Wayne Williams

Microsoft is busy polishing up the next big feature update of Windows 10, the October 2018 Update (aka Redstone 5), but is also working hard on the following update, codenamed 19H1.

This update, out next spring, isn’t hugely different from the current October 2018 Update release, but the latest build does add acrylic to the Windows sign-in screen.

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Microsoft wants you to use its Edge browser in Windows 10. I mean, really, really wants you to use it. If you open Edge and search for "Chrome" or "Firefox" using Bing, Edge’s default search engine, you’ll be presented with a massive banner informing you that "Microsoft Edge is the faster, safer browser on Windows 10 and is already installed on your PC". Four boxes below then show you how Edge lets you browse longer, and faster, offers built-in protection and built-in assistance.

If that doesn’t stop you, then Microsoft has a new, much nastier trick up its sleeve -- when you go to install Firefox or Chrome it intercepts the action and pops up a window promoting Edge with the same line about how its browser is faster and safer. It then gives you a blue button to click to open Edge, or a grey one you can click to install the browser you actually want to use. Oh, and this window will keep appearing, unless you go into Settings and stop Windows 10 from offering you app "recommendations".

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In just a few hours, Apple will be taking the wraps off its latest smartphones, the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone XR, the iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max. It is also expected to reveal an updated Apple Watch with a 15 percent larger screen, as well as the usual round of software updates for iOS, tvOS, watchOS, and macOS. An AirPower wireless charging pad is also a possibility.

Due to a number of leaks we already have a good idea of some of what is going to be showcased at the event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, but there are bound to be some surprises.

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Windows Insiders testing the next big feature update of Windows 10 -- the October 2018 Update, aka Redstone 5 -- are used to just seeing builds with a long list of fixes and improvements now.

Build 17758, released today on the Fast ring, is no different.

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It’s exciting times for fans of Kodi, as there’s a new, major release of the insanely popular home theater software in development. Two weeks ago, the Kodi Foundation rolled out the first, stable beta release, giving users the chance to try out the new version without fear that it might trash their systems.

Today, a new, even more stable release arrives, and you can -- and should! -- download it now.

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Microsoft’s new Your Phone app lets you sync content directly from a phone to a Windows 10 PC. The original release, which was first available just for Windows 10 Insiders, then -- accidentally -- for all, and then for Insiders once more, only allowed Android users to access their phone’s photos on Windows 10, but it’s now been updated to make it much more useful.

Released as part of the new Fast ring Insider Build 17755, the updated app lets you do much more, and there is finally some love for iOS users too.

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We’re getting ever close to the end game for the next big feature update for Windows 10. Redstone 5, or the October 2018 Update to give it its official name, is nearly done and the Insider updates still rolling out now are mostly focused on fixing problems.

Build 17755 corrects some issues with the OS, but also makes big improvements to the Your Phone app.

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Locking and unlocking doors with a key is so last century. Smart locks are the future, but they can often be a little pricey.

If you’ve been thinking of getting a smart lock for your home or office, but have been put off by the price, we have sizable savings on two great products -- the Yale Real Living Assure Lock SL HomeKit Enabled Key Free Touchscreen Deadbolt, and the August Smart Lock Pro + Connect, from Wellbots.

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While work is continuing apace to polish up the Windows 10 October 2018 Update prior to its release next month, Microsoft is also hard at work on the following feature update due next spring.

Today the software giant releases Build 18234 for that update to Insiders in the Skip Ahead ring, and it offers a large number of new features and improvements.

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The end of extended support is looming for Windows 7. Microsoft is set to stop supporting the aging OS on January 14, 2020, but is aware that many businesses may take longer than that to make the switch to Windows 10.

As a result, the company has today announced that it will offer paid Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU) through to January 2023. These will be available for all Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Enterprise customers in Volume Licensing, and there will also be a discount available to those with Windows software assurance, Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education subscriptions. There is a catch, however.

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Amazon updates its own hardware products on a regular basis, often with little fanfare. There are no major press events, or hyped launches. Today, the retail giant announces another product update that likely won’t thrill the world, but will prove to be another big earner for the company.

The new Amazon Fire HD 8 with Alexa Hands-Free is what you’d guess from the name. An 8-inch HD Fire tablet with added, always ready, Alexa support.

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The next big feature update for Windows 10, Redstone 5, or the October 2018 Update, as it's now officially known, is getting ever closer to being finished.

Microsoft is rolling out builds to Fast ring Insiders on a regular basis, and today’s new release, Build 17754, fixes lots of problems with the OS update.

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Meet the world's top ethical hackers and explore the tools of the trade.

Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly critical at all levels, from retail businesses all the way up to national security. Hacking the Hacker takes you inside the world of cybersecurity to show you what goes on behind the scenes, and introduces you to the men and women on the front lines of this technological arms race. Light on jargon and heavy on intrigue, this resource drives to the heart of the field, introducing the people and practices that help keep our world secure.

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Depending on which market share monitoring service you trust, Windows 10 either overtook Windows 7 back in December 2016 (Microsoft), in February this year (StatCounter), or is still trailing its predecessor, but catching up quickly (NetMarketShare).

NetMarketShare’s latest round of usage figures show Windows 10 putting on a burst of growth in August, while Windows 7 lost more users than expected in the same time frame.

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Earlier today, Microsoft confirmed what most people already knew -- that Windows 10 Redstone 5 would be called the October 2018 Update.

That means that the OS update will start rolling out to users at some point in October, and as we’re only at the end of August now, Microsoft still has some time to spend on polishing the update and hopefully removing as many bugs as possible.

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