Microsoft news – Page 203

Posted on April 11, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Microsoft at May 7-9 SAP Sapphire NOW event: A trusted path to cloud innovation

In a few weeks, over 22,000 people from around the globe will converge in Orlando, Florida from May 7-9, 2019 for the SAP Sapphire NOW and ASUG Annual Conference. Each year, the event brings together thought leaders across industries to find innovative ways to solve common challenges, unlock new opportunities, and take advantage of emerging technologies that are changing the business landscape as we know it. This year, Microsoft has elevated its presence to the next level with engaging in-booth experiences and informative sessions that will educate, intrigue, and inspire attendees as they take the next step in their digital transformation journey.

Modernize your SAP landscapes

While running SAP on-premises was once business as usual, it is quickly becoming obsolete for businesses looking to compete and win. With the power of the cloud, enterprises have real-time data with intelligent insights from machine learning and artificial intelligence at their fingertips, can spin up a dev-test environment or an application server in minutes instead of hours, and back-up a virtual machine in a few mouse clicks.

At SAP SAPPHIRE NOW, you’ll have the opportunity to get a better understanding on the business value of moving your SAP applications to Azure:

On Tuesday, May 7, 2019 from 12:00 PM – 12:40 PM, we will host a session on “Innovating with SAP HANA on Microsoft Azure.” The session will cover how SAP customers are accelerating innovation velocity and saving costs for high-performance SAP HANA applications by moving to Azure.
On Tuesday, May 7, 2019 from 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM, we will host a session on “Microsoft’s journey to SAP S/4 HANA on Azure.” In this session you’ll learn how Microsoft migrated to Azure and is now leveraging it to transform its existing SAP landscape and starts migrating to S/4HANA.
On Wednesday, May 8, 2019 from 11:30 AM – 11: 50 AM, we will host a session on “Lessons learned from migrating SAP applications to the cloud with Microsoft Azure.” The session will share the lessons Microsoft learned during migration and share best practices that will help you learn how you can transform your existing SAP landscape and start migrating to Azure. To learn more about Microsoft’s journey to running SAP on Azure, check out our IT showcase story: SAP on Azure—your trusted path to innovation in the cloud.
Visit the Microsoft booth, #729, for one of our in-booth theatre sessions on topics like “Optimizing your SAP landscapes in Azure” and “SAP on Azure deployment journey and lessons learned,” or get hands-on with Azure at one of our in-booth demo pods.

Explore IoT, AI, and machine learning

Every organization is challenged with doing things faster, cheaper, and smarter to keep up with the ever-evolving pace of innovation. To stay agile in a competitive landscape, businesses need to start thinking about how to leverage emerging technology advancements like IoT solutions and artificial intelligence to better serve customers, build more innovative solutions, and obtain a 360-degree view of the business.

At SAP SAPPHIRE NOW, you’ll have the chance to talk with solution experts from Microsoft around creative ways to leverage technology to solve your most challenging business problems:

On Tuesday, May 7, 2019 from 2:00 PM – 2:20 PM, we will host a session, “Harness the power of IoT Data across Intelligent Edge and Intelligent Cloud.” In this session, you’ll learn how you can take advantage of innovations in IoT technology at the edge and in the cloud with SAP business processes with the power of Microsoft Azure IoT to achieve transformative innovation for your business.
Stop by booth #729 to experience our Azure Data Services and Analytics demo to learn how you can connect data from multiple inputs and applications to provide a unified view of your business. You can also learn more about how IoT solutions can help you take a step closer to digital transformation by experiencing our Azure IoT demo.

Learn about cloud migration from our trusted partners

There are different paths to migrate to SAP HANA and Azure, depending on your business needs. Microsoft’s SAP on Azure partners can work with you to determine the best way to migrate your SAP applications to the cloud.

At SAP SAPPHIRE NOW, you’ll find multiple opportunities to connect with partners:

Join a partner-led session at our in-booth theatre. We’ll have partners from organizations like SAP and Accenture to learn how running your SAP landscapes in the cloud can provide your business with more agility, security, and reduced costs.
After the show-floor dies down, we encourage you to engage with Microsoft and our partners at various co-sponsored, partner-led events throughout the week.
Also, stop by our booth (#729) to speak with many of our leading partner organizations to learn about the services they provide to help you on your journey to the running SAP on Azure.

Discover business transformation

Look for Microsoft at SAP SAPPHIRE NOW 2019 and see for yourself why the leading enterprises across industries bet their businesses on the technology that Microsoft and SAP provide for a first-and-best pathway to running SAP applications in the cloud.

Sign up for live updates at our dedicated SAP SAPPHIRE NOW 2019 event page.

Posted on April 11, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Acer family grows with ConceptD portfolio for creators, Spin 3 series, gaming notebooks and more

At its annual global press conference Thursday in New York City, Acer launched ConceptD, a new brand of high-end desktops, notebooks, gadgets and monitors optimized for creators such as graphic designers, filmmakers, engineers, architects and developers. It also revealed new and refreshed devices for consumers, gamers and on-the-go professionals. A lot of great hardware was introduced; let’s kick things off with the new ConceptD lineup.

ConceptD family of devices

The ConceptD 900 is a high-performance desktop for professionals running multiple complex and demanding applications. It has dual Intel Xeon Gold 6148 processors with up to 40 cores, 80 threads, NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000 and 12 memory slots for a total of up to 192GB [1] of ECC memory. It’s perfect for filmmakers, animators, product designers and architects to get lost in the creative process without worrying about long render times. It’s also ideal for AI and deep learning developers who need outstanding computing and graphics power.

The ConceptD 500 has up to 9^th Generation Intel Core processors and up to NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 GPUs [1] to make workloads and multi-media creation smoother and faster on complex projects. Its multiple CPU cores achieve high single-core speed while staying cool with low heat output and low power consumption. With up to NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 GPUs [1], this desktop supports four 5K displays (5120×2880 @ 60Hz) with HDR color, making visual effects, motion graphics and animation rendering a breeze. It’s also designed to grow with users to meet ever-changing workload requirements. With four DIMM slots for up to 64GB 2666 MHz DDR4 memory, it has more bandwidth and capacity for fast performance when working on complex design tasks. The onboard PCIe M.2 NVMe SSD allows for large models and complex 3D rendering in real time.

ConceptD 9

ConceptD 9, 7 and 5 creator notebooks each feature a 4K UHD IPS [2] PANTONE Validated display. Colors are as accurate as possible as the display covers 100 percent of the Adobe RGB color gamut. These creator notebooks stay quiet with Acer’s 4^th generation AeroBlade 3D Fan with a noise reduction mechanism that emits less than 40 db of noise — equivalent to the sound level of a library — while maintaining high computing and graphics performance.

Creators need color accuracy beyond what most mainstream monitors can offer, and so Acer created ConceptD UHD monitors. Featuring a remarkable color accuracy of Delta E <1 and a modern slick, black finish with a wood-patterned base, these new PANTONE Validated monitors are optimized so creators can do more.

The ConceptD CM7321K is a 32-inch monitor ideal for 2D creators. Its VESA-Certified DisplayHDR1000, 32-inch 4K UHD display delivers 1152 zones of local-dimming with Mini LED technology and DisplayHDR 1000, plus 99 percent coverage of the Adobe RGB color space and 89.5 percent Rec.2020 so creators and filmmakers can bring their ideas to life.

The ConceptD CP7271K is a PANTONE Validated 27-inch monitor optimized for 3D creators. It has an impressive color accuracy of Delta E <1, a wide color gamut of 99 of the AdobeRGB and 93 percent DCI-P3. It also features GSYNC Ultimate and DisplayHDR 1000 for unparalleled color and image detail.

Aspire 5

Acer also updated its popular Aspire series of notebooks powered by Windows 10 that cater to a wide range of needs, and revealed new features. For users looking for lightning-fast performance, the Aspire 7 rises above similar products in its category by featuring an 8^th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and the latest NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics, and an all-metal top cover and palm-rest area. The Aspire 5 is ideal for bloggers, photographers and media enthusiasts, and offers exceptional processing and graphics performance with an 8^th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce MX250 GPU for powerful everyday computing. The Aspire 3 is a great value laptop built for everyday tasks at home, work or school, such as web browsing, social media and watching movies, while also offering vast storage capabilities for family photos, films and videos.

On-the-go professionals will appreciate the new Spin 3, the latest addition to Acer’s Spin convertible notebook series. Its combination of power, value, long battery life and generous screen size sets it apart from the competition. Powered by up to an 8^th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and an optional NVIDIA GeForce MX230 GPU, it features a 512GB PCIe SSD and up to 1TB of HDD storage, a dockable and rechargeable pen and enhanced Wi-Fi 5 performance. The Spin 3’s 14-inch Full HD IPS [2] touch display allows for pen and touch simultaneously, and the Acer Active Pen enables precise and direct on-screen input at multiple points of contact, improving your efficiency working on more complex projects.

TravelMate P614-51

For those who really put their devices to the test, the new TravelMate P614-51 is a thin, light and durable commercial notebook series built for professionals who travel frequently or work in the field. Robust and powerful with long battery life, it’s built to withstand life on the road and support heavy workloads. It’s designed to handle the bumps and bangs of airport security checks, accidental drops and other mishaps. It complies with MIL-STD 810G [3], 810F, a set of U.S. military-grade tests that check the durability of a wide range of products. The standards follow stringent procedures such as a drop test involving 26 drops from a height of approximately 48 inches on various parts of the frame — landing on two inches of plywood placed on concrete. Other tests check the laptop’s resistance to rain, humidity and extreme temperatures. It sports a premium quality magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis, which weighs less and is stronger than standard aluminum alloys at the same thickness. Weighing just 2.4 pounds and measuring only 0.6 inches thick, it doesn’t take up much room in a briefcase or backpack. With up to 20 hours [4] of battery life, professionals can stay productive on international flights or work through two full days on the go without having to recharge.

And for gaming enthusiasts, Acer had plenty to show off.

The new Nitro 7 laptop is for casual gamers looking to boost their performance as they compete with friends online. It has a brand-new sleek metal chassis measuring just 19.9 mm [1]. Its high-resolution 15.6-inch display reproduces lifelike colors at a 144 Hz [1] refresh rate with a 3 ms [5] response time for a tear-free gaming experience — crucial while in the throes of battle. A 9^th Generation Intel Core processor [1] and the latest NVIDIA GPUs power the Nitro 7 to ensure a seamless gaming experience. It also has ample storage, with two slots available for M.2 Gen 3×4 PCIe SSDs using NVMe technology in Raid 02 [1], and up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM with up to 2TB of HDD storage.

Nitro 5

In addition, Acer has updated the Nitro 5 series laptop with the latest NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics, a new display with a 144 Hz [1] refresh rate, and a low-latency response time of only 3 ms [5]. It effortlessly streams gameplay with Gigabit Wi-Fi 5 with 2×2 MU-MIMO technology. Users can also connect supporting gadgets with an array of ports such as HDMI 2.0, USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 and more.

Acer also unveiled two new Predator Helios Windows 10 gaming notebooks at the global press conference.

Predator Helios 700

The all-new Helios 700 includes a HyperDrift keyboard that slides forward, increasing airflow directly through the top of the notebook. This keyboard is part of the notebook’s thermal architecture, which consists of two of Acer’s custom-engineered 4^th Generation AeroBlade 3D Fans, five copper heat pipes, a vapor chamber [6] and Acer CoolBoost Technology. By sliding the keyboard forward, two additional air intakes appear above the keyboard and below the display, giving the powerful heat-generating components extra air flow for maximum cooling and unleashed overclocking. The glass panel also provides a view of the notebook’s heat pipes.

The HyperDrift keyboard also improves ergonomics. With the keyboard closer now, gamers can keep a good distance to the 17-inch screen without overextending hands, providing desktop comfort in a notebook form factor. The keyboard also features per-key RGB lighting, anti-ghosting and MagForce WASD keys. TheMagForce keys use analog-like linear switches that trigger actuation immediately upon the initial press, and increase up to 100 percent to give players more control over precise movements in the game. A Precision Touchpad is outlined with blue lighting and features two discrete mouse buttons below the pad for easy clicking.

The redesigned Predator Helios 300 raises the bar for midrange gaming notebooks with the addition of powerful technologies and features, along with a new sophisticated design. Gamers will be most excited about the addition of a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU with Max-Q Design supported by a Turbo key for one-punch overclocking and Killer DoubleShot Pro for fast and lag-free networking. Paired with up to the latest 9^th Generation Intel Core i7 processors, up to 32GB of DDR4 2666MHz memory and up to two PCIe NVMe SSDs in RAID 0 plus a hard drive, it’s the powerhouse gamers crave for playing today’s AAA games.

Predator Helios 300

It’s well-suited for task-heavy computing, as its high-end hardware provides the performance needed for gaming, streaming, and video and photo editing.

Praised for being one of the first notebooks in its class to feature a 144Hz display, the new Helios 300’s bright 15.6-inch or 17.3-inch Full HD IPS [1] display is now framed by a narrow border and includes 3 ms overdrive response times.

Finally, Acer revealed new additions across its growing Predator line that appeal to high-performance gamers.

The new Predator Orion 5000 (PO5-605S) adopts the overclockable octa-core 9^th Generation Intel Core i9-9900K (with Z390 chipset) with support for dual-channel DDR4 configurations (up to 64GB). For superior graphics performance, the revolutionary NVIDIA Turing architecture combines real-time ray tracing, artificial intelligence and programmable shading to immerse players in a visually stunning gaming experience. A Cooler Master CPU Liquid Cooler [1] regulates temperature to maximize peak performance. Strategically placed intake and exhaust fans, as well as a shrouded power supply unit outfitted with its very own removable dust filter, ensure each internal component of the Orion tower stays cool during extended gaming sessions.

Predator Orion 5000

The tower’s chassis has been trimmed down to just 30 liters, while the see-through side panel includes a layer of metal mesh which, along with the rest of the case, provides EMI shielding to inner components. Users can maintain superiority over the competition with 2.5Gbps Ethernet, and when victory is assured, they can hang the headset on either of the chassis’ two headset cradles.

In addition, Acer launched a massive 43-inch Predator Monitor alongside new additions to its growing series of Predator peripherals. Designed for hardcore PC and console gaming enthusiasts looking for ultra-high definition (3840 x 2160), the 4K monitor features a fast 144Hz refresh rate for smooth and tear-free imagery, essential for tracking objects as they zip across the screen. The monitor’s AdaptiveSync feature adapts to the frame rate of the outputting device, resulting in uninterrupted gameplay. Console gamers will appreciate its three HDMI ports, plus a Type-C and a display port.

Predator Monitor

The 43-inch Predator Monitor also saves power through a light sensor that can detect the light level in the room and automatically adjusts brightness for comfortable viewing, and a proximity sensor, so as viewers move to the front of monitor it will automatically wake up from standby mode, or revert to sleep mode when no one is in the room. It also includes a remote control, making it convenient for living room use.

Find out more about all these devices at Acer.

[1] Specifications may vary depending on model/country.

[2] All brands and product names mentioned herein include trademarks of their respective companies and are used solely to describe or identify the products.

[3] Tested by qualified third-party labs for certain test procedures under MIL-STD 810G (Oct 2008) for environmental conditions that include high and low temperatures, humidity, vibrations, mechanical shocks on drops, rain, dust and sand.

[4] Battery life claim based on MobileMark 2014. Actual battery life varies depending on product specifications, computer settings and applications or features launched. All batteries’ maximum capacity diminishes with time and use.

[5] Nitro 5/7 both support 144 Hz and 3 ms response time Overdrive.

[6] Vapor chamber not available on all models.

Posted on April 11, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Home of World War II codebreakers at Bletchley Park to be turned into Institute of Technology

A consortium that includes Microsoft has been awarded Government funding to transform part of Bletchley Park into an Institute of Technology that will teach digital skills.

The eight organisations have been granted £28 million to refurbish Block D at the historic site, which was home to Britain’s codebreakers in the Second World War, including Alan Turing, and the famous Enigma machine.

Around 1,000 students aged 18 and over are expected to attend the Institute every year for technical qualifications, higher apprenticeships and training to help tackle the UK digital skills gap in roles such as cybersecurity.

It is estimated that more than 500,000 highly skilled workers are needed to fill digital roles by 2022. That figure is three times the number of computer science graduates that the UK has produced over the past 10 years.

Derrick McCourt, General Manager of the Customer Success Unit at Microsoft UK, said: “In a world being transformed by technology, many of the jobs and opportunities of tomorrow will require skills and expertise rooted in technical aptitude. This new Institute of Technology at Bletchley Park will offer a much-needed pathway for young people to develop digital skills and practical expertise so vital to building a fulfilling career as well as addressing the digital skills gap across the UK.”

<img data-attachment-id="74730" data-permalink="https://news.microsoft.com/en-gb/2019/04/10/home-of-second-world-war-codebreakers-at-bletchley-park-to-be-turned-into-institute-of-technology-by-consortium-including-microsoft/img_0157/" data-orig-file="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/home-of-world-war-ii-codebreakers-at-bletchley-park-to-be-turned-into-institute-of-technology.jpg" data-orig-size="3264,2448" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 6","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1520425037","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.15","iso":"250","shutter_speed":"0.030303030303","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="IMG_0157" data-image-description="

Sir John Dermot Turing, Alan Turing’s nephew, views the plans for the Institute of Technology at Bletchley Park

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Sir John Dermot Turing (left), Alan Turing’s nephew, views the plans for the Institute of Technology at Bletchley Park

The Government invited consortiums of universities, further education colleges and companies to bid for £170 million of funding to create a network of 12 technology institutes across the country, in a move politicians called the “biggest shake up to technical education in a generation.”

Microsoft’s group is led by Milton Keynes College and also includes KPMG, McAfee, Evidence Talks, VWFS, Activate Learning and Cranfield University, who will also help the institute deliver manufacturing and engineering skills. It is supported by the Bletchley Park Trust.

The consortium will use its funding to create a state-of the-art facility that will build on and complement further and higher education institutions in the Buckinghamshire area. It will contain cutting-edge equipment and have access to the latest research from university partners to anticipate the skills that employers will require in the future. Local employers and partners will contribute additional investment, teaching staff and equipment.

Announcing the plans of the 12 institutes that have received funding, Prime Minister Theresa May said: “I firmly believe that education is key to opening up opportunity for everyone – but to give our young people the skills they need to succeed, we need an education and training system which is more flexible and diverse than it is currently.

<img data-attachment-id="74729" data-permalink="https://news.microsoft.com/en-gb/2019/04/10/home-of-second-world-war-codebreakers-at-bletchley-park-to-be-turned-into-institute-of-technology-by-consortium-including-microsoft/img_0137/" data-orig-file="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/home-of-world-war-ii-codebreakers-at-bletchley-park-to-be-turned-into-institute-of-technology-1.jpg" data-orig-size="3264,2448" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 6","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1520424293","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.15","iso":"32","shutter_speed":"0.00126422250316","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="IMG_0137" data-image-description="

Derrick McCourt (right) from Microsoft joins other members of the consortium and Sir John Dermot Turing outside D Block at Bletchley Park

” data-medium-file=”https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/IMG_0137-300×225.jpg” data-large-file=”https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/IMG_0137-1600×1200.jpg” class=”size-full wp-image-74729″ src=”http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/home-of-world-war-ii-codebreakers-at-bletchley-park-to-be-turned-into-institute-of-technology-1.jpg” alt=”Derrick McCourt (right) from Microsoft joins other members of the consortium and Sir John Dermot Turing outside D Block at Bletchley Park” width=”3264″ height=”2448″ srcset=”http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/home-of-world-war-ii-codebreakers-at-bletchley-park-to-be-turned-into-institute-of-technology-1.jpg 3264w, https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/IMG_0137-300×225.jpg 300w, https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/IMG_0137-768×576.jpg 768w, https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/IMG_0137-1600×1200.jpg 1600w” sizes=”(max-width: 3264px) 100vw, 3264px”>

Derrick McCourt (right) from Microsoft joins other members of the consortium and Sir John Dermot Turing outside Block D at Bletchley Park

“New technologies are transforming the world of work, and to harness the opportunities on offer we must equip our future workforce with the technical skills they need to thrive, and that the economy needs to grow.

“These new Institutes will help end outdated perceptions that going to university is the only desirable route and build a system which harnesses the talents of our young people.”

Microsoft, which runs a digital skills initiative and hosts events to encourage girls to consider a career in technology, said the Bletchley Park plan would help young people embark on successful careers.

“Microsoft’s collaborations with Milton Keynes College and Cranfield University are helping to develop the next generation workforce,” McCourt added. “This announcement is a hugely positive step forward in ensuring that students and employers are armed with invaluable skills – both now and in the future.”

Posted on April 11, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Colleges and universities team up with Microsoft to address the technical skills gap by building global talent pipelines for AI, data science, computer science and cybersecurity

REDMOND, Wash. — April 11, 2019 — On Thursday, Microsoft Corp. announced new partnerships with global higher education institutions to align and integrate Microsoft’s technical skills programs and credentials to help address the growing 21st century talent gap. The skills programs will help students prepare for the jobs of tomorrow with in-demand technologies in fields like artificial intelligence, computer science, cybersecurity and data science.

Across the globe, there’s a growing skills gap that threatens to inhibit economic growth for workers, businesses and governments. According to ManpowerGroup’s Talent Shortage Survey, approximately 45% of employers report that skill shortages have a negative impact on their businesses. Microsoft is helping to prepare students and the world’s workforce to effectively move from the classroom to a 21st century career. The use of Microsoft courses by colleges and universities will provide cost-effective educational choices for students, helping them acquire the skills needed to fill the looming skills gap emerging across the global economy.

“The incredible transformation we’re witnessing in the 21st century workplace calls out the need for organizations — governments, higher education institutions, employers, the nonprofit sector — to step up and tackle one of the fundamental challenges of our time: closing the skills gap by teaching, training and preparing workers for the jobs of tomorrow,” said Karen Kocher, general manager, 21st Century Jobs, Skills and Employability, Microsoft. “This is a crucial part of our mission at Microsoft, and we are proud to join forces with these seminal, global learning institutions to help make good on that purpose.”

Among the first higher education institutions to collaborate with Microsoft are:

Bellevue College is offering a blended and flex-learning model in AI, big data, data science and cybersecurity based on Microsoft courses.
Purdue Global University will grant credits toward a full degree when students complete Microsoft technical skills programs in areas like AI, cybersecurity, data science and more.
London School of Economics and Political Science is embedding data science skills and knowledge into first-year students’ curriculum.
Staffordshire University is delivering Microsoft courses across their student population, integrating modules as part of their “Staffordshire Award” employability program.
University of London is integrating the Microsoft Professional Program in Data Science into its new MSc Data Science degree course.

Microsoft’s technical skilling programs prepare workers for in-demand job roles at the forefront of technology, such as data science, AI engineering and Internet of Things (IoT) administration. By creating blended learning programs that include Microsoft technical skills programs, higher education institutions help students and workers earn an industry credential and college credits at the same time, supporting students’ acquisition of skills to help them access new opportunities with the latest technology in today’s rapidly changing workforce.

“Our mission at the University of London is to develop internationally aware, innovative and employable graduates,” said Professor Mary Stiasny OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), University of London. “When our students work toward and achieve these ends at university before they enter the workplace, we realize our mission and our graduates can thrive. For this reason, we are particularly excited about our collaboration with Microsoft and its potential to help our students meet and exceed the changing needs of the 21st century workplace.”

In addition, in support of assisting students and workers in obtaining the skills and credentials they need for employability, Microsoft has worked with the National College Credit Recommendation Service to determine college credit equivalencies for its technical skills programs, including new Microsoft Azure role-based certifications. Courses offered by Microsoft, including data science, AI, IoT, cybersecurity and computer science, among others, are now eligible to earn college credit at participating universities.

“We’re delighted that Microsoft, a global technology leader, has chosen Purdue Global as one of its initial partners to help address the growing challenges of attracting, developing and retaining highly trained workers, while creating a personalized, high-quality educational experience for students,” said Dr. Betty Vandenbosch, chancellor of Purdue University Global.

Additional collaborations with universities, colleges and other degree-granting institutions are in development and will be announced in the near future.

About Bellevue College

With an annual average enrollment of over 32,000, Bellevue College is one of the largest educational institutions in Washington State. BC offers associate degree programs covering the first two years of a college education as well as four-year bachelor’s degrees, certificates and continuing education programs in nearly 100 professional and technical fields, such as information technology, telecommunications, business, education, health and public safety. Visit and learn more at www.bellevuecollege.edu.

About the London School of Economics and Political Science

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) studies the social sciences in their broadest sense, with an academic profile spanning a wide range of disciplines, from economics, politics and law, to sociology, information systems and accounting and finance.

The School has an outstanding reputation for academic excellence and is one of the most international universities in the world. Its study of social, economic and political problems focuses on the different perspectives and experiences of most countries. From its foundation LSE has aimed to be a laboratory of the social sciences, a place where ideas are developed, analysed, evaluated and disseminated around the globe.

About Purdue University Global

Purdue University Global is the extreme personalization online university, providing students the competitive edge to advance in their chosen careers. It offers a hyper-tailored path for students to earn an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, desired pace, military service, previous college credits and other considerations — no matter where they are in their life journey.

Purdue Global serves approximately 29,000 students, most of whom earn their degree online. It also operates 14 locations in Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Maryland, Maine, Missouri and Wisconsin. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. It is affiliated with Purdue University’s flagship institution, a highly ranked public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University also operates two regional campuses in Fort Wayne and Northwest, Indiana, as well as serving close to 6,000 science, engineering and technology students at the Indiana University-Purdue University (IUPUI) Indianapolis campus. For more information about Purdue Global, please visit www.PurdueGlobal.edu.

Staffordshire University

Staffordshire University is a connected university; connected to the needs of students, academic partners, business and society. Our main City campus in Stoke-on-Trent features excellent learning and teaching facilities and good transport links. We have specialist Centres of Excellence in Healthcare Education at Stafford and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

We were recognised with a ‘silver’ award in the 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) – confirmation that we regularly exceed national standards for learning and teaching. Excellent employability has contributed to our rise in the UK League Tables and Staffordshire University is celebrating its best ever performance in the Guardian League Tables 2019 – we’re now 44th out of 121 higher education institutions!

We aim to be a leading university for digital technologies building on our proud computing heritage and our strengths in computer games. We are also a national leader in the design and delivery of Higher and Degree apprenticeships. We are connected globally and more than 20,000 people are studying Staffordshire University degrees overseas.

About the University of London

The University of London is the world’s oldest provider of academic awards through distance and flexible learning, dating back to the 1858 Royal Charter, which was awarded to the University of London by Queen Victoria.

In 1858 Charles Dickens described the University of London as ‘The People’s University’ when its 1858 Royal Charter extended access to degrees to those who could not come to London to study.

Today, students of the University of London’s distance and flexible learning programmes study from a suite of 100+ academic programmes, with some taking the award through self-study or through support from Recognised Teaching Centres across the world. https://london.ac.uk/courses

The University of London’s distance and flexible learning provider has come to be known as the ‘World’s Largest Classroom’, with 50,000 students across the globe, and just under 1.6 million learners on the Coursera online platform for MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), bringing this global reach to just under 1.6 million people around the world in more than 190 countries.

Further information about the University of London is available at: https://london.ac.uk

About Microsoft

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

For more information, press only:

Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777, rrt@we-worldwide.com

Nicole Beattie, Bellevue College, (425) 564-2486, nicole.beattie@bellevuecollege.edu

London School of Economics and Political Science, +44 (0)20 7955 7060, media.relations@lse.ac.uk

Peter Tosches, Purdue University Global, (901) 692-2220, peter.tosches@purdueglobal.edu

Maria Scrivens, Staffordshire University, 01782 294375, m.c.scrivens@staffs.ac.uk

Binda Rai, University of London, 07920476483 (mobile), 020 7862 8545 (landline), binda.rai@london.ac.uk

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://news.microsoft.com. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts.

Posted on April 10, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Microsoft announces quarterly earnings release date

Microsoft to host earnings conference call webcast

REDMOND, Wash. — April 10, 2019 — Microsoft Corp. will publish fiscal year 2019 third-quarter financial results after the close of the market on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, on the Microsoft Investor Relations website at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Investor/. A live webcast of the earnings conference call will be available at 2:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

For more information, financial analysts and investors only:

Investor Relations, Microsoft, (425) 706-4400

For more information, press only:

Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications, (425) 638-7777, rrt@we-worldwide.com

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at https://news.microsoft.com. Web links, telephone numbers, and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. Shareholder and financial information is available at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/investor

Posted on April 10, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Students learn with pop-culture favorites at free Microsoft store summer camps

The post Students learn with pop-culture favorites at free Microsoft store summer camps appeared first on Stories.

Posted on April 10, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Coming soon to Xbox Game Pass: ‘Monster Hunter: World,’ ‘Prey’ and more

If you read our IRL patch notes on Twitter, you’ll note that it’s Spring and with that, it’s starting to rain and we’re not really a fan of that. Every day we go into a closet, pull out the yellow rain boots we promised our moms we’d use, and bike uphill in the early morning rain to get to the Xbox Game Pass office. These boots by the way… are really squeaky. The lone ray of sunshine in this wet, squeaky situation is that we have a gush of new games to rain down on Xbox Game Pass members. Let’s check them out:

Prey (April 11) 

Good morning, Morgan. Prey joins the Xbox Game Pass library tomorrow, taking you from the comfort of your home to the treacherous depths of space. As Morgan Yu, you’ll have to use your wits, weapons, and strange powers to fight the alien threat that has overtaken the Talos I space station. Explore the station, upgrade your skills and abilities, and uncover the secrets of Talos I and the dangers within.

The Golf Club 2 (April 11) 

Play a dynamic single and multi-player experience with unlimited possibilities. Take a swing on new, lush golf courses or create your very own! Intuitive and realistic swing mechanics, infinite hours of gameplay, the opportunity to become a pro, and prestigious Club Societies are in store for you in this definitive golfing experience!

Monster Hunter: World (April 18)

Enter a living, breathing ecosystem where players become hunters who seek and slay ferocious beasts in heart-pounding battles that unfold across the vast, ever-changing terrain. You are a hunter of the Fifth Fleet, tasked with investigating the mysterious behaviors of the Elder Dragons out in the new world. As a hunter, you must use your cunning and skill to track and maneuver targets throughout intense, evolving battles. Venture solo on quests or partner with up to three other hunters online for cooperative play.

The Walking Dead: A New Frontier (April 18) 

Play as Javier Garcia, disgraced former baseball star now fighting to protect those he loves in a world plagued by the undead. As humanity is pushed to a breaking point, Javier finds his fate bound to a young survivor called Clementine. Thrown into conflict with the ruthless New Frontier, they must rely on each other to survive and find the family they’ve lost. Make choices that shape the fate of those around you, engage in thrilling action scenes, and explore beautiful comic book styled environments from “The Walking Dead.”

Life is Strange 2: Episode 2 (April 24) 

“Run. From. Danger.” Brothers Sean and Daniel face another dangerous road during the heart of winter. As Sean continues to train Daniel’s growing telekinetic power, they’re faced with an unexpected road bump – Daniel’s gotten sick and isn’t getting any better. Still far from their destination of Mexico, the brothers have found shelter in snowy northern Oregon. Will this be the solace that finally keeps them safe? Sean’s key rule: “Hide your power” has worked for them up until now, but what happens if they’re turned over to the police?

Resident Evil 5 (April 25) 

The Umbrella Corporation and its crop of lethal viruses have been destroyed and contained, but a new, more dangerous threat has emerged — somewhere in Africa, innocent villagers are transforming into aggressive and disturbing creatures. Featuring online co-op, players can experience this Resident Evil classic as either Chris Redfield or his new partner Sheva Alomar, as the duo must work together to investigate and stop whatever is causing the disturbing turn of events.

Look at those games! That makes the whole “biking uphill in the rain” thing a lot more worth it. We’re not sure how to make the games stop, so if you want to stay updated be sure follow us on Instagram and Twitter. We might throw a meme in there too. There’s also the Xbox Game Pass mobile app, which has fewer memes, but comes with real game notifications and helps you remote install to your home console. That way your games are ready to play when you are, and instead of rushing home from work to install a game, you’re rushing home from work to play a game. So much better.

Now if you’ll excuse us, we need a coffee to warm us up while we drip dry. *squeak* *squeak* *squeak* *squeak*

Join Xbox Game Pass Today 

With over 100 high-quality games and new games added all the time, Xbox Game Pass is the new way to discover your next favorite game. If you haven’t tried Xbox Game Pass, join today and get your first month for $1. 

Posted on April 9, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Microsoft doubles size of UK Azure region, increasing compute capacity by more than 1,500 percent

Microsoft today announced it has more than doubled the size of its Azure regions in the UK with the addition of Availability Zones, increasing compute capacity by more than 1,500% since they were first brought online in 2016.

The expansion will further help UK organisations continue their move to the cloud as part of their digital transformation journeys and builds on Microsoft’s strong presence in the UK. The move is likely to appeal to public sector organisations interested in hosting potentially sensitive information securely and locally.

Microsoft’s cloud platform, Azure, is used by the Department for Education, HM Revenue and Customs, and NHS Blood and Transplant, as well as numerous councils across the country. They can use two Azure regions in the UK – South and West – which host data for organisations and businesses based anywhere in the world.

Within the first month of Microsoft’s cloud services going online from the UK, the company shared that more than 1,000 customers had already signed up to access services. Today, tens of thousands of organisations across the country are utilising the Microsoft cloud services delivered from the UK.

Microsoft has continued to invest in its cloud infrastructure and service capabilities to meet the demand of this expanding customer base. As part of this investment, Microsoft today announced the launch of Azure Availability Zones in UK South. Availability Zones offer customers access to separate, physical locations within an Azure region featuring independent networking, power and cooling, as well as more protection and choice when using Microsoft’s cloud.

Take a tour of our data centres

Availability Zones give users protection from potential hardware and software failures so they can deliver their services with confidence. For anyone using two or more Availability Zones in the same Azure region, Microsoft guarantees Virtual Machine connectivity to at least one instance 99.99% of the time.

ClearBank, the UK’s first new clearing bank in more than 250 years, uses Azure delivered from Microsoft’s UK cloud regions, and is looking forward to the new zones. Nigel Walder, Chief Operating Officer, said: “We welcome Availability Zones in UK South as it will enable us to provide improved resilience and scalability more effectively as ClearBank continues with the launch of new products. Since the inception of ClearBank, Azure has been a core component of our platform and the enhanced zonal resiliency will ensure we can serve our customers even more effectively.”

Azure has announce 54 regions around the world – more than any other cloud provider – and Microsoft is seen as a trusted cloud partner for business, with global infrastructure relied on by more than 95% of the Fortune 500.

The company has been committed to the UK for more than 30 years, driving advances in cloud computing, developing new ways for people to interact with technology at home, at work and on the move, while transforming education and public services and supporting the UK economy.

<img data-attachment-id="74713" data-permalink="https://news.microsoft.com/en-gb/2019/04/09/microsoft-has-doubled-size-of-uk-azure-regions-increasing-compute-capacity-by-more-than-1500-as-country-embraces-digital-transformation/regions-2/" data-orig-file="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/microsoft-doubles-size-of-uk-azure-region-increasing-compute-capacity-by-more-than-1500-percent.png" data-orig-size="1934,1137" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="regions" data-image-description="

Global map showing Azure regions and Availability Zones

” data-medium-file=”https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/regions-300×176.png” data-large-file=”https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/regions-1600×941.png” class=”size-full wp-image-74713″ src=”http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/microsoft-doubles-size-of-uk-azure-region-increasing-compute-capacity-by-more-than-1500-percent.png” alt=”Global map showing Azure regions and Availability Zones” width=”1934″ height=”1137″ srcset=”http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/microsoft-doubles-size-of-uk-azure-region-increasing-compute-capacity-by-more-than-1500-percent.png 1934w, https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/regions-300×176.png 300w, https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/regions-768×452.png 768w, https://3er1viui9wo30pkxh1v2nh4w-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/68/2019/04/regions-1600×941.png 1600w” sizes=”(max-width: 1934px) 100vw, 1934px”>

Microsoft Azure regions and Availability Zones (click to enlarge)

Cindy Rose, Chief Executive of Microsoft UK, said: “The Microsoft cloud has become a core component to the strategies of thousands of UK organisations since the launch of services from our UK cloud regions in 2016. We continue to make significant investments to ensure that our customers are able accelerate their digital transformation journeys and their adoption of cloud services. By doubling our UK regions and increasing our compute capacity by more than 1,500%, our customers can have the confidence they can access any Azure services available in UK regions whenever they want. The launch of Availability Zones takes Azure to a new level in the UK by offering customers increased reliability, business continuity and peace of mind for their data and services.”

Microsoft has also announced the availability of Azure DevOps in the UK South region. The service lets users create software, using tools that Microsoft has invested in and developed over the past 15 years. In the previous month alone, more than 100,000 internal Microsoft users and millions of customers have used these services to build their own products and release them to the cloud and to their on-premise data centres.

Azure DevOps contains tools that span the complete development of software, helping customers ship quicker and with higher quality. Features include Azure Pipelines, which lets you continuously build, test and deploy to any platform and cloud; Azure Boards, which allows teams to easily plan, track and collaborate; Azure Repos to store and collaborate on source code, Azure Artifacts for sharing packages inside your company and Azure Test Plans, which lets users improve their code with testing services.

Posted on April 9, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

3 questions to ask as you evaluate your cloud analytics provider

We all want the truth. To properly assess your cloud analytics provider, ask them about the only three things that matter:

Independent benchmark results
Company-wide access to insights
Security and privacy

What are their results on independent, industry-standard benchmarks?

Perhaps you’ve heard from other providers that benchmarks are irrelevant. If that’s what you’re hearing, maybe you should be asking yourself why? Independent, industry-standard benchmarks are important because they help you measure price and performance on both common and complex analytics workloads. They are essential indicators of value because as data volumes grow, it is vital to get the best performance you can at the lowest price possible.

In February, an independent study by GigaOm compared Azure SQL Data Warehouse, Amazon Redshift, and Google BigQuery using the highly recognized TPC-H benchmark. They found that Azure SQL Data Warehouse is up to 14x faster and costs 94 percent less than other cloud providers. And today, we are pleased to announce that in GigaOm’s second benchmark report, this time with the equally important TPC-DS benchmark, Azure SQL Data Warehouse is again the industry leader. Not Amazon Redshift. Not Google BigQuery. These results prove that Azure is the best place for all your analytics.

This is why customers like Columbia Sportswear choose Azure.

“Azure SQL Data Warehouse instantly gave us equal or better performance as our current system, which has been incrementally tuned over the last 6.5 years for our demanding performance requirements.”

Lara Minor, Sr. Enterprise Data Manager, Columbia Sportswear

Can they easily deliver powerful insights across your organization?

Insights from your analytics must be accessible to everyone in your organization. While other providers may say they can deliver this, the end result is often catered to specific workgroups versus being an enterprise-wide solution. Data can become quickly siloed in these situations, making it difficult to deliver insights across all users.

With Azure, employees can get their insights in seconds from all enterprise data. Data can seamlessly flow from your SQL Data Warehouse to Power BI. And without limitations on concurrency, Power BI can be used across teams to create the most beautiful visualizations that deliver powerful insights. This combination of powerful analytics with easy-to-use BI is quite unique. In fact, if you look at the Gartner 2019 Magic Quadrant for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms and the Gartner 2019 Magic Quadrant for Data Management Solutions for Analytics below, you’ll see that Microsoft is a Leader.

Our leadership position in BI, coupled with our undisputed performance in analytics means that customers can truly provide business-critical insights to all. As the TPC-DS benchmark demonstrates, Azure SQL Data Warehouse provides unmatched performance on complex analytics workloads that mimic the realities of your business. This means that Power BI users can effortlessly gain granular-level insights across all their data.

The TPC-DS industry benchmark I mentioned above is particularly useful for organizations that run intense analytics workloads because it uses demanding queries to test actual performance. For instance, one of the queries used in the TPC-DS benchmark report calculates the number of orders, time window for the orders, and filters by state on non-returned orders shipped from a single warehouse. This type of complex query, which spans across billions of rows and multiple tables, is a real-world example of how companies use a data warehouse for business insights. And with Power BI, users can perform intense queries like this by easily integrating with SQL Data Warehouse for fast, industry-leading performance.

How robust is their security?

Everyone is a target. When it comes to data, privacy and security are non-negotiable. No matter how cautious you are, there is always a threat lurking around the corner. Your analytics system contains the most valuable business data and must have both stringent security and privacy capabilities.

Azure has you covered. As illustrated by Donald Farmer, a well-respected thought leader in the analytics space, analytics in Azure has the most advanced security and privacy features in the market. From proactive threat detection to providing custom recommendations that enhance security, Azure SQL Data Warehouse uses machine learning and AI to secure your data. It also enables you to encrypt your data, both in flight and at rest. You can provide users with appropriate levels of access, from a single source, using row and column level security. This not only secures your data, but also helps you meet stringent privacy requirements.

“It was immediately clear to us that with Azure, particularly Azure Key Vault, we would be able to meet our own rigorous requirements for data protection and security.”

Guido Vetter, Head of Corporate Center of Excellence Advanced Analytics & Big Data, Daimler

Azure’s leading security and data privacy features not only make it the most trusted cloud in the market, but also complements its leadership in other areas, such as price-performance, making it simply unmatched.

Get started today

To learn more about Azure’s industry-leading price-performance and security, get started today!

Gartner Magic Quadrant for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms Cindi Howson, James Richardson, Rita Sallam, Austin Kronz, 11 February 2019.

Gartner Magic Quadrant for Data Management Solutions for Analytics, Adam Ronthal, Roxane Edjlali, Rick Greenwald, 21 January 2019.

This graphic was published by Gartner, Inc. as part of a larger research document and should be evaluated in the context of the entire document. The Gartner document is available upon request from Microsoft.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Posted on April 9, 2019 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Garage projects team up to illustrate the power of mixed reality

A customizable 3D Map canvas for MR creators

Maps SDK offers a host of developer-friendly controls, allowing creators to focus their energy on innovative MR experiences. Developers can drag the map control into a Unity scene to build on an out-of-the-box map complete with 3D terrain and configurable city and location labels sourced from Bing Maps, rather than start from scratch and create their own. From there, they can overlay additional geo-anchored content that users can explore via a table-top map experience with built-in panning, zooming, and navigation tools.

In effect, Maps SDK creates a canvas against which developers can illustrate content in new and interesting ways. Whether developers are layering in data visualizations, custom 3D objects/terrain, or other geo-anchored content, the project gives them a head start so they can spend less time on the basics, and more time bringing a creative MR map experience to life.

Explore places near and far, now in mixed reality

“We are constantly thinking about the intersection between maps and new mediums,” shared Brian Kircher, a Senior Software Engineer on the Maps team and developer for Maps SDK. “We not only wanted to empower MR developers, but also inspire them.” By day, Brian, David Buerer, and Jesse Levine, work on the Maps team and sit next to Oswaldo Ribas, the current PM of Microsoft Garage project Outings. “Last summer, we were brainstorming how we could illustrate what a 3D map control could do when it hit us that Outings was the perfect experience to bring to mixed reality,” shared Jesse, a Program Manager II. Pairing up with the Outings team, the three pitched an Outings mixed reality experience to a group of Bing interns.

The original Outings Garage project launched last December, and presents users with points of interest by pulling in rich pictures and relevant descriptions from digital travel journals so they can explore local gems and far-away destinations through a Tinder-esque, card UI. The team of interns was able to easily create a similar travel exploration experience in a few short weeks by leveraging Maps SDK and the location-based data that powers the Outings iOS and Android apps. While the sand-boxed sample app is not connected to the mobile experiences (locations saved on mobile will not appear in the MR experience), Outings fans will recognize the same point-of-interest cards, now overlayed geographically against the rich, 3D terrain from Maps SDK.

• Discover points of interest via search or panning/zooming as the crow flies across a 3D, tabletop globe
• Save favorite destinations to build a bucket list or travel itinerary
• Explore famous natural and urban landmarks in 3D

The Maps SDK team polished the new experience and enhanced the SDK, incorporating feedback from the interns and Outings team, as well as other teams around Microsoft working on innovative 3D experiences. The team has already collected feedback from first-party developers, but is excited to open feedback up to third-party developers creating anything from productivity to entertainment experiences.

Try it now and share your feedback

Maps SDK is now available and accepting feedback via GitHub. The sample experience, Outings, is a UWP app for mixed reality headsets and HoloLens, and now available for download and feedback via the Microsoft Store.