If you’re unfamiliar with Windows Core OS (WCOS), it is a modular version of Windows 10. By creating a modular Windows experience, Microsoft can put the full power of Windows 10 on any device. WCOS will provide Microsoft with a platform that will work on mobile devices and PCs alike. Users on smartphones will be able to receive a full Windows 10 PC-quality experience. As the platform would be expanding across form factors, it makes sense some aspects of Windows 10 will look different....

We’ll get to the new additions shortly, but first, Microsoft has also tweaked the game itself. The company says Minecraft on Xbox now uses less memory thank to enhancements to the interface. Developer Mojang says the game should feel smoother even in intensive situations. Additionally, there are seven new achievements to play for. Of course, the most important thing is additional items and features. With that in mind, this update is well stocked....

In the post, Microsoft points out that it seeks to improve the Chakra JavaScript engine for Microsoft Edge through each update. For the Creators Update, the company says day-to-day performance has improved the browsing experience. Microsoft Edge now has improved memory usage through the defer-parsing mechanism. Not a new function, defer-parsing has been used since the days of Internet Explorer. The feature allows Chaka to check for syntax errors at startup and can delay full parsing until functions are called....

The accolade comes despite Edge’s relatively recent debut on the platform in October 2017. It offers users a degree of cross-platform compatibility with Windows 10, supporting the Timeline feature and the ability to open web pages on desktop with a tap. Also contributing to the rating is the app’s recent integration of Adblock Plus. When enabled, the feature will keep ‘acceptable ads’ by default, but can also be used to remove them entirely....

STOCKHISTORY tops into the Stocks data type in Microsoft Excel and also the dynamic arrays ability that came to the app last year. As the name suggests, STOCKHISTORY will compile stock values from different dates and present them all in Excel. Dynamic arrays is an important part of the new tool. The feature allows formulas to output values across cells as a list: “Using dynamic arrays, any formula that returns an array of values will seamlessly “spill” into neighboring unoccupied cells, making it as easy to get an array of values returned as it is to work on a single cell....

Microsoft has been increasingly embracing cloud computing as the idea of a connected world grows. By creating its own hardware standard through Project Olympus, the company wants to reduce the cost of creating platforms on Azure. You may remember Microsoft discussed the project last year. Kushagra Vaid GM, Azure Hardware Infrastructure said the company will share its cloud hardware designs when they are around 50% complete. Project Olympus consists of 1U and 2U server chassis, power supplies, power distribution, a universal motherboard and other components....

Below you find all the details about this quick fix from Microsoft. Please be aware of the Alpha status of those builds which means you might experience other severe issues, apart from the mentioned ones. In a related Reddit thread, users report that for instance YouTube and Microsoft Edge no longer load, severe dashboard performance and app loading issues. So while the Xbox One Party Chat crash bug fix might resolve one problem, it might cause others....

When a Patch Tuesday arrives, Microsoft details all security vulnerabilities it fixes. However, without digging deep into the release notes, some bugs are fixed and simply ignored. One such bug and subsequent fix came with no details during last month’s August Patch Tuesday. Specifically, this bug is known as Zerologon and is especially dangerous. Microsoft’s fix is under the identifier CVE-2020-1472 but was not detailed properly until Dutch security firm Secura B....

Specifically, instead of introducing it for all users as announced, Microsoft limited IE Mode to IT admins only. Microsoft seems to have had a change of heart and the IE-Mode is now back. However, it seems to be more hidden in the mix than it previously was on Chromium Edge. Also, users are likely to see a warning when they update the Edge Developer channel next week. Specifically, they will be warned that using unsupported command-line flags could cause a security risk....

At the moment, this is just based on the Store listing. Microsoft has yet to confirm the delay, but Spring 2018 would coincide with the launch of Windows 10 Redstone 4. Either way, we expect Surface chief Panos Panay to discuss the Surface Pro LTE at Future Decoded this month. The London event will see Microsoft discuss Surface hardware and could include a new device. At least, Panay will talk about the LTE model and probably announce its official release....

The new base color options come in the form of Ink and Mineral Blue, as well as Sierra Brown and Desert tan. Each looks great in its own right and offers a more subdued look. There are also 11 new thumbstick colors, including: Glacier Blue Zest Orange Retro Pink Electric Green Robot White Lightning Yellow Ash Gray Ink Blue Mineral Blue Sierra Brown Desert Tan The new body colors are also available as part of the new metallic finish option....

When users enter tablet mode in Windows 11, they can select between two options: First is a state where the taskbar is collapsed and displays important status icons only. The second is an expanded taskbar that will make it easier to touch apps and icons. Microsoft is locking this feature, which means it is exclusively for devices that can be used as tablets, such as full tablets and 2-in-1 convertibles....

In-app purchases (IAP) have become a hugely important revenue stream for developers. Love them or hate them as a consumer, they are now deeply integrated as a business model for apps and games. Indeed, Microsoft says over 90% of paid app revenue comes from IAP. The Payment Request API for Windows 10 will bring a new revenue stream to developers. Specifically, the API allows the sale of physical goods and other commerce that is now supported in the Windows Store....

This behavior appears to originate from the Your Phone Companion app and has been present since April. At that point, Your Phone mirroring was in beta and the future was unclear. Microsoft’s Android companion app initially acted as a hub for all its apps, showing which users had installed. It was previously known as ‘Microsoft Apps’ for this reason. However, the company introduced a degree of cross-platform functionality between Windows and Android with the Windows 10 April 2018 update....

This latest tease was offered by Frank X. Shaw, Corporate Vice President and Corporate Communications for Microsoft. It comes just days after Microsoft hardware chief Panos Panay teased a bumper case for the Surface Duo. Make no mistake, Microsoft higher-ups would not be offering these leaks if the Duo was not imminent. It is also worth noting Shaw’s Twitter image not only showed a Surface Pen, but also the bumper case....

Both iOS and PC versions of Project xCloud will be delivered through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Game Pass is Microsoft’s game subscription service. It provides access to a catalog of titles, some that rotate off the service from time to time. Although, all Microsoft Game Studios titles are constants on Game Pass. The Ultimate package of Game Pass is already a solid package, but it looks even better with Project xCloud in tow....

Shortly after announcing Windows 10 S, Microsoft said it would allow users to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for free. This made sense because it would open the Surface Laptops to business users, as well as education ones. Microsoft said at the time this upgrade offer would be available until the end of this year. After the deadline passes, customers will have to pay $49 to upgrade. However, what about users who may want to revert to Windows 10 S at some point....

As you’d expect, the major announcement is that FSLogix container technology is available at no extra cost to Microsoft 365 business customers. This should significantly improve the performance of ProPlus in virtual environments, including Windows Virtual Desktop on its release later this year. The improvement is available to those on the following plans: Microsoft 365 E3/E5/A3/A5/Student Use Benefits/F1/Business Windows 10 Enterprise E3/E5 Windows 10 Education A3/A5 Windows 10 VDA per user Remote Desktop Services (RDS) Client Access License (CAL) and Subscriber Access License (SAL)...

GW-BASIC was released by Microsoft way back in 1983 for the IBM PC XT. It is based on IBM’s Advanced BASIC/BASICA, which itself was ported from Microsoft’s own BASIC language. Microsoft says GW-BASIC is now available on GitHub. Microsoft says the source code has been written on the assembly language: “These sources, as clearly stated in the repo’s readme, are the 8088 assembly language sources from 10th Feb 1983, and are being open-sourced for historical reference and educational purposes....

While building up any ecosystem, developer participation is vital to growing and expanding platforms. Microsoft arguably knows more about this than most companies. The company is built on services that rely on developer support. By giving independent software vendors a support platform, Microsoft believes it can nurture developers across its services. Those who sign up towards the App Accelerate program get access to several “strategic planning resources”. Developers can see e-books and reports that discuss market trends and connecting with customers....