This week is Computer Science Education Week, dedicated to inspiring people of all ages across the world to try their hand at coding.

To most, the technology we use every day is always someone else’s responsibility. When it works we take it for granted, and when it doesn’t we hope that someone else can fix it. But for some people, those who speak the right language, the millions of the PCs, tablets, laptops and phones represent not just utility, but opportunity. A chance to make something, to share something or maybe to sell something.

This week we’d love you to take the first step to becoming one of them by joining the Hour of Code at: http://code.org/educate/hoc

Everybody Starts Somewhere is the mantra for Computer Science Education Week, which starts today. The week is dedicated to inspiring people of all ages across the world to try their hand at coding, either starting at the very beginning with an Hour of Code, or honing their existing skills with a range of brand new tools and platforms specifically aimed at helping people to learn independently.

As we head into a week packed with coding activities, including an employee “Hour of Codathon” hosted at Microsoft offices all around the UK, we are also proud to unveil Microsoft Imagine.

This brand new programme will provide the tools and knowledge which budding coders need in order to create, code and develop their ideas. Everyone has the right to access relevant support to help them on their coding journey, no matter where they start. As part of Microsoft’s YouthSpark initiative, this programme is deliberately designed to be accessible for those new to coding, as well as those studying it in school or planning a career in technology.

Here in the UK, these key skills have been given the recognition that they deserve, with computing now a key part of the curriculum for all pupils from the age of 5. The job is not done though. It won’t be done until anyone who wants to knows how to code. If you can manipulate the tools of today then you can create the apps, networks and businesses of tomorrow. This week is our chance to change perceptions and open as many eyes as possible and we invite you to take the plunge.

As Black Friday shoppers nurse their bruises and the last of the Cyber Monday shoppers log off, Microsoft is helping bring a welcome antidote to the consumer frenzy with the rollout of charitable programme #GivingTuesday in the UK.

#GivingTuesday directly follows Black Friday and Cyber Monday, two of the biggest days of consumer spending in the world, and is a global day of giving aimed at encouraging people, charities and businesses to donate time, money or their voice to help a good cause. Following a hugely successful launch in the US, #GivingTuesday is being brought to the UK by the Charities Aid Foundation with the support of Microsoft.

#GivingTuesday was launched in 2012 by Henry Timms, executive director of charity 92nd Street Y, as a rallying call to donate to charities on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Now in its third year, #GivingTuesday has grown from 2,500 partners to 18,000 corporations, retailers and charitable bodies.

Microsoft became a founding partner of #GivingTuesday in 2012 to raise awareness of the issues youth are facing around the world and to raise funding to empower young people to pursue opportunities in education, employment and entrepreneurship on the YouthSpark on GlobalGiving giving portal. Since then the site has raised over $4.8 million to support more than 130,000 youth.

This year, with the theme “Everyone Starts Somewhere,” Microsoft will match donations on www.globalgiving.org, up to $350,000, to create opportunities for young people around the world through technology skills education.

In the UK, Microsoft is partnering with UK Youth, an organisation that helps children build skills and confidence using technology, to use the #GivingTuesday funds raised to create a digital opportunity fund. The fund will support the development of youth clubs “digital literacy sessions, community outreach to build new partnerships, and even help with the costs of childcare to enable a project to engage with teenage parents,” says UK Youth National Projects Officer Gary Brunskill.

“We’ve got high hopes,” comments Brunskill. “The opportunity to receive matched funds for donations should be as compelling to UK audiences as it is in the states – this project will undoubtedly make a massive difference to young people all across the U.K.”

Learn more and donate, here.

From tragic celebrity losses to controversial sporting moments, 2014 saw Britons use Bing to seek out and learn more about the stories which shaped the world. Each year, we compile our end of year lists – a look at what people are searching for and how they are doing it. This year’s results show that we are now accessing information wherever and whenever we are, from any device as we expect to see instant results and updates on the things we want to know about and subsequently want to find pictures, stories and videos of our favourite moments related to them.

In this post we take a look at the most searched for people, sports stars and TV shows.

People

2014 was a sad year for Brits as we took to the web to learn more about some of our most treasured late stars with Peaches Geldof the most searched for person of the year and Robin Williams and Paul Walker also making the top ten. Others in the top ten include wild popstars Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus.

The full top ten is:

1. Peaches Geldof

2. Robin Williams

3. Jennifer Lawrence

4. Paul Walker

5. Justin Bieber

6. Kim Kardashian

7. Miley Cyrus

8. Ariana Grande

9. Katy Perry

10. Beyoncé

Sports people

Andy Murray was the most searched for sports star of 2014 with searches increasing around Wimbledon. He was closely followed by one of the stars of this year’s World Cup, Neymar.

The full top ten list includes:

1. Andy Murray

2. Neymar

3. Luis Suarez

4. David Moyes

5. Gareth Bale

6. Rooney

7. Messi

8. Gerrard

9. Rory Mcilroy

10. Floyd Mayweather Jr

TV Shows

It’s no surprise that the most cpaitvating show of the year, Game of Thrones has made its way to the top spot for 2014 followed by our very own Dr Who. Popular reality TV shows like Big Brother have also made the cut.

The full list includes:

1. Game of Thrones

2. Dr Who

3. Big Brother

4. Coronation Street

5. Strictly Come Dancing

6. Emmerdale

7. Hollyoaks

8. Breaking Bad

9. This Morning

10. Celebrity Big Brother

For more about the top searches for the year, head to http://www.bing.com/trends/uk/

Last night, passers-by on the banks of the Thames were treated to a spectacular stunt from world-renowned trials cyclist, Danny MacAskill, as he successfully completed one of the largest loop-the-loop challenges to ever be set on water. 

With the help of Windows Phone’s truly personal digital assistant, Cortana, Danny rode around a monumental five-metre loop (taller than a double-decker bus!), illuminating the Cortana signature in front of one of London’s most iconic landmarks, the London Eye, in the process. Cortana acted as Danny’s personal assistant throughout his training for the activation, arranging his meetings, setting appointment reminders, playing his favourite music, warning for bad weather and finding maps.

Microsoft’s personal assistant Cortana is renowned for her instantaneous, intelligent and customised approach - she knows what you want and how to #makeithappen. With her proactive help, useful advice and instant solutions, Danny was able to fulfil a life-long aspiration seamlessly.

Touted as the next Richard Branson, Jamal Edwards is one of the UK’s young entrepreneurial stars. Aged 15 he set up SB:TV with just a handycam and YouTube account. Focusing mainly on music and youth culture SB:TV brought to life a part of young British culture not often seen on mainstream TV. Jamal took grassroots creativity from London’s music and lifestyle scenes and delivered this to a global audience via the internet. Fast forward 8 years and Jamal’s channel is now Britain’s leading youth channel with over 5 million views a month. His content is still grounded in the lifestyle of 13-34year olds in cities across the global – from the music they love to the personalities that inspire them. At only 24, Jamal encourages his viewers to be inspired and adopt #Self-belief to achieve their dreams. This thought comes across in many of the videos broadcast on SB:TV.

As a business leader of the future, Jamal Edwards was invited to Future Decoded earlier this week, and had exclusive green room access to some of the world’s most influential thinkers. Speaking from his own experience as an entrepreneur, Jamal speaks with Sir Bob Geldof and Sir Martin Sorrel about the impact of technology and what it takes to make it in business. Here is what they had to say.