Dark mode in Outlook mobile app

App users' favorite demand of dark mode has been made available in Outlook mobile app for Android and iOS. Dark mode has started rolling out since Aug. in Outlook for iOS and Android.
Dark mode provides added comfort when a bright screen may not be appropriate. It provides the users the choice and flexibility.

Adapting to work life flow, Outlook focuses its design on the context of where people want to use Dark Mode. When asked, people found the experience comfortable and aesthetically pleasing while keeping their email and calendar content crisp and clear. This way, Outlook helps you stay connected and organized so you can get things done wherever you are such as dimly lit living rooms, home offices or airplanes.

 (Dark Mode experiences on iOS : pic courtesy Microsoft Design)

This experience is in keeping with other modern apps that aim to ease viewing and reduce eye strain and to help optimize battery life. Once iOS and Android devices support dark themes, Outlook plans to automatically switch to Dark Mode based on their device settings in addition to Outlook in-app options. One can switch to dark mode from Apps settings.

Phone Screen – Access your phone apps on your PC

With release of Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18356 (19H1), an early preview of a new feature Phone Screen is being provided. You can now mirror your Android phone’s screen directly on your PC without having to dig for your phone.

This new feature of Phone Screen provides access to your phone apps on your PC. So one can use phone apps from the comfort of their PC without having to take out the phone. This feature will be rolled out gradually and will show up inside the Your Phone app (ver 1.0.20701.0 and above)

Phone Screen requirement:

Supported PCs:

You can use the Your Phone app on any Windows 10 PC running Windows builds 1803 or newer and any Android phone running Android version 7.0 or newer. The new Phone Screen feature requires you to be running the latest Insider builds (1903) and is initially only compatible with a limited set of devices. Your PC also needs to support Bluetooth with Low Energy Peripheral mode. Android phone must be on, within Bluetooth range of the PC, and connected to the same network as the PC.

How to check if your PC supports Bluetooth Low Energy Peripheral Role?

• Open Device Manager by right-clicking on the Start menu.
• Select and expand the Bluetooth option.
• Select the Radio Driver or Adapter for Bluetooth.
• Double click to open Properties.
• Navigate to the Details tab.
• Find the “Bluetooth radio supports Low Energy Peripheral Role” property on the dropdown and select it.
• See if the value is true or false.
• If it’s “true” then your PC will be able to display your phone screen and interact with it.

Supported Phones:

Currently the feature is only available on the following select Android phones running Android 7.0 or greater:

• Samsung Galaxy S8
• Samsung Galaxy S8+
• Samsung Galaxy S9
• Samsung Galaxy S9+

List of devices over time will be expanded for both the PC and phone.

(Source)

Send SMS from your PC, stay connected with Your Phone app

Now you don’t need to search your phone to send SMS / text messages. Let it be in your pocket, in bag, on your desk or in your purse. Your Phone app gives you instant access to your most recent photos and texts from your Android phone. Your Phone app now allows to text your friends, group message and all this using your PC keyboard.

Your Phone app allows you to view, send, and receive the SMS from your Android, on your computer.

As mentioned earlier, one can type with a keyboard for sending messages. And on pen-capable devices, one can use digital pen to ink a message and see your ink gets converted to text and send. Or one can try using just your voice to dictate a message (US English only at this time) . Press Winkey + H to start dictation. On a touch keyboard, select the microphone button.

You must link your Android phone to your computer through Your Phone app. You will receive an app from Microsoft, which you must download to your mobile phone and follow the setup prompts. Android 7.0+ are compatible with Your Phone app. For iPhone users, Your Phone app helps you to link your phone to your PC.

Requirement:

• A mobile phone running Android 7.0 (Nougat) or later
• A PC running Windows 10 April 2018 Update (Version 1803) or later

Check this for all the FAQs on Your Phone.

Microsoft Press free ebook : Creating Mobile Apps with Xamarin.Forms

The third and final version of the Microsoft Press ebook -

Creating Mobile Apps with Xamarin.Forms: Cross-platform C# programming for iOS, Android, and Windows by the legendary author Charles Petzold is now available for download.

Download PDF  (~56 MB PDF)

EPUB and MOBI versions will be made available in the future.

This is the third version of the ebook about writing applications with Xamarin.Forms, the mobile development platform for iOS, Android, and Windows unveiled by Xamarin in May 2014. (The first two versions of this book were Preview Editions.) The two previous versions of this book were called Preview Editions because they were not complete. At 1200 pages, this is the first edition that can claim to be complete, even though several topics are not included and Xamarin.Forms continues to be progressively enhanced with no sign of slowing down.

This book is for C# programmers who want to write applications using a single code base that targets the three most popular mobile platforms: iOS, Android, and Windows, encompassing the Universal Windows Platform and Windows Phone.
Xamarin.Forms also has applicability for those programmers who eventually want to use C# and the Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android libraries to target the native application programming interfaces (APIs) of these platforms. Xamarin.Forms can be a big help in getting programmers started with these platforms or in constructing a prototype or proof-of-concept application.
This book assumes that you know C# and are familiar with the use of the .NET Framework.

(Source)

Microsoft Universal Mobile keyboard- switch between iPad, Android and Windows devices

Microsoft has introduced Universal Mobile keyboard for your tablets and Smartphones. And you can be on any OS, be it your iPad, iPhone, Android device or your Windows tablet, you can easily switch between them with a flick of a switch! Pair with up to 3 devices with different operating systems and easily switch between them.

“The compact and light weight design of the Universal Mobile Keyboard was built with portability in mind with its protective cover and built-in stand that holds your tablet or smartphone. Just flip the cover open to power-up and make a Bluetooth connection, then set your device into the integrated stand—you'll be typing in seconds. Shutting down is just as fast. Simply close the cover to turn off the keyboard—it's that easy. The rechargeable battery provides up to 6 months of usage on a single charge. But if you're ever low on power when you're heading out, don't worry—just do a 10 minute quick charge and you'll have plenty of power for a full day's work. “

There is no dedicated Windows specific key but dedicated keys for Android and a CMD for Apple users. So people can use shortcuts found in respective OS.

Check the demo video:

Microsoft Universal Mobile Keyboard

For more details please check here.

[TIP] Secure OneDrive with PIN on your Android Phone

Many OneDrive users had suggested that they want some kind of password protection for their OneDrive on Smartphones. These users wanted to prevent other people who might also be using their device to have access to the files on OneDrive who may accidentally delete or change file on OneDrive.

Now with the latest OneDrive update, this security feature has been provided. Now OneDrive users can set up a 4 digit code which has to be entered when OneDrive app is opened on phones. This setting up a PIN is a good feature addition.

But as of now this Security PIN feature has been provided only for OneDrive Android app. OneDrive team has hinted that this feature will be made available on Windows Phone and iOS platform too.

How to set up security PIN on Android:

• After updating your OneDrive app. Open OneDrive app .
• Go to Settings on the app bar by tapping on those 3 dots at bottom right,
• tap on Settings to open Settings page
• Switch ON ‘Required code to use app’
• Enter 4 digit code , so this PIN code will be required whenever you open OneDrive app.

So if you are an OneDrive Android user, secure OneDrive by enabling this feature.

UPDATE: As it was mentioned above, OneDrive team has now added this security feature to iOS too. Hoping it to soon see on Windows Phone too.

The latest OneDrive update, provides PIN code , Touch ID and sorting features for OneDrive for iOS app. Using fingerprint to sign-in feature has been added after including the brand new Touch ID API in iOS 8. So these features only available on iPhones, iPods  having iOS 8.

Now waiting for OneDrive team to provided this PIN code feature on Windows Phone..