Windows 10 news, including the release of Spartan browser in latest build
- Spartan browser arrives in latest build.
- The operating system will be a free upgrade for Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 users during the first year.
- If you do not upgrade in the first year, you will be charged. There has been some confusion around pricing - but Microsoft is expected to charge a one-off license fee and NOT move to a subscription model.
- Windows 10 will launch in late-2015, likely by the end of July. The Technical Preview will end on 15 April 2015.
- Microsoft also debuted the 84in Microsoft Surface Hub and Windows Holographic. The latter will allow users to create 3D models via a custom-built HoloLens.
Windows 10 will launch globally in 190 countries this summer, and details about what to expect from the next-gen OS are slowly being revealed - officially and via leaks. Here's our roundup of the latest Windows 10 news.
28/04/15: Some earlier builds wil now no longer be supported by Microsoft and will have to be updated. According to this forum posting from a Microsoft engineer, builds 9841, 9860 and 9879 will all stop booting from 30 April.
"Approximately two weeks before a build’s license expires, you will start getting warnings that this build will expire and that you should update to the most recent build," the engineer said.
23/04/15: Microsoft has made available the latest build of Windows 10. Build 10061 comes a week earlier than scheduled and is available to users on the Fast Ring of releases. It comes with a raft of new features and fixes for bugs.
Start menu, taskbar and Action Centre are now more customisable allowing users to resize the Start Menu as well as change the colour of it, the task bar and Action Centre.
There are updates to the Mail and Calendar apps with support for Office 365, Exchange, Outlook.com, Gmail and other account types.
There are improvements to Continuum, Task View and Virtual Desktops. More details of this and more can be found on the Microsoft Windows blog.
20/04/15: The release date is almost guaranteed to be July 2015 if a slip of the tongue by AMD's CEO during an earnings call is anything to go by, according to reports.
17/04/2015: The Windows 10 Technical Preview is being pulled from its most popular phones, after users previewing the operating system began to report huge issues.
As reported by Windows Central, a Microsoft employee wrote in the Windows Insider forum: "We are seeing some reports of failures on Lumia 520/525/526 devices when trying to roll back to Windows Phone 8.1 using the Windows Phone Recovery Tool.
"We are pausing build availability for these devices temporarily while we investigate the issue and work with customers who have reported problems."
Users complaining of issues with the build have reported crashing, sometimes before completely bricking their devices.
14/04/2015: The second Windows 10 preview for mobile brings Project Spartan to Windows Phone for the first time, at least to Lumia devices.
Announced in a Windows Phone blog post, Spartan is now present on some Windows 10 mobile devices, a week after its debut on desktop. The preview isn't perfect, however, with some bugs expected to greet those early adopters.
"This build, like last week's desktop build, is a very early look at software that we're actively developing," Kyle Pflug, programme manager at Project Spartan, said.
"You'll still find Internet Explorer 11 as the default browser in this preview. In a later update, Project Spartan will be the only browser included on Windows Phones."
13/04/2015: Despite new tech preview builds arriving with increasing speed, Windows 10 still has some tricks up its sleeve. A leaked private build, Build 10056, has displayed some intriguing new features - in addition to tweaks in the personalisation options, a Shazam-style song finding function has also been added to Cortana.
Further changes include a brace of new apps (including Mail and Calendar), and the ability to resize the columns housing Live Tiles in the Start Menu. However, the most interesting feature appears to be the introduction of achievements to Windows. Opening the Windows Insider Hub in the new build will prompt a notification informing the user they've earned an achievement.
This is the first - and so far, only - sign we've seen of desktop achievements, but if they are integrated to Windows 10, it could be an intriguing aspect of the 'gamification' of modern life.
08/04/2015: Windows 10 isn't here yet, but Microsoft is already planning updates. Reports suggest Microsoft will release two major updates to the next-gen OS in 2016, one in June and one in October. Both will be released under a new codename, Redstone - a reference to the game Minecraft, which Microsoft bought last year for $2 billion.
The updates are expected to arrive automatically to Windows 10 users, and will include some new functionality, including support for additional devices, according to another report.
Windows 10 Technical Preview ends on 15 April 2015 and the general release is tipped for later this year. Exact launch date of the full build is yet to be confirmed.
Windows 10: Faster builds
News that Microsoft is planning to accelerate its release schedule for Windows 10 preview builds has appeared following the event. An announcement in the Windows Insider Hub app (available only for existing Windows 10 users, via ZDNet) said:
"We've heard your feedback asking for more frequent builds - and as Gabe mentioned in his recent blog post, we've probably been too conservative about pushing builds to the Fast ring for Windows Insiders. So we're preparing to speed up the build releases for those who want to live life in the Fast lane.
"The good news is that Insiders who choose Fast will be getting fresher code, with all of the features and fixes, more often. The potential downside is that as we go faster, the builds will likely include more bugs with fewer workarounds. If this doesn't sound like something you want to deal with, now is your time to switch to Slow."
Windows 10: Latest builds
The release of Technical Preview Build 10041 brings Cortana to UK desktops.
Previously, the feature was once available to users in the US (there was a way of tricking UK desktops into enabling the feature on the previous build by changing settings). In addition to the UK, Cortana now also works in France, Italy, Germany and Spain.
The feature is still developing, so may not work as well as could be expected but it can search for files, apps, settings and stuff on the web. Cortana also promises to learn and make results more personalised as time goes on.
Build 10041 has been released as part of the “fast ring” that Microsoft has set up for users who want access to the latest features. Understandably, this build may not be as stable as other builds. Users in the “slow ring” of the Windows Insider program may well be able to get the update at a later date.
Other features now include improved handwriting recognition for pen users and a Network Fly-out setting giving access to network settings from the taskbar network icon.
There are also enhancements to the Photos app that now includes images from OneDrive and support for RAW files.
Improvements have also been made to the Windows Insider program itself with the feedback app featuring the ability to filter feedback as well as suggestions versus problems.
Earlier this month, details emerged about another Windows 10 build (dubbed 9888), which reveals even more about what users can expect from the OS when it finally arrives next year.
The build has was intended to be a partner-only release that was not scheduled to be formally pushed out to the public, but since then has been leaked online.
According to a report on Winbeta, the build has popped up on various file-sharing sites, but users are being advised against installing it because it was never intended for public release.
Therefore, it's uncertain if those that do will be able to install other builds or Windows 10 updates as and when Microsoft releases them.
A follow-up report from tech site Neowin suggests users that do opt to install build 9888 will not be excluded from future Windows 10 updates, but - because the release is not supported by Microsoft - may experience problems when coming to update it later down the line.
The 9888 build features new-look animations, introduces the concept of unified context menus and makes the zPC settings app the default means of applying new settings.
In the meantime, the November update (build 9879) for the Technical Preview of Windows 10 (which is widely considered to be the last Microsoft will push out in 2014) has been making its way to those signed up to the "Slow Ring" within the Windows Insider programme in recent days.
As part of the programme, the software giant lets users choose how quickly and often they receive the build updates. Those who opt for the "Fast Ring" will receive more frequent updates that carry with them a higher risk of bugs.
Meanwhile, those who sign up for the "Slow Ring" will reportedly receive fewer updates and the ones they do get should be more stables as many of the bugs in them will have been picked up already by members of the "Fast Ring."
The 9879 build has since been updated too, to fix some functionality issues within the Windows 10 Explorer function.
Windows 10 Tech Preview launch: September 2014
The Windows 10 launch event was presided over by Windows chief Terry Myerson at the end of September 2014, who confirmed the OS will be called neither Windows 9 nor Threshold, despite numerous reports to the contrary.
During his time on stage, he talked up the importance of Windows to the enterprise, before going on to explain the new OS will work on the "broadest" range of devices possible.
"Enterprises need to evaluate Windows early, and we're starting our dialogue with them today," he said.
Myerson also spoke about how Microsoft wants the development of Windows 10 to be more collaborative that previous iterations of the software.
"We're planning to share more than we ever have before... earlier that we have before," he said.
This sharing will be done through the newly-launched Windows Insider Programme, which will provide users with a forum to share feedback on beta versions ahead of its general release in 2015.
The Technical Preview is aimed at developers, and is designed to allow them to get a taste of what it has to offer ahead of its general release.
Joe Belfiore, the corporate vice president of the operating systems group at Microsoft, used the event to walk attendees through the many new features Windows 10 has to offer.
These include a new multi-tasking feature called Task View, which showcases all the apps that are currently up and running on the system.
Another, enterprise-friendly feature of the operating system is that it also features multiple, virtual desktop that users can switch between.
Furthermore, users can call on Task View to help them switch between them and the apps being used on these desktops.
As suggested by various sources and leaks in the run up to the launch, the OS sports a re-worked Start Menu.
He then talked about how the new-look OS will work on two-in-one devices, with users able to initiate a "tablet mode" by simply tapping the touchscreen.
The rumours that Windows 10 will be free for existing Windows 7/8.1 users has been confirmed, with the company revealing that Windows 10 will be free for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users for the first year. However, executives declined to comment on the pricing structure after this time frame.
Microsoft has also announced that the free Windows 10 upgrade will also be available to users of pirated software, with Myerson telling Reuters: "We are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10."
"Anyone with a qualified device can upgrade to Windows 10, including those with pirated copies of Windows," a Microsoft spokesperson said to The Verge. "We believe customers over time will realise the value of properly licensing Windows and we will make it easy for them to move to legitimate copies."
Windows 10 news, including the release of Spartan browser in latest build
Windows 10 specs/features features
Microsoft’s forthcoming OS will let users apply software updates and app downloads by utilising a network of other Windows 10 users, essentially peer-to-peer updates. Local networks of PCs or a mix of local machines and internet-accessed PCs will be able to supply users with updates to Windows 10, reports The Verge. There will also be the usual model of having Windows Update servers spit out upgrades straight to your device. However, the P2P model could raise security issues, with users potentially downloading updates from PCs whose safety hasn’t been verified by Microsoft.
The new operating system would feature the return of the traditional start button, which disappeared with Windows 8 to much dismay from users. The new start menu houses apps and an enhanced search function as well as the layout we all remember. Continuum will make the Windows 10 interface adapt to its device and situation, acting accordingly whether it’s on a tablet, a hybrid or a desktop PC.
Multiple desktops will also be a feature of the operating system, and Microsoft set out a list of new keyboard shortcuts that would help users manage this.
A unified app store is something that has been rumoured for a while, and it will arrive with Windows 10. Developers will now be able to create one app that runs across all Windows devices.
Security updates will now be easier to manage, with consumers alerted to monthly updates and businesses able to opt-in for a faster cycle.
Multitasking is a big feature of Windows 10 that Microsoft has been keen to push, with a quadrant layout that allows users to snap up to four apps together and a smart suggestions feature for any dead screen space.
MDM will be built into the new operating system, allowing admins to manage devices both through traditional methods and via the cloud.
According to WinBeta, third-party developers will be able to create unique lock screens with Windows 10, and apps such as Data Sense and Battery Saver will come over from Windows Phone.
The Notification Center is also one of the 7,000 reported improvements, along with new security features such as multi-factor authentification, and a built-in way of separating business and personal data for encryption.
New leaked screenshots from an internal build of Windows 10, Build 9879, from ithome (via WinBeta), shows off more options added to the UI such as the choice to hide the ‘Search and Task View’ option. The build is a recent one, according to the site.
File Explorer has also been tweaked, with users now able to pin things to the Home area, and the charms bar button in modern apps shows in the “hamburger-style” rather than as three dots as before.
The site also reports that the windows animations have been made smoother for Windows 10, and that the Notification Center button has been moved from the taskbar to the tray beside the clock.
Windows-as-a-Service will allow developers to work across all Windows devices, as well as improving security.
In terms of appearance, the task bar appears streamlined on Windows 10, and the Start Menu can be made full screen with a touch. Settings has also reverted back to look like the traditional Control Panel of old. The Charms Bar also has a new look, with users able to swipe from the right to find a notifications panel. Swiping down will close all apps - not just Metro.
When the keyboard is removed from a hybrid device, the user will be asked whether they want to enter tablet mode, after which apps switch to full screen.
Microsoft's "personal assistant" Cortana is coming to Windows PCs and will be accessible via a search panel in the task bar. As demonstrated at the launch event, the app has the ability to learn about the user. You then have the ability to edit this information with Cortana Notebook.
The operating system will come with a brand new biometric authentication system - Windows Hello - that could replace passwords.
Microsoft has shed further light on how it plans to secure Windows 10 for users, by including support for Fast Identity Online (FIDO) in the operating system. This is part of an industry-wide push to increase the security of computer systems by moving away from traditional passwords for user authentication purposes.
As such, Windows 10 Technical Preview users can take advantage of password-less two-factor authentication technology to access Windows devices and cloud-based services supported by Azure Active Directory.
Windows 10 Apps
At Mobile World Congress, Microsoft gave a sneak peek of new Windows 10 apps, including Excel, Maps and Outlook, showing how they will appear on a smartphone display. The cross-platform capabilities of these apps were demonstrated specifically, using a Lumia 640 XL and Surface Pro 3 tablet.
Stephen Elop, CEO of Nokia, told attendees: “Developers can build universal experiences and deliver them across different types of Windows devices. It is our hope that our cross-platform initiatives deliver not only across our platforms, but those of others.”
The new universal Outlook app will use the full Word engine providing complex editing capabilities, and will introduce common swipe commands such as left to delete and right to flag. The photos app has been refreshed, and a new social network aggregation app and music app introduced.
Users can annotate pages with a finger or pen in 'Note Taking Mode' before sharing it or saving to OneNote. There's also a 'Reading Mode' for offline viewing with support for PDF files.
The company also confirmed that Windows 10 will support all of the apps currently offered via the Windows Store.
Windows 10 Spartan browser
Microsoft's new web browser will arrive on PCs first before rolling out to Windows Phone, and an early, incomplete version of the browser is now available via Build 10049 of Windows 10. Head here for more details on Spartan
Spartan is only the codename for the browser; it's not yet clear what the final name will be. It features a new rendering engine, support for addons, a cleaner design and built-in PDF viewer. You'll also be able to annotate web pages, using a finger or stylus on touch devices and the keyboard for traditional PCs. Cortana is built into Spartan, and will attempt to predict and answer queries (e.g. restaurant information) straight from the browser.
Internet Explorer will still be made available for enterprise users who depend on it, Microsoft has said.
Windows 10 new hardware
The 21 January event saw Microsoft announce the 84-inch Surface Hub device, with advanced sensors, pen input support, dual cameras and a 4K display. It appears to have been specifically designed for enterprise customers, with various meeting features demonstrated at the event.
The new super-sized device comes with Skype built-in, can detect when users walk up to it and automatically activates OneNote when users pick up the stylus. Apps will sync with devices and PCs, which makes sharing content from meetings with participants much easier.
The new Windows Holographic headset ('HoloLens') was also revealed, and will work with all Windows 10 universal apps. The glasses have see-through lenses (and so the image will be overlayed onto the real world), spatial sound, advanced sensors and a holographic processing unit.
Users can create holograms using gestures, vision and voice commands, with the wireless headset working independently of a PC.
Windows 10 minimum requirements
Microsoft has revealed the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 10. Desktop devices will have displays of at least 8in for consumers and 7in for professional systems. They'll need a resolution of at least 800 x 600, and must hve EUFI 2.3.1 with Secure boot enabled.
On 64-bit machines, Microsoft is requiring a minimum of 2GB of RAM and 20GB of storage. On 32-bit machines, Microsoft is requiring a minimum of 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage.
All must have DirectX 9 graphics, and tablets must have power, volume up and volume down buttons.
Devices below 8in are considered mobile devices, and requirements depend on the display resolution. For example, phones with 800 x 480 resolutions only need 512MB, while those at 2,560 x 2,048 and up will need 4GB of RAM. All devices must have at least 4GB of Flash storage, and those on such a small amount are required to also have an SD card slot.
The minimum display size for smartphones is 3in.
Windows 10: Phones
Windows 10 will be optimised for use on screens that are 8in and below. Devices with screens below 8in will have to do without the traditional desktop view, according to corporate vice president of Microsoft's Operating Systems Group, Joe Belfiore (via PCWorld). They will instead, sport the phone version of the operating system.
Leaked screenshots of Windows 10 for Phones have surfaced courtesy of Kiran Kanade's (@s1z33) Twitter account (via Nokia Power User), and show Settings and Action Centre redesigns.
This is Windows 10 Technical Preview for Phones. @wmpoweruser @windowscentral @Nokiapoweruser @NeowinFeed @GabeAul pic.twitter.com/drB3WfyXmW
— Kiran Kanade (@s1z33) February 5, 2015
The Continuum feature, which allows users to switch to desktop-esque mouse and keyboard functions when the device is docked, will work for devices smaller than 8in.
The Action Centre on Windows Phone will sync with PCs, while the settings menu, as shown in the leaked images, has been given a makeover with Windows 10.
There will be an integrated messaging hub for Skype, texts and other IM services on phones running on Windows 10.
Microsoft revealed a new initiative that will test Windows 10 with Xiaomi's flagship Mi 4 Android smartphone "power users". Though there hasn't been any specific details revealed about the software, TechCrunch has reported that it will allow users of the Xiaomi phone to override the Android operating system with Windows 10.
Read more: http://www.itpro.co.uk/operating-systems/23119/windows-10-release-date-and-specs/page/0/1#ixzz3Yfuctequ
Read more: http://www.itpro.co.uk/operating-systems/23119/windows-10-release-date-and-specs#ixzz3YftpXmYS
Read more: http://www.itpro.co.uk/operating-systems/23119/windows-10-release-date-and-specs#ixzz3YftpXmYS
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