Windows 10: Windows 10 leak suggests Windows 8 charms bar-like feature is coming

We reported recently that Microsoft’s Sun Valley Update for Windows 10 will also include productivity and multitasking features in addition to cosmetic changes. Now there’s a bit more to add to the story. According to a new report, Microsoft is internally testing a new widgets feature for the OS.

Microsoft seems to be working on a new feature that would be similar to Windows 8 Charms Bar and Active desktops. The feature is currently called “Windows widgets” and it will be introduced later this year or next year. If the Windows Widgets feature is coming this year, it will be bundled with the Sun Valley Update.

Details are scarce and it’s unclear how exactly this would work, but apparently, the feature will slide out from the left side of the screen with a swipe gesture, the same way as Windows 8’s Charms Bar.


Charms bar in Windows 8

For those unaware, the Windows 8 Charms bar of the Charms menu allowed users to access Search, Settings, and other portals from anywhere. The Charms menu feature was not well received by PC users since Windows 8’s release in late 2012 and Microsoft ditched it with Windows 10 in 2015.

The Charms bar was removed from all Windows 10 devices; both traditional desktops, and tablets as well. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Microsoft has given up on the idea. The latest leak suggests that a similar feature will be added to Windows 10.

In other words, you could soon be seeing a Charms-like menu when you swipe from the left side of the screen where you’d find buttons like search or pinned apps. This should make multitasking and access both easier, and less jarring.

In fact, it’s also possible that Windows Widgets will be based on the concept of active desktops, a feature that allowed users to integrate HTML features and elements similar to widgets, such as the latest news, financial information, and wallpapers including GIFs.

It’s unclear whether “Windows widgets” will be tailored towards beginners or advanced users.

Keep in mind that Microsoft may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect.

Other multitasking, tablet mode improvements planned for Windows


According to reports, Microsoft may also add other multitasking and gestures to the next iteration of Windows.

For example, in one of the documents, we discovered that Microsoft is considering a new gestures layer to improve the tablet experience on Windows 10. In addition, Microsoft is also working on new tablet mode features and an improved touch keyboard with colourful themes support.

The post Windows 10 leak suggests Windows 8 charms bar-like feature is coming appeared first on Windows Latest

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Windows 7 top feature request list leaked to the public

With Windows still managing to find its way to over 95 percent of the desktop computers sold each year, it's not surprising that one can find plenty of people interested in giving their feedback about what future versions of Windows should be able to do.

A few years ago, before Windows Vista had even shipped, Microsoft sent out a wish list form asking people what features they would like to see in the next version of Windows, currently code-named Windows 7. The top wished-for features in this list were recently leaked to the public and have popped up at various sites (e.g., Neowin). While anonymous sources at Microsoft tell us that they bear no relationship to the actual feature set Microsoft is currently writing for Windows 7, the list does provide interesting insight into what the Windows-using public most wants from Windows.

The features are listed in no particular order, but they break down into various categories depending on what part of Windows the feature request falls under. Many requests for improvements in Internet Explorer, such as a session restore function, are fairly obvious wishes for features that already exist in competitive products such as Firefox and Opera. Other suggestions, such as a tabbed Windows Explorer, look for features from web browsers to migrate into the general user interface.





Some of the feature requests are clearly unrealistic, such as the desire to "back up" Xbox 360 games to the PC (yeah, I don't think Microsoft will be doing that one). Others are minor user interface enhancements that would be nice additions but wouldn't really change the Windows experience, such as a progress bar when hibernating the system. However, there are a few that make good sense and would be welcome additions to the operating system, such as a built-in video and audio codec manager.

A Windows 7 insider who wishes to remain anonymous told Ars that the leaked feature list was gathered before any real development on Windows 7 was started, and readers should not expect to see requests from the list necessarily implemented in Microsoft’s next major Windows release.

 

Windows Threshold: The dynamics of having no Charms bar

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Survey Reveals Companies' Early Windows 8 Reactions and Plans

Bull fucking shit.