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Office Mobile apps are now available for Windows 10 tablets
Have you already installed Windows 10 on your trusty slate? Well, Microsoft released its mobile productivity apps for the new shiny new version of the OS, too. Touch-friendly versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint are available for download from the Windows Store. The new version of OneNote is available as well, but it's pre-installed on Windows 10. On top of those gesture-friendly interfaces, the apps play nice with OneDrive for easy cloud-based storage and save changes automatically so you don't have to worry about losing any work. Of course, if you want the productivity suite on all of your desktop and mobile devices (especially when Office 2016 arrives in September), you'll need to splurge for an Office 365 subscription.
Here's how you stream Xbox One games on Windows 10
Microsoft has made much ado about Windows 10's support for streaming Xbox One games to your PC, but how do you actually do it? There's a good chance that you can figure it out if you're reading this, but Microsoft has helpfully posted a full walkthrough in case you or your friends need some help. The gist? You'll need both an Xbox One controller and an Xbox Live account, of course, but you'll also need to make sure that the Xbox One is set to allow game streaming in the first place. We could see that easily becoming a stumbling block if you're rushing to get started. The guide is also a friendly reminder of what you can do once everything is working, such as voice chat (with a microphone) and controlling the Xbox One's menus. It's simple enough... let's just hope that PC-to-Xbox streaming isn't any more complex.
Twitter's Windows 10 app shows you top tweets right from the start
You're going to see a lot of apps rushing to take advantage of Windows 10 post-launch, but one of them will be particularly important if you're a social networking maven. Twitter has released a new app for Windows 10 right alongside Microsoft's shiny new platform, and the client is big on discovering content even if you aren't signed in -- you'll see the top tweets and media in the app itself, as well as on the Live Tile. This certainly isn't the most sophisticated app (it won't replace TweetDeck any time soon), but it does offer a lot of the in-line media playback you'd expect in 2015, such as multiple photos, Vine videos and GIF animations. Really, it's for that moment you decide that Twitter's website isn't quite enough for your needs.
Windows 10 review: the best of Windows 7 and 8
The best thing about Windows 10 is that it's simply Windows, through and through. It's as if Microsoft realized that devaluing the desktop in Windows 8 was akin to sacrilege, and Windows 10 is its penance. At its core, it's a union of the best qualities of Windows 7 and Windows 8 -- the desktop features of the former with some of the touch-friendly aspects of the latter. It's no wonder Microsoft is calling it an operating system that's both fresh and familiar. It's easy to use with a keyboard and mouse, but it's even better with touchscreen computers. The Start menu is back! And new features like Microsoft's Cortana virtual assistant and Edge browser breathe new life into Windows. Microsoft is framing the OS as "Windows as a Service," meaning it's never quite done and constantly evolving. Most importantly, Windows 10 proves that Microsoft's dream of delivering a single OS that can work across computers, tablets and phones might actually come true.
With Windows 10, Microsoft corrects the problems it created
First released almost three years ago (and updated to 8.1 a year later), Windows 8 was a bet that didn't pay off. Bold -- or brash -- design decisions and a fundamental shift in UX led to a very slow uptake of the OS, and we're now just days away from the release of its replacement. Windows 10 comes at a difficult time for Microsoft, but although it too makes grand design revisions to the current formula, this time, it's fixing problems, not causing them.
What you need to know about upgrading to Windows 10
Everyone has a Windows upgrade horror story. For me, it was an XP installation that inexplicably crashed halfway through the upgrade process, somehow corrupting my hard drive at the same time. And with Windows 10 launching on July 29th, it's hard to avoid the traumatic flashbacks to past Windows releases. But fret not. Windows 10, it turns out, offers the smoothest Windows upgrade process ever. It's remarkable for just how unremarkable the entire endeavor actually is. Still, there are a few things you should know before taking the plunge.
Windows gets an emergency security fix across most versions (update: Hacking Team link)
If you use Windows -- just about any recent version of it, in fact -- you're going to want to check for updates as soon as you can. Microsoft has released an emergency, off-schedule patch for a security hole that lets ne'er-do-wells hijack your system if you open documents or websites that use embedded OpenType fonts. The flaw exists in virtually every edition of Windows that Microsoft still supports, ranging from Vista all the way to your preview copy of Windows 10. There's no evidence that an attack exists in the wild, but you'll definitely want to get the fix before malware writers get their act together. Update: There are claims circulating that this fixes an exploit discovered in the Hacking Team breach. If so, it's not entirely true that this exploit has never been used. We've reached out to Microsoft for more answers. Update 2: Microsoft tells us that this is indeed in response to the Hacking Team vulnerability. The company is "not aware of any active attacks" right now, but it's not about to wait for them to show up.
Cortana in Windows 10 is coming to 6 more countries
If you're bummed that you won't get Microsoft's Cortana voice assistant when Windows 10 launches next week, don't fret: there's a good chance that you're next in line. The folks in Redmond have revealed that Cortana will be available to Windows Insider members in Australia, Canada (English only), India (also English) and Japan in the "coming months." It'll also spread to Brazil, Mexico and French-speaking Canadians later in the year.
Microsoft's first Windows 10 ad is all about smiling babies
With Windows 10's launch little more than a week away, Microsoft kicked off its marketing storm last night with the first commercial for the new OS. It's a bit more direct and human than the company's infamous Jerry Seinfeld/Bill Gates ads, with a focus on children and how they're growing up with touchscreens and a wealth of new tech. As with any major product launch, Microsoft is planning a huge multi-million dollar media blitz for Windows 10. The big theme this time around is "people who make a difference," reports ZDNet. The software giant will likely have a much easier time pushing Windows 10 on consumers since it steps back from some of Windows 8 more dramatic (and controversial) interface changes. And of course, making Windows 10 a free upgrade for Win 7 and 8.1 users will also be a big help. The new OS will land on July 29 for Windows Insiders and will roll out to others afterwards.
Microsoft opens Xbox-to-Windows game streaming up to everyone
Microsoft's removed the Xbox-to-PC game-streaming restrictions and now anyone with Redmond's latest console and Windows 10 can play Sunset Overdrive or attempt to jump into a few online Halo: The Master Chief Collection matches on their device. More than that, some pretty big new features are hitting the Windows 10 Xbox app including party chat and tweaks to how screenshots and video clips are shared via the Game DVR.
Microsoft is putting the Surface in more stores
Microsoft announced today that it is expanding the distribution channels for its Surface tablet line ahead of the upcoming Windows 10 global rollout. The Surface is currently sold through "a couple hundred" authorized Surface device distributors, as Gavriella Schuster, General Manager of Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Program, explained in a statement, but will soon grow to a few thousand. Any partner distributor can reportedly sign up for the expanded program assuming they qualify on volume sold. "We expect to get a few thousand resellers to jump on this," Schuster told ZDNet.
Microsoft is turning Windows 10's launch into a global upgrade party
With Windows 10's July 29 launch just a few weeks away, Microsoft is offering up more details on how it'll celebrate the birth of its new baby. And one thing is clear: This is a far bigger deal than when Windows 8 hit the streets. Along with the usual festivities and a new marketing campaign, Microsoft is also promoting the idea of "upgrading the world" by offering consumers a bit of help with moving towards Windows 10, as well as celebrating inspirational non-profits all over the world. Microsoft stores, as well as retailers like Best Buy, Walmart and Staples, will offer in-store upgrade help and "experience stations" to let you try out Windows 10. The educational push makes sense, since Microsoft is making Windows 10 available for free to existing Windows 7 and 8 users for its first year. This time around getting people to upgrade means a lot more to Microsoft than making them pay retail price for a new OS.
Windows 10 preview turns Xbox Music into 'Groove'
Welcome to the new music experience in Windows 10. As hinted at earlier this morning by Paul Thurrott, the company just announced it's rebranding the Xbox Music experience to "Groove", while also renaming the Xbox Video app to just "Movies & TV." According to a blog post about the changes, the new naming is meant to be "more identifiable to our broad customer base" and will roll out to other devices in the coming months. The timing of the change is odd as Windows and Xbox begin to work more closely together than ever before, but it doesn't appear that the actual features will be much different. Of course, with the launch of Apple Music, rebranding could be just the way to get some attention for an existing service that already offers a lot of the same features.
'Minecraft' beta for Windows 10 will pit you against mobile friends
Microsoft and Mojang don't just have a story-based Minecraft game to show at Minecon 2015 -- they're also revealing a beta version of Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition. This release will ditch the less than ideal Java code of desktop versions in favor of native Windows code, and shares some roots with the Pocket Edition you typically find on phones. You'll even get to build worlds with those mobile players through an update that should hit "soon" after the beta arrives. And to no one's surprise, the construction title will do a lot to take advantage of Windows 10's many Xbox tie-ins, such as 8-way multiplayer (both locally and on Xbox Live) and game video recording. The beta will be ready on July 29th, and it'll be free if you already have the existing PC version. If you're new to all this, it'll cost $10 to get in during the test phase.
You might not get the Windows 10 upgrade on launch day
We hope you didn't book off July 29th to celebrate Windows 10 launch day -- depending on your circumstances, you might be disappointed. Microsoft has detailed its rollout plans for the new operating system, and it notes that only Windows Insiders (aka beta testers) are likely to get Windows 10 on day one. If you're a regular user who reserved an upgrade, you'll likely have to wait as Microsoft deploys the new software in gradually larger "waves" until everyone can hop aboard. Big companies and schools who pay for Windows licenses in bulk, meanwhile, won't get their copies until August 1st. In either case, you'll get a heads-up if your system isn't quite ready. The cautious approach is understandable given the sheer scope of what Microsoft is doing ("millions" of people are going to get a major OS for free), but it's not so hot if you want to be the first on your block to make the leap.
Windows 10 preview build comes with Microsoft Edge and WiFi
Microsoft's giving you the chance to try out its Edge browser before Windows 10 drops on July 29th, along with other new features that will come with the platform. You'll have to download Windows 10's latest preview build for PCs to take it for a spin, but make sure to back up your favorites first, because you're going to say bye-bye to Project Spartan for good. The company has incorporated several user suggestions to the browser, including a home button, a more customizable New Tab page, password autofill, as well as the ability to import favorites/bookmarks from other browsers and to play music from a minimized tab.
Windows 10 testers can keep it for free, with a small catch
Microsoft made headlines last week when it seemingly announced that it would give away a free copy of the new OS to anyone who signed up to test it. Today however, the company has "clarified" that statement to explain that the offer isn't quite as cut and dry. Windows 7 and 8.1 users are still eligible for a free upgrade on July 29th. However, folks that have installed Windows 10 preview will need to stay signed up for future pre-release updates in order to keep their build's activation status current. But don't think you can be slick and just use your current Preview install while opting out of future updates. If you don't, the build license will eventually expire. So if you want to get a legit version of Windows 10 without paying for it (or one of the previous eligible versions), it looks like your best and only choice is to keep being Microsoft's guinea pig.
Toshiba's Windows 10 laptops all have a built-in Cortana key
Toshiba just unveiled its back-to-school laptop lineup, and while mainstream notebooks are normally a bit of a snooze, there's at least one detail that makes these worth a second look. Everything in the line, from the $395 entry-level model to the souped-up 4K editions, has a built-in keyboard button to launch Cortana in Windows 10. Just hit what appears to be a search key in the Function row, and you'll bring up Microsoft's voice assistant, which can respond to commands like "what's the weather?", "tell me a joke" and "sing a song". (With all due respect to Cortana voice actress Jen Taylor, you might want to skip that last one.) Toshiba is not the only PC maker that's chosen to add extra features related to Cortana, but the built-in hotkey is still pretty novel.
Windows 10 streams Xbox 360 games to Oculus, too
You read that headline correctly. With the Xbox 360 to Windows 10 game streaming out in the open, it stood to reason that you'd be able to play your collection of games from Microsoft's second Xbox on the Oculus Rift too. We asked the virtual reality company if that was indeed the case and a spokesperson confirmed that indeed it was. So, Mass Effect in VR? That's a definite. [Image credit: pabuk/Flickr]
Xbox 360 game-streaming is coming to Windows 10
As if backward compatibility for Xbox One wasn't enough, Microsoft's also going to let you stream those older games to Windows 10 PCs. In a private demo of the Xbox One's revamped interface, the company confirmed to Engadget that users will have access to its streaming functionality when the new features roll out this holiday season. (If you're a member of the Preview Program, though, you should already be able to play 360 games on a Win 10 machine.) Microsoft also revealed that Xbox 360 titles relying on the original Kinect, or any other hardware accessories, won't work with Xbox One. A company spokesperson said the team wanted to have backward compatibility from launch day, but it turned out to be a difficult task because of the different architecture between the two systems. For your sake, at least it's here now.
