Happy Pi Day: Microsoft offering Pi-related savings on select PCs and Xbox One games
It’s Pi Day -- March 14 or 3/14 -- and to celebrate, Microsoft is offering money off select PCs and Xbox One games both in-store and online.
The deals being offered are all Pi-related, so the sale price, or discount, is some variation of Pi's opening digits -- 314.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 Creators Update Build 15055 for PC and Mobile to the Fast ring
Last week, Microsoft pushed out multiple Windows 10 Insider Preview updates -- Builds 15046 and 15048 for PC, and 15047 for Mobile. Yesterday, Mobile users got Build 15051, and today the software giant announces Build 15055 for both PC and Mobile.
The flurry of new builds shows we’re getting ever closer to the launch of the Creators Update which is due next month.
Microsoft admits mistake, pulls problematic Windows 10 driver
Microsoft pushed out a mysterious driver to Windows users on Wednesday that caused big problems for some.
The driver, listed as "Microsoft -- WPD -- 2/22/2016 12:00:00 AM -- 5.2.5326.4762," wasn’t accompanied by any details, although we knew from the name that it related to Windows Portable Devices and affected users who had phones and tablets connected to the OS.
Oh joy -- playable ads arrive in Windows 10
Playable ads -- that is ads that mimic an app and let you interact with it -- aren’t new. I see them from time to time on my iPhone, and never interact with any of them. Because, why would you? However, Microsoft says that playable ads are not only better than regular ads, they are more profitable.
And now they are arriving on Windows 10. The Playable Ads preview goes live in the Windows Dev Center today, allowing developers to offer their own interactive adverts.
Vault 7: The CIA weaponized these popular programs to spy on people
Two days ago, WikiLeaks unleashed a treasure trove of data relating to the CIA's supposed arsenal of hacking tools. Code-named Vault 7, the "Year Zero" cache contains over 8,500 documents and files, and is, according to WikiLeaks, just the first batch. More content will be leaked over time.
While we know that the CIA’s zero day weapons could be used to exploit iPhones, Android devices, Windows PCs and even Samsung TVs, one of the hacking tools is particularly interesting.
Mysterious Windows driver causing problems for users
If you’ve been experiencing weird problems with Windows over the past couple of days, the problem could be down to a mysterious driver that Microsoft has pushed out for Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10.
The driver, called "Microsoft -- WPD -- 2/22/2016 12:00:00 AM -- 5.2.5326.4762" is causing a couple of problems for users, including failed installations, and Windows Phones and Android devices failing to connect to the target PC.
Windows 10 Creators Update Preview Build 15051 for Mobile arrives on the Fast ring
With the Windows 10 Creators Update edging ever nearer to being ready for release, Microsoft is working hard to fix bugs and tidy things up.
Today sees a new build for Mobile (a new build for PC is expected in a day or so). Build 15051 offers a lot of changes, improvements and fixes including:
Microsoft reissues its infamous snooping patches for Windows 7 and 8.1
It’s good to keep Windows up to date, as it ensures you’re safe from the latest security threats, and you might benefit from other improvements. However, you shouldn’t always blindly install every patch that comes along.
Case in point are the infamous snooping patches KB2952664 (for Windows 7) and KB2976978 (for Windows 8.1), which today get yet another outing.
Here are all the features Microsoft removed or deprecated in Windows 10 Creators Update
Windows 10 Creators Update is scheduled to arrive in April, and Microsoft is putting the finishing touches to things now, with not one, but two new builds arriving last week. The desktop watermark found on previous Windows Insider builds has been removed now, indicating just how close we’re getting to release.
While the Creators Update introduces a lot of new features, including 3D content, Game Mode, Game Broadcasting, Edge improvements, more Cortana functionality, and improved control over privacy and updates, Microsoft has also removed or deprecated some features from the OS. Here’s what’s missing.
Surprise! Windows 10 Creators Update Build 15048 for PC and Build 15047 for Mobile arrive on the Fast ring
Windows 10 Insider Preview builds have been coming thick and fast as Microsoft gears up to release the Creators Update next month.
Three days ago, Microsoft rolled out Build 15046 for PC, and today -- in time for the weekend -- the software giant releases Build 15048 for PC and Build 15047 for Mobile.
Get 'Learning Linux Shell Scripting' ebook ($36 Value) FREE for a limited time
If you're looking for a way to master Linux shell scripting (in any Linux distro or Windows 10), then this ebook from Packt Publishing is an essential read.
The book, which covers Bash -- GNU Bourne Again SHell -- usually retails for $36, but for a limited time you can download the full ebook version for free.
Windows 10 usage on Steam falls again for the second month in a row
Yesterday, I reported on how Windows 10 usage had fallen in February according to the latest figures from NetMarketShare.
Today, Steam releases its hardware survey for February, and that shows that Windows 10 usage has fallen on the gaming platform too, and not for the first time. Usage in January was also down from the month before. Is it the start of a downward trend?
Windows 10 Creators Update will offer users 'more choice and control' -- and fewer update reboots
Windows 10 Creators Update is expected to launch in April, and will deliver a wealth of new features and improvements. While a lot of the focus is on 3D creation, gaming enhancements, and security, Microsoft has also made a lot of welcome changes to the user experience.
Michael Fortin, CVP of Windows and Devices Group Core Quality, reveals today that the Creators Update will give users much greater control over privacy, security, and updates.
Latest Windows 10 Creators Update build has secret settings for pausing and deferring updates
One of the most requested Windows 10 features to find its way into the forthcoming Creators Update is the ability to pause updates. That means if Microsoft pushes out a bad update, you don’t have to simply accept it any more.
The Creators Update will let you pause updates for up to 35 days, but there’s an option that gives you much greater control over what -- and when -- updates get installed. The intriguing thing is, this isn't visible to everyone, and even if you manage to get to see it, it may suddenly vanish the moment you look away. Here's what it does, and how to enable it.
Windows 10 Creators Update Build 15042 ISO images available now
If you’re thinking of joining the Windows 10 Insider program, or you just want to do a clean install with an up to date version of Windows 10, the good news is Microsoft has released a new ISO image.
The image, for Build 15042, is available to all, and you can download it now. This build rolled out to Insiders on the Fast ring last Friday. It's not the very latest release -- that would be Build 15046, which Microsoft released yesterday -- but it includes a lot of important bug fixes, and some welcome additions to Edge and Cortana.
Wayne's Bio
Wayne Williams is BetaNews' managing editor. He has been writing about computers, technology, and the web for over 20 years now. He’s written for most of the UK’s PC magazines, and launched, edited and published a fair few of them in his time also. If you like what you read, you can Buy Me a Coffee!
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