Short Takes Daily: What's going on in the world of Microsoft this Monday, June 15, 2015

​Today in the news: Windows 10 Mobile Build 10136 is about to land; how Microsoft's building Skype into its apps; what's new in OneDrive and Windows 10 Mail and Calendar; what you want to know about E3 2015.

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BRACE FOR WINDOWS 10 MOBILE BUILD 10136

Microsoft is planning to release a new build of Windows 10 Mobile tomorrow for fast ring insiders, but there's a catch: those who want to install this build will need to reset to Windows Phone 8.1 because 10080 has an upgrade bug which the company is working on. WinBeta has all the instructions on how to prep your mobile device.

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SKYPE HYPE

After Microsoft announced it was retiring the Modern version of its Skype app, longtime Microsoft users had some questions. Many Jo Foley talked to Aga Guzik, Skype Senior Product Marketing Manager, and he explained the company's reasoning:

With Windows 10 we wanted to truly build Skype into the platform so it's easier and faster for users to complete tasks at hand. This is why, later this year, we will be offering Skype built into Messaging, Calling and Video. 

The Universal Messaging, Phone, and Video apps will be available on phones, tablets, and desktops. Those apps will come with Windows 10 eventually; they will not be available on July 29.

Another "this will eventually come to Skype" development: Chromebook and Linux users can now instant message using Skype for the Web, but there is no way to run the video and voice calls. As GeekWire reports:

In the future, Microsoft plans to support WebRTC, a standard for real-time communication across browsers, which would allow Chromebook and Linux users to get the full Skype for Web experience. Users across any system will then be able to use Skype for Web without any downloads.

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INTRODUCING A FEW BEFORE-AND-AFTER MAKEOVERS 

Microsoft released a new update for the Outlook Mail and Calendar app on Windows 10, with fresh new icons. Microsoft also rolled out a responsive Web redesign for OneDrive, with every component reworked to snap to new visual and responsive grids – panels, dialogs, file list, left navigation, commanding, and even buttons.

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ALL YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT E3

And because Microsoft is certainly not all work and no play, here's the most noteworthy stuff to come out of its E3 keynote today:

Microsoft is building a special version of Minecraft for Hololens, where users will be able to interact with an animated Minecraft world directly on a surface in front of them, pinch or zoom to move objects or see inside and underneath of them, or switch to using a controller. See a demo of it here.

There will be a new Xbox One 'Elite' controller with four paddle buttons on the back, along with swappable joysticks and directional pads. It will retail for $150.

There will be backwards compatibility between the Xbox One and the Xbox 360. Xbox One members will find that previously purchased Xbox 360 titles will show up automatically.