Microsoft wants you to gear up for Windows 8.1 release

The folks at Redmond want you to mark your calendars for the worldwide release of Windows 8.1. Windows 8 users will be receiving it as a free update through the Windows Store on October 17 and the retail release is set for the next day, October 18—just a few days shy of the one-year anniversary of the operating system (October 26).

Microsoft promises new features and the return of the Start button with the OS update. Supposedly, it’ll have better integration between the desktop and Start screen to minimize the jarring effect of the two interfaces. They have also improved Internet Explorer 11, cloud connectivity with SkyDrive, search capabilities, and Windows Store experience, among others.

Windows 8.1 Preview goes live

Microsoft Corporation just announced the availability of the Windows 8.1 Preview at its developer-focused Build conference in San Francisco. 

At the demo, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer; Julie Larson-Green, corporate vice president of Windows; and other executives showed off the new OS. The focus was on personalization; increased functionality for businesses; new apps coming to Windows (Facebook, Flipboard, and NFL); search powered by Bing; and more.

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Microsoft brings out big gaming guns with Halo mobile game

Needing a leg up on the competition, Microsoft announced the upcoming availability of a major game franchise to Windows Phone 8 (and Windows 8). There will be coming this July a new Halo game called Halo: Spartan Assault said to fit right between Halo 3 and Halo 4 worlds. It drops the first person perspective and adopts a third-person perspective seen in real-time strategy titles such as Halo Wars.

Source: Forbes

Microsoft updates Windows Phone app for Modern UI

While the Windows Phone desktop app for Windows 7 and 8 have been updated recently, the Modern UI version gets its own minor refresh as well. It now allows you to browse through your documents and sync these files with your phone with the use of the app. The app is available for free download on the Windows Store.