What’s New – September 2021

Check out this blockbuster month of new products. Taking innovation to the next level with the new Windows 11, Microsoft have released their largest update to the Surface portfolio in its history including the new Surface Pro 8, Surface Go 3, Surface Duo 2 and more. Apple announce the highly anticipated and feature-driven iPhone 13 and iPad mini. We bring you Lenovo’s mission to make tech more sustainable, highlights from Zoomtopia 2021, and Adobe are running a webinar on how schools and universities have successfully implemented Adobe Sign.

NEW Microsoft Surface Range – New laptops from Surface, now with Windows 11. Microsoft have just revealed the largest update to the Surface portfolio in its history. With PixelSense displays, new pen technology, accessibility features with the new adaptive kit, premium mics and cameras, powerful silicon and versatile form factors, the new Surface devices are designed to take Windows innovation to the next level. The new lineup includes:

Microsoft Surface Pro 8 – Unlock more possibilities than ever with the Pro designed for a Pro like you. Designed to light up the best of Windows 11, Surface Pro 8 combines the power of a laptop with the flexibility of a tablet, and every angle in between, with the iconic Kickstand and detachable Keyboard with built-in Slim Pen storage and charging. Do great things with a larger 13” touchscreen, faster connections with Thunderbolt™ 4 ports, and extra speed when you need it.

• 11th Gen Intel® Core™ processors
• All-day battery
• High-speed connections with two Thunderbolt™ 4 ports
• All in an ultra-portable design

Microsoft Surface Go 3 – The most portable Surface touchscreen 2-in-1 is perfect for your everyday tasks, homework, and play. Designed to light up the best of Windows 11, Surface Go 3 is optimized for digital pen and touch, with 10.5″ touchscreen, a faster Intel® Core™ processor, all-day battery, tablet-to-laptop versatility, built-in Microsoft security, and optional LTE Advanced.

• 10.5” touchscreen
• Up to 11 hours battery
• 1080p HD cameras
• Faster processors

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio – Set your imagination free on Surface Laptop Studio, the most powerful Surface Laptop, designed to light up the best of Windows 11. Boundary-pushing design lets you flex your creative muscle on the sleek 14.4“touchscreen, making seamless transitions from laptop to entertainment-ready stage to portable creative canvas, complete with built-in Slim Pen storage and charging.

• Built for performance
• Run intensive software
• Create brilliantly, connect clearly
• A 14.4” display you can see and feel
• Look and sound great on every video call

Microsoft Surface Duo 2 – Open two screens and discover limitless possibilities for apps, email, meetings, and calls that never leaves your side. Surface Duo 2, now with lightning-fast 5G, delivers optimized audio in every mode, and new dynamic triple lens camera to capture, edit, and share moments. More than a phone, new dual-screen experiences for Microsoft 365 await, plus Xbox gaming, streaming, and every Android™ app in the Google Play store. Incredibly thin, two new high-resolution 5.8” PixelSense™ Fusion Displays open to an expansive 8.3” with a Revolutionary Hinge that adapts to all the ways you get things done, wherever you are. Add Surface Slim Pen for sketching and handwritten notes.

• Do more with two screens
• Do it all fast with 5G
• A camera built for your creativity
• Ultra-thin, flexible and designed to inspire

New Windows 11 available on October 5th – Microsoft have announced that Windows 11 will start to become available on October 5, 2021. On this day, the free upgrade to Windows 11 will begin rolling out to eligible Windows 10 PCs and PCs that come pre-loaded with Windows 11 will start to become available for purchase. A new Windows experience, Windows 11 is designed to bring you closer to what you love. As the PC continues to play a more central role in our lives than ever before – Windows 11 is ready to empower your productivity and inspire your creativity. Here are some new highlights of this release:

• The new design and sounds are modern, fresh, clean and beautiful, bringing you a sense of calm and ease.
• With Start, we’ve put you and your content at the center. Start utilizes the power of the cloud and Microsoft 365 to show you your recent files no matter what device you were viewing them on.
• Snap Layouts, Snap Groups and Desktops provide an even more powerful way to multitask and optimize your screen real estate.
• Chat from Microsoft Teams integrated into the taskbar provides a faster way to connect to the people you care about.
• Widgets, a new personalized feed powered by AI, provides a faster way to access the information you care about, and with Microsoft Edge’s world class performance, speed and productivity features you can get more done on the web.

Check out Microsoft latest video on how Microsoft Teams innovations are designed for hybrid work

Apple iPhone 13 Pro – The biggest upgrade to the Pro camera system with advanced low-light performance, macro photography, Cinematic mode, and more. Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion. A15 Bionic, the world’s fastest smartphone chip. Exceptional durability of Ceramic Shield. A huge leap in battery life. This is iPhone 13 Pro.

• iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 are available
• Graphite, Gold, Silver and Sierra Blue colours
• Surgical-grade stainless steel
• Ceramic Shield, tougher than any smartphone glass
• Three most powerful cameras ever
• Up to 1TB  of storage

Apple iPad mini – Mega power. Mini-sized. The all-new iPad mini with the powerful A15 Bionic chip fits in the palm of your hand. It has an all-screen design with a stunning 8.3” Liquid Retina display. Superfast 5G. New Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage. USB-C. iPadOS. And it works with Apple Pencil (2nd generation). Available in four gorgeous colours.

Lenovo Tech World 2021: The Future of Sustainability – Lenovo is focused on building a brighter, more sustainable future for customers, colleagues, communities, and the planet. The past 18 months have reshaped the way we live our lives, and the way we spend our working days. Learn more about Lenovo’s efforts to make tech more sustainable, and the incredible impact it can have as a global technology leader in areas like energy efficient tech and the circular economy.

Zoomtopia 2021 – Hosted entirely on the all-in-one events solution, Zoom Events, Zoomtopia offered a glimpse at some of the amazing innovations the Zoom team is working on to help the world connect, including key platform updates such as:

• Expanded live translation and live transcription for more inclusive meetings
• Zoom Widget for quick, at-a-glance Zoom access
• Zoom Chat enhancements enabling more seamless collaboration
• Video voicemail as a more personal alternative to standard voicemail
• Smart Gallery enhancements to enable remote workers to be represented equally on screen with other participants
• Hot desking options that will give employees the ability to book desks and spaces on an interactive map
• Zoom Events Conference for host multi-track and multi-day events
• Zoom Apps expanded availability, plus the introduction of immersive apps
• New tools for developers across our App Marketplace, APIs, SDKs, and apps and integrations
• New security enhancements, including a new Bring Your Own Key offering and verified profile

Adobe Sign Webinar – See how Adobe Sign is pushing the boundaries in digital signature solutions

Thursday, 14 October 09:00

With Adobe Sign, you can get important documents signed right in the Microsoft solutions you use every day — without the hassles of paper. As Microsoft’s preferred e-signature solution, Adobe Sign makes it easy to capture signatures right within the Microsoft solutions you use every day.

• Speed approval and signature processes in any department
• Power employees to create digital workflows that speed business transactions
• Improve the customer and employee experience by allowing anyone to sign anytime, anywhere, from any device
• Save time, increase revenue, and enhance investments by integrating with systems you use every day

Learn about Adobe Sign and Acrobat integrations with Microsoft apps.

Register now

Updates to MyPugh Portal – Exciting changes are coming to MyPugh Portal! In addition to a new look and feel to the interface, there are several key areas where you will notice improvements. They include:

• Improved layout and functionality on the dashboard page
• Significantly upgraded search functionality across the site
• More flexibility in how subscriptions display, plus an improved detail page
• Updated colleague management

CorelDRAW® Technical Suite 2021 – From concept to compliance, details matter. Expand what’s possible in visual communication with CorelDRAW® Technical Suite 2021, a comprehensive collection of applications for high-impact technical design and documentation. Users will experience a seriously streamlined workflow – from project creation, to review and output – with professional tools that accelerate productivity and deliver precision results. CorelDRAW Technical Suite is the ultimate hub for designing detailed technical illustrations, documentation, marketing, and more, with total control and incredible efficiency.

• An all-in-one suite for visual technical communication: Create everything from precise technical illustrations, like assembly instructions and complex schematics. It’s suitable for a broad range of needs from technical illustrators, to drafters, writers and graphics users.
• Suitable to repurpose key assets: With 3D visualization efficiencies, users can insert 3D models as linked or embedded objects into Corel DESIGNER files for instant access, sharing and reference. CorelDRAW Technical Suite comes with the integrated XVL Studio Corel Edition, and the optional XVL Studio 3D CAD Corel Edition can be added on for advanced 3D CAD assembly formats.
• Unmatched file format compatibility: Users can enjoy support for the latest file formats widely used in technical publications, including CGM, WebCGM, SVG and 3D PDF, with new interactive possibilities. Import from, and export to, an expansive list of file formats, including EPS, DWG, TIFF, PNG, and JPEG.