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You might have been reading many articles about Windows 8.1 Update 1, but all of them are just small updates. So this week I decided to create an article listing every single change and features coming in the next small-major update of Windows 8.1, that way you can really understand everything that is coming in a single article. On gaming, this week Microsoft finally starts rolling out the February Xbox One update to consoles; brings a few new features and improve system performance....

The company also rolled out Windows 10 build 14372 to the Fast ring, but only with bug fixes and improvements to get the operating system ready for the July release. Surface tablets received the June firmware update this week with battery and stability improvements. After conducting a few battery tests, Microsoft shows off that its Edge web browser is more energy efficient than Chrome, Firefox, and Opera. The tests claim that users on Windows 10 using Microsoft Edge can get over 50 percent more battery life on regular web surfing, and 70 percent more battery life on video playback....

On Windows 10, this week you learned how to install the Technical Preview on a virtual machine using VirtualBox and VMware Workstation. You also learned how to uninstall updates for the preview if your PC starts acting up. This week we also looked at all the features Microsoft decided to include in Windows 10 Technical Preview. There is also a Windows Technical Preview Quick Guide that you can download to get started with the operating system....

Microsoft made available the recovery images for its new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro (2017) to restore the default factory settings in case your device isn’t working or you’re ready to sell it. The recovery image is also especially useful for Surface Laptop owners who may want to roll back to Windows 10 S after upgrading to Windows 10 Pro. The Spotify app is now available in the Windows Store, and Microsoft quietly introduces the new Modern Keyboard with fingerprint reader to add support for Windows Hello on desktop computers....

Like any rumor, you should take this with a grain of salt, Microsoft still has to officially announce the release date. But Paul information on rumors about the company has pretty much been accurate this far, thanks to his close connections with people inside of Microsoft. — Paul Thurrott (@thurrott) June 7, 2013 If the first day of August end up being the official date, the software giant will ship Windows 8....

According to the report, Windows Threshold preview for mobile devices will be available sometime in January or February of 2015. Which is just a few months after the release of Threshold preview for Windows clients and few months apart of the final release. As I previously mentioned, this new merged version of Windows for mobile will drop the desktop user interface entirely, leaving user with only the Metro interface, just like you see today in Windows Phone OS....

The company also showed off a new built-in app for Windows 10 known as Your Phone, and it’s an app that allows you to access your text messages, photos, and notifications without having to unlock your phone. Microsoft Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president of Windows, also announced that Fluent Design is coming to classic desktop (win32) applications. In addition, during the Build 2018 conference, the company also unveiled a number of Fluent Design improvements coming in 2018 to Windows 10....

In addition, as part of the 19H1 development, Windows 10 build 18237 released for Insiders with a new acrylic effect in the Sign-in screen. Windows 10 April 2018 Update, Fall Creators Update, Creators Update, and Anniversary Update received new cumulative updates as part of the September 2018 Patch Tuesday with security fixes. Surface Pro 4 and Surface Pro 3 received a new firmware update to improve battery life and security....

Battery Saver works by limiting background activity and dynamically adjusting hardware settings to conserve battery. The new feature turns on automatically using rules (e.g., turn it on when the battery reaches 20%), but you can also turn it on manually with the “Right now” switch. Although the feature to conserve battery popped up in PC setting “Automatic Rules” appears grayed out, meaning that it’s not fully baked in the operating system....

According to the company, users with devices in the Release Preview Channel should be able to download and install build 19042.508 using Windows Update, which is the final version of the October 2020 Update. The company also says that devices enrolled in the Beta Channel of the Windows Insider Program will receive the new version as a cumulative update automatically. If you want to upgrade to the latest update early, you’ll need to enroll your computer to the “Windows Insider Program” settings page using the “Release Preview Channel” option....

Surface Dial is a $100 Bluetooth accessory that rotates and clicks with haptic feedback and 3,600 points of precision built for Surface. With this device, you can quickly access tools and shortcuts. On image editing applications, you can manipulate images and change colors. On Windows 10, for example, basic functionalities will include adjust volume and zooming controls. Although Microsoft wants every app to include support for the Surface Dial, it’s up to developers to add the integration....

While previous versions of the operating system always had a gold version, a version that the company signs off as complete, with Windows 10 everything is changing. Now that Microsoft is moving to a Windows as a Service model, nothing is ever actually complete, it’s always a work in progress. This means that Windows Insiders are already using the best version available, but of course further updates will roll out starting July 29th, as hotfixes to patch, improve, and stabilize the operating system for a more complete experience....

Windows 10 Creators Update build 14971, according to the company, brings a set of new features and improvements for Microsoft Edge, including the ability to open epub files in the browser. The new Paint 3D app replaces the good old Paint bringing 3D to everyone. PowerShell takes a more important role in Windows 10 fading out Command Prompt even further. And Microsoft also announces a new Get Office app that aims to be functional and not just a way to nag users to get Office on their computers....

Windows 10 build 16273, according to the company, delivers mostly bug fixes and minor improvements with the Windows Shell, Microsoft Edge, and input. In addition, starting with this preview, Windows 10 introduces the Bahnschrift font. What’s new on Windows 10 build 16273 Bahnschrift font In this new flight, Windows 10 introduces a new font family called “Bahnschrift”, which uses OpenType Variable Font technology that allows to pack an entire typeface family into a single file with infinite variables....

Windows 10 build 17686, according to the software giant introduces a new Region page, and the Language settings now have its own page. In addition, this new flight will alert users if the microphone has been blocked, and you’ll also find a few improvements with Windows Mixed Reality. What’s new on Windows 10 build 17686 Here are the changes included in the latest Redstone 5 preview of Windows 10 coming later this year:...

Windows 10 build 18917, according to the company, is a minor update that ships with Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 and improvements for Windows Ink. In addition, this flight ships with some new throttling options for Delivery Optimization. Windows 10 build 18917 Here are all the features and changes coming to the next version of Windows 10: Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 Starting with build 18012, Windows 10 ships with Windows Subsystem for Linux 2, which is a new version of the feature that runs ELF64 Linux binaries....

The Windows Insider Program allows enthusiasts and developers to get early access to previews of Windows 10 using the Fast and Slow rings. However, because installing early previews through these rings can affect your experience with bugs and errors, Microsoft also created the Release Preview ring, which is a third ring to get cumulative and driver updates, Windows Store apps updates, as well as features updates, before everyone else, but without significant risks....

The Creators Update is third major release of the OS, and it’s designed to “spark and unleash creativity” with many new features and improvements, some of which include, support for 3D and mixed reality. Improved gaming performance and Beam integration “enabling every gamer to be a broadcaster”. A new version of Microsoft Edge that makes the browser faster and more secure, new security features, better control over updates, tweaks, and a lot more....

However, in the Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones, the company is changing the Start background feature to align the design throughout phones, tablets, PCs, and Xbox One. In the latest preview users will notice that they can set a background on the Start screen and the Live Tiles will be made translucent, so users can view more of the background image, identically to the Xbox One dashboard transparent Live Tiles introduced in the February 2015 update and how the Start menu will look in Windows 10....

The program includes three readiness levels (also known as channels). The Dev Channel (formerly Fast ring) is for highly technical users since builds are rough and contain code that is still under heavy development. Usually, these builds are not stable, you’ll come across errors and problems, and you may have to use workarounds to fix problems that may affect your experience. Also, previews in this channel are not attached to any specific release of Windows 10, which means that changes will be integrated into future releases when they’re ready and not necessarily in the next feature update....