Microsoft wants you to know they've improved Windows 10 lately

[mongeese]

In context: Windows 10 is turning five this year, and to celebrate the occasion, Microsoft has released a comprehensive list of all the user-recommended features they’ve added. It’s easy to take these little upgrades for granted, but Microsoft has truly made Windows 10 a lot more comfortable since launch.

Here are the five most interesting features, because five is my favorite number. If your favorite happens to be six, head to Microsoft’s blog post to see the rest.

Emoji

Emojis are a wonderfully unnecessary staple modern communication. Not only do you get the benefit of being able to skimp on typing in casual scenarios, but emoji in Windows also means you can integrate them into your professional world.

If you want to sound less passive-aggressive in a work email, just add something accurate to how you feel. For example, a message to tech support: “Hey Jack, I was wondering if you got my email yesterday ? My computer’s stopped working, and I can’t do anything until it’s fixed ?.”

Or if you want to sound more passive-aggressive, “Jack, it’s been a week since you said I’d have a replacement desktop and I’ve had to work from my phone since. Can you get it to me today? ? ☠”

The emoji panel is activated by pressing Windows and the period key. It has a kaomoji section too, which are the adorable little faces that come from Japan. (◕‿◕)

Your Phone App

The Your Phone app is one of Microsoft’s most practical updates. Through a companion smartphone app, Your Phone can display a phone's text messages, calls, recent images, and live notifications on a PC.

Screenshot

Screenshotting on PC has always been terrible compared to the smartphone experience, but Microsoft has definitely improved things in the past few years. The old Windows key + PrtSc command could only shoot the whole screen, but the new Windows key + Shift + S brings up the options to select a portion of the screen using a rectangular or freehand tool.

Xbox Game Bar

The Xbox Game Bar is an essential, regardless of whether you have an Xbox or play games. The Performance tab is the fastest way to see CPU, GPU, and RAM utilization and FPS. The Audio tab lets you adjust the relative volume of different applications, so you can put a stop to egregiously loud system notifications that interrupt your music. The Control tab is also the easiest way to check the time without interrupting a full-screen video or game.

The bar is activated by pressing Windows key + G.

Mouse Options

Microsoft is adding the option to adjust the size and color of the mouse pointer and text cursor. The feature is technically to help users who have trouble spotting their mouse, but if you want to go full gamer, you could web browse with a giant red crosshairs too. This feature is still rolling out, but will be under the Ease of Access tab in Settings soon.

Microsoft still has some work to do, like giving Windows 10 a workable search feature, but the smaller upgrades are nonetheless appreciated.

Image Credit: Johny Vino on Unsplash

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/83821-microsoft-wants-you-know-theyve-improved-windows-10.html

 

[Nobina]

I don't care about any of that crap. Best way Windows can improve is to make it more stable and reliable, give us users more control over updates and settings in general. And remove bloatware.

 

[DelJo63]

Embarrassing to call these interesting, import, or improvements

 

[mattsie]

They made two improvements.

I don't count lame ones that don't make your life easier.

 

[winjer]

They call this useless crap "improvements"?
How can MS be so delusional.

 

[Uncle Al]

They were supposed to have a much improved networking module AND a simple, direct control over WiFi and Bluetooth camera's ...... still waiting!

 

[EClyde]

I'm looking forward to 10's end of life

 

[Hardware Geek]

I'm excited about being able to increase the size of the cursor. I will be increasing the size on all the computers at the offices I work in because we have a ton of employees who would find this beneficial.

 

[SG736F6]

I'm looking forward to 10's end of life

I’m a little concerned 10 is it for Windows. I read an article a few months ago about how Microsoft is going to drop the “10” entirely, taking a page from Apple’s book, and just call it Windows. Every six months we’ll get a new build instead, like 1803, 1809, 1903, 1909.

My biggest concern is they will try to make it subscription based like Office 365. Imagine Windows 365, something you pay $50-$100 a year for. You accidentally let your subscription lapse and it’ll still allow you to login but cripple the system. Want to play a full screen 3D game? Pay up!

Hopefully the public outcry caused by this would prevent it from ever happening, but I seriously worry that is where MS is headed.

I will say Linux has came a long way with gaming support in recent years. I won’t hesitate to pull the trigger and jump ship entirely if MS gets greedy.

 

[ypsylon]

My W10 experience improved dramatically... since I've stopped updates a long time ago.

 

[MarkHughes]

I will say Linux has came a long way with gaming support in recent years. I won’t hesitate to pull the trigger and jump ship entirely if MS gets greedy.

I started dual booting Linux and Windows about 6 weeks ago with a third partition for my files they could both access easily. I eventually got everything I wanted working on Linux including World of Warcraft and a few other games, Not booted the Windows side for about 4 weeks and will most likely delete it.

Now might be a good time for you to have the dual boot option and see how it goes Personally it was really easy for me to change over and PopOS works perfectly on my XPS15 Laptop.

 

[SG736F6]

I started dual booting Linux and Windows about 6 weeks ago with a third partition for my files they could both access easily. I eventually got everything I wanted working on Linux including World of Warcraft and a few other games, Not booted the Windows side for about 4 weeks and will most likely delete it.

Now might be a good time for you to have the dual boot option and see how it goes Personally it was really easy for me to change over and PopOS works perfectly on my XPS15 Laptop.

Have you checked out Lutris? It's pretty handy. I was getting really good performance in WoW, using their scripting tools to get it all installed. I'm seriously considering going back to Linux. I've never used PopOS, but I've heard good things. I might download it in a bit and check it out.

 

[MaXtor]

Best way to improve Windows 10, remove bloatware and disable unnecessary services.

https://github.com/Sycnex/Windows10Debloater

https://github.com/madbomb122/BlackViperScript

 

[MarkHughes]

Have you checked out Lutris? It's pretty handy. I was getting really good performance in WoW, using their scripting tools to get it all installed. I'm seriously considering going back to Linux. I've never used PopOS, but I've heard good things. I might download it in a bit and check it out.

Lutris is how I got WoW to work, I have a logitech G13 I use that I had to build the driver for and it's all working nicely. Steam also helps you get games running and sometimes has Linux versions of games you bought. My experience this time has been very positive, For years I have been trying Linux and going back but this time it really seems to have stuck.

With PopOS I had to spend a little time for my laptop putting TLP and Powertop on and tweaking the settings how I like and since that day I haven't had to do a thing. When I now have to use my work laptop that has windows on I find it frustrating.

 

[SG736F6]

Lutris is how I got WoW to work, I have a logitech G13 I use that I had to build the driver for and it's all working nicely. Steam also helps you get games running and sometimes has Linux versions of games you bought. My experience this time has been very positive, For years I have been trying Linux and going back but this time it really seems to have stuck.

With PopOS I had to spend a little time for my laptop putting TLP and Powertop on and tweaking the settings how I like and since that day I haven't had to do a thing. When I now have to use my work laptop that has windows on I find it frustrating.

Well now you've got me wanting to give it another go! Haha. Thanks for the information. I'll check out PopOS this time too. You're about the 20th person to mention it to me lately! I used to run Ubuntu, then Linux Mint, and I tried Arch.

 

[texasrattler]

People still crying over Windows 10 lol. Mainly using my computer for gaming. Been using 10 for 5+ yrs still not had any problems.

Bloatware, assuming ppl are talking about the apps and privacy stuff. All can be disabled or removed. So its really a non issue.

As for people waiting for 10 to end. There isnt another version coming, ever. Windows is just like Apple, it will just keep evolving over time.

 

[m4a4]

Man, this article sure brought out a lot of self righteous "techies".

At the least, My Phone app is nice to have so I have a proper keyboard to use on my phone. Still needs expanded features though (as it's still fairly limited).

Otherwise, I can see some value in other things added....

 

[veLa]

I mean, outside of the screenshotting change, this seems more like bloatware to me.

It's safe to say Windows 10 has changed from the days where it was just a reskinned Windows 8.1 with a proper start menu, but I wouldn't really call it a massive improvement.

 

[captaincranky]

Windows 7 doesn't have any of this inane crap, and IMHO, that's a vast improvement over Windows 10, in any of its forms.

 

[cliffordcooley]

It's all bloatware, that could be installed if wanted. Instead we are forced to have it on our machines regardless.

 

[deemon]

I don't care about any of that crap. Best way Windows can improve is to make it more stable and reliable, give us users more control over updates and settings in general. And remove bloatware.

Optimist ... I was there once too. Now I am in the opposite camp hoping MS keeps digging, faster, harder...

 

[captaincranky]

Optimist ... I was there once too. Now I am in the opposite camp hoping MS keeps digging, faster, harder...

FIXED..!!

 

[Tams80]

I can't even get the Your Phone app to connect to my Samsung phone. It just has that stupid minimalistic design that doesn't let you go into any settings to fix it and the troubleshooting site is clearly for people who can barely use a computer.

 

[Red999]

I don't care about any of that crap. Best way Windows can improve is to make it more stable and reliable, give us users more control over updates and settings in general. And remove bloatware.

feature update is the root cause of the unreliability.
I postpone it for a year. by that time the new features will be more stable. I am still running windows 10 1809 now

 

[Red999]

Windows 7 doesn't have any of this inane crap, and IMHO, that's a vast improvement over Windows 10, in any of its forms.

I started dual booting Linux and Windows about 6 weeks ago with a third partition for my files they could both access easily. I eventually got everything I wanted working on Linux including World of Warcraft and a few other games, Not booted the Windows side for about 4 weeks and will most likely delete it.

Now might be a good time for you to have the dual boot option and see how it goes Personally it was really easy for me to change over and PopOS works perfectly on my XPS15 Laptop.

but google and firefox disable hardware accelerated video decoding in the Linux version of their browsers. playing a youtube video consumes a whole cpu core.