Windows 10 Diary: Microsoft Adds ‘Near Share’ Wireless File Sharing

November 2017: Microsoft adds wireless file sharing to Windows 10

Microsoft has added wireless file sharing functionality to the latest preview version of Windows 10, allowing users to wirelessly disseminate files and URLs.

‘Near Share’ can be activated in the action centre and is compatible with a number of applications including the Microsoft Edge browser, Photos app and File Explorer.

Edge has also been updated with theability to mute tabs, save ePUB books online and new context menu options for Books.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17035 fixes a range of bugs, improves accessibility options and gives the option to limit the amount of bandwidth allocated to Windows 10 Updates. Sound settings are also being migrated from the legacy Control Panel to the Settings app.

Finally, don’t try and download the update if you are using a system with an AMD processor. Microsoft says there are known issues with the latest build on AMD chips and is working to resolve them. Until then, such users are blocked.

August 2017: Microsoft says stabilisation ahead of Fall Creators Update is priority

Microsoft has released a new preview version of Windows 10 to Insiders, delivering a number of minor features, alongisde bug fixes as well as some news about how future updates are distributed.

The next major update to the platform is the Fall Creators Update this Autumn and Microsoft has said it priority is to stabilise the release. This means users in the ‘Skip Ahead’ preview programme will get different versions to those in the Fast and Slow rings of the Windows Insider programme until it is released.

The latter will get more frequent updates with fewer new features as the focus will be on fixes. Once the Fall Creators Update has been released, the situation will revert to normal.

As for Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16273, it adds new Emoji features (yes, really), and a new OpenType variable font that allows for an ‘infinite’ number of font styles, not just bold, itallic etc. Bahnschrift is based on the font used on German road signs.

The preview also adds a View Mixed Reality feature within the View 3D app, and updates to Windows Shell, Microsoft Edge and other general fixes.

It can also be installed as the cloud-based Windows 10 S if you so wish.

The full feature list is here

August 2017: Windows 10 adds eye control to boost accessibility

Microsoft has released the Windows 10 Preview Build 16257 for PC to Windows Insiders, with the most notable new feature being a beta test of eye controls.

The goal with Eye Control is to make Windows 10 more accessible to people with disabilities, enabling them to operate an on-screen mouse, keyboard, and text-to-speech tool using only their eyes.

The feature is currently only available with select Tobii hardware and on the EN-US keyboard layout, but additional hardware vendors and layouts will be added in future updates.

Microsoft Edge and Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG) have also both received improvements.

Read the full story

August 2017: Windows 10 Creators Update is now available for all users

The second major update to Windows 10 has experienced a staggered rollout, starting in April,but Creators Update is now available to all compatible devices.

“We’re now moving from a targeted offering to full availability for all compatible devices running Windows 10 globally via Windows Update,” confirmed John Cable, director of program management  for Windows servicing and delivery at Microsoft. “Similarly, our commercial customers should feel confident to deploy this release broadly across their organisations.

Microsoft is also adopting a semi-annual release schedule to simplify the rollout of new versions of the operating system and give IT departments greater predictability.

Windows 10 Creators Update brings a  wide-range of nips and tucks to the operating system, along with news features such as faster app downloads, integration with third-party services, and new ways for apps to connect to Cortana.

We visited Microsoft HQ to get a preview of the new features earlier this year.