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https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/7c435f53a4a97a376117b58c7065aeb8.jpg “13 years, 6 month and 25 days. That’s how much time has passed since Voodoo Vince first appeared on the original Xbox in September of 2003. The half-life of a game is unbelievably short. A game doesn’t get much time before it’s relegated to the past. The march of technology and player demographics weren’t on our side in 2003. Voodoo Vince was quickly lost in the shuffle and seemed like it would remain in obscurity. This revival of Vince would have been far less likely without the encouragement of Phil Spencer and the amazing team over at ID@Xbox. ID@Xbox made it possible for a small team to publish a game independently. Phil reminded me of what a game can mean to players when he described playing Voodoo Vince with his kids in a 2014 interview. The result is as much a restoration as it is a remastering. It’s easy to look at our trailer and screenshots and conclude that Voodoo Vince looks like it did back in the day. I take that as a compliment, but my goal was to update the game carefully so it looks like we think it did. Our villain Kosmo calls Vince a “mere pile of cloth and thread” near the beginning of the game. He’s technically correct. But Kosmo overlooks the fact that Vince, like any team effort, is greater than the sum of his parts. I’m excited that the world has a fresh chance to discover that.” Head over to Xbox Wire to read more from Clayton Kauzlaric! The post Voodoo Vince: Remastered launches today on Windows 10 and Xbox One appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Yesterday, we introduced you to a series of blog posts we’re publishing throughout this week about Microsoft Edge. Each day we’ll be sharing a new video and blog post to introduce you to the best of Microsoft Edge. Today, we’re showing you the Microsoft Edge features that can help you keep the web organized. We all spend a lot of time browsing the web, and it’s more important than ever to have the tools you need to stay organized, productive, and focused on the web. With the Windows 10 Creators Update, we’ve added new features to make this easier than ever – including the new tab preview bar and a simple way to set your tabs aside. You can catch up on yesterday’s blog post about getting started with Microsoft Edge below. Stay tuned this week for more on Microsoft Edge! The post A week with Microsoft Edge: How to organize the web appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Today, I’m pleased to share that we have signed an agreement to acquire Intentional Software, a company that has been focused on creating a platform for a new generation of team productivity apps. At Microsoft, we aspire to help people and organizations be more productive, wherever they are. The reality is we live in a hyper-connected world that requires the ability to collaborate across geographies, disciplines and organizations, which is why we continue to push ourselves to think about new ways to empower people. You’ve seen this with the recent launch of Microsoft Teams, a chat-based workspace for Office 365, and the continued momentum and customer demand for Surface Hub, a device designed to unlock the power of the group. This acquisition will build on the work we’re already doing to deliver the tools necessary to be productive in an information-rich world. Intentional Software’s technology and talent will enhance our existing capabilities and strengthen our ability to add new tools and services to Microsoft’s robust productivity offering. We’re excited about the company’s work on productivity applications, especially given our focus of putting people at the center of experiences and our continued effort to reimagine collaboration. Founded in 2002 by Charles Simonyi, a pioneer in the area of intentional programming, Intentional Software was initially focused on how to make programming less complicated. Over the past few years, the Intentional Software team has applied their programming expertise to develop productivity scenarios for the future workforce. Many of you will remember Charles for the work he led during his distinguished career at Microsoft. During his tenure, Charles oversaw the creation of some of Microsoft’s most well-known productivity applications, such as Excel and Word. Now it’s my honor to welcome Charles back to Microsoft, along with his exceptional team. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/1e5725499158b3ef1bdb08a262eff0d8.jpg I’m confident that the work being done by Intentional Software will be a tremendous asset as we continue to innovate on collaboration tools and experiences for modern workers – and it’s with great pleasure that I welcome them to Microsoft. Intentional Software’s CEO Eric Anderson, and founder Charles Simonyi, share their thoughts on today’s news here. The closing of the acquisition is subject to regulatory approval. The post Microsoft to acquire Intentional Software to expand future productivity capabilities appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

CHOICE Humanitarian is a non-profit organization with a vision to free the world from the ravages of extreme poverty, where all people are treated with dignity and valued for who they are and the unique contribution they bring. They have been working to eliminate extreme poverty, defined by the World Bank as living on an average of $1.90 USD a day, for 35 years. Today, we are excited to share a new web-based learning tool we have created with the Microsoft Edge team, called Accent. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/b0d50c1a1d021b655dcfde0bf0460a5d.jpg “The CHOICE partnership offered the Microsoft Edge team a remarkable opportunity to take our browser technology and create an education solution to meet the unique literacy needs of communities worldwide. Working with CHOICE, we utilized the native support for touch and inking in Microsoft Edge to build an interactive curriculum for their literacy program and helped them deploy the platform for the first time to the women in underprivileged regions in Guatemala. We worked very closely with CHOICE to create a solution that empowers their mentors to continue to expand and scale Accent with new courses, new languages and new skills without needing programming expertise. We are extremely excited to contribute to the CHOICE work to eradicate poverty through literacy worldwide,” says Divya Kumar, Microsoft Edge Product Marketing https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/e03fee2e516eb241fea0da6a30dd7afc.jpg Extreme poverty is multidimensional and measured beyond income. Some of the additional indicators reflecting acute deprivations are with respect to health, education, and standard of living. But, we know when a community focuses on literacy, the general health and standard of living naturally increase. That is why we’ve partnered with Microsoft Edge to create Accent, a browser-based, digital literacy platform that will help women in remote Guatemala gain access to their country’s economy, government, culture and language. Accent will help women in Chulac, Guatemala learn Spanish as the first step toward economic empowerment. The sequences are structured like a game to make learning more fun. The program is easy to use and customized for individual learning; the students will also have the oversight of a local woman fluent in Spanish to mentor the group as they progress in their learning. The 18 women who will be the inaugural class are excited knowing that literacy will open the door to opportunities in businesses and their local government. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/5e13cae37e6552be9d29ef03bac97c86.jpg Accent is an open-source, scalable solution to literacy. “CHOICE Humanitarian is launching this first in Guatemala, but we plan on incorporating it into all seven countries where we work. We are also thrilled that other NGOs can use this tool to support their own literacy goals,” says Leah Barker, CHOICE Humanitarian CEO. Microsoft has a long history of supporting education, as Microsoft Philanthropies uses technology as a force for inclusion. Because of Microsoft’s history and dedication to increasing access to technology, the opportunity to partner with Microsoft Edge in developing browser-based technology to benefit women in rural Guatemala is very exciting and promises great outcomes. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/800f35574515cc6439c25aef333f48eb.jpg Education and literacy programs have been paramount in our focus through the years as has gender equity. Women are the key to lasting change. Research shows that when you invest in a woman, she will invest in her family and community. There is a clear link between parents’, primarily mothers’, literacy and the welfare of their children. Research shows that children whose mothers can read have better nutrition and better results in school. Literacy and gender equality work in tandem to eliminate extreme poverty. We are honored that Microsoft Edge would create a tool that works both online and offline connecting women in rural Guatemala to the world. Try a demo of Accent now! About Microsoft Edge Web Showcase Microsoft Edge Web Showcase is dedicated to partnering with organizations around the world to highlight extraordinary and exciting new ventures. This program explores opportunities to contribute to a diverse set of literacy programs and to develop partnerships to showcase web technology. The post CHOICE Humanitarian partners with Microsoft Edge to launch Accent digital literacy tool appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

In the Windows 10 Creators Update, you have a new, free, built-in app called Paint 3D that allows you to unleash your creativity. Anyone can experience, create, and share in a new dimension. Make 3D masterpieces or 2D scenes, all with a stroke of your digital pen. You can also access an online 3D community, Remix 3D, to pull and remix models from within the Paint 3D app! https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/3f801b65b397969e36f1b1eb13e6505b.jpg Today, we’re going to show you a couple ways you can get started with Paint 3D: Easily create a scene in 3D https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/ebae93080f2a6aeacbd1f38005524ebd.jpg With pre-made 3D models and objects, it’s easy to get started right away and begin personalizing. Click on 3D objects in the top task bar Select one of the pre-made 3D models from the tool bar on the right, such as a fish, dog or cat Or click on “Get More Models” to access Remix 3D and search away! You can also personalize your 3D objects with our new modern brushes. Click on the Tools icon on the task bar and select marker. Choose a color and scroll down to polished metal for a cool effect. Select the object and use the rotation handles to spin it so you can paint on all sides. You can also layer different pieces to add depth. Select a 3D object in your scene and use the Z-axis left-hand button to drag the object back and forth, and move items front to back. Transform any drawing into 3D with the 3D doodle tool https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/7065f2c1af6ad74cd538dc7418ce8f91.jpg Sketch a drawing with the 3D doodle tool and watch it instantly turn into 3D. Click on the 3D icon in the task bar Select 3D doodle from the tool bar. Use your digital pen to draw a cloud shape, connecting the lines at the blue circle, and watch your 2D cloud puff up into a 3D shape. Personalize with Magic Select and stickers https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/ce756e5e3abff98acf7c851b3903aaf8.jpg The “magic select” tool lets you easily crop the background of any picture to turn into a sticker to wrap or tile onto 3D objects. Here’s how it works: Click on Insert and choose one of your favorite photos. Use the “select” tool to drag and select the area that you want. The magic select button will appear. Use the add and remove button to draw onto areas that you want to add or remove. Once finished, click on the green check mark and the selection will pop-out as a separate layer. You’ll love creating cut-outs from your favorite family photos, BFF selfies, or pet pics with magic select, then using them as stickers to personalize your creations. You can make this a sticker by clicking on “make sticker”. Find your spark with Remix 3D https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/cfe9c1053543d2045e8be26c2b45ae00.jpg Discover thousands of 3D models from the Remix3D community that can help you bring your creations to life. Click on the Remix 3D icon from the task bar to access Remix3D right from within Paint 3D* Sign in with your Microsoft Account Use the search bar to find the perfect 3D model in our library for you to personalize and remix. Or browse Staff Picks and the community for inspiration You can even upload your own creations to give back to the community and showoff your 3D artwork. Finally, set the scene with lighting and materials https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/a0b8a22fd8972700e3b543fc5a0a75e0.jpg When you’re done with your artwork, click on effects on the top tool bar so you can choose a great lighting finish. Set the perfect mood with fun lighting filters, from Mist to Taffy. Now, click at the bottom of the screen the “View in 3D” button, so you can interact and see your creation from any angle. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/ef4f836369996d3dd1629bc6e5ffea0a.jpg The best part is that the fun doesn’t need to end in Paint 3D. With our History export feature, you can rewind your entire creative process and export a video to share with friends on social media. For additional tutorials, please visit this link. *Remix 3D is available in select markets. The post Windows 10 Tip: Five ways to get started with Paint 3D appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Today, we’re kicking off a series of videos and blog posts to introduce you to the best of Microsoft Edge – the faster, safer browser designed for Windows 10. We’ll be publishing a new video and blog post every day this week to share tips and tricks for making the most out of your browsing experience with Microsoft Edge. First up, we’re introducing you to Microsoft Edge and sharing tips on how to get started. Since the release of Microsoft Edge in 2015, Microsoft Edge has been steadily improving to offer competitive performance, security, and expanded functionality. Just last week, we began to roll out the latest version of Windows 10: the Windows 10 Creators Update. With the Creators Update, we’ve added new features that help you better organize the web, improved the reading experience, and have also made improvements to important things like security, performance, and battery life. Here are some additional tips for getting started with Microsoft Edge: Stay tuned this week for more on Microsoft Edge! The post A week with Microsoft Edge: Get started with the browser designed for Windows 10 appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Hello Windows Insiders! Today we are excited to be releasing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16176 for PC to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring. We’re continuing work to refine OneCore with some code refactoring so that teams can start checking in new code. So, you still won’t see any noticeable changes or new features in new builds just yet. We are also releasing Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview Build 15204 to Insiders in the Fast ring. As we release new builds from our Development Branch for PC, we will also be doing the same for Windows 10 Mobile just like we have been in the past. However, Windows Insiders will likely notice some minor differences. The biggest difference being that the build number and branch won’t match the builds we will be releasing for PC. This is a result of more work we’re doing to converge code into OneCore – the heart of Windows across PC, tablet, phone, IoT, HoloLens, Xbox and more as we continue to develop new improvements for Windows 10 Mobile and our enterprise customers. Starting with the Windows 10 Creators Update, these are the Windows 10 Mobile devices we will officially support in the Windows Insider Program going forward: HP Elite x3 Microsoft Lumia 550 Microsoft Lumia 640/640XL Microsoft Lumia 650 Microsoft Lumia 950/950 XL Alcatel IDOL 4S Alcatel OneTouch Fierce XL SoftBank 503LV VAIO Phone Biz MouseComputer MADOSMA Q601 Trinity NuAns NEO Devices not on this list will not officially receive the Windows 10 Creators Update nor will they receive any future builds from our Development Branch that we release as part of the Windows Insider Program. However, Windows Insiders who have devices not on this list can still keep these devices on the Windows 10 Creators Update at their own risk knowing that it’s unsupported. We recognize that many Insiders will be disappointed to see their device is no longer supported. We looked at feedback from our Windows Insiders and realized that we were not providing the best possible experience for our customers on many older devices. That helped us determine which devices we support for the Windows 10 Creators Update. We are continually listening to your feedback to provide the best experience for ALL of our customers. For developers – you will need to set the minimum platform version in Visual Studio to be the Windows 10 Creators Update. What’s New in Build 16176 For PC Windows Subsystem for Linux Gains Serial Device Support: Windows COM ports can now be accessed directly from a WSL process! https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/710ce0725823788ea39043e52e4960f0.png More information can be found on the WSL Blog. Additional features and fixes are posted on the WSL Release Notes page – keep the feedback coming! Changes, improvements, and fixes for PC You can now hold down the power button on your device for 7 seconds to trigger a bugcheck. This will only work on newer devices that don’t uses legacy ACPI power buttons. Narrator will work again on this build. We fixed the issue causing some apps and games to crash due to a misconfiguration of advertising ID that happened in a prior build. We fixed an issue resulting in the Start menu and Action Center having a noticeable framerate drop in their animations on certain devices if transparency was enabled and there were open UWP apps. We fixed an issue from the previous build where the Action Center could get into a state where dismissing one notification unexpectedly dismissed multiple. We fixed an issue where the Clock and Calendar flyout was unexpectedly missing the agenda integration for some Insiders. We fixed an issue from the previous build (Build 16170) resulting in Surface Books unexpectedly doing a disk check after waking from sleep due to it bugchecking during sleep. We fixed an issue from the previous build resulting in Win32 app text sometimes not rendering, for example in File Explorer, until logging out and back in. We fixed an issue where the Extensions Process was suspended inappropriately during Connected Standby, resulting in Microsoft Edge becoming unresponsive on wake if any extensions had been installed. Known issues for PC Apps that use the Desktop Bridge (“Centennial”) from the Store such as Slack and Evernote will cause your PC to bugcheck (GSOD) when launched with a “kmode exception not handled” in ntfs.sys error. Some Insiders have reported seeing this error “Some updates were cancelled. We’ll keep trying in case new updates become available”� in Windows Update. See this forum post for more details. Double-clicking on the Windows Defender icon in the notification area does not open Windows Defender. Right-clicking on the icon and choosing open will open Windows Defender. Surface 3 devices fail to update to new builds if a SD memory card is inserted. The updated drivers for the Surface 3 that fix this issue have not yet been published to Windows Update. Pressing F12 to open the Developer Tools in Microsoft Edge while F12 is open and focused may not return focus to the tab F12 is opened against, and vice-versa. exe will crash and restart if you tap any of the apps listed in the Windows Ink Workspace’s Recent Apps section. Changes, improvements, and fixes for Mobile We have added a new privacy page to the Windows 10 Mobile OOBE experience that allows you to quickly and effectively make common privacy changes while setting up the device. You can read more about our Windows 10 privacy journey here. We fixed the issue where the keyboard would sometimes not appear when a text input field is selected in Microsoft Edge. Known issues for Mobile For Insiders who have upgraded from a prior 150xx build to this build, the “Add Bluetooth or other devices”� Settings page and the Connect UX page may fail to open. Some users are reporting that pages are constantly reloading or refreshing, especially while they are in the middle of scrolling them in Microsoft Edge. We’re investigating. There is an issue with Microsoft Edge where you might get into a bad state after opening a new Microsoft Edge windows and screen off with the JIT process suspended. Continuum will stop working when HP Elite X3 case is closed. Continuum hangs or renders incorrectly after disconnecting on devices like the Lumia 950. The device screen might stay black when disconnecting from a Continuum dock after screen has timed out normally. Happy Easter to those of you who are celebrating, have a great weekend ALL of you, and keep hustling team, Dona <3 The post Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16176 for PC + Build 15204 for Mobile appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Creativity fuels the world, inspiring inventive teachers, budding DJs and visionary manufactures who harness clean power through household appliances. Stoke your imagination with a dose of Weekend Reading. To feed the innovator in everyone, the Windows 10 Creators Update is rolling out to Windows 10 customers everywhere. With this free update, artists can sample the new Paint 3D app, turning 2D images into vibrant 3D visuals. Gaming fans become game broadcasters with the release of built-in Beam game streaming. And aspiring DJs can scratch, scrub and loop inside their music library via creativity apps now available for Surface Dial. In Texas, teacher Jason Holt has a playful plan to bring true technology integration into the classroom. His students are learning by creating video games. As a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, Holt built a game-design course for juniors and seniors with prerequisites like C# and Java programming. In many other classrooms, teachers and students are creating custom quizzes, surveys and questionnaires with Microsoft Forms – which gained new features this week. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/fb77540b9a6475df41e80f17e413600f.png Teacher Jason Holt The flag has dropped on a new, six-year partnership between Porsche and Microsoft’s Turn 10 Studios. The collaboration includes open registration for Porsche’s esports sponsorship debut in Forza Racing Championship Season 3: The Porsche Cup – the most inclusive racing esports program and home to the largest online racing community in gaming. Gamers are also welcoming the arrival of Minecraft Marketplace, which gives “Minecraft” creators another way to make a living from the game. New games in Xbox are enticing players with a never-ending masked ball plus explorations of beautiful worlds with “Yooka-Laylee.” And the gaming industry is getting a glimpse of Project Scorpio – code name for the next version of Xbox – through a technical preview on Digital Foundry. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/a10cd10c2070f0244c12d5641a816819.png Say aloha to planet-saving technology – cloud-connected water heaters in Hawaii. These 499 devices, which form a giant battery on the western shore of Oahu, offer a visionary blueprint to wean the world off fossil fuels, stabilize power grids and harness more renewable energy sources like solar and wind. “Hawaii is presenting a postcard to the future,” says Paul Steffes, CEO, president and chairman of Steffes Corporation, the company that built the units, which are linked to the Internet of Things. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/43214289071e6dc1e2bc1f806e64c2d8.jpg Illustration by Perfect PlanIt, Inc. Container technologies are leading today’s cloud transformation. They let organizations more easily build, deploy and move applications to and from the cloud. This week, Microsoft signed an agreement to acquire Deis, a company at the forefront of the container evolution. Many companies, meanwhile, are creating hybrid cloud strategies to boost business growth and digital transformation. A new Microsoft report, State of Hybrid Cloud 2017, reveals the numbers inside this hybrid cloud adoption. Rhea Guntalilib lost her eyesight while studying to become a nurse. The cause was a form of lupus, an autoimmune disease. She decided to shift from medical care to programming. And she learned those skills at the Adaptive Technology for Rehabilitation, Integration and Empowerment of the Visually Impaired (ATRIEV), a nonprofit in the Philippines that provides computer education for the blind. “For people with special needs like me, the digital world is an avenue for us to be able to lead a fulfilling life,” says Guntalilib, 28. “Despite being unable to see, programming allows me to do – and create – many things independently. The possibilities are endless.” https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/9a24e888f41ef5d24d9583a7b7c89509.jpg Rhea Guntalilib Tax day is looming. If you’re not quite ready to file, we’re here to salvage your weekend. Just download the TurboTax app for free from the Windows Store. The app’s autofill feature eliminates any need to enter data manually, making tax prep easier and more accurate. For your last-minute tax questions, use TurboTax SmartLook to connect live, via one-way video, to credentialed CPAs or Enrolled Agents. Once that task is complete, enjoy your weekend downtime by checking out the Netflix drama, “The Get Down.” All of season 1 and part season 2 are available for streaming. The music-driven show is set in 1977 New York, a city pulsing with creativity and edge, energized by the emergence of hip-hop. Keep up with many other trending items in the Windows Store. And what’s a weekend without some beats? Head to Microsoft Groove to stream “L.A. Divine,” the latest album from the indie band Cold War Kids. Check back next Friday for another edition of Weekend Reading. Posted by Bill Briggs Microsoft News Center Staff The post Creators make their marks in art, apps, gaming and the grid – Weekend Reading: April 14 edition appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

We hope you enjoyed our special edition of This Week on Windows, where we’re talking about what’s new with the Windows 10 Creators Update! Head over here to learn more about the all-new Minecraft Marketplace, check out the app you can use to see everything that’s new with Windows – or keep reading to catch up on this week’s news. In case you missed it: Beam Theme Week https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/0e6717fed4ca31aa008c2f1ab0c05f1e.jpg The five days of festivities and themed streaming to celebrate Beam on Xbox One officially wrapped up last week. But, lucky for us, Beam broadcasting through the Game bar just launched on Windows 10 as part of the Creators Update! As part of Beam Theme Week, Xbox Wire became the place for Beam daily posts about what makes the Beam community so special, the ins-and-outs of interactivity, how to become a streamer, and more. Now that Beam broadcasting is available through the Game bar, here’s a refresher on everything Beam covered last week: Beam 101 – A brief overview of Beam and its unique features #BeamLove and Getting to Know the Community – A general look into the Beam community and its amazing members Beam Interactivity – Interactivity is the one of the coolest thing about Beam. Learn how others are using Beam’s interactive features and how to set up it yourself Become a Streamer – Some great tips and tricks on how to become a streamer Partner Spotlight – Learn about the Beam Partnership program and some truly creative streamers on Beam Forza Horizon 3 Porsche Car Pack Down Under’s premiere road race just got a lot more thrilling. In Forza Horizon 3, home to Australia’s Horizon Festival, the back roads are filled with legendary and amazing vehicles from all over the world. Now, a new Porsche Car Pack ($6.99) joins the excitement, letting players experience prime examples of the breadth and depth of Porsche automotive history. Minecraft Chinese Mythology Mash-Up Pack https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/7c553f7537a51e5c55faf81bf88ef5da.png The block-by-block building adventures of Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition ($9.99 Sale Price) take an exotic turn with the game’s new Chinese Mythology Mash-Up Pack ($5.99). Journey through epic terrain and find enlightenment in the land of dragons with this mash-up pack inspired by the myths and legends of China. Have a great weekend! The post This Week on Windows: The Windows 10 Creators Update and more appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

The partnership kicks off today with open registration for Porsche’s esports sponsorship debut in Forza Racing Championship Season 3: The Porsche Cup – the most inclusive racing esports program and home to the largest online racing community in gaming. Today also brings the release of the Forza Horizon 3 Porsche Car Pack, featuring an exciting lineup of Porsche cars for 2016’s best-selling racing game Forza Horizon 3, exclusively on Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs. Kicking off ForzaRC this year is the Forza Racing Championship 2017 New York Invitational Presented by Porsche on April 15-16 at Microsoft’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue, showcasing 18 of ForzaRC’s Elite players from around the world competing for a chance to win $25,000 in cash prizes, plus a Drift competition between two of ForzaRC’s top drifters. Guests will also have a chance to race ForzaRC Elite drivers and even Porsche professional driver Matt Campbell on April 15. We also invite fans to join us from home by tuning into the Beam livestream, Twitch and YouTube, featuring a guest appearance by Campbell. We look forward to collaborating with Porsche to continue delivering more content and ForzaRC experiences for our fans, so stay tuned to ForzaMotorsport.net for future updates. Porsche Car Pack for “Forza Horizon 3” Also available today, the Forza Horizon 3 Porsche Car Pack adds seven acclaimed Porsche vehicles to the open world of Australia’s Horizon Festival, including cars new to Forza and making their debut on this console generation. With this car pack, players can experience prime examples of the breadth and depth of Porsche’s automotive history from classic racing models like the 1960 718 RS 60 to modern-day vehicles like the 2016 911 GT3 RS, the 2016 Cayman GT4, the recently launched 2017 Panamera, and more. Head over to ForzaMotorsport.net for more details on each of the cars featured in the pack. Head over to ForzaMotorsport.net for more details on each of the cars featured in the pack, or Xbox Wire for more about today’s news! The post Porsche and Microsoft announce partnership for industry-leading Forza franchise appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/fd0a4eccbef6b7ab63df239322098936.gif Please join us on May 2, 2017. Save the date to watch the livestream of our #MicrosoftEDU event in New York City at 6:30 a.m. Pacific Time / 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The post Save the date and learn what’s next appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/4cab276a94f44449ffa77c43990def2e.jpg We’re ushering in the new season with fresh deals in the Windows Store, with more than 100 special offers on top games, movies & TV, apps and music. Hop into the Windows Store now through April 17* for big savings! Below are 10 of our favorite Spring Sale deals for Windows 10 devices: Up to 50% off great games https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/6f9d06185b471a695594eb43ca8abdc8.png Forza Horizon 3: Ultimate Edition – 40% off Take to the open roads of Australia, then connect them into the wildest, most far-ranging Forza game yet. Halo Wars 2: Ultimate Edition – 35% off Real-time strategy makes an explosive return to the Halo universe in Halo Wars 2: Ultimate Edition, where you lead Spartans, Warthogs and other classic Halo fighting forces in a brutal war against a terrifying new enemy. Fallout Shelter – Up to 50% off in-game add-ons You’re in control of a state-of-the-art underground vault from Vault-Tec, where you must build the perfect shelter, keep your dwellers happy, and protect them against the dangers of the Wasteland, Up to 50% off top movies & TV https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/7950dee843ee2df45a45b5fd979fff40.png Arrival – 33% off Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is an expert translator in this science-fiction thriller. Mysterious spacecraft have landed around the globe. As she struggles to decipher their intent, tensions mount and the world wonders if it’s about to face global war. Star Wars: The Digital Six Film Collection – 17% off Join heroic Jedi Knights on an epic journey to defeat the evil Empire. From the original 3 blockbusters through the prequel trilogy, your Star Wars fix is available here. Resident Evil Complete Collection – 9% off Follow Alice (Milla Jovovich) in this action-packed sci-fi franchise as she battles to save the human race against the evil Umbrella Corporation Up to 75% off popular apps https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/c72c8f7849301bf04cdf631242c56533.png Adobe Photoshop Elements 15 – 30% off Easy photo and video organization, editing, creating and sharing is the goal of this favorite app, and this latest release further automates these functions. Drawboard PDF – 30% off For reading, annotating and marking up PDFs, it’s hard to beat the features in this handy app, which virtually replaces pen and paper. Grapholite – 75% off For diagram-designing magic, this app is not-to-be-missed. Format text in any diagram elements, enjoy high-resolution .jpg and .png support, and convert almost any built-in diagram element to editable splines. Up to 30% off hit music https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/f37ba9d02cfb34257e0a9de3d20c57af.jpg Beauty and the Beast Soundtrack – Up to 30% off As Belle and her beau take to the big screen, the magical soundtrack of this lavish and beloved musical gets a new airing as well, This is just the beginning of what you’ll find in the Spring Sale Collection in the Windows Store. Don’t miss out – Spring Sale ends April 17! And, for even more savings, don’t miss the Spring Sale deals available now in the Xbox Store and Microsoft Store, including more than 350 console games, plus Xbox Design Lab controllers on sale. *Available through April 17, 2017 through the Windows Store and on Windows devices in the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and China. Offers and content varies by market. Limited availability; offers may change at any time. The post Spring Sale is on now in the Windows Store appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

A key part of our phased approach is to listen closely to all available feedback and make the appropriate product updates during the rollout. This allows us to provide high-quality experiences for the broadest set of users, while also continually increasing the quality and security of Windows 10. Just today we released a cumulative update based on insider and early adopter feedback that includes fixes for such issues as driver compatibility for connecting to specific printers. Please continue to give us feedback about your experience via the Feedback Hub app. For the optimal experience, we recommend you wait until Windows 10 is automatically offered to you on your device. But If you don’t want to wait, you can manually get the update now by following the steps below via the Software Download Site. This option is recommended for advanced users on devices running a licensed version of Windows 10. There are two ways to get the Windows 10 Creators Update 1. Automatically get the update via the phased rollout As we announced previously, when your device becomes eligible for the Creators Update rollout, you’ll be prompted to make some important choices on your privacy settings before the Creators Update can install. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/d7f71d67b69849f66e52e6e467cd5144.png Based on customer feedback you will have expanded options for when you complete the installation. You will have the ability to specify a time that is convenient for you, snooze pending updates for a few days, and expand the “active hours” time window during which you don’t want to be disturbed by an update. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/5294037e879b25710fe5fb776c9aa9b5.png 2. Manually update via the Software Download Site As an advanced user, you have two manual installation options. The recommended method is to utilize the Update Assistant. To do so, click the Update Now button on the Software Download Site. Alternatively, you can download and run the Media Creation Tool which will help you perform a clean installation, or reinstall Windows 10. During a manual update, the privacy settings experience will be shown to you as part of your first-run experience on the Creators Update. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/6cf015f6c3b87e8818df02abc9f0e5ff.png The Creators Update for Windows Phone will follow the same phased approach, with rollout scheduled to begin in late April. Note that update availability may vary by manufacturer, model, country or region, mobile operator or service provider, specific installed software, hardware limitations and other factors such as feedback from customers. We hope you enjoy the Windows 10 Creators Update and the many new features it brings. If you have feedback about your experience, please use the Feedback Hub app to share it with us. We’ll have more to share on the roll out of the Creators Update in the coming weeks. Thank you! The post How to get the Windows 10 Creators Update appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

We believe that everyone is a creator at heart and that creativity is an essential human trait. And, no matter who you are, Windows 10 is built to empower the creator in all of us. To show you some of the great new features coming in the Creators Update, we’ve got a special episode of This Week on Windows just for you. New innovations in the Windows 10 Creators Update include 3D in Windows 10, built-in game broadcasting, new tab management features and more in Microsoft Edge, and enhanced security features such as a new Microsoft privacy dashboard. You can get the Creators Update in a few different ways. If you already have a Windows 10 PC and have automatic updates enabled, the update will be delivered to you when it’s ready. If you are an advanced user and would like to get the update manually, visit this blog post to learn how to get the Creators Update. Another great way to take advantage of the Creators Update is to purchase a new Windows 10 PC from Surface or our partners. Currently, we’ve got some great offers on Windows 10 PCs from Microsoft Store – you can save up to 33% on select PCs, including Dell Inspiron 15, Dell Inspiron 13, HP Pavilion x360, and ASUS ZenBook Flip, at Microsoft Store and microsoftstore.com in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico through April 17. And, in case you missed it, yesterday we announced new creativity apps with unique capabilities for Surface Dial. Here’s a more detailed list of what’s new in the Windows 10 Creators Update 3D in Windows 10 https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/af0c7692e7656a1b06b6cd6827eda3b1.jpg Now with the Creators Update, you have a new app called Paint 3D and access to an online creative community at Remix3D.com. 3D in Windows 10 comes to life in the Creators Update to allow anyone to experience, create, and share in a new dimension. With 3D, we can communicate ideas and express ourselves better, and learn faster, because it’s much more representative of the world we live in. Now with the Creators Update, you have a new app called Paint 3D and access to an online creative community at Remix3D.com. The all-new Paint 3D allows you to create or modify 3D objects, easily change color or texture, or turn 2D images into 3D works of art. To launch Paint 3D, click here. With Remix3D.com, you can share, discover, and be inspired by millions of 3D objects. Remix3D.com lets you connect with other creators, find new ideas, and get instant access to a library of 3D objects to customize, remix, and share with the creative community. New features for Windows 10 PC gamers: gamers can share their passion by connecting, streaming and playing together Beam game broadcasting With the Creators Update, built-in game streaming with Beam is the easiest and most interactive way to stream your gameplay on Windows 10. Pressing Windows key + G while playing your game will bring up the Game bar, where you’ll find we’ve added a broadcast icon to launch Beam – no extra software required. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/ffbf89bf15ea6bac9d79b04c6c3647c4.jpg Built-in game broadcasting on Windows 10. Now you can effortlessly stream your gameplay using the Game Bar—just hit Windows key + G, click Broadcast, and start streaming on Beam—all without the need for additional log-ins. This offers everyone the opportunity to showcase their creativity as a game broadcaster. And with Beam’s low-latency technology, viewers experience less than a second of delay, enabling broadcasters to engage and interact with their viewers in near real-time. This low-latency technology enables Beam broadcasters to incorporate interactive features, such as animation and sound triggers, right into their streams. New gaming section in System Settings Inside the main Windows System Settings, a new section has been added: Gaming, identified with the Xbox logo. This new section unifies your Windows 10 gaming settings in one place. In the Creators Update, there are four settings options: Game bar, GameDVR, broadcasting, and Game Mode. Game Mode may be easily turned on and off for specific games using the Game bar (Windows key + G). Game Mode With Game Mode, it’s our goal to provide a better and more consistent gaming experience on Windows 10, by dedicating more system resources to your game. Game Mode also works for both Win32 and UWP games. To enable Game Mode while playing a game, pull up the Game bar (Windows key + G) and click on the Settings button to opt the running game into using Game Mode. The Creators Update is just the first milestone in our commitment to Game Mode and Windows 10 performance improvements for PC gaming. More games supported by Game bar In the Windows 10 Creators Update, we’ve continued to expand support for Windows Game bar in full-screen mode to more than 80 of the most popular PC games. You can also now manage this feature in the new Gaming section of Windows Settings. Look for “Game bar,” and make sure the “Show Game bar when I play full-screen games Microsoft has verified” setting is checked. A regularly updated list of supported titles is available here. To learn more about all the new gaming features available in the Creators Update, head over to Xbox Wire. Microsoft Edge gets even better with a whole new suite of tab management features, new extensions, and a new bookstore and reading experience Microsoft Edge is the faster, more secure browser built for Windows 10, and with the Creators Update, Microsoft Edge is faster than Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox and offers longer battery life. When unplugged and on-the-go, you can stream video and browse longer. Microsoft Edge streams video up to 3 hours longer than Google Chrome and up to 5 hours longer than Mozilla Firefox, letting you binge watch your favorite show longer without needing a charge. You can also browse nearly a full hour longer with Microsoft Edge when compared to Google Chrome, and nearly two hours longer when compared to Mozilla Firefox.** https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/10f118f400a5a609d5abc802ae8b5a03.jpg Tab preview bar: It’s easy to lose track of what’s in your tabs, especially when you have many tabs from the same site, with similar titles and icons. Tab preview bar: It’s easy to lose track of what’s in your tabs, especially when you have many tabs from the same site, with similar titles and icons. Tab preview bar allows you to easily glance at a visual preview of every tab you have open without leaving your page. You can scroll through the list with touch, mouse wheel, or a touchpad. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/baeb20e34fe5d0fe27d804bd7c609358.jpg Set tabs aside: We’ve added two new buttons next to your tabs in Microsoft Edge to help you quickly manage all your tabs without losing your flow. Set tabs aside: We’ve added two new buttons next to your tabs in Microsoft Edge to help you quickly manage all your tabs without losing your flow. Set these tabs aside feature allows you to sweep away your open tabs, giving you the ability to restore them later. And with Tabs you’ve set aside, you can preview thumbnails of web pages you set aside, and restore an individual or a collection of web pages to pick up where you left off. Import favorites from another browser when you switch to Microsoft Edge: You can import your favorites, browsing history, and other data from another browser you have installed, in one simple step. Use the Import from another browser feature under Settings to select the browsers you want to move your data from.*** https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/31c00bdbf664ed00e2b0c441a2321296.jpg Jump List for Microsoft Edge: You can now launch a new window or new InPrivate window for Microsoft Edge straight from its Taskbar icon. Jump List for Microsoft Edge: You can now launch a new window or new InPrivate window for Microsoft Edge straight from its Taskbar icon. Simply right-click or swipe up on the Microsoft Edge icon in the Taskbar, and pick the task you want! https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/a68f15d17e4c8cb0b71addc0ac3db7ed.png The Creators Update will also bring more extensions to Microsoft Edge. The Creators Update will also bring more extensions to Microsoft Edge, including Ebates, Intel TrueKey, Read & Write, Ghostery, and RoboForm, among others. Tap the pen or highlighter in Web Note, and you’ll now see the full set of Windows Ink colors. What’s new in the Windows Store with the Creators Update We’ve added a new digital category in the Windows Store called books (US only) joining games, apps, movies/TV, and music. With books in the Windows Store, you can discover and read e-books from your favorite authors across genres you love – from sci-fi to thrillers, to children’s books, and everything in between. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/c04f90358369617290d4b43a3421d02f.png With books in the Windows Store, you can discover and read e-books from your favorite authors across genres you love – from sci-fi to thrillers, to children’s books, and everything in between. In the Windows Store, readers will find favorite titles, including New York Times Bestsellers, amongst hundreds of thousands of others. We have partnered with the top publishers and partners, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins Publishers, Hachette Book Group, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, as well as Ingram Content Group, to bring an extensive catalog of great books to the Windows Store. It will feature content such as Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, American Gods by Neil Gaiman, Cross the Line by James Patterson, End of the Watch by Stephen King, and Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/0780b47ce386241707635fcf15bdd9a5.png Once you’ve purchased a book from the Windows Store, you can start reading immediately with Microsoft Edge, which supports offline reading without an internet connection. Once you’ve purchased a book from the Windows Store, you can start reading immediately with Microsoft Edge, which supports offline reading without an internet connection. What’s more, in Microsoft Edge you can easily personalize your reading experience with custom font sizes, layouts, and themes. Cortana* integration pulls information from the web right into your reading experience. Microsoft Edge has integrated Learning Tools accessibility features like Read Aloud and text spacing to make it easier for everyone to read, including people with learning differences like dyslexia and English Language Learners. Books is available across Windows 10 devices, from laptops to 2-in-1s, desktops, and mobile. Dolby Atmos app for Windows 10 now available in the Windows Store Additionally, for the first time, once you’re running the Creators Update, you will be able to experience the Dolby Atmos audio experience via the Dolby Access app, available today in the Windows Store. With the app, you will be able to experience immersive audio from a Windows 10 PC running the Creators Update via headphones or an HDMI connection to a Dolby Atmos-enabled sound bar or home theater system. Check out the app today! A digital assistant that works across devices can now do even more to help you stay on top of everything. Here’s what’s new for Cortana* in the Creators Update. At work and in life, Cortana is your personal digital assistant, there for you wherever you need her, helping make sure nothing slips through the cracks. With Cortana, it is easier to stay on top of your schedule, your commitments, and all the important things you need to remember to keep your day running smoothly. Cortana loves music: You can now use Cortana to control music playback on more of your favorite music apps (EN-US only). And Groove now supports the ability to play music by mood, category or activity so you can say “Hey Cortana, play me some workout music” (EN-US only). We’ve also enabled natural language compatibility for iHeartRadio and TuneIn Radio. This will work both above the lock screen (PC is locked) as well as below! You can try queries like… Play Drake on iHeartRadio Play Top 40 on iHeartRadio Play NPR Hourly News on TuneIn Play jazz music on TuneIn Play Z100 on iHeartRadio Play KUOW on TuneIn Adding music recognition support to Chinese (Simplified): Cortana can now recognize music for customers in China. Simply tap the music notes icon in the top corner of Cortana’s home page, and Cortana will listen to whatever music is playing and use Netease to tell you what song it is. Full screen when Idle: When using “Hey Cortana” while your PC is unlocked and idle, you’ll get a full-screen experience that is optimized for viewing from afar. Give it a try by enabling “Hey Cortana”, and then wait for about 10 seconds or so without touching your PC (available in all Cortana markets). https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/52679a818efbf73ebf8796a75dc8c6d5.jpg Cortana can help you pick up where you left off: When you switch computers, Cortana will display quick links in the Action Center to help you easily get back into Microsoft Edge websites and SharePoint (or other cloud-based) documents you used most recently. Cortana can help you pick up where you left off: When you switch computers, Cortana will display quick links in the Action Center to help you easily get back into Microsoft Edge websites and SharePoint (or other cloud-based) documents you used most recently. For example, if you were working on a PowerPoint deck on your laptop, when you later return to your desktop, a link to that deck appears in the Action Center (EN-US only). Have more fun with improvements across a suite of built-in apps for music, maps, and photos that will work across Xbox and Windows Mixed Reality Built-in experiences including Windows Photos, Windows Maps, Groove Music, and Movies & TV take advantage of the best capabilities of Windows 10 to help you capture ideas and express yourself. Use Windows Ink**** to draw on pictures and videos in the Photos app to make them your own. Have fun, express yourself, and create something new with videos and photos that feature your personal touch. Here’s how to get started with inking in the Photos app. Draw on a 2D or 3D map in the Maps app and make it yours with Windows Ink. Create routes with turn-by-turn directions, measure the distance between any two points, add notes, and mark places to visit. Here’s how to get started with inking in the Maps app. With Groove, you can upload music from your PC to OneDrive to play your own tunes and make a playlist once for all your devices including Windows, Xbox, Android, iOS, and Sonos. Fully immerse yourself in 360° videos and watch hit movies and TV shows in 4K or HD with the Movies & TV app.***** You can go directly from playing videos from your own collection to renting or buying hit movies and commercial-free TV shows to watch at home or on the go on your Windows PC or Xbox. And with the Creators Update, you can now explore new immersive 360° video content for the first time from partners like GoPro, Baobab Studios, SLIVER.tv, LIFE VR, and NextVR. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/a42c79f826df5e432ee69dbd0063b0cc.jpg The mini view feature lets you keep an ever-present small window on top of what you’re doing. This means you can do things like binge watch your favorite show, carry on a Skype conversation or control your music, regardless of what else you’re working on. The mini view feature lets you keep an ever-present small window on top of what you’re doing. This means you can do things like binge watch your favorite show, carry on a Skype conversation or control your music, regardless of what else you’re working on. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/e90394bba403b5c5f1c6753bb4bf3370.png You can now lower the amount of blue light emitted from your PC at night with Night light. You can now lower the amount of blue light emitted from your PC at night with Night light. Settings to turn this functionality on or off in Settings > System > Display. The Creators Update enables immersive experiences that blur the lines between the physical and digital worlds. It enables developers to create new, exciting Windows Mixed Reality apps and experiences with the recently available Windows Mixed Reality dev kits. Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo will ship the world’s first Windows Mixed Reality-enabled headsets later this year, starting at just $299 USD. The most comprehensive security for everything you do on your Windows device – from visiting websites to checking emails to uploading or downloading files in the cloud https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/79545810794490a41afcda76cfa6d4c9.png The new Windows Defender Security Center dashboard coming with the Windows 10 Creators Update gives you visibility of your device security, health, and online safety. Windows continues to expand its security features with the Creators Update, which brings, even more, security capabilities to all customers to help better protect, defend, and respond to threats on their devices and networks. The Windows Defender Security Center offers a single dashboard display so you can control your security options from one place – everything from anti-virus, network, and firewall protection; to assessing your device performance and health; to security controls for your apps and browser; to family safety options. For our enterprise customers using the Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) service, the centralized portal first delivered in the Anniversary Update called the Windows Security Center will link to Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection, via the Microsoft Intelligent Security Graph, to allow IT administrators to easily follow an attack across endpoints and email in a seamless and integrated way. Dynamic Lock: Windows Hello can use any paired iPhone, Android, or Windows Phone to detect when you step away from your PC or tablet, automatically locking it behind you for an extra measure of security and privacy. This feature works with smartphones, fitness bands, or any device that’s paired to your PC or tablet. We’re adding new actions and insights in Windows Defender ATP to investigate and respond to network attacks, including sensors in memory, enriched intelligence, and new remediation actions. Simple privacy settings that let you choose your experience with Windows A new Microsoft privacy dashboard will let you see and manage your activity data across multiple services, as well as changes to how Windows 10 privacy settings will be designed and featured for customers in the upcoming Creators Update. The Creators Update introduces a new setup experience for you to choose the settings that are right for you, simplifies Diagnostic data collection from three levels to two: Basic and Full, and further reduces the data collected at the Basic level. Skype makes it easy for you to connect with friends, family, and colleagues https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/7a8852ef914ec398584748b124f6db30.jpg The Creators Update includes the best Skype ever for Windows PCs. This next-generation version of Skype was built for Windows 10 and includes exclusive features such as mini view, SMS relay for Windows Phone, and Skype Translator for calls to mobile phones and landlines. The Creators Update includes the best Skype ever for Windows PCs. This next-generation version of Skype was built for Windows 10 and includes exclusive features such as mini view, SMS relay for Windows Phone, and Skype Translator for calls to mobile phones and landlines. It is easy to use with keyboard shortcuts, conversation search, and a redesigned group video calling view that brings everyone even closer together. Be more productive on your PC and collaborate over Skype – share screens, photos, videos, documents, and files (up to 300MB). Say “hello” with an instant message, voice or video call, all for free, no matter what device you use Skype on. Learn more about what’s new with Skype on the Skype Blog. The Creators Update begins rolling out worldwide today. To learn more about the update you can visit your local Microsoft Store to see what the Creators Update has to offer and get assistance from knowledgeable and friendly Answer Desk technicians, including a free consultation for your device. You can also schedule a free appointment with a Microsoft Store Answer Desk technician by visiting your local Microsoft Store or going online to microsoftstore.com/answerdesk. If you are an advanced user and you’d like to learn more about how to get the Creators Update, visit this link *Cortana available in select markets. **More information available here. ***Microsoft Edge can import browsing history, passwords, and other data only from Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. Favorites can be imported from Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and 360. ****Touch–capable tablet or PC required. Pen accessory may be sold separately. *****App availability and experience may vary by region and device; some content sold separately. The post What’s new in the Windows 10 Creators Update appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/d071168485f2e1ec5c63287e023f99e0.jpg Minecraft has partnered with heroic ‘crafters well-known to the community to build up a launch catalogue of amazing adventure maps, texture packs, minigames and more. Noxcrew, BlockWorks, Qwertyuiop The Pie, Blockception, Sphax, Eneija, Imagiverse, Polymaps and Razzleberry Fox are the folk on board at launch, but we’re opening up submissions to anyone with a registered business. For more info on how to apply, go here. The idea is to give Minecraft creators another way to make a living from the game, allowing them to support themselves in the creation of ever-greater projects, while giving Pocket and Windows 10 players access to a growing catalogue of fun stuff – curated and supplied by the Minecraft team, safely and simply. And, of course, you can still manually download free community creations you’ve found out there on the internet, too. Read more at the Minecraft blog! The post All-new Minecraft Marketplace coming to Pocket and Windows 10 editions appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

It’s called Microsoft Tips — just type “Tips” in the search box on the taskbar, find it in the Start menu or open it from the Windows Store. It’s even available offline! Check out tips in the app to enhance your browsing experience with Microsoft Edge, learn about Cortana* and discover other ways you can personalize, customize and awesome-ize Windows. Here’s how to get started with the Tips app: https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/9c9a8bfcb7adc2b468de5b7b39430d72.gif Open the Tips app and you’ll land on the Welcome page — your home for quick tips, videos and other “Cool! I didn’t know that” info about the latest updates to Windows 10. Dive right into a settings page to adjust the look and feel of Windows, or jump to a topic within the Tips app to learn more about a particular feature. Don’t wait to see what’s new https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/ea25ae916d24c19e031b883eef0216de.gif We get it: reading about a fancy new app or setting isn’t as fun as fiddling around with it yourself. When browsing the Tips app, keep an eye out for buttons that send you directly to apps or settings for some hands-on discovery. Personalized tips for your Surface device https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/0768b8d8e7787af66cd6ab30f4797c4f.gif The Tips app knows what kind of PC you’re working with. If you have a Surface Book or Surface Pro, open the app and look on the left-hand side for the “Your Surface Book/Pro” category. It has info tailored to your Microsoft device, like how to change your Surface Pen settings or how to switch between laptop and tablet mode. Have a great week! *Cortana available in select markets The post Windows 10 Tip: See what’s new in Windows with the Microsoft Tips app appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Containers have been at the forefront of cloud transformation in recent years, and for good reason: Container technologies let organizations more easily build, deploy and move applications to and from the cloud. With this increase in agility and portability, containers are helping to make applications the new currency in the cloud. At Microsoft, we’ve seen explosive growth in both interest and deployment of containerized workloads on Azure, and we’re committed to ensuring Azure is the best place to run them. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/5b17fe25ddd36ff88b82ef2767020f54.jpg To support this vision, we’re pleased to announce that Microsoft has signed an agreement to acquire Deis – a company that has been at the center of the container transformation. Deis gives developers the means to vastly improve application agility, efficiency and reliability through their Kubernetes container management technologies. In addition to their container expertise, the Deis team brings a depth of open source technology experience – furthering Microsoft’s commitments to improve developer productivity and to provide choice and flexibility for our customers everywhere. Members of the Deis team are strong supporters of the open source community – developing tools, contributing code and organizing developer meetups. We expect Deis’ technology to make it even easier for customers to work with our existing container portfolio including Linux and Windows Server Containers, Hyper-V Containers and Azure Container Service, no matter what tools they choose to use. We’re excited to bring the Deis team and their technology to Microsoft. I look forward to seeing the impact their contributions will have on Azure and the Microsoft developer experience. You can also read a blog post from Gabe Monroy, CTO of Deis, here. The post Microsoft to acquire Deis to help companies innovate with containers appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

Hello Windows Insiders! Today we are excited to be releasing a new build from our Development Branch! Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16170 for PC has been released to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring. As we mentioned earlier this week, you won’t see many big noticeable changes or new features in new builds just yet. That’s because right now, we’re focused on making some refinements to OneCore and doing some code refactoring and other engineering work that is necessary to make sure OneCore is optimally structured for teams to start checking in code. This also means more bugs and other issues that could be slightly more painful to live with – so check your Windows Insider Program settings! Windows Insider Program for Business is here! We have one other exciting announcement about a program we co-created with our IT Professional Windows Insiders. Back in mid-February at Microsoft Ignite in Australia, Bill Karagounis showcased our commitment to an important segment of the Windows Insider program – IT Professionals. As Bill stated, we’re incredibly honored to have IT Pros participating in the Windows Insider Program and to be evaluating Windows 10 and its features as part of their deployment process.� Since his announcement, we’ve continued to receive an overwhelming response from IT Professionals interested in helping us shape the future of the program with features specifically for business. One of the most frequent requests we received from Insiders was for the option to join the Windows Insider Program using corporate credentials (instead of the existing registration process which requires a personal Microsoft Account): “I’m currently in the Windows Insider Program and would love to be able to test more business-oriented features internally. It would also be great to be able to recruit a few users to run Insider Builds, as well, using the corporate credentials. If there were mechanisms in place for me to see those users’ feedback and issues, that would be great, as well.” – Current Windows Insider at US-based Company “I want more users in key areas to be able to test/evaluate/learn/feedback. Microsoft accounts are not allowed. We are using SCCM current release and want to establish steps before ‘release ready’ and ‘business ready’.” – Current Windows Insider at UK-based Company “Due to the rapid release of Windows we need a different channel to where IT Pros can provide feedback to the Dev teams�.” – Current Windows Insider at an Australian-based Company Based on feedback like this, we’re excited to announce today that Insiders can now register for Windows 10 Insider Preview Builds on their PC using their corporate credentials in Azure Active Directory. Using corporate credentials will enable you to increase the visibility of your organization’s feedback – especially on features that support productivity and business needs. You’ll also be able to better advocate for the needs of your organization, and have real-time dialogue with Microsoft on features critical to specific business needs. This dialogue, in turn, helps us identify trends in issues organizations are facing when deploying Windows 10 and deliver solutions to you more quickly. We’ll be rolling out even more tools aimed at better supporting IT Professionals and business users in our Insider community. Stay tuned! How to access the Windows Insider Program for Business features Simply visit the Windows Insider Program site and click on the “For Business” tab. To access the new features, you must register using your corporate account in Azure Active Directory (AAD). This account is the same account that you use for Office 365 and other Microsoft services. Once you’ve registered using your corporate credentials, you’ll find a set of resources that will help you get started with the Windows Insider Program for Business in your organization. Don’t forget – After you register, enroll your Windows 10 PC to get the latest Windows 10 Insider Preview builds on your Windows 10 PC: Go to Settings \ Updates & Security \ Windows Insider Program. (Make sure that you have administrator rights to your machine and that it has latest Windows updates.) Click Get Started, enter your corporate credentials that you used to register, then follow the on-screen directions. Windows Insider for Business participants partner with the Windows Development Team to discover and create features, infuse innovation, and plan for what’s around the bend. We’ve architected some great features together, received amazing feedback, and we’re not done! In addition, the Windows Insider Program connects you to a global community of IT Pros in our new Microsoft Tech Community and helps provide you with the information and experience you need to grow not only your skills but your career as well. You’ll be hearing a LOT more from us in the coming months. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/63df7ca1b0c5b779459ee5db5f98198d.jpg Keep the feedback coming! Other changes, improvements, and fixes for PC We fixed the issue causing your PC to fail to install new builds on reboot with the error 8024a112. We have updated the share icon in File Explorer (in the Share tab) to match our new share iconography. We fixed an issue where Cortana Reminders was displayed as a possible share target when Cortana wasn’t enabled. We fixed an issue where Miracast sessions would disconnect a minute or so after the Connect UI was closed if the connection was a first time pairing. We fixed a high-DPI issue when “System (Enhanced)”� scaling is enabled so as to now correctly display certain applications that use display graphics accelerated contents. Turning the night light schedule off in Settings now turns night light off immediately. Known issues for PC Narrator will not work on this build. If you require Narrator to work, you should move to the Slow ring until we get this bug fixed. Some Insiders have reported seeing this error “Some updates were cancelled. We’ll keep trying in case new updates become available” in Windows Update. See this forum post for more details. Some apps and games may crash due to a misconfiguration of advertising ID that happened in a prior build. Specifically, this issue affects new user accounts that were created on Build 15031. The misconfiguration can continue to persist after upgrading to later builds. The ACL on the registry key incorrectly denies access to the user and you can delete the following registry key to get out of this state: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdvertisingInfo. There is a bug where if you need to restart your PC due to a pending update like with the latest Surface firmware updates, the restart reminder dialog doesn’t pop up. You should check Settings > Update & security > Windows Update to see if a restart is required. Certain hardware configurations may cause the broadcast live review window in the Game bar to flash Green while you are Broadcasting. This does not affect the quality of your broadcast and is only visible to the Broadcaster. Make sure you have the latest graphics drivers. Double-clicking on the Windows Defender icon in the notification area does not open Windows Defender. Right-clicking on the icon and choosing open will open Windows Defender. Surface 3 devices fail to update to new builds if a SD memory card is inserted. The updated drivers for the Surface 3 that fix this issue have not yet been published to Windows Update. Pressing F12 to open the Developer Tools in Microsoft Edge while F12 is open and focused may not return focus to the tab F12 is opened against, and vice-versa. The Action Center may get into a state where dismissing one notification unexpectedly dismisses multiple. If this happens, please try rebooting your device. Keep hustling team, Dona <3 The post Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16170 for PC appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

We hope you enjoyed today’s episode of This Week on Windows! Head over here to learn more about the partner devices bringing Windows 10 Creators Update experiences to life, check out five ways to get started personalizing your taskbar and stay tuned for more than 100 deals on games, apps, movies & TV and music with the Spring Sale in the Windows Store, starting April 11! Learn more about what’s powering Project Scorpio in this article by Digital Foundry: Get your very first look at the technology powering #ProjectScorpio. @digitalfoundry has the scoop: https://t.co/jxVbICxtwR pic.twitter.com/D7jS4ateVm — Xbox (@Xbox) April 6, 2017 Here’s what’s new in the Windows Store: Rent Rogue One: A Star Wars Story from $4.99 https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/1a83a83fd018d077bb518a42761f3614.jpg As the Empire continues to gain power, a group of rebel spies will risk everything to steal the plans to their enemy’s most terrifying new weapon: the Death Star. Rent the epic adventure Rogue One: A Star Wars Story ($5.99 HD, $4.99 SD) today on Digital HD in the Movies & TV section of the Windows Store. Can’t get enough Star Wars? Buy the Digital Six Film Collection now through April 10 and get a $5 gift card to spend on even more movies, games, apps, or music! For additional details, visit this link. Split https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/aca4d38ca03ece93ec1e301c7b3343f0.jpg When three teenage girls are abducted by a man with multiple personalities, they must figure out which of those personalities might help them escape…and which will do anything in their power to stop them. M. Night Shyamalan’s terrifying thriller Split ($14.99) is available now in the Movies & TV section of the Windows Store, two full weeks before Blu-ray. Buy The Wolf Among Us for $24.99 https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/75201fbf129e877711324bfdf0488177.jpg From Telltale Games, the team that brought you The Walking Dead, comes The Wolf Among Us ($24.99), a gritty, violent and mature thriller based on the award-winning Fables comics. As Bigby Wolf – THE big, bad wolf – you’ll soon see that a brutal, bloody murder is just a taste of things to come in a game where every decision can have enormous consequences. Buy Archer, Season 8 from $14.99 https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/34cf578ce1b1d75970c2e389ded45a18.jpg Season 8 marks a new era for this hit animated series as hardboiled spy/private eye Sterling Archer embarks on a mission to find his partner’s killer in 1947 Los Angeles. Watch the premiere of Archer ($19.99 HD, $14.99 SD) now in the Movies & TV section of the Windows Store. Have a great weekend! The post This Week on Windows: Netflix, Taskbar, Spring Sale in the Windows Store appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Golf fans have a big weekend ahead, with all eyes on Augusta, Georgia, for one of the most prestigious tournaments of the year. If the weather’s nice and you’re itching to get off the couch and play a round yourself, take Bing along as your virtual caddy to keep an eye on https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/f65fa8a1fc24f50b301bbf8c1480eedd.pngthe pros and see who will win the coveted green jacket on Sunday. Bing will provide round-by-round scores, full leaderboards, golfers’ world rankings and total earnings, and more – not only this weekend but all season long. Technology is helping to provide better sports experiences all around. Special Olympics, which turns 50 next year, is rejuvenating itself with a tech makeover, turning to the cloud and other advances to improve its World Games for athletes, coaches, fans, volunteers, families – in other words, everyone involved. “Now that we have tools we’ve never had before, every single one of my skiers has been able to improve their personal best,” said Bryan Tweit, who has volunteered for 25 years as an alpine skiing coach with the organization for athletes with intellectual disabilities. “And that builds confidence, which seeps into every area of their lives.” https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/c1fb2ffd7a442d350353e1174361c058.jpg It’s National Autism Awareness Month, making it a good time to rethink how to empower every person to achieve more. The vast majority of people with autism are either unemployed or underemployed, leaving a large pool of untapped talent. But there are ways to help these incredibly talented people break through traditional barriers to gain employment. Microsoft is dedicated to expanding its Autism Hiring Program by sponsoring various summits and career fairs. “At Microsoft, we see disability as a strength,” Neil Barnett, the company’s director of inclusive hiring and accessibility, wrote in a blog post. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/c05a4f053e5c6e469a1bdabb4dfbc594.png Deep learning pioneer Yoshua Bengio, who advises Microsoft on its artificial intelligence (AI) efforts and is head of the Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms, stopped by the company’s Redmond, Washington, campus recently and took some time out for a chat. What is deep learning, you may ask – and Bengio will gladly tell you in this Q&A. Hint: It has to do with making machines intelligent by helping them learn, inspired by our understanding of how human brains work. And Bengio is most excited about the progress being made right now in what’s called unsupervised learning. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/52cebefc9d4d8fcd5c5cc9d48fee39b7.jpg If the forecast looks stormy this weekend, you may want to do some preemptive planning by downloading the Netflix app for Windows 10, which will let you download shows and movies for offline viewing – a feature that would come in very handy if a storm knocked out power to your internet. You can also stay out of the elements and work on diagram designs with the updated Grapholite app. Or settle in and spend some quality time chasing criminals as an undercover police officer, having a magical adventure on a train with two orphaned siblings, or participating in a shootout in a gunfight dungeon. New games this week include “Lego City Undercover,” “Blackwood Crossing” and “Enter the Gungeon.” https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/35dd777670eba193acfd243305db41eb.jpg This week on the Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages, we featured Connected Eyes, a cloud-based, machine-learning research project that harnesses artificial intelligence to correct vision. This project was created by Microsoft India in partnership with L V Prasad Eye Institute and was honored as one of Fast Company’s 2017 World Changing Ideas. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/461d552c6e42ffd00a84b95b28906c58.jpg Whatever the weather may bring, we hope you have a great weekend, and we’ll see you next Friday for another edition of Weekend Reading! Posted by Susanna Ray Microsoft News Center Staff The post Golf’s green jacket, a Special Olympics tech makeover and a Q&A about ‘deep learning’ – Weekend Reading: April 7 edition appeared first on The Official Microsoft Blog. Continue reading...

Terry Myerson is the EVP of the Windows and Devices Group and Marisa Rogers is the WDG Privacy Officer Last week, we shared that the Windows 10 Creators Update will begin to roll out to our customers starting April 11, bringing new features and tools that empower the creator in each of us. We’ve talked about innovations in this update like bringing 3D creation and mixed reality to everyone, enabling every gamer to be a broadcaster, and browsing improvements in Microsoft Edge. With all these new built-in innovations, we hope it will inspire you to choose Windows to be the place you love to create and play. And yet one of our most important improvements in the Creators Update is a set of privacy enhancements that will be mostly behind the scenes. As part of our commitment to transparency and your privacy, today we’re bringing those enhancements front and center, and sharing three new things that will help you be more informed about your privacy with Windows 10. We are improving in-product information about your privacy. With both short descriptions about each privacy setting and a “Learn More” button, we are committed to making information about your privacy choices easy to access and understand. We are updating the Microsoft privacy statement to include more information about the privacy enhancements in the Creators Update; as well as share more detail about the data we collect and use to support new features offered in this update. Like previous privacy statement updates, we will make this information available to you in a layered manner online, allowing you to progressively explore more information about your privacy choices with Windows 10. We have also summarized the key changes in Change History for Microsoft Privacy Statement. We are publishing more information about the data we collect. Our commitment to you is that we only collect data at the Basic level that is necessary to keep your Windows 10 device secure and up to date. For customers who choose the Full level, we use diagnostic data to improve Windows 10 for everyone and deliver more personalized experiences for you where you choose to let us do so. Our hope is this information will help you be more informed about the data we collect and use, enabling you to make informed choices. For the first time, we have published a complete list of the diagnostic data collected at the Basic level. Individual data points that relate to a specific item or event are collected together and called Events. These are further organized into diagnostic areas. We are also providing a detailed summary of the data we collect from users at both Basic and Full levels of diagnostics. Aside from sharing new information to inform your choices, our teams have also worked diligently since the Anniversary Update to re-assess what data is strictly necessary at the Basic level to keep Windows 10 devices up to date and secure. We looked closely at how we use this diagnostic data and strengthened our commitment to minimize data collection at the Basic level. As a result, we have reduced the number of events collected and reduced, by about half, the volume of data we collect at the Basic level. Finally, I want to introduce Marisa Rogers, our Windows and Devices Group Privacy Officer. She champions our privacy commitments to you both inside and outside Microsoft, working with our Microsoft engineers and advocates around the world to ensure we’re delivering great experiences with privacy by design and giving you the information that puts you in control. Marisa will share more today and in the future about the privacy work we’ve done with the Creators Update and our privacy plans for future updates. I’m proud of the team’s work here and our continued commitment to your privacy. I’m also appreciative of the great feedback we’ve received from our customers along this journey. You inspire us every day to innovate and deliver a great product that respects your privacy choices. This feedback – in line with the feedback we have received from the European Union’s Article 29 Working Party and national data protection authorities that have specifically engaged us on Windows 10 – was essential for Microsoft to identify and implement improvements in our privacy practices. Thank you and keep the feedback coming! Take it away, Marisa. -Terry Privacy Refresh: What to expect with the Windows 10 Creators Update and beyond Thanks, Terry. Before I get into the privacy details about this update and beyond, I want to first thank YOU – our customers – for your feedback and support on this journey. Our commitment to your privacy is only fully realized when we deliver on your feedback. With the Creators Update, we’ve taken significant steps forward to help ensure you have information to make informed choices and you are in control of the personalized experiences you choose with Windows 10. Here’s what you can expect from us with this update. First, everyone will have the opportunity to review their privacy settings. We believe it is important that you understand your choices. We’ve made this easier than ever before with clearer descriptions of each privacy setting and “Learn More” buttons that allow you to dive deeper into the information we collect and how it is used. For those of you already running a version of Windows 10, we will deliver a notification to schedule your Creators Update and choose your privacy settings as depicted below. The first image shows an example of how the privacy settings screen may appear to you. The actual values of the toggles on this screen will be based on your current settings in Windows 10. For example, if you previously chose to turn off location services, the toggle in this screen will be initially set to “Off” for location services. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/f34305080615660059b02d6c3d42bae3.jpg The second image shows the same screen with all toggles set to “Off” (and, in the case of diagnostics, to “Basic”). https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/7f44b0b8e5c1006dbe6f4e5a7089f7c2.jpg You can use the toggles to customize your choices. Additionally, at any time, you can go to Windows Settings from the Start Menu, then select Privacy, to review and change your settings and to find more details and links to the Microsoft Privacy statement. For those of you who are setting up a new Windows 10 device for the first time or running a clean install of Windows 10, the new privacy set up experience will look like the one below. The first image is the screen as it will first appear, with toggles showing Microsoft’s recommended settings. Each toggle provides a short description of the purpose of the setting. If you want more information about the settings, you can select the “Learn more” button. We believe the recommended settings will provide you with the richest experience and enable important Windows 10 features to operate most effectively. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/83552aa8c0105c876ba88d598d412ecf.png This screen will replace the “Get going fast” and “Customize settings” screens that were available in the set-up experiences for previous releases of Windows 10. You must act on this screen before using Windows 10. The next image below shows the same screen with all toggles set to “Off” (and, in the case of diagnostics, to “Basic”). Again, each toggle provides a short description of the impact of the setting. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/025ed33c7f276f95c11ce9e40b697f19.png Both images of this set-up screen display options in two columns (if necessitated by your screen resolution) to avoid needing to scroll to see all the text on the screen. If you are manually setting up or upgrading to the Creators Update using advanced tools such as the Media Creation Tool, the screen display may instead use a single‑column format and may require scrolling depending on your screen size or language. These tools are intended for advanced technical users and are not recommended for most customers. After reviewing and selecting settings, you must then take a final action to approve your choices by selecting the “Accept” button. For the those of you with mobile devices currently running Windows 10 Mobile, the key privacy choices relevant to the mobile version of the Windows 10 Creators Update will be presented after you install the update. The only difference in mobile is the “Tailored experiences with diagnostic data” setting is automatically turned off for all customers and is not presented as an option on the privacy screen due to limitations of the mobile platform. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/7d267293730833f44a11d6930d7f4a93.png https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/37d23ec87e7b72a75025b83f4dcd366d.png The Journey Continues We are on a journey with you and fully committed to putting you in control and providing the information you need to make informed decisions about your privacy. The Windows 10 Creators Update is a significant step forward, but by no means the end of our journey. In future updates, we will continue to refine our approach and implement your feedback about data collection and privacy controls. We are committed to helping ensure you have access to even more information and can review and delete data we collect via the Microsoft privacy dashboard. This month, we will bring voice data to this dashboard, so you can review the data we have which improves Cortana’s ability to naturally respond to your requests as your personal digital assistant. We will also share more information about how we will ensure Windows 10 is compliant with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation and how using Windows 10 and other Microsoft products will help our enterprise customers with compliance in their environments. I look forward to a continued dialogue with you and advocacy organizations around the world and welcome you to contact me and my privacy team with your feedback here. -Marisa The post Windows 10 privacy journey continues: more transparency and controls for you appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Hello Windows Insiders! It’s that time again! We’re getting ready to start releasing new builds from our Development Branch. And just like before after the release of a new Windows 10 update, you won’t see many big noticeable changes or new features in new builds just yet. That’s because right now, we’re focused on making some refinements to OneCore and doing some code refactoring and other engineering work that is necessary to make sure OneCore is optimally structured for teams to start checking in code. Now comes our standard warning that these new builds from our Development Branch may include more bugs and other issues that could be slightly more painful for some people to live with. So, if this makes you uncomfortable, you can change your ring by going to Settings > Update & security > Windows Insider Program and moving to the Slow or Release Preview rings for more stable builds. Additionally, if you are an Windows Insider who wants to stay on the Windows 10 Creators Update – you will need to go to Settings > Update & security > Windows Insider Program and press the “Stop Insider Preview builds”� button. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/724242e64bcf942654a1578329d01860.png A menu will pop up and you will need to choose “Keep giving me builds until the next Windows release”. This will keep you on the Windows 10 Creators Update. https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/ab304b035d76e85affccda4c7625b4a8.png We’re excited to get some new builds out to Insiders soon! Keep hustling, Dona <3 The post Time to check your Windows Insider Program settings! appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Download your favorite TV shows and movies like Dave Chappelle, Stranger Things, The Crown, Narcos, Master of None, BoJack Horseman and more. Here’s how to get started: If you haven’t already downloaded the Netflix app for Windows 10, you can do that here. Once you’ve launched the app you can check out all the downloadable titles in “Available for Download” from the Netflix menu, or look for the download icon next to a specific movie or TV show. Click to view slideshow. Tap the download icon next to a movie or episode of a TV show, and you’ll find them in the My “Downloads” section of the app. *Downloadable content can vary by country The post Download TV shows and movies from Netflix to your Windows 10 PC appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

You can personalize it, manage your calendar, pin your favorite apps to it, move it to where you want to display on your screen and more. You can even manage your calendar appointments right from the Taskbar. Today, we’re showing you five ways to get started with the Taskbar: Change the transparency and color for your Taskbar, Start menu, Action Center and more https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/e338820f7531a759d38f33304f52b530.gif Launch the Settings app and go to Personalization > Colors. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to the “More options” section. If you want to change the transparency, flip the toggle for “Transparency effects.” If you want to change the color, locate the “Show accent color on the following surfaces” setting in the same section, and check “Start, Taskbar, and action center.” You can experiment with different colors or even pick a custom color. Customize the layout by making your Taskbar icons smaller, or moving Taskbar around the screen https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/78bd1e52a13c66f450ae8ca5859405b5.gif To make icons smaller, right-click on the Taskbar, click on Settings and then check “Use small Taskbar buttons.” To move the Taskbar to the left, right, or top of the screen, select the desired location in the “Taskbar location on screen” setting. View your schedule with one click from the Taskbar calendar https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/f3392396d684ac8442da1176df23ba5e.gif When you connect your account with the built-in Calendar app, you’ll be able to see all your upcoming appointments in the Taskbar calendar with one click. Add as many calendars as you’d like to see in the Calendar app by going to Settings > Manage Accounts > Add Account. Minimize all your open windows by clicking on the button on the far-right https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/416060c7b8405e178a239a0a4a7d5f11.gif Free up space on your screen by hiding the Taskbar, in desktop or tablet mode https://extremetechsupport.com/data/MetaMirrorCache/9641490fa0e76b6903159f6889c54c69.gif Right-click on the Taskbar, click Settings, and you’ll be able to choose to hide the Taskbar in desktop mode, tablet mode or both! Have a great week! The post Windows 10 Tip: Five ways to get started with the Taskbar appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...

Hi, everyone! Yesterday Yusuf Mehdi announced the availability of the Windows 10 Creators Update, the latest feature update to Windows 10. Today I’d like to share more information about our plans for rolling out the Creators Update. The Creators Update will begin to roll out on April 11th. Like with the Anniversary Update we delivered last August, this update for Windows will proceed in phases. Based on our experience and feedback from our customers, we believe a phased approach provides the highest quality update experience to the broadest set of customers. The first phase will target newer devices, especially those we tested together with our OEM hardware partners. We will then expand the Creators Update release to additional devices based on the feedback we receive during the initial phase. We’ll iterate this process over a period of several months until all compatible devices running Windows 10 worldwide are offered the Creators Update. Windows Phone will follow the same phased approach, with rollout scheduled to begin April 25. Note that update availability may vary by manufacturer, model, country or region, mobile operator or service provider, specific installed software, hardware limitations and other factors such as feedback from customers. As we announced previously, customers will be asked to make important privacy settings choices before the Creators Update is installed. When you see the privacy settings page, you will know that the Creators update isn’t far behind! We also received a lot of feedback asking for more control over when Windows 10 installs updates. As I noted in my blog post from March 1, we’ve provided new ways for customers to control when the update will occur. These include the ability to specify a time that is convenient for you, pause updates for a week, and expand the “active hours” time window during which you don’t want to be disturbed by an update. If you’re running a Windows 10 PC at work, check with your IT administrator for details regarding your organization’s rollout plans. For the those of you who are eager to get the Creators Update right away, you will be able to initiate the update manually, starting on April 5th, via Update Assistant. This option is intended for advanced users on devices running a licensed version of Windows 10. We’ve been working hard to get the Creators Update ready for you, and a key aspect of that preparation is the tremendous level of engagement from the Windows Insider Program (WIP) community. Millions of Insiders have installed many different “test builds” and helped us refine the release with their feedback. We also worked closely with top ISVs on application compatibility, and our top hardware partners (including the Microsoft Surface team) to test the Creators Update with a set of the latest devices and peripherals. Your feedback helps us shape Windows, so naturally, we’re anxious to hear about your experience with the Creators Update. The Feedback Hub app is a great way to provide feedback and is already installed on your Window 10 device. If you experience an issue and need assistance, the new Get Help app makes it easier to resolve issues yourself or be connected to an expert if needed. The app introduces Microsoft’s new virtual support agent, which uses your description of an issue to help find the best troubleshooter, instant answer, support article, or other solution available (initially available only in English in the US). We hope you enjoy all the great new features in the Creators Update! In the coming weeks, I’ll be providing updates on what feedback we’re hearing and how the Creators Update rollout process is going. The post Managing the Windows 10 Creators Update rollout for a seamless experience appeared first on Windows Experience Blog. Continue reading...