft understand the challenges young Irish women face when it comes to pursuing STEM subjects, and take practical steps to overcome them.

 

The research revealed six statistically important drivers which impact girls’ interest in STEM subjects, listed in order of importance:

 

  1. Dispelling gender-stereotypes in STEM careers
  2. Gaining practical experiences and hands-on exercises in STEM subjects;
  3. Peer approval;
  4. Having a father who encourages them to pursue STEM;
  5. Having teachers who encourage them to pursue STEM;
  6. Feeling more confident that men and women are treated equally in STEM careers.

 

Speaking today Giustina Mizzoni, Executive Director at CoderDojo Foundation. “The Hour of Code is a campaign aimed to engage all students and introduce them to coding.  With this campaign we aim to dispel stereotypes associated with the tech industry, provide access to relevant role models and get young people excited about the endless possibilites available to them when they learn how to create using technology.”

 

Developing next generation skills

Recognising the need to equip more people with the right skills for our digital era, Microsoft recently published a book entitled A Cloud for Global Good, which includes policy recommendations for creating a more inclusive cloud-based society – whether that’s getting computer science on curricula, fostering public-private partnerships, or investing in lifelong skills training. The company believes that all citizens should be able to take full advantage of the benefits and opportunities promised by a new generation of innovative cloud services.

 

More information about Microsoft local activities and plans for Hour of Code are available on the Microsoft Ireland Twitter feed @MicrosoftIRL. Log onto code.org/Minecraft to download free Hour of Code tutorials or register for the Skype tutorial on Wednesday 7thDecember from 11am – 12pm www.microsoft.ie/HourofCode2016.

Minister Bruton to join #Microsoft for Minecraft Hour of Code at Microsoft in Sandyford

Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, will tomorrow join Microsoft to take part in a Minecraft Hour of Code at Microsoft’s offices in Sandyford. The Minister will be joined by Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland; Giustina Mizzoni, CoderDojo and 6th class students from St Olaf’s National School, Sandyford as they prepare for the global Hour of Code campaign taking place from the 5th – 11th of December.

 

 

The Hour of Code is a global campaign which provides students with a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify “code”, to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. It has since become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with 1-hour coding activities but expanding to all sorts of community efforts. Microsoft is a key supporter of the campaign.

 

#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