What impact has no longer being free had on Windows 10 adoption? (Spoiler: A surprising one)

PC surprise

Earlier this week Microsoft updated its Windows Trends page to show Windows 10 now having a whopping 39 percent of the global market, with a share of 50 percent in the US and 51 percent in the UK. What made these figures so impressive/unbelievable (delete as applicable) is they showed the standings as of June.

Today, NetMarketShare releases its desktop operating system usage share figures for August and, as you might expect, they paint a very different picture.

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Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14915 for PC and Mobile arrives on the Fast ring

Windows-10 key

It’s been a while since Microsoft rolled out a new Windows 10 preview build for Insiders on the Fast ring. The software company has been busy putting together future plans for the new OS, and promises we’ll see the results of these endeavors in the coming months.

Today, however, Microsoft rolls out new Build 14915 for PC and Mobile, with the primary focus being on improving app and update downloads.

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Latest Surface Pro 3 update fixes battery problems

fuel-guage

If your Surface Pro 3 has been plagued with battery issues, Microsoft has some good news for you -- there's now a fix available. Not that there was actually a problem in the first place, you understand...

While many people were under the impression that their Surface Pro 3 had developed a physical battery problem, an issue with the firmware was preventing it from being fully charged.

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Microsoft Back to School Deal: Buy Huawei MateBook Windows 10 PC, get free keyboard!

MateBookDealFeat

If you are looking to buy a new computer for college or high school, there are many great options. In my shopping guide, I listed some choices, with one being the Huawei MateBook. Like the Surface Pro, it is technically a tablet, but when the keyboard attachment is connected, it is functionally a laptop too.

Unfortunately, having to buy the Portfolio Keyboard adds $129 to the overall price. Thankfully, this is no longer an issue. You see, for a limited time, Microsoft will give you that keyboard for free when you buy the Huawei Matebook. Best of all, this promotion includes the base model, meaning you can get the full Windows 10 experience for a steal!

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Windows 10 has over 50 percent market share, according to Microsoft -- wait, what?

Confused

NetMarketShare’s desktop operating system usage figures are due out in a couple of days, and what happens in terms of Windows 10 growth will be interesting as it will be the first time the new OS isn’t available for free.

Before those figures arrive however, Microsoft has released some of its own, and according to the software giant Windows 10 now has 50 percent of the market in the US, and 51 percent in the UK. And, as if that wasn’t surprising enough, those numbers are from June, so the current percentage will likely be much, much higher.

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Microsoft combats hate speech based on gender, disability, religion, age, and more

StopHateSpeech

The internet and web together are two of mankind's greatest inventions. Not only do they put an infinite amount of information at people's fingertips, but they connect the globe too. We may take it for granted, but being able to video chat with someone on the other side of the planet, for example, is downright amazing.

While the internet has the ability to bring out the best in humanity, it also shines a light on some of its worst, sadly. In other words, there is a lot of hate on the web, and it can be downright ugly -- just look at YouTube comments! Heck, some presidential campaigns are even based on hate, but I digress. Today, Microsoft announces that it is increasing its efforts to combat hate speech that is hosted on its own services.

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Microsoft's Xbox Onesie is real, and you can win one here

Xbox unveils its latest design… and it’s not what you might

When images of the Xbox onesie from Australia hit the web, people went wild. Yeah, it is a silly product, but many fans of Microsoft's gaming consoles expressed desire on social media and web forums. Heck, you can have your gamertag embroidered on it -- how cool is that?

Believe it or not, the article of clothing isn't a hoax, but a real product. While Microsoft isn't selling them to the public, the company will be giving some away. Want to win one? You've come to the right place. Keep on reading for details.

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Latest Windows 10 update breaks PowerShell DSC and implicit remoting, but a fix is coming

Annoyed user

While mandatory updates mean Windows systems are kept safe from threats, the downside is if a bad update makes it through testing it gets pushed out to everyone.

This is a problem we’ve seen several times already with Windows 10, and the latest update, KB3176934, is another perfect example of this.

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Windows 10 Anniversary Update crashing when Amazon Kindles are connected

kindle-reader-front

Windows 10 Anniversary Update has been causing problems for users in all sorts of ways. There have been reports of it freezing systems, and killing webcams.

Now owners of Amazon Kindles are reporting their PCs crashing when plugging in their devices via USB to charge them or transfer books.

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Windows 10 cumulative updates rolling out for Anniversary Update

Windows 10

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update hasn’t gone as smoothly as Microsoft would have liked. Despite extensive testing from Windows Insiders, users have reported problems with the OS causing their systems to freeze, reinstall previously removed apps, and kill webcams.

Microsoft is today pushing out two cumulative updates that bring the Anniversary Update to 14393.82.

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Microsoft launches 'Xbox One S Madden NFL 17 Custom Console Sweepstakes'

XBOXNFL

The Xbox One is the best console of the current generation -- according to me, that is. Of course, some folks -- such as my colleague Wayne Williams -- think that PlayStation 4 is best. This is hardly an argument that will end anytime soon. Look, the PS4 is cool, but Microsoft's console runs Windows 10, making it have, arguably, more potential -- am I right? Oh well, to each his/her own.

Microsoft recently released the more powerful and svelte 4K capable Xbox One S and I totally want one -- I am sure you, dear readers, want one too. Luckily, if funds are tight, you can maybe win one from the Windows-maker. Microsoft is giving away 32 customized NFL consoles -- each featuring the logo of one team --  which will be extremely rare. Why? Because they will not be sold -- the limited consoles are exclusive to this sweepstakes!

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Microsoft reveals the secrets of HoloLens' specs, including a 24-core processor

hololens-render

At the Hot Chips conference this week, Microsoft has shed some light on the hitherto secretive specifications of its augmented reality HoloLens. Now that anyone with $3,000 spare is able to buy a headset, there's never been more interest in what's actually inside the case powering the AR goodness.

The holographic processing unit (HPU) at the heart of HoloLens is a seriously multi-cored beast. The Register reports that it is a "TSMC-fabricated 28nm coprocessor that has 24 Tensilica DSP cores". Of course, there's much more to the device than just this chip.

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Microsoft apps will be pre-loaded on Lenovo and Motorola Android devices

MS Android

There was a time when Microsoft was seen as the enemy of the Linux and Apple communities. Understandably, at the time, the company only wanted Windows to succeed. Nowadays, however, the operating system is sort of inconsequential. Microsoft seems happy to have its software succeed on 'competitor' platforms such as iOS, Android, macOS, Ubuntu and more.

Today, Microsoft announces that it has partnered with Lenovo on a new mobile initiative. The Windows-maker's productivity apps will be pre-loaded on Lenovo and Motorola-branded devices running Google's Linux-based Android operating system.

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Microsoft buys Genee to bolster Office 365 intelligence

AI

If you are running a business (regardless of size), a certain tool can help you to achieve success -- Microsoft Office. True, there are free solutions, such as LibreOffice, but they simply don't compare. When you use Office with Microsoft's other solutions, such as SharePoint, everything just works together in a brilliant way. Office 365 in particular is such a great value for both home and business.

Today, Microsoft announces it is acquiring a company called 'Genee'. This is an acquisition which will make Office 365 even better. How? With a major focus on intelligence, it can help employees to work smarter, not harder.

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Changes to Microsoft Family make it possible to block Chrome and Firefox in Windows 10 Anniversary Update

Windows 10

Windows 10 Anniversary Update introduced a number of changes to the operating system, and Microsoft has started to email users about changes to Microsoft family settings. As the name implies, this is about keeping things family-safe, family-friendly, but one of the changes is unlikely to go down well with rivals.

While new Microsoft family options make it easier to place limits on what children are able to do with a computer, a controversial option forces the use of Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge. Microsoft has made it possible to block the use of Chrome, Firefox and other rival browsers.

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