Tag: microsoft

Mirror mirror on the wall, which is the smartest smart-speaker of them all? This is no fairytale: it’s a study by venture-capital firm Loup Ventures of the relative ‘IQs’ of the main voice assistants: Google Assistant,...

Yet another plucky, young, unheard-of startup is entering the fray in the blockchain’n’media space. It’s called Microsoft and… Oh wait. Yes, *that* Microsoft is exploring how blockchain technology might have a role...

89% of Americans who’ve bought a smart speaker so far are satisfied with their device, according to a new survey published by investment firm Loup Ventures. “A closer look at the results reveals the reason for this...

Poppy is the singer whose spooky YouTube videos have won her a fervent online fanbase – and now a brand partnership with Microsoft to promote one of its chatbots. No, not the Nazi one, thankfully. Zo is a Microsoft-developed...

Fresh from pulling out of the music-streaming market via a partnership with Spotify, Microsoft has announced the next moves in its quest to be a big player in ‘mixed reality’ – devices that blend augmented and virtual...

Microsoft’s Groove Music Pass subscription streaming service hasn’t made a big impact since its launch in 2012 as Xbox Music, including its rebrand to Groove Music in 2015. Its lack of success attracted less headlines...

News that Spotify is adding video to its popular RapCaviar hip-hip playlist shouldn’t come as a surprise to Music Ally readers: we reported on the US tests of the new feature in March. Now it’s been officially announced,...

Music-focused virtual reality startup MelodyVR has announced its latest partnership: with Microsoft. The pair are describing it as a non-exclusive "global partnership and Windows Mixed Reality App Collaboration Agreement"...

As predicted last week, search-engine owners have reached an agreement with rightsholders on a new ‘voluntary code of practice’ in the UK to tackle links to copyright-infringing content on their services. “Creative...

Nokia’s mobile business may have been bought then shut down by Microsoft, but the company it left behind remains a going concern in Finland, working on new technologies. Like virtual reality, in fact: its OZO device is...

Danish pop-singer MØ has teamed up with Microsoft to create a fanzine in collaboration with her fans. It is a fun initiative that combines old-school scrapbooking with digital elements. On the dedicated website moxsurface.com,...

Brand partnerships used to be straightforward for musicians. But with the steady march of digital, these deals can include anything from app sponsorship to VR. Over the next two sandboxes, we will examine where brand partnerships...