Make it an extra Happy Holiday with Microsoft and Xbox ~ #2017GiftGuide

The holidays are just around the corner, and there’s no better time to treat yourself or a loved one. With Microsoft’s newest Surface devices and Xbox consoles, there’s something for everyone – from the stylish young professional to the avid gamer and even little (and not-so-little!) ones who love Minecraft. 

Launching November 7th, the Xbox One X, is the most powerful console on the planet. It has 40% more power than any other console, bringing immersive true 4K gaming to your living room. All games play better on Xbox One X, and it launches just in time for the holidays. For those people on your list that love gaming but don’t need quite as much power, Microsoft offers the Xbox One S. The Xbox One S provides the ultimate value in games and entertainment; it brings over 100 exclusive games, built-in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ and 4K video streaming. In fact, it’s one of the most affordable 4K Blu-ray™ players on the market!  

Acer Switch Alpha
Light and quiet and strong, the Acer Switch Alpha is the 2-in-1 that you can take anywhere.
Touch screen for the ultimate in creativity
12" touchscreen with 2160x1440 resolution and 2 front-facing speakers
Fan-less Acer LiquidLoop™ cooling

Price: starting at $899.99




ASUS Zenbook Flip X370
Dynamic and runway ready, this Windows 10 convertible with all the right features for modern computing is powerful and posh, at work or play.
Work longer and charge faster with up to 11.5 hours of battery life
Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Unique 360° ErgoLift hinge

Price: starting at $1899.99




Xbox One X
The world’s most powerful console is the perfect gift for the avid gamer in your life.

The 8-core Custom AMD CPU is clocked at 2.3GHz to bring enhanced AI, real world detail and smoother interactions to your gaming
12GB GDDR5 of graphic memory add speed and power to game performance to enable bigger worlds, further horizons and quicker load times
A 6 Teraflop GPU enables 4K environments and characters to become more realistic than ever, with more detail and smoother animations

Price: $599


Xbox One S
Xbox One S provides the best value in games and entertainment.
Experience richer, more luminous colors in games like Gears of War 4 and Forza Horizon 3. With a higher contrast ratio between lights and darks, High Dynamic Range technology brings out the true visual depth of your games

Play console exclusives like Forza Motorsport 7, Crackdown 3, State of Decay 2, and Gears of War 4 plus blockbusters like Madden 18, Middle-earth: Shadow of War and FIFA 18
With backwards compatibility, Xbox Play Anywhere, Mixer and Game Pass, Xbox One S gives you more ways to play

Price: $299


Xbox One S Minecraft Limited Edition 1TB Bundle

Features a custom designed grass block console, an iconic green Minecraft Creeper controller, Minecraft system sounds, vertical stand and transparent underside with Redstone circuit accents.
This exclusive bundle also includes a full game download of Minecraft plus the Redstone Pack, a collection of unique skin packs.


Price: $499

Disclaimer - I was not compensated for this post.

Microsoft Unveils Minecraft Education Edition & Learning Tools for OneNote

Microsoft is acquiring the IP for the already successful MinecraftEdu and investing in a new and expanded title for the classroom called Minecraft Education Edition. The new title will be available for free trial this summer offering an expanded set of features, including interactive maps and student portfolios. Minecraft Education Edition will be shaped by a growing community of educators throughout its development this spring and through a new Minecraft educator community online. This site will also boast a new Minecraft Mentors program, matching educators with experience using Minecraft in the classroom with those looking to try it for the first time.

Microsoft Helping Canadian Students Save up to $200M with Free Office Software ~ #PR

MICROSOFT HELPING CANADIAN STUDENTS SAVE UP TO $200M WITH FREE OFFICE SOFTWARE

Canadian students from Kindergarten to Post-secondary are now empowered to do more

TORONTO, March 16 – Microsoft Canada today announced that over 4 million Canadian students and their families – from Victoria to St. John’s are eligible to access Office at no cost from their schools through their Office for Students program.

With Office for Students, Microsoft will help Canadian students and their families save up to $200 million, providing an unparalleled degree of access to the tools that Canadians students need to succeed, both at learning and as they prepare to enter the workforce.

A recent IDC study, Skill Requirements for Tomorrow’s Best Jobs, concluded that proficiency in the use of Office is seen as a fundamental skill by top-grossing, high-growth employers making Microsoft’s commitment all the more meaningful. 

“We know that students who are proficient in Microsoft Office have a leg-up when entering the job-market,” said Marc Seaman, VP of Education at Microsoft Canada. “Our goal, with this offer, is to provide students with the tried and tested tools they need to help be successful today and in the future.”

Any student enrolled in a district school board or individual school which has purchased Microsoft Office for use by its faculty and staff can now log on and can download the full Office functionality across PCs and Macs, iPads, Android tablet, iPhones, and Android phones – at no cost for use at home and in the classroom. Parents and students can check their eligibility and download Office today by visiting Microsoft.ca/freeoffice.

“Microsoft recognizes that in today’s environment, barriers – whether they are technical or financial – that separate students from such tools must be overcome,” says Seaman. “By making Office for Students free of charge, we are removing that barrier and freeing students to choose the technology platform they want, based solely on preference.”

With the goal of arming their students with the Office advantage, several schools are already offering their students Office at no cost. One school district that made Office available to their students is Louis Riel School Division. Officials at this Manitoba board have noted that Office is changing the way their 10,000 students engage with technology.

“Hands down, Microsoft’s OneNote is probably one of the best programs for education,” said Clarke Hagan, Director of Information Systems at Louis Riel School Division.  “It’s a real game changer for our classrooms, the software allows real time and non-real time collaboration that can actually be used to customize the instruction and provide for better learning.”

Another such school board is School District No. 42 in Maple Ridge, British Columbia - where they use Office to level the playing field for all students.  “We have such a broad base of students from different socio-economic backgrounds,” David Vandergugten, Director of Education with School District No. 42.  “The Office for Students program provides true equality of technology and of program delivery for every student.”

“We congratulate those schools and boards who have joined with us on this initiative,” said Seaman. “It builds on the longstanding commitment of Microsoft’s partnership with educators to help students in and outside of the classroom to realize their full potential with the benefit of the very best tools and technology.”

The Office for Students package that Microsoft provides to Students and Educators includes the latest version of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access,  Publisher, 1TB of storage on OneDrive as well as Office Online for in-browser editing.

Students and parents may check their eligibility or encourage their school to opt-in at microsoft.ca/freeoffice or microsoft.ca/officegratuit.

About Microsoft Canada

Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Inc. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ "MSFT") the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has nine regional offices across the country dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. For more information on Microsoft Canada, please visit www.microsoft.ca.

DISCLAIMER: I was not compensated for this post.