Cloud-based productivity software suite recovering after outage: Microsoft

Cloud-based productivity software suite recovering after outage: Microsoft


Microsoft (Photo: Shutterstock)


Microsoft said its cloud-based software suite was recovering after an outage impacted thousands of its users on Thursday.

 


“We’ve worked with the third-party internet service provider (ISP) and confirmed that a change within their managed-environment resulted in impact. The ISP has reverted the change and we’re now seeing signs of recovery,” Microsoft’s service dashboard said.


The Microsoft 365 productivity software suite includes Word and Excel, among other widely used tools.

 


The outage comes nearly two months after a faulty software update from cybersecurity services provider CrowdStrike affected nearly 8.5 million Windows devices, crippling operations across industries ranging from airlines and banks to healthcare.

 

 


Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform had said on X it was probing customer reports of a potential issue connecting Microsoft’s services from AT&T networks.

 


The telecom operator did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the outage.

 


Incident reports for Microsoft 365 fell to about 1,700, as of 9:53 A.M. ET, after having peaked at around 23,000.

 


Downdetector said it had seen more than 90,000 user reports come in within the U.S. for Microsoft 365 since about 7:45 A.M.

 


ET, with Azure, Teams, Xbox, Bing and all Microsoft entities seeing elevated cases.

 


The platform, which tracks outages by collating status reports from a number of sources, including user-submitted errors on its platform, said the outage appeared to be affecting other companies as well.

 


(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sep 12 2024 | 9:25 PM IST



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Cloud-based productivity software suite recovering after outage: Microsoft

Cloud-based productivity software suite recovering after outage: Microsoft


Microsoft (Photo: Shutterstock)


Microsoft said its cloud-based software suite was recovering after an outage impacted thousands of its users on Thursday.

 


“We’ve worked with the third-party internet service provider (ISP) and confirmed that a change within their managed-environment resulted in impact. The ISP has reverted the change and we’re now seeing signs of recovery,” Microsoft’s service dashboard said.


The Microsoft 365 productivity software suite includes Word and Excel, among other widely used tools.

 


The outage comes nearly two months after a faulty software update from cybersecurity services provider CrowdStrike affected nearly 8.5 million Windows devices, crippling operations across industries ranging from airlines and banks to healthcare.

 

 


Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform had said on X it was probing customer reports of a potential issue connecting Microsoft’s services from AT&T networks.

 


The telecom operator did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the outage.

 


Incident reports for Microsoft 365 fell to about 1,700, as of 9:53 A.M. ET, after having peaked at around 23,000.

 


Downdetector said it had seen more than 90,000 user reports come in within the U.S. for Microsoft 365 since about 7:45 A.M.

 


ET, with Azure, Teams, Xbox, Bing and all Microsoft entities seeing elevated cases.

 


The platform, which tracks outages by collating status reports from a number of sources, including user-submitted errors on its platform, said the outage appeared to be affecting other companies as well.

 


(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sep 12 2024 | 9:25 PM IST



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Tech wrap Sep 12: Vivo T3 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy M05, iPhone 16 series, more

Tech wrap Sep 12: Vivo T3 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy M05, iPhone 16 series, more



Vivo has launched the T3 Ultra 5G smartphone in India. The T3 Ultra 5G, part of its T-series, is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9200+ processor and includes a 5,500mAh battery. It has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The phone is built with SCHOTT Xensation Glass for shock absorption and drop protection.


On September 12, Samsung expanded its M-series smartphone lineup in India with the launch of the Galaxy M05. This smartphone has a dual-camera system, a large display, a 5,000mAh battery, and a dedicated microSD slot for additional storage. Priced at Rs 7,999, the Galaxy M05 comes with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. It will be available in mint green through Amazon India, Samsung’s online store, and select retail outlets.

 


Apple has released a build of iOS 18.1 beta specifically for the iPhone 16 series, reports 9to5Mac. Previously, the absence of an iOS 18.1 build for these devices raised concerns about difficulties in restoring backups from devices running iOS 18.1 beta.


Acer has introduced the Aspire 7 gaming laptop in India, powered by a 13th Gen Intel Core i5 processor and offering options for NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 or RTX 3050 GPUs. The Aspire 7 runs on Windows 11, has 512GB SSD storage, and 16GB RAM.


Samsung’s India unit has announced limited-time offers for the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Initially priced at Rs 1,29,999, the smartphone is now available for Rs 1,09,999, including Rs 8,000 instant cashback and a Rs 12,000 upgrade bonus for trade-ins. Consumers can also avail Rs 12,000 cashback on select bank cards and opt for no-cost EMI for up to 24 months.


Dyson will launch its OnTrac headphones in India on September 23. Ahead of the release, demonstrations are available at its stores, and pre-booking has opened. Dyson has also named Indian artist Badshah as the brand ambassador for the OnTrac headphones in India.


With the launch of the iPhone 16 series, Apple has introduced a new camera control button. While camera shutter buttons have been present on smartphones for years, Apple’s announcement has renewed interest in this feature, which may prompt other companies to follow suit.


Google previewed Android 15 at Google I/O 2024, and the update is now available for developers. The stable version will roll out to Google Pixel devices first, followed by Samsung and other selected devices. Features may vary based on the phone model.


According to Android Authority, Google has updated its Play Integrity API to help developers prevent app sideloading. The Play Integrity API verifies that interactions and requests are coming from a genuine app binary on an authentic Android device, checking for tampering, unreliable environments, or Google Play Protect activation.


Union Home Minister Amit Shah has launched an online ‘suspect registry’ with data on 1.4 million cybercriminals involved in financial fraud and other cybercrimes. The registry, developed by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), will be accessible to states, Union Territories, and central agencies.


Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has introduced new features for small businesses, including Meta Verified badges, as part of a recent update.


Google has added a new feature to its AI note-taking app NotebookLM, enabling it to convert research into AI-generated podcasts.


The European Union is investigating one of Google’s AI models over concerns regarding compliance with the bloc’s data privacy regulations.


Eight years ago, Google considered lowering its ad exchange fees after websites found ways to increase revenue while bypassing Google’s tools, according to former executives testifying in a US Justice Department antitrust trial.


AST SpaceMobile’s stock has surged approximately 1,300% since hitting a record low in April, making it the best performer in the small-cap Russell 2000 Index over the past six months.


Tech companies have long benefited from favourable treatment by authorities. Apple, for instance, paid minimal taxes in the European Union by exploiting loopholes in Ireland. Similarly, Google maintained its dominance in search by prioritising its own services over competitors.

First Published: Sep 12 2024 | 8:03 PM IST



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Microsoft 365 services down for thousands of users, shows Downdetector

Microsoft 365 services down for thousands of users, shows Downdetector


Nearly 4,000 users also reported issues related to Microsoft Teams. | Photo: Shutterstock


Microsoft’s suite of productivity software was down for thousands of users on Thursday, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com.

 


“We’re investigating an issue where users may be unable to access multiple Microsoft 365 services,” the Windows parent said in a post on X.

 


Microsoft did not immediately respond to queries on the nature and cause of the outage and when it expects a recovery.

 


There were more than 20,000 incidents of people reporting issues with Microsoft 365, according to Downdetector, which tracks outages by collating status reports from a number of sources, including user-submitted errors on its platform.

 

 

Nearly 4,000 users also reported issues related to Microsoft Teams.


(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sep 12 2024 | 6:41 PM IST



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Microsoft to cut 650 jobs from its Xbox unit in third layoff this year

Microsoft to cut 650 jobs from its Xbox unit in third layoff this year


Xbox, Microsoft | Credit: Bloomberg


Microsoft Corp. said it is cutting 650 jobs in its Xbox unit, the third such layoffs this year as the company tries to rein in costs and integrate its massive $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc.

 


The roles to be eliminated are in “mostly corporate and supporting functions,” according to a memo sent to staff by Xbox chief Phil Spencer on Thursday. “No games, devices or experiences are being cancelled and no studios are being closed as part of these adjustments today.”


Xbox employees had been bracing for further reductions after Microsoft cut 1,900 jobs, many from Activision units and studios, in January. In May, the company announced the shuttering of four studios acquired as part of its $7.5 billion purchase of ZeniMax — one of which was ultimately sold instead. These steps, along with the decision to release some Xbox games on rival consoles, have angered some of the platform’s fans and left them questioning Microsoft’s commitment to building compelling exclusive content.

 


It has been a brutal year for the games industry more broadly, as it reckons with rising game development costs and tepid growth. Sony Group Corp., Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. and Electronic Arts Inc. are among the major global companies that have cut jobs and shut down marquee projects. Sony this month axed big-budget multiplayer shooter Concord only two weeks after its release, showing little patience for a game that got off to a slow start.


Microsoft completed the Activision acquisition in October, 21 months after it was announced and following a bruising battle to obtain antitrust clearance. The purchase has given Xbox an infusion of new content and talent, but also a challenge in making the deal pay off over the long run.


Changes to Microsoft Gaming


For the past year, our goal has been to minimize disruption while welcoming new teams and enabling them to do their best work. As part of aligning our post-acquisition team structure and managing our business, we have made the decision to eliminate approximately 650 roles across Microsoft Gaming—mostly corporate and supporting functions—to organize our business for long term success.


I know that this is difficult news to hear. We are deeply grateful for the contributions of our colleagues who are learning they are impacted. In the US, we’re supporting them with exit packages that include severance, extended healthcare, and outplacement services to help with their transition; outside the US packages will differ according to location.


With these changes, our corporate and supporting teams and resources are aligned for sustainable future growth, and can better support our studio teams and business units with programs and resources that can scale to meet their needs. Separately, as part of running the business, there are some impacts to other teams as they adapt to shifting priorities and manage the lifecycle and performance of games. No games, devices or experiences are being cancelled and no studios are being closed as part of these adjustments today.

Throughout our team’s history, we have had great moments, and we have had challenging ones. Today is one of the challenging days. I know that going through more changes like this is hard, but even in the most trying times, this team has been able to come together and show one another care and kindness as we work to continue delivering for our players. We appreciate your support as we navigate these changes and we thank you for your compassion and respect for each other.


(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sep 12 2024 | 6:13 PM IST



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Samsung announces offers, 24-month no-cost EMI on Galaxy S24 Ultra: Details

Samsung announces offers, 24-month no-cost EMI on Galaxy S24 Ultra: Details



South Korean electronics maker Samsung’s India unit has announced limited period offers on its artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Launched at Rs 1,29,999 onwards, the smartphone is now available at Rs 1,09,999 for the base configuration. This price includes an instant cashback of Rs 8,000 and an additional upgrade bonus of Rs 12,000, applicable on trade-in deals. Consumers can also avail Rs 12,000 cashback from select bank cards. Additionally, Samsung is offering a no-interest equated monthly instalment (EMI) option for up to 24 months.

 


Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Offers Details


Launch price: Rs 1,29,999


Limited period offer price: Rs 1,09,999


Available deals: Rs 8,000 instant cashback and Rs 12,000 upgrade bonus for exchanging an older-generation model for the Galaxy S24 Ultra


Bank offers: Rs 12,000 cashback from select banks and no-cost EMI for up to 24 months


Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Details


Samsung recently updated its premium flagship smartphone to OneUI 6.1.1, bringing additional Galaxy AI features that it first introduced with the Galaxy Z series foldable devices. New AI features include “Listening Mode” in Interpreter, “Composer” for Chat Assist, and “Suggested Replies” in the Messages app. Additionally, the update introduces a new Samsung Notes app with “PDF Overlay Translation” and “Sketch to Image” features.


These are in addition to the original Galaxy AI features the smartphone was launched with, such as Google’s gesture-driven “Circle to Search,” which has been enhanced in the update to include maths equation-solving capabilities, and generative edit in the Photos app.


Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Specifications


Display: 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1Hz-120Hz refresh rate, Vision Booster


Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy


RAM: 12GB


Storage: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB


Rear Camera: 200MP (OIS) + 12MP ultra-wide-angle + 50MP telephoto 5x (OIS) + 10MP telephoto 3x (OIS)


Front Camera: 12MP


Battery: 5,000mAh


Construction: Titanium frame


Protection: Gorilla Glass Armor, IP68


Weight: 232g


Thickness: 8.6mm

First Published: Sep 12 2024 | 5:37 PM IST



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