Cydan Development Announces Formation of Imara Inc. with $31M Series A Funding to Develop Therapeutic for Sickle Cell Disease

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–April 14, 2016–
Cydan Development, Inc ., an orphan drug accelerator dedicated to creating therapies that improves the lives of people living with rare genetic diseases, today announced the launch of Imara, Inc.

., an orphan drug accelerator dedicated to creating therapies that improves the lives of people living with rare genetic diseases, today announced the launch of Imara, Inc. This is the second orphan drug company launched by Cydan since 2015. Imara will develop IMR-687, a disease-modifying therapeutic selected specifically for the treatment of sickle cell disease and other hemoglobinopathies. IMR-687 was discovered by H. Lundbeck A/S.

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Lundbeck granted Imara an exclusive worldwide license and will receive certain milestone payments and royalties on sales as well as minority ownership in Imara. Imara is responsible for all future development and commercialization costs for IMR-687. Additional financial terms were not disclosed.

Cydan and Imara raised $31M in a Series A round to launch Imara with investment from Cydan’s syndicate of leading life sciences investors, New Enterprise Associates, Pfizer Venture Investments, Lundbeckfond Ventures, Bay City Capitaland Alexandria Venture Investments. Imara also announced plans to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to develop IMR-687 for sickle cell disease in 2016.

“Following a dynamic scientific collaboration with Lundbeck’s R&D team, we are advancing IMR-687 – a drug identified and developed to reduce the pathology caused by sickle cell disease,” said James McArthur, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Imara and Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Cydan. “Our team over the last year has produced pre-clinical data that demonstrates that IMR-687 is a very promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of sickle disease.”

IMR-687 is an orally-administered, highly potent and selective phosphodiesterase 9 (PDE9) inhibitor developed to treat the underlying causes of the pathology of sickle cell disease, a condition characterized by sickling of red blood cells and the occlusion or blockage of small blood vessels by the rigid, sickle-shaped red blood cells. Pre-clinical data shows IMR-687 reduces both the sickling of red blood cells and blood vessel occlusion. IMR-687 also demonstrates a robust pre-clinical safety profile.

“We are pleased to ensure the development of a potentially effective medicine which may help severely ill patients who have no treatment options today. It fits perfectly with our new strategy and focus on four disease areas that we divest this compound. The agreement is also a testament to the value of the research and development work done at Lundbeck every day with the aim of improving patient’s lives through the development of new and better treatments. The outcome of this program speaks to the collaborative relationship we had with Cydan Development,” said Kim Andersen, Senior Vice President, Research, Lundbeck.

“Cydan is delighted with the collaboration with Lundbeck and excited to have launched its second orphan drug company to develop a therapy for a rare condition,” commented Chris Adams, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Cydan.

“I am hopeful about IMR-687’s unique potential to help the sickle cell patient community who have limited treatment options,” said Julie Kanter, MD, Assistant Professor, Director of Sickle Cell Research, Medical University South Carolina, Charleston. “Sickle cell disease causes lifelong chronic organ damage including pain, stroke, acute chest syndrome, kidney failure and heart failure. We need more options now to improve the outcomes of all individuals living with sickle cell disease.”

About Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease is a rare, genetically inherited condition which affects hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen throughout the body. Sickle cell disease is a multi-organ disease afflicting more than 160,000 individuals in the United States and Europe, and many more in Africa and Asia. Due to the sickling of the red blood cells, and activation of immune cells and the blood vessel endothelial lining, patients bear the burden a multitude of pathologies from this disease. At the basis of many of these symptoms is occlusion or blockage of vessels in micro-capillary beds. As a result of this pathology, patients experience repeated episodes of vaso-occlusive crisis or VOC, acute chest syndrome or ACS, damage to other organs including the liver, spleen, kidney and the brain.

About Imara

Imara Inc., a Cydan Development company, is dedicated to developing novel therapeutics for patients with sickle cell disease, a rare, genetic blood disease that leads to a reduction of healthy red blood cells, blocked blood vessels and a multitude of pathologies. Imara is developing IMR-687, a highly selective, potent small molecule inhibitor of PDE9, to treat patients with sickle cell disease. The company was launched following an 18-month diligence and de-risking scientific collaboration between orphan drug accelerator Cydan Development and H. Lundbeck A/S with initial funding from life science investors NEA, Pfizer Venture Investments, Lundbeckfond Ventures, Bay City Capital and Alexandria Venture Investments.

About Cydan Development, Inc.

Cydan is an orphan drug accelerator dedicated to creating therapies that impact the lives of people living with rare genetic diseases. Cydan evaluates products for treating such diseases with high unmet medical need with the goal to start companies to develop promising therapies. Cydan’s first new company, Vtesse, was launched in January 2015 and is developing drugs for NiemannPick Disease Type C (NPC) and other rare, severe diseases with great unmet need. Cydan was founded in 2013 by a management team with extensive drug discovery, clinical development and business development experience and financed by leading life sciences investors NEA, Pfizer Venture Investments, Lundbeckfond Ventures, Bay City Capital and Alexandria Venture Investments. The accelerator is based in Tech Square in Cambridge, Mass.

For more information, please visit http://www.cydanco.comor contact Cydan at info@cydanco.com

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David Connolly, +1-617-374-8800, Ext. 108
dconnolly@lavoiehealthscience.com

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Coupa to Host Record Number of Customers and Industry Leaders at Inspire ’16

Nearly 2,000 attendees expected to exchange best practices and success stories at Coupa’s annual spend management conference
SAN MATEO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–April 14, 2016–
Coupa Software, a leader in cloud-based spend management, announced today that a record number of customers and industry leaders are expected at its annual Coupa Inspire ’16 , one of the largest spend management user conferences in the world.

, one of the largest spend management user conferences in the world. The conference will be held on May 10-12 at The Westin St. Francis in San Francisco’s Union Square.

“We are proud to host our customers, partners, prospects, and employees at one of the fastest-growing spend management industry events in the world. We look forward to learning from one another and collaborating around our joint desire to drive more measurable value for the organizations we serve,” said Rob Bernshteyn, CEO at Coupa. “We are also looking forward to celebrating our collective accomplishments.”

This year, nearly 2,000 Coupa customers, partners, prospects and employees are expected to come together for three days of inspirational keynotes, learning, networking, and celebration – everything you’d expect from a user conference, but with some extra Coupa touches. Bernshteyn will host Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, and his son, Sam Branson, a social entrepreneur, filmmaker and adventurer, as featured speakers in an exclusive keynote during the conference.

Inspire ’16 attendees will exchange success stories and learn best practices directly from Coupa’s global customers. Customer speakers, video testimonials and success stories will include Avalon Health Care, Concentrix, Service Corporation International (SCI), Staples, Greif, H&R Block, Ausdrill, Teleperformance, Swiss Re, OLX, Woodward, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, ENGIE UK, Aon, TD Bank, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Brandeis University, Deloitte Canada, The Global Fund, Tire Centers and many more.

“Inspire provides a wonderful opportunity to network with other Coupa users as well as Coupa personnel and Coupa supplier partners. These networking opportunities always prove invaluable in generating ideas to improve our use of Coupa,” said Debbie J. Townsend, C.P.M., director of purchasing and real estate at Tire Centers, LLC in South Carolina. “I always obtain a wealth of knowledge at Inspire making it well worth the investment. This includes best practice sharing, a vision of upcoming Coupa functionality, contacts for ongoing networking, as well as the opportunity to meet potential suppliers.”

In addition to the roster of notable customer brands at Inspire ’16, top industry partners are once again joining this year as event sponsors, including KPMG and Deloitte as Platinum sponsors, The Shelby Group and American Express as Gold sponsors, and a dozen more Silver and Coupa Advantage sponsors.

“Through our strategic alliance with Coupa, we’re proud to help our clients transform their procurement functions sustainably using leading spend management solutions, innovative strategies and the latest technologies,” said Samir Khushalani, practice leader for KPMG’s Supply Chain and Procurement in the Americas. “As a four-time repeat Platinum sponsor of Coupa’s annual Inspire event, it’s been exciting to witness the tremendous growth of this event and the value it offers attendees.”

Also taking the stage at this year’s event are a host of expert speakers including industry thought leaders and analysts such as Jason Busch of Azul Partners, Dana Gardner of Interarbor Solutions, Duncan Jones of Forrester Research, Teran Andes of KPMG LLP, Teresa Liptak of McKinsey & Company, R “Ray” Wang of Constellation Research and Jerald O’Dwyer of Deloitte Consulting.

“We’re delighted to be a Platinum sponsor at Coupa Inspire ’16,” said Brian Umbenhauer, principal and Deloitte Consulting LLP’s global sourcing and procurement leader. “We are pleased to continue teaming with Coupa to rethink what’s possible for procurement organizations as they identify and realize bottom-line savings through enhanced visibility and better control of spend under management.”

Among other notable main stage sessions, a C-level panel led by Coupa’s Executive Strategic Advisor Kendra Von Esh will offer attendees the opportunity to learn best practices directly from Chief Procurement Officers, Chief Financial Officers, and Chief Information Officers representing a cross-section of industries. Panelists will discuss ways to promote cross-functional best practices for elevating spend management to a strategic function within organizations.

Inspire ’16 in brief: Reasons to attend

The event kicks off on May 10 thwith a Welcome Reception in Union Square, followed by a lineup of thought-provoking expert presentations and panels over the following three days. Coupa plans to announce its next wave of product enhancements at Inspire ’16, giving attendees a first hand look at the latest innovations that the company has in store.

In addition, advanced copies of Bernshteyn’s forthcoming book on Value-as-a-Service will be available for Inspire ’16 attendees. Scheduled for official release in August 2016, Bernshteyn’s book examines how businesses are rapidly gravitating towards products that provide a quantifiable value to customers.

Not only can attendees join sessions throughout each day covering a broad range of spend management industry topics, they will also be able to participate in more than 30 hyper-focused workshops.

How to maximize the value of the Coupa platform for business agility, cost reductions, contract compliance and supply chain collaboration The power of procurement and IT alignment in driving change How to navigate the maze of global compliance from e-invoicing to expenses Using the power of big data across all spending to drive organizational value What’s buzzing in procurement and supply chain finance How to minimize business disruption in the face of global change Lessons in scaling for growth.

“Our customers have collectively proven the Coupa value by consistently increasing their usage of Coupa,” said Donna Wilczek, vice president strategy and product marketing at Coupa. “Coupa Inspire is an opportunity for people to improve their own business by learning from the proven results from companies quickly transforming their business in ways and timeframes never before seen in the spend management industry. ”

For a complete agenda or to register, please visit the Coupa Inspire page here.

About Coupa Software

Coupa Software, a leader in cloud-based spend management, enables businesses everywhere to recognize bottom-line financial success via Savings-as-a-Service. Customers – small, medium and large – representing the Americas, EMEA, and APAC rely on Coupa to support business agility and reduce costs. Only Coupa provides an organic suite of true cloud spend management applications, including invoicing, procurement, expense management, sourcing and inventory, allowing customers to realize a return on investment that can start within a few months and grow continually. Learn more at www.coupa.com.

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Orlando De Bruce, 650-485-8629
Global Public Relations
orlando.debruce@coupa.com

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Microsoft explains what you will lose by upgrading to Windows 10 Mobile

Microsoft today finally started rolling out Windows 10 Mobile to 18 devices running Windows Phone 8.1. As we noted, there is a lot to gain by upgrading to Windows 10 Mobile, though some features are dependent on your hardware.

running Windows Phone 8.1. As we noted, there is a lot to gain by upgrading to Windows 10 Mobile, though some features are dependent on your hardware. But you may also lose some features, according to the Windows 10 specificationspage.

First of all, your contact tiles will not show notifications for missed calls, messages, and emails. The Me Tile and Me Card are also no longer supported, while group tiles can’t be used to receive status updates from social networks.

While Cortana should work better overall, she can no longer search for apps, settings, email, text messaging, contacts, and QR Codes on the device. Cortana can also no longer open apps through voice commands, and the “Hey Cortana” trigger will no longer work on some upgraded devices.

Other small feature losses include Indoor Maps not working anymore for some locations, the Outlook Mail app not being able to open .EML attachments, and Outlook Calendar not supporting Tasks. Businesses should also be aware that certain enterprise features, including Data Protection Under Lock, are not available and that the MDM capability to prevent saving and sharing Office documents is not supported.

As we noted earlier, because Windows 10 Mobile is part of Windows 10, it is automatically updated. Microsoft explains what this means:

Windows 10 Mobile users will receive updates automatically during the support period when they are available. Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise users will have the ability to postpone updates. Additional requirements will apply over time for updates, and availability may vary by device, carrier, and market. The amount of time that Windows 10 Mobile users can postpone updates is limited. Support may vary by device and other factors.

This is generally a good thing, though there are always those who do not like automatic updates. Microsoft also warns that while your apps, in-app purchases, files, and settings will migrate as part of the upgrade, some may not make it.

All in all, Windows 10 Mobile is worth upgrading to if your device supports it, but it should be your choice. Like with any upgrade, you should know what you’re getting into, and weigh the option of simply buying a new device altogether.

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Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey: The 140-character limit ‘is staying’

The rumor that Twitter will scrap its 140-character limit for tweets just won’t die.

Image Credit: JD Lasica/Flickr

The rumor that Twitter will scrap its 140-character limit for tweets just won’t die. In an interview with NBCthis morning, CEO Jack Dorsey has gone on record to say that the limit is staying.

In September 2015, we first heard Twitter was experimenting with tweets longer than 140 characters. Then in January, the rumor came back, suggesting the company was hoping to launch a feature internally referred to as “Beyond 140” toward the end of this quarter.

Apparently the new limit would be 10,000 characters. In August 2015, Twitter increased the limit for Direct Messages from 140 characters to 10,000 characters, so the 10,000 figure isn’t completely arbitrary.

But Dorsey makes it quite clear the 140-character limit isn’t being removed:

NBC: “140 characters, the limit, is it staying, and if it’s going away, when?”

Dorsey: “It’s staying. It’s a good constraint for us. And it allows of the moment brevity.”

NBC: “You’re not changing anything?”

Dorsey: “We’re changing a lot. We’re always going to make Twitter better.”

NBC: “But still 140 characters?”

Dorsey: “140 characters.”

Of course, this still leaves wiggle room. Twitter can keep the limit but allow users to add more text to tweets in other ways. Many already take screenshots to do so, and Twitter could simply build in similar functionality. It’s not difficult to imagine an option that lets you see more text, à la Twitter Cards.

But many hardcore Twitter users will be unhappy if Twitter makes it easier to circumvent the limit, arguing it will change the very essence of Twitter itself. Both embracing and circumventing the 140-character cutoff has contributed to what makes Twitter unique, and maybe even addicting.

For reference, here is what Dorsey said regarding the limit at the start of the year:

— Jack (@jack) January 5, 2016

As with any massive change to what makes a service unique, Twitter needs to tread carefully. Already, many are unhappy with its algorithmic timelinethat went live yesterday.

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Google beefs up Gmail security with Safe Browsing warnings and tips for avoiding state-sponsored attacks

Google today Gmail with two new security improvements.

Gmail with two new security improvements. The company also underlined a proposal to further boost email security as a whole. First up, Google has turned on its Safe Browsing service for Gmail users. While the feature has already been used to identify potentially dangerous links in messages, starting this week, Gmail users will see warnings if they click these links.

Safe Browsing provides lists of URLs that contain malware or phishing content to Chrome, Firefox, and Safari browsers, as well as to Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The service can also be accessed via the public APIor directly, by manually changing this URLto check whichever site you want. Google has been extending Safe Browsing to its various products over the years, including Android, Ads, Analytics, and so on.

Next up, Google wants to be even more helpful in fighting state-sponsored attacks. Currently, Gmail shows a warning when it suspects users are being targeted by state-sponsored attackers. Google notes that fewer than 0.1 percent of Gmail users have received such a warning, but stresses that they are “critically important” because recipients are often “activists, journalists, and policy-makers taking bold stands around the world.”

Today, Gmail has gained a full-page warning with instructions about how users being targeted can stay safe:

This new warning can be shown instead of, or in addition to, the existing warnings Gmail already has in place for suspicion of state-sponsored attacks.

Last month, Gmail started warning usersif they received a message that wasn’t delivered using encryption or if they were composing a message to a recipient whose email service doesn’t support TLS encryption. Today, the company shared that in the 44 days since adding this warning, the amount of inbound email sent over an encrypted connection has increased by 25 percent. That’s an impressive gain for such a simple addition.

SMTP STS

But Google today also noted that “misconfigured or malicious parts of the Internet can still tamper with email encryption.” The company thus underlined news from late last week: Comcast, Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Yahoo, and 1&1 Mail & Media Development have teamed up to help ensure TLS encryption works as intended.

On Friday, the group submitted a draft specification to the Internet Engineering Task Force ( IETF) for “ SMTP Strict Transport Security” (SMTP STS). The new proposed standard aims to ensure that email only be delivered through encrypted channels, and that any encryption failures be reported for further analysis.

SMTP STS is a mechanism enabling mail service providers to declare their ability to receive TLS-secured connections, to declare particular methods for certificate validation, and to request sending SMTP servers to report upon and/or refuse to deliver messages that cannot be delivered securely.

The goal is to change the fact that millions of emails are still sent unencrypted over SMTP. Instead, email sent over SMTP STS would only arrive if the sender’s email service had checked that the destination supported encryption and that its certificate is valid. If either of these checks failed, the email would not be sent and the user would be told why.

Although a lot of email is sent using TLS encryption, there are cases when it fails. When that happens, emails are still sent, but in plain text, and the user is never informed that the communication was not encrypted.

While SMTP STS has great potential, it is still only in the proposal stage. It has to be approved and implemented widely before most email accounts can benefit.

In the meantime, Gmail users will have to be satisfied with the regular security updates Google seems to be putting out this year. Not a bad state of affairs to fall back on.

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How to livestream Microsoft’s Build 2016 developer conference

Microsoft’s biggest event of the year is upon us once again: Build 2016 is being held in San Francisco from May 30 to April 1 .

. You can stream the company’s developer conference hereor watch via the embedded livestream below.

Both keynotes on Day 1 and Day 2 are scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Pacific (11:30 a.m. Eastern).

Build attracts developers from all around the world and is always full of big news. Here is a recap of what happened last year: Everything Microsoft announced at Build 2015.

This year, we’re expecting Microsoft to talk about Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile, HoloLens, Visual Studio, .NET, Azure, Xbox, and everything in between. There will also be a few surprises, as is typical with such conferences.

We will be covering today’s keynote live and following up with additional reporting and analysis as the day progresses. The stream above should continue covering sessions even after the keynote concludes.

Update on March 31 : The keynote today has been moved up as well meaning timing is the same as yesterday.

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Microsoft unveils Windows 10 Anniversary Update

At its Build 2016 developer conference event in San Francisco today, Microsoft shared details on its Anniversary Update for Windows 10.

Above: Windows 10

Image Credit: Microsoft

At its Build 2016 developer conference event in San Francisco today, Microsoft shared details on its Anniversary Update for Windows 10. The company detailed a slew of new features coming to its latest and greatest operating system, for free. In fact, the Anniversary Update is also coming to Xbox One, bringing Windows 10 apps to Microsoft’s gaming console.

Windows 10 is a service. As we wrote in our deep dive on how Microsoft is still building Windows 10, this means Windows Insiders are still getting new builds even though the operating system launched back in July 2015.

Bryan Roper, product manager of Microsoft’s Windows Group, took the stage to show what its 270 million usersand developers can expect.

First up, Windows apps and Microsoft Edge are gaining support for Windows Hello. In short, you’ll be able to log into apps and websites with your face, no password required.

Next, Roper talked about Windows Ink, a new experience for using a pen or stylus on your Windows device. Roper declared, “72 percent of people still use pen and paper” and for “more than an hour a day” before diving into how users will be able to use new inking features in both Windows 10 and Microsoft Office. He showed off a Sticky Notes app that can recognize times and places based on natural language processing, the Maps app being able to interpret lines that you draw, Word understanding when you cross out and highlight text, and working with a ruler and digital pen in PowerPoint. Furthermore, Roper also showed off how developers can leverage Windows Ink in their own apps with as little as two lines of code.

Microsoft says the Anniversary Update will arrive “this summer,” but Windows Insider testers and developers will be able to play with it sooner.

Build is, after all, a developer event. Indeed, Microsoft also shared details about the Windows 10 Anniversary SDK. It contains thousands of new features and APIs, including these highlights:

Background execution: Ability to run your application in the background without requiring two separate processes. Along with extended execution and opportunistic tasks, writing applications that run when they need to will become simpler and more powerful. App Extensions: UWP now supports app extensibility allowing you to build an ecosystem based on your application. Microsoft Edge uses this technology for its own extensions. Action Center in the cloud: Enables your app to engage with users on all their devices. You can now dismiss notifications on one device and they will be dismissed everywhere. Windows Store & Dev Center: New tools include user roles in Dev Center, app flighting, improved analytics, an analytics API that allows you to grab your data and use it outside of the dashboard, user segmentation and targeting, A/B testing, app subscriptions, advertising improvements, and more.

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Windows 10 is now on over 270 million devices

Microsoft today announced that Windows 10 is now installed on over 270 million devices.

Above: Windows 10

Image Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft today announced that Windows 10 is now installed on over 270 million devices. It took the latest and greatest operating system from Microsoft about eight months to hit the new milestone. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella declared that the operating system is the “fastest growing version of Windows for both consumers and enterprises.”

“Windows 10 is off to the fastest adoption of any release ever,” Terry Myerson, executive vice president for Microsoft’s Windows and Devices Group, said on stage at Microsoft’s Build 2016 conference. Hardware partners have launched more than 500 new devices designed specifically for Windows 10, which has already been used for more than 75 billion hours, he added. Oh, and Microsoft is also seeing “the highest customer satisfaction of any version of Windows.”

24 hours after its July 29 launch, Windows 10 was installed on more than 14 million PCs. Then it passed 75 million PCsafter four weeks, 110 million devicesafter 10 weeks, and 200 million devicesin under six months.

Microsoft is aiming to have 1 billion devices running Windows 10 “in two to three years,”though that includes not just PCs, but smartphones, consoles, and other devices as well. In other words, Microsoft has reached more than a quarter of its goal in eight out of 36 months.

As you can see, Windows 7 and Windows 8 milestones were similar for the first six months or so, though it quickly became clear that Windows 8 was not selling as quickly as its predecessor did. In addition to the free upgrade, Microsoft also changed the game with Windows 10 by including phones ( Windows 10 Mobile) and other devices in the total count.

But even so, the growth is impressive: Windows 10 is outpacing Windows 7 in the same timeframe by 145 percent. And the biggest driver is, of course, the fact that the operating system is available as a free upgrade for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 usersduring its first year. This is why, when compared to its predecessors, Windows 10 is being adopted more quickly (and also why this time Microsoft is counting “active devices” rather than “license sales”).

As Microsoft loves to tell anyone who will listen, Windows 10 is a service. That means it will be updated with not just fixes, but new featuresin the coming months and years. Windows 10 was built in a very different waythan its predecessors. And it is still being built.

For all the reasons above, Microsoft is very aggressively pushing Windows 10. And because no software is perfect, there are many reasons why someone many not be thrilled. Some users have even complained that their PCs have upgraded without permission. While the company means well (new, more secure software for free!) and has backpedaled on upgrade mistakes, the reality is you can’t please everyone, even with a free upgrade.

But Microsoft isn’t budging. “Customers continue to be fully in control of their devices, and can choose to not install the Windows 10 upgrade or remove the upgrade from Windows Update (WU) by changing the WU settings,” a Microsoft spokesperson told VentureBeat earlier this month.

270 million down, 730 million to go.

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Microsoft unveils Desktop App Converter, a developer tool for bringing existing Win32 apps to the Windows Store

Microsoft today unveiled the Desktop App Converter, which lets developers bring existing Windows applications to the Windows Universal Platform ( UWP ).

Above: The Windows Store.

Image Credit: Microsoft

). The company is hoping to bring the 16 million existing Win32/.Net applications to the Windows Store.

UWP allows developers to build a single app that changes based on your device and screen size. One app can work on your Windows 10 computer, Windows 10 tablet, Windows 10 Mobile smartphone, Xbox One console, and eventually HoloLens headset.

Being able to publish the resulting app in the Windows Store means another channel for distribution and sale. It also means users can cleanly install and uninstall the app or game. Furthermore, the apps get access to all of UWP’s APIs, so developers can add more functionality that is specific to Windows 10.

Above: Universal Windows Platform

Image Credit: Dean Takahashi/VentureBeat

Last year at Build, Microsoft unveiled four new Windows Store app types via so-called Bridges. Developers were told they could reuse their Web code, Windows desktop applications (.NET code), Android apps (Java and C++), and iOS apps (Objective C).

Project Centennial, which lets desktop developers package and publish their existing .NET and Win32-based Windows applications to the Windows Store, is still in preview. This converter is exactly that.

The best part is that this works for games as well. Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft’s Xbox division, showed how game developers can port their Windows games (such as existing titles on Steam) to UWP and put them in the Windows Store. Spencer specifically showed Age of Empires II ported to a modern Windows app.

Update on April 8 : The Desktop App Converter is now available in preview. You can download it from the Microsoft Download Center.

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Microsoft brings Universal Windows Platform apps to Xbox One

At its Build 2016 developer conference, Microsoft announced that developers can start bringing their Windows apps to the Xbox One .

Above: The Xbox One console.

Image Credit: Microsoft

. Last year at Build 2015, the company promised app makers would be able to bring their apps to the console, and now it is finally delivering. The functionality will come as part of thethat will let you turn your Xbox One into a devkit.

Microsoft’s Universal Windows Platform ( UWP) allows developers to build a single app that changes based on your device and screen size. One app can work on your Windows 10 computer, Windows 10 tablet, Windows 10 Mobile smartphone, Xbox One console, and eventually HoloLens headset.

In short, game developers will be able to use Visual Studio to deploy their projects to 19 millionXbox One owners. That means a single app can finally be written to work on Windows 10 and the Xbox One.

The first details of this new functionality leaked last night via an MSDN pagethat stated:

Xbox runs Windows 10, version 1607, which means that it shares the same core operating system as other devices in the Windows 10 family: desktop, mobile, and HoloLens. But, because this is the first release of the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) on Xbox, there are some feature areas that haven’t reached the same level of support on Xbox as they have on other devices.

Microsoft plans to keep at it until “all of the Universal device family API surface is fully operational on Xbox.” In the meantime, the company promised that all APIs are callable and will fail gracefully if they’re unsupported.

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Microsoft launches Cortana Collection in Windows Store, unveils proactive features coming to digital assistant

At its Build 2016 developer conference Microsoft naturally had a lot to update on its digital assistant Cortana .

. The company launched Cortana Collectionin the Windows Store to highlight the “nearly 1,000 Cortana-enabled apps already available” to Windows 10 users.

Microsoft’s Marcus Ash also shared some new features coming to Cortana as part of the. Cortana will be able to proactively make suggestions for you throughout your day.

These include offering to buy you lunch, arranging transportation, or even detecting receipts in your email and forwarding them over to an expense report. Skype group program manager Lilian Rincon showed off Cortana working within Skype, highlighting key points in your messages and bringing up information cards the virtual assistant thinks are relevant. Cortana will even send you private messages on Skype.

After creating a lunch appointment, Cortana will offer additional choices like booking a table or placing an order for pickup. She can also send off documents to a coworker without you having to manually search for the file.

Furthermore, Cortana will soon be available above the lock screen. You’ll thus be able to access the digital assistant for common tasks without unlocking your device.

Best of all, developers will have full access to Cortana’s proactive intelligence. That means they will be able to build apps with proactive actions, performing tasks based on the user’s context and environment.

Microsoft has been making small improvementsto Cortana this year, but nothing this major.

Update : At a special session for press during Build 2016, Ash answered more questions about what Cortana can access while your device is locked. In short, how exactly this functionality works will be controlled by the user. When the Cortana update hits the Windows Insider program, testers will be able to give Microsoft feedback regarding what the defaults should be. But regardless, Cortana will try to answer questions while your device is locked.

If you don’t have a password-protected lockscreen, Cortana will operate just as if your device was unlocked. If it is locked by a password, permissions you set will dictate whether Cortana can access your calendar and other information tied to your account. In the worst case scenario, she will prompt you to unlock your device before giving you an answer.

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Microsoft launches HoloLens emulator so developers can test holographic apps, no headset required

As promised , Microsoft today started shipping its $3,000 HoloLens development kits .

Above: Microsoft HoloLens.

Image Credit: Microsoft Twitter account

. In addition to sharing that bots are coming to the new platform, the company also released a HoloLens emulator, which lets developers test holographic appson their PC without the need for a physical HoloLens. You can download the emulator now directly from here.

HoloLens made its debutin January 2015, and Microsoft has been encouraging developers to consider building apps for the next-generation device since day one. HoloLens can run nearly any Universal Windows Platform ( UWP) app from the Windows Store as a 2D app. But the company also wants developers to build apps specifically for HoloLens.

The emulator uses a Hyper-V virtual machine and works with Visual Studio. The human and environmental inputs that are read by HoloLens sensors are instead simulated using your keyboard, mouse, or Xbox controller. Your actions move a simulated HoloLens user, and apps respond as if they were running on the actual headset.

Walk forward, back, left, and right — Use the W, A, S, and D keys on your keyboard, or the left stick on an Xbox controller. Look up, down, left, and right — Click and drag the mouse, use the arrow keys on your keyboard, or the right stick on an Xbox controller. Air tap gesture — Right-click the mouse, press the Enter key on your keyboard, or use the A button on an Xbox controller. Bloom gesture — Press the Windows key or F2 key on your keyboard, or press the B button on an Xbox controller. Hand movement for scrolling — Hold the Alt key, hold the right mouse button, and drag the mouse up / down, or in an Xbox controller hold the right trigger and A button down and move the right stick up and down.

The emulator’s release wasn’t mentioned on stage at Microsoft’s Build 2016 developer conference today, which is odd given that emulators are specifically meant for developers. Either way, it’s now possible to build and test apps for the HoloLens augmented reality headset without using or even owning the device. Indeed, “Apps don’t need to be modified to run on the emulator and don’t know that they aren’t running on a real HoloLens.”

To run an app in the emulator, you’ll first need to load it in Visual Studio 2015. Set the platform to x86, select the HoloLens Emulator as the target device for debugging, go to Debug, and then hit Start Debugging (or just press F5). Microsoft warns that the emulator “may take a minute or more” to boot when you first start it.

More information on developing for the HoloLens is available here. If you’re thinking of building a holographic app, you may also want to check out the HoloToolkit on GitHub, a collection of scripts and components that may help accelerate development.

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Microsoft integrates Xamarin into Visual Studio for free, will open source Xamarin runtime

Microsoft today announced that Xamarin is now available for free for every Visual Studio user.

Above: Microsoft + Xamarin.

Image Credit: Xamarin Twitter account

Microsoft today announced that Xamarin is now available for free for every Visual Studio user. This includes all editions of Visual Studio, including the free Visual Studio Community Edition, Visual Studio Professional, and Visual Studio Enterprise.

Furthermore, Xamarin Studio for OS Xis being made available for free as a community edition, and Visual Studio Enterprise subscribers will get access to Xamarin’s enterprise capabilities at no additional cost. The company also promised to open-source Xamarin’s SDK, including its runtime, libraries, and command line tools, as part of the .NET Foundation“in the coming months.” Both the Xamarin SDK and Mono will be available under the MIT License. Speaking of the .NET Foundation, Microsoft also announced that Unity, JetBrains, and RedHat have all joined.

Last month, Microsoft acquired mobile app development company Xamarinafter years of rumors of exactly such a deal. The reasoning was simple: Microsoft had partnered with Xamarin many times, and its tools were built to work with Microsoft’s Visual Studio, Azure, Office 365, and so on. It was almost as if Xamarin was built from the ground up to be the perfect Microsoft acquisition target.

Xamarin cofounder Miguel de Icaza was on stage at Microsoft’s Build 2016 developer conference today demoing using his tools for writing iOS and Android apps in Visual Studio. It was like a dream come true for him: “I am happy to have finally completed the longest job interview in my career.”

De Icaza showed off a Mac running the iOS simulator, remotely controlled on Windows. He also used an Android app running in the Android emulator, leveraging the Xamarin inspector to test and run code live in the emulator.

Xamarin first made a name for itself by bringing .NET to Android and iOS developers. The company’s message eventually shifted to providing cross-platform mobile development tools. And now that the absorption that so many were expecting finally went through, developers can finally reap the benefits. You can expect that the line between Visual Studio and Xamarin will continue to blur over the coming months, eventually disappearing altogether.

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Hey Microsoft, how many apps are in the Windows Store?

Windows 10 is now running on over 270 million devices .

Above: The Windows Store.

Image Credit: Microsoft

. That’s arguably the most impressive number that Microsoft shared today at its Build 2016 developer conference, especially as it means the company saw 70 million devices added since January. But neither then nor now did Microsoft share any updates about the number of apps and games in the Windows Store.

Back in November 2014, the Windows Store and Windows Phone Store combined had over 500,000 apps. Then in September 2015, the company updated its Microsoft by the Numberswebsite with a not-so-round number: “There are 669,000 apps for phones, desktops, and tablets in the Windows Store. Hundreds more are added every day.”

Six months have passed. Microsoft’s biggest event of the year, which also happens to be a developer event, seems like a good time to share an update. Given how well Windows 10 is doing, and how often Microsoft boasts that the Windows Store is seeing more usagecompared to previous Windows versions, there is likely some positive news.

The universal Windows platform ( UWP) allows developers to build a single app that changes based on your device and screen size. One app can work on your Windows 10 computer, Windows 10 tablet, Windows 10 Mobile smartphone, Xbox One console, and HoloLens headset. There is potential here.

Even if only 100 apps were added every day (again, the quote above says “hundreds”), by my calculation there should be about 850,000 apps in the Windows Store right now. Maybe the number is getting quite close to 1 million, and Microsoft is simply waiting for the seven-digit figure. After all, both Apple’s App Store and Google Play passed 1.5 million in the middle of last year, so it’s possible the company wants to avoid direct comparisons.

But still, if there is good news to share around momentum, Microsoft should be doing so. Last month, Hulu launched its universal Windows appfor smartphones, tablets, and PCs. Last week, Twitter adopted UWP, expanding its app to Windows 10 Mobile.

Back in October, Microsoft promised Facebook and Instagram universal apps, but five months later, we’re still waiting. The company re-emphasized today that they’re coming, along with a Facebook Messenger app, but didn’t reveal any other big titles.

The Windows Store is very behind. It may never catch up. But as we were reminded once again today, Microsoft’s app strategy is to let Windows apps run across a wide variety of devices. If there’s growth, the company needs to get developers excited by talking about it.

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Watch a stop motion video made entirely in Snapchat

MysteryGuitarMan decided to make a stop motion video.

decided to make a stop motion video. Sounds pretty standard. Oh. You want to know the catch? MysteryGuitarMan filmed his crazy clip entirely in Snapchat.

The video description explains that creating the video only required three components: “some fruits, Snapchat, and a LOT of free time.” Unfortunately, I only have the first one, and even if I were to get back on Snapchat, I seriously doubt I’ll ever have enough of the third component.

But it’s the catchy music that particularly draws me in, almost to the point that I wish this was a real game I could play on my phone:

The vertical video is really my only complaint, though I’m told that this is just the way Snapchat is. It turns out you can film and send horizontal videos in the app, but no one does this.

Also, Snapchat doesn’t have any built-in games. If this doesn’t inspire the team, I’m not sure what will.

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Alphabet’s Nest will permanently turn off all Revolv hubs on May 15, 2016

Nest, owned by parent company Alphabet, is shutting down the Revolv hub and app on May 15, 2016.

hub and app on May 15, 2016. This isn’t just an end-of-support story: The hardware will simply cease to function next month.

“Revolv was a great first step toward the connected home, but we believe that Works with Nest is a better solution and are allocating resources toward that program,” a Nest spokesperson confirmed to VentureBeat. The Works with Nestprogram allows third-party devices to communicate with Nest products. Apparently Revolv couldn’t simply be added to the program.

Nest acquired home automation startup Revolv in October 2014, at which point Revolv immediately stopped accepting new customers and selling devices. The sunsetting is thus happening at exactly the 18-month mark.

In other words, it’s not at all surprising that Revolv is going away. It is, however, shocking that Nest is essentially bricking the Revolv hub. Existing customers are understandably very upset.

We asked Nest for more information, namely Why Revolv simply can’t be added to the Works with Nest program. “We’re pouring all our energy into Works with Nest and are incredibly excited about what we’re making,” a Nest spokesperson told VentureBeat. “Unfortunately, that means we can’t allocate resources to Revolv anymore and have to shut down the service. Revolv Hub hasn’t been on the market or in development since the acquisition back in October of 2014.”

Nest wouldn’t share how many Revolv devices would cease to function next month.

We’re shutting down Revolv.

Revolv was a great first step into the connected home. It wasn’t perfect, but we worked hard to make something we — and other smart people — could build on.

And it worked. In 2014, we were bought by Nest and the technology we made became an integral part of the Works with Nest platform. Now Works with Nest is turning into something more secure, more useful and just flat-out better than anything Revolv created.

So we’re pouring all our energy into Works with Nest and are incredibly excited about what we’re making. Unfortunately, that means we can’t allocate resources to Revolv anymore and we have to shut down the service. As of May 15, 2016, your Revolv hub and app will no longer work.

Thank you for your support and believing in us. We’re sad for the end of Revolv, but this isn’t the end of the connected home. This is the beginning.
— Tim & Mike

Update on April 5 : Nest is considering compensating Revolv customers. “We’ve been working with the small number of Revolv customers on a case-by-case basis since we sent out the first customer notification in February to determine the best resolution, including compensation,” a Nest spokesperson told VentureBeat. When asked how much compensation one can expect, the spokesperson simply replied that “the best thing for customers to do is to contact us at help@revolv.com.”

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Android Marshmallow adoption doubles to 4.6%

Android Marshmallow is finally getting some love.

Above: Android Marshmallow

Image Credit: Google

Android Marshmallow is finally getting some love. After taking four months to hit 1 percent adoptionand following Lollipop finally assuming the Android crown, the latest version of Android was the only one to gain share this past month, according to Google’s Platform Versionspage.

Android Marshmallow doubled its adoption share from 2.3 percent to 4.6 percent, passing Ice Cream Sandwich and Gingerbread. While that’s certainly good news, the fact remains that Marshmallow has a long way to go to catch up. The latest version of Android typically takes more than a year to become the most used release, and so far it appears that Marshmallow’s story will be no different.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow (October 2015): Up 2.3 points to 4.6 percent Android 5.0/5.1 Lollipop (November 2014, March 2015): Down 0.3 points to 35.8 percent Android 4.4 KitKat (October 2013): Down 0.9 points to 33.4 percent Android 4.1/4.2/4.3 Jelly Bean (July 2012, November 2012, and July 2013): Down 1.0 points to 21.3 percent Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (December 2011): Down 0.1 points to 2.2 percent Android 2.3 Gingerbread (February 2011): Flat at 2.6 percent Android 2.2 Froyo (May 2010): Flat at 0.1 percent

The Platform Versions tool uses data gathered from the Google Play Store app, which requires Android 2.2 and above. This means devices running older versions are not included, nor are devices that don’t have Google Play installed (which includes many Android phones and tablets in China, Amazon’s Fire line, and so on). Also, Android versions that have less than 0.1 percent adoption, such as Android 3.0 Honeycomb, are not listed.

For the sake of comparison, here’s the Android adoption chart for March:

The Android adoption order now stands at: Lollipop in first place, KitKat in second, Jelly Bean in third, Marshmallow in fourth, Gingerbread in fifth, ICS in sixth, and Froyo in last. Marshmallow is unlikely to move up for many more months, and probably won’t take first place before Android Narrives.

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Microsoft’s Surface phone is now reportedly coming in 2017

We’ve known for a long time that Microsoft’s Surface team is toying with the idea of building a premium smartphone.

We’ve known for a long time that Microsoft’s Surface team is toying with the idea of building a premium smartphone. The latest rumor claimed such a device would arrive in the second half of 2016, but that timeframe has reportedly been pushed back to early 2017.

This tidbit comes from sources close to Microsoft’s plans cited by Windows Central, which is also claiming there could be up to three models of the Surface phone. The early plans allegedly point to a consumer model, a business model, and an enthusiast model.

But details are unsurprisingly still scarce. How the three models, if there really do end up being three, would be differentiated is not clear, but they would likely be offered at various price points depending on their specifications.

Coupled with the speculation that the Lumia 650is the last Lumia phone, this rumor would point to Microsoft moving away from the budget mobile market and focusing on high-end phones. Surface devices are all about the high-end, so this is not much of a surprise.

The Surface phone is supposed to be built by the same Microsoft engineering team that built the Surface and Surface Book, led by Panos Panay. This team is responsible for Microsoft’s “premium” devices.

Given the constantly strengthening Android-iOS duopoly, and the fact that Windows 10 Mobile is essentially the last alternate mobile operating system left standing, there is a lot of excitement surrounding a potential Surface phone. Earlier this year, there was a lot of hype surrounding a simple domain name, for example.

Microsoft has a very slim chance of turning Windows 10 Mobile into a serious contender. It doesn’t help that the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, released in October 2015, were simply not very exciting devices.

But that doesn’t mean Microsoft can’t still see some kind of success in mobile. A serious flagship phone with a strong brand would certainly help.

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Just like Chrome, Microsoft Edge will start automatically pausing less important Flash content this summer

Microsoft continues to unveil features coming as part of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update , slated for this summer.

, slated for this summer. The latest one is anto how Microsoft Edge handles Flash content, following in Google Chrome’s footsteps.

Google and Adobe worked for a long time last year to automatically pause less important Flash content (like ads)in Chrome. In March 2015, with the goal of making Flash content more power-efficient in Chrome, a setting was introduced to play less Flash content on the page, but it wasn’t turned on by default. In June, the option was enabledin the browser’s beta channel, and in September 2015 it was turned on for everyone.

Now Microsoft wants to do the exact same thing in Edge.

The new browser will “intelligently auto-pause” Flash content that is “not central to the webpage.” If you want to try this out now, you can take the feature for a spin with Windows 10 build 14316, which was released to Windows Insiders yesterday.

Here is how Microsoft differentiates content that is and isn’t central to the webpage:

Peripheral content like animations or advertisements built with Flash will be displayed in a paused state unless the user explicitly clicks to play that content. This significantly reduces power consumption and improves performance while preserving the full fidelity of the page. Flash content that is central to the page, like video and games, will not be paused.

In March 2015, Google said the goal was to pause certain plugin content, including “many Flash ads.” It also split Flash content into the same two types:

This can help you save precious battery power and CPU cycles. But don’t worry, the primary plugin content on pages (games, videos, etc.) should still run just fine.

Neither company is hiding its desire to limit Flash usage. “We encourage the web community to continue the transition away from Flash and towards open web standards,” Microsoft said today.

Microsoft says it also plans to offer additional control over the use of Flash (including content central to the page). Eventually, the company hopes Flash will no longer be necessary to bundle with Edge.

The end goal is to move as many sites as possible to HTML5, which is better for both performance (lowering memory and CPU usage while boosting battery life) and in terms of web standards (which makes life easier for developers). Given Flash’s various vulnerabilities, there are obvious security gains as well.

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Google launches Android Studio 2.0 with Instant Run, faster Android emulator, and Cloud Test Lab

Google today launched Android Studio 2.0, the latest version of its integrated development environment (IDE), with a long list of new features.

Android Studio 2.0, the latest version of its integrated development environment (IDE), with a long list of new features. You can download the new version for Windows, Mac, and Linux now directly from Android.com/SDK.

In November, Google unveiled Android Studio 2.0, the second major version of its IDE. Version 2.0 brings a slew of improvements, including Instant Run, a faster Android emulator, and app indexing improvements. Google released a betain February, though it didn’t say when the final version would be ready (we speculated in time for its I/O developer conference in May, and the company debuted with a month to spare).

Google launches Android Studio 2.0 with Instant Run, faster Android emulator, and Cloud Test Lab

Instant Run: This feature is supposed to dramatically improve your workflow by letting you quickly see changes running on your device or emulator. It lets you see your changes running “in a near instant,” which means you can continuously code and run your app, hopefully accelerating your edit, build, run cycles. When you click on the Instant Run button, it will analyze the changes you have made and determine how it can deploy your new code in the fastest way. Instant Run works with any Android Device or emulator running API 14 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher. Android Emulator: The new Android Emulator is up to 3x faster in CPU, RAM, and I/O in comparison to the previous Android emulator. ADB push speeds are 10x faster. In fact, developing on the official Android Emulator is faster than a real device in most situations. It also has a new user interface and sensor controls, letting you you drag and drop APKs for quick installation, resize and rescale the window, use multi-touch actions (pinch & zoom, pan, rotate, tilt), and so on. Cloud Test Lab: This new service allows you to test your app across a wide range of devices and device configurations. Google sees it as an extension to your testing process that lets you run through a collection of tests against a portfolio of physical devices hosted in Google’s data centers. Even if you do not have tests explicitly written, Cloud Test Lab can perform a basic set of crash tests, right from Android Studio. App Indexing: It is now easier for your users to find your app in Google Search with the App Indexing API. Android Studio 2.0 helps you to create the correct URL structure in your app code and add attributes in your AndroidManifest.xml file that will work with the Google App Indexing service. You can then test and validate your app indexing code in Android Studio. GPU Debugger Preview: If you are developing OpenGL ES games or graphics-intensive apps, you have a new GPU debugger (in preview) in Android Studio 2.0. It can step through your app frame by frame to identify and debug graphics rendering issues with information about the GL state.

If you are using a previous version of Android Studio, you can get the latest version in the navigation menu (Help => Check for Update on Windows/Linux and Android Studio => Check for Updates on OS X). If you’re developing for the Android N Developer Preview, check out these instructions.

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NexDock, the $149 laptop shell, passes $300,000 funding goal

NexDock , the hardware concept that your laptop should be powered by the mobile device of your choice, just got one step closer to reality.

, the hardware concept that your laptop should be powered by the mobile device of your choice, just got one step closer to reality. The $149 laptop shell that extends your smartphone, tablet, or PC stick has passed its $300,000 funding goal on Indiegogo. Indeed, NexDock cofounder Emre Kosmaz tells me that he and cofounder Yeliz Kayacan have booked their tickets to Shenzhen, China to finalize the details and kick off production.

NexDock is completely useless until you plug in another device to power it. Think of it like a portable 14-inch monitor, with a keyboard, trackpad, and 10,000 mAh battery attached. The ports and speakers are there, but no processor or RAM.

This is not a custom-built shell. Kosmaz and Kayacan wanted to start with something as cheap as possible, and any customizations (such as adding a USB Type-C port so you don’t have to use a converter) were out of the question for the initial product. The reason this laptop shell might seem familiar is that it’s used in a popular (“hundreds of thousands”) MacBook knock-off sold for $250 in China.

Dimensions: 351mm x 233mm x 20mm Weight: 1490g Display: 14.1-inch (1366 x 768 resolution, 16:9 display ratio) Keyboard and Touchpad: Bluetooth 4.0 Battery: Li-ion battery, 3.8V / 10,000mAh HDMI port: mini HDMI Connectivity: 2x USB port, 1 x microSD card slot, 1 x 3.5mm headphone port Sound: Built-in dual speakers Power: DC 3.5mm 5V/2.5 A

I had the opportunity to try the NexDock hooked up to various devices in a quick hands-on with Kosmaz and Kayacan in San Francisco. Not every mobile device is compatible, naturally, but there are many to choose from that are: Windows 10 Mobile devices with Continuum will work (the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL), as will a handful of Windows tablets, the Raspberry Pi 3, Kangaroo PC, and many PC stick computers.

The best experience was arguably with Microsoft’s Continuum, but given how sales are going there, not many will be using a Windows phone with NexDock. That said, Kayacan said Microsoft engineers showed interest in the device.

The Raspberry Pi 3 was next in line — Kayacan told me this is the device the majority of NexDock’s backers are interested in hooking up. There is a bug right now where the trackpad has to be connected manually by means of a Bluetooth mouse first, but Raspberry Pi plans to address that with an update so users will able to use the NexDock trackpad from the get-go.

Devices that require power because they don’t have their own battery can be plugged into one of the USB ports (2 amps of power). Alternatively, you can also use either of the USB ports to charge your mobile device.

The NexDock’s real strength becomes clear when you realize you can swap mobile devices as you see fit. And of course, everything is saved on whatever you’re plugging in, so if just your NexDock is lost or stolen, you have nothing to worry about. It’s a great idea for PC enthusiasts, but also casual developers and gamers who like swapping and using a variety of devices.

So what’s next? Kosmaz’s vision is a revolution in mobile computing where the screen and keyboard are rarely replaced. Instead, you just upgrade your mobile device (many already get a new smartphone every year) and you get a more powerful computer at the same time.

In his mind, the idea has now been validated. The next step is to build a new laptop shell from the ground up with USB Type-C, a fully wireless option, and other customizations. But for now, his focus is getting the hundreds of NexDocks to backers.

The NexDock is expected to start shipping worldwide in June 2016. At the time of publishing, here are the crowdfunding options:

$79 (250 out of 250 claimed): One NexDock from the first preorder batch. $99 (750 out of 750 claimed): One NexDock from the first preorder batch. $119 (900 out of 900 claimed): One NexDock from the first preorder batch. $129 (24 claimed): One NexDock from the first preorder batch. $219 (114 out of 250 claimed): Two NexDocks from the first preorder batch. Save more than 25 percent. $539 (3 claimed): Five NexDocks from the first preorder batch. Save 27 percent. $2,100 (0 claimed): 20 NexDocks. $10,000 (5 out of 10 claimed): 100 NexDocks.

Keep in mind that the only cable you get with the NexDock is the power adapter — everything else you have to buy yourself. There are eight days left in the campaign, so you still have some time to decide whether you want to own the first NexDock.

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