The launch date for Windows 10 Creators Update -- the next big update for Windows 10 -- is April 11, but there's no need to wait until Tuesday to get it. While the automated rollout starts next week, Microsoft has released the update so you can install it manually.

We already knew that Microsoft would be making the update available a week early. With the automatic rollout and update process expected to take months, you may well want to jump the queue and grab what Microsoft is calling the "latest and best version of Windows" right now. Here's how to do just that -- you don’t even need to be part of the Insider program.

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Microsoft has had something of a checkered history when it comes to privacy, particularly with Windows 10. Telemetry concerns have blighted the latest version of the company's operating system for many people, but now it has finally decided to come clean.

Ahead of the release of Windows 10 Creators Update, Microsoft reveals full details of the data it collects about users who opt into providing basic-level telemetry information. The company also provides some details -- but not as much as many would like -- about what is collected when the full level of telemetry is selected. This is Microsoft's attempt to come clean about privacy in Windows 10, but is it too little too late?

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If you have been following the development of Windows 10 with any degree of interest, it can't have escaped your attention that Windows 10 Creators Update is due to roll out next week -- starting on April 11 to be precise. Of course, there's nothing stopping you from grabbing the update right now, but now many people are starting to think about the next stage of Windows 10's future.

The next branch of development is Redstone 3 and Microsoft promises that new builds will start to creep out very soon. Dona Sarkar advises that "you won't see many big noticeable changes or new features in new builds just yet," but that's not to say big changes aren't coming -- such as Project NEON. The focus for now is on OneCore, and Microsoft warns that bugs might be an issue to start with.

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Microsoft is closing down CodePlex on December 15, 2017. The company says that its repository for open source software projects has seen a dramatic fall in usage, and points to GitHub as the "de facto place for open source sharing."

With 11 years of service under its belt, CodePlex is not just giving way to GitHub, Microsoft is actively recommending migrating to the renowned service -- and is making it easy to do so.

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It’s no April Fool -- Windows 10 is struggling. The new operating system enjoyed solid -- and rapid -- growth when it was free (and being forced on to users' computers), but in recent months, it’s seeing little to no increase in usage, according to NetMarketShare.

The OS hit the 25 percent mark in January, but since then it lost a little share in February, and made only very minor gains in March. Windows 7, in comparison, remains the operating system of choice for most people, with its share continuing to rise.

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Although Build 15063 is the RTM for the Windows 10 Creators Update, that doesn’t mean that Microsoft has downed tools and stopped working on the next iteration of its operating system.

The Creators Update doesn’t begin its roll out until April 11 (unless you opt to get it on April 5), which means the software giant will be working hard until then to squash any last-minute bugs and problems.

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Earlier this week, Donald Trump signed an executive order that effectively killed Obama-era environmental policies. Expressing his love of "clean coal" -- despite such a substance not actually existing --  Trump wiped out Obama orders that aimed to reduce carbon production and signalled an "end to the war on coal."

The signing of the executive order was met with astonishment around the world, and many voices have spoken out against the wisdom of the move. Among those are technology companies, many of whom have said that they will stick to promises they have made to tackling climate change -- something Google is aiming to do by switching to 100 percent renewable energy this year.

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It's time for Microsoft to pull the plug. Windows 10 Mobile has been on life support for a long time, and the software giant is only making things worse by not giving it the mercy killing it deserves. It may sound harsh, but there's no future for Windows on smartphones in its current state.

Microsoft wants to keep the door open to future developments but, let's face it, when it decided to sell Samsung's new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ through its stores it basically sealed its own platform's fate. There is no turning back from this. We know it and its fans know it too.

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Windows Privacy Tweaker is an easy-to-use portable application for viewing and controlling more than 50 Windows telemetry and privacy settings.

Unlike many similar programs, this isn’t just for Windows 10. You’ll be able to see and toggle some settings on anything from Windows Vista up.

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Microsoft has released yet another chatbot, and this one is aimed specifically at the Indian market. Named Ruuh, the chatbot is said to enjoy chatting about Bollywood, music, humor, travel and browsing the net.

It is available only in India and only in English, at least for now. It was launched on February 7, with Microsoft filing for a trademark on March 15.

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There are a lot of languages in the world -- there are many you probably have never heard of before. Many people think each country uses just one language, and that is it. This is far from the truth, however. Canada, for instance, uses both English and French. Heck, despite English being predominate (for now), the United States doesn't even have an official language!

In the People's Republic of Bangladesh, the most spoken language is Bangla. Despite the South Asian country being the eighth most populous in the world, for whatever reason, Microsoft Translator did not support the language. Today this changes, however, as the Windows-maker finally (অবশেষে) adds support.

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Yesterday, Microsoft announced that the Windows 10 Creators Update will begin rolling out to users on April 11. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll get it then.

As with last year’s Anniversary Update, Microsoft will roll out the update in waves, with newer PCs and tablets receiving it first, so it could be a while before it comes to your device. However, if you’re keen to be among the first to install it, there’s a simple trick you can use to get it nearly a week early -- on April 5.

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Yesterday's Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ announcement held few surprises (with the possible exception of Samsung DeX) thanks to all of the leaks ahead of the event. But something we didn’t find out until today is that there is a customized Microsoft Edition of the handset available too.

Not only will there be a Samsung Galaxy S8 Microsoft Edition and a Samsung Galaxy S8+ Microsoft Edition, but the smartphones will be available to buy direct from Microsoft. Pre-orders start today, but only in Microsoft's US retail stores.

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We knew that the Windows 10 Creators Update was coming in April, but now we finally have an official release date.

Microsoft today reveals that the big new update will begin to roll out to users around the world from April 11. And that’s not the only news.

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Microsoft's Minecraft isn't just a video game -- it is a phenomenon. What was once a PC-only affair is now available on mobile devices and game consoles too. It is wildly popular for entertainment purposes, but it is also being leveraged for education as well.

Today, Microsoft announces a new skin pack for Minecraft, based on another wildly popular phenomenon -- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Why is Microsoft releasing skins based on a 1990's television show in 2017? Because a new movie based on the franchise is in theaters now.

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