Microsoft brings unlocked frame rates, FreeSync and G-Sync to UWP games with Windows 10 update
Gamers can be a demanding bunch, and in many regards Windows 10 has been something of a disappointment as a gaming platform. While Microsoft has used Windows 10 to merge the worlds of PC and Xbox One gaming, Universal Windows Platform (UWP) games have been somewhat crippled by crappy frame rates.
Today this changes. Microsoft is pushing out an update that allows developers to take advantage of unlocked frame rates in UWP titles just as they can with Win32 games. In addition to ramping up frame rates, the update means that developers will also be able to take advantage of AMD's FreeSync and NVIDIA's G-Sync technologies.
Microsoft rolls out a cumulative update for Windows 10 that might cause your PC to run 'abnormally slow'
There’s a big Anniversary Update coming to Windows 10 in July and, in preparation for that, Windows Insiders have been receiving regular new builds packed with new features and improvements.
If you aren’t part of the Insider Preview program, and you’re running the standard version of Windows, there’s a cumulative update available today that will update your OS build to 10586.318. Unfortunately, some people are reporting it’s causing serious slowdowns.
Microsoft Edge users can now install Adblock Plus or AdBlock extensions
Extensions, or the lack thereof, have been stumbling block for many would-be Microsoft Edge users. Support for add-ons has finally arrived, bringing with it the potential for something people have been asking for since Edge first appeared -- the ability to block ads.
It had previously been thought that Edge might feature native ad blocking, but this turned out to be a matter of poor communication from Microsoft. We've already shown you a slightly bodged-together way of blocking ads in Edge, but now Adblock Plus and AdBlock extensions have been officially released to the Windows Store.
Microsoft confirms Windows 10 will remain free for people with accessibility needs
The free ride is coming to an end. Windows 10 was always going to be free for the first year after release, and this year is up on 29 July. There are, of course, still ways to get your hands on Windows 10 for free beyond this date.
One way is to buy a new PC with Windows 10 installed, although not many people would regard this as a free upgrade. But Microsoft has also confirmed that people with accessibility needs will still be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free after the deadline.
Don't want Windows 10? Good news -- the nagging will end soon
Microsoft today stated that the free upgrade period for Windows 10 will end on July 29 and after that if you want the new OS, your options are to buy a new PC running it, or to purchase a copy for $119.
If you have no interest in Windows 10, and are happy to stay with Windows 7, or 8.1, the good news is the end of the free period will also mean no more nagging to upgrade to the new OS. Or it will reduce at least, as the software giant will be removing the 'Get Windows 10' app from systems.
Microsoft says Windows 10's free upgrade offer is coming to an end soon, but questions remain [updated]
When Microsoft announced Windows 10 back in 2014, it confused people in a couple of ways. Firstly, everyone was expecting it to be called Windows 9, and, secondly, when Terry Myerson, Microsoft's executive vice president of Operating Systems said the OS would be free for the "first year", which left pretty much everyone wondering what that actually meant.
Talk of "Windows as a service" had people thinking that Windows 10 might follow the same yearly subscription model as Office 365, but as we now know, that wasn’t the case. Windows 10 is currently a free upgrade to users of Windows 7 and 8.1, but that offer is drawing to a close.
Windows 10 is now on 300 million devices
Microsoft has gone on record as saying it wants to get Windows 10 on a billion devices in 2-3 years. It’s made good headway so far, helped by making the new OS a free upgrade for users on Windows 7 and 8.1, and also by labeling it as a 'recommended' update so it automatically installs on some systems. Whether the user wants it or not.
A lot has been written about Microsoft’s aggressive promotional tactics, but they certainly seem to be paying off, as even though adoption has slowed lately, Windows 10 has found its way on to a lot of systems.
Vine unveils Windows 10 app
Video sharing social network Vine has released its first app for Windows 10. In a click -- or a tap -- you’re able to explore channels like Music, Sport and Comedy, or follow individual creators, even if you don’t have a Vine account.
Videos play back-to-back by default, as with the mobile apps, but you can loop them with a mouseover or touch.
Microsoft prevents Windows 10 Pro admins from blocking access to the Windows Store
Microsoft has castrated some of the capabilities of Windows 10 Pro admins looking to lock down the computers they manage. The company is removing the ability to block access to the Windows Store using Group Policy Editor.
The option will still be available to those running Education or Enterprise versions of Windows 10. It means that businesses who have come to rely on this option as part of their security regime will have to consider upgrading to a different version of Windows 10.
Now Microsoft is breaking Windows 7 to get users to upgrade to Windows 10
Microsoft has made a change to an update for Windows 7 that can prevent certain systems from booting. While you might expect me to say, "good news, the software giant has fixed the problem", in fact what Microsoft has done is switch the update from "optional", to "recommended". So, on some systems, it will now install, and break Windows 7 automatically.
There is good news though, and that’s you can solve the problem and get your computer working again by (can you guess?) upgrading to Windows 10. Hooray!
Windows 10 ruins a pro-gaming stream with a badly-timed update
Last week a Windows 10 forced upgrade did its best to ruin a weather forecast on live television, and this week the new operating system started an update right in the middle of a gaming session being streamed live on Twitch.
During the stream of Counter Strike: Global Offensive, full-time pro-gamer Erik "fl0m" Flom was rudely interrupted as Windows 10 decided that mid-game -- in front of 130,000 or so followers -- would be the best time to start an update.
How to block ads in Microsoft Edge in Windows 10
Microsoft Edge, the default web browser in Windows 10, has potential, but there’s still a long way to go until it can rival the likes of Firefox or Chrome.
Microsoft is working hard on improving the browser however, and recently introduced support for extensions, although there aren’t many to choose from at the moment. There are plans for an Adblock Plus extension in the future, but if you want to block ads in the browser now, there is a way of doing this.
HP unveils latest Pavilion PC lineup
As the 2015/2016 school year starts coming to a close, students begin dreaming about summer vacation. Some parents, however, are already dreaming of something else -- the start of the next school term! As much as parents love their kids, having them home all summer can be a bit much, understandably.
While it is never too early to begin daydreaming about your kids returning to school, the same can be said about researching the next PC you will buy them. After all, you don't want to buy last year's model when the new ones are right around the corner. Today, HP unveils its all-new Pavilion lineup, perfect for 'Back to School' and beyond. If you are thinking about buying an affordable Windows 10 PC, the company's Pavilion portfolio offers amazing quality and value; you need to check them out.
Windows 10 growth slows as OS X makes market share gains
The growth of Windows 10 continues, albeit slowly, the latest figures from NetMarketShare show. The statistics for April reveal that, at long last, Windows 7 is no longer installed on the majority of computers, slipping to a 48.79 percent market share. Windows 10 saw slight growth to 14.35 percent (up from 14.15 percent), and Windows XP dropped below 9.66 percent.
Usage of Windows 8.x stayed largely stable (12.11 percent compared to 12.01 percent in March), but the balance between Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 (9.16 percent down from 9.56 percent) shifted slightly, with the older version seeing slight growth (2.95 percent, up from 2.45 percent). OS X's market share increased slightly, and Linux dropped a little.
Microsoft pulls another boner -- blocks Chrome and Google from Cortana on Windows 10
Holy cow, Microsoft makes it really hard to recommend its products lately. Windows 10 was a great way to wash the disgusting Windows 8 taste from consumers' mouths -- initially, at least. Unfortunately, the discovered privacy issues frightened many folks, causing them to delay upgrading.
The latest build has a wonderfully refreshed Start Menu, making me think that the company was back on track. Nope; I was wrong. Today, Microsoft announces an anti-competitive bombshell -- it is blocking all third party browsers and search engines from Cortana. Prefer using Chrome and Google? Tough luck. Firefox and Yahoo? Sorry. Microsoft just can't stop pulling boners, it seems.
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