Problems with Microsoft’s Windows October 2018 Update aren’t over yet

Microsoft is still fixing bugs that appeared during the rollout of its October 2018 Update which initially launched at the start of the month and was halted following a dangerous data deletion bug. Since then more flaws in the update have come to light and Microsoft continues to patch them as they appear. The latest fixes focus on driver compatibility.

The October 2018 Update for Windows 10 ushers in a number of fun new features for the operating system, including better smartphone integration and support for ray tracing in supporting games — high-end graphics hardware permitting. But despite a lengthy stay in Microsoft’s Windows Insider program, the build that was eventually released to the public has been marred by problems. It has since been placed back inside Microsoft’s fast and slow ring testing groups, with plans to eventually release it to the wider Windows user base once everything has been fixed.

The latest build to be released to Windows Insiders is build 17763.103, version 1809 of Windows 10. As ZDnet explains, it’s linked with the cumulative update, KB4464455 and addresses some problems with driver compatibility. Although Microsoft hasn’t stated specifically which drivers were at fault, an audio issue related to Intel’s drivers was previously discovered and some HP drivers have also been found to be suspect in causing problems with the OS update. Microsoft has since released fixes to help remove the drivers from users’ machines.

Other issues that have surfaced in recent days include blue screen of death crashes, inaccurate CPU usage reporting in Task Manager, and problems with certain third-party antivirus products. Microsoft hasn’t gone into specific detail about what some of those issues were or how it fixed them, but as long as no other major bugs appear in the next few days, it should look to roll out the October Update again in the near future.

In the meantime, if you run into problems with your Windows 10 installation, we have a guide to help you out. It doesn’t matter whether you’re running the Anniversary Update, or something more recent like the April 2018 Update. We have fixes for most of the more common issues you might have encountered.

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Japanese scientists are chewing over an ‘electric gum’ that never loses flavor

A device which zaps your tongue with electricity sounds more like some cruel and unusual torture method than it does something folks might do for enjoyment. But you’d be wrong — at least when it comes to the electric tongue zapper created by researchers at Meiji University in Japan. They’ve been working on technology they call “unlimited electric gum,” able to electrically simulate flavor sensations when a person chews a stick of specially created “gum.” The results make possible not only gum which never loses its flavor but, at least in theory, also open up the possibility of creating any flavor chewing gum you want to sample at that instant.

This is achieved using something called the piezoelectric effect, a phenomenon in which certain materials generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress. The word is derived from the Greek word word “squeeze” or “press.” In this case, the piezoelectric effect means that when a piece of the researchers’ gum (in reality, a piezoelectric element and electrodes, wrapped up in a thin plastic film) is chewed, a small current is created. This then fools the chewer’s tongue into experiencing different tastes.

You shouldn’t expect Juicy Fruits or spearmint tastes just yet, however. When the device was tested out at an event in Japan earlier this year, the test subjects reported that the gum tasted salty or bitter. They likened it to the experience of chewing niboshi, dried infant sardines which are frequently eaten either as snacks or used for seasoning in soup stocks. That doesn’t necessarily sound all that appealing, but there’s certainly scope for expansion.

The researchers hope that they will eventually be able to induce sour, sweet and umami (a savory taste found in foods like fermented soy products, cheese, and shiitake mushrooms) taste sensations as well. The chewing gum was recently presented at the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology in Germany.

It’s not just Meiji University that is focused on creating these kind of futuristic simulated foodstuff, either. Dr. Nimesha Ranasinghe, currently director of the Multisensory Interactive Media Lab at the University of Maine, has created a number of similarly innovative projects — ranging from a programmable cocktail glass to futuristic chopsticks able to simulate flavor by zapping your tongue with electrodes.

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With Spotify for WearOS, you no longer need your phone to stream music

After what has seemed like a long time coming, Spotify will be available on Wear OS smartwatches as an app. Whether it’s on a run or a while lounging at home, you will now be able to access your music right from your wrist — without having to rely on your smartphone.

Currently, those who want to use Spotify while working out with their WearOS smartwatch are tethered to their smartphones. Whenever you pull up the music app on your phone, you’ll see the name of the song and the artist but the only actions available are the music controls.

With the new Spotify app for WearOS, you will be able to do a bit more. For starters, you have access to your recently played songs and podcasts, you can browse through playlists, skip tracks, pause, play, and go back to previous songs using only your smartwatch. You will also be able to tap on the heart icon to mark your favorite tracks, which the app will save it to your library.

“We’re excited to bring improved on-the-go-access to your favorite music and podcasts to millions of Spotify users on Wear OS by Google smartwatches,” Mikael Ericsson, senior product director at Spotify, said in a press release. “Being able to easily access, control, and connect music directly from your wrist opens up a world of new opportunities. We look forward to continuing to improve the Spotify experience in this space.”

In addition to your workouts, you can also use your smartwatch to control music on devices at home like your speakers or TV with Spotify Connect. As long as you connect the home device to the same Wi-Fi network and log into the Spotify app, it will appear under “Devices Available.” On your smartwatch, you will be able to select the device you want to connect and your audio will automatically begin to play.

The news comes only a short while after Garmin announced its Spotify integration for the Fenix 5 Plus Series smartwatch. But one additional feature on the Garmin 5 Plus Series (that WearOS users don’t have quite yet) is the ability to listen to music offline through the Spotify app. Since Garmin watch comes with 16Gb of onboard storage, users are able to sync their playlists using the phone’s Wi-Fi connection.

The Galaxy Smartwatch also includes Spotify integration, a new timepiece Samsung launched last month. With the smartwatch, users can also download, play, and control their playlists from the app.

It’s possible that the ability to listen offline will be introduced in a future update. But since many WearOS smartwatches are known to come with 4GB of storage, — which doesn’t leave that much room to download content — users might prefer to stream their music.

Spotify also announced that it partnered with Fossil Group to bring the streaming service as a stand-alone app for Wear OS. In November, the Spotify app will be automatically installed on Fossil Generation 4 smartwatches and the Michael Kors Access Runway collection.

As for global availability for all WearOS smartwatches, the Spotify app will be rolling out to users over the coming week. It will be available for download through the Google Play Store.

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The best Xperia XZ3 cases to keep your new Sony phone shiny

Simon Hill/Digital Trends

Sony might not dominate the mobile landscape in the way that Samsung and Apple do, but it’s still putting out great smartphones with lots to offer. The Xperia XZ3 is the latest of these, and it’s equipped with powerful specs, a capable single-lens camera, a great display, and all the other fun features Xperia phones are known for.

It’s also got a pretty design — but like many phones in 2018, it’s made from glass. Glass might be the go-to premium material of the moment, but it’s also fragile and capable of shattering when dropped. If you’ve just forked out $900 for a phone, the last thing you want to see is a shattered corner or broken glass back. But don’t wrap your phone in cotton — try a protective case instead. We’ve found you some of the best Sony Xperia XZ3 cases so you can keep your phone safe.

Olixar Ultra-Thin Gel Case ($12)

You don’t have to sacrifice your phone’s style in order to get some protection. Clear gel is one of the classic types of case, and if you’re looking to get your hands on one, then you might be interested in this example from Olixar. It’s made from soft and flexible TPU, which is naturally nonabsorbent and grippy. It’s also very thin, adding barely any additional thickness onto your Xperia XZ3. There’s also a raised bezel around the edges of the case, which keeps your device from resting on surfaces. It won’t be as protective as a larger and bulkier case, but it will still provide a good level of all-around protection.

Buy it now from:

Olixar Amazon Mobile Fun

Roxfit Soft Touch Slim Shell ($20)

Looking for something on the harder side? Hard shells won’t provide the same level of shock-absorption, but they’ll do great work in turning aside more direct threats against your phone. This shell from Roxfit features a soft touch coating, which increases grip on the case and makes it feel more comfortable in the hand, while retaining the strength of the polycarbonate underneath. Roxfit is Sony’s certified accessory partner, so you can be sure of a great fit and quality. However, because it doesn’t flex, you won’t find any button covers here, leaving the sides of your phone exposed.

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Roxfit Mobile Fun

Everstars Clear Bumper Case ($10)

Another clear option, this bumper case from Everstars comes with more protection than a simple gel case. It’s made from a combination of a TPU bumper and a polycarbonate (PC) backplate, which work together to provide great protection against a variety of threats. The TPU bumper offers a soft surface for increased grip, while the inside of the bumper contains an impact gel that provides military-grade protection, according to Everstars. While we can’t back that up, we can say that it’s light and not too thick, and also well-priced. Anyone looking for slightly more protection than usual might find a bargain here.

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Amazon

Krusell Sunne 2 Wallet ($40)

The Xperia XZ3 is already a stylish phone, but you can choose to add even more style to it by slapping on this leather wallet case from Krusell. You’ll find genuine Sunne leather on the outside of the case that will mature as the case ages. Your Xperia XZ3 clips into the internal shell, which holds it carefully in place, while the leather wraps fully around your device to provide complete coverage. The cover folds back to form a horizontal stand, and there are four internal slots included for easy stashing of cards or cash. On the minus side, it’s certainly expensive — but for genuine leather, it’s about what you’d expect.

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Krusell Mobile Fun

Official Sony Touch Cover ($49)

If you’re looking for the perfect case, why go to anyone but Sony itself? Sony offers a decent variety of official cases to go with the Xperia XZ3, but the Touch Cover is one of the best. The case offers full coverage, including a cover to keep your display protected while not in use. The front cover is completely transparent, and it’s touch-enabled, so you can use your XZ3 without ever flipping the cover off your case. It’s a good-looking case too, available in a variety of colors. An internal microfiber suede prevents internal scratching. It’s expensive, but it’s stylish, protective, and super-cool.

Buy it now from:

Mobile Fun

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Adobe’s craziest new tools animate photos, convert recordings to music in a click

Actress Tiffany Haddish (left) co-hosting the 2018 Adobe MAX “Sneaks” keynote with Paul Trani, senior Creative Cloud evangelist at Adobe.

Adobe’s artificial intelligence is already introducing features that streamline the creative process but a look at what is next for Adobe Sensei could push the technology beyond just time-saving tools. During Adobe Max 2019, Adobe unveiled several sneak peeks at what the software engineers are developing next using the company’s artificial intelligence, Adobe Sensei. From creating a moving photo in one click, converting a recorded voice into a musical instrument to designing an animation that reacts to real-time tweets, creatives could soon have some crazy new tools inside the Creative Cloud.

Project Moving Stills

Project Moving Stills converts a still image into an animation, but unlike a cinemagraph, Moving Stills creates realistic 3D-camera movements in one click. Demonstrated on stage, the software uses A.I. to move into the scene, creating an effect that looks more like a videographer moving through the image than a boring 2D-slideshow transition.

Adobe Sensei understands how objects are arranged in a 3D space, Adobe explained, and uses that information to not only create a 3D-motion effect, but to also determine the best effect for that scene. The setting can be applied with one click, but the software also includes a handful of tools to change the 3D movement, from moving into the scene to panning up and down. The software also allows for custom camera movement by selecting a starting and ending point.

Moving Stills can also apply effects to multiple effects at once, creating a photo slideshow that makes the objects in the images pop as if shot with a 3D camera instead of the boring traditional zoom-pans on stills. (Sorry, Ken Burns.)

The popularity of cinemagraphs and GIFs have inspired several new tools like Plotagraph, but instead of animating an object in the photo, Moving Stills appears to take a step into the photo. As a sneak peek, Adobe hasn’t yet shared when Moving Stills will actually launch, or even if it will launch as a stand-alone or as part of existing software.

Project Kazoo

Don’t know how to play an instrument or sing, but want to create your own audio? A.I. may soon be able to help with that. Project Kazoo is a program that turns recordings of your voice into notes on an instrument — or even notes from a soprano singer.

Demonstrated on stage at Max by Adobe’s Zeyu Jin, the software first takes a recording and arranges that audio as notes on a scale, noting the note and duration. Users then select an instrument from a drop-down menu and the program replays those notes in that instrument. Besides working with voice, the program can also turn a recording of one instrument into another. A transpose slider also allows adjusting the audio to a higher or lower pitch.

Besides helping the non-musically inclined create their own audio, Adobe says the prototype can also be used to create effects for cartoon characters, like imagining what a cartoon violin’s laugh would sound like.

Brush Bounty

What if Photoshop brushes could paint motion? That’s the idea behind Brush Bounty, a tool that allows animators to paint in effects that would otherwise be time-consuming or even impossible to animate. Adobe’s Fabin Rasheed demonstrated Project Brush Bounty at Max, including brushes that could paint in the rain, hair blown by the wind, a sparkling night sky or a glowing orb.

Besides just saving animators from individually creating each drop of rain and each strand of hair, Brush Bounty can also tie those animations into locations or even tweets. Adding a hashtag to the project allows the animation to react in real time to any tweets using that hashtag. For example, on stage, Rasheed created a superhero with a glowing orb that increased in size and intensity with each tweet of #BrushBounty. 

The animation can also be tied to the viewer’s location — like matching the weather in the animation to the location. Another sneak peek showed the tool changing the direction of the wind based on how the viewer was holding the smartphone, changing wind directions with the movement of the smartphone.

The files can be exported as videos or GIFs, along with web elements for the interactive animations. Like the other sneak peeks, Adobe hasn’t shared just when the tool will launch.

Project Fastmask

For video editors, creating masks is a time-consuming task, particularly in scenarios with so much movement that the auto mask options don’t work. Project Fastmask is an A.I.-powered tool that masks out moving subjects — and even works after they leave the frame.

The person (or animal) is masked out by placing a handful of boundary points in the first frame. Clicking propagate will then adjust those boundary points for the next frame, continuing through the end of the clip and leaving a well-masked character for further adjustments.

Project Smooth Operator

Vertical videos are a headache for creatives shooting a video for multiple platforms (we’re looking at you, IGTV). Project Smooth Operator uses A.I. to automatically crop horizontal videos to vertical ones — without leaving the subject behind.

Smooth Operator uses A.I. to analyze the video and determine the most important parts. The tool will then keep those elements in the frame using the selected aspect ratio. If the subject moves, the crop will follow in a manner that feels similar to real panning. Besides converting from horizontal to vertical, the tool can also crop to a less drastic different aspect ratio.

Even more impressive, the demonstration included a video with two different subjects, a dog and its owner playing fetch. Smooth Operator panned between the two subjects, deciding where to be based on the action in the video.

Project Fontphoria

Getting just the right font is often a struggle for designers, but A.I. will soon be able to generate a font from an image — including characters that weren’t actually in the image. Fontphoria generates a font based on an image of text, such as a photo of hand-lettering or the font from a vintage poster. The program can also similarly generate fonts when you open a document but don’t have all the fonts used, applying the characteristics of the existing characters to create a full font.

A lens mode will allow Fontphoria to preview the font on existing text, using augmented reality to replace the existing text with the new font. Another feature allows custom modifications to be applied to all the characters at once, instead of manually applying special effects to each letter.

Adobe’s list of sneak peeks also included Fantastic Fold, a design program for packaging, Project Model Morph for manipulating 3D objects inside (eventually) Adobe Dimension, and Project Good Bones, a tool allowing for shape-aware editing of vector graphics. Adobe also offered a sneak at Project Waltz, which uses a smartphone to take photos or video from inside a 3D project.

As sneak peeks, Adobe hasn’t shared what or even how the tools will arrive — some will likely be stand-alone programs while others may be integrated into existing programs.

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Ekster 3.0 lets you ask, ‘Alexa, where did I leave my wallet?’

Smart wallet brand Ekster has been building a name for itself for a few years now, but its latest pocket-sized money carrier promises to be its best yet — and certainly its smartest. Called (what else?) Ekster 3.0, the company’s newest creation builds on the slimline, security conscious, RFID-blocking technology of its predecessor, while also adding a few neat touches. Not only is it slimmer than ever, available in new colors, and packed with a new card-dispensing mechanism, it also aims to solve the “lost wallet” problem. Should you find yourself unable to locate your wallet, you can now summon it using your smartphone. Heck, if you really want to show off, you can even get your smart speaker to do it, via voice control.

“Our tracking technology allows you to ring your wallet from your phone, or vice versa, when lost,” co-founder Olivier Momma told Digital Trends. “It allows you to locate your wallet on a map, and even supports Alexa and Google Assistant so you don’t need to get off that comfortable spot on the couch to discover its last seen location. This voice-controlled wallet is also the first-ever solar-powered smart wallet, meaning that you only have to place it under a lamp or the sun for 2 to 3 hours [for the battery] to last two full months.”

Since first launching in 2015, Ekster has grown from a tiny three-person startup into a successful company employing 15 people. It describes itself as the largest smart wallet brand worldwide. Its products are currently available in upward of 100 stores and web shops around the world, including big name stores like Macy’s. To be among the first people to own an Ekster 3.0 wallet, however, you’ll have to head to the project’s Kickstarter page.

As ever, we offer our usual warnings about the potential risks inherent in crowdfunding projects — even when, as is the case here, you’re dealing with an established company with a proven manufacturing and distribution track record. The Ekster 3.0 starts at $40, although other price options are also available. You’ll be able to choose your color after the campaign is completed, but before delivery takes place in March 2019.

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Goodbye, Essential? Android creator’s startup cuts nearly a third of its staff

Essential, the company founded by Android creator Andy Rubin and known for last year’s Essential Phone, is going through tough times. Just a few days ago news broke that the company was working on an artificial intelligence-powered smartphone that mimics its user, but now, Essential announced it cut around 30 percent of its staff.

The news isn’t all that surprising. A year and a half after the release of the original Essential Phone, we have yet to see any more major releases from the company. In fact, the company canceled a second Essential Phone and paused development on a new smart speaker, hinting the company had not panned out the way Rubin might have liked.

News also broke earlier in the year suggesting that Essential was looking to sell the company. That hasn’t happened just yet, but it’s clearly still a possibility. According to a report from Bloomberg, the cuts were primarily made in the hardware and sales divisions of Essential.

“This has been a difficult decision to make. We are very sorry for the impact on our colleagues who are leaving the company and are doing everything we can to help them with their future careers,” an Essential spokesperson said in an email to Bloomberg. “We are confident that our sharpened product focus will help us deliver a truly game-changing consumer product.”

Given the recent news that Essential was working on a new device, the future of the company is very unclear. It seems as though the company could be planning to show off an early prototype of the new device to industry partners at the Consumer Electronics Show in January in Las Vegas, with a release to consumers at some point later in 2019. The device will reportedly feature a small screen and aim to learn its user’s habits so that it can mimic them by doing things like texting back friends for the user. According to reports, the device will mostly be used through voice controls. If that device doesn’t sell — there’s no guarantee that it will — it may well be one of the last devices we ever see from Essential.

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Chrome 70 is now available and won’t automatically log you in to the browser

Google officially launched Chrome version 70 today, October 17, on Windows, Mac, and Linux. This latest update introduces some new Progressive Web App integrations on Windows 10, but also provides a new setting option so that you’re no longer auto logged in with your Google Account when using any other Google services or apps.

The new setting option is the result of concerns from irate consumers who claimed that the previous Chrome 69 update altered the way Chrome Sync works, without properly informing users of the change. It is available in the new version by heading to a new “Allow Chrome sign-in” option in the Privacy and Security section of the Chrome settings menu.

This new option is enabled by default, so there is still the need to manually make the change once updated to the new version. Google has also made syncs more clear by now showing when the browser is corresponding with your activities. Though Google points out that auto sign in doesn’t mean Chrome sync is turned on, they predominately wanted to address the original feedback submitted by users in late September.

Aside from the syncing changes, Chrome version 70 also makes it so that Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are more heavily integrated with Windows 10. Once installed, PWAs in Chrome 70 will show up without an address bar or tabs, so that they can be launched from the taskbar or Windows desktop like a traditional app. This is a Windows-only feature for now, and Google hinted that Mac and Linux systems aren’t quite ready for these PWA features just yet, pegging a Chrome 72 PWA feature release date for those platforms.

Another update to Chrome 70 is the addition of developer support for the Credential Management API, Public Key Credential, and the new AV1 video codec. There is also developer support for Web Bluetooth, allowing websites to communicate with nearby user-selected devices. A full rundown of those features is available here.

Your Chrome browser should notify you and automatically update to Version 70 when it is ready, but these updates usually roll out gradually. You can also head to the Help menu and then About Google Chrome to try to force the upgrade in order to enjoy all these new features today.

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Corsair’s latest SSD boasts extremely fast speeds at a more affordable price

Upgrading to a faster solid-state drive is one of the easiest ways to get a speed bump out of an aging PC and Corsair is making it more affordable to make the switch to a speedy SSD. The company’s fast NVMe-based Force Series MP510 SSD is one of the fastest on the market and the drive comes in at a more affordable price than competing offerings from Samsung and Western Digital.

“Utilizing the ultra high-speed NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 M.2 interface for maximum bandwidth, the MP510 leaves traditional SATA 6Gbps and even previous generation M.2 SSDs in the dust,” the company claimed in a statement. “Loading everything from large video and image files to games, applications or the operating system faster than ever before, the MP510 supercharges your system’s performance, whatever you’re doing.” The drive’s M.2 2280 form factor makes it compatible with most desktops and laptops.

Corsair boasts sequential read speeds as fast as 3,480MB per second and sequential write speeds as fast as 3,000MB per second for the Force Series MP510. This places the MP510 in the same class as Samsung’s 970 Pro and 970 EVO models as well as Western Digital’s Black drives.

The Samsung 970 EVO and 970 Pro models, for comparison, boast read speeds of 3,500MB/s and write speeds of 2,500MB/s, which the company claims is 32 percent faster than last year’s 960 EVO models. Western Digital’s 2018 Black SSDs boast up to 3,400MB/s read speeds and 2,800MB/s write speeds, depending on the model. While read speeds between all three brands are within range of each other, Corsair’s MP510 faster write speeds over these two competitors gives it an advantage.

Despite matching and besting the performance of its competitors, Corsair’s MP510 also is more affordable, with a starting price of just $69 for a 240GB-capacity SSD and topping out at $474 for 1,920GB, or approximately 2TB, of storage. The MP510 is an upgrade from Corsair’s previous MP500 series. For comparison, the Samsung 970 EVO sells for $99 for a 250GB drive, while the similar top-end 1,920GB model retails for $577. That represents a savings of more than $100 for the Corsair MP510 at the high end. Western Digital’s 2018 Black series SSD also starts at $99 for the 250GB edition but tops out at just 1TB for $357.

The Force Series MP510 is also available in 480GB and 960GB capacities. All configurations of the MP510 drives are available for purchase now through Corsair’s web store, except the 1,940GB model, which is currently listed as out of stock. The MP510 is backed by Corsair’s five-year warranty.

If you have additional storage needs, you can also consider adding an external storage drive as well.

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New Windows 10 19H1 preview lets users remove more pre-installed Microsoft apps

A fresh Windows 10 install usually traps consumers with some pre-loaded Microsoft apps and services, but that may have just changed. With the release of the latest Windows 10 19H1 preview build on October 17, Microsoft is letting some consumers remove more of the pre-installed inbox app bloatware from their PCs.

Any pre-installed third-party games and apps can already be removed from Windows 10 — including Candy Crush — but some stock Microsoft inbox apps can’t be ditched as easily. The new 18262 preview build now allows for quick and easy deletion of core stock apps like 3D Viewer, Calculator, Calendar, Mail, and Movies & TV, Paint 3D, Snip & Sketch, Sticky Notes, and Voice Recorder.

Microsoft’s removal process is as simple as right-clicking one of these apps on the Start Menu and selecting uninstall, or visiting the context menu in the All Apps list. Previously, the only removable stock Microsoft apps included Solitaire Collection, My Office, OneNote, Print 3D, Skype, Tips, and Weather.

Though these apps are light in size, it is a welcome change for the consumers who are looking to free up space on their PCs. It also is good for those who don’t utilize these Microsoft apps or have found better third-party alternatives downloaded through the store.

This same preview build also introduces some other new features to the Windows 10 experience. DPI Awareness in Task Manager, some new troubleshooting improvements, and new abilities in Narrator to read by sentence are highlights of the changelog for this release.

Only beta testers running Fast Ring or Skip Ahead Windows Insider builds will be seeing all the new Windows 10 features today. These could likely roll out in April to all consumers once beta testing is complete. Enrollment in the Windows Insider program is easy, and all it takes to get started with these new Windows elements is to click on a few menus and then restart the computer.

Windows Insider builds are usually unstable, and features have been known to be removed before a full public release to consumers not enrolled in the program. Though a small feature like the ability to remove pre-loaded apps is likely to make the cut, it is sometimes hard to predict which Insider features make it to the final release.

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