Articles about Windows 10

The idea behind the Windows Insider program is members get to test out preview versions of forthcoming Windows 10 builds.

However, quite how much actual testing can get done when the builds are rolling out thick and fast is a matter for debate. Windows 10 Build 18348 is the second 19H1 build to be rolled out this week, and the fourth build in total, when you factor in Slow and Skip Ahead releases. If it's Microsoft's aim to confuse people, the software giant is doing a bang up job here.

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Three-hundred-and-twenty-four in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Windows Store in the past seven days.

Microsoft released new builds of the upcoming Windows 10 version 1903 and the Skip Ahead Windows 10 version 2003 this week.

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Being a Windows Insider can be very confusing these days. It used to be there was only one Windows 10 preview version to test -- the next feature update of the OS -- but now there are Skip Ahead flights rolling out which let users test versions of Windows 10 that won’t see the light of day for another year. Crazy.

On Tuesday Microsoft released Windows 10 19H1 Build 18346 to the Fast ring, and today we get Windows 10 20H1 Build 18845 for Skip Ahead Insiders. To access this build you will need to have opted in to Skip Ahead. That branch is now closed, but it's still possible to get access should you wish to. Follow the instructions here.

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[Update] This build is now available on the Slow ring.

Microsoft has released a new Windows 10 build to insiders -- Windows 10 19H1 Build 18342. This new build sees improvements to gaming that fix problems with State of Decay. There is also the new and much-requested ability to access Linux files from Explorer, a host of bug fixes, and the launch of a Chrome extension for Timeline. But while this is a significant update with a lot to explore, it's not for everyone. Microsoft has disabled the rollout of the build for systems with certain processors.

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The Windows 10 October 2018 Update has been a disaster for Microsoft. It caused all manner of problems for users, so much so that Microsoft had to pull it for a while, and even though the update has now been cleared for use on most systems, hardly any users have it.

The software giant will be hoping its follow up, Windows 10 19H1, due out in the spring, will be much more successful, and it has been rolling out new Insider builds at an accelerated rate this past week.

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Microsoft is currently working to finish the next big feature update for Windows 10, codenamed 19H1, which is due to begin rolling out in April.

The trouble is, most users still haven’t installed its predecessor, the often problematic October 2018 Update (aka Windows 10 1809).

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"Elegance" and "value." Those two words are synonymous with HUAWEI. The company is still establishing itself in the USA, but in China, HUAWEI's products are insanely popular. Its laptops, tablets, and smartphones are designed to be beautiful and functional, while also offering a great value. In some ways, it has matched or exceeded the legendary Apple in the design department.

HUAWEI's laptops in particular are top notch, putting the Windows 10 machines from other manufacturers to shame. The MateBook X Pro, for instance, offers insane performance in an affordable and attractive package. Today, the company announces a refresh to that laptop, while also unveiling a new model -- the MateBook 14. After coming away extremely impressed by the MateBook 13 earlier this month, I have very high hopes for the 14. The X Pro and 14 both have the much desired 3:2 aspect ratio, but the former has higher resolution. Another big difference between the two is that the X Pro has Thunderbolt 3, while the 14 does not. With that said, the 14 does have HDMI, so you can output video without a dongle -- a nice feature for some.

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Having recently started public testing of Windows 10 20H1, Microsoft has a new build for Insiders on the Skip Ahead ring to try out.

Windows 10 20H1 Build 18841 is really just a bug-fixing build but it comes with a warning from Microsoft that: "As is normal with builds early in the development cycle, these builds may contain bugs that might be painful for some". If that whets your appetite, dive in!

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If you use a laptop with a small SSD, you'll want to make sure you can reclaim as much hard drive space as possible. Many of the default apps Microsoft installs with Windows 10 can take up more space than you might realise and, better still, most can be removed simply and easily.

Take the Skype app, as an example. This app is now installed by default as Microsoft is keen to encourage us to use their technology. Problem is, it takes up nearly 0.5GB of your SSD, for an app you may never consider using.

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Three-hundred-and-twenty-three in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Windows Store in the past seven days.

Recent builds highlight several new features of the upcoming Windows 10 version 1903 update. New features include options to access Linux files using WSL, Windows Sandbox scripting support, and more.

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The Timeline feature of Windows 10 makes it easier to work on multiple computers by synchronizing activity so you can move between machines and pick up from where you left off -- although it can also prove useful on a single computer. Having made this available in its Edge browser, Microsoft has now released an extension that brings it to Google Chrome.

This move is understandable as Chrome has a much larger userbase than Edge, and Microsoft admits that it is a much-requested feature.

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The marriage between Linux and Windows is getting stronger. Having embraced Linux with WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), Microsoft is now doing what users have been begging for: Windows 10 April 2019 Update makes it possible to access Linux files from Windows.

As well as enabling you to open Linux files from within Explorer, Windows 10 version 1903 gives you the option of editing Linux files from Windows.

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Three-hundred-and-twenty-two in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Windows Store in the past seven days.

As always, if I've missed an app or game that has been released this week that you believe is particularly good, let me know in the comments below or notify me via email.

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The official way to install a version of Microsoft’s latest operating system on a Raspberry Pi is to use Windows 10 IoT, but that’s a stripped down version and a far cry from the Windows 10 we know and love/hate (delete as applicable).

Microsoft makes a version of Windows 10 that runs on ARM processors, and there’s now an unofficial Windows On ARM tool that lets you install that OS on the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B or B+.

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There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all laptop. Sure, there are some computers that are built for general use and should meet the needs of many, but due to personal preferences, there will never be an overall consensus on style, size, or price. For instance, I personally find 13-inch laptops to be the best balance of portability and usefulness, but some folks will think such a screen is too small. Heck, some may even prefer an 11.6-inch screen -- such is life.

With all of that said, HUAWEI has created a laptop that should check all the boxes for many consumers. The "MateBook 13," as you can guess, has a 13-inch screen. It even has an option for NVIDIA graphics -- if you need such a thing. I have been testing this computer to see if it meets my expectations for what a laptop should be in 2019.

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