Microsoft reveals Surface Laptop 3 -- available to pre-order today
After a series of leaks, Microsoft today officially unveiled the latest additions to the Surface lineup. Kicking things off is the Surface Laptop 3, available in 13- and 15-inch models.
Produced in partnership with AMD, the Surface Laptop 3 features a custom Surface Edition Ryzen processor for the 15-inch model. The 13-inch device features a quad-core 10th Gen Intel Core processor. Both retain the 3:2 aspect ratio. Let's dive in and take a look at the full specs.
Windows 10 is pretty much forcing users towards Microsoft accounts rather than local ones
The recent news about Windows 10 has been focused primarily on a series of faulty updates that caused a range of problems for users. But now something new has come to light that will take attention away from Microsoft's shoddy quality control -- the fact that it is starting to practically force users into using an online Microsoft account rather than a local, offline one.
The change was noted in the Home edition of Windows 10 version 1903 (Windows 10 May 2019 Update). During the installation of the operating system, users are presented with the option to "Sign in with Microsoft", with no mention of alternatives. So, what's going on?
Leaked: here is the Microsoft Surface Pro 7, Surface Laptop 3 and new ARM-powered Surface
Following the leak of marketing material for Microsoft's upcoming Surface devices, another batch of images has leaked. They show off the Surface Pro 7, Surface Laptop 3 and new Surface based on ARM ahead of tomorrow's launch event.
Just as the first set of leaked images came from a well-known name -- Walking Cat -- the same is true of this second leak. This time around it is Evan Blass who gives us a glimpse of Microsoft's latest additions to the Surface range.
Leaked Microsoft images show the new Surface lineup will be 'anything but ordinary'
It's only a couple of days until Microsoft's hardware event at which it is going unveil the latest Surface devices. But no reveal would be complete without a leak or two.
True to form, serial Microsoft leaker Walking Cat has shared four marketing images for the latest additions to the Surface range. From the ads, it seems we can expect to see at least a new Surface Laptop, and a Surface Pro tablet later this week.
Windows 10 version 1903 is now ready for broad deployment
Microsoft has announced that Windows 10 version 1903 (Windows 10 May 2019 Update) has been designated "ready for broad deployment". This means that all Windows 10 users can now download the update from Windows Update.
Despite the change in status, there are still a handful of issues with the release, some of which are still being investigated, and others which have only been mitigated against rather than fixed.
Game audio problems in Windows 10? Microsoft has a fix for that
There's no denying that recent updates for Windows 10 have caused more problems than usual. In the last few weeks, updates have led variously to issues with the Start menu, screenshots, high CPU usage and more.
Gamers found that the KB4515384 update for Windows 10 version 1903 was causing problems with in-game audio. The company was fairly swift to suggest some workarounds, but it is only now that a proper fix has been released to address the issue.
How to use Windows 10's Cloud Download recovery feature
The Windows 10 20H1 update (or Windows 10 May 2020 Update) is due for release in the first half of next year, and one of the biggest new features being touted by Microsoft is the Cloud Download recovery option.
This new recovery method is an alternative to the relatively slow "imageless" recovery in which a new copy of Windows is created from the existing installation. The Cloud Download option can not only be significantly faster, but it is more reliable as there is no chance of it being impeded by a corrupt Windows installation.
Microsoft bans CCleaner from its support forums
Microsoft has blacklisted the CCleaner utility and links to the software can no longer be posted in its support forums.
An email sent out to community moderators reveals a total of 11 domains which Microsoft censors with its blacklist filter. If an ordinary user attempts to post a link to a banned site, that post will be removed.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 20H1 Build 18990 with automatic restart for UWP apps and Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) improvements
The next major update of Windows 10 isn’t due out until next May, but Microsoft is hard at work, rolling out new builds on a weekly basis.
Build 18990, released to Insiders on the Fast ring today, comes with a number of new features including Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) improvements and updates to the Xbox Game Bar.
Microsoft releases emergency patches for Internet Explorer zero-day and Windows Defender flaw
Microsoft has released a pair of emergency patches, one for a remote code execution zero-day in Internet Explorer, and one for a denial of service vulnerability in Windows Defender.
In the case of Internet Explorer, the security flaw -- discovered by Clément Lecigne from Google's Threat Analysis Group -- is being actively exploited. Microsoft describes it as a "scripting engine memory corruption vulnerability", and has assigned it CVE-2019-1367.
Microsoft promises to provide security updates for federally certified voting Windows 7 systems
Windows 7 is certainly rather long in the tooth now, but it is still very widely used. As such, despite the general end of support coming in January, Microsoft has committed to keep Windows 7-based voted machine secure.
The company say that it will "provide free security updates for federally certified voting systems running Windows 7 through the 2020 elections, even after Microsoft ends Windows 7 support". Given the problematic nature of recent Windows 10 updates, this may come as little comfort as the Trump 2020 campaign continues.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 20H1 Build 18985 with Bluetooth pairing improvements
Work continues apace on the next major feature update for Windows 10, due out next May.
Today sees the release of Build 18985 (20H1) to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring, and it introduces Bluetooth improvements and changes to how optional updates are displayed.
The KB4515384 update is also causing network and Action Center problems
There have been suggestions that quality control has been slipping at Microsoft of late, fuelled by the recent spate of problematic updates to the operating system.
We've seen the KB4512941 update causing problems with high CPU usage as well as introducing a weird screenshot bug. After this, KB4515384 was found to cause problems with searching and the Start menu, and then interfering with game audio. Adding to the seemingly never-ending list of problems, KB4515384 has now been found to be responsible for issues with the Action Center and networking.
Microsoft suggests fixes for Windows 10 1903 game audio problems caused by KB4515384
Following complaints from a number of users about problems with audio in games, Microsoft has acknowledged that the KB4515384 update for Windows 10 version 1903 is to blame.
The company is working on a proper fix, which it says should be released later this month. In the meantime, however, it has suggested temporary workarounds for anyone irritated by the sound issues.
You can watch a live stream of Microsoft's Surface event
Next month, Microsoft has a Surface event coming up, and it's looking as though it could be a big one.
At the moment there are no hints about what we can expect to see at the event, but Microsoft has decided to live-stream it for the first time ever. We also know that head of Surface, Panos Panay, will be there, along with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
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