Bad Intel audio driver kills sound in Windows 10 -- here's how to fix the problem
Microsoft has had a tough time of it lately. The Windows 10 October 2018 Update deleted files for some users, introduced display audio problems, and broke Edge and Windows Store apps. It was so awful, that Microsoft was forced to pause the update, and send it back for testing.
As if all that wasn’t bad enough, an Intel audio driver was incorrectly pushed to devices via Windows Update late last week, which unfortunately killed the audio for those who received it.
Samsung unveils the new Galaxy A9 with quad camera
Samsung has just taken the wraps off its latest mid-range smartphone -- the Galaxy A9 -- and it’s one that the South Korean tech giant says has been made with "Instagram generation" firmly in mind.
The key difference between this, and other similarly priced devices is it comes with the world's first quad camera. This might seem like a gimmick, and to a degree it probably is, but actually each of the four lenses servers a different, useful purpose.
Microsoft fixes Windows 10 October 2018 Update data deletion issues, delivers new test version to Insiders
Yesterday was supposed to be the day when the Windows 10 October 2018 Update started to properly roll out to users, but due to a number of well publicized problems, most notably with the OS deleting user data, Microsoft was forced to change its plans.
It "paused" the update last week in order to investigate the problems, and now has an updated version of Windows 10 1809 ready for Windows Insiders to test and provide feedback on.
Google's Pixel Slate is an affordable 2-in-1 alternative to Microsoft Surface
Interest in tablets has been waning for years -- even Apple can’t really get us that excited about new iPads. People are still buying Amazon’s Kindle Fires, but mainly because they are so attractively priced.
At its 'Made by Google' event in New York today, Google revealed a brand new Chrome OS tablet called the Pixel Slate with an optional keyboard and Pixelbook Pen.
Watch today's 'Made by Google' Pixel 3 event here live
Today is the day that Google takes the wraps off a number of new hardware products. Top of the list will be the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL smartphones, both powered by a new Snapdragon 845 processor.
We’re also expecting to see a refreshed Chromecast, a new Google Home Hub, new Chromebooks possibly, and maybe even a wireless charging stand for the new Pixels.
Windows Insiders reported the Windows 10 file deletion problem to Microsoft months ago
The purpose of the Windows Insider program is to let users test out pre-release versions of Windows 10 months in advance, so they can try out new features, and report problems.
In theory, this means when a new Windows 10 feature update rolls out to the public, all of the major bugs should have been squashed. Unfortunately, that’s often not the case, and occasionally really bad bugs -- like user personal data getting deleted by the update -- make it through the testing process. When something like this happens, it’s easy to think the issue simply failed to get picked up by Insiders, but actually that’s not the case.
Microsoft pulls the problematic Windows 10 October 2018 Update
Microsoft made its latest Windows 10 feature update available to download on Tuesday, and shortly afterwards the problems started. It didn’t play nicely with some Intel CPUs, Edge and Windows Store apps didn’t work for some users and, most damningly, the update was found to be deleting personal files.
In the face of so many problems, Microsoft had to do something, and it has. The update has been pulled.
Windows 10 October 2018 Update breaks Microsoft Edge and Windows Store apps for some users
Every time Microsoft rolls out a new Windows 10 feature update we hear of problems being encountered by early adopters, even though the update undergoes serious testing through the Windows Insider program.
The Windows 10 October 2018 Update only became officially available on Tuesday, and already it’s had to be blocked on certain Intel CPUs and, most damningly, it’s been found to be deleting user data (thankfully there’s a way to get the content back). Now it seems the new update is also causing problems with Microsoft Edge for some users.
How to recover personal data lost by upgrading to the Windows 10 October 2018 Update
If you’ve recently updated your copy of Windows 10 to the very latest version -- the October 2018 Update -- you might have found that it wiped your documents, photos and other personal files.
If you’ve got a backup stored safely away, then the loss of your content won’t be so devastating, but if you don’t, it’s not the end of the world -- you might be able to recover the files removed by the upgrade.
Microsoft blocking the Windows 10 October 2018 Update on some newer Intel CPUs
Windows 10 feature updates rarely roll out without some issues, but the Windows 10 October 2018 Update seems to be having more than its fair share. While some users are complaining the update has deleted their personal files, others are finding the upgrade has been blocked due to an incompatibility with systems running 6th generation (Skylake) or newer Intel processors.
The problem relates to Intel Display Audio device drivers and according to Microsoft, installing the latest feature update can result in "excessive power demand and reduced battery life."
Windows 10 October 2018 Update deleting documents, photos and other user files
Although Windows 10 feature updates undergo a lot of testing via the Windows Insider program, it’s only once a new update gets released that any major unresolved problems come to light.
The Windows 10 October 2018 Update is set to begin rolling out officially next week, but anyone can install it now via Windows Update, and of those who have, a growing number have reported that the upgrade has wiped their personal files.
The new Calculator app in the latest Windows 10 update is HUGE, but you can fix that
Five years ago, I wrote a story about how Windows 8.1's Calculator app summed up what was wrong with Microsoft's new OS. Windows 8.x was designed as a one-size-fits-all operating system, and apps were designed with little thought given to the different screen sizes they'd be viewed on.
The problem was, on a desktop PC with a large screen, the Windows Calculator was massive. Or, as I put it at the time, "bloody huge -- filling my screen with buttons the size of business cards." Fast forward to 2018, and Microsoft is at it again, this time in the Windows 10 October 2018 Update.
New Kodi 18 'Leia' Beta 3 arrives -- download it now!
Development on the next big version of Kodi, codenamed 'Leia', is progressing nicely. It’s expected to be released by the end of this year.
For those who can’t wait, you can install pre-release versions, and the newest of these -- Beta 3 -- is available to download and install today.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 19H1 Build 18252 to the Skip Ahead and Fast rings
Yesterday, Microsoft made the Windows 10 October 2018 Update available to anyone who wants it, meaning there’s currently only one development build on the go.
Because of that, new builds on the 19H1 branch are now being pushed out to insiders on both the Skip Ahead and Fast rings. If you’ve yet to opt out of the Insider program or switch to the Slow ring, and your PC downloads and installs Build 18252, released today, you will need to roll it back and take appropriate action.
Microsoft unveils the Surface Pro 6
Microsoft is holding a new hardware event today in New York City and has unveiled the latest generation of its tablet/laptop hybrid, the Surface Pro 6.
Microsoft’s iPad rival has come a long way since its debut back in 2012, when it was an unqualified flop. These days, it’s a true laptop alternative, and as you’d expect, the Surface Pro 6 is the most powerful version yet.