Articles about Microsoft

It’s been a while since we had a new Windows 10 Insider build -- Thanksgiving got in the way of Microsoft’s usual weekly schedule.

Today, the software giant releases Build 14977 to the fast ring, but it’s for Mobile only. The PC build has a blocking bug that results in broken apps on an upgrade, so we’ll have until next week for a new build for that platform.

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Windows 10’s mandatory updates are designed to keep your system safe and always up to date. You do have limited control over the update process, but not as much as in Windows 7, for example.

You can stop updates in Windows 10, but it requires you to disable the Windows Update service in the Services manager, and most people won’t know how to do that. Thankfully there is an easier solution.

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According to NetMarketShare’s desktop operating system usage share figures, in September Windows 10, on the back of no longer being free, went into reverse gear and managed to lose market share. It was only a drop of 0.46 percentage points, but even so.

October didn’t show much of an improvement for the new OS either. In that month it managed a minuscule rise of just 0.06 percentage points. Some good news for Microsoft in November then, as Windows 10 finally returns to actual growth.

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Windows 10 has a lock screen mode called Windows Spotlight that pulls attractive images from the web on a daily basis. In most instances, you’ll only see these when you log on, or lock your PC.

If you see an image that you’d like to use as Windows wallpaper, you can’t simply right-click and save it, but there is a way to easily export Windows Spotlight images to a folder so you can use them as desktop backgrounds.

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Linux-based desktop operating systems can sometimes be incredible for productivity and security, but they can be deficient from a feature and application perspective too. Windows 10 and macOS Sierra, for instance, are chock-full of some exciting software that is simply not available on Linux, such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop, although alternatives (LibreOffice and Gimp for example) can sometimes be passable.

With all of that said, Microsoft has delivered an incredible feature to Linux-based desktop operating systems by way of the latest Alpha version of its Skype client. What is this exciting feature of which I speak? Well, the newly-released Skype for Linux 1.13 allows users to send SMS test messages from the operating system!

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It’s no secret that Windows 10 records all sorts of usage information, some of which it feeds back to Microsoft. To help with the smooth running of Windows 10, and to get an idea of how users interact with the operating system, Microsoft collects telemetry data, which includes information on the device Windows 10 is running on, a list of installed apps, crash dumps, and more.

Telemetry data recorded by Windows 10 is, in a nutshell, just technical information about the device the OS is on, and how Windows and any installed software is performing, but it can occasionally include personal information. If you’re worried about that, the news that Microsoft is sharing telemetry data with third parties might concern you.

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In direct contrast to Microsoft's assertion that Windows 10 is its most secure operating system ever, the US-CERT Coordination Center says that Windows 7 with EMET offers greater protection. With EMET due to be killed off, security experts are concerned.

A vulnerability analyst from CERT, Will Dormann, advises Microsoft to continue the development of EMET. Microsoft says 'many' of EMET's features have been integrated into Windows 10, but the concern is that key components are missing, and others have been implemented in such a way that reduces their security.

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Back in the the mid-1990's, everyone thought they needed a computer. After all, Windows 95 made using one particularly easy, and the internet was a very attractive thing. Unfortunately, once some people got their first-ever PC set up in their homes, they didn't really know what to do with it. In the end, it would turn out that some consumers spent thousands of dollars for a machine dedicated to one thing -- playing Solitaire! Yes, this fun Windows game is responsible for much wasted time, but not just at home -- at businesses too. The card game has historically been viewed as a negative for productivity.

Fast forward to 2016 and fewer people are sitting in front of large desktop computers at home -- people are increasingly turning to tablets and smartphones for entertainment. Today, just in time for Thanksgiving, Microsoft Solitaire Collection comes to both Android and iOS.

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Unless you’ve taken steps to actively block Windows 10’s mandatory updates, the chances are the new OS is regularly installing updates without your knowledge, and you'll probably only discover a new one has happened if/when something goes wrong.

For the most part, updates are perfectly safe, introduce occasional new features, and keep your system protected from threats, without you needing to lift a finger. But if you’re the sort of person who likes to know exactly what’s going on with your computer, there are a couple of ways to keep track of the Windows 10 updates.

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Racism is something that’s in the news a lot at the moment following Donald Trump’s election victory and the rise of the alt-right. The unfortunate side effect of all this is companies occasionally get criticized for doing something that isn’t the slightest bit racist, but could be viewed as such, if you chose to do so.

Case in point, a day or so ago Microsoft sent out a promotional email for Dead Rising 4 with the subject heading "NNNNGGGHHAAAA". That’s a zombie groan right? Nope, apparently, it’s the N-word.

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Windows Defender can help keep Windows 10 safe from threats, and run as a second line of defense alongside any existing security software you have installed.

Microsoft has added various new elements to the program in the Anniversary Update, including Limited Periodic Scanning and Block at First Sight protection. There’s now a new Windows Defender Hub available to download in the Windows Store.

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Despite being the default browser in Windows 10, Edge really hasn’t taken off in the way that Microsoft would have hoped. According to the latest usage figures from NetMarketShare, the new browser currently has just 5.26 percent share.

In a bid to improve matters, the software giant has started using pop-up notifications to push Edge in Windows 10, and bash its "rival" Chrome on both security and battery life. But if those arguments aren't enough to persuade you to switch, maybe the lure of 4K content from Netflix being exclusive to Edge will do the trick.

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As Windows 10 evolves, Microsoft is incorporating a number of different technologies from 3D to mixed reality. The company's own AR/VR platform, Windows Holographic, has headsets like Oculus Rift, and the minimum spec for connected PCs is slowly starting to emerge.

As noted by the Verge, the latest insider builds of Windows 10 include a Windows Holographic First Run app that gives you the chance to test your computer to see if it is compatible with Windows Holographic. The minimum specs are surprisingly low.

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Windows Defender in Windows 10 may not be the best security solution, but it will keep your system safe from threats if you don’t have a third-party anti-malware program installed. Microsoft made several improvements to it in the Anniversary Update, and as a result it's now much more useful.

Newly introduced features, available from Build 1607, include Limited Periodic Scanning, which can intermittently scan your system and notify you of any threats (even if you are using another anti-malware program and have Windows Defender turned off), and Block at First Sight protection.

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According to the European Commission, Microsoft has made commitments to appease EU antitrust regulators regarding its $26 billion acquisition of the professional social networking site LinkedIn.

The company announced its plan to acquire the site in June for $26 billion, in its largest acquisition to date. The deal would allow Microsoft access to LinkedIn's large user base and would give it an edge in providing cloud-based services -- such as Office 365 -- to businesses.

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