Microsoft included many user-requested changes and features in new Windows 10 preview

The new 9926 build of the Windows 10 Technical Preview includes many changes and additions that were requested by users of earlier builds. Those suggestions were collected and evaluated by Microsoft as part of its Windows Insider Program.

Microsoft's Windows team member Gabriel Aul posted a list of just some of those user-suggested changes that made it into the current build:

• You've asked us to support more languages so we're bringing you more languages: Japanese, Russian, German, French, French (Canada), Korean, Italian, Spanish, Spanish (Latin America), Traditional Chinese, Swedish, Finnish, Turkish, Arabic, Dutch, Czech, Polish, Thai, Vietnamese (Language Interface Pack), Catalan (Language Interface Pack), and Hindi (Language Interface Pack).
• The new Windows Update UX in the Settings app provides a progress bar for preview build downloads which was a top request for Insiders. When you navigate away after starting the download/install, it will know that the download and install is still in progress when you return (instead of looking like a blank slate. And progress is now determinate, instead of just a spinning circle.
• We received feedback that ALT+TAB was too jarring (everything on screen changed) and that some people found it confusingly similar to Task View. Some people wondered why Virtual Desktops were not accessible from ALT+TAB. So, we merged the previous ALT+TAB design with the Task View to produce an approach that retained the large thumbnails that people like, but with an overlay that is familiar. Now, it feels far less jarring and while it looks like it belongs to the family of Task View and Snap Assist, it retains its unique strength of being a great keyboard switcher. Finally, this change makes the work we've done with precision touchpads feel better too. Now when you quickly three finger swipe left/right, ALT+TAB feels lighter-weight.
• We also heard that folks wanted Persian calendars support and you'll find that in this build. The Persian calendar format will appear on your Lock screen, your taskbar clock, and on time stamps on files in File Explorer.
• Another top request from you was to have the option to pick the default folder when opening File Explorer, and the team responded and added this feature.
• We saw feedback from Insiders that it was hard to find how to make apps full-screen in the "hamburger-style" menu seen in previous builds so we've added a full-screen button in the title bar. We've also made the title bars for both desktop and modern apps title bars feel more harmonious.
• Finally, I know that a TON of Insiders were unhappy about the bug where keyboard lights weren't working when Caps lock/Num lock/Scroll lock is toggled. I'm super happy to report that we've fixed that issue in this build. Thank you for being patient with us on that one.

Of course, Microsoft is still taking feedback from Windows Insiders for the current build of Windows 10 and will continue to do so in the weeks and months before the OS is officially launched.

Source: Microsoft

Image Courtesy : Windows Central

Cortana for Windows 10 only available in English (U.S)

If you're rushing over to download the latest Windows 10 Technical Preview, there's something you need to know first about Cortana. It isn't totally surprising, but it's important to note that she's only currently available in U.S. English.

The information is nestled in the system requirements page at the Windows Insider site, and while it's usually a good idea to read things like that before installing anything, in this case it's doubly worth it. There are some other bits and pieces in there that affects folks who use Windows Media Center for example, so before doing anything, go check them out.

• Windows 10 Technical Preview system requirements

Image & News Courtesy Windows Central

Remember to have Windows 10 Technical Preview updated before the next build hits

Microsoft's Windows Program Manager Gabriel Aul took to Twitter today, to not only reveal some numberson the Insider program, but also to remind those running the Windows 10 Tech Preview that they require a certain update before moving forward. Update KB3025380 (linked below) is strongly advised to be installed before Microsoft rolls out the next build of the preview.

According to the Microsoft website, KB3025380 addresses the following:

"This update includes improvements to Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 9879 that will let members of the Windows Insider Program continue to receive future released builds of Technical Preview."

Microsoft plans to roll out the next release of the preview sometime next week, so get this update installed and prepare yourself for more goodies to be fired to your PC.

Image & News Courtesy Windows Central

Office for Windows 10 free on phones and small tablets, Office 2016 on the way

Besides Windows 10 the platform, we're learning a lot more about the new apps that we're going to be getting with it, like touch-friendly Office. Today, Microsoft has elaborated a little more on the new version for Windows 10 and confirmed that it will be installed for free on all Windows 10 phones and "small tablets." This is particularly good news considering it's been the small tablets that have been getting free Office 365subscriptions, but have screens too small to really put the software to work.

In a post on the Office blog, Julia White, general manager for the Office Product Management team says:

"These new Office apps will be pre-installed for free on phones and small tablets running Windows 10, and available to download from the Windows Store for other devices. The Office universal apps will be available with the Windows 10 Technical Preview in the coming weeks and general availability is on track for later this year."

That's the other good news. We'll be able to play around with the new apps for the first time really soon. The site also shows off Excel and OneNote, which Microsoft did not during the event. Anyone who's ever looked at Office for iPad will see some familiarity, but since those apps are pretty fantastic, we're not complaining.

White also brings news of the next, full fat version of Microsoft Office. Launching later this year, Office 2016 will be detailed further in the future.

But the big deal for mobile users is free Office. No mention of an Office 365 subscription which is required on other mobile platforms to get the most out of the apps. Office, touch-friendly, and ready to rock with Windows 10.

Source: Office Blog

Image & News Courtesy Windows Central

The Microsoft Surface Hub gets its own video showing off its huge screen [update: website too!]

The newly revealed Microsoft Surface Hub, shown off as part of the company's Windows 10 press eventtoday, is the subject of a new video that shows how the device, with its huge 84-inch 4K Windows 10display, can be used in an office setting.

The video show how the Microsoft Surface Hub allows office workers to collaborate with each other by using a pen to draw on its display, using the screen as a virtual whiteboard. It also shows how it can be used to display Excel documents on a large canvas. along with the ability to take content created on the Microsoft Surface Hub and copy it on a tablet, smartphone or other PC. Microsoft says that there will be custom versions of Skype for Business and OneNote made for the Surface Hub. There will also be a 55-inch version sold.

There are still a ton of unanswered questions about this product, such as what hardware specs it has, a price point and a release date. However, we certainly want to know more about the Microsoft Surface Hub and hopefully we will get that info in the weeks and months to come. Stay tuned as we will continue to post information from the Windows 10 press event.

Update: Microsoft has also dropped a website with more details on the Surface Hub here.

Source: Windows (YouTube) Windows Central

DirectX 12 will indeed be exclusive to Windows 10

A new report from Microsoft's Windows 10 press event today confirms that the upcoming DirectX 12 graphics API will only be for Windows 10 users. In other words, Windows 7 and 8 PC owners will have to take advantage of Microsoft's offer of a free upgrade to Windows 10 for one year to get the benefits of DirectX 12.

That's not all. According to Rock Paper Shotgun's report, Windows 10 PC owners will also have to get new graphics cards, currently unreleased, inside their rig in order to gain all of the features that will be included in DirectX 12, although a number of current graphics cards will still be able to use some of its improvements.

The Xbox One game streaming feature that was demoed today will also only work with game controllers on the PC side. In other words, gamers with just a keyboard and mouse won't be able to play games streamed from Microsoft's console. Finally, we can expect to see more Xbox One games that will be also support Windows 10 besides Fable Legends, which was also demoed today. Let's hope one of them is Halo 5: Guardians.

Image & News courtesy Windows Central

Dropbox finally drops an official Windows Phone app, goes universal

There's some good news for cloud storage users. After a long, long wait, Dropbox has launched an official app for Windows Phone today. Dropbox originally announced that they were working on the app back in November as part of a new partnership with Microsoft.