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Windows 10 design lead explains what's changed (and what hasn't)
Albert Shum, the design team lead for Microsoft's OS team, has outlined through some of the decisions made in its new OS. He reiterates that - especially now Windows 10 is out in the open - the work here isn't yet done, with the blog post focusing on where the team's received the most.. "feedback", including the new menu options found on mobile iterations.
Get your Windows 10 preview for Raspberry Pi 2 while it's hot
Day one of Microsoft's Build 2015 conference is in the books, but that doesn't mean the news has stopped. The Windows 10 IoT Core Insider developer preview (phew!) has launched for small devices including the Raspberry Pi 2. Redmond admits that it's still pretty rough around the edges, but it's hoping that the maker community can provide feedback for how the platform's turning out along the road to a full release. What's more, the software giant is partnering with Arduino for a series of "Arduino Certified" products to bring the ubiquitous DIY boards into the Windows family and take advantage of all that the software has to offer. For example, cloud computing, a familiar user interface, image processing and a ton more. It follows the theme of bringing everything under one roof that Nadella and Co. have been so vocal about lately, and should hopefully help tinkerers develop some pretty powerful stuff in their garage.
New Windows 10 preview comes with Aero Glass and an upgraded Cortana
In addition to showing off holographic apps and revealing the name of its post-IE browser, Microsoft has also released its latest Windows 10 preview build for PCs today. The build (now called "Insider Preview" instead of "Technical Preview") introduces quite a lengthy list of new and experimental features, including Windows 7's Aero Glass design. Apparently, a lot of preview users asked Redmond to bring Aero Glass black, since company dropped the feature from Windows 8. To test it out, half of those installing the new build will see their Start menu and taskbar in normal transparency, while half will see theirs with a frosted glass effect.
Your Windows 10 phone is a tiny desktop computer with Continuum
Microsoft just demoed its 2-in-1 Continuum feature on a Windows 10 phone giving the mobile device the ability to become a really tiny desktop computer. Continuum adjusts the UI of Windows 10 on a device from desktop to tablet mode based on what's plugged into it. If you plug a keyboard and mouse into a tablet or phone, it goes into desktop mode. When those are unplugged, a pop-up asks if you want to enter tablet mode with touch input. Desktop mode includes the Start Menu and Taskbar you usually associate with a full-size computer. For anyone that travels who would like to pare down the devices they pack, this is great. Corporate Vice President of the Operating Systems Group Joe Belfiore did note that phones would need a hardware upgrade to fully implement the feature.
Microsoft shows off Windows Holographic running Windows 10 apps
When Microsoft debuted its Windows Holographic software and HoloLens headset a few months back, Windows 10 apps were mentioned as a possibility. Well, at Build 2015 today, the folks in Redmond offered a look at Windows 10 Universal apps in holographic action. During the onstage demo, apps could be placed on walls or set to float in space, and resized based on the user's needs -- something we'd only seen in videos up to this point. Of course, this means that users in different locations can collaborate on 3D models without having to be in the same room. Any Windows 10 app can be used as a hologram with the headset, so getting work done at a place other than your desk will soon be a possibility.
Windows 10's web browser is called Microsoft Edge
After months of waiting, Microsoft finally has a proper name for Windows 10's brand-new web browser: Forget Project Spartan, and meet Microsoft Edge. It still has the same flat, minimalist look you saw at the start of the year, as well as clever features like Cortana voice commands and annotation for websites. You'll also get a new tab page that shows both other websites as well as handy info like weather, and Microsoft is now making it easier for developers to port extensions from other browsers (such as Chrome). Yes, the folks in Redmond are largely using the Edge name to distance their latest browser from Internet Explorer's less-than-stellar reputation, but you have to admit that the new branding is decidedly catchier.
Any site can be a Windows app
At today's Microsoft Build conference, Vice President of Operating Systems Terry Myerson announced that websites can now be placed inside a Windows 10 universal framework. In other words, developers can make a Windows 10 app out of their site. The site-based apps can be listed inside the Windows Store and support Cortana notifications and in-app purchases. Building these apps is pretty simple according to Myerson. Couple this with news that the company is helping iOS and Android developers port their apps to Windows 10 and the inclusion of .NET and Win32 apps in the marketplace and it's pretty clear Microsoft really, really wants you to start using the Windows Store.
Microsoft invites Android and iOS apps to join Windows 10
Microsoft's Terry Myerson confirmed onstage at Build what many of us suspected in the hours leading up to the event -- the company's going to make it easier for developers to bring Android apps into the Windows Store. To make this possible, Myers said, Windows phones "will include an Android subsystem" meant to play nice with the Java and C++ code developers have already crafted to run on a rival's operating system. Turns out, that's not the only dev-friendly coup we're seeing today: iOS developers can compile their Objective C code right from Microsoft's Visual Studio, and turn it into a full-fledged Windows 10 app. This, frankly, is huge. With one announcement, drawn out of the course of a few minutes, Microsoft may have just changed its mobile trajectory completely.
Carrier billing is coming to all Windows devices
Wish you could put that Windows app purchase on your phone bill rather than rack up a separate charge? Microsoft just made your day. It's bringing carrier billing to all Windows devices, so you only have to make one payment to cover everything. There are 90 providers involved, too, so there's a very good chance that your network of choice is eligible. The move is welcome, if not totally surprising. When Windows 10 focuses heavily on universal apps that run on both phones and PCs, it only makes sense to pay through your carrier on whichever hardware you use.
Xbox One update preview targets the SmartGlass app
The May Xbox One update preview is all about SmartGlass. First up, users will be able to turn their consoles on or off directly from the Xbox One SmartGlass beta apps on Windows, Windows Phone and Android. Also, the console will support Miracast screen mirroring from Windows PCs, Windows Phone 8 and some Android devices, including the Samsung S5 and Nexus 7. This allows users to display photos and videos from their smaller devices on the Xbox One screen. May also brings some Windows 10 updates: Preview members will have the option to stream live TV from the console to a PC with the Xbox app or directly to the SmartGlass app. To make this magic happen, users in Europe or Australia need an Xbox One Digital TV Tuner, while those in the US and Canada can use the Hauppauge 955Q TV Tuner. This update adds a power-saving option to the Xbox One set-up process, a new feature for US consoles in particular. Read the full preview rundown on Xbox Wire or watch the video below.
Windows 10's phone maps help you find things to do
To put it mildly, Windows Phone's official mapping options are... basic. However, Microsoft is promising a better experience with the mobile Maps app in Windows 10. Get a recent preview version of Windows 10 and you'll see a map interface that is not only decidedly more modern-looking, but ties in more closely with Bing and rolls in some Here Maps features. You'll get the usual photos, reviews and directions (including Here's in-car navigation), but you'll also have an easier time finding things to do. You can specify that you're looking for something to eat near your hotel, for instance, and book the table reservation on the spot. This upgrade probably won't get you to switch phone platforms, but it's a big deal if you're a Windows phone fan who'd like to get Microsoft's best mapping services in a single app.
Windows 10 phone preview will get Office universal apps by month's end
We've already seen Microsoft's Universal Office apps hit tablets, laptops and desktops as part of the Windows 10 Technical Preview, now the company has announced they'll be headed to phones by the end of the month. The Universal Office apps, which so far include Word, Excel and PowerPoint, are meant to show off a new touch friendly version of Microsoft's long-running productivity suite. But they're also an example of how developers can build one app that easily runs across a variety of Windows 10 devices. On phones, the Office Universal apps highlight the content of your documents, with typical commands and controls at the bottom of the screen. Microsoft says that should help with editing documents one-handed. On tablets, the Office apps look more like the full-fledged Office 2016 desktop apps, but with a interface tweaks to make them easier to navigate with your fingers.
LG is building a Windows phone for Verizon
LG pledged continuing support for Windows phones over a year ago. As you may have noticed, though, its actual support since then has been... less than enthusiastic. That could be changing shortly, as Neowin claims to have an image of a Windows-powered LG phone for Verizon. There's precious little revealed by the picture, but the tile sizes, interface and generic design suggest that it's a mid-size, budget-oriented Windows Phone 8.1 device -- sorry, you'll probably have to keep waiting if you want a giant Windows 10 flagship. If this image is accurate, though, you can probably expect to see this device on shelves before Microsoft's newest operating system arrives later in the year.
Microsoft's new browser hits phones in latest Windows 10 preview
If you've been itchin' to take a look at the mobile version of Microsoft's new browser, now is your chance. The latest Windows 10 Technical Preview is available for phones, delivering Project Spartan and early looks at both its Reading List and Reading View features. As promised, the folks in Redmond also included Outlook Mail and Outlook Calendar apps this time around -- both of which are now the default options for the mobile version of Windows. New Phone and Messaging apps are here as well, as is retooled software for Maps, People (contacts) and an updated App Switcher. Nearly all of the additions sport the redesigned UI that Microsoft has been showing off since Windows 10 was announced back in January.
Windows 10 will offer a one-stop shop for apps, music and video
If you're a Windows user who's tired of flipping back and forth between the Xbox Music and Video stores to get your media fix, then you'll be pleased to know that will all change with the next version of Windows. Microsoft has revealed that, at long last, it plans on combining music, video and apps in a single unified store in Windows 10. You can start to see the change already if you're signed up for the Windows 10 Technical Preview -- indeed, Microsoft has just started rolling out the Movies & TV page in the Store beta. With the recent release of preview versions of the Music and Videos apps, you can go ahead and browse, search and view rented or purchased media in those two apps, just like you could with their Xbox equivalents. Of course, this is all still very much in beta at the moment, but it's a good sneak peek at how Microsoft plans to unify its store experience across all of its products.
Next year's big Windows 10 update is codenamed 'Redstone'
You know the drill: Microsoft releases a new OS and, roughly a year later, a hefty service pack arrives with a raft of fixes and added features. Neowin is reporting that the company will put out two updates in June and October of next year, both under the codename Redstone. There'll still be the regular patches and updates, but according to ZDNet, Redstone is believed to bring support for "new classes of devices that aren't already part of Windows 10." Naturally, Microsoft has already issued a standard no comment, not that it'd be too eager to distract attention away from this summer's launch. Oh, and before you ask, Redstone is a Minecraft reference in the same way that Windows 10's codename, Threshold, was a nod to Halo. Microsoft is nothing but loyal to its first-party franchises.
Microsoft previews new Music and Video apps for Windows 10
Microsoft will be the first to admit its upcoming Music and Video apps for PC -- which both drop the Xbox branding -- aren't polished enough to replace current ones just yet. But, if you're already testing Windows 10 through Technical Preview, you can now take the platform's next-gen media apps for a spin. The Music Preview app can play and browse songs saved on your device and on OneDrive. Despite not having Xbox in its official name anymore, the app can still play any file you added via Xbox Music Pass. Unfortunately, the gallery's still wonky, and Music Pass files are prone to errors. In the near future, though, the tech corporation wants to add right-click menus and the capability to buy from Windows Store Beta, among other features.
The making of Surface 3: Microsoft's little tablet grows up
Microsoft knows there's a lot riding on the Surface 3. And it looks like the company's finally listened to feedback from people who have asked for a little more oomph from these devices. Nearly three years after Surface with Windows RT was born, Microsoft is introducing its third-generation Surface, a tablet that runs full Windows, not the misstep of an operating system that was RT. This time around, Microsoft's tablet also features a screen designed to work with a pen, while an overhauled Type Cover promises to deliver a more solid, less wobbly keyboard and an improved trackpad. The Surface 3 is as much a PC as the Surface Pro 3, leaving behind the days of being just a would-be iPad competitor. It is, perhaps, what the Surface line should have always been.
Try Microsoft's new browser in Windows 10's latest test release
If you've been wondering when Microsoft would finally roll its brand new Project Spartan web browser into a version of Windows 10 you can try, wonder no longer. The Redmond crew has released a preview build of the operating system (10049) that includes Spartan, so you can check out Cortana voice commands, annotation features and speedier rendering for yourself. The software is still rough around the edges and won't have every feature due when Windows 10 ships this summer, but you can give it a shot today if you simply can't wait to kick Internet Explorer to the curb.
The Windows 10 preview will work on more phones soon
If you've been itching to try out a technical preview version of Windows 10 on your phone but didn't have a device on the short list, then we have good news. Microsoft just released a list of devices that it expects to support in the next "flight" and it includes additional Lumia models like the 1020, 1320, 1520, 920, Icon and so on (the list is after the break -- it does not include the Lumia 930). It will be at least a week until the next update rolls out, but there's no specific date promised, and the list of supported devices could change.
