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Say goodbye to “Minecraft: Xbox One Edition” or “Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition” and hello to a universal “Minecraft!” This update introduces cross-platform play, essentially creating a version of Minecraft that’s consistent no matter what device you’re playing on. In the Better Together Update, we’ll also have three community server partners that will be accessible from within the game, bringing dozens of new minigames for people to play with millions of other players. Players on consoles will be able to access tons of player-made content on Marketplace for the first time – and anything unlocked from the Minecraft Store on one device will be available on all the other devices linked to that person’s Xbox LIVE account. Totally new items will also be hitting the Marketplace tomorrow, complete with community made adventure maps, worlds, texture and skin packs. We’re also excited to make it easier for people on mobile or Windows 10 devices to invite others to play with them in their realm with Invite Links. For players using Windows 10 PC, we’ll have integration with Paint 3D and Remix3D.com, making it easy to export and share your Minecraft creations with our 3D community at Remix3D.com. You can get the Better Together Update for free if you already own Minecraft on one of the Bedrock Engine platforms, and you can read more about the update over at Minecraft.net! The post The Better Together Update for Minecraft is here appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Hello Windows Insiders! Today we are releasing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16291 for PC to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring only (not Skip Ahead). As we mentioned previously, we are now at the point of the development cycle for the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update where our focus is now on stabilization for release to the world. This means that we are releasing new builds to Insiders more quickly and that these builds will include mostly bug fixes. You’ll notice that this build continues to include a bunch of good bug fixes Insiders will enjoy. What’s new in Build 16291 Resume from phones to PC with Cortana: Cortana users can now resume articles, news from their iPhones and Android phones to PC from within the Cortana app. This exciting feature comes in addition to the existing features where users can sync reminders, notifications and SMS across their devices and stay connected on the go! https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/724c599f614d36dd0e20a1f51274794e.jpg https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/fe4ccfb8707404b91d24246ac307b676.jpg General changes, improvements, and fixes for PC We fixed an issue where sometimes after an upgrade Windows Update’s update history would be missing a listing for the feature update you’d just done. We fixed an issue where scrolling with touch or precision touchpads wasn’t working with the F12 Developer Tools. We fixed an issue where pin reset above lock (“I forgot my PIN”) would only work the first time the password was reset. We fixed an issue where Microsoft Edge would crash if you added a Favorite to a Favorites folder and then immediately sorted that folder by name. We fixed an issue with the indexer from recent flights that could result in Outlook 2016 search failing to index the body of messages. We fixed a recent issue resulting in the Skype UWP app not being launched if it was minimized when you clicked an incoming call notification. Update for Insiders with a Surface Pro 3 If you are a Windows Insider who has a Surface Pro 3 and hit the bug causing the device to end up in an “unbootable” state where the Windows OS will not load and it appears to be stuck on a “spinning dots” screen – click here and read this forum post on how to get your Surface Pro 3 up and running again. Team Updates Next week, our entire team is going to be at Microsoft Ignite in Orlando. Please do come by the Windows Insider booth as well as our two sessions WIP 100 and WIP 300 for some 1:1 time with us. We’re SO looking forward to meeting you! No downtime for Hustle-As-A-Service, Dona <3 The post Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16291 for PC appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

In addition to getting ready for the launch of Forza Motorsport 7 by immersing yourselves in the demos, check out our launch trailer for the most comprehensive, beautiful and authentic racing game ever made! Forza Motorsport 7 will be available as an Xbox Play Anywhere title (Xbox One and Windows 10 PC versions included with single digital purchase at no additional cost) on Sept. 29 for Ultimate Edition owners and on Oct. 3 for Deluxe and Standard edition owners. Read more about today’s news over at Xbox Wire! The post Play Forza Motorsport 7 today with Windows 10 and Xbox One demos appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Did you know you can add family members to each Windows 10 PC you sign in to with your Microsoft account faster than ever? You can manage family settings online at account.microsoft.com/family, and changes will be applied to any Windows 10 device the child signs in to. Set up a PC for people already in your Microsoft family Select the Start button, then select Settings > Accounts > Family & other people. Select their accounts to add them to this PC. The first time they sign in, they’ll need to enter the password for their Microsoft account. Add someone to your family https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/d7214488efcc9cd394e75be66293198a.gif On your Windows 10 PC, select the Start button, then select Settings > Accounts > Family & other people. (You’ll need to be signed in to Windows with a Microsoft account.) Select Add a family member. Select Add a child or Add an adult. Type the email address of the person to send them an invitation to join. If they don’t have an email address, select The person I want to invite doesn’t have an email address and follow the directions to set up a new account. Have a great week! The post Windows 10 Tip: Set up family features on your Windows 10 PC appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Hello Windows Insiders! Today we are releasing Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview Build 15252 to Insiders in the Fast ring. General changes, improvements, and fixes for Mobile This build includes all the improvements from KB4038788. In preparation for the release of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, the product version number has been updated to 1709 just like PC. We fixed an issue where, on powering the screen off/on, high demand for CPU could cause several apps to crash. Background processing of photos is an example of high CPU demand. In a photo shoot session, you may have seen the Camera app crash. We fixed an issue with the Messaging app where conversation text was displayed incorrectly. Thanks to our Insiders that quickly highlighted this issue. No downtime for Hustle-As-A-Service, Dona <3 The post Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15252 for Mobile appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Here, kitty, kitty, kitty…. Oh wait, sorry if we pulled you away from the highly addictive game “Exploding Kittens.” More on that in a moment. But first, a look at some of the people and news that made our week at Microsoft claw-dacious, er, audacious. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/1efe0d8cca623a8c86950f80c21c3dd6.jpg Steve Barham, center, data scientist for the Seattle Department of Transportation and project lead for the University of Washington Data Science for Social Good project on traffic sensor data and vehicle cruising, with project fellows, from left, Orysya Stus, Anamol Pundle, Michael Vlah and Brett Bejcek. Photo by Scott Eklund/Red Box Pictures. More than two dozen students from the University of Washington in Seattle and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver used data science and analytics projects to tackle traffic, transportation and other metropolitan issues over the summer as fellows in Data Science for Social Good programs, done with support from the Microsoft-sponsored Cascadia Urban Analytics Cooperative. Some of the students’ work was shared this week in Seattle at the second Cascadia Innovation Corridor Conference. Steve Barham, data scientist for the Seattle Department of Transportation and a project lead, says the students “collectively contributed expertise that the city does not have, for example, in applied math and working with big data.” Moreover, “We had fellows that ate machine learning and different coding languages for breakfast.” https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/33daee068de9ce9e7a64a6c51b97d03a.gif Guest access for Microsoft Teams, one of the most-requested features by customers of the chat-based workspace, became available this week to Office 365 commercial and education customers. Office 365 users can add people from outside their company to a team, so guests can participate in chats, join meetings, collaborate on documents and more. Guest access is built on the enterprise-grade, B2B collaboration features of Azure Active Directory (AD). https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/10debc44c7a82a0ca6c047247a37da2e.jpg Dr. Olivier Elemento, left, alongside his Ph.D. students Neil Madhukar and Katie Gayvert, analyze medical network data. Photo courtesy of the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine. Speaking of teams, we got to meet the team using Windows Mixed Reality for cancer research, including Alexandros Sigaras and Sophia Roshal, a duo who rapidly prototyped a Microsoft HoloLens application to achieve the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine’s “cancer moonshot,” a promise to empower better and faster cancer research, data collaboration and accessible care. It’s now in the Windows Store as Holo Graph, an app enabling researchers to bring their own network data into the real world to explore, manipulate and collaborate with other researchers in real time, whether they’re in the same room or on the other side of the planet. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/f61036943b85fe096cc20eac496e0875.jpg Selina Motlieb tries on work apparel at Smart Works. In the U.K., a charity that helps vulnerable women find jobs – and their confidence – counts single parent Selina Motlieb as one of its many success stories. Motlieb was looking for work, but her lack of self-confidence held her back at crucial one-to-one meetings. One of her biggest concerns was the way she was dressed – “I didn’t feel I was wearing the right clothes,” she says. That changed with the help of Smart Works, a charity that helps thousands of women each year, providing them with coaching as well as suitable clothes for job interviews. Smart Works operates six sites across Britain. Microsoft Azure, Dynamics, Office and SharePoint play key roles in booking appointments for the women Smart Works helps, gathering feedback and giving those in charge an overview of the whole business so they can run a reliable and professional service that puts their clients first. Azure confidential computing, a collection of features and services introduced Thursday, makes Microsoft Azure the first cloud to offer new data security capabilities. “Put simply, confidential computing offers a protection that, to date, has been missing from public clouds – encryption of data while in use,” writes Mark Russinovich, Microsoft Azure chief technology officer. “This means that data can be processed in the cloud with the assurance that it is always under customer control.” Control is very important for Tetra Pak, which supplies food processing and packaging solutions to manufacturers in more than 175 countries. The Swiss-based company is employing new digital tools that enable its cloud-connected machines to predict exactly when equipment needs maintenance, averting breakdowns. Sensors on more than 5,000 Tetra Pak filling machines at customers’ sites, all connected to Microsoft Azure, feed real-time performance data to the company for monitoring and analysis – nearly 700 million data points each year. As a result, maintenance can be scheduled precisely and efficiently. Last, but not least, we go to “Exploding Kittens,” the wildly popular tabletop and multiplayer game that is highly strategic and kitty-powered. The team behind “EK” is turning to Microsoft’s social bot, Zo, to offer the game’s first single-player version, for free. Fans can play one-on-one with Zo through Facebook Messenger (m.me/Zo), kik (kik.me/zo.ai) and GroupMe (contact: Zo). To play, start a conversation with Zo and ask if she’d like to play “Exploding Kittens” by texting “play EK.” Zo will reply with a link to play together. Now, that’s the cat’s meow! Enjoy, rest up this weekend and we’ll see you back here next Friday! Posted by Suzanne Choney Microsoft News Center Staff The post A week for teamwork and Teams, as well as good-natured, gaming fun with ‘Exploding Kittens’ — Weekend Reading: Sept. 15 edition appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of This Week on Windows! In case you missed it, catch up on the privacy enhancements coming to the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, check out this week’s Windows 10 Tip on how to make Start full screen – or, keep reading for what’s new in the Windows Store. In case you missed it: Here’s what’s new in the Windows Store this week: Xbox One S Forza Horizon 3 Hot Wheels bundle available now https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/9011d5360542e9996e176c279c5f64ca.png Calling all car aficionados and racing fans – another exciting Xbox One bundle is here! Make your Hot Wheels fantasies come true starting today with the Xbox One S Forza Horizon 3 Hot Wheels Bundle, featuring the highest-rated, best-selling racing franchise of this generation in stunning HDR. Each bundle includes: Xbox One S with a 500GB hard drive Xbox Wireless Controller Forza Horizon 3 with the Hot Wheels expansion – a $69.98 value (you’ll get access to play on both Xbox One S and Windows 10 PC) 1-month Xbox Game Pass subscription with unlimited access to over 100 Xbox One and Backward Compatible Xbox 360 games 14-day Xbox Live Gold trial to experience the most advanced multiplayer gaming network The Xbox One S Forza Horizon 3 Hot Wheels Bundle is available at participating retailers today, including Microsoft Store or Microsoft.com. Make sure to check with your local retailer for more specific details as availability and pricing varies in each market. Read more over at Xbox Wire! Ultimate Fall TV Guide https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/b4d94e49af8691c791709c12ab05bf8a.jpg It’s the most wonderful time of the year…fall TV season! Discover hot new shows like Ghosted and SEAL Team, watch new episodes of all your returning favorites like American Horror Story and Fear the Walking Dead, and check out free sneak peeks, pilot episodes and more with our Ultimate Fall TV Guide. Get your season passes now in the Movies & TV section of the Windows Store so you’ll never miss an episode – no subscription required! Fear the Walking Dead Season 3 – Midseason Premiere – Buy from $26.99 https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/a31873bb11e33ead2586b1ac2be28ab3.jpg The apocalypse changes everyone. But will it be enough to survive? Watch the thrilling midseason premiere of Fear the Walking Dead ($34.99 HD, $26.99 SD) available now in the Movies & TV section of the Windows Store. Transformers: The Last Knight – Buy from $19.99 https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/792cb4e3969eaa62d1a849266d4abf14.jpg Gear up for the action-packed final chapter in the Transformers franchise! When Earth’s greatest hero becomes our fiercest enemy, Bumblebee and Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) must lead the Autobots in the ultimate battle to save mankind. Watch Transformers: The Last Knight ($19.99 HD, $14.99 SD) now, available in the Movies & TV section of the Windows Store two weeks before it comes to Blu-ray. Polarr Photo Editor Pro – 50% off until Sept. 24 https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/ed3c127b53f29f1d147ebe2516c7e9c8.jpg Whether you’re new to photography or a sophisticated user, the powerful, easy-to-use photo editing features of Polarr Photo Editor Pro ($9.99, regularly $19.99) are now yours at a big 50% discount, but only through September 24 in this Windows Store exclusive offer. Polarr delivers powerful auto-enhancement tools, more than 100 filters, and a complete set of global and local coloring tools. And now, get face detection and an advanced face-editing panel, too. Have a great weekend! The post This Week on Windows: Fall TV Guide, Windows 10 Fall Creators Update and more appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Hello Windows Insiders! Today we are releasing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16362 for PC to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring who have opted in to Skip Ahead only. Insiders who joined Skip Ahead will continue to receive builds from the RS_PRERELEASE branch which has transitioned to RS4 which is the release that will come after the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (RS3). Because we are just beginning development for RS4, Insiders shouldn’t expect to see a lot of big changes or new features just yet. Our focus remains getting the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update ready for release! What’s new in Build 16362 Improved Boot Experience Use sign-in info to apply settings after a restart or update: Building on our work seen in Build 16251, if you stay on the lock screen for a few seconds before signing in, you will now see your lock screen personalization (such as Windows Spotlight, and/or status information from Cortana, Calendar, Mail, and more). As always, you can customize your lock screen experience using the settings listed under Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. Opt-out: Under the Privacy section of the Sign-in options page of your Settings, you can disable and re-enable using the option show below: https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/90001c6fbc3ba14c1a303fe1520f6189.png Note: The feature is only available on PCs that are not managed by enterprises. This includes home PCs that are sync’d to enterprise (work, school, etc.) email. Narrator Improvements: You can now select the desired audio channel for Narrator speech output! Simply go to Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator and you’ll find a new option to do this at the top of the “Sounds you hear” section https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/de0e7abfde162c1376bb6d72c2c097ca.png Windows Shell Improvements We fixed an issue where minimized app windows on mixed-DPI monitor setups might end up drawing offscreen after your PC resumed from sleep. We fixed an issue where if you changed your display language preference to something other than the machine’s default then any app which did not take an update while also getting the updated language resource package from the Store would end up continuing to display its tile in Start in that default language rather than the new language displayed within the app and other system UI. We’ve updated the Action Center to now use “AM” / “PM” when indicating timestamp with the 12hr clock format, rather than “a” / “p”. We fixed an issue where using the letters in Start to jump to different locations in the alphabet wasn’t consistently working in the last few flights. We fixed an issue where when the People button was present in taskbar, and toast-only banners (for example from Outlook 2016) were sent, the Action Center badge counter would become inaccurate. We fixed an issue where when the People button was present in taskbar, and toast-only banners (for example from Outlook 2016) were sent, the Action Center badge counter would become inaccurate. Microsoft Edge Improvements We fixed an issue resulting in multiple apps crashing in the previous flight if you tried to log into the app using Facebook. We fixed an issue where pasting an image to Imgur.com from your clipboard wouldn’t work. We fixed an issue which could result in uploads failing on some sites, such as Behance.net. We fixed an issue resulting in drag and drop onto websites intermittently not working. We fixed an issue where Microsoft Edge would crash after choosing to pin certain websites to Start. We fixed an issue where a tab could get in a state where it displayed a tab preview thumbnail even though your mouse wasn’t hovering over the tab. We fixed an issue where website tooltips could end up displaying behind the Microsoft Edge window after opening a link in new tab in the background. We fixed an issue for certain websites where after watching an embedded video full screen then using Esc to return to the page would result in the video controller no longer being visible. We’ve updated editable fields in PDFs to now have a subtle color to help indicate that they’re editable. Gaming Improvements We fixed an issue resulting in Ghost Recon: Wildlands not starting in recent flights since the Easy anti-cheat component wouldn’t load. We fixed an issue resulting in Train Simulator 2017 failing to launch on recent flights. Input Improvements We fixed an issue where the Pinyin IME’s emoji picker wouldn’t load in recent flights. We fixed an issue where the Emoji Panel’s tooltips could become mixed up. We fixed an issue from recent flights resulting in precision touchpads potentially dropping gestures after coming out of sleep. We’ve made some adjustments to address an issue resulting in sudden and brief CPU spikes where you couldn’t move your mouse. If you’ve encountered this, please try it in this new build and let us know if your experience has improved. We fixed an issue where when using the Chinese (Simplified) handwriting panel InputPersonalization.exe could get into a state where it would unexpectedly have a continually high CPU usage. General changes, improvements, and fixes for PC We’ve updated the Run dialog so when hold Ctrl + Shift then click OK or press enter, it will run that task or program elevated, just like how it works in Cortana. We fixed an issue where the Windows Defender Security Center app icon was missing in taskbar when the app was open, as well in Start’s all apps list. You will also notice that the icon is now un-plated in the taskbar. We fixed the issue where USBhub.sys was causing spontaneous reboots due to bugchecks (GSOD). We fixed an issue where the battery flyout might incorrectly show “PC not charging” while the device was changing in recent builds. We fixed an issue where fonts using shortcuts would become unusable and disappear from the Fonts folder. We fixed an issue where upgrading to recent flights would fail if you had a speech for a secondary language installed. We fixed an issue from recent flights resulting in some Insiders experiencing an issue where Store apps would begin to fail to activate after being launched a few times. We fixed an issue where your PC might not go to sleep automatically after remoting into it and signing out of the remote session. No downtime for Hustle-As-A-Service, Dona <3 The post Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16362 for PC (Skip Ahead) appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/a76fa61f5fa1b8144f96aceea03b993c.png Dr. Olivier Elemento (left) alongside with his Ph.D students Neil Madhukar and Katie Gayvert, analyze medical network data (photo courtesy of the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine) Welcome! This is Making mixed reality, a series celebrating the passionate community creating apps and experiences with Windows Mixed Reality. Here, developers, designers, artists (and more!) share how and why they got started, as well as their latest tips. We hope this series inspires you to join the community and get building! Meeting Alexandros Sigaras and Sophia Roshal was a lot like mixed reality: a digital-physical fusion. It first happened through a flurry of tweets and emails as Alexandros, a senior research associate at Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM), and Sophia, a WCM software engineer, rapidly prototyped a Microsoft HoloLens application to achieve the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine’s “cancer moonshot,” a promise to empower better and faster cancer research, data collaboration, and accessible care. Soon after I was lucky enough to demo their project in-person. It’s now in the Windows Store as Holo Graph, an app enabling researchers to bring their own network data into the real world to explore, manipulate, and collaborate with other researchers in real-time, be they in the same room or on the other side of the planet. Find out what makes this team tick, and how they make big data approachable with Windows Mixed Reality. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/c43b00b4586651efbdb1fc9a915fe48f.jpg Sophia Roshal looks at a graph of medical data (photo courtesy of the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine) Why HoloLens, and why Windows Mixed Reality? Sophia: It’s the logical next step. You usually constantly switch from window to window [on a PC]. With HoloLens, you stay in one place. You can just point at something; you don’t have to use your mouse. It’s just so much more of a natural environment, which is great. The best part of mixed reality for me is seeing other people try it for the first time. They are surprised how well interactions between the real world and holograms work, and are excited to see new updates. The most exciting part is to see the endless possibilities of mixed reality. From games to medical research, there are still many applications of mixed reality to explore. Alexandros: One of the key questions we get every single time we show HoloLens to someone who is already an avid developer is, “Why HoloLens, and not a 2D screen? Why does this revolutionize our work?” The key answer behind this is simplicity, connecting these dots. The amount of high-quality data that you can parse through with holograms is significantly more than the amount of data that you could create in a table and fuse together in your brain! Tangibility and collaboration are the biggest improvements. It’s like saying the mouse and the keyboard are absolutely great, but phone touch screens are a better user interface. We treat HoloLens as a technology that allows us to go to a higher level, make things more tangible, and remove the challenges of making connections in your brain because you actually see and manipulate them. Using @Hololens for realtime collaborative & interactive visualization on metabolomic networks @RoshalSophia @ElementoLab @ksuhre pic.twitter.com/JP60UH8Wrs — Alex Sigaras (@AlexSigaras) August 14, 2017 Who uses Holo Graph? Alexandros: In a nutshell, the end users for Holo Graph are computational biologists, clinicians, and oncologists. Instead of looking at “big data” in a two-dimensional structure, they immerse themselves and explore and focus on their areas of interest in 3D. There are two scenarios that we currently use with Holo Graph. One is for cancer research and genomics, and the other is metabolomics. For cancer research, it’s for drug discovery. We want to find how specific drugs relate to specific genes. With our app, I can upload my network that has all of this correlating information, and I can explore it, manipulating and changing the ways I look at data. If I click on a hologram of a drug, I’ll see the drug’s most up-to-date information directly from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – that’s an API tool. If I click on the gene, gene cards will tell me more about that specific gene. The other use case that we’re doing with our colleague Dr. Karsten Suhre from Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar is metabolomics. Dr. Karsten Suhre has identified connections between metabolites, genes, and diseases such as Crohn’s disease and diabetes. Using Holo Graph he can browse and identify unexpected paths in the network. One of the latest videos that we shared was collaborative sharing and manipulation of this very network on Crohn’s disease to identify if there are unexpected connections to other diseases. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/20640a254d83be4ebc28e0b3987f7305.jpg The Holo Graph team comes from the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and the Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar. From left, Sophia Roshal, Dr. Karsten Suhre, Dr. Olivier Elemento, Dr. Andrea Sboner and Alexandros Sigaras. (Photo courtesy of the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine) When did you get started building and designing for Windows Mixed Reality? Any tips for others just beginning? Alexandros: We became interested on the platform about two years ago and were delighted to be included in the first wave of HoloLens devices that shipped. Whether on an online forum or a meetup, there are a lot of talented people happy to help you get there and share their experience. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. You will be surprised how many questions have already been answered before! As far as tips go, download and try out apps from the Windows Store and make sure to reach out to the community for any questions. Sophia: Fragments was the biggest inspiration for me because the virtual characters sit on actual chairs. We recently updated our app to include avatars and do the same thing, and it was really cool to see that! Our avatars follow the person’s movement, and we also use spatial mapping to find the floor because the only point of reference on HoloLens is the head. There are MixedRealityToolkit scripts that finds planes, where you can find the lowest one and that will be the floor. Then you calculate the height between the head and the floor and you can map the avatar from there. Alexandros: Doing tutorials Holograms 240 with the avatars and Mixed Reality 250 with sharing across devices are excellent examples to see the capabilities here. Sophia: For someone just beginning, Mixed Reality Academy is by far the easiest way to start building apps. MixedRealityToolkit is the main tool I use. I will write my own scripts most of the time, but if you’re just starting, you have to get it! What inspires you? Sophia: Impact on our patients’ lives. Seeing your code making a positive impact in someone else’s life battling with cancer is one of the most rewarding experiences ever. The Englander Institute for Precision Medicine is using cutting-edge technology to go through a sea of data and provide our care team and their patients better treatment options. We believe that AI and devices such as HoloLens are just beginning to show their true potential, and we look forward on what’s yet to come in the near future. Alexandros: And it’s all about the power of people. The headset doesn’t save someone’s life; the clinician does. But mixed reality helps them see the patterns and get there. With HoloLens we want to answer, “If I were to show you this before you made the call, would that change anything? Would it make your decision and response faster? Would it give you more data?” And every person that we ask nods their head and says, “Yes, it’s right there. It’s almost like I can touch it.” Clinicians are used to reviewing genomic reports that can span up to hundreds of pages requiring significant time and effort. This doesn’t have to be the case though. HoloLens can act as a catalyst by significantly reducing the review time and make an impact at scale when combined with other tools such as AI, machine learning, and deep learning that we also do at the Institute. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/1ecced35f710a71544ecdea41a79dcf9.jpg Holo Graph can help researchers identify patterns in networks (photo courtesy of The Englander Institute for Precision Medicine) How are you getting data into your application? Any tips for those who want to do data visualization with HoloLens? Sophia: The easiest way to load dynamic data into an application is through a cloud integration app such as OneDrive or Dropbox. When you share data across the network to other users you need to consider secure transfer and adopt standard formats. Holo Graph currently supports .csv and XML/GraphML formats on OneDrive. We tend to share data across using JSON. OneDrive loading has been a great surprise. We used to add files to the backend. With OneDrive, now anyone who wants to can load their data into the experience. Alexandros: Data and data privacy are of utmost importance to the Institute. The real value of Holo Graph is not just about its looks; it’s about empowering researchers to get their real data in securely. As far as visualizing the data, my tip is to enable your users to break out of the 2D window and put their data on their environment on their terms. I’m ending with a favorite quote from our conversation. Spoiler alert: mixed reality’s got game! Alexandros: The way I explain mixed reality is this: Imagine you have a virtual basketball. If you’re throwing it onto the real ground, it bounces off because it knows where the ground is, and there’s “friction.” You can repeat this 100 times and it would happen the same way – you can expect it. It’s literally bringing digital content into real life, allowing you to bend the rules. Sophia and Alexandros are seriously inspiring. You can connect with Sophia and Alex on Twitter @RoshalSophia and @AlexSigaras. Want to get started #MakingMR? You can always find code examples, design guides, documentation, and more at Windows Mixed Reality Dev Center. Want more? Check out mixed reality design insights on Microsoft Design Medium. Inspiration abounds! The post Making mixed reality: a conversation with Alexandros Sigaras and Sophia Roshal appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

In April, we outlined significant enhancements made to the Windows 10 Creators Update that gives you more control to make informed decisions about your privacy. Those enhancements included improving in-product information about your privacy, updates to the Microsoft privacy statement, and improving transparency by publishing more information about the diagnostic data we collect. Continuing with our commitment to privacy and data control, today we’re announcing privacy enhancements coming to the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update for consumers and commercial customers that further increase your access to information and provides you more control over what information is collected. For consumers, some of the new experiences you will see include: Easier access to privacy information during setup To simplify your access to information about the features we offer, and the data collection and use around those features, we have made two privacy changes to the setup process. First, we are giving users direct access to the Privacy Statement within the setup process. Second, as you set up a new device, the Learn More page on the privacy settings screen enables you to jump to specific settings for location, speech recognition, diagnostics, tailored experiences, and ads while you choose your privacy settings. You no longer need to sift through the privacy statement if you only want to read about a specific feature, simply click the Learn More button for easy access. We want you to have all the information about your privacy setting options readily available so that you can make an informed decision about your privacy and how your data is used. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/02c75fa86e428342f1482ae218a30d63.jpg Ability to set application controls beyond location Likewise, it’s important to us that you have transparency and control over which applications can access your information. Most users are accustomed to being prompted for permission to use location data when using a map or other location-aware application. Starting with the Fall Creators Update, we’re extending this experience to other device capabilities for apps you install through the Microsoft Store. You will be prompted to provide permission before an app can access key device capabilities or information such as your camera, microphone, contacts, and calendar, among others. This way you can choose which apps can access information from specific features on your device. (You can learn more about Windows app permissions here.) https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/6e9e7c67882c62bdfaf4543c3eeb5fa4.png App permission prompts will only apply to apps installed after the Fall Creators Update. To review and manage your existing app permissions go to Start, select Settings, then select Privacy. Windows Analytics setting Likewise, our Enterprise customers asked us to provide them with greater control over which data is shared with us to enable new services. In addition to the above enhancements, we’re also providing a new setting that limits diagnostic data to the minimum required for Windows Analytics. Windows Analytics allows Enterprise administrators to decrease IT costs by gaining insights, using Windows Diagnostics, into the computers running Windows 10 in their organizations. It is a fast-growing Microsoft service – providing data-driven insights that reduce the cost of deploying, servicing, and supporting Windows 10. To learn more about Windows Analytics and how your company can benefit from Windows diagnostics data, visit the Windows Analytics website. As part of our ongoing dialogue and transparency with you, our customers, I am excited to announce these privacy changes coming next month in the Fall Creators Update. Windows Insiders will get an early look of some of these changes in the coming weeks. I look forward to continued dialogue and hearing your feedback here. -Marisa The post Privacy enhancements coming to the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Hello Windows Insiders! Today we are releasing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16288 for PC to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring only (not Skip Ahead). As we mentioned previously, we are now at the point of the development cycle for the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update where our focus is now on stabilization for release to the world. This means that we are releasing new builds to Insiders more quickly and that these builds will include mostly bug fixes. You’ll notice that this build continues to include a bunch of good bug fixes Insiders will enjoy. On Build 16288, you will notice that the watermark at the lower right-hand corner of the desktop has disappeared. You will also see that the OS now reports as “Version 1709” which is the official version number for the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update release. However, this is NOT the final build as we’re not done yet. We’re just now beginning the phase of checking in final code to prepare for the final release. So we will have more builds to release to Windows Insiders between now and then. And the desktop watermark may re-appear in these builds. We are also releasing Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview Build 15250 to Insiders in the Fast ring. General changes, improvements, and fixes for PC Windows Shell Improvements We fixed an issue resulting in the Facebook Messenger app failing to accept the enter key when sending messaging in recent flights. We fixed an issue where the “New” text displayed under the names of newly installed apps in Start wouldn’t go away after launching the app. We fixed an issue where using the letters in Start to jump to different locations in the alphabet wasn’t consistently working in the last few flights. We fixed an issue where local app search in Cortana failed to return the expected app if the user profile directory contained non-ASCII characters. We fixed an issue where pressing WIN + X would sometimes not show the accelerator key underlines. We fixed an issue where when the People button was present in taskbar, and toast-only banners (for example from Outlook 2016) were sent, the Action Center badge counter would become inaccurate. We fixed a bug from recent flights where upon unlock you’d be bombarded with any notifications that occurred while your PC was locked. If you’d like to review notifications received while your PC was locked, they can be found in the Action Center Input Improvements We fixed an issue where pressing delete when using the full touch keyboard layout in UWP apps would input a period rather than deleting a character. We fixed an issue where the Pinyin IME’s emoji picker wouldn’t load in recent flights. We fixed a tablet mode issue where launching the touch keyboard in UWP apps might sometimes take multiple taps on the edit field before the keyboard would come up. We fixed an issue where when using the Chinese (Simplified) handwriting panel InputPersonalization.exe could get into a state where it would unexpectedly have a continually high CPU usage. We fixed an issue with the handwriting panel where the “&123” and Emoji button didn’t work when the device was in portrait orientation. We fixed an issue resulting in not being able to turn on the Japanese IME after the focus was moved from a UWP (like Sticky Notes) to another app and back. We fixed an issue resulting in a stutter when selecting long strings in certain single line editable text boxes (for example when naming favorites in Microsoft Edge). We fixed an issue resulting in not being able to type text via the touch keyboard into Internet Explorer when using the Japanese, Chinese, or Korean keyboards. We fixed an issue where the Dayi and Array IMEs couldn’t input Chinese characters in certain apps in recent flights when using the touch keyboard. Microsoft Edge Improvements We fixed an issue where the tab preview for PDFs was just black with two white stripes. We fixed an issue where the first time you used Ctrl + F in a tab the search box wouldn’t get focus. We also fixed an issue where after clicking the Find on Page text box you might not be able to type in the address bar. We fixed an issue where sometimes the Hub would appear to open twice when you clicked the icon. We fixed an issue where typing a web address into the address bar from the New Tab and Start Page and would sometimes clear the text and not result in any page navigation. We fixed an issue where Ctrl + Click on a link in a PDF wouldn’t open the link in a new tab. We fixed an issue where “Open with previous pages” wouldn’t recover tabs if the tabs had been dragged between frames prior to closing Microsoft Edge. We fixed an issue which could result in uploads failing on some sites, such as Behance.net. We fixed an issue where website tooltips could end up displaying behind the Microsoft Edge window after opening a link in new tab in the background. We fixed an issue resulting copy/paste and the print dialog not working for those using the updated Youtube.com website design. We’ve updated editable fields in PDFs to now have a subtle color to help indicate that they’re editable. We fixed an issue resulting in PDFs potentially rendering blank after panning down a few pages and back up. We fixed an issue from recent flights where Alt + D wouldn’t bring input focus to the address bar when certain keyboards were active. Gaming We fixed an issue resulting in Ghost Recon: Wildlands not starting in recent flights since the Easy anti-cheat component wouldn’t load. We fixed an issue resulting in Mod Organizer no longer load mods into Skyrim in recent flights. Devices We fixed the issue where USBhub.sys was causing spontaneous reboots due to bugchecks (GSOD). We fixed an issue where your PC might not go to sleep automatically after remoting into it and signing out of the remote session. Other fixes and improvements We fixed an issue where Settings could crash if a Bluetooth device was turned off while the Bluetooth settings page was open. We fixed an issue from recent flights resulting in some Insiders experiencing an issue where Store apps would begin to fail to activate after being launched a few times. We fixed an issue where if the lock screen slideshow was set to a OneDrive folder containing offline-only images, these pictures would all be downloaded to the PC while the PC was locked (going through each picture). These pictures will now be skipped. If you’ve encountered an issue where Spotlight appears stuck on a particular image, we’ve added logic such that it should now reset after at most 7 days. What’s new in Build 15250 for Mobile Two factor Authentication: We are excited to announce that we’ve introduced a two factor authentication unlock mechanism for Windows 10 Mobile. With two factor unlock, an enterprise can enforce an additional security layer to their sensitive data via an MDM policy. Once two factor unlock is enabled, a phone user will have to enter a numeric pin followed by an enterprise-defined factor to unlock the phone. An example of an enterprise-defined factor is a companion device such as an NFC tag which can be used to unlock a phone using our Companion Device Framework sample app and documentation. AppLocker Improvements: A number of customers have provided feedback on the warning prompts for apps that are blocked by enterprise policies. We’ve improved the UX and updated the MDM SyncML scripts associated with the policies. Application restrictions can be configured by either the ApplicationManagement CSP or AppLocker CSP. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/9135b8b38feda46b903815d15ef91c0c.png ApplicationManagement/ApplicationRestrictions https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/bd60d9b5c0fc44bd1025de84cc22870f.png AppLocker/ApplicationLaunchRestrictions VPN Improvements: In the modern corporate workplace, mobility is mainstream and secure access to corporate data via VPN has become the norm. We are bringing a range of improvements and features that enhance the reliability of VPN on Windows 10 Mobile. The key updates to our VPN capability are: Lots of reliability improvements for VPN connectivity in Windows 10 Mobile. IKEv2 Sleep and Power Enhancements. VPN completes all pending actions before sleep and disconnects. Automatic reconnection on resume. [*]Force tunneled improvements for UWP platform. [*]Proxy improvements for UWP VPN profile. [*]Enabling MMS usage when VPN is connected. General changes, improvements, and fixes for Mobile We fixed a regression that was introduced in build 15245 where the fingerprint reader on the HP Elite X3 did not turn on the screen. You needed to turn on the screen before you could use Windows Hello. We fixed some issues where the Maps app navigation would start navigating a route and after performing a reroute, would present a list of possible routes instead of adjusting to the current route. We also improved map-matching particularly for routes using ferries. We fixed an issue where an app using the routing engine (e.g. Maps) would timeout on providing the route if suspended for more than 30 seconds. We fixed an issue where tiles on the Start screen would occasionally be blank. We fixed an issue where a VPN profile that was created via the VPN Management API would always be a dial-up profile. We fixed an issue with the MDM policy used to control Build Flighting by Mobile Enterprise. We fixed a couple of navigation issues when changing from highway to highway (occasionally, signposts were copied from the original highway to the destination highway) and highway to non-highway (erroneous instruction to “enter highway”). We fixed a rare issue where the user’s call history was shown as corrupt after an upgrade. No downtime for Hustle-As-A-Service, Dona <3 The post Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16288 for PC & Build 15250 for Mobile appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Happy Monday! Today, we’re going to show you how you can resize your Start screen, or make it full screen. To make Start full screen and see everything in one view, select the Start button, then select Settings > Personalization > Start, and then turn on Use Start full screen. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/313b7af0bf46a083e8bed6a98258bd64.gif The next time you open Start, it will fill the entire desktop. Select All apps on the left-hand side for a full-screen view of all your apps and programs, or stick with Pinned tiles for a more dynamic view. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/69c94b82aef3656f870b1d888afa4a91.gif If you’d just like to make your Start menu to make it taller or wider, select the top or side border and drag it. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/f829cc59f1662d8d47bd5687b20d869c.gif Check out last week’s Windows 10 Tip, in case you missed it: Have a great week! The post Windows 10 Tip: How to make Start full screen appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Time to read, write and “Hit Refresh,” following a brief-but-busy week at Microsoft. We saw an alliance grow, protections reinforced and new chapters emerge. Let’s take a spin through the news. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/9bb88903d9e92c0501b39e3f2911adb2.jpg This week, the author got a first look at his new creation. Early copies of “Hit Refresh” arrived at the office of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. He smiled while leafing through pages packed with reflections, ideas and principles on transformation – the story of Microsoft’s quest to rediscover its soul, as told through Nadella’s eyes and experiences. In a LinkedIn post published Wednesday, Nadella described “Hit Refresh” as an exploration of “the renaissance of a storied company and the implications of the coming wave of technology — artificial intelligence, mixed reality and quantum computing — which will soon disrupt the status quo impacting our lives, communities and economies.” “Hit Refresh” goes on sale globally Sept. 26 and is available now for preorder. Nadella is donating all proceeds from the book to Microsoft Philanthropies. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/aefb40d94d390350745cecc836768f46.jpg Pens down? Not so fast. New research offers the first electrophysiological evidence that the brain behaves differently when people use a pen versus a keyboard – and that the physical movement of a pen boosts learning. The finding builds on previous studies that suggest long-hand notetaking with a pen deepens the mind’s ability to retain and process information. Cognitive neuropsychologists Audrey van der Meer and Ruud van der Weel outfitted participating students with more than 250 sensors that monitored their brain signals. The students then completed tasks involving typing and note-taking by hand, including with the use of Surface Pro 4 devices. Van der Meer told Microsoft News Centre Europe that many tablet and stylus devices – like the Surface Pen – help people get the most out of ancient and modern technology. Conducted over two months in Norway and later peer reviewed, the study provides fresh proof that the pen – once seen as an analogue artifact – can be fully appreciated as a key component of our digital learning experiences. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/8535cb826c10a33e09be149435dd0621.jpg Shoppers know: Nordstrom is synonymous with legendary customer service at its 350-plus stores and online. During a recent chat between Cho Hwang, technology director at Nordstrom, and Ron Markezich, Microsoft corporate vice president, talk turned to Microsoft Office 365. “Office 365 supports the diverse and ever-evolving workstyles of Nordstrom employees in retail and corporate locations,” Hwang said. “It provides a comprehensive set of tools that enables employees to be more productive and always have the data that they need at their fingertips.” On Thursday, more Office 365 news broke when Adobe and Microsoft announced they are expanding their strategic alliance to increase workforce productivity and drive more efficient business processes. Adobe Sign, the market leading e-signature service in Adobe Document Cloud, is now Microsoft’s preferred e-signature solution across the company’s portfolio, including the 100 million monthly active users of Office 365. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/f8d17322337ad86c891be4b3a3b62ff5.gif A new Microsoft report details recent ransomware threats and the need for advanced security. You can protect yourself with Windows 10, which integrates next-gen security features that guard against ransomware, including multiple exploit mitigations, Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) and more. The upcoming Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will make Windows even more secure against attacks through seamless integration of Windows Defender ATP across the entire Windows protection stack plus other updates. You can start taking advantage of these protections now with the Windows Defender ATP Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, now open for public preview. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/7aa34a3ef95d86ca5603d8ed80e41280.jpg On Tuesday, Microsoft responded to the administration’s decision to rescind protection under the program for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), calling it a “big step back for our entire country,” writes Brad Smith, Microsoft president and chief legal officer, on the Microsoft on the Issues blog. The administration is giving Congress six months to replace DACA with new legislation. “Congress now needs to reprioritize the fall legislative calendar and move quickly with new legislation to protect these 800,000 Dreamers,” Smith writes. “This means that Congress should adopt legislation on DACA before it tries to adopt a tax reform bill.” Microsoft will work as needed with other companies and the broader business community to “vigorously defend the legal rights of all Dreamers,” Smith says. “For the 39 Dreamers that we know of who are our employees, our commitment is clear. If Congress fails to act, our company will exercise its legal rights properly to help protect our employees.” https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/7f86a5deeca9ac66f2af99e2b7954f22.jpg With fall (nearly) in the air, head back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as the complete collection of “Harry Potter” e-books arrives in the Windows Store. Find all seven books in the series in a single title, along with other favorites in this universe such as “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” and “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” Need more entertainment this weekend? Get your scare on with the newest chapter in Ryan Murphy’s TV drama anthology, “American Horror Story: Cult.” Buy a season pass now in the Movies & TV section of the Windows Store – and follow what’s hot, new and trending in the Windows Store on Twitter and Facebook. That caps are round-up. See you next Friday for another Weekend Reading! Posted by Bill Briggs Microsoft News Center Staff The post First look at Satya Nadella’s new book, Adobe and Microsoft deepen ties while science reveals (yet again) the power of the pen — Weekend Reading: Sept. 8 edition appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

Nearly a century after its dedication, the issues and technologies that led to the inauguration of the International Peace Arch “speak to us in multiple ways,” writes Brad Smith, Microsoft president, and Carol Ann Browne, Microsoft director of executive communications, in a new post in the “Today in Technology” series on LinkedIn. The arch, an eight-story, steel-and-concrete portal in Blaine, Washington, was financed and constructed by American road builder Sam Hill at a time when the future of roads was also about the future of new roadway technology. “And the future of this technology is again ripe with innovation,” Smith and Browne write. There’s another reason for the monument’s significance. “While the Peace Arch may sometimes not get much more than a glance from the 4,000 motorists who stream by in both directions each day, the unbroken peace it symbolizes between our two countries wasn’t a given for Sam Hill and his contemporaries,” Smith and Brown write. “A century later, the Arch provides a visible and powerful reminder that good neighbors should not be taken for granted.” Read the full post on LinkedIn. Suzanne Choney Microsoft News Center Staff The post Nearly 100 years later, a border stands strong with an arch and not a wall appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of This Week on Windows! In case you missed it, read about the Surface Laptop colors arriving in additional countries, catch up on the news from IFA last week, check out five tips for using Microsoft Word – or, keep reading for what’s new in the Windows Store. In case you missed it: Here’s what’s new in the Windows Store this week: Pre-order Super Lucky’s Tale https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/0f617a2092d86314c0a5fab857986453.png Head back to the era of classic platformers in Super Lucky’s Tale ($29.99), where an adorably energetic and optimistic little fox named Lucky is on a quest to find his inner strength – and to help his sister rescue the Book of Ages from the mysterious villain Jinx. There are lots of funny friends and adversaries along the way. Forza Motorsport 7 has gone gold with demo arriving Sept. 19 “Forza Motorsport 7” goes live worldwide on Oct. 3, with Ultimate Edition owners hitting the track on Sept. 29. The official demo arrives on Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs Sept. 19 for players to download and play, for free. The demo features three unique racing experiences, showcasing the depth and breadth of the experiences available in the game. Drive the “Forza Motorsport 7” cover car – the Porsche 911 GT2 RS – to the brand-new Dubai circuit and experience the thrill of navigating the Jebel Hafeet Pass, one of the most famous driving roads in the world. Or, pilot the massive Mercedes-Benz Tankpool racing truck to victory at the high-speed Mugello circuit in Italy. Head over to Xbox Wire to read more! Songbringer https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/61a0bd936597781bd7838358bfe52afc.png Songbringer ($19.99) is a new sci-fi role-playing game with swords, secrets, dungeons and more. You play the role of protagonist and accidental hero, Roq Epimetheos. With a propensity for partying and making music, he cruises the galaxy with his skybot Jib aboard the ship Songbringer, searching for verdant planets absent the presence of galactic police. Available on Windows 10 & Xbox One with Xbox Play Anywhere today. Harry Potter Books in the Windows Store https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/b074d3c6c326b8e2c97f633c6a04b5d2.jpg This fall, go back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as the complete collection of Harry Potter Books arrives in the Windows Store.* Find all seven books in the Harry Potter series collected along with other Harry Potter favorites including Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. American Horror Story: Cult https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/a297545a6463713a4fe49c74a9f40a0a.jpg Prepare to be terrified by the highly anticipated new chapter in Ryan Murphy’s horror anthology. American Horror Story: Cult ($24.99 HD, $19.99 SD) is available now in the Movies & TV section of the Windows Store. Have a great weekend! *Requires the Windows 10 Creators Update The post This Week on Windows: Windows Mixed Reality headsets, Microsoft Word tips and more appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

This focused security investment combines the best of Windows Defender ATP and the Windows security stack. We integrated Windows 10’s new prevention technologies, enhanced our built-in sensors to better detect script-based attacks, added new response capabilities and opened up powerful analytics. So now, let’s see what we are lighting up in more detail: Windows security features working in unison – Get visibility into security alerts coming from the combined stack of Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), Windows Defender Antivirus (AV), Windows Defender Firewall, Windows Defender SmartScreen, Windows Defender Device Guard and Windows Defender Exploit Guard. See events reported across the stack in each machine’s timeline. Here are some of the new things Security Operations (SecOps) would be able to achieve: See alerts and events from Windows Defender SmartScreen that show if an employee within the company clicked on a specific URL despite receiving warning message See Windows Defender Device Guard events surfacing attempts to run unauthorized applications that have been restricted from running in the organization See applications blocked or audited by the Windows Defender Exploit Guard protection rules See Windows Defender Antivirus detections and Windows Defender Firewall blocks View security events and alerts information for sessions taking place within the Windows Defender Application Guard isolated containers (Figure 1) In addition, we are providing a centralized and simplified management experience in System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) starting with version 1710 and Microsoft Intune to manage the various Windows Security stack products. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/9c08cff02493dea6cbf55e006747a1d2.png Application Guard detection event Better detections, enhanced alerts and more power to the SoC – we continue to evolve our detection capabilities to gain more visibility into dynamic script-based attacks, network explorations, and keylogging alerts. We enhanced our alert capabilities, showing more data to help security teams better understand the story behind the alert (Figure 2), introducing automatic detection correlation and grouping of related alerts. In addition, we added the ability to manage high value assets by using tags and grouping capabilities. Based on customer feedback, we are also enhancing our response capabilities, adding more granular machine isolation, ability to restrict the machine to run only trusted binaries and initiating Windows Defender AV update and scan. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/411dee2b0207517db12fc0eaff29b433.png Enhanced Alert view Security Analytics – a new dashboard view (Figure 3) designed to assess the organization’s security posture compared to the Windows recommended baseline and shows breakdown of possible issues and actionable recommendations for improvement. This dashboard sheds light on configuration issues and provide view to machines where security features are misconfigured or out of date. Security managers can now see their org’s security posture across a wide set of Windows security stack products, as applied in reality and reported by the endpoints. The dashboard also provides view into top non-compliant machines sorted by number of issues and provide recommendation on actions to take. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/58930555eb2b97ed55d9e154e5dbe24d.png Security Analytics dashboard Customized reporting – organizations can now quickly create a Power BI report (Figure 4) that allows them to interactively analyze machines, alerts and investigation status. This report provides view on alerts, for example: severity and time to resolve, and machines, for example: sensor health state and OS platform, domain. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/fc28e4d7aad79bc69dbf306d57d8f1f1.png PowerBI report Access your data via APIs- Windows Defender ATP exposes much of the available data and actions using a set of programmatic APIs that are part of the Microsoft Intelligence Security Graph. Those APIs will enable you, to automate workflows and innovate based on Windows Defender ATP capabilities. More Windows sockets – we are expanding our endpoint coverage and adding support for Windows Server 2012R2 and 2016 endpoints (Figure 5). In addition, we are adding enhanced VDI support for organizations wanting to secure their desktop virtualization environment. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/98e4cffbe5798bde1efb48cb926957da.png Windows Server Machine view We encourage you to experience all this new goodness first hand, by joining our 90-day free trial today. Raviv Tamir, Principal Group Program Manager, Windows Defender ATP The post Windows Defender ATP Windows 10 Fall Creators Update now open for public preview appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Hello Windows Insiders! Today we are pleased to be releasing Windows Server Insider Preview Build 16278 to Windows Insiders. To obtain the build, registered Insiders may navigate directly to the Windows Server Insider Preview download page. Matching symbols and the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) packages are available on the same page. When installed on a Windows 10 client, RSAT allows a user to remotely manage and administer Insider builds of Windows Server via GUI tools. Valid on Windows 10 client builds greater than 16250. For the best experience, the Windows Server team recommends a clean install. If you have not yet registered as an Insider, register through the Windows Insiders for Business program or the Windows Insider program. General Scenario Highlights Developers and Containers: New base container images (available on Windows Insider Docker Hub repo) Optimized Nano Server base image (over 70% smaller) The .NET team is providing a preview image based on Nano Server with .NET Core 2.0 The PowerShell team is providing a preview image based on PowerShell 6.0 [*]Optimized Server Core base image (over 20% smaller) [*]Support for SMB volume mounting [*]Infrastructure for Orchestrators Networking enhancements for ongoing Kubernetes work Named pipe mapping support [*]Bug fixes, performance enhancements Cloud Guest: IIS TLS info: administrators can make specific recommendations to default to HTTPS [*]Disaster Recovery Storage Replica Test Failover [*]Guest + Host better together vPMEM in Guest: Tenants can use and manage PMEM/SCM Tenant-Aware VM Start Ordering: App Ready / OS Heartbeat for better load balancing Guest RDMA [*]Improvement in time accuracy [*]Azure enlightened clusters – optimized to run on Azure IaaS Cloud Host: Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) host Security Shielded Linux VM SDN: Encrypted virtual networks Secure clusters SMB 1 disabled by default [*]Resiliency and Availability SDN: Reduced downtime for tenant connections through gateways Spaces Direct: Scoped Spaces to mitigate impact of multi-node loss Spaces Direct: Marginal drive handling for predictive detection of drive failures [*]Efficiency Data Deduplication available for ReFS New Data Deduplication DataPort API for optimized ingress/egress Space efficiency with ReFS Compaction Performant Spaces Direct Multi Resilient Volumes (MRV) [*]Hyper-converged Scale Cluster Sets: Significantly increases hyper-converged SDDC cloud scale by grouping multiple clusters into a larger fabric [*]Hardware support Support for Storage Class Memory (SCM) in Spaces Direct What’s New in Build 16278 for Windows Server There are no new features in Build 16278. How to Download You may use either your MSA account or your AAD account to register as an Insider and access the Windows Server download page. The latest Windows Server build and matching symbols are available for download here.  Simply click on the desired file(s) and save locally. Matching Windows Server container images will be available via the Docker Hub. For more information about Windows Server containers and Insider builds, please visit http://aka.ms/containers/insiders. The following keys are available for unlimited activations of Windows Server. These keys may be used throughout the pre-release cycle. Windows Server Datacenter Core: B69WH-PRNHK-BXVK3-P9XF7-XD84W Windows Server Standard Core: V6N4W-86M3X-J77X3-JF6XW-D9PRV The RSAT version currently posted has not been updated, so if you already have it, you won’t need to download it again. NOTE: As we are nearing our final release date, today’s pre-release build is the last that will be made available for the Windows Server, version 1709 release. Stay tuned for updates on when pre-releases for the next Semi-Annual Channel release will begin. It’s all about your feedback! Use the Feedback Hub app to provide feedback on Windows Server builds. Feedback Hub comes pre-installed on Windows 10. Register a Windows 10 device with the Windows Insider or Windows Insider for Business programs. Open the Feedback Hub application. Choose the Server category and then the appropriate subcategory for your feedback. Please indicate what edition and build number you are providing feedback on. The Feedback Hub app cannot scan a server for diagnostic information, however you may manually attach screenshots or other files to your feedback entry. We encourage you to visit the Windows Server Insiders space on the Microsoft Tech Communities forum to collaborate, share and learn from experts. The expiration date for this server preview build is 12/4/2017. Known issues [New] Starting a system in the Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) from a Fat32 disk partition in UEFI mode can fail, depending on the position of \sources\BOOT.WIM within the partition. This issue can block imaging and installation of the operating system. Apps that call into the firewall, such apps that use networking, may become unresponsive until the user reboots because of an application hang end-task error (0xCFFFFFFF) in the Windows firewall API library (FirewallAPI.dll), which occurs when the library is blocked on an advanced local procedure call (ALPC) port while attempting to diagnose a connection failure and retrieve information. Cluster Sets: A couple of key functionalities to enable end-to-end testing of Cluster Sets scenarios are not present in this build. Local vs. remote management: Some command-line tools and PowerShell modules may not be available for use locally on a Server Core installation. To remotely manage RS3 Server Core by using the full set of GUI tools, command-line tools, and PowerShell modules, download Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT), available on the Windows Server Insider Preview download page. No downtime for Hustle-As-A-Service, Dona <3 The post Announcing Windows Server Insider Preview Build 16278 appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

School is starting up and that means projects, papers and creating docs in Microsoft Word! Here’s a quick refresher course on some top tips. Save time with the Format Painter https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/a539c553d4ec292234cd0b51b6f1f108.gif Say you want one paragraph to look like the rest of the doc. All you have to do is click on the formatting you want to copy, then click the format brush, then highlight the paragraph you want to change – and voila! Keep up with your word count progress on the bottom left-hand corner of the screen https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/d7d6759b33156fc49d40090cbdfa40c2.gif Add pictures from the web https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/f57f92373c14f5638a7989aac5241882.gif Word works with Bing to give you access to thousands of pictures you can use in your docs. Simply place your cursor in a blank space, then under the Insert tab select Online Pictures and search. Once you decide on the image you want, select Insert. Choose a style https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/1268b45674e57fafcc25bf79311ec021.gif Explore style sets and themes by clicking the Design tab, selecting Themes and choosing a theme from the drop down. Have questions? https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/1410d6252329c574a471daeede041a5b.gif Check out the “Tell me” search box, next to the light bulb icon. Type what you want to do, and the search box will take you straight to commands and help in Word. In case you missed it, here’s last week’s Windows 10 Tip: Have a great week! The post Windows 10 Tip: Head back to school with five tips for using Microsoft Word appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Hello Windows Insiders! Today we are releasing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16281 for PC to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring only (not Skip Ahead). As we mentioned in last week, we are now at the point of the development cycle for the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update where our focus is now on stabilization for release to the world. This means that we are releasing new builds to Insiders more quickly and that these builds will include mostly bug fixes. You’ll notice that this build continues to include a bunch of good bug fixes Insiders will enjoy. Also – check out the news from earlier today from IFA 2017 in Berlin that the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will be available worldwide October 17th. General changes, improvements, and fixes for PC We fixed an issue resulting in Train Simulator 2017 failing to launch on recent flights. We fixed an issue resulting in not being able to tab into an open PDF in Microsoft Edge after interacting with the any of the Microsoft Edge window elements using mouse. We fixed an issue where the Windows Defender Security Center app icon was missing in taskbar when the app was open, as well in Start’s all apps list. You will also notice that the icon is now un-plated in the taskbar. We’ve made some adjustments to address an issue resulting in sudden and brief CPU spikes where you couldn’t move your mouse. If you’ve encountered this, please try it in this new build and let us know if your experience has improved. We fixed an issue where minimized app windows on mixed-DPI monitor setups might end up drawing offscreen after your PC resumed from sleep. We fixed an issue where if you changed your display language preference to something other than the machine’s default then any app which did not take an update while also getting the updated language resource package from the Store would end up continuing to display its tile in Start in that default language rather than the new language displayed within the app and other system UI. No downtime for Hustle-As-A-Service, Dona <3 The post Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16281 for PC appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

In this edition of Weekend Reading, you’ll read about IFA 2017 and the vast array of devices revealed at the event, a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Amazon, Skype TX receiving the Technology & Engineering Emmy® Award and more. Microsoft delivered a keynote at the IFA 2017 consumer electronics show in Berlin on Friday, Sept. 1. You can watch the on-demand video of the keynote on Windows Blogs. Earlier this week at IFA, several companies revealed new Windows Mixed Reality headsets, PCs, laptops and much more. Dell unveiled a suite of new devices and services at IFA 2017 on Monday, including new Inspiron 7000 2-in-1s and laptops, XPS 13 performance enhancements and the Dell Visor, the company’s first-ever virtual reality headset for Windows Mixed Reality. Dell also announced new gaming PCs powered by Windows 10, new curved gaming monitors and the Latitude 7212 Rugged Extreme Tablet. ASUS announced the new ASUS Windows Mixed Reality Headset, unveiled the brand-new Republic of Gamers (ROG) Chimera gaming laptop and ROG curved monitor, and introduced the latest thin and light ZenBook and VivoBook laptops, all powered by Windows 10. Acer announced a series of innovative new devices powered by Windows 10, including additions to its premium Predator gaming line; a new all-in-one desktop PC in its Aspire desktop series; and new detachable devices for working on-the-go with the next generation of their Swift, Spin, and Switch models. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/9e24df2586fa0ff2fc4aedafc25c4e23.jpg On Wednesday Microsoft announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Amazon between Cortana and Alexa. “I’m excited that by bringing Cortana to Alexa and Alexa to Cortana, we’re adding more value and choice for consumers and developers alike,” writes Andrew Shuman, Microsoft corporate vice president, Cortana Engineering. “Cortana users will be able to have Alexa shop on Amazon.com and manage their Amazon orders and access many of Alexa’s third-party skills by asking Cortana to open Alexa, just as Alexa users will have access to Cortana’s world knowledge and helpful productivity features such as calendar management, day at a glance and location-based reminders simply by asking Alexa to open Cortana.” Skype TX, a multiplatform broadcast solution that pushes the boundaries of broadcast television, was honored Tuesday with a Technology & Engineering Emmy® Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/11465f633e9f9e9bf9922812124114f5.jpg On Wednesday, Microsoft announced a deepened, long-term partnership with Pact, a leading nonprofit international development organization working to reduce child labor in mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo. “This partnership builds on our existing work with Pact, with whom we’ve worked since 2015,” writes Joan Krajewski, Microsoft general manager of Safety, Compliance and Sustainability. “Through this partnership, the successful Watoto Inje ya Mungoti (Children Out of Mining) project was launched; it uses interventions that are deeply embedded in communities and local institutions to address the economic and social root causes that lead to child labor in mining.” In Frankfurt, Germany, the Steigenberger Airport Hotel is known for premium customer service. It’s a complex system that requires efficient logistics. To improve communication and back-of-house operations, housekeeping employees are piloting new Trekstor IoT (Internet of Things) wearable devices. Powered by Windows 10 IoT Core and Microsoft Azure IoT, the devices enable up-to-the-minute service and cleaning, so guests can enjoy excellent service, whether they need feather pillows or more flatware. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/531976005cbea67b8f32cb424c48edab.jpg You’ll find Labor Day sales in the Windows Store and with Groove Music. If you’ve wanted to try out Groove Music, now is a great time to do so. Get seven months of the streaming service for the price of one. This offer is available until Sept. 5. Also save up to 65 percent on hit new releases, movie bundles and TV season passes with the Labor Day Sale in the Windows Store, which runs now through Sept. 4. “Wonder Woman” is now available in the Movies & TV section of the Windows Store, three weeks before it arrives on Blu-ray. On the games front, “ReCore Definitive Edition” has launched on Xbox One, Windows 10 and Xbox Game Pass. That’s it for our round-up. See you next Friday for another Weekend Reading! Posted by Athima Chansanchai Microsoft News Center Staff The post New devices and Windows Mixed Reality headsets unveiled at IFA 2017, Cortana and Alexa collaborate and Skype TX wins an Emmy® Award — Weekend Reading: Sept. 1 edition appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

The next update of Windows 10, the Fall Creators Update, will be available worldwide October 17. With the Fall Creators Update we are introducing some fun, new ways to get creative. As part of the update we will deliver an evolution to the photos experience that will let you tell your story like never before using photos, videos, and 3D effects; enhancements in gaming, security, accessibility, and immersive new experiences made possible by Windows Mixed Reality. All of this innovation will be brought to life by a range of beautifully designed, and feature rich modern devices available from our hardware partners this holiday. It’s great to be here in Berlin at IFA, one of the world’s oldest and largest trade shows for consumer electronics with so many of our customers and partners. Over the years, IFA has been one of the foremost destinations to see innovation and ingenuity on display. In 1930, Albert Einstein opened the 7th Great German Radio and Phonograph Show, the forerunner to today’s IFA. The 1930 exhibition marked the public debut of a prototype “television receiver”, one year before television broadcasting officially commenced in Germany. It has been and honor and a privilege to take part in this year’s exhibition. This week has been a big one for Microsoft, on Monday we shared some exciting details about Windows Mixed Reality, including the first wave of content experiences you can immerse yourself in. On Wednesday, we announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration that will allow you to access Alexa via Cortana on Windows 10 PCs. And today, we talked about the next step on our journey with Windows 10. We are coming up on our fourth major update to Windows 10, and our mission with these updates is to create a platform that inspires your creativity. We see students playing and learning with Minecraft, lawyers creating with words, accountants painting with numbers, designers sharing their ideas with slides, and engineers crafting in code. Creativity is universal and it’s aspirational in its nature. Unleashing that creativity with new experiences, that is what propels us into the future. And for us, those experiences begin with Windows 10, the most-popular version of Windows on the planet, with over 500 million devices in homes, businesses, and schools helping you create and play. Today, we’re pleased to announce that the next update of Windows 10, the Fall Creators Update, will be available worldwide October 17. With the Fall Creators Update, we are introducing some fun, new ways to get creative. Windows 10 Fall Creators Update available worldwide October 17 Windows Inking https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/8830425fd29ca7bef942e0c4bed4f4ea.jpg Windows Inking keeps getting better, letting you ink directly onto PDF’s, making it easier and faster to comment and share with others, improving on what you could do with pen and paper alone. Smart Ink applies artificial intelligence to inking automatically making the squares you draw more perfect, or turning boxes into a table for you with no extra work. And you know how sometimes you can’t find your keys, wallet, and phone, sometimes it’s hard to find your pen to do the inking. Windows Find my Pen fixes that in the Fall Creators Update. Photos and Videos We have reimagined our Photos Application to deliver remixed experiences for telling your stories with photos, videos, music, 3D, and even inking. One Drive Files On-Demand You can save all of your creations in OneDrive Files On-Demand, accessing your cloud files like any of your other files on your PC, without using up your local storage space. Gaming https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/2341204c89b216aeda21e24c61c9847b.jpg The fuel that often inspires creativity is play. With the Fall Creators Update, we’ve updated Game Mode, which allows your games to use the full processing power of your device as if it was an Xbox game console, right from a new button on the Game bar. And to take advantage of this power, we have a fantastic lineup of Xbox Play Anywhere games coming including, Cuphead, Forza Motorsport 7, Super Lucky’s Tale and Middle-earth: Shadow of War. And, if you love these Xbox play anywhere games, coming on November 7 you can play them on the most powerful console on the planet, Xbox One X. Security https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/2a4e36fc2fb47ef7c1e64e5e7bcaef2f.jpg While you create and play, our goal is to keep you safe and secure. With the Fall Creators Update, Windows Defender is smarter and defends better than ever before. With behind the scenes cloud intelligence that enables new defenses against ransomware and exploits. I can’t talk about security without talking about Windows 10 S. Introduced last May, Windows 10 S is specifically designed for simplicity and security, with significant breakthroughs in battery life and performance. It’s off to a great start, with some of our highest customer satisfaction results yet. This is the core of Fall Creators Update, it’s all about unleashing your creativity and having some fun while at the same time keeping you safe and secure. Accessibility https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/2a02fefacabe8777cfc3102305b5f97a.jpg I also want to share some exciting new technology that speaks to our mission at Microsoft to create products which are inclusive by design. With the Fall Creators Update, we are making Windows more accessible for those with Lou Gehrig’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that impacts the brain’s ability to control your muscles. The one muscle it doesn’t impact, are the eyes. A new feature Eye Control implements incredible eye tracking technology that lets you type, and operate a mouse just using your eyes, this is life changing technology for those with Lou Gehrig’s disease. This is real advancement in accessibility that we are introducing to the world with the Fall Creators Update. Windows Mixed Reality https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/09f73534c32788b9f563701615075c13.jpg Lastly, with the Fall Creators Update, we are enabling you to immerse yourself in a new reality, the world of Windows Mixed Reality. By combining our physical and digital worlds, we believe mixed reality is the next step in the evolution of human computing. For the first time, we are talking about a mixed reality system that fully immerses you in the experience not limited to a mobile device screen size. One that is easy to setup, not requiring you to mount cameras around the room, just put the headset on your head, plug it into your PC and get started, leaving your hands free to interact with the mixed world. It’s available from a wide range of partners around the world, like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo with headsets starting as low as $299. I am thrilled to announce that Windows Mixed Reality headsets will start to become available on October 17 when the Fall Creators Update ships. And if you find yourself without a headset, we will also deliver mixed reality experiences through the PC. With Mixed Reality Viewer, you can see 3D objects – either from the Remix3D.com community or your own creation from Paint 3D – mixed into your actual surroundings through your PC’s camera – and snapped and shared – for powerful ways to tell your story. Modern devices bring the magic of the Fall Creators Update to life Our partners announced a range of beautifully designed, and feature rich modern devices at IFA this week including, new Windows 2-in-1s, laptops, all-in-ones, and gaming PCs that feature Intel’s latest 8th generation processors, include the latest NVIDIA graphics cards that enable Windows Mixed Reality experiences, deliver all-day battery life, offer OLED and 4K screens for the most stunning visuals and much more. Premium PCs https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/2f8047c8af0ca0d223df55a578b647c7.png Powered by an 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor, the super-slim Lenovo Yoga 920 2-in-1 is just what you need to create and be productive, and, when connected to an external USB-C Thunderbolt 3 Dock it is a powerful Windows Mixed Reality gaming PC. The Yoga 920 was designed to provide more natural and intuitive experiences and includes Far-field microphones so you can use Cortana to wake the PC, play music, set reminders and more with your voice from across the room. An optional Lenovo Active Pen with 4,096 levels of pen sensitivity makes inking easy and fun, dramatically expanding the creative and cross-application potential of the PC. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/6f3ba81f6a2c2cfaba2ebb9582277f72.jpg The Acer Switch 7 Black Edition is a fanless 2-in-1 notebook equipped with discrete graphics. With an 8th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics, it is an ideal companion for intensive tasks, creative production, and content streaming. Even though it’s powerful, Acer’s innovative Dual LiquidLoop technology keeps the Switch 7 cool and quiet. The Switch 7 Black Edition has an embedded battery-free stylus powered by Wacom EMR technology that features 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity and pen tilt support to control the angle, width or shading of the stroke providing users a more authentic writing and sketching experience when using Windows Ink. Popular PCs https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/52283ae8738ff901a036fcf680ca89fa.jpgDesigned for the person on the go or multi-user household, the new Dell Inspiron 7000 2-in-1 line, available in 13 and 15 inches in Era Gray brushed aluminum, features stunning visuals with a narrow border, a standard FHD 10-point touch IPS display and an optional premium 4K UHD IPS touch display. It offers powerful performance with new 8th Generation Intel processors, DDR4 memory; flexible connectivity options with USB Type-C with support for DisplayPort and Power Delivery, longer battery life and quieter performance with standard SSDs. Optional Dell Active Pen offers a natural feel when using Windows Ink to draw, write or take notes. The Lenovo Miix 520 is a mainstream workhorse with the functionality and detachable form factor designed to give a firsthand taste of the many digital technologies and tools remaking the world in which we live. Powered by up to Intel’s latest 8th Gen Quad Core i7 processors with up to 16 GB of DDR4 memory and up to 1TB PCIe SSD, the Miix 520 is a powerhouse on which you can use Windows Ink to take notes or create presentations, or use the WorldView camera to capture images and edit them in 3D. Professional PCs https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/e8d789ce2b575074ef3a5a7a50453da2.png HP’s ProBook 430 G4 is a rugged powerhouse designed for business people who need to be productive in the office, or out in the field. It features a battery that will last all day, has an aluminum reinforced keyboard, and keeps apps and data secure with Windows 10 Pro. The thin and light Dell Latitude 12 7285 2-in-1 is perfect for getting work done. It is a business detachable that features an Infinity edge display, it can charge wirelessly, comes with Windows 10 Pro, and includes Windows Hello for added security. Student PCs The Fujitsu Lifebook P727 with Windows 10 S is a 2-in-1 designed especially for students who need a powerful and secure device on which they can use Windows Ink and the included Active Stylus to take notes, create diagrams and the keyboard to write essays and reports. A dead battery isn’t a problem because this PC’s batteries can be swapped while the PC is in Standby mode. The blend of beauty and performance on the Surface laptop hits all the right notes without compromising the things required to keep you productive, like all-day battery life, incredible display quality, and portability. Even the Alcantara material covering the keyboard balances its elegance with a clever design that resists spills and absorption. Every detail on this product has been thought through, and this meticulous attention extends to the software as well. Surface Laptop is made for Windows 10 S and the best of Microsoft’s products and services like Office and OneDrive. Gaming PCs https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/eea6c3af8ed62eb3d5e6bdcf8075b0e5.jpg ASUS announced the ROG Chimera, a laptop with an ultra-responsive 17.3-inch FHD IPS wide-view display that features an impressive Full HD IPS anti-glare panel with G-SYNC technology for a 144Hz refresh rate and 7ms response time. Powered by the latest unlocked Intel Core i7-7820HK processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics the ROG Chimera brings together the best of laptop and console gaming. It comes with built-in Xbox Wireless, so gamers can effortlessly connect their favorite Xbox accessories to the PC, without adapters, and you won’t have to swap controllers when switching between console and PC. The new HP Omen X Laptop is exclusively built for gaming enthusiasts and eSports athletes seeking uncompromised performance. HP packed the OMEN X Laptop with Intel 7th gen unlocked Intel Core i7 CPU options, XMP memory options for memory overclocking and tested profiles up to DDR4-2800, and factory-overclocked graphics cards up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080. The high-end components, advanced thermal solutions, fast and responsive displays, a customizable mechanical keyboard, and software enhancements to push components to the limit ensures that the Omen X provides unparalleled gaming performance and a stunning design. Windows Mixed Reality headsets A variety of Windows Mixed Reality headsets and motion controllers will be available this holiday from Acer, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, with headsets starting as low as $299. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/36c4394114a8dcd01f1ea582a03e8acd.jpg Acer will offer their Windows Mixed Reality Headset with motion controllers. When the headset is paired with the controllers you can take advantage of the full position and rotational tracking in the headset to easily create content or play games. ASUS’ Windows Mixed Reality headset will be available in Spring of 2018 and will offer a unique design with a pattern of hundreds of 3D polygons and glossy tone-on-tone effect. The Dell Visor features high resolution 1440 x 1440 LCD panels for a sharp and smooth 360° panoramic experience for an “as-if-you-are-there” view. It’s thoughtfully engineered for comfort and convenience with well-cushioned head and face padding that allow for comfortable wear, even for users who wear glasses. The HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset will also be bundled with motion controllers to provide great Mixed Reality experiences. The Lenovo Explorer headset is ergonomically designed and optimized for comfort so you can immerse yourself in mixed reality experiences for long periods. All of these new devices from our partners will start to become available when the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update becomes available on October 17. Our mission at Microsoft is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, one of the ways we’re supporting that mission is by taking this next step in our Windows journey and empowering the creator in all of us with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. The future is before us, we’re proud to be here at IFA with our partners building the future together. Terry The post Create and play this holiday with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update coming Oct. 17 appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/5b8e433914e9e35f5efc4ca33f36c8e7.jpg The Lenovo Explorer is designed to be a natural extension of your Windows 10 PC, allowing you to easily use apps, browse online, watch shows, play mixed reality games, explore and discover through holo-tours, and enhance your video-watching experience via 360° video. Unearth the hidden secrets of Machu Picchu in 1465, glide over Rome in a hot air balloon, live through the “7 minutes of terror” Mars sequence through NASA, take in a 360-degree courtside view of a live basketball game, or just watch shows in your own virtual theatre. The headset tracks your movements with superior fidelity and spatial awareness, so you can move around naturally in an area of 3.5 by 3.5 meters (about 11.5 by 11.5 feet) without constantly reorienting yourself. No external sensors are needed, which means you can set it up in minutes by simply connecting a cable to your PC. Use the Lenovo Explorer’s optional Motion Controllers or an Xbox controller for easy navigation. Pricing and Availability: The Lenovo Explorer will be available this holiday. Pricing for the Lenovo Explorer and Motion Controllers will start at US $449; retail pricing of the Lenovo Explorer without the Motion Controllers is $349. Pricing and availability may vary by country. The Yoga 920 Convertible Laptop https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/962e89321e261c9149351dc520c6a04f.jpg Weighing in at just 1.37 kg (3.02 lbs) and an ultra-thin 13.95 mm (0.55 in), the Yoga 920’s case is all-metal unibody in distinctive platinum, copper or unique bronze color choices. It arrives built-in with Cortana, your personal digital assistant that helps you get things done more easily and quickly – whether at home, at work or on-the-go. Better yet, we’ve expanded the Yoga 920’s ability to recognize voice commands from up to 4 meters away with Cortana. Offering pen-on-paper precision designed to give you no discernible lag, the Lenovo Active Pen 2 with Windows Ink allows you to easily draw in the Photos app or add notes to your map, or highlight and markup webpages in Microsoft Edge. Working on a presentation? Use the pen’s shortcut button to open and check email for any last-minute contributions from the team, sketch them into the presentation, add some color and annotations, then send – all without setting down the pen. Yoga’s signature watchband hinge offers incredible flexibility, including typing in laptop mode, presenting in stand mode, browsing in tablet mode, or watching videos in tent mode. Other features include: Up to an 8th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, Windows 10, and twin Thunderbolt 3 ports – each of which support the world’s fastest data transfers and the most video bandwidth available on a single cable, while supplying power. Integrated fingerprint reader and Windows Hello for secure, instant biometric authentication. 9-inch 4K IPS touchscreen offering dazzling visuals Available in limited edition Gorilla Glass cover designs: Yoga 920 Vibes, Star Wars Special Edition Yoga 920 Rebel Alliance and Star Wars Special Edition Yoga 920 Galactic Empire. Pricing and availability: Yoga 920 will start at €1,599.99 (VAT included) in September 2017, and will be available on lenovo.com starting $1,329.99 in October 2017. Yoga 920 Vibes will start at €1,699.99 (VAT included) in October 2017, and will be available on lenovo.com starting $2,099 in November 2017.Star Wars Special Edition Yoga 920 Rebel Alliance and Star Wars Special Edition Yoga 920 Galactic Empire will each start at €1,699.99 (VAT included) in December 2017. All products are available on lenovo.com. Star Wars Special Edition Yoga 910 models will be available on lenovo.com, BestBuy.com and select Buy Buy stores starting September. Stay tuned for more details on upcoming Yoga 920 glass models. The Lenovo Miix 520 2-in-1 detachable with Windows 10 https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/6e012cc17751505084380f54b8d40eed.jpg At home or work or anywhere in between, the Miix 520 is a workhorse with the functionality, detachable form factor, and optional LTE for always-on wherever you are. Detach the FHD IPS touchscreen to use it as a tablet, or use its cutting-edge watchband hinge and full-sized, ergonomic keyboard as a complete laptop. Tablet Mode in Windows 10 delivers a smooth, touch-first experience; your apps will scale smoothly, and onscreen features will adapt for easy navigation. Using the Miix 520’s optional Lenovo Active Pen 2 and Windows Ink, you can sketch and capture concepts on your screen with extraordinarily accurate pen-on-paper precision. Other features include: Powered by up to an 8th Generation Intel Core i7 processor with up to 16 GB of DDR4 memory and up to 1TB PCIe SSD, the Miix 520 can run these applications with power to spare. Optional integrated fingerprint reader for fast and secure login with Windows Hello Weighs just 1.26kg (less than three pounds) with the keyboard in a slim 15.9mm (0.63 in) profile with keyboard Pricing and availability: Miix 520 (with keyboard and Lenovo Active Pen 2 included) will start at €899 in November 2017 available on lenovo.com. Miix 520 (with keyboard and Lenovo Active Pen 2 included) will be available on lenovo.com starting $999.99 in October 2017. Head over here for more about everything Lenovo announced today, and stay tuned to this page on the Windows Blog for more coming out of IFA. *Cortana available in select markets. The post IFA 2017: Lenovo announces Windows Mixed Reality headset and new 2-in-1 laptops appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Hello Windows Insiders! Today we are releasing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16353 for PC to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring who have opted in to Skip Ahead only. As we mentioned in last week, Insiders who joined Skip Ahead will continue to receive builds from the RS_PRERELEASE branch which has transitioned to RS4 which is the release that will come after the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (RS3). Insiders will notice that the build numbers have jumped ahead to 1635x. Previously, we jumped ahead with build numbers at the beginning of development for RS3. Because we are just beginning development for RS4, Insiders shouldn’t expect to see a lot of big changes or new features just yet. Our focus remains getting the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update ready for release! More on Skip Ahead We have had some Insiders ask us some questions about Skip Ahead and to clarify what it is. Back in July, we announced Windows Insiders in the Fast ring could opt-in and “skip ahead” to builds that would be part of the next feature update for Windows 10. There was a limit on how many Insiders in the Fast ring we would allow to skip ahead and that limit had been reached several weeks ago. Insiders can no longer opt-in their PCs to Skip Ahead. Up until last week, we had been releasing identical builds to Insiders who didn’t opt in to Skip Ahead and to those who did. As of today, the builds are no longer the same as mentioned above. The following graphic breaks down the essentials of Skip Ahead: https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/fb4ef41929dc97ee8594189581f8ca42.png To summarize: If you DIDN’T opt in to Skip Ahead, you’re receiving the latest builds of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (RS3). You will eventually start receiving builds for the next feature update of Windows 10 (RS4) once we release the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. If you DID opt in to Skip Ahead, you’re receiving early builds for the next feature update of Windows 10 (RS4). We recognize this might seem a bit confusing to some Insiders but with Skip Ahead, we are able to test our ability to release builds from two different branches at the same time. Once the Windows 10 Fall Creators, Skip Ahead goes away and everyone in the Fast ring will be on RS4 builds. General changes, improvements, and fixes for PC When the Action Center is black (the default option) the “clear all”, “expand”/”collapse”, and “see more” link text will now all use your accent color – making them pop more and improving discoverability. We’ve updated the Action Center to now support a two finger touch gesture to dismiss all notifications. Place two fingers vertically within the Action Center near the edge opposite to the side of your screen. Then slide these fingers towards the side of the screen. You will notice all notification groups following your fingers and then dismissing as you slide your fingers off the side of the screen. We fixed an issue in XAML resulting in text animations appearing slightly blurry in the last flight until the animation had stopped (for example, when loading the main page of Settings). We fixed an issue resulting in the taskbar being unexpectedly thick if you booted up the PC while plugged in to an external monitor with a different DPI. We fixed an issue that caused minimized per-monitor DPI aware windows to miss DPI changes and end up with a mix of DPI scaling upon restoring. We fixed an issue from recent flights where when Slideshow was enabled resuming from sleep a second time might place the Lock screen in a state where it couldn’t be dismissed without pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del. We fixed an issue resulting in an unexpected change in mouse sensitivity in the last flight for PCs using non-default display scaling. We fixed an issue resulting in Asphalt 8 not accepting input in recent flights. We fixed an issue resulting in progress wheels on certain websites in Microsoft Edge unexpectedly moving out of place during their rotation. We fixed an issue where the Windows Hello strings would appear on top of the page when performing a pin reset from the login screen. No downtime for Hustle-As-A-Service, Dona <3 The post Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16353 for PC (Skip Ahead) appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of This Week on Windows! In case you missed it, catch up on the news coming out of IFA this week, check out our Windows 10 Tip on five ways to personalize notifications on your PC – or, keep reading for what’s new in the Windows Store. In case you missed it: Here’s what’s new in the Windows Store this week: Race to the finish line in the Forza Motorsport 7 Garage https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/02d2ae7f5e5997d3577a541636d62b12.jpg In the final week of the “Forza Motorsport 7” Garage, you can check out cars that span more than 50 years of racing history, all of which you’ll be able to explore, customize and drive in “Forza Motorsport 7.” From the early days of racing history to modern high-tech marvels, this lineup is drawn from nearly every major racing series in the world. The game includes classic racers like the 1966 Ford #2 GT40 Mk II Le Mans and the 1991 Mazda #18 Mazdaspeed 787B, among many others legendary race cars. Fans will also experience the latest technology and designs from Formula One, IndyCar, NASCAR, Aussie V8 Supercars and Formula E. Head over to Xbox Wire to check out the cars unveiled during the last week of “Forza Motorsport 7” Garage and an infographic that encapsulates the diversity and breadth of the game’s more than 700 car lineup, and, as always, stay tuned to ForzaMotorsport.net for the full list of announced cars that you will find in Forza Motorsport 7 when it becomes available on Sept. 29 for Ultimate Edition, and Oct. 3 for Standard and Deluxe Editions. ReCore Definitive Edition ReCore Definitive Edition ($19.99) launched this week, adding enhanced visuals (increased resolution and HDR support), a brand-new adventure, “Eye of Obsidian”, new weapon modes for Joule, new gear for all Corebots, more enemy types, the long-awaited T8-NK Corebot (“Tank”) and many other gameplay and performance enhancements. New players get the entire package as either part of Xbox Game Pass or for $19.99 from the Microsoft Store or your favorite retailer, while owners of the existing ReCore game will receive the “Eye of Obsidian” adventure, the T8-NK Corebot, and all the other enhancements, for free, as an online update. Read more about today’s news over at Xbox Wire! Wonder Woman https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/a5d12d7dfab52b6d26e43dfd82ce4bb2.png Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, Amazon princess. Raised in a secluded paradise as a fierce warrior, Diana receives news of a terrible war in the outside world and leaves her home behind to join the fight. Wonder Woman ($29.99 UHD, $19.99 HD, $14.99 SD) is available in the Movies & TV section of the Windows Store three weeks before Blu-ray – watch Patty Jenkins’ highly acclaimed blockbuster today! Labor Day Sale https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/d13507827afedf834039eb4d0b7f77b5.jpg Summer may be ending, but these deals are heating up with the Labor Day Sale! Save up to 65% on hit new releases, movie bundles, and TV season passes. Don’t miss amazing deals on titles like Kong: Skull Island, Logan, and Fear the Walking Dead. Shop the Labor Day Sale now through Sept. 4 in the Movies & TV section of the Windows Store. Groove Music Labor Day Deal https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/911ad1bc66e3c9ab05ed4b687182a48d.jpg Get the Groove Music Labor Day Deal through Sept. 4! Buy 1 month for $9.99, get 2 FREE 3-month promo codes. Give a code a to a friend or keep for yourself and start listening to your favorite end of summer hits. Have a great weekend! The post This Week on Windows: IFA 2017, Wonder Woman and more appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

This week at IFA and leading into PAX, Dell announced new gaming PCs powered by Windows 10, new curved gaming monitors, and the Latitude 7212 Rugged Extreme Tablet – designed with the uncompromised performance, flexibility and reliability needed for the world’s toughest jobs and harshest environments. Let’s take a closer look at these devices: Dell and Alienware new gaming rigs and monitors with Windows 10 This week, Dell and Alienware unveiled new products across the two lines: the Inspiron 15 7000 gaming laptop, Inspiron Gaming Desktop with new Clear Panel with Polar Blue LED lighting, and Alienware 34 Curved Gaming Monitors. New Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming Laptop https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/acf2b111697f6c462fc4c7ce51c242a0.jpeg Dell’s new Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming Laptop includes NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 discrete graphics and NVIDIA Max Q Design technology. The system has dual fans that keep the system cool and quiet while powering through challenging games. With the Windows 10 Creators Update, this laptop arrives with native, live game streaming through the Game bar with Mixer, Game Mode, to battle system resource contention, connect gamers with their gaming community through the Xbox app, DirectX 12 support, and more. Anti-glare IPS wide viewing angle FHD or 4K UHD display options provide excellent visual clarity while Waves MaxxAudio Pro software delivers precise audio imaging. Other features include: Built-in fingerprint reader enabling Windows Hello for safe, easy login. New 2×2 WiFi antenna design provides great wireless performance while Dell’s SmartByte software prioritizes gaming and video content to keep games and videos smooth even during large file downloads Thunderbolt 3 multi-use port connects multiple devices (including support for up to two 4K displays) to the laptop with transfers up to 40Gbps. Available on Dell.com in the US on Sept. 12 starting at $999 and 4K configurations starting at $1,449. Inspiron Gaming Desktop with Windows 10 and new clear side panel https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/966c7d9debdba59b313817fc2021e868.jpg Dell’s Inspiron Gaming Desktop, which debuted this past May, now offers a clear side panel option to showcase the system’s internal components bathed in Polar Blue LED lighting. The system features the latest AMD multicore Ryzen processors with SenseMI, Ready for VR configs with AMD or NVIDIA discrete graphics cards, support for dual graphics, Waves MaxxAudio Pro with Performance 7.1 Channel HD audio, high-capacity hard drives with SSD and dual-drive options, plus up to five bays for storage upgrades. This built for gaming Dell desktop is equipped with the Xbox app and Direct X12, can take advantage of Xbox Play Anywhere, and has your digital personal assistant Cortana* plus comprehensive security with Windows Defender built-in. In the US, prices start at $599 without a clear panel and the clear panel version launches in September starting at $649 SAPP. Ready for VR configs start at $1,249. Alienware 34 Curved Gaming Monitors https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/9136396b26a79fe144435c4a8f41a644.jpeg Alienware will offer two 34-inch curved monitors built for performance gaming with a wider viewing area and ultrathin bezels. They deliver maximum field of view and sharper, clearer graphics. Both driven by NVIDIA G-SYNC, the Alienware 34 Curved Gaming Monitor (AW3418DW) supports WQHD (3440 x 1440) resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate, and the Alienware 34 Curved Gaming Monitor (AW3418HW) supports WFHD (2560 x 1080) resolution with a 160Hz refresh rate. Both monitors feature lightning-fast overclocked refresh rate, combined with 4ms response time, delivering ultra-smooth gameplay. Available in the US on August 30 for AW3418DW starting at $1,499 and late fall for AW3418HW starting at $1,199. Read more at Dell.com. Dell Latitude 7212 Rugged Extreme Tablet with Windows 10 https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/b8cd9da2bac2d86569bb486a8918cb27.jpg Dell also announced the Latitude 7212 Rugged Extreme Tablet powered by Windows 10, designed with the uncompromised performance, flexibility and reliability needed for the world’s toughest jobs and harshest environments. Whether it’s extreme cold, heat, humidity, corrosive sand or sea water, Dell’s latest Rugged Extreme tablet is designed to withstand the most brutal environments. Other features include: 16GB of memory – double the amount of the previous generation Your apps will scale smoothly for easy navigation with Tablet Mode in Windows 10 Up to 1TB of removable PCI-Express NVMe solid state storage for highly-mobile power users demanding best-in-class performance Sophisticated 4th generation Dell Quad-Cool passive and active thermal management system Freedom from wires with backwards compatible universal pogo docking for desk and vehicle, USB Type C connectivity with one wire docking, dedicated GPS communication and agnostic 4G LTE with double the mobile broadband performance A multi-touch glove capable 11.6” display with a brilliant FHD panel and etched Gorilla Glass cover and Type-C USB 3.0 I/O for docking capability Lighter than the previous generation, weighing less than 3 lbs. The Dell Latitude 7217 7212 Rugged Extreme Tablet is now available globally. Learn more about Dell’s Rugged solutions at Dell.com/Rugged, and head over to this page on the Windows Blog to follow along with more coming out of IFA. The post IFA 2017: Dell debuts new gaming rigs and rugged tablet powered by Windows 10 appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...