Vacuum cleaner company Dyson to make a 'radical and different' electric car -- let's hope it doesn't suck

Microsoft takes the wraps off the next generation of Windows 10 S devices


Ignite, Microsoft’s annual IT event, is currently underway in Orlando, Florida, and the software giant today revealed a range of new Windows 10 S devices from the likes of HP, Lenovo and Acer.
Windows 10 S is a cut down version of Windows 10 that only runs software from the Microsoft Store. It’s also faster and more secure, and when it launched it was aimed primarily at the education market -- a clear rival for devices running Google’s Chrome OS. Microsoft is now looking to expand Windows 10 S into other markets.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 Fall Creators Update Build 16296 to the Fast ring


Earlier today, Windows Insider chief Dona Sarkar tweeted that things are going to get very busy over the next few days as Microsoft pulls out all the stops to get the Fall Creators Update ready for release in the coming weeks.
True to her word, she announced Build 16291 for Insiders in the Slow ring, followed by two new builds shortly afterwards -- Build 15252 for Mobile, and Build 16296 for PC users on the Fast ring. Skip Ahead users will have to wait until next week for their next build.
Robotic drawing board Joto will revolutionize art in the home


Whether you brighten up your home with photos of your family, or works of art, the chances are those pictures have a few things in common -- they don’t move, they don’t change, and you probably never really notice them much now either. Joto’s creators want to change that.
Joto is a robotic whiteboard -- described as a modern day 'etch-a-sketch'. It's controlled via an app and draws with a pen, live on request, everything from works of art to personal messages.
Has the pace of Windows 10 upgrades stalled completely? Clues from Microsoft suggest it has


When Windows 10 was still (officially) free, and Microsoft was forcing it onto systems against user wishes, the operating system’s market share growth was impressive. In no time at all it shot past Windows XP and Windows 8.x.
But since then, the new OS has plateaued. NetMarketShare’s usage share figures show that Windows 10 grew by a mere 5 percent from July 2016 to July 2017, and in August it posted an increase of just 0.36 percentage points. Microsoft, for its part, claimed back in December that Windows 10 was more popular than Windows 7, but of course it isn’t. Not even close.
Microsoft reduces the number of problems Windows 10 users have with the Creators Update… by not giving it to them


According to Microsoft, Windows 10 Creators Update is the best version of Windows 10 ever. But it should be, shouldn’t it? Windows 10 is evolving with each new feature update, so it makes sense that the latest update should also be the greatest. Microsoft isn’t reinventing the wheel with each new iteration, it’s simply polishing it.
In a new blog post, John Cable, Director of Program Management, Windows Servicing and Delivery, reveals the ways that the Creators Update improves fundamentals such as battery life, performance, reliability, and security. It’s a piece of positive spin, although the timing of its release is interesting, given that its successor, the Fall Creators Update, is only weeks away from being launched.
UK's second largest police force still heavily reliant on Windows XP


Catching criminals requires cutting-edge technology, right? Well it should do, but that’s often not the case.
Greater Manchester Police, the UK's second biggest police force, has admitted to the BBC that it’s still using Windows XP on a large number of PCs, even though Microsoft ended nearly all support for the ageing OS back in 2014.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 Fall Creators Update Build 16291 to the Fast ring


The release date for the next big Windows 10 feature update is drawing ever closer, and Microsoft is working hard to get it as complete and polished as possible.
Today sees the release of the latest Fall Creators Update build to the Fast ring (not Skip Ahead), and as you might expect, bug fixes and stability and performance tweaks are the order of the day. But that said, Microsoft has managed to sneak in another new feature too.
Get 'Linux Networking Cookbook' ($17 value) FREE for a limited time

Some of your favorite apps will stop working in iOS 11 -- here's how to find out which


Today is a big day for iPhone and iPad users, as it’s when iOS 11 makes its official debut.
There’s a lot of cool new features in this OS update, including a design refresh, revamped Control Center, a Do Not Disturb driving mode, Siri improvements, and much more. However, iOS 11 is also when Apple stops supporting 32-bit apps. And that means some of your beloved apps and games may stop working once you perform the update.
Get WinX MediaTrans -- an iTunes alternative for Windows -- FREE for a limited time ($59.95 value)


WinX MediaTrans is a fast and easy to use iTunes alternative for Windows that lets you manage content on your iPhone/iPad/iPod. No iTunes or Apple ID needed, and no file erasing risk.
The software, from Digiarty WinXDVD, usually retails for $59.95, but BetaNews readers can get it entirely free for a limited time.
'Your Windows Has Been Banned' malware makes an unwelcome return


"Your Windows Has Been Banned" is a nasty piece of malware that first surfaced in 2016. It locks your computer screen and displays a message stating "This PC has been banned for terms of use violations."
It doesn’t go into specifics for the ban -- because, obviously, it’s not a real ban -- but simply says that your PC has been locked in order to "protect the Windows service and its members," adding "Microsoft does not provide details about specific PC bans."
Microsoft releases Windows 10 Insider Skip Ahead Build 16362


Microsoft yesterday released a new Windows 10 Fall Creators Update build for Insiders on the Fast ring. Build 16288 fixes a lot of issues, although it also failed to arrive for many users.
Today, Microsoft releases another new build, only this time for those Insiders who have chosen to Skip Ahead to the pre-release Redstone 4 branch. This branch will form the basis for the next big feature release after the Fall Creators Update.
Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will give you greater control over your privacy -- but does it go far enough?


One of the biggest complaints about Windows 10 is that it spies on its users. Microsoft has reigned in this snooping in past feature updates, and is introducing yet more privacy enhancements in the forthcoming Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.
These changes, Microsoft says, will give users greater access to information, as well as more control over what data is collected in the first place. There are two main additions.
Having problems downloading the latest 'frustrating' Windows 10 build? You're not alone


After a wait of nearly two weeks, Microsoft yesterday rolled out a new Windows 10 Fall Creators Update build to Insiders on the Fast ring.
At least, that was the intention. However, the release didn’t go according to plan, and many people found themselves unable to download the new build. Microsoft was quickly on the case and delivered a fix for the issue, except, well, people still can’t download the update.
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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