Microsoft admits Cortana is an epic failure by shamelessly selling Amazon Echo Dot
Stunningly, Microsoft lost the smartphone wars despite getting a huge head start with Windows Mobile, and going back even further, Windows CE. Despite having a stranglehold/monopoly on desktop computing, the company made too many missteps with mobile, and ultimately, has been forced to exit the very profitable business. Microsoft even took down Nokia in the process, destroying a once beloved company.
Following smartphones, the next big thing was voice assistants, and Microsoft was ready with Cortana. Unfortunately, unlike Apple and Google who had successful mobile operating systems to push their assistants, Microsoft was once again left trailing behind since consumers passed hard on Windows Phone. Online retailer Amazon came out of nowhere and dominated this field too. Ultimately, Cortana has become a thing that exists solely to annoy Windows 10 users. This is a shame, because Cortana is actually pretty good.
The re-released Windows 10 1809 is still buggy -- and some fixes won't arrive until next year
Windows 10 version 1809 -- aka the October 2018 Update -- was such a mess that Microsoft was forced to pull it and spend weeks trying to fix the numerous problems that early adopters had encountered, which included (but were not limited to) data loss, Windows failing to remember default app choices, driver issues and much more.
On Tuesday, the software giant finally re-released the update, but if you were hoping things would go a lot smoother this time around, you’d be wrong. Windows 10 1809 still has some pretty major issues for users to be aware of.
Microsoft could be about to hit users of Windows 10's Mail app with ads -- unless they pay up
Ads in your inbox. Sounds like something you'd expect from the likes of Google or Yahoo, but Microsoft appears to be about to get in on the act as well.
And we're not talking about online ads in your Outlook.com account -- we're talking about ads in the Mail app that's included with Windows 10. A new report says that Microsoft is currently testing ads with Windows Insiders, so it could be just a matter of time before they spread wider.
How to get Windows 10 19H1's gorgeous Light theme wallpaper now
Microsoft rolled out a new Windows 10 19H1 build earlier today, and the standout new feature is a Light theme -- the perfect antidote for those who don’t really like the dark themes that seem to be everywhere nowadays.
As well as the theme itself, the build comes with a new, Light default wallpaper. If you don’t want to install a potentially buggy Insider build (like the original Windows 10 October 2018 Update), and you don’t want to wait until next spring when the 19H1 update is set to arrive, the good news is you can get the wallpaper now -- and in resolutions of up to 4K.
Fix for Windows 10 file association problem now in testing
Microsoft has finally fixed many of the myriad problems with the botched Windows 10 October 2018 Update, but one issue it hasn’t yet addressed, is the one to do with file associations.
With this problem, Windows fails to remember which programs you want to use to open certain files with by default. This was a problem Insiders reported to Microsoft back in May, but which -- like the file deletion issue -- got missed. The company previously announced that it is working on a fix, which it hopes to roll out by the end of the month.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 19H1 Build 18282, with new Light theme and new wallpaper
Microsoft has finally begun to roll out a new, and hopefully improved version of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, meaning it once again only has the one major feature update in development.
Today the software giant releases Build 18282 on the 19H1 branch, and introduces some interesting new features. For 2018 most software companies have been giving us dark themes. For its next feature update, due out in spring 2019, Microsoft will be introducing a Light alternative.
These are all the fixes in the NEW Windows 10 October 2018 Update
Yesterday, Microsoft began re-releasing the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (aka Windows 10 1809), with a string of fixes. This time around, the software giant advises waiting until you’re offered the new update, rather than forcing the install, which is a wise move. There’s no guarantee you won't encounter issues after installing it if your system isn’t fully compatible.
While I disagree with my colleague Brian Fagioli’s description of Windows 10 as a "smelly turd", there’s no question that the October 2018 Update was something of a mess, and released without proper quality control. The latest iteration of the update fixes a large number of problems (all of which should have been addressed before its initial release), and if you installed it first time around, you’ll want to grab the update as quickly as possible. This is what’s different in this release.
Microsoft finally re-releases the smelly turd that is Windows 10 October 2018 Update
Look, I am sorry to speak so bluntly, but Windows 10 is a smelly turd. At one point I felt like it had a lot of potential, but over the years, I have seen its quality take a massive nosedive. Microsoft has committed brand suicide many times over its long lifetime, but this time, it feels different. Regardless of what Satya Nadella thinks about services and the cloud, Windows is still the company's crown jewel -- for the operating system to have fallen so far is a tragedy.
Why is Windows 10 garbage? Well, it still has a schizophrenic user interface with silly tiles and two settings menus (merge with Control Panel already!). Not to mention, it is a privacy nightmare with its abusive telemetry. Even if you can deal with those aforementioned shortcomings, it has since gotten much worse with the October 2018 Update -- it began deleting user files and losing the ability to associate file types with certain apps. Its much-maligned activation scheme has been failing too. Yes, in 2018, what should be a mature operating system can't even do the basics. Sigh.
Microsoft opens pre-orders for the Surface Go with LTE Advanced -- yours for $679
Microsoft has announced that pre-orders for LTE-enabled versions of its Surface Go tablet are now open.
There are three models to choose from, ranging in price from $679 to $829, and you can pre-order today and expect to receive the device on November 20. The Surface Go with LTE Advanced supports AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, and two of the models are designed with businesses in mind.
Microsoft acquires InXile and Obsidian as it grows its game studio portfolio
At Xbox Fanfest this weekend, Microsoft announced that it has acquired two more gaming studios.
InXile Entertainment and Obsidian Entertainment join the company's ever-expanding portfolio, and what's interesting about these two latest acquisitions is that both studios have a focus on RPGs. It is not currently known how much money has changed hands as part of the deals.
Microsoft reveals Black Friday 2018 deals on Surface, Xbox One, and more
Thanksgiving is coming, which makes me rather happy. I love catching up with family while chowing down on turkey, stuffing, and the like. After the big meal, I like to go through the paper advertisements for stores such as Target, Best Buy, and Kohl's to find the best deals. Then, that night at midnight, I leave the house to score some things I want for Black Friday! In the digital age, this sort of outdated -- I can just as easily shop online, but I cherish the experience. It's fun.
Microsoft has been making quite a mess of things with buggy Windows 10 updates and failing to put USB-C on its latest Surface Laptop 2 computer, but understandably, some of y'all still want/need a Windows PC. If you need a new computer, Xbox, or other tech-related product, Microsoft has finally revealed Black Friday 2018 sales. These are not just deals from Microsoft's own store, but on Windows 10 PCs found at other retailers too.
Keyboard and mouse support comes to Xbox One games on November 14 -- Fortnite is one of the first
We've known for a while that support for keyboards and mice was coming to the Xbox One, but there has been the question of "when?" hanging in the air. Now we have a date.
At its X018 event, Microsoft revealed that the date support will be added is November 14 -- so there are just a few days to wait. It is down to game developers to add the keyboard and mouse control option to their titles, and Fortnite will be among the first to push out an update that adds this support.
Windows 10 Pro suddenly downgrading to Windows 10 Home for a growing number of users [Update]
The Windows 10 shit show continues with yet more problems with Microsoft’s newest operating system rearing their ugly heads. Some users -- including a friend of my colleague Brian Fagioli -- have suffered from a problem whereby file associations are broken, so you can’t open files in the default programs you choose.
Now a growing number of users are complaining on Reddit that their Windows 10 Pro installations are suddenly reverting to Windows 10 Home.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 19H1 Build 18277 with fewer annoying notifications, additional emoji, improved high DPI settings
While there’s still no sign of a re-release for the botched Windows 10 October 2018 Update, Microsoft is rolling out new builds for the feature update that follows it, codenamed 19H1.
Today’s new release, Build 18277, gains a new focus assist option that will spring into life whenever you’re doing anything full screen on your PC so you’re not bothered by notifications.
Microsoft is porting Sysinternals utilities to Linux, starting with ProcDump
Microsoft has embraced Linux more and more over the years, and the latest demonstration of this is the company's decision to port the free Sysinternals utilities to work on the platform.
The first tool to make its way to Linux is ProcDump, which can be used to create crash dumps. While not as feature-rich as the Windows version, the Linux port is still a valuable tool. And, importantly, there are more Systinternals tools making their way to Linux.