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.
Microsoft opens pre-orders for standard Xbox One X
Hopefully you have been saving up, because today the standard version of the not-particularly-cheap Xbox One X is available to pre-order. Last month saw the Project Scorpio Edition open up for pre-orders, and now it's time for those who are interested in the standard black model.
The console will be available worldwide on November 7, but if you want to avoid disappointment on the day, it's probably best to get your order for "the world's most powerful console" in right now -- links are below. As well as opening up pre-orders today, Microsoft has announced that the list of Xbox One X enhanced games has grown to over 130.
How .NET Framework integrates big data
Companies of all sizes have started to recognize the value of big data collections and the need to take advantage of them. Development of software systems play a big role in big data analytics.
As companies proceed on their big data journey, they usually start by batch processing their big data assets. This can mean gathering and aggregating web log data, telemetry from IoT devices, user clicks from an app and more.
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.
Microsoft confirms Outlook.com is down for some people
If you are having trouble accessing Outlook.com at the moment, you're not alone. Many people -- particularly in Europe -- are experiencing problems with Microsoft's email service.
Microsoft has confirmed that there is an issue with "load-balancing infrastructure," and investigations are underway to discover the source of the problem. Users affected by the problem say that the messages they try to send remain in the Draft folder rather than reaching the intended recipient.
Microsoft enters the fight against fake news as Bing gains Fact Check label
The "fake news" moniker may be a relatively recent one, but the phenomenon is not exactly new. Search engines and social media sites have long fought a battle against rogue news sources, and Microsoft's latest attack sees the company adding fact-checking to Bing.
The addition of Fact Check labels means that anyone looking at search results should be able to tell at a glance if a particular news story has been debunked. The label can be applied to sites as a whole as well as individual articles, making it easier for Microsoft to alert people about poor news sources -- although the company does not do any actual fact-checking itself.
Microsoft claims there are 330 million Edge users -- but surely this is utter nonsense
Like Internet Explorer before it -- although perhaps not to quite the same extent -- Microsoft Edge is shunned and ridiculed by most web users. Despite this, Microsoft has this week claimed that its web browser has a huge number of users. "Microsoft Edge users are active on 330 million monthly devices!" proclaims the Microsoft Edge Dev team on Twitter. (File under: You Must Be Bloody Well Joking).
The claim, made on Twitter and repeated during an Edge Summit webinar attracted some attention -- not least that of Paul Thurrott. He's not alone in wondering how on earth Microsoft came up with this number; the suggested usage figure seems out of sync with reported browser usage stats.
'Your Windows Has Been Banned' malware makes an unwelcome return
"Your Windows Has Been Banned" is a nasty of 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.
Bashware: Microsoft refutes claims that Linux makes Windows 10 insecure
A recent report from Check Point Research suggested that the presence of Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) in Windows 10 poses a security risk to Microsoft's operating system. Researchers from Check Point highlighted the issue of Bashware attacks which use WSL to bypass security products.
Microsoft, predictably enough, disagrees with the findings -- and so do other researchers. The Windows-maker says it views the risk of Bashware as "low". But is the company being too dismissive?
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.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 Fall Creators Update Build 16288 to the Fast ring
The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update rollout is scheduled to begin on October 17th, although if the speed of the previous feature update rollout is anything to go by, it will be quite some time before most users get offered it (although they'll of course be able to manually update their PCs if they wish.)
Microsoft is hard at work getting the new update ready, although some major bugs meant it's been nearly two weeks since the last build was pushed out. Today the wait is over, as a new build finally arrives for Insiders on the Fast ring (not Skip Ahead).
Microsoft has finally fixed some game performance issues in Windows 10 Creators Update
Although Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is only just around the corner, Microsoft is still fixing problems with the current Creators Update. The update still may not yet have rolled out to everyone, but there have been plenty of complaints about gaming performance.
Some five months ago, users started to complain about a drop in framerate and stuttering performance in a number of popular games. Microsoft has now finally acknowledged that there is a problem, and has issued a fix for one of the issues.
Want to switch from Windows 10 to Linux? Download Zorin OS 12.2 with Microsoft Office support
Windows 10 isn't a bad operating system, but understandably, not everyone loves it. You know what? That is OK. People have different likes and needs, and sometimes an alternative to Microsoft's operating system, such as Ubuntu, macOS, or Chrome OS can be a better fit.
If you want to switch to Linux, there is no shortage of operating systems based on the kernel. With that said, many of them aren't very user friendly. If you have lived your life using Windows, it is wise to choose a Linux distro that caters to your habits and expectations. One such operating system with a very inviting user interface is Zorin OS, and today, version 12.2 sees release. If you have been on the fence regarding Linux, now might be your time.