“Microsoft Monday” takes a look back at the past week of news related to Microsoft. This week, “Microsoft Monday” includes details about a management reorganization, the HoloLens being used to service elevators, the Partnership on AI consortium, new AI initiatives, the new “fuzzing-as-a-service” product named Project Springfield and more!
How Microsoft HoloLens Is Being Used To Service Elevators
Last week, Forbes contributor Andrew Cave wrote a compelling article about how the Microsoft HoloLens is benefitting the elevator industry. Essentially, the HoloLens is being used by the German elevators group ThyssenKrupp to reduce a job that normally takes one and a half hours to around 20 minutes.
Thyssenkrupp has built a HoloLens application that will help 24,000 service technicians perform their jobs efficiently and safely. This is a big deal because there are over 12 million elevators around the world that transport over 1 billion people every day.
With HoloLens, service technicians will be able to identify the problems with the elevators beforehand. The technicians will be able to view holograms of lift motors linked in real time in the cloud to the machinery controls — which allows them to provide hands-free access to technical information when on-site.
Recently ThyssenKrupp deployed a technology solution known as MAX, a predictive maintenance solution being used on thousands of elevators. MAX is integrated in the elevators at the One World Trade Center. Those elevators will also be equipped with HoloLens.
“The successful launch of IoT-enabled MAX was the first step in thyssenkrupp’s journey to not only transform their business but also its 100-year-old industry. Predictive maintenance, powered by Microsoft Azure IoT, enabled thyssenkrupp to offer time savings to worldwide elevator passengers equivalent to 95 million hours of new availability per year of operation. Today, we are proud to have once again collaborated with thyssenkrupp to bring another game-changing solution to market together,” said Microsoft Azure IoT partner director Sam George in a recent statement.
Reorganization Of Management At Microsoft
Microsoft recently announced the Bing and Cortana product teams have been merged with Microsoft Research, according to PCWorld. The benefit of merging these teams together is that it is expected to accelerate innovation for the Bing search engine and Cortana virtual assistant.
The product teams were merged as of a broad reorganization where the Applications and Services Group was split. The Office group used to be included in Applications and Services, but that will become its own entity within Microsoft going forward.
The Bing, Cortana and the Information Platform and Ambient Computing and Robotics teams will form an AI and Research Group at Microsoft with over 5,000 computer scientists and engineers. This group will be led by Harry Shum, who is known for leading Microsoft Research and the Bing engineering team in the past.
“I’ve worked on both research and product teams, and I see incredible potential for this new group,” said Shum in a blog post. “Today, AI is shifting the computer science research supply chain and blurring lines between research and product. End-to-end innovation in AI will not come from isolated research labs alone, but from the combination of at-scale production workloads together with deep technology advancements in algorithms, systems and experiences.”
One of the biggest reasons why Microsoft reorganized its management teams is because Qi Lu, the former head of the Applications and Services group, is departing due to health reasons involving a bicycle accident. Microsoft employees that remain under the Applications and Services group will now work for a team called the Office Product Group, which will be led by Rajesh Jha.
Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Facebook and IBM Form "Partnership On AI"
Image Credit: Partnership on AI
Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Facebook and IBM have established a consortium to formulate best practices in regards to artificial intelligence technologies. The consortium is known as “Partnership on AI.” The goal of Partnership on AI is also to serve as an open platform for discussion about AI and to advance the public’s understanding of AI.
Partnership On AI is being funded initially by the members of the consortium. And additional companies and nonprofits are expected to join in the future. Rumor has it that Apple is interested in joining the group as well.
“We want to involve people impacted by AI as well,” said DeepMind (Alphabet subsidiary) co-founder and head of applied artificial intelligence Mustafa Suleyman via TechCrunch.
AI Highlighted At Ignite
At the Ignite conference last week, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella discussed artificial intelligence initiatives. Nadella said that AI will allow us to convert large amounts of data into intelligence. But making sense out of all this information will be a challenge.
According to TechCrunch, Nadella said that Microsoft wants to create an intelligent assistant that “can take text input, can take speech input, that knows your deeply. It knows your context, your family, your work. It knows about the world.” And this assistant will have to be available on every platform and in every application. At the Ignite conference, Nadella also said that the Cortana digital assistant has 133 million monthly users.
Some of the artificial intelligence projects Microsoft is focusing on includes a fantasy football bot with the NFL and working with Uber to integrate Cortana Cognitive Services to verify drivers and passengers.
"We are not pursuing AI to beat humans at games. We are pursuing AI so that we can empower every person and every institution that people build with tools of AI so that they can go on to solve the most pressing problems of our society and our economy," said Nadella via BusinessInsider in what seems like a dig at Google’s DeepMind artificial intelligence project. DeepMind is known for beating renowned Go champion Lee Sedol at the game.
At the Ignite event, Microsoft also highlighted its field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) — which are computer chips optimized for artificial intelligence. These FPGAs are being used to power Microsoft’s Bing search engine. And the FPGAs will be used for Microsoft Azure going forward so that developers can rent power for artificial intelligence computing.
AI In Office 365
Microsoft has big plans for integrating artificial intelligence in Office 365. For example, Microsoft is using artificial intelligence to build upon an embedding feature in Word and Outlook called “Tap.” PowerPoint will be receiving new Designer and Quickstarter tools to improve presentations. And Excel will get a new map chart type to enhance visualization data based on ZIP code levels. And AI will be used in Dynamics 365 to surface data necessary for closing deals.
Here is a video demo of “Tap” for Word Outlook
And QuickStarter for PowerPoint and Swap:
Renault-Nissan To Use Microsoft Azure For Connected Cars
Microsoft and Renault-Nissan have announced a partnership where the auto company will use Azure for its connected car initiatives. CNET said that Azure will enable Renault-Nissan to set up over the air software updates and provide remote vehicle diagnostics. Plus Renault-Nissan is planning to integrate office tools into vehicles in anticipation of autonomous self-driving cars.
Logitech’s New ‘SmartDock’ Makes Video Conferencing With Skype For Business Much Simpler
Logitech has released a new product called the SmartDock. The Logitech SmartDock makes it easier for employees that are working remotely to stay connected through video conferencing using Skype for Business.
“Logitech SmartDock offers HDMI input and output, three USB 3.1 ports and gigabit Ethernet, allowing a variety of Skype Room Systems-certified devices to be connected, including Logitech ConferenceCams. In addition, a power-saving sensor conveniently activates the Logitech SmartDock when motion is detected in the meeting space, and automatically turns the display off when the room is empty,” said Logitech in a press statement. “Sharing content via HDMI is also a breeze with 1080p 60fps input and capture, bringing any collaboration experience to life. The optional Logitech SmartDock Extender Box with a single five-meter cable integrating HDMI, USB, LAN and power creates a clutter-free environment, clears extraneous cables from the conference table, and eliminates the need for a separate hub or power brick. With a pivoting, cast-metal base, the dock secures the tablet into place and a combination of tamper-resistant screws and a Kensington lock help ensure that the tablet is always ready for any meeting.”
The Logitech SmartDock is going to be available through authorized distributors in the U.S., Canada and most Western European countries later this year. The SmartDock will have a retail price of $599/€699.
Container Startup Aqua Security Raises $9 Million Round Led By Microsoft
Aqua Security is a startup that enables enterprises to secure virtual container environments “from development to production.” Based in Israel, Aqua Security has raised $9 million in Series A funding led by Microsoft Ventures. Existing investors TLV Partners and Shlomo Kramer contributed to the Series A round as well.
Aqua Security’s platform supports Docker on Windows and Linux. And it works on-premises or on the cloud. According to ZDNet, Aqua Security’s platform has gained traction in the financial, retail and technology sectors. Aqua Security will be using the funding to double its staff and increase research and development.
Microsoft’s “Fuzzing-As-A-Service” Project Springfield Helps Developers Find Security Bugs Right Away
At the Ignite conference Microsoft announced a fuzzing-as-a-service. This service allows developers to test applications binaries for security issues before deploying them, according to Ars Technica. This service is known as Project Springfield and it uses white box fuzzing to test for common bugs that are often used by hackers to exploit problems.
You can run the security testing through Azure without having to deploy it through data centers to conduct the fuzz testing. Microsoft coins Project Springfield its “million-dollar bug detector” because it saves developers a lot of time and effort in releasing patches reactively.
Russian Government To Reduce Dependence On Microsoft Software
Last week, the government in Moscow announced it would stop using Microsoft’s Exchange Server and Outlook software on 6,000 computers and switch over to a state-run carrier called Rostelecom PJSC. The city of Moscow plans to deploy its new software created by Russia-based New Cloud Technologies to as many as 600,000 computers and servers. And the city of Moscow may also get rid of Windows and Office entirely.
Why is the city of Moscow switching? Apparently Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that the country moves away from dependence on foreign technology due to security concerns. The Moscow Communications Minister Nikolay Nikiforov also said "we want the money of taxpayers and state-run firms to be primarily spent on local software.”
Skype Now Answers To Siri
Microsoft has updated the Skype app to support iOS 10 and SiriKit. Now you can make calls on Skype by using voice commands on Siri. Siri may ask to confirm whether it has the right Skype contact and then follows up the command after you tap on the right person.
“Additionally, because Skype takes advantage of CallKit within iOS 10, incoming Skype calls will now show up just like regular calls. This will make it easy to switch between or answer Skype and regular calls using the built-in iOS functionality you are already used to. Starting in October, we’re also extending this CallKit functionality to our Skype for Business iOS apps, giving business users the same great calling experience,” said Skype in a blog post.
Man Awarded $650 Due To Aggressive Windows 10 Upgrade
Microsoft has recently paid $650 to a customer due to its aggressive Windows 10 upgrade software system. When Windows 10 installed itself on a custom PC owned by an Alzheimer’s patient, the grandson of that patient named Jesse Worley spent 10 hours formatting the hard drive and reinstalling Windows 7 on it. Then he custom designed it to simulate Windows XP again to make it easier on his grandfather.
The reason why it simulates Windows XP is because that is the operating system Worley’s grandfather used before he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, according to Digital Trends. When the computer was upgraded to Windows 10, it caused “distress.” Worley believed his grandfather tried to dismiss the Windows 10 upgrade back in May or June, but the upgrade happened anyway.
“Had Microsoft not gone out of their way to be deceptive, my grandfather pretty clearly wouldn’t have been updated to Windows 10,” said Worley via Digital Trends. “They interrupted the basic functions of their own software — the X button — in an attempt to fool people into updating, so any affirmative consent he or anyone else may have given for the update can’t be considered valid during that period.”
Salesforce Is Reportedly Trying To Have The EU Block Microsoft’s LinkedIn Acquisition
In June, Microsoft announced it was acquiring LinkedIn for $26.2 billion in cash. However, Salesforce.com complained about the deal to the European Union and is attempting to block the deal from happening. According to CNN, Salesforce Chief Legal Officer Burke Norton is going to argue that Microsoft’s control of LinkedIn’s datasets will be anticompetitive. It is rumored that Salesforce lost in a bidding war for the acquisition of LinkedIn earlier this year.
“Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of LinkedIn threatens the future of innovation and competition,” said Norton in a statement via CNN. “By gaining ownership of LinkedIn’s unique dataset of over 450 million professionals in more than 200 countries, Microsoft will be able to deny competitors access to that data, and in doing so obtain an unfair competitive advantage.”
Microsoft president Brad Smith said that the deal has been cleared for closing in the U.S., Canada and Brazil. And Smith said: “We’re committed to continue working to bring price competition to a CRM market in which Salesforce is the dominant participant charging customers higher prices today.”
Today, Independent.ie also quoted Brad Smith of saying that Microsoft has no intentions of cutting off Salesforce.com from LinkedIn Data. “It is not something that we have any intention of doing,” said Smith via Independent.ie. “The LinkedIn data is public today and we want to make that data useful in lots of new ways.”
Microsoft Has A Goal Of Hitting 200 Million Xbox One Unit Sales
In an interview with Steve Wright, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer said that the company was aiming to hit 200 million Xbox One unit sales. And it is believed that the Xbox One has hit around 20 million unit sales globally thus far so it still has a while to go.
“The goal that the team had was to figure out how could we sell 200 million game consoles,” said Spencer in the interview. “We’ve never seen a console sell that many units. The biggest individual console, the PS2, did 120 million or something like that. The approach the team took was people are moving to OTT Video Services [over-the-top, like Netflix and Stan] and television’s getting disrupted — and if we could build a console that could be at the center of this transition and really embrace not only people playing video games, but also people with the changing habits in television, you really take the console market and the gaming market and you expand it potentially.”
Forbes contributor Ollie Barder said that the reason why the PS2 hit 155 million console sales worldwide primarily due to its expansive gaming library, not really due to the DVD drive it came with. Spencer acknowledged that building a console that focuses primarily on gaming is most essential. “When we came in after two-and-a-half years ago and started running the Xbox program, I centered us back on not trying to become something other than a game console. You don’t earn the right to be relevant in other categories of usage for the console until you’ve earned the gaming right, so let’s go make sure that’s what we deliver,” added Spencer.
Microsoft Monday includes seven days worth of updates from the Redmond-based software giant. What are your thoughts about the “Microsoft Monday” news from this week? Please leave a comment!
