Windows 10 is Now Running on 1 Billion Devices

Microsoft today announced that over one billion people have chosen Windows 10 across 200 countries resulting in more than one billion active Windows 10 devices. Since its release in 2015, every new build of Windows 10 has seen customer satisfaction improve through fixes, new capabilities and experiences for customers to benefit from a secure, reliable platform. 



With 100 percent of the Fortune 500 now using Windows 10 devices, it has become a critical platform for driving business transformation in the enterprise and beyond. In addition, one in seven people, from developers, business professionals, students and families are planning, creating, ideating, executing, and doing great things with Windows 10. More companies are also transitioning from older operating systems to Windows 10 as part of their commitment to running the business more efficiently and securely, positioning themselves to offer better products, services and solutions to their customers.

From one to one billion devices

“With Windows 10, our focus has always been to put the customer at the center, to listen to feedback, and to have that feedback shape the development process. One of the strongest examples of this customer focus is our Windows Insider Program which now has over 17.8M Insiders in every country of the world,” said Yusuf Mehdi, CVP Modern Life, Search and Devices, Microsoft. “We have also strived to make Windows an open, inclusive, and accessible platform that can empower everyone to achieve their goals. Our Windows Accessibility team focuses on human-centered design, a method where engineers and designers work to deeply understand peoples’ needs, and then co-design and continuously iterate on solutions directly with them.”. 

Users can expect new Windows 10 features and security updates to be delivered faster, with the duration evolving from a version every 3 years, to multiple versions per year. The recent decoupling of the new Chromium-based Edge browser from Windows 10 has also enabled the delivery of new builds to customers outside of the normal Windows 10 release cadence—and to more versions of Windows. 

From PCs, to Mixed Reality, Xbox and more

Windows 10 is also the only operating system globally that runs in over 80,000 models and configurations of laptops and 2-in-1s from over 1,000 different manufacturers. The operating system also powers Windows Mixed Reality, Microsoft HoloLens and the entire Xbox family of consoles, including the latest Xbox Series X, which will be available later this year — transforming the way people build, design, learn, play and experience the world around them.

The operating system has also enabled new categories of device creation including Surface Pro, Surface Book, and Surface Hub 2S; and will power future devices such as Surface Neo, a dual-screen device that will run Windows 10X, presenting users with unique experiences on multi-posture dual-screen PCs. 

Windows is a diverse and powerful canvas that gives Microsoft’s OEM partners the flexible tools they need to deliver innovation to the world. This can be seen in their latest devices such as the Acer ConceptD 700 workstation, ASUS ExpertBook B9, XPS 13 from Dell , HP Elite Dragonfly,  Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Book Flex α.

As a pioneer in seamless touch and pen experiences, biometric log-in with Windows Hello, touch-to-dial apps like Your Phone, to enabling Android users to connect their phone to their PC — the Windows innovation will continue. Microsoft envisions Windows to be the most accessible operating system, and though Azure cloud, users of Mac, iOS or even Chromebooks will be able to enjoy the benefits of Windows. 

“Reaching a billion people with Windows 10 is just the beginning. We will invest in Windows not only within Windows 10 for PCs but also across many other Windows editions, serving diverse customer needs including Windows IoT, Windows 10 Teams edition for Surface Hub, Windows Server, Windows Mixed Reality on HoloLens, Windows 10 in S mode, Windows 10X and more.” said Mehdi.

For Windows 10, Micrcosoft Launches Smart Phonetic Keyboards for 10 Indian languages

As part of its efforts to personalize technology and make it accessible for everyone, Microsoft has announced the release of smart Phonetic keyboards (Virtual) for 10 Indian languages in its May 2019 update (19H1) for Windows 10. The updated virtual keyboard learns from the behavior patterns and preferences of the user and accordingly offers individualized word suggestions in Indian languages, enhancing and improving accuracy of text input. Since these keyboards are based on natural pronunciation, users don’t need to separately learn to use them and simply start using them immediately.

The release of the updated phonetic keyboards is available in Hindi, Bangla, Tamil, Marathi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam languages, which is a significant step towards making computing language-agnostic and more inclusive in India. The keyboards now allow Indian users to work in their native/preferred languages unlike before when many of them had to purchase customized Indic hardware keyboards or stickers. This has made it simple for users to input transliterated Indic text using the existing keyboards which traditionally have Latin characters inscribed on them. Transliteration, unlike translation, automatically converts text from one script to another. For instance, if we type ‘Bharat’ in Latin characters, the Phonetic keyboard will transliterate final output to भारत (Hindi), ভারত (Bengali), ભારત (Gujarati) or ਭਾਰਤ (Punjabi) depending on the target language.

The new tools will not only help in making computing inclusive they are also expected to improve typing speed and accuracy in Indian languages by at least 20%. Moreover, they make many regional symbols (like the Indian numerals) easier to input.

Prior to this update, Indic users were required to download Microsoft Indic Language Input Tool (ILIT) from the company’s Indic community website ‘Bhashaindia.com’ or a third-party tool. There are many other utilities from Microsoft (including Indic Input 1, Indic Input 2 and Indic Input 3) for Phonetic text input in Indian languages. The new update which now comes integrated into the operating system nullifies the need to download and install any external tools, known as Input Method Editors (IMEs). Here are a few other benefits the update will offer to users:

1. As most users are not aware of the availability of external IMEs for Phonetic Indic text input, the Phonetic keyboards’ integration with the operating system will make them better


2. Since no separate installation is required, they can be used in areas with low/no internet connectivity.


3. Unlike the installed tools, constant upgradation will not be required anymore, but will be part of the Windows updates.

Updating & using Indic Phonetic keyboards:

While the updated keyboards have automatically been made available with the recent Windows 10 update (19H1), the users who have not updated their operating system may get the latest update by following simple steps: Go to Settings> Updates & Security> Windows Update. Once the update is installed, they can activate the Phonetic keyboards by going to Language settings.

The new keyboards are in addition to the Indic Inscript keyboard already available with Windows. Inscript, the official Indian keyboard standard for Indian languages, has been supported on all versions of the operating system starting with Windows 2000. It remains the default keyboard for Indic languages except for Tamil, which has Tamil 99 as the default keyboard instead.

New Phonetic keyboard layouts will work with any Unicode enabled applications and web browsers (including Edge) running over the Widows 10 operating system. Unicode is a common text encoding standard used for most languages of the world.

Microsoft and Local Language Computing: Microsoft has been consistently working to provide local language computing in Indian languages for over two decades since the launch of Project Bhasha in 1998, allowing users to input localized text easily and quickly using the Indian Language Input tool. Microsoft is also leveraging AI and Deep Neural Networks to improve real-time language translation for Hindi, Bengali, Tamil and also provides real-time language translation for Telugu and Urdu. Microsoft also announced support for email addresses in multiple Indian languages across most of its email apps and services. Through its global Local Language Program (LLP), Microsoft provides people access to technology in their native language. This includes Language Interface Packs for Indian languages like Hindi, Kannada, Bengali, Malayalam, amongst others.

Windows 10 Update Woes Reveal Huge Side-effect of Technological Advancement

Recent Windows 10 updates have fallen far short of the mark when it comes to a bug-free experience. The data deletion issue and massive rollback of version 1809, also known as the October 2018 update, and subsequent re-release that revealed further issues with iCloud and graphics driver support shows how stretched Microsoft’s Windows dev team really is - now that they’ve made a hard commitment to releasing two major updates every year.

If you’ve already installed the latest update for version 1809 (OS Build 17763.134 release on November 13), you may still be facing issues with older Radeon graphics cards using HD2000 and HD4000 GPUs. The worst of it is that Microsoft may well cease sending security updates for that particular configuration.

Windows 10 version 1607 went through a similar block with Intel Clover Trail processors, but in that instance Microsoft had already promised security updates even if users weren’t able to upgrade to a newer build.

This time, it’s possible that users who are still on version 1803 and can’t get the 1809 update will eventually stop receiving security updates. There’s no official word on that, but that could be the direction Microsoft takes.

One of the things we need to keep in mind here is that when it comes to driver support or software upgrades, older hardware is naturally pushed to the bottom of the priority list. That’s not unusual. As a matter of fact, that’s the core of Apple’s strategy of regularly dropping iOS upgrade eligibility for older iDevices. The fallout effect is that users with older devices are encouraged to keep upgrading their hardware every few years even though the device itself might be working just fine.

The Larger Security Problem that Windows 10 Update Issues Highlight

From a security standpoint, this issue pales in comparison with what will happen to Windows 7 users when the extended support window closes on Jan 14, 2020. That’s a little more than a year from now, but Windows 7 is still around 40% of the install base of desktop users who still haven’t upgraded to Windows 10 more than three years after the initial public release.

Much of that clinging-on to Windows 7 has to do with Windows 10 not supporting aging hardware, but it’s also because of app support - or lack of it - for non-UWP apps on Windows 10. In simple terms, a lot of developers of older desktop apps haven’t created the Windows App packages necessary to port to Windows 10.

Come 2020, Windows 7 users will no longer have extended support, and that will make them susceptible to security incidents once the updates stop coming. Mainstream support ended three years ago, so that means a significant user base is already exposed to cybersecurity risks.

From purely a security standpoint, Microsoft’s exclusion of older devices and hardware with the 1809 update could pose a major problem to users over the next year to two years. OS-level vulnerability offers a larger surface area for cyber attacks. It’s not like Windows password security where you can simply use a strong and unique password to protect your system and even reset it with password recovery software when you forget it. Flaws in older versions of any operating system that’s not supported with regular patches always represent a significant threat, especially when it can potentially affect a relatively massive user base of hundreds of millions of Windows 7 users.

Essentially, that’s exactly what Windows 10 users stuck on the 1803 update are going to experience down the road, and it’s going to happen again with future Windows 10 updates. As long as software keeps pulling ahead of hardware, this is a problem that’s going to keep growing. Let’s take an example from the Apple ecosystem. There are millions of first generation iPads that still work great but are restricted to iOS 5.1.1. That means they haven’t gotten any security updates for the past six years or more, since iOS 6 was released in June 2012.

This is not a problem we can afford to ignore. As emerging technologies like AI and VR/AR/MR keep pushing the boundaries of hardware capability and software performance, hundreds of millions of devices will continue to keep falling outside the security umbrella. This offers bad actors a growing pool of vulnerable, Internet-connected devices to target.

In addition, part of Windows 10 users complained password is no longer accepted when the update was completed. However, this could be fixed with the password reset disk or third-party apps like Tunesbro WinGeeker.

Security is one of the biggest concerns in this age of information. The more we achieve at the bleeding edge of technology, the more we leave behind in terms of unprotected devices. This debris littering our digital landscape is only going to get denser with time, and the recent problems with Windows 10 updates merely serve to reiterate the need to address this burgeoning issue.

Latest Windows 10 Update May Permanently Delete Your Personal Data

Microsoft has warned all Windows 10 users that its latest October 2018 update may permanently delete their personal data. The warning came after a major issue was discovered with its recent October 2018 update version 1809.

Recently, few Windows 10 users, who downloaded the October update, have been hit by this very issue and some of them took this to Reddit, Spiceworks and the Microsoft’s own Windows support forum. The victimized users warned others to urgently postpone the major 1809 update, claiming that the latest Windows update had been deleting some of their personal data/files.

In a post on Reddit a Windows 10 user wrote: “So after updating i discovered that my documents, pictures, music, videos are gone”.

Responding to the Redditor, one user said: “I lost my D:\Document folder.

“It is not configured as a documents library and it's not even in system drive!

Later, Microsoft too confirmed the existence of this issue. The company in a statement said, "We have paused the rollout of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) for all users as we investigate isolated reports of users missing some files after updating."

Microsoft has now pulled the Windows 10 October 2018 update.

“We will provide an update when we resume rolling out the Windows 10 October 2018 Update to customers," said Microsoft.

Via ~ Forbes

Android Users Can Soon Reply To Texts From Windows 10 PCs

For people using Android phones along with Windows 10 on their desktop, here's a news that can make a considerable change in your lifestyle. Microsoft, the technology giant, has decided to treat the customers of both the aforementioned softwares with a feature that will allow them to check and respond to text received on their Android Phones right from the luxury of their desktops.

The official announcement about the feature was made last week during a session at Microsoft's Build developer conference but the feature will see the day of light only in summer when Microsoft Windows 10 Anniversary Update hits the market. According to industry experts, Windows 10 can be expected to go through a complete transformation with the update as the upgrade is expected to add lots of interesting stuff to the OS.




SOURCE: MS Power User

Microsoft will make this new feature possible with its Cortana virtual assistant app for Android. The app will be responsible for communicating directly with Windows 10 and relay Android notifications like messages and calls etc.

The one thing that makes this feature all the more attractive is the fact that person on the other would never get to know if you have sent them message through the phone or desktop. This happens because when an Android text message is sent from your Windows 10 desktop, it gets relayed back to your phone and in the end is sent from there.

With the announcement of this feature, Microsoft plans come to give a tough competition to Apple, which already flaunts this feature through its iPhone and MacBook.

So, if you own an Android phone and a Windows 10 desktop, get ready to checkout this new feature by Microsoft due to launch this summer.

Android Users Can Soon Reply To Texts From Windows 10 PCs

For people using Android phones along with Windows 10 on their desktop, here's a news that can make a considerable change in your lifestyle. Microsoft, the technology giant, has decided to treat the customers of both the aforementioned softwares with a feature that will allow them to check and respond to text received on their Android Phones right from the luxury of their desktops.

The official announcement about the feature was made last week during a session at Microsoft's Build developer conference but the feature will see the day of light only in summer when Microsoft Windows 10 Anniversary Update hits the market. According to industry experts, Windows 10 can be expected to go through a complete transformation with the update as the upgrade is expected to add lots of interesting stuff to the OS.




SOURCE: MS Power User

Microsoft will make this new feature possible with its Cortana virtual assistant app for Android. The app will be responsible for communicating directly with Windows 10 and relay Android notifications like messages and calls etc.

The one thing that makes this feature all the more attractive is the fact that person on the other would never get to know if you have sent them message through the phone or desktop. This happens because when an Android text message is sent from your Windows 10 desktop, it gets relayed back to your phone and in the end is sent from there.

With the announcement of this feature, Microsoft plans come to give a tough competition to Apple, which already flaunts this feature through its iPhone and MacBook.

So, if you own an Android phone and a Windows 10 desktop, get ready to checkout this new feature by Microsoft due to launch this summer.

Microsoft Releases IoT Edition of Windows 10 For Raspberry Pi 2

Microsoft on Monday launched the slimmed down version of its latest Personal computer Operating system, Microsoft Windows 10 Internet of Things (IoT) core. Meant for development boards, the latest version will be of a great help to entrepreneurs, developers and students who are looking to develop software for internet-connected devices.

First announced in February this year, the light version is not meant for smartphones, but designed to function on Arduinos, and Raspberry Pi 2 boards. According to a blog post announcement by the software giant, Microsoft Windows 10 now brings support for MinnowBoard Max (MBM board) and Raspberry Pi 2, which is a $35 Linux-based tiny computer.

Microsoft has also added support for open-source Arduino in order to let the light new edition of OS communicate with Arduino boards. Reportedly, the company has also gone on to include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, and made a massive improvement in the General Purpose Input-output performance for Raspberry Pi 2.

With the latest edition of the OS, Microsoft aims to offer a unified code base across all types of computers, which can help developers transform dumb objects into smart ones.

The new Microsoft Windows 10 IoT core also comes with support for programming languages, such as, JS, C#, VB and C++ as well as debugging. It also supports Node.js and Python.

The latest version of the OS will allow people to create apps for embedded devices such as connected appliances, toys or anything that one might be able to think up using the Windows ecosystem.

People interested in the new OS can download it from the Windows development center. However, the new Microsoft Windows 10 IoT core requires the July 29 versions of Visual Studio 2015 and Windows 10 to function properly.

Installing

Officially, the only way to install Windows 10 IoT Core is with a computer running Windows 10. There are a few ways around this is with the ffu2img project on GitHub. This Python script takes the special Microsoft .FFU image file format and turns it into an .IMG file that can be used with dd under *nix and Win32DiskImager on Windows.

A Robotic Air-Hockey tables built using Windows 10 IoT Core

Microsoft Reveals HoloLens, A Holographic Glasses For Augmented Reality

Microsoft has something wonderful in store for its users. The technology giant has finally taken the holodeck route with Hololens. Microsoft Hololens are completely wireless holographic glasses. They come with see-through lenses, spatial sound and advanced sensors. They are a self contained unit as they have their own custom CPU and a new Holographic Processing Unit to work efficiently.

Microsoft Hololens has been designed to work completely independent. It doesn’t require a computer or a phone to wirelessly connect to in order to work. The glasses are somewhat similar to Google Glass but are definitely bigger and better. The Hololens blends the real world with lifelike virtual objects by making use of different kinds of ocular image techniques. Microsoft Hololens can be expected to be launched at the same time as Microsoft’s Windows 10.

Being a Windows 10 device, the glasses will be capable of running any application that a Windows 10 Smartphone or computer normally able to run. The only prerequisite is that the app should have some holomagic User Interface programmed in.



Along with Hololens, the technology giant also revealed a new version of its Windows that perfectly blends holograms with real world video. This new Windows will provides its users with an augmented reality version of the environment around them that perfectly combines real objects with virtual, and virtual interface elements, information boxes and their guidelines viewable with the help of a wearable headset device.

According to Microsoft, the Windows Holographic can allow engineers to directly see the instructions overlaid on the objects that they are currently working on. It may also provide architects with a chance to survey and showcase their designs to clients located far away.

The Hologram support in the tech giant’s Windows 10 is universal. This means you can build once and use it everywhere. Microsoft is also working on making this Hologram support compatible with all kinds of new and emerging hardware on the block. This includes the Oculus Rift and Magic Leap.

In order to support Microsoft Hololens and Windows Holographic, the tech giant has built a HoloStudio, a three dimensional modelling tool that helps people in building holograms. These holograms are then integrated into software or 3D printed for physical use.

Microsoft Reveals HoloLens, A Holographic Glasses For Augmented Reality

Microsoft has something wonderful in store for its users. The technology giant has finally taken the holodeck route with Hololens. Microsoft Hololens are completely wireless holographic glasses. They come with see-through lenses, spatial sound and advanced sensors. They are a self contained unit as they have their own custom CPU and a new Holographic Processing Unit to work efficiently.

Microsoft Hololens has been designed to work completely independent. It doesn’t require a computer or a phone to wirelessly connect to in order to work. The glasses are somewhat similar to Google Glass but are definitely bigger and better. The Hololens blends the real world with lifelike virtual objects by making use of different kinds of ocular image techniques. Microsoft Hololens can be expected to be launched at the same time as Microsoft’s Windows 10.

Being a Windows 10 device, the glasses will be capable of running any application that a Windows 10 Smartphone or computer normally able to run. The only prerequisite is that the app should have some holomagic User Interface programmed in.



Along with Hololens, the technology giant also revealed a new version of its Windows that perfectly blends holograms with real world video. This new Windows will provides its users with an augmented reality version of the environment around them that perfectly combines real objects with virtual, and virtual interface elements, information boxes and their guidelines viewable with the help of a wearable headset device.

According to Microsoft, the Windows Holographic can allow engineers to directly see the instructions overlaid on the objects that they are currently working on. It may also provide architects with a chance to survey and showcase their designs to clients located far away.

The Hologram support in the tech giant’s Windows 10 is universal. This means you can build once and use it everywhere. Microsoft is also working on making this Hologram support compatible with all kinds of new and emerging hardware on the block. This includes the Oculus Rift and Magic Leap.

In order to support Microsoft Hololens and Windows Holographic, the tech giant has built a HoloStudio, a three dimensional modelling tool that helps people in building holograms. These holograms are then integrated into software or 3D printed for physical use.

Microsoft Introduces Windows 10 - One OS for All Devices

Yesterday, in Windows event held in San Francisco Microsoft unveiled its best Windows OS yet, called - Windows 10. Known until now as codename Threshold, the successor to Windows 8 will officially be known as Windows 10 and NOT Windows 9.

Windows 10 "represents the first step of a whole new generation of Windows," writes Terry Myerson, executive vice president, Operating Systems, in a blog post. "Windows 10 unlocks new experiences for customers to work, play and connect. Windows 10 embodies what our customers (both consumers and enterprises) demand and what we will deliver."



Windows 10 will run across an incredibly broad set of devices - computers, tablets, phones, Internet of Things (IoT), to servers in enterprise datacenters worldwide. "Some of these devices have 4-inch screens – some have 80-inch screens – and some don't have screens at all," he writes. "Some of these devices you hold in your hand, others are 10 feet away. Some of these devices you primarily use touch/pen, others mouse/keyboard, others controller/gesture – and some devices can switch between input types."

Windows 10 will be "built from the ground-up for a mobile-first, cloud-first world. This new Windows must help our customers be productive in both their digital work and their digital life. This new Windows must empower people and organizations to do great things."

Windows 10 will "deliver the right experience on the right device at the right time. It will be our most comprehensive platform ever."

Windows 10: familiarity and consistency across devices

Windows 10 adapts to the devices customers are using — from Xbox to PCs and phones to tablets and tiny gadgets — and what they’re doing with a consistent, familiar and compatible experience, enabling even greater productivity. Windows 10 will run across the broadest range of devices ever from the Internet of Things to enterprise datacenters worldwide. Microsoft is also delivering a converged application platform for developers on all devices with a unified app store. Developers will be able to write an application once and deploy it easily across multiple device types, making discovery, purchase and updating easier than ever for customers.

Windows 10: designed for the challenges of modern business

Windows 10 builds nearly everything that businesses need right into the core of the product — including enterprise-grade security, identity and information protection features — in ways that can reduce complexities and provide better experiences than other solutions. One area of advancement is in the work Microsoft has done with user identities to improve resistance to breach, theft or phishing. Windows 10 will also help advance data loss prevention by using containers and data separation at the application and file level, enabling protection that follows the data as it goes from a tablet or PC to a USB drive, email or the cloud.

Management and deployment have been simplified to help lower costs, including in-place upgrades from Windows 7 or Windows 8 that are focused on making device wipe-and-reload scenarios obsolete. Businesses will also have the flexibility to choose how quickly they adopt the latest innovations and influence continued improvements. In addition, organizations will be able to customize an app store specific to their needs and environment. The intent is an app store that will allow for volume app licensing, flexible distribution, and the ability for organizations to reclaim or reuse licenses when necessary.

Technical preview PC productivity

The early technical preview of Windows 10 demonstrates new levels of flexibility, navigation and familiarity through the Windows experience. Features include these:

Expanded Start menu. The familiar Start menu is back, providing quick one-click access to the functions and files that people use most, and it includes a new space to personalize with favorite apps, programs, people and websites.

Apps that run in a window. Apps from the Windows Store now open in the same format that desktop programs do. They can be resized and moved around, and have title bars at the top allowing users to maximize, minimize and close with a click.

Snap enhancements. Working in multiple apps at once is easier and more intuitive with snap improvements. A new quadrant layout allows up to four apps to be snapped on the same screen. Windows will also show other apps and programs running for additional snapping, and it will even make smart suggestions on filling available screen space with other open apps.

New Task view button. The new Task view button on the task bar enables one view for all open apps and files, allowing for quick switching and one-touch access to any desktop created.

Multiple desktops. Instead of too many apps and files overlapping on a single desktop, it’s easy to create and switch between distinct desktops for different purposes and projects - whether for work or personal use.

Open and collaborative development

The introduction of the Windows Insider Program demonstrates Microsoft's continued commitment to working closely with customers to help shape the future of Windows. Windows Insiders will be able to give feedback on early builds of the product throughout the development cycle. The program will include various ways for Windows Insiders to engage in a two-way dialogue with Microsoft, including a Windows Feedback app for sharing suggestions and issues and a Windows Technical Preview Forum for interacting with Microsoft engineers and fellow Insiders. More information on the Windows Insider Program and the technical preview can be found at http://preview.windows.com.