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Microsoft Teases Updated Wireless Display Adapter

 & Stephanie Mlot Contributor

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Microsoft this week announced the next generation of its Wireless Display Adapter.

Available now to pre-order, Redmond's latest gadget mirrors or extends the display of any Miracast-enabled Windows 10 phone, laptop, or tablet on basically anything with an HDMI input.

Introduced in 2014, the wireless adapter lets folks cast content—photos, videos, presentations—from their mobile device to an HDTV, without a specific app or even an Internet connection. But it's high time for the accessory to get an update: As Engadget points out, the new dongle is nearly half the size of Microsoft's original. Plus, it promises improved responsiveness.

"Road warriors have been using the device to make mobile workstations at hotel rooms without being hunched over a desk, and students found it useful for streaming movies to a TV directly from the couch," Product Marketing Manager Chris Smellie wrote in a blog post.

Businesses are also ditching cords and wires in favor of Redmond's Wireless Display Adapter for use in presentations and collaborative projects.

Your phone, PC, or tablet will need to be running Windows 8.1 or above; any Android device with 4.2 Jelly Bean or higher should also be compatible, according to Engadget.

The $49.95 Wireless Display Adapter will be available in the U.S. and Canada on March 1 at Microsoft Stores, Best Buy, and Amazon.

Redmond, meanwhile, on Wednesday rolled out a set of driver and firmware updates for the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4. The 13 updates should improve overall system stability, battery life, display stability, and auto-rotation reliability.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.

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Stephanie Mlot

Stephanie Mlot

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  • B.A. in Journalism & Public Relations with minor in Communications Media from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
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