Articles about Windows 10

If you have an iPhone, you're stuck with running iOS apps; if you have an Android phone, you're stuck with Android apps. At least that used to be the case. For desktop platforms such as OS X and Linux, tools and emulators exist that make it possible to run software designed for a different platform. CodeWeavers produce CrossOver which enables PC games and applications to run on non-PC platforms.

At the moment, CrossOver is available for Mac and Linux, but there are plans to bring the tool to Android. This means that, ultimately, it should be possible to run Windows software on an Android phone or tablet.

Continue reading →

Hybrid devices have started to gain traction in 2015, with IDC estimating that shipments will grow by 86.5 percent year-over-year to reach 14.7 million units. That is in no small part due to increased competition in this space, and it will only heat up thanks to Microsoft's new Surface Pro 4, which goes on sale in late-October. Vendors in the high-end segment will have to step up their game.

With the new XPS 12, Dell has come up with a hybrid device which may successfully compete with devices like Surface Pro 4. With a price-tag that starts at $999, however, it better be good.

Continue reading →

Star Wars is unstoppable phenomenon. Want proof? The last three films released -- the prequels -- were downright horrible, yet fans still want more. While I feared Disney buying the franchise would be its demise, the opposite seems to be happening -- it is gaining new life.

If you go to almost any store you will spot tons of Star Wars products for sale -- shirts, mugs, candles and more. Today, HP announces what could be the coolest such product ever -- the Star Wars Special Edition Notebook. Be still my heart.

Continue reading →

Microsoft's Windows 10 hardware event has been an impressive tour de force, as we have seen the company reveal a significant number of exciting new products. The focus has been on Surface and Lumia devices, but we have also seen Band and HoloLens pushed into the spotlight. And we cannot forget about the news surrounding Windows 10.

Since it can be hard to keep track of everything that Microsoft has talked about, we have crammed everything you need to know about its Windows 10 hardware event into a single article.

Continue reading →

Launching a new web browser was always going to be a risk. Microsoft used Windows 10 as a launch pad for Edge, shedding the shackles of Internet Explorer in a bid to take on the likes of Chrome and Firefox.

Sadly for Microsoft, new figures show that Edge is failing to make inroads into Google's and Mozilla's market shares. Analysis performed by Quantcast shows that in the US just 12 percent of Windows 10 users are using Edge, while Chrome is sitting pretty with a greater than 70 percent share.

Continue reading →

The next phase of the Windows 10 rollout will happen in December. We already know that the latest version of Microsoft's operating system is installed on millions of desktops and laptops, but the mobile version has been dragging its heels.

With the announcement of the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL which have Windows 10 Mobile pre-installed, owners of other devices have been left wondering when the upgrade will make it to their handset. Originally slated for a November launch, Microsoft has revealed on Facebook that the rollout will start in December.

Continue reading →

"Where’s the beef?" That iconic phrase from the annals of advertising yore is just one of the thoughts that come to mind after viewing the recent Windows 10 "Hardware Event" in New York. Microsoft had an opportunity to really "wow" the industry with something new and innovative. Instead, it served up a re-hash of technologies and trends that have been old news for months now:

Surface Pro 4 -- Evolutionary rather than revolutionary, which is a good thing if you’re hawking BMWs and want to keep last year’s customers from feeling cheated, but not so great if you’re trying to showcase true innovation. Performance bump? Modest. Weight reduction? Negligible. Fanless? Only on the lowest-end model, and even then you save very little on weight.

Continue reading →

The newly-announced Surface Book feels like it's something I should love. I'm a big Surface Pro fan and I still use my first gen Pro as my daily driver. But there's just something about the Surface Book that grates. The price is not in any way attractive, but there's something else that's rather ugly: the hinge.

The Surface Book's hinge is something that Microsoft seems quite pleased with. Proud of, even. Microsoft calls it a 'dynamic fulcrum hinge', but it looks like a cross between a caterpillar track and a rubberized bendy drinking straw. For what is described as a 'meticulously crafted' device and 'the ultimate laptop', it's not a good look -- and it could be a serious problem.

Continue reading →

At today's event in New York, Microsoft put on an impressive show. We were -- ironically -- expecting some surprises, and the announcement of the Surface Book meant we weren't disappointed; this is, after all, "the ultimate laptop". The looks are striking. The specs are impressive. The price tag is... eye-watering.

In a way, we should have expected some expensive hardware to be revealed today. With its Surface Pro range, Microsoft showed that it is not afraid to push up the price, but the Surface Book takes things a step further. $1,499 is the starting price. Make a few tweaks to the specs and you could find yourself relieved of a buttock-clenching $2,699. Is there any way to justify this price?

Continue reading →

The Surface computer line has revolutionized portable computing -- it reinvented the PC. Want proof? Both Apple and Google have arguably copied Microsoft's now-iconic hybrid PC with the iPad Pro and Pixel-C, respectively. This mimicry, plus solid sales of the Surface Pro 3, solidifies Panos Panay's vision as both worthwhile and successful.

Today, Microsoft unveils the newest member of its hybrid family, the Surface Book. While competitors thought they were catching up, Microsoft has suddenly left them in the dust. Yes, the company has reinvented the PC once again, but this time, with a laptop -- you can finally use a Surface on your lap. It is twice as fast as the MacBook Pro!

Continue reading →

Microsoft has been releasing regular updates concerning Windows 10 adoption. At the end of August, Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President of Marketing for Windows and Devices, shared the news on Twitter that Windows 10 was on 75 million devices. At the end of last month, Microsoft By The Numbers said that number had increased to over 100 million.

Today, at its new Microsoft devices event in New York City, Terry Myerson, Microsoft's EVP of Windows and Devices Group, provided the newest update, announcing that the new OS is now on over 110 million devices.

Continue reading →

With Windows 10’s momentum slowing, Microsoft needs to reignite interest in its new operating system, and what better way to do that than by introducing new devices designed to showcase the OS. Today at a special event in New York City the software giant will be taking the wraps off its latest hardware ventures.

We’re expecting to see a refreshed Surface Pro at the event, possibly with a borderless display, new Lumia smartphones -- including the 950 and 950 XL flagships --  and maybe other devices too. A closer look at Surface Hub, HoloLens, and Windows 10 Mobile are all possibilities as well. It definitely promises to be an exciting event.

Continue reading →

We already knew there was a Microsoft event tomorrow in New York City and BetaNews will be there to help bring you full coverage. The event kicks off at 10am EDT and you can watch it numerous ways, including right here.

However, that's just a prelude to a couple of weeks of other events around the world. Microsoft plans to showcase new devices from a number of OEM partners -- one per day (mostly) beginning October 7th.

Continue reading →

If you change the DPI scaling to make text, apps and other items easier to read on your Windows device, you may have encountered the problem of blurry fonts in Windows 10.

The issue is caused by Microsoft using a different scaling method to the one it used in previous versions of Windows (stretching back to Vista), and mostly affects the Windows font and dialog boxes.

Continue reading →

The update process in Windows 10 has proved controversial. There was upset at the fact that updates are not optional, and this in turn led to driver updates breaking people's computers.

We have already looked at the steps you can take to stop Windows 10 installing automatic updates, but what about if you want to keep Windows 10 up to date while retaining manual control of when drivers are updated? Read on to find out how to stop Windows 10 messing up your drivers.

Continue reading →