Microsoft details Windows 10 'Creators Update' with a heavy emphasis on 3D

Shawn Knight

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Staff member

The new Surface Studio all-in-one may have been the star attraction at Microsoft’s media event in NYC earlier today but the truth is, it’s just one of many products built around the lifeblood of the company – Windows 10.

Following the release of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update this past summer, Microsoft on Wednesday shared details regarding what’s next in line for its operating system.

The Windows 10 Creators Update, as it’s being called, will deliver a wealth of new features and improvements. As rumored earlier this month, Microsoft has given its core graphics application – Paint – a major facelift (and a new name, Paint 3D).

Microsoft General Manager, Megan Saunders, explained the goal of the new app is to make 3D creation as simple as taking a photo or video on your smartphone. She used a phone to 3D-scan a sandcastle and imported it into the app for manipulation. Microsoft has a new website, Remix3D.com, where users can upload and share original content.

3D functionality is also being baked into PowerPoint which will allow you to add 3D renderings to a presentation just as you do with 2D images and videos today. Best yet, 3D images can be rotated in PowerPoint, eliminating the need to do so in a separate application.

Microsoft isn’t just embracing 3D content creation for the heck of it. With products like HoloLens, it’s clear that the Redmond-based company is betting big on both virtual and augmented reality.

Key to the success of a new platform like this is adoption. As it stands today, HoloLens is cost-prohibitive for most which is why Microsoft is partnering with a multitude of tech firms including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo on the development of virtual reality headsets featuring six-degree-of-freedom head tracking. While we don’t know much more on the subject at this time, we are told that co-developed headsets will start around $299.

Microsoft, if you recall, purchased interactive game streaming start-up Beam back in August. Today, we learned that Beam’s broadcasting and viewing capabilities will come baked directly into the Creators Update to make it a breeze to launch your own broadcast or sit back and watch others play.

Last but certainly not least is a subtle new feature that’ll make communication and sharing among friends and family easier than ever. With the update, Windows 10 users will be able to pin icons of friends and family directly to the task bar. From there, you can drag and drop files you wish to share or open up a chat window for instant communication with contacts aggregated from multiple programs.

The Windows 10 Creators Update is scheduled to arrive next spring. Windows Insiders, however, will get access to the first build later this week.

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It all sounds nice if you're into 3D and that, but I'd sure like to see more updates that the average user could sink their teeth into. I would also like them to make every application switchable. Some of that mandatory stuff is simply a pain to work around and serves no purpose for a lot of people. Of course it's all about Microsoft and whatever they can do to suck up more data and money, but really ... is it that painful to give us control of our own PC's?
 
It all sounds nice if you're into 3D and that, but I'd sure like to see more updates that the average user could sink their teeth into. I would also like them to make every application switchable. Some of that mandatory stuff is simply a pain to work around and serves no purpose for a lot of people. Of course it's all about Microsoft and whatever they can do to suck up more data and money, but really ... is it that painful to give us control of our own PC's?

You're talking about a company that's just as clueless as Blackberry and, if their not careful, soon to be just as relevant.
 
I left my laptop on to download the Windows Anniversary Update.
It stayed on over 40 hours and stopped functioning at 99%.
I'm not sure if anyone knows a way I can download the entire anniversary update file?

As for 3D, these companies really believe they can sell us VR and 3D (which already failed).

There's only so much info I can get delivered through my "eyes" and there's only so many ways you can do it. VR makes my sinuses hurt. PS4:VR gave me headaches for hours after just a few minutes of play.

Oculus and Vive were no better.

3D HDTV failed because - quite simply - no two users see the same thing. It works in the movie theater - which gives you a cheap pair of glasses, a massive screen, a massive stereo experience and lounging chairs, but you're just asking for problems trying to get people into 3D in living rooms.

they ran out of ideas on how to sell us.
 
Um I would prefer interface work. It still looks like my 7th grade girl friend, flat as a board
 
Um I would prefer interface work. It still looks like my 7th grade girl friend, flat as a board

Ironic isnt it? Windows 10 goes flat but Windows Paint goes 3D? But won't a 3D application drain a cellphone battery really fast Microsoft? OMG. Isn't that why you punished everyone with a painfully boring flat UI from the beginning?

They should be releasing Microsoft etch-a-sketch so that people can draw flat-2d images in black and white and save battery life and we don't want to tax our processor too hard. It's all about the battery life these days. Who cares about graphics for Godsake????
 
I left my laptop on to download the Windows Anniversary Update.
It stayed on over 40 hours and stopped functioning at 99%.
I'm not sure if anyone knows a way I can download the entire anniversary update file?

As for 3D, these companies really believe they can sell us VR and 3D (which already failed).

There's only so much info I can get delivered through my "eyes" and there's only so many ways you can do it. VR makes my sinuses hurt. PS4:VR gave me headaches for hours after just a few minutes of play.

Oculus and Vive were no better.

3D HDTV failed because - quite simply - no two users see the same thing. It works in the movie theater - which gives you a cheap pair of glasses, a massive screen, a massive stereo experience and lounging chairs, but you're just asking for problems trying to get people into 3D in living rooms.

they ran out of ideas on how to sell us.

Use the Media Creation Tool https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
Can be used to create media or download for immediate install
 
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