Microsoft is preparing a huge update to Windows 10, codenamed Threshold 2. We don’t know exactly when it will be made available, only that it’s coming this month.

In advance of that update, Microsoft is in the process of rolling out a new Insider Preview build which has all the hallmarks of being a test run of Threshold 2, or the Fall Update, as it’s likely to be known.

As we've seen with IBM's announcement earlier today, APIs are flavor of the development month at the moment.

Now the The Linux Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating the growth of Linux and collaborative development, is announcing the launch of an Open API Initiative to promote and facilitate the adoption and use of an open API standard.

Cortana was originally only available on Windows Phone, but Microsoft’s personal assistant has since become an integral part of Windows 10, and is currently available in public beta form on Android too.

Cortana is set to arrive on iOS at some point in the future, but don’t expect to be able to download the app any time soon -- there’s still quite a lot of development to go. However, that said, Microsoft is currently looking for testers to try out an early version of the iOS app and you can express your interest by filling in a short survey.

Microsoft Azure is set to become a Red Hat Certified Cloud and Service Provider as part of a new partnership announced today.

The tie up between Microsoft and the leading open source provider means Red Hat Enterprise Linux will be offered as the preferred choice for enterprise Linux workloads on Azure.

The internet has turned us all into sharers. If you find something interesting online, be it a photograph, video, or an article, there’s a good chance you might share it with people via Facebook, or Twitter.

Microsoft wants Skype to become another way of easily sharing content, and so has introduced a new Share button which will let you quickly forward content on to people you know. "Effortless sharing that sparks richer conversations", as the Skype team describes it.

The increasing demands of compliance and legal requirements are forcing companies to retain more and more data as well as having to comply with local regulations. Many organizations see the public cloud as an attractive option for storing this information but that in itself raises additional security issues.

For Azure users the headaches are about to be reduced as data protection specialist Druva is extending its cloud solutions to Microsoft's public cloud and infrastructure platform.

The adoption of Windows 10 is slowing, and that trend is set to continue -- largely thanks to Microsoft. In an unusual move, the company has extended the availability of Windows 7 so it will be possible to buy computers with the operating system pre-installed until the end of October next year.

What's particularly interesting about this is that it means that Windows 7 will be available to buy for longer than Windows 8. Many would take this as an admission of the widespread dislike for Windows 8, but it also offers a lifeline to anyone who wants a new computer without Windows 10.

For a while, Microsoft was a company that could do no wrong. Under Staya Nadella's rule, the company made a lot of great moves, such as listening to users, offering cross-platform compatible services, embracing open source, and most importantly, releasing Windows 10.

Unfortunately, the company has just made a major faux pas, by announcing it will be downgrading OneDrive storage plans, including canceling its 'unlimited' offering. Why would it do such a terrible thing to its users? The company claims that some abusive users have ruined it for everyone. Has Microsoft just entered into a PR nightmare?

While I am not a hardcore sports nut, I am a fan of many teams, like the Mets, Knicks, Islanders and Jets. Truth be told, I can enjoy spectating almost any sport -- including bowling and curling -- with the only exception being golf. Don't get me wrong, I recognize the skill, and respect the participants, but holy cow -- it is boring.

Not everyone feels the way I do, obviously, as golf has its fans -- hey, someone must be watching it if they keep putting it on TV, right? Believe it or not, I am actually interested in the PGA Tour now -- not as a sports fan, but as a tech nerd. You see, the PGA Tour has decided to leverage Microsoft technologies to enhance the golf experience for fans and employees alike. The partnership will last three years. Wise move, PGA.

The New Xbox One Experience is just around the corner. We already know that the rollout starts on 12 November, and that means that there are just ten days until Windows 10 comes to Xbox One gamers. Today Microsoft shows off what there is to look forward to in a couple of new videos.

This is not a small update by any stretch of the imagination -- it sees the arrival of the New Xbox One Experience. Not everyone has been keeping up to date with the snippets of news that have crept out over recent months, nor have they all been taking part in the preview program. But whether you've kept abreast of what's to come or you haven’t got a clue what to expect, the videos serve as an excellent introduction.

As Microsoft has released numerous preview builds of Windows 10, testers have been able to provide feedback and make suggestions via the UserVoice website. In two weeks, this feedback system dies completely.

The killing of UserVoice actually took place on 30 October, but the site remains accessible until 16 November -- almost coinciding with the expected release of Threshold 2. Before you start to panic that Microsoft is killing the feedback that has been provided, there is a contingency plan.

Microsoft’s search engine Bing comes baked into Windows 10 in several ways. It’s the default search choice in Edge and Cortana, and you can even use its image of the day as the wallpaper for your lock screen via the Windows Spotlight feature.

As well as displaying a new image on a regular basis, Windows Spotlight lets you "like" photos which appeal to you. The more pictures you like, the better idea Windows will have of the sort of imagery you want to see, and it will customize the content accordingly.

Windows 10 has been with us for a few months now, and the time has come for its first big update. Known variously as Threshold 2, the November Update, and the Fall Update now has a release date -- 10 November.

In just over a week's time -- according to a Microsoft Support Engineer writing on Microsoft Answers -- the November update is due to launch bringing, amongst other things, Cortana support to India. Windows Insiders on the Fast Ring who have tried Windows 10 Build 10576 already have an idea of what to expect.

The recently released Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book have generated waves of interest, but the devices have not been without problems. Some owners have complained about flickering screens, while others have experienced issues with charging.

There are also some users who complain that their wireless connection is much slower than other devices. If you are one of those affected by the problem, a simple registry hack is all that's needed to get things back up to speed again.

It’s that time of the month again when NetMarketShare releases its desktop operating system usage share figures and we get to see how well (or not) the various flavors of Microsoft’s operating system are doing. In October, Windows 10 gained usage share, while all other versions of Windows lost share. That’s to be expected of course.

However, it’s far from great news for Microsoft as Windows 10’s growth once again slowed. Making the new OS free to upgraders, and advertising it heavily still doesn’t seem enough to get people to make the switch. No wonder Microsoft has started using bullyboy tactics.