Windows 10: Microsoft reveals new Windows Update feature for Windows 10 20H1

Windows 10 Build 18917 is rolling out to Insiders in the Fast Ring with Windows Update, Narrator improvements and more. Microsoft has also fixed various bugs and problems in this release.

Windows 10 has always allowed users to limit the download speed of Windows Update files, but the original controls have been limited to the percentage system and users cannot enter absolute speed.

This is going to change with Windows 10 20H1 update as the company is finally adding advanced bandwidth settings to Windows Update. The feature is aimed at users with low connection speeds or those who want to reduce the impact of Windows Update downloads on their network.



In Windows 10 20H1, you can finally enter an absolute value in Mbps to limit Windows Update download speed.

Microsoft says you can set this limit for foreground downloads (Microsoft Store downloads) and the traditional background downloads as well.

In Windows 10 Build 18917, the advanced bandwidth controls can be accessed from Settings > Update & Security > Delivery Optimization > Advanced Options.

Narrator improvements


Microsoft is also bundling improvements for Data Table Reading in today’s update. The company says Narrators users can now experience better performance when navigating a table using navigation commands.

The narrator in Windows 10 20H1 has been also updated to read the data in the following sequence – Header data, Cell data, Row/Column position for that cell.

Windows Subsystem for Linux 2


Microsoft is introducing Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 and this is a significant update from the first release.

WSL 2 powers the Windows Subsystem for Linux and you can use it run ELF64 Linux binaries on your desktop. This is a new architecture and it uses a real Linux kernel.

Microsoft says that it could also change how these Linux binaries interact with Windows and hardware.

The user experience is same as the WSL, but the new version offers faster file system performance and the ability to run apps like Doctor.

The post Microsoft reveals new Windows Update feature for Windows 10 20H1 appeared first on Windows Latest

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Microsoft testing blue light reduction feature for Windows 10

"Microsoft is slowly revealing new features in its next major update to Windows 10, and it appears blue light reduction feature might be a future addition. The software giant released a new build of Windows 10 testers yesterday with very few visible additions, but Windows enthusiasts have already started picking it apart for clues on new features. Twitter user "Core"has discovered references to a "BlueLightReduction" setting deep within the next major update to Windows 10 (codenamed Redstone 2). It appears to be a setting that will be toggled from the Action Center (notification center) in the operating system.

F.lux has been the most popular option for Windows users looking to reduce blue light in the evenings, but Microsoft's own native toggle will bring this feature to every Windows 10 user. Apple has also integrated a similar feature in iOS 9, but it hasn't announced any plans to bring blue light reduction to Mac OS yet. Microsoft only appears to be testing the feature right now, so there's no guarantee it will ship in the update due early next year. If Microsoft does implement it fully then it will presumably be available on the mobile version of Windows 10, too."

Microsoft testing blue light reduction feature for Windows 10

 

Microsoft to make Windows 10 updates mandatory

Well, at the moment at least, you can choose to defer upgrades. Under Settings > Windows Updates > Advanced options you need to check the box labeled "Defer upgrades". What does that do? Good question. The answer I've found might illuminate it to a degree.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/defer-upgrades-in-windows-10

I hear this only applies to Pro and Enterprise editions. But I can't verify that.

 

Microsoft Reveals Windows 10 Variants

Microsoft revealed the six variants in which its next operating system, Windows 10, will ship in. The company decided to unify the Windows 10 brand across its PC, workstation, and handheld platforms. For PCs, workstations, and tablets running x86 processors, the lineup will include the Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Education, and Windows 10 Enterprise.

Windows 10 Home has everything a home and small-business user could ask for (including PC gamers and enthusiasts). It will include the Edge web-browser (so your post-install waltz to Chrome or Firefox websites is a few seconds faster), Microsoft Cortana voice-based assistant, richer Bing integration, Microsoft Hello face-recognition software, and support for biometric login methods. Gamers get DirectX 12 out of the box. Users of Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 8/8.1 get a free upgrade to this edition.





Windows 10 Pro adds features for power-users, such as advanced data protection, remote- and mobile-access, additional cloud features, and remote management for medium-sized businesses. Users of Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Windows 8/8.1 Pro get a free upgrade to this edition.

Windows 10 Education is a brand new SKU designed for schools, colleges, and universities. It will come with features to meed the needs of educators (teachers, management, exam-controllers, computer labs, etc.,). This edition will be sold through specially priced volume licensing to entire counties, groups of institutions, and universities.

Windows 10 Enterprise will be designed for desktops and workstations in a very-large enterprise environment, in which individual machines are expendable, and user data is centralized and portable between machines. It will come with advanced networking, data-security, and remote management features.

In addition, Microsoft is readying two variants of its operating system for smartphones and tablets - Windows 10 Mobile, and Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise. Windows 10 Mobile will be targeted at consumer smartphones, and will have a rich feature-set for communication, social-networking, and productivity; while Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise will be designed for devices given by companies to their employees, with access to privileged information and services.

Unfortunately, and breaking tradition, Microsoft didn't disclose box-art, marking Windows' transition from optical disc media, to one that's distributed by any which way possible, while Microsoft only sells licenses (keys). The company already gives away ISO disc images and USB flash drive install media creation tools for Windows 8.1 on its website; while selling licenses.

Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro, will be offered as free-forever upgrades to users of equivalent variants of Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1, if they upgrade within the first year of Windows 10 launch. Those using pirated Windows 7 may find the upgrade "free," but Microsoft has a slew of anti-piracy measures in store, which kick in after the upgrade.

Microsoft could dramatically change the way it monetizes Windows, in the near future. Gone will be the static $100-ish licenses, and the company will sell Windows as a service, much like Office 365. You choose your desired variant, and pay for using it, monthly or annually. We imagine unpaid installations suffering a worse fate than merely not getting software updates - the OS could become unusable after a "grace period," until you pay up.

On the upside, the monthly or annual fees for each edition could end up quite cheap. Also, the version will no longer be relevant. Microsoft will keep adding big new features every so often (which you normally expect from new versions that require you to buy new licenses). Windows will sell a lot like Office 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud.

Windows 10 will be released in July, in 111 languages, and in 190 countries.