What to expect from Windows 10 Creators Update

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Formerly codenamed 'Redstone 2,' Microsoft's next update to Windows 10, coming in early 2017, is called the 'Creators Update,' and this says a lot about the direction the company is trying to go to. The PC market continues to shrink, yet Microsoft expanded its Surface Pro and Surface Book lines while introducing what they believe is a creator's dream machine, the groundbreaking Surface Studio desktop.

There's a lot to discuss regarding Microsoft's entry into the PC desktop game and I'll reserve that discussion until I've had an opportunity to see the hardware for myself and judge what it can do. Grabbing a key slice of the creative market and moving users to Microsoft hardware looks like a good gamble, specially since Microsoft is unique in offering a fully fleshed out multi-touch and pen-input capable OS which it introduced over four years ago with Windows 8 and the first Surface devices.

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Steam’s beta client now supports PS4 controller

Getting the PS4 controller to work with Windows is a bit tough. Steam hopes to ease the process, at least for its beta testers. The beta client adds PS4 controller support. Once you set up the controller, it should let you map out things like the buttons as well as the trackpad to anything you want. Some might need to get the dongle for Sony to have this work. But games can also directly support the controller if the developers want. The controller event gets access to everything done by the Steam Controller. So, if you’re not a fan of the official controller, you can opt to use this. Opt into beta if you want to try this feature out.

Source: Lifehacker

Samsung to launch its digital assistant with the Galaxy S8

Following its tumultuous run with the Galaxy Note7, Samsung is looking to revive itself with the Galaxy S8. One of the ways, it plans to do this is with the introduction of its own digital assistant. Samsung recently acquired Viv Labs, a startup owned by creators of Siri, and its digital assistant Viv. We are expected to see this service show up in Samsung’s upcoming flagship as well as the company’s home appliances and wearables.

Samsung hasn’t specified what features Viv will cover but a spokesperson has said it could work with third-party services. According to Samsung Executive Vice President Rhee Injong. "Even if Samsung doesn't do anything on its own, the more services that get attached the smarter this agent will get, learn more new services and provide them to end-users with ease."

Source: The Verge

Report claims Apple won’t be refreshing the iPhone SE early next year

If you’ve gotten your hands on an Apple iPhone SE and are looking to get an upgrade of the device next year, that might not happen. At least according to a new research report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The reason is Apple might want to keep its margins high by subtly encouraging users to upgrade to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, which are considered more margin-friendly devices.

Kuo predicts that total shipment volume of iPhones will decline in the first half of 2017 due to “tepid demand in China, slow shipment volume of 4.7-inch iPhones, and lack of an iPhone SE refresh in the second quarter of the year.” This year’s first half shipment is higher because of an “upbeat demand for the iPhone SE.”  According to Kuo, Apple might exert pressure on its component makers to drop prices to help maintain its margins and price reductions on the components could happen November or December of this year.

Source: BGR