Microsoft officially brings desktop apps to Windows 10 phones

It’s been a long time coming but it looks like it’s finally the start of having a truly unified Windows platform. Microsoft just announced at its WinHEC event in Shenzen that desktop apps are coming to ARM processors—and that means almost all kinds of mobile devices—through its partnership with Qualcomm. These apps aren’t just the touch-friendly Windows Universal Apps. These are the full-fledged versions, meaning you can get access to Office and even Photoshop CC on a Windows phone—and developers don’t even have to do anything.

Microsoft and Qualcomm will be using an emulation process for this but a video shared by The Next Web shows how the system is able to run smoothly on an almost year-old Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with 4GB of RAM. We don’t expect Microsoft to drop its Universal Windows Platform, especially since these versions are more power efficient, touch-friendly, and scalable than the x86 software. But it will entice people to use Windows 10 phones more and in turn that just might bring more options into the market.

Apple rumoured to be releasing a red version of the ‘iPhone 7s’ in 2017

If we are to believe the recent report from Japanese Apple rumour blog Macotakara, the upcoming iPhone will come with a new color option and a straightforward internal component update. The “iPhone 7s” and “iPhone 7s Plus” will supposedly get a red casing color option to join the existing Black, Jet Black, Rose Gold, Gold, and Silver options. Aside from that the new phones will get a bump in terms of processor power and will move from an A10 chip to an A11 one.

Other rumours for Apple’s releases next year says there will be a redesigned ‘iPhone 8’ coming out as well that will have an OLED display and no physical Home button. At the moment, all of these are still speculative. But Macotakara has been fairly accurate with its reports with the site being the first to report that Apple was doing away with the headphone jack for the iPhone 7.

Source: 9to5Mac

Samsung Canada to cut off network access to Note7 after December 15

Samsung Canada previously announced that around 90 percent of 39,000 Note7 units sold in the country have already been returned. And to those still holding on to their units, the time you’ll be able to use your devices are almost over. Samsung plans to cut network access to unreturned Note7 devices by December 15. These remaining 4,000 units will lose access to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth by December 12 and then cellular capability by December 15. There will also be an update that will limit battery charge on the device. It isn’t clear though up to what percentage that will be. The one thing that will work after the update is the ability for the phone to call 911 for safety reasons.

The South Korean company is still imploring those who still have their units to return them. Samsung even wants to remind these users that they are legally prohibited from selling or giving away the device since it’s a recalled product.

Source: Android Central

Ubisoft closes 30th anniversary giveaway with ‘Assassin’s Creed III’

To celebrate its 30^th anniversary, Ubisoft has been giving away free copies of its games. So far, it has given away games like Rayman Legends, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. For this month, Ubisoft chooses to pluck something from the Assassin’s Creed games and the game developer opted for Assassin’s Creed III.

To get your hands on the game, you’ll need to head over to the Ubisoft Club page and sign into your Uplay account (or get one if you don’t have one yet). There is no word yet when the promotion itself would end but Ubisoft’s “30 Days of Giveaways” promo ends on December 23, so to play safe, you should get the game ahead of that date.

Source: PCWorld