windows10
Latest
ASUS NovaGo review: ‘Always online’ comes with limitations
As the first Snapdragon-powered PC available, the ASUS NovaGo has a lot riding on it. When Qualcomm and Microsoft teamed up to make connected PCs, they promised devices that would remain always on, always online and provide access to the apps you need to work on the go. So far, parts of that puzzle are missing -- like eSIM support from carriers. But that hasn't stopped the first wave of laptops, starting with the $599 NovaGo, from trying to leave their mark. It's meant to deliver the benefits of smartphone-like connectivity and battery life in a laptop, but unfortunately also highlights the limits of an unproven platform.
48 hours with an always on, always online laptop
"So you're the type of woman who takes your work everywhere with you?" my cab driver asked Sunday when I pulled out the ASUS NovaGo and started writing this very intro. Usually, I don't. But in the past few weeks, I've had to work nonstop, and the only hope I had at securing a good night's rest is chipping away at stuff while I'm out and about. That's made a portable, constantly connected and long-lasting laptop absolutely necessary. Microsoft promises just that with its 'always-connected PCs' -- notebooks that offer long-lasting batteries, are constantly connected to the internet and wake up as quickly as a smartphone.
Upcoming Windows 10 accessibility features include Narrator upgrades
Today, Microsoft shared some of the accessibility features it's working on for Windows 10, a few of which are already available to preview through the Insiders Program. First, Microsoft is tweaking its Ease of Access settings -- grouping features by ability, introducing keyboard shortcuts and allowing users to navigate settings with Narrator. There will also be some added abilities like the option to "make everything bigger" or "make everything brighter."
Microsoft tests forcing Windows Mail users to open links in Edge
Edge might be Windows 10's built-in browser, but it definitely isn't the most popular browser -- NetMarketShare reported just under 4 percent usage share as of February 2018, slipping well below Chrome's 59 percent. And now, it looks like the company may be trying to boost its share through software policies. The company is testing a Windows 10 preview release in the Skip Ahead ring which opens all Windows Mail web links in Edge, regardless of your app defaults. It provides the "best, most secure and consistent experience," Microsoft argued.
Microsoft explains how it will sell Windows 10 'S mode' now
Following up on an earlier tweet, Microsoft VP Joe Belfiore followed up with more details about the demise of Windows 10 S as a standalone product. Going forward, he explained, you'll see PCs with either Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro PC or Windows 10 Enterprise with S mode enabled. Additionally, he said if users want to switch out of S mode, they will be able to do so for free, regardless of edition. It should make for a simpler experience than selling the limited version with time-locked upgrade possibilities, and it will start with the next upgrade for Windows 10.
You can now ask Cortana to check your Outlook email
Do you thrive on Outlook email, but wish you didn't have to stare at your PC or phone to catch new messages? You don't have to... if you have the right devices. Microsoft's Cortana assistant now lets you check for new Outlook emails using your voice if you're using Windows 10 or a Harman Kardon Invoke speaker and have set your language to US English. If you've used similar features with voice assistants like Siri, it behaves in a similar way: you can ask if there are new messages, get a summary of what's new and (most importantly) offer a short reply if it makes sense.
Windows 10's next major update includes an AI platform
How important is AI to Microsoft? So important that it's making the technology a staple of its software. The company has revealed that the next big Windows 10 update will include an AI platform, Windows ML, that lets developers use pre-trained machine learning systems in their apps. This will save them the hassle of writing their own AI systems, of course, but it could also lead to faster AI. App creators can have machine learning tasks run on your PC instead of the cloud, and draw on hardware acceleration from processors and graphics chips (including from AMD, Intel, NVIDIA and Qualcomm).
Microsoft confirms ‘S Mode’ will replace Windows 10 S
This week, Microsoft VP Joe Belfiore confirmed the rumor that Windows 10 S would no longer be standalone software. Instead, users will be able to access the platform as a "mode" within existing full Windows 10 installations.
Survival arena brawler 'Darwin Project' launches March 9th
Been waiting for Scavengers Studio's Darwin Project ever since it stole the spotlight at last year's Microsoft E3 conference? Don't worry: your wait is almost over. The early access version of the Hunger Games-style battle royale title will be available for purchase on Windows 10 and Xbox Game Preview, the platform's pre-release program for Xbox One, on March 9th. Darwin Project is a multiplayer game that combines various aspects of popular titles in the genre, such as Don't Starve and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. In our previous write-up, Engadget Senior Reporter Jessica Conditt described the game as "Katniss Everdeen running around Pochinki Hill, chopping down trees like Wilson the Gentleman Scientist."
Shadow virtualizes a high-end gaming PC on your desktop clunker
In the early days of computing, local storage and processing weren't actually a thing. Instead, your individual computer acted as a terminal, pulling data from a central processing server. Well, the French startup Blade likes it that way and has released a similar system but with a 21st-century twist. Its cloud-computing system, dubbed Shadow, can impart the performance of a $2,000 high-end gaming rig onto any internet-connected device with a screen. And now the company is bringing Shadow to California.
Microsoft inadvertently outlines the limits of Windows 10 on ARM
Microsoft began introducing ARM-powered Windows devices this past holiday season, and now we have more information on the limitations of these devices. Thurrott noticed that Microsoft published a list of limitations on the ARM version of Windows 10. It appears to have been inadvertant, as the document has since been removed, but The Verge noted that cached versions of the article are still available.
Microsoft’s latest app moves photos from phones to PCs over WiFi
Microsoft Garage makes all kinds of mobile apps for iOS and Android. Some, like the Hub keyboard for iPhone, are experiments; others, like the News Pro app, are a bit more long-term. The team's most recent foray into mobile apps is Photos Companion, an app that easily moves photos from your phone to your Windows 10 PC over WiFi.
Windows 10 is adding an Ultimate Performance mode for pros
When you're creating 3D models or otherwise running intensive tasks, you want to wring every ounce of performance out of your PC as possible. It's a good thing, then, that Microsoft has released a Windows 10 preview build in the Fast ring that includes a new Ultimate Performance mode if you're running Pro for Workstations. As the name implies, this is a step up for people for whom even the High Performance mode isn't enough -- it throws power management out the window to eliminate "micro-latencies" and boost raw speed. You can set it yourself, but PC makers will have the option of shipping systems with the feature turned on.
Microsoft tests a password-less Windows 10 S
Microsoft's latest Insider Preview update is a huge one, and for Windows 10 S users, it means being able to ditch system passwords. The tech giant is testing the ability to unlock the security-focused Windows flavor through an Authenticator App you can install on your phone. You simply have to set up Windows Hello with the app, and you won't see Password as a sign-in option anymore anywhere in the platform's interface. Even if you don't use Windows 10 S right now, you might be able to access this feature someday. According to reports, Microsoft plans to drop 10 S as a standalone product in order to offer it as a mode to both Home and Pro users.
Microsoft's Windows 10 Store is getting more web apps
Thanks in a roundabout way to Google, you're about to see more apps on the Windows 10 Store. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are like app versions of websites that work even when you're offline and offer services like push notifications -- minus the installation fuss of regular apps. Android popularized them by letting you add them to your home screen when you load certain websites. Now, Microsoft is introducing Progressive Web Apps to the Windows 10 Store, making them "first-class app citizens in Windows," on par with Universal Windows Apps (UWAs).
Microsoft to drop Windows 10 S as a stand-alone product
Windows 10 S was supposed to be Microsoft's firm answer to Chrome OS, offering comparable security (by limiting you to Microsoft Store apps) while running more powerful software. However, its implementation for home users has been ham-fisted: you have to unlock Windows 10 Pro if you want more freedom, which should (eventually) cost money and is clearly overkill for many people. That's about to change. Both Thurrott and Neowin have discovered that Microsoft is dropping Windows 10 S as a stand-alone product for everyday users in favor of an S Mode, which is already available for the enterprise crowd.
'Far Cry 5' season pass takes you to Mars and Vietnam
It's almost time to head to Hope County, Montana. In addition to Far Cry 5's American vibes, there will be more to explore if you pony up for the game's season pass. The trio of adventures will have you battling the undead in "Dead Living Zombies," the Viet Cong in "Hours of Darkness" and gigantic spiders in "Lost on Mars." Sure, aside from "Hours of Darkness" these sound pretty over-the-top, but they aren't out of the ordinary for the series. For example, Far Cry 3 had the awesome, '80s-inspired "Blood Dragon" add-on pack that starred Michael Biehn.
Microsoft offers cheaper Surface laptops with lower specs
Microsoft wants to make it easier to buy into the Surface family. The company has begun offering a lower specced Laptop running Windows 10 S -- Microsoft's take on Chrome OS -- and an Intel Core m3 processor in the US. It'll set you back $799 versus the standard model's $999 asking price, and is only available in the platinum colorway, as spotted by Windows Central. As for storage and memory, you'll get 128GB and 4GB, respectively. If you're thinking that sounds an awful lot like the $799 Surface Pro tablet, you aren't wrong. But, that won't get you a keyboard cover, which The Verge points out is a $130 add-on.
Windows 10 finally lets you change its 'Do Not Disturb' schedule
If you're part of the Windows Insiders Fast Ring (or have opted to skip ahead), you'll find the Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17074 available to download. Of note is the addition of customizable scheduling for Quiet Hours, which functions similarly to the Mac Do Not Disturb feature. Instead of the fixed 12 am and 6 am period in the earlier version, you can now set your desired hours for only receiving notifications from people and apps in your priority list. The updated feature will also automatically switch on when you're playing full screen DirectX game and when you're duplicating your display.
Microsoft says security fixes will noticeably slow older PCs
It's been clear for a while that the fixes for the Meltdown and Spectre memory vulnerabilities would slow down PCs, but just how bad is the hit, really? Microsoft has run some benchmarks, and it's unfortunately bad news if your system is less than fresh. While the patches for Meltdown and one variant of Spectre will have a "minimal performance impact," fixing a second Spectre variant through low-level microcode imposes a tangible speed penalty -- and it's particularly bad on systems released around 2015 or earlier.
