Day: April 20, 2021

Along with word that Microsoft is seemingly working on a new store for Windows 10 comes a report regarding its rumored Cloud PC service. According to ZDNet, Microsoft is gearing up to flip the switch on the Azure-powered service as soon as this summer, perhaps in June or early July.

With Cloud PC, you may be able to access a Windows desktop remotely and use software such as Microsoft Office. That could come in handy if you frequently switch between devices and want access to the same desktop anywhere, or if you have an underpowered system and a solid enough internet connection. Companies would also be able to set up employees with basic hardware and manage their Windows 10 networks with Cloud PC.

Microsoft will reportedly sell the service as a managed Microsoft 365 experience and there’ll be a flat price per user. Previous reports suggested there will be different pricing tiers for Cloud PC, depending on processor, memory and storage needs.

We could learn more about the Cloud PC service at Build 2021. This year’s edition of Microsoft’s developer conference takes place in late May. If the reported launch timeline for Cloud PC is accurate, the service would go live just before Microsoft’s Inspire partner conference, which is set for mid-July.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

With Bitcoin charging into the mainstream, an increasing number of established payment providers are embracing cryptocurrency. Today, PayPal-owned Venmo is opening crypto trading by offering members the ability to buy, hold and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash. Venmo users can purchase a digital asset starting from $1 using funds from their balance or a linked bank account or debit card. Members will also be able to track prices and access in-app guides and videos to learn about virtual money. 

The move sees Venmo following in the footsteps of Square’s Cash App, which introduced Bitcoin trading in 2017, amid a spike in demand for cryptocurrency. Venmo says that 30 percent of its customers have already started purchasing crypto or equites, 20 percent of which began during the pandemic. But, with Venmo itself lacking a trading option until now, those users would have inevitably been forced to make those investments elsewhere. Cash App, for instance, recently noted that 3 million people bought Bitcoin through its service in 2020 and 1 millon who were new to the digital currency did so in January alone. 

Venmo’s parent has also made its own inroads into crypto. After opening trading to US customers last November, PayPal began allowing users to pay with cryptocurrency in March. Crypto on Venmo is rolling out today and will be available to customers in the app over the next few weeks.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.