Microsoft’s new Windows App lets you stream Windows from the cloud

Microsoft

Microsoft has launched a new Windows App that lets you stream Windows from various sources, including a remote PC, Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Microsoft Dev Box, and Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Services. The app is available for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Windows, and web browsers. And you can consider it an upgraded version of the previous Windows 365 app.

The Windows App supports multiple monitors, custom display resolutions and scaling, and device redirection for peripherals like webcams, storage devices, and printers. However, the app is not yet available for Android devices and is currently limited to Microsoft’s business accounts.

The Windows App is a sign of Microsoft’s ambition to move Windows fully to the cloud, something the company has been working on for a long time. Microsoft created a new team dedicated to building AI-powered web services for Windows, such as the dynamic search interface, the widgets system, and the Copilot integration in Windows 11.

Microsoft also revealed its plans to offer Windows as a cloud service during the FTC v. Microsoft hearing. The Windows App could be the first step towards enabling consumers to access cloud PCs and Windows apps on any device, regardless of the operating system.

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'Percy Jackson and the Olympians': The official trailer is here!

Disney+ has unveiled the official trailer for its upcoming original series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, based on the bestselling novels by Rick Riordan. The trailer reveals exciting glimpses of the adventures of Percy (Walker Scobell), Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries), and Grover (Aryan Simhadri), who embark on a quest to restore the balance of Mount Olympus and save the world from a looming threat. Fans of the books were treated to easter eggs and hints on the official social media accounts (@PercySeries) in the week before the trailer’s release, sparking anticipation and speculation among the loyal fandom.

The epic series will premiere with two episodes on Wednesday, December 20, on Disney+, and will continue with new episodes every week. The series is created by Rick Riordan and Jon Steinberg, who also serve as executive producers along with Dan Shotz, Rebecca Riordan, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Bert Salke, Jeremy Bell, D.J. Goldberg, James Bobin, Jim Rowe, Monica Owusu-Breen, Anders Engström, and Jet Wilkinson.

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What you need to know about the Apple Vision Pro’s Eyesight feature and Persona Enrollment

M1 Astra / X

The Apple Vision Pro’s Eyesight feature lets you project your eyes on the front of the device, creating a more realistic and expressive VR experience. But this feature is not just for fun—at least, that's what we see from this video that surfaced on X detailing what else it can do. Eyesight supposedly also powers the Persona Enrollment feature, which allows you to customize and set up your virtual avatar via visionOS beta 6. 

The video posted by M1Astra on X shows how the front-facing cameras scan your face and capture your facial expressions to create a personalized VR persona. 

However, not everyone may want or need the Eyesight feature, which adds extra cost and complexity to the device. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is considering a cheaper version of the Vision Pro that would drop the external displays, cameras, and sensors, as well as use an iPhone chip instead of the MacBook chip. This would make the device more affordable and accessible, but also less immersive and interactive. 

If this version is in the works, we are left to wonder how Persona Enrollment would work on a headset like this. For now, what we are getting is the more premium US$3,500 (around CA$4,795) Vision Pro.

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Separate applause from speech and more with Adobe’s Project Sound Lift

Project Sound Lift is a new audio tool from Adobe that can use AI to isolate different sounds in a single recording. For example, it can separate applause from speech or traffic from music. You can choose from various sound categories, and the tool will create separate files for each layer. You can then edit them individually in Adobe Premiere Pro. This tool is still in development and not yet available to the public.

This technology is similar to what was used to restore John Lennon’s voice from a cassette tape and release the first Beatles song in almost 30 years. Project Sound Lift is branded as one of Adobe's "Sneak" previews, so it might be a while before this tool gets released. And we're hoping that they decide to launch it.

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