Microsoft premieres new panorama feature for Windows 8.1’s updated camera app

By Russ Boswell Published July 2, 2013

Microsoft Intelligent Car Technology — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Microsoft just unveiled a brand new panorama feature for the newly updated photo application in Windows 8.1, according to TechCrunch. This update appears to only be available on the Windows 8.1 Preview operating system (desktops, notebooks, certain tablets, etc) and we are unsure at this time if it will be available for use on Windows Phones when the final release hits the market.

The new feature appears to be simple to use and fairly self-explanatory when you get into it. The panorama view actually operates much like other panorama applications, including Microsoft’s own PhotoSynth, which is available for the iPhone. You simply tap the “panorama button” and begin rotating your camera or device. The app takes care of landscape recognition and clipping new photos end-to-end all on its own, presenting you with a smooth, complete, and seamless panoramic view when you’re done.

Recommended Videos

TechCrunch notes that the application saves these photographs in a .pano format, and that the finished product could not yet be opened on a non-Windows 8.1 Preview device. This could change when the release is finalized. Hopefully, we’ll also see a variety of “normal” format options when the real version of Windows 8.1 launches in the near future.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Russ Boswell is an aspiring video game and technology journalist from Colorado. He's been an avid gamer since he was old…

Computing

Perplexity’s new AI agent can perform multi-step tasks on your Android device

Running Perplexity on OnePlus Pad 2.

Perplexity announced Thursday that it is beginning to roll out an agentic AI for Android devices, called Perplexity Assistant, which will be able to independently take multi-step actions on behalf of its user.

"We are excited to launch the Perplexity Assistant to all Android users," Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas wrote in a post to X on Thursday. "This marks the transition for Perplexity from an answer engine to a natively integrated assistant that can call other apps and perform basic tasks for you."

Branded Content

iBUYPOWER RTX PCs: What Does It Mean and How Can You Best Use It?

iBUYPOWER RTX for AI PCs side view of pre-built on sale hero

We’re living in the dawn of AI. Every day a new company starts advertising that it’s now using AI in its software, whether it’s in TVs, phones, or powerful laptops and desktop computers. What does the dawn of AI actually mean for consumers?

In the case of premium computing, NVIDIA’s RTX tools with AI unlock a host of features in its video cards, such as enhanced video editing and streaming, best-in-class STEM app support for coursework, on-device AI, and, of course, proprietary AI tools like NVIDIA Broadcast and NVIDIA ChatRTX.

Computing

40 years ago, Apple cemented its place in desktop publishing history

An old photo of Apple's LaserWriter, one of the first laser printers.

Apple launched the LaserWriter printer in March 1985, nearly 40 years ago. Combined with a Macintosh computer, Adobe Postscript technology, and Aldus PageMaker software, it made desktop publishing a reality.

Apple’s earlier printer, the ImageWriter was a dot-matrix printer with limited speed and resolution. Adding the option of a laser printer was game-changing. Suddenly, professional print layout and printing were possible with a personal computer system you could fit on a desk.