Microsoft has an app that helps Mac users switch to Surface

photo from TechnoBuffalo

Microsoft is dead serious about getting Mac users to switch to Surface devices. Not only has the Redmond giant offered trade-ins and discounts for trading older Macs towards Surface Pros and Surface Books, the company has even created an app that helps Mac users migrate more seamlessly to a new Surface device.

The very specific Mac to Surface Assistant is a macOS app which Microsoft has reportedly been working on. Switcher apps are nothing new, we have them on smartphones and they make the process of transferring to a different platform less painful. Microsoft has this app in beta and has pulled it but it is likely going to be made available officially soon. Not only is Microsoft competing with Mac in terms of devices, specs and in-store experience, they now have specific apps to capture that market better.

Source: Thurrott.com

VLC adds 360-degree video support

VLC is hands down my favorite video player and this latest addition is going to score it some brownie points with those obsessed with 360-degree videos. VideoLan introduced in a technical preview the ability for the desktop app to play 360-degree videos, panoramas, and photos. It’ll work with both Windows and Mac machines and will come to the full version of VLC 3.0, which is expected to drop at the end of the month.

VLC’s creators partnered with 360-degree camera maker Giroptic to develop the system, which will also work on its mobile apps. VLC will also support virtual reality headsets such as Google’s Daydream VR, HTC Vive, and Oculus Rift. You can use your mouse and keyboard to navigate the footage and photos. Aside from that, VideoLan plans to add 360-degree audio support, including head-tracking headphones. But this will come at a later unspecified date.

Source: Engadget

Microsoft Office for Mac now offering 64-Bit support

An update is rolling out ot existing Microsoft Office for Mac users which transitions the suite of applications from 32-bit to 64-bit. This is expected to boost performance and allow the implementation of new features. 

This means that Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote  get upgraded to 64-bit for anyone running Retail, Office 365 Consumer, Office 365 Commercial, and Volume License installations of the software. What's more, the August release (version 15.25) will arrive just like any other update to the apps. 

Source: Engadget

Frame rate counter Count It helps you measure your Mac’s performance

Want to find out if your Mac can handle your game or at least make the most out of the game you have? Count It is a free frame rate counter to help you see what’s dragging the performance of your Mac down and what you can do to boost it. It can work with just about any game installed on your Mac (except for emulated games) and the app collects your stats over time and shows these in a graph. It’ll help you keep an eye out for background applications and other system tweaks that affect your game. And yes, as mentioned, it can also help you determine if your Mac can handle the game you’re playing. To download the app, you just need to sign up via email but after that it’s yours to use.

Source: Lifehacker