Microsoft has announced a host of updates that will soon be available for its Edge browser, including the Microsoft 365 Copilot feature and Sidebar app support for developers.
The company is showcasing the new features during its annual Build developer conference, which is currently taking place from May 23 through May 25.
Primarily, is the general availability of Microsoft 365 Copilot, which will also be integrated into the Microsoft Edge browser. Copilot is Microsoft’s blending of OpenAI’s ChatGPT chat feature into the brand’s 365 suite of apps, including Teams, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and now Edge.
Microsoft 365 Copilot was initially announced in March and has been in a private preview, with Edge being its latest compatibility. Unlike how ChatGPT functions with Microsoft Bing search, prompts can be more productivity-focused.
To maintain privacy and security, you will have to log in via your Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) account to access Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Microsoft is hosting a session during its Build conference demonstrating how 365 Copilot integration with the Edge browser works and how it will benefit workers.
Microsoft is also making its Sidebar app for Microsoft Edge generally available for developers. The brand first introduced the feature in November 2022 as a way to bring easy multitasking across different browser tabs — they are more easily viewable and accessible with the Sidebar app layout from the user’s point of view.
Now developers can build upon the current Sidebar structure using Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) to edit the feature to their specifications.
Microsoft is hosting a session during its Build conference demonstrating the best practices for developing the Sidebar app with PWAs.
In addition to the aforementioned updates, Microsoft is showcasing its Microsoft Edge for Business experiences, which is now in preview. This is an enterprise-focused browser with specific productivity features and security controls, such as Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) sign-in.
Microsoft also confirmed it will make its Edge Workspaces available in the coming months. This product allows you to bundle browser tabs together for browsing, organizing, and sharing.
Initially, the brand announced the enterprise preview program at Microsoft Ignite 2022. Later, Microsoft opened the preview to personal users due to consumer demand.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.