National Small Business Week is in full-swing; here are some great newer Windows 10 devices that can help Small Businesses be more secure and get more done.
This week we recognize National Small Business Week; something that is near and dear to my heart. As someone who worked in a small business myself, I firmly believe that small businesses are the backbone of our global economy and key innovation drivers in the tech industry and beyond. In today’s mobile-first, cloud-first world Microsoft is committed to providing devices and services that help these businesses expand their reach to better serve customers from all over the world.
The needs of small business customers are always top-of-mind for Microsoft as we work with our device partners to bring innovative new Windows 10 PCs to market. We talk extensively with small business owners about what they are looking for when purchasing new PCs, and although there are a diverse set of requirements, there are commonalities across the broad spectrum of small businesses such as long battery life, price-point, mobility, and processing power.
Every small business is unique, and there are a wide variety of Windows devices and experiences to meet the specific needs of each of them.
Modern Windows 10 devices built on the latest Intel processors are faster and more powerful than ever before, are more secure thanks to technology like Windows Hello and help people be more productive thanks to new Windows experiences such as Inking. There’s never been a better time to buy a new PC for your business.
Here are eight modern devices that small business owners, who are in the market for new PCs, should take a look at.
One thing we hear a lot from small businesses is that they need mobile solutions that offer the flexibility to get their work done wherever they go. Devices that are thin, light and powerful are a must. Acer’s Swift 7 is one of the first devices that comes to mind when I think of mobility. This beautiful laptop runs on Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, weighs only 2.42 pounds and is .39 inch thin. It includes face recognition for Windows Hello authentication for fast and secure log-on.
Other key features include:
Powered by Windows 10
7th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors
256GB or 512GB SSD and up to 8GB of memory
HD webcam with HDR (High Dynamic Range) imaging support provides clear, bright and detailed images.
3” HD IPS with Corning Gorilla Glass
Up to 9 hours of battery life
Pricing and Availability: The Acer Swift 7 starts at $1099 USD and €1,299 in EMEA.
This thin and light business laptop boasts a 10-hour battery, and a Mil-STD 810G military-grade, magnesium alloy body that’s solid and durable, despite weighing just 2.3 pounds. Its cutout design lifts the keyboard to a 7-degree angle when open, for a more natural feel when typing. A 14-inch full HD 1080p anti-glare screen fits into a smaller 13-inch chassis, and provides great visibility in any lighting scenario. It features a Windows Hello fingerprint reader for added security and convenience.
Other key features:
Powered by Windows 10 Pro
7th Generation Intel Core i5-7200U CPU
8 GB RAM and 512GB SSD
58” thin and 2.3 pounds
Up to 10 hours of battery life
Fast Charging allows up to a 50% charge within 30 minutes
Harmon Kardon audio
Pricing and Availability: The ASUSPro B9440 is available globally and starts at $999 USD.
The XPS 13 is a fantastic laptop and Dell expanded on that success with the XPS 13 2-in-1 convertible version this winter. 2-in-1s offer the flexibility to use the device as a laptop, a tablet and to put it in tent-mode for presentations, all of which are very appealing for small business people who wear many different hats. The XPS 13 2-in-1 features Dell’s innovative InfinityEdge display that goes all the way to the edge for stunning visuals. Windows Hello is also enabled with fingerprint or coming soon; face recognition.
Other key features:
7th Generation Intel Core i5 /i7 processors with Dynamic Power Mode
4GB and 128GB SSD
3” FHD or QHD+ InfinityEdge display with anti-reflective screen
32-0.54” thin and 2.7 pounds
Up to 15 hours of battery life
Fan-less design
Available in silver or black (vPro only)
Pricing and Availability: Dell’s XPS 13 2-in-1 is available globally and starts at $999 USD.
This is another great 2-in-1 convertible that appeals to small businesses. One innovative option available is HP Sure View technology – a built-in privacy screen where, at the touch of a button, information on the screen fades when viewing from an angle. This is perfect for business travel when you can’t risk prying eyes in the next seat seeing confidential information. The Skype for Business audio quality is great on this device that features Audio by Bang & Olufsen.
Other key features:
Powered by Windows 10
7th Generation Intel Core i5 /i7 processors
8 GB RAM and 128 GB SSD
3” FHD display
59” thin and 2.99 pounds
Windows Hello fingerprint reader
Spill-resistant backlit keyboard
Up to 16.5 hours of battery life
Optional dock and Wacom AES Pen with APP Launch Button
Pricing and Availability: The HP EliteBook x360 (1030 G2) starts at $1,249 USD.
With Windows 10 and Windows Ink, Microsoft and our partners have made it easier and more intuitive to be creative and productive. Lenovo and Microsoft worked together to make sure Ink really shines on the ThinkPad X1 Yoga that features an in-chassis dock that both holds and charges the pen. The ThinkPad line is beloved by many SMB customers, and with its additional flexibility, power and brilliant 14” display this 2-in-1 is sure to be a new favorite.
Other key features:
Powered by Windows 10 Pro
7th Generation Intel Core i5 /i7 processors
Up to 16 GB memory and 1 TB SSD
67” thin and 3.13 lbs
Windows Hello face scanner
4G, LTE connectivity
Up to 15 hours of battery life
Pricing and Availability: Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Yoga starts at $1,349 USD.
The LG gram is thin and light at just over 2 pounds, is gorgeous and offers amazing battery life. We worked closely with LG to get the most out of the battery. On the 14” gram, the battery lasts up to 14.5* hours making it an ideal device for mobile professionals.
Other key features:
7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor
Up to 8GB DDR4 Dual Channel Memory
Up to 512 GB SSD
6” thin and 2.14 pounds
14.5 Hours Battery*
Also available in 13.3” 15.6” sizes
*MobileMark® 2014 standard
Pricing and Availability: LG gram 14” starts at $1,199.
Samsung recently announced that they will be shipping their new Galaxy Book 12” on May 23. It’s built to make an impression with a sleek metal and glass design at just .29” thin and light at just 1.66 lbs. The included backlit keyboard-cover is detachable, so you can use as a laptop, or remove the keyboard entirely and use it as a tablet. It also includes Samsung’s Galaxy S Pen, which provides a great Windows Ink experience. With over 4,000 points of pressure, the S Pen is very precise and never needs charging. Go wherever business takes you with a fast-charging, 11-hour battery and its Super-AMOLED display, which gives you a stunning picture for work and play.
Other key features:
Windows 10 Pro
7th Generation Intel Core i5 Processor
8 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD
Expandable MicroSD storage (up to 256GB, not included)
12” Super-AMOLED display
Supports Samsung Flow
Includes Backlit Keyboard case and S Pen
Pricing and Availability: The Samsung Galaxy Book 12” with Windows 10 Pro starts at $1,429 USD.
This 2-in-1 convertible is beautiful, lightweight and is an absolute workhorse. It comes with Toshiba’s exclusive TruPen incorporating Wacom Feel technology with more than 2,000 points of pressure sensitivity. And the anti-glare screen coating enables a truly natural Windows Ink hand writing experience. It also has multi-directional microphones that are great for Cortana or Skype for Business conference calls.
Other key features:
7th Generation Intel Core i5/i7 processors
8 GB RAM and 256 or 512 GB SSD
5” FHD 1,920 x 1,080
61” thin and 2.40 Lbs.
13 hours of battery life
Pricing and Availability: The Portégé X20W starts at $1,199 USD.
These devices are only a small sample of the great Commercial and Consumer devices that are fantastic for small business environments. Visit your local Microsoft Store or MicrosoftStore.com to see what else is available.
We also offer a free online tool called the SMB Device Finder that can help you find the best PC for your computing needs. Just click through a series of questions clarifying your unique business needs and device preferences and it will pull up a list of available devices that fit those needs. It will even link you to online resources where you can purchase the devices.
Microsoft will be hosting webcasts, blogging and participating with the Small Business Administration and a number of our partners on different initiatives Throughout National Small Business Week. I joined a podcast earlier this week with USA Today small business columnist Steve Strauss that you can listen to here. Check it out, and read some of the other great content at TheSelfEmployed.com.
We’ll also be offering deals and hosting events for small businesses at our Microsoft Stores across the country. To keep up-to-date on our activities this week, follow the hashtag #WinInBiz
Microsoft’s killer feature for its Chromebook competitor is Office
Microsoft just unveiled a new operating system at a press event this morning. Windows 10 S is a streamlined and more secure version of Windows 10. But it still looks and feels like a normal PC. And it runs essential apps like Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
While I haven’t used Office apps for years, I spent most of my days using them back when I was in a student. I used Word to write papers, PowerPoint to prepare presentations and Excel to calculate stuff. And this is a great way to convince companies to buy Office subscriptions as most employees are already familiar with Office apps.
Microsoft is fully aware of that and plans to take advantage of that with its Chromebook competitors.
Sure, you can use Word Online, Google Docs and other web apps on your Chromebook. And Google has been saying for years that you’ll soon be able to run Android apps on your Chrome OS device. But very few Chromebooks currently support Android apps, such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint for Android.
Microsoft is restricting Windows 10 S devices to Windows Store apps. It means that you won’t be able to download app from the your browser and install it. Developers will have to submit their apps to the Windows Store first.
But the company instantly reassured everyone by saying that Office apps are coming to the Windows Store soon. So it means that you’ll be able to buy a $189 Windows 10 S laptop and run full-fledged Office apps. And if you’re a student or teacher, Office 365 is free.
Microsoft is probably going to use Office apps in its advertising campaigns for Windows 10 S devices as it’s a sweet deal if you want a cheap device that runs Word. This is going to be Microsoft’s killer feature when it comes to selling those devices and eating up Chromebook’s market share.
Now it’s still going to take years as schools don’t take this kind of decisions lightly. Districts don’t switch to another vendor because Microsoft is slightly ahead of the competition. It’s going to be a long fight, but it looks like Microsoft thinks it’s worth starting it.
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What to Love About Windows 10
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Microsoft’s Windows 10 Creators Update will launch April 11
By Frederic Lardinois as written on techcrunch.com
After months of teasing, Microsoft is finally ready to ship the Windows 10 Creators Update, the next major iteration of its desktop operating system, to its users. The free update will start rolling out globally on April 11. This process usually takes a few weeks, but users will also be able to force the update from their Windows settings.
As the name implies, the focus of the update is on “creators.” Microsoft is going for a pretty broad interpretation of this theme here, but the highlights of the release are improved support for the upcoming crop of Windows-centric mixed reality and virtual reality headsets (especially for developers), better support for games thanks to a new dedicated game mode and built-in streaming to Beam, as well as new creative tools like Paint 3D.
The update also features the new night light mode to help you sleep better, screen time limits that parents can set for their children, and updates to the Windows Hello security feature.
When I talked to Windows General Manager Aaron Woodman earlier this month, he noted that what he has been seeing over the last few years is a pivot back to the roots of Microsoft and Windows — and he sees this update as another example of this. In his view, the three big highlights of the release are Windows Mixed Reality (which was once called Windows Holographic), the new gaming features, and the updates to the Edge browser.
Indeed, while it was long fashionable to make fun of Microsoft’s browser efforts and the early Edge releases definitely had a few usability issues, it’s now become a respectable competitor. Woodman noted that Microsoft wanted to first “nail the fundamentals” like performance and security and has now worked on other areas like tab management and the integration of Cortana (which actually works quite well).
With this update, the company is doing something interesting in that it is bringing e-books to the Windows Store, which will be displayed in Edge. At first, this seems like an odd move. We have all been accustomed to using specialized apps and even devices for reading e-books. Woodman, however, argues that while this holds true on mobile, on the PC, the browser is the default place for people to consume text.
The update will start rolling out on April 11. How long it’ll take to arrive on every PC remains to be seen and Microsoft tunes the process depending on the feedback it gets.
In addition to announcing the release date for this update, Microsoft also today announced that it will bring its Surface Book and Surface Studio hardware to more markets. The Surface Book can now be pre-ordered in Austria, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It will ship April 20.
The Surface Studio (and Dial) can now be pre-ordered in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. There, too, it will ship April 20.
Microsoft's first-ever desktop PC blows away the Mac
Whether you're a Mac fan or a PC person, I can hand you any laptop in the world, you can log into your Facebook and Google accounts, and do probably 90% of what you need to do. It means that, for a lot of people, one computer is pretty much interchangeable with any other.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
For the last two months, I've been using a Microsoft Surface Studio — a beautiful all-in-one PC, made with the goal of breathing new life into the tired old desktop computer.
It's Microsoft's first-ever desktop computer, following the well-received Surface Pro tablet and Surface Book laptop lines. Starting at $2,999, it's a piece of premium hardware that's not for everyone. Still, I'm here to tell you that for the last two months, this machine has put a grin on my face every dang day. Here's why:
It's tempting to compare the Surface Studio to Apple's iMac all-in-one PCs. They do share a certain design sensibility. But, in my opinion, the Surface Studio is so much more.
Apple
This is the Surface Studio. It's got a giant, gorgeous 28-inch touchscreen display, and comes with a wireless keyboard and mouse. Just like this, it was enough to engender jealousy and admiration from coworkers.
Darren Weaver/Business Insider
It's a fabulous computer, with enough processing power to handle all the tabs, Slack chats, and Steam windows I have open. But luxury doesn't come cheap: The cheapest Surface Studio starts at $2,999; the tricked-out configuration I tested goes for $4,199.
Darren Weaver/Business Insider
It even comes with a Surface Pen stylus that magnetically clips to the side, much like on the Surface Pro 4 tablet and Surface Book laptop. Note also that the screen is about as thin as the pen.
Darren Weaver/Business Insider
The included Bluetooth mouse and keyboard are, you know, fine. Not great, not bad. But if you have strong feelings about mice and keyboards, you probably have your own already?
Darren Weaver/Business Insider
Flipping it around, the back of the computer shows a little more of what makes the Surface Studio so special.
Darren Weaver/Business Insider
(If you're wondering, the back of the machine sports 4 USB 3.0 jacks, an SD card reader, and a mini displayport jack. Microsoft was courageous enough to include a headphone jack, as well.)
Just push down on the screen...
Darren Weaver/Business Insider
...and it totally flattens out! Again, note how thin it is. And the hinges make it easy and oddly addictive to push up and down. There's basically no resistance. It's soooo satisfying. Feel free to make "whoosh" sounds when you push it up and down, as I do.
Darren Weaver/Business Insider
Pushed all the way down, the Surface Studio sits at a 20 degree angle, which is perfect for sketching and taking notes.
Darren Weaver/Business Insider
I'm not an artist (this house is about as far as my artistic talents take me), but it's slick and responsive and a lot of fun to use that way. I've taken to sketching up photos and notes for friends and coworkers on the fly. But wait, what's that in my left hand?
Darren Weaver/Business Insider
Meet Microsoft's $99 Surface Dial. It was introduced alongside the Surface Studio, but it'll work with any Windows 10 PC.
Darren Weaver/Business Insider
The idea behind the Surface Dial is that it's a little gadget designed to complement the Surface Pen stylus. So if you're sketching with one hand, your other hand could be choosing colors.
Matt Weinberger/Business Insider
An important note: While the Surface Dial works with any Windows 10 device, you need to be using a Microsoft-made machine like the Surface Studio or Surface Pro to put it straight on your screen.
Darren Weaver/Business Insider
Some more notes on the Surface Dial:
1. It's super-satisfying to turn, and uses rumble feedback to really give you a visceral "click" when you turn it or push it in.
2. I didn't end up using it much in my day-to-day use. It's neat, but the novelty of using it to change the volume of my music or scroll up and down in Google Chrome wears off really quickly.
3. In theory, the Surface Dial adheres to the Surface Studio's screen when it's in the tablet mode, using a tacky surface on the Dial's underside. But if that bottom of the Surface Dial gets dusty or covered in crumbs, it won't stick to the screen as well. Just, um, trust me on this one.
4. It still works when it's not attached to the screen. Just, you know, see point #2.
And then, when you're done with tablet mode, it folds right back up into a PC again. It's super simple, no muss no fuss. You can bring it up and down like DJ Khaled just walked into the building.
Microsoft
Depending on the configuration you get, the Surface Studio packs a surprising amount of power: It's not exactly a dedicated gaming PC, but you can play titles like "Overwatch" at reasonably high settings. Nice.
Blizzard Entertainment
There are a few neat little bonuses, too. Like the fact that the base is cleverly designed to anchor itself steadily in place, but also somehow be really easy to push around your desk. So if you need to flip it around and show someone your notes, you can.
The back of the Surface Studio's base includes the power cable, which Microsoft claims will never come out even if you slide it around your desk.
Matt Weinberger/Business Insider
Compare all of this with Apple's Macs, none of which sport so much as a touchscreen, let alone the other stuff. Suddenly, the iMac looks a little bit...basic.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Like Microsoft's other recent Surface devices (and a few non-Microsoft machines), the Studio also supports Windows Hello, which lets you log in with your face by looking at the camera. Hello was super neat when it was introduced in 2015, and it's super neat now.
Matt Weinberger/Business Insider
And if you're a Mac fan nervous about the Surface Studio because of Windows 10, don't worry. I came to Windows 10 after years of rolling Mac only... and now I'm a big convert. It's just so much easier to stay organized on Windows 10.
Matt Weinberger/Business Insider
It's not TOTALLY perfect. I'd be lying if I said I didn't run into some oddities with the Surface Studio, most commonly a bug that made it so that the machine didn't connect with the mouse or keyboard until I rebooted.
Wikimedia Commons
But, in general, the Surface Studio is an absolute joy to use. I actually looked forward to coming into the office every day to use my computer!
Darren Weaver/Business Insider
The obvious caveat here is that, as a desktop computer, I couldn't put it in my bag with me at the end of the day. Until Microsoft somehow invents a way to fold a 27-inch touchscreen into a backpack, I guess that's why there's the Surface Book laptop.
Melia Robinson/Business Insider
So, to quote the great sage Ferris Bueller, the Surface Studio is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend it.
Graph math equations with Ink math assistant in OneNote for Windows 10
As written on blogs.office.com
Last summer we introduced Ink math assistant in OneNote—a digital tutor that gives you step-by-step instructions on how to solve your handwritten math problems. Today, we are excited to announce that Ink math assistant can draw graphs of your equations, all within OneNote for Windows 10.
Now, when you write your math equations, the Ink math assistant quickly plots an interactive graph to help you visualize those difficult math concepts. You can zoom in and move the graph to observe intersection points or change values of parameters in your equations to better understand how each of them reflects on the graph. Finally, you can save a screenshot of the graph directly to your page to revisit it later.
Five steps to graph an equation in OneNote
Begin by writing your equation. For example: y=x+3 or y=sin(x)+cos(2x).
Next, use Lasso tool to select the equation and then, on the Draw tab, click the Math button.
From the drop-down menu in Math pane, select the option to Graph in 2D. You can play with the interactive graph of your equation—use a single finger to move the graph position or two fingers to change the zoom level.
Use + and – buttons to change the values of the parameters in your equation.
Finally, click the Insert on Page button to add a screenshot of the graph to your page.
Availability: Ink math assistant is available in OneNote for Windows 10, for Office 365 subscribers.
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