Articles about Windows 10

A week ago saw the release of Build 15063 of Windows 10 and just a few days later we learned that this is in fact the RTM build of Windows 10 Creators Update that will start to roll out in April. While the roll out starts next month, it is expected to take some time to reach everyone, but there's no need to wait!

There are a couple of ways you can upgrade to Windows 10 Creators Update right now -- you can either download the ISOs that Microsoft has made available, or you can use the Update Assistant tool to grab the update in a more automated fashion.

Continue reading →

Windows 10 has certainly not been short of controversy. Between forced upgrades, telemetry and privacy concerns, and the introduction of increasing numbers of ads, Microsoft has been on the receiving end of a good deal of criticism for the latest version of its operating system. And the trouble is not over.

With the launch of Windows 10 Creators Update just around the corner, Microsoft faces a lawsuit from three people from Illinois who claim that the upgrade not only resulted in data loss, but also damaged their computers. The lawsuit makes reference to the difficulty many users found in declining the offer of upgrading to Windows 10.

Continue reading →

It’s easy to understand why Microsoft took the decision to take Windows 8 in a new direction. PC sales were falling, and people were transitioning to iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. Microsoft felt it needed to do something radical to remain relevant in this changing world, and an operating system that could run on PCs, tablets, and smartphones seemed like a smart move.

The problem, of course, is the Start menu-less Windows 8 was too radical an approach for PC owners -- the bulk of Windows users -- and the OS itself was simply too half baked. There were too few decent non-PC devices around, and Microsoft had to build a Windows Store from scratch -- not easy.

Continue reading →

Two-hundred-and-twenty-four in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Windows Store in the past seven days.

Microsoft seems to have found the Windows 10 Creators Update RTM build. It is build 15063 according to the leaked Update Assistant.

Continue reading →

It is only three days since Windows 10 Creators Update Build 15063 arrived on the Fast ring. The same build has already made its way to Insiders on the Slow ring as well, fueling understandable speculation that this could well be the final build.

This does in fact appear to be the case. We already know that Microsoft is due to release Windows 10 Creators Update in April, and a leaked Update Assistant tool shows that Build 15063 is indeed the RTM build number.

Continue reading →

When adverts first started arriving in Windows 10, it wasn’t really a big deal. The operating system was a free upgrade after all, and these weren’t adverts, Microsoft insisted, as no money had changed hands.

Fast forward to 2017 and Windows 10 is now a paid product that’s filled with ads that Microsoft still insists aren’t ads -- they’re "suggestions", "prompted apps" and "tips". You can turn them all off, if you know where to look, but Microsoft hasn’t made it easy. Thankfully there’s a really quick way to disable most of the ads in a couple of mouse clicks.

Continue reading →

Microsoft could be on the verge of making greater headway in China after completing a modified version of Windows 10 for the Chinese government.  The operating system has been banned for governmental use for some time despite the fact it is already available to consumers in the country.

A joint venture with state-owned China Electronics Technology Group, Microsoft's modifications are now awaiting government approval. While details of the included changes are not being released, China's concerns about other nations implementing surveillance through the software will almost certainly have been a key factor.

Continue reading →

Windows 10 Insider Builds really are coming thick and fast now. Microsoft rolled out three new builds for PC last week -- 15058, 15060 and 15061 -- and today we get yet another new build -- 15063.

Unlike the three previous builds, this one is for both PC and Mobile. Here's what's new.

Continue reading →

Microsoft is in the final stages of preparing the Windows 10 Creators Update, and rolling out Insider Builds at an accelerated rate. On Tuesday, it released Build 15058 for PC, followed by Build 15060 yesterday.

And today, barely giving anyone the chance to install the last build, let alone test it, Microsoft rolls out yet another new update. Like the previous two releases, Build 15061 is PC only. Microsoft was hoping to release a Mobile build this week but was prevented from doing so thanks to a pesky blocking bug.

Continue reading →

Huawei isn't a very well known brand in the USA, but it should be -- and probably will be. The Chinese company makes very elegant products, such as smartphones, tablets, and PCs. In fact, its MateBook portable was my pick for best Windows 10 device of 2016. Why? It is beautiful, fanless, and affordable. Seriously, it is an amazing machine with a gorgeous screen.

Today, Huawei announces some big price cuts for the MateBook, but the savings don't stop there. In addition to its Windows 10 portable, the company also shares some great deals on its MediaPad Android tablets too. Best of all, the sales can be had at quality retailers, such as the Microsoft Store, Newegg, and Amazon.

Continue reading →

Two-hundred-and-twenty-three in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Windows Store in the past seven days.

This week saw only a handful releases. It was a rather slow week all in all when it comes to app and game releases.

Continue reading →

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15058 for PC rolled out just two days ago, and we knew then that it wasn’t going to be the last new build of the week.

Today’s release, Build 15060, is -- like its predecessor --  for PC only and there’s no word on when a Mobile build is expected.

Continue reading →

A year ago, Microsoft revealed that Windows 10 would be the only Windows platform to support nextgen processors like Intel's Kaby Lake, AMD's Bristol Ridge, and Qualcomm’s 8996. The message then -- as now -- was clear: If you want to run a nextgen processor, you'll need Windows 10.

Last week, Microsoft published KB 4012982, with the title "'Your PC uses a processor that isn’t supported on this version of Windows' error when you scan or download Windows updates", suggesting that the restriction was now being enforced.

Continue reading →

You probably know Sling TV, one of the darlings for "cord cutters", and you certainly know Xbox, a favorite of gamers. The latter is also great for media with countless apps and HDMI pass-through. Microsoft hopes that is enough to make you remain on its platform and never change systems.

In conjunction with Microsoft, Sling is today introducing two big new updates -- a new interface on Xbox One, and Sling TV pre-loaded on Windows 10.

Continue reading →

In the latest Insider build of Windows 10 Creators Update, there has been an interesting change to the way updates are handled. Build 15058 of Microsoft's operating system now handles updates over metered connections differently -- and it could mean that you incur charges.

If you pay for your internet bandwidth by the gigabyte (that is, you use a metered connection), you may well be concerned about Windows automatically installing updates and costing you money. In previous builds of Windows 10 it was possible to block automatic updates on a metered connection so you were placed in full control of when the downloads took place. Now this has changed.

Continue reading →