Microsoft Build 2019 General Assembly
The highly anticipated Microsoft Build 2019 General Assembly has finally kicked off in Seattle, marking a significant milestone in the tech giant’s journey towards innovation and progress. The event is still focused on the prospects of Microsoft’s cloud and consumer services, including Azure, Windows 10, Office 365, and Cortana.
CEO Satya Nadella’s Keynote Address
Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, opened the keynote speech, highlighting the importance of Azure cloud service and its relation to Microsoft’s web browser, Chromium Edge, as well as augmented reality games, including Minecraft for mobile devices. Nadella emphasized the need for AI to be more widely integrated into various fields, laying the foundation for development tools and applications.
Huna: A Revolutionary Virtual Assistant
Microsoft showcased its progress in natural language technology, introducing Huna, a virtual assistant that can take the initiative to respond to dialogue and organize meetings and reminders. Huna’s advanced capabilities enable it to understand schedules, reschedule meetings, and even maintain a real dialogue with the virtual assistant. The presentation demonstrated Huna’s ability to interact with users in a way that sounds like a real human conversation, surpassing the limitations of traditional voice assistants.
Collaboration and Mixed Reality
The General Assembly also highlighted the importance of collaboration and mixed reality, with many people sharing virtual space. Microsoft has partnered with content companies, such as Spatial, to help build workplace collaboration applications in virtual space. Spatial’s mixed reality technology enables users to participate in multi-user experiences, accessing data from Microsoft applications and interacting with each other in real-time.
HoloLens 2 Integration
The HoloLens 2 headset has been deeply integrated with Spatial, allowing users to participate in the same virtual space and interact with each other in a more immersive and engaging way. The headset’s hand tracking feature enables users to pick up virtual documents and throw them to other participants, while the eye-tracking function accurately reflects the user’s gaze in the virtual space.
New Features in Microsoft Edge
Microsoft is launching a series of new features for its upcoming Edge Chromium browser, including the new “IE mode,” which allows companies to use the Internet Explorer rendering engine directly in the new Edge Chromium browser. The new features also include a collection feature, designed for network users to easily collect text, images, and information from notes, and enhanced privacy features to prevent network trackers.
Fluid Framework Development Platform
Microsoft has launched a new Fluid Framework development platform, designed to allow developers to build more sharing and interactive services and applications on the Web. The platform includes support for co-creator on the web and enables developers to use digital assistants, such as Huna, to translate text, extract content from the network, and recommend editing and other tasks.
New Features in Word Writing Graces
Microsoft has released a series of updates, including Word Online’s new AI grammar and style checker, and a new feature called “Ideas,” which provides a variety of documents with help. The “Ideas” feature can solve obvious mistakes, rewrite complex phrases, and even explain acronyms, making it a significant impact on productivity.
Summary
Nadella emphasized the importance of software-driven innovation, stating that every place in the world, whether it’s a home, office, factory, or industry, is being transformed by software. Microsoft aims to ensure that more and more software is provided by its technical support, and to develop its cloud services and AI-based updates, providing clarity on its development goals.
Conclusion
The Microsoft Build 2019 General Assembly has showcased the company’s commitment to innovation and progress, highlighting its advancements in natural language technology, collaboration, and mixed reality. The event has provided a glimpse into Microsoft’s development goals, emphasizing the importance of software-driven innovation and its potential to transform various industries and fields.