Registration for Microsoft Ignite 2021 is opened and it will be a free digital-only event. It will be in the form of a 48 hour long virtual event available across all the time zones. The event will start from 4 PM GMT, 7 PM EAT, 6 PM SAT, March 2nd to March 4th 2021.
The event will have both live segments such as the keynotes and Q&A as well as already recorded content sessions.
To enjoy a total conference experience Microsoft advises you register as most sessions will require you to sign in. Registration will give you the ability to schedule your viewing events or sessions. It is also required to access the full learning experience including session content, attendee networking, and participation in the Cloud Skills Challenge. Others include featured sessions, deep-dives, learning and the connection zone.
However, sessions covered on the hero video such as the keynotes will not require you to be registered.
Featured speakers for the event include Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, Jared Spataro, CVP Microsoft 365, Mitra Azizirad, CVP, Microsoft AI and Innovation Marketing, Scott Hanselman, Partner Program Manager.
Microsoft is introducing a VR/AR experience at Ignite 2021. You can watch the keynote sessions using your mixed reality device. To do this, download AltspaceVR from the Windows Store, Steam Library, and Oculus Stores for Rift/Rift-S and Quest/Quest2. Launch the app and create an account through the Microsoft Account option (only Microsoft-linked accounts will have access to the event). The keynote session will appear in the main menu on the day of the event.
Last year Microsoft announced after Ignite 2020 in September that a digital event will take place in March 2021 and will showcase the latest technical announcements from Microsoft and Microsoft partners. The company also plans to host only digital events till July 2021.
Update February 24, 2021 3:15 PM: Added details on the introduction of a mixed reality keynote experience coming to Microsoft Ignite March digital event.
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Microsoft will celebrate Black History Month with collections of games, movies, tv shows and community events across Xbox and Windows. The company will be offering gaming experiences that highlight the contributions of Black and African American developers and creators.
Through the curation of collections of games, movies and tv shows by Black communities at Microsoft in the Windows and Xbox digital stores. Titles include, ‘Afterparty, Watch Dogs 2, Apex Legends, The Sims 4, Black Panther, Insecure, Hidden Figures and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’.
Microsoft will also raise awareness of causes that matter to Black communities and allow Xbox gamers to earn and donate Microsoft Rewards to organizations supporting Black communities.
These initiatives aren’t just a celebration of inclusion in gaming says Garron Ballard, Global Games Category Manager for Xbox and Windows Digital Stores. They’re also a chance to challenge assumptions around what a gamer or game developer looks like, he adds.
“I grew up playing video games, I’ve always been really interested in science fiction and fantasy. Growing up in an African American family and going to school in spaces where I was really in the minority … I always felt very abnormal,” “There are a lot of people who have preconceived notions of what a Black person is or what a Black person should like.”
Garron Ballard
Minecraft Education Edition is also offering four lessons as a free demo from now till 28th February to anyone to mark the celebrations. The four lessons cover social justice, identity, and civil rights. They are ‘Good Trouble: Black lives matter, Good Trouble US Civil Rights, The “I”in Identity and Who is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’.
Microsoft notes these initiatives are not limited to Black History Month. It says it is part of the inclusion work happening at Microsoft to make gaming for everyone.
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Insights from Microsoft’s LinkedIn economic graph shows the ten in-demand jobs of the future.
The ten jobs according to Microsoft were identified as having the greatest number of job openings. They have also had steady growth over the past four years and pay a livable wage.
The economic graph, which is a digital representation of the global economy uses data and analytics to track workforce trends. Providing a window into emerging skills gaps and predicting future in-demand jobs and skills.
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Microsoft is announcing the release of the Microsoft Edge Dev Insider channel for Linux. The Microsoft Edge Linux preview build will support Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and OpenSUSE distributions.
The company announced it was bringing Microsoft Edge to Linux in May at Microsoft Build.
With this release, Microsoft is looking at two Linux customer categories. The Linux enthusiasts asking for Microsoft Edge and web developers for test automation.
This is to provide a representative experience for developers who want to build and test their sites and apps on Linux, notes Kyle Pflug, Microsoft Principal Program Manager Lead, Developer Experiences.
We’re particularly excited to offer web developers the same consistent and powerful web platform and developer tools. As on macOS or Windows, so you can build and test in your preferred environment and be confident in the experience your customers will have on other devices.
You can download the Microsoft Edge Linux preview build for your repository from the Microsoft Edge Insider site. Or install it directly from the Microsoft Linux Software Repository.
Watch Microsoft Program Manager, Sean Larkin, talk about the availability of the Microsoft Edge Dev Channel for Linux.
Linux fan? Are you excited about this announcement? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
From now till the end of the year, you can schedule select Microsoft certifications at a discounted price of fifteen Dollars. These include five fundamentals certifications and eight role-based certifications.
Anyone who schedules an exam under this initiative will have until March 31st 2021 to complete the examination. Unless the offer gets extended by Microsoft.
The discount offer is available to anyone who self-attest that their livelihood has been impacted by COVID-19 crisis.
Microsoft president Brad Smith notes the initiative aims to help job seekers demonstrate their skills to potential employers.
Here is a list of the qualifying Microsoft certifications under the discount offer. Click to visit the exam page.
To schedule for an exam, first, you will have to go to the exam page via the links above. You will see a new schedule for USD15 option under schedule exam.
Clicking on this will bring up a confirmatory dialog box. Where you click on ‘i agree’ to declare you meet the eligibility requirements for the offer.
The next step will be confirming details about your Microsoft Certifications profile and then you follow the necessary steps to complete the process.
Microsoft confirms the smallest Xbox console ever to be designed, the Xbox Series S in a twitter post. The next-generation powered gaming console will retail at $299.
The device will be coming to the South Africa market and will retail at R6 999 ($420). The Xbox Series X will also retail at R11 999 ($720).
👀 Let’s make it official!
Xbox Series S | Next-gen performance in the ˢᵐᵃˡˡᵉˢᵗ Xbox ever. $299 (ERP).
Xbox Series S will be the cheaper option to the more powerful Xbox Series X. Both consoles are designed and powered with next-generation specs to make gameplay feel lifelike, immersive and responsive. As Microsoft puts it “where you [the gamer] are at the center of your gaming experience”.
A leaked commercial video of the console shared by WalkingCat on Twitter shows us more about the device. It shows the full design, hardware specifications and when to expect it.
The compact console will be vertical standing, white in colour with a black circular vent on the top or front case. It shows it has no disk drive. Is about 60% smaller in size than the Xbox Series X with frame rates of up to 120fps.
