Microsoft rolls out new Windows 10 Creators Fall Update test build with tons of new features

[Jos]

Microsoft today released a new Windows 10 build to Insiders on the Fast Ring, offering an early peek at several improvements and new features that will arrive as part of the Fall Creators Update later this year. The changes cover everything from dictation, predictive typing, Start, Edge, Cortana and a lot more.

Improvements Start and Action Center

One of the first things you’ll notice is a new UI for Start and Action Center that includes elements of Microsoft’s Fluent Design System which was announced at Build 2017. Start has been updated to use the new acrylic design and is now better at resizing vertically and horizontally, instead of only snapping to certain sized. Meanwhile, Action Center has been redesigned with separate sections for apps, and now groups notifications together in a more coherent way from devices, apps, and elsewhere.

Microsoft Edge

The pinned sites feature is returning after feedback from Windows 10 users. You can pin sites to your Windows taskbar, in much the same way you can pin apps, with an option to “Pin this page to the taskbar” from Edge’s settings menu. This build also introduces a new Full Screen mode which you can switch on or off by pressing F11, it has smoother new tab animations, there are improvements to the browser’s session restore behavior, and new annotation tools for EPUB Books when viewed in Edge.

Cortana

Microsoft’s digital assistant will also see some changes, with the ability to prompt for reminders by scanning new pictures or images from your camera roll for things like events — this requires user permission and for now only works in English. Cortana also has a new lasso feature that lets stylus users circle upcoming event info on an image to create reminders for you.

For the lasso functionality to work, your pen will need to support Press and Hold – for example the pen that came with the Surface Pro 4, Surface Book, or Surface Studio

Improved handwriting support

The handwriting panel has been overhauled with more gestures, better editing, emoji, and automatic handwriting detection. A new conversion and overflow model makes it so that when filling the handwriting panel and lifting the pen off the screen, words will be converted into typed text and shift to the left so users have room to continue writing. Press the commit button to insert all the text and clear the slate.

Users can also select text to edit and make corrections within the handwriting panel by overwriting converted text. Gestures for things like strikethrough, scratch, join, and split are supported. The feature now has better palm rejection, better handwriting recognition in English, and you can set the handwriting panel to float next to where you are writing. Microsoft has even added a “find my pen” option, that will show where you were with your device when you last used the pen.

Voice dictation

Dictation has been in Windows for years but Microsoft has now added a microphone button in a new touch keyboard for Windows 10 desktop and tablet users, so you can either tap that icon or press Win + H to dictate text or speak basic editing commands — things like “delete last three words,” “clear selection,” “go to the end of paragraph”.

And more

Microsoft lists dozens of other changes to Windows 10 overall, like a new winkey + period / semicolon keyboard shortcut will trigger a new emoji panel, with prediction, emoji suggestions, one-handed input. There’s improved support for HDR monitors, a new Share feature, Night Light improvements, and a new per app defaults settings pane.

There’s a long list of other minor changes and fixes listed in Microsoft's blog post here.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/69651-microsoft-rolls-out-new-windows-10-creators-fall.html

 

[stewi0001]

 

[B5S46M]

None of these new features interest me.

 

[wiyosaya]

Personally, I would like to know what did they break. I also have no interest in these new features, and that M$ is touting them, due to my past experiences with 10 updates, I have to wonder just what did they break this time around.

 

[psycros]

1. Tiles on desktop
2. REAL, usable, traditional start menu
3. Option for always-on-top notifications, aka a new sidebar.
4. Toggle to easily switch network profiles between public and private.
5. FULL control over Windows updates. I run third party antimalware that's going to be leagues ahead of anything Microsoft produces. Nearly all warnings about Windows exploits come FROM those professional cyber-security companies! If my security suite tells me I need a certain Windows update then I'll allow it. I've seen too many updates to Windows 10 wreck the install to trust Microsoft w/o a second opinion.

That's really all they need to do to make Windows 10 worth using. Instead we'll get more handwriting and 3D printing bulls**t that nobody on this planet gives a flying fig about.

 

[Kibaruk]

Wagh wagh wagh Microsoft is the devil wagh wagh wagh nothing I really use wagh wagh wagh...

I'm interested in knowing if by any chance someone knows, if they finally made a freaking history log for the Action Center, sometimes you dismissed a notification and there was no way to read it again. Also the changes into how the sizing for the start menu is interesting, you either could have it way A or B, but B was too big for everything you had and A made you scroll to look at everything...

 

[darkzelda]

Some features seem interesting, I really like the direction Windows 10 is taking, it's the best OS by Microsoft and the best to use on a desktop or laptop.

 

[Legionnaire]

None of these new features interest me.

Well said and so true.

Why don't they add features like:
- Allowing you to EASILY disable Windows-Update.
- or install Windows Updates without harassing you or forcing system restarts.
- Create tabs for File Explorer
- Allow you to uninstall bloatware (or at least hide it), like XBox, Windows Store, Sound Recorder, Films & TV, etc.
- Allow you to easily install new programs that basically everyone uses anyway, like 7zip/WinRAR, VLC, and a choice of web-browsers. Just give us a pop-up after installing the OS--most users know what they want, make it easy for them!
- Allow more tile sizes for the Start Menu apps and not force your own grid onto the users.
- Remove 'Libraries'. They cause a tonne of bugs in programs and what's the point? Just click your Personal folder.
- That being said: Easier access to the Personal folder would be nice. Clicking that '>' arrow in the address bar to get to the Personal folder is so counter-intuitive.

But oh forget about all that, it has better handwriting detection now... -_-

 

[Greg S]

Why don't they add features like:
- Allowing you to EASILY disable Windows-Update.

While I fully understand your frustrations with this, it has been proven time and time again that most users won't keep their systems updated properly. After the whole WannaCry malware thing, you would think people would finally learn. Never going to happen though most likely until it's too late. My workstation at work is still unpatched Windows 7 Enterprise because some people just think it's too much hassle to install updates, but the updates are a lot less hassle than significant downtime.

The only way to ensure updates are installed is to forcibly shove them down the throats of users by making it nearly impossible to keep updates permanently disabled.

 

[wiyosaya]

Well said and so true.

Why don't they add features like:
<...>
- Create tabs for File Explorer
<...>
But oh forget about all that, it has better handwriting detection now... -_-

IMO, the best file explorer ever produced by M$ was in DOS 4.0. It allowed you to split the window between at least two different directories on your PC, and all you had to do to copy between them was to drag and drop any file/folder. None of this crap of having to have two separate instances of File Explorer open. Personally, I wish that they would go back to that model as I found it extremely easy to use.

While I fully understand your frustrations with this, it has been proven time and time again that most users won't keep their systems updated properly. After the whole WannaCry malware thing, you would think people would finally learn. Never going to happen though most likely until it's too late. My workstation at work is still unpatched Windows 7 Enterprise because some people just think it's too much hassle to install updates, but the updates are a lot less hassle than significant downtime.

The only way to ensure updates are installed is to forcibly shove them down the throats of users by making it nearly impossible to keep updates permanently disabled.

WannaCry was easily blocked without an update. Just close NetBIOS ports on your firewall and problem solved. Of course, since M$ considers them essential (when they are really crap) they are likely open by default on M$ built-in firewall. I've had those ports blocked, both incoming to my network and outgoing from my network, for over 10 years. No need for an update. Why not ask the network security principal where you work if those ports are blocked?

 

[wiyosaya]

Some features seem interesting, I really like the direction Windows 10 is taking, it's the best OS by Microsoft and the best to use on a desktop or laptop.

Well, it being the best OS by M$ is a matter of opinion, and I disagree with that opinion as my experience with 10 updates is that they break things on my PC that I use all the time. Here's a short list of what I have experienced when installing 10 "updates":

1. Totally black screen except for the mouse cursor - PC was totally unusable
   
2. WiFi hotspot broken beyond a user's ability to fix
3. Broken auto hibernate
4. Overwrites my custom modem registry entries that allow the PC to recognize caller ID data

I had 8.1 on this particular PC with all the same hardware and 8.1 updates never broke any of this. So personally, I cannot call it the best M$ OS ever. In fact, I find it the worst OS, at least as far as updates go, since Windows NT where updates could routinely be counted on to make a PC unusable.

I have image backup software which was a great CMOA for me and thank the great maker I have PRO which allowed me to shut off auto updates through the Group Policy Manager.

 

[darkzelda]

Well, it being the best OS by M$ is a matter of opinion, and I disagree with that opinion as my experience with 10 updates is that they break things on my PC that I use all the time. Here's a short list of what I have experienced when installing 10 "updates":

1. Totally black screen except for the mouse cursor - PC was totally unusable
   
2. WiFi hotspot broken beyond a user's ability to fix
3. Broken auto hibernate
4. Overwrites my custom modem registry entries that allow the PC to recognize caller ID data

I had 8.1 on this particular PC with all the same hardware and 8.1 updates never broke any of this. So personally, I cannot call it the best M$ OS ever. In fact, I find it the worst OS, at least as far as updates go, since Windows NT where updates could routinely be counted on to make a PC unusable.

I have image backup software which was a great CMOA for me and thank the great maker I have PRO which allowed me to shut off auto updates through the Group Policy Manager.

Obviously, it all comes down to the experiences the users have with an OS, for me it's been a good one, My main gaming PC has worked all right after all the updates, in my laptop I've experience trouble with the touch pad after every big update, but I just have to reinstall the drivers and problem solved. But it's a fact apparently, that many people have problems after installing windows updates and should be one's option to install it or not.

 

[Tanstar]

WannaCry was easily blocked without an update. Just close NetBIOS ports on your firewall and problem solved. Of course, since M$ considers them essential (when they are really crap) they are likely open by default on M$ built-in firewall. I've had those ports blocked, both incoming to my network and outgoing from my network, for over 10 years. No need for an update. Why not ask the network security principal where you work if those ports are blocked?

He was talking about the average user, who couldn't do that if their lives depended on it.

 

[darkzelda]

Well said and so true.

Why don't they add features like:
- Allowing you to EASILY disable Windows-Update.
- or install Windows Updates without harassing you or forcing system restarts.
- Create tabs for File Explorer
- Allow you to uninstall bloatware (or at least hide it), like XBox, Windows Store, Sound Recorder, Films & TV, etc.
- Allow you to easily install new programs that basically everyone uses anyway, like 7zip/WinRAR, VLC, and a choice of web-browsers. Just give us a pop-up after installing the OS--most users know what they want, make it easy for them!
- Allow more tile sizes for the Start Menu apps and not force your own grid onto the users.
- Remove 'Libraries'. They cause a tonne of bugs in programs and what's the point? Just click your Personal folder.
- That being said: Easier access to the Personal folder would be nice. Clicking that '>' arrow in the address bar to get to the Personal folder is so counter-intuitive.

But oh forget about all that, it has better handwriting detection now... -_-

You have many good points in there, specially for TABS for File Explorer, but the "Libraries" should stay, I think that since its introduction on Windows 7, it made it easier to organize your files.

 

[Raoul Duke]

[The only way to ensure updates are installed is to forcibly shove them down the throats of users by making it nearly impossible to keep updates permanently disable

Personally, my vote is for freedom and allowing people to experience the consequence of their decisions rather than have it dictated to me by some corporation

 

[janslar]

For sure have some thing to say...I installed the Creators copy and ended up restoring my pc to an image prior to the Creators install. PC would not reboot...finally thank God I had backed up an image on two different hdd's.

 

[EClyde]

I don't need features.

 

[cliffordcooley]

For ultimate click bait, the title should have read. "Microsoft rolls out new Windows 10 Creators Fall Update test build with tons of new flaws"

 

[Nobina]

Windows 10 Creators Update gave me so much issues which I still have it's unbelivable how rushed this thing is. They're releasing a new update soon but haven't touched any of the main issues people have.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Fall Update or will it turn out to be Fail Update?

 

[CrazyDave]

Well said and so true.

Why don't they add features like:
- Allowing you to EASILY disable Windows-Update.
- or install Windows Updates without harassing you or forcing system restarts.
- Create tabs for File Explorer
- Allow you to uninstall bloatware (or at least hide it), like XBox, Windows Store, Sound Recorder, Films & TV, etc.
- Allow you to easily install new programs that basically everyone uses anyway, like 7zip/WinRAR, VLC, and a choice of web-browsers. Just give us a pop-up after installing the OS--most users know what they want, make it easy for them!
- Allow more tile sizes for the Start Menu apps and not force your own grid onto the users.
- Remove 'Libraries'. They cause a tonne of bugs in programs and what's the point? Just click your Personal folder.
- That being said: Easier access to the Personal folder would be nice. Clicking that '>' arrow in the address bar to get to the Personal folder is so counter-intuitive.

But oh forget about all that, it has better handwriting detection now... -_-

You have many good points in there, specially for TABS for File Explorer, but the "Libraries" should stay, I think that since its introduction on Windows 7, it made it easier to organize your files.

I recall seeing an article a few months back about tabs being worked on my MS, not sure for which update it was planned for though. If memory serves, it would apply to more than just file explorer, but to any application. They used examples of tabs in Excel and Word for different documents. I can see that being very useful when it finds it's way to release.