It’s been nearly 2 years since Windows 10 launched, but many have claimed that the OS is not nearly as popular or holding as much market share as the much beloved Windows 7. In what may be a signal of changing attitudes for Windows 10, visits to US government sites via Windows 10 have surpassed Windows 7 for the first time. (Thanks, Jeremy for the tip!)

This United States government website reports that of the 2.54 billion visits to US Government websites over the past 90 days, 20.9% came from Windows 10, and 20.7% from Windows 7. Interestingly, Windows 8.1 came in at 2.7%, Windows 8 .05%, and other OS 0.8%. The numbers are a bit niche and could be just from a holiday bump based on the sites 90-day average, but they still do give a solid number comparison for the state of various OS and browser stats.

When it comes to browser share, Edge was not popularly used to visit US Government websites. Chrome was on top with 44.4%, Followed up Safari with 27.6%, Internet Explorer at 12.3%, and then Firefox at 5.9% and Edge at 3.9%. Though all these government percentages may be bleak for Microsoft, the latest AdDuplex December report also shows strong adoption for Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, so things can only go up from Microsoft from here on out.

Last week saw the release of a huge Windows Insider build, but things have been quiet at Microsoft since then. The reason why? According to head Ninja Cat Dona Sarkar, there won’t be any new builds this week (and early next week) due to the fact that the Windows Insider team is on (a much needed!) vacation.

#WindowsInsiders the build labs are closed and we are all on vacation till about Jan 2-3. You can expect more Windows answers then.

— Dona Sarkar @ #MSIgnite (@donasarkar) December 28, 2017

Sarkar also mentioned that Microsoft’s build labs are also closed, so you won’t expect any new builds until after January 3rd. It’s not a problem, really, as there were many issues with builds in the lead up to last week’s release, and the Windows Insider team rightfully needs to enjoy their time off following the stressful times.

In the meantime, you can feel free to check out some new Quests in the Feedback Hub. As expected, these quests go over some of the new things in build 17063.

#WindowsInsiders There won't be new flights until at least a few days into the new year, but if you're on 17063 and looking for something to do check out the Quests in the Feedback Hub – we added a bunch of new ones going over the things to try in 17063 ???? https://t.co/MfWOF5m1KT pic.twitter.com/n7VPvGkW8V

— Jen Gentleman ???? (@JenMsft) December 28, 2017

You can also around with the many less major features in Windows 10 build 17063. Along with Sets and Windows Timeline, there are also new features for Developers and IT Pros, Windows Defender, WSSL.

Our own Cody Carson recapped all the new features in the latest build, so feel free to watch his video above if you’ve not already had time to play with the latest features. As always, also feel free to drop us a comment below with your thoughts on this latest build!

The year is winding down to a close, but most blogs and websites are focused on just how Microsoft bettered the tech world in 2017. Yes, we’ve seen amazing tech products from the company, including Microsoft Launcher, the Surface Laptop, Surface Book 2, and Xbox One X, but there’s more to Microsoft than just technology. It’s been a rough year for humanity, but Microsoft has been there to help make the world a better place, every step of the way. From getting involved in politics when it looks as though it is going wrong for humanity, or giving aid after natural disasters, here is a quick look at just some of the ways how Microsoft helped make the world a better place in 2017.

Microsoft opposes US immigrant travel ban:

When new U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning travel from 7 predominantly Muslim countries, the world was in an uproar. Microsoft worked with Washington on a suit against the ban, filed a “friends of the court” brief, calling the order illegal, citing the fact that they have business dealings with the countries in question, and also have employees who are affected. The company later called the travel ban a “fundamental step backward” and CEO Satya Nadella defended the company’s stance, saying he stands for an “enlightened immigration policy.”  Nadella also remarked that Microsoft stands up for diversity and inclusion, offered legal advice for employees, and spoke how he is the product of the fundamental greatness of the United States.

Microsoft, Satya Nadella lash out at Trump administration for the end of DACA:

In another controversial political moment of 2017, the Trump administration cut back on DACA. Microsoft and Satya Nadella lashed out at Trump administration for this, since the program is known for protecting hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants and helping them remain in the country. Microsoft’s Brad Smith wrote of the end of DACA will lead to economic consequences, job loss, put individuals at risk of deportation, and “disrupt the lives of these individuals who willingly came forward to register with the federal government.” CEO Satya Nadella also lashed back by writing that he is the “product of two uniquely American attributes.”  Microsoft also called on Congress to enact legislation to protect the 800,000 DACA recipients, especially because Microsoft employes 39 of them.

Microsoft helps those impacted by natural disasters:

Hurricanes were the hot topic in 2017, with Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, and Irma devastating various regions of the world. In the days after these hurricanes, Microsoft stepped up and helped donate to recovery efforts. The company provided an initial $100,000 grant to the American Red Cross to assist Hurricane Harvey relief efforts then also stepped up and gave $2.5 million in cash, tech, and other services. Microsoft also pledged $1 million to Irma relief efforts, provided free Skype calls to Puerto Rico after the devastating hurricane and even dispatched their TV White Space tech to help locals in affected regions get back online.

Microsoft invests in helping solve the world’s biggest environmental problems:

In December of 2017, Microsoft announced a $50 million investment in its AI for Earth program, which was aimed at using AI in helping address the urgent work needed to monitor, model and manage the earth’s natural systems. The company will be expanding seed grants around the world and make its Azure and AI technology available to more organizations willing to make a difference. They also will be bringing a multi-disciplinary team to help these organizations figure out go-to-market strategies.

Eye Control on Windows 10 and Seeing AI app helps to empower people with disabilities:

People with disabilities often have troubles using technology, but in 2017, Microsoft was there to help. The company added support for eye tracking in Windows 10, via the TOBII Eye Tracker. This tech allows people with severe mobility issues to use a PC by just moving their eyes. Microsoft also released the Seeing AI app, which helps blind people by narrating the world around them, but it objects people, or text.

Microsoft shows disappointment with the US withdrawing from Paris Agreement on climate change:

Microsoft previously committed to acting on Climate Change and uses renewable energy and much more to cut back on their emissions. Unfortunately, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Paris Agreement for climate change, upsetting Microsoft. Microsoft’s Brad Smith explained that “We all live on a small planet and every nation needs to work with others to protect it.”

Microsoft stands up for consumers in battle with government:

Microsoft has been in a lengthy court case with the US government over emails the government wanted as part of a search warrant for content held on a foreign server. The company continues to argue that U.S. federal or state law enforcement cannot use search warrants to seize emails of citizens of foreign countries located in data centers outside the United States. Microsoft recently won an appeal and is waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case as part of a review of the recent victory.

We are certain there were many more moments in which Microsoft helped make the world a better place in 2017, but this was just a look at the biggest of them all. It’s always great to see Microsoft stepping up to the plate and standing up for what is right, and helping those in need. The company’s motto is to empower people, and we think Microsoft did just that in 2017. Thanks for being a reader of OnMSFT, and cheers to more memories ahead in 2018.

As we have seen with the campaign for the Xbox One X, Microsoft is usually very good at marketing their products. Unfortunately the people of Reddit have an issue with one of Xbox’s promotional posts on Twitter, saying it stole fan art for both PUBG and the Xbox One X (via Neowin.)

A Reddit thread on the post currently has over 60,000 upvotes. It was started by Reddit user Macsterr, the same user who also was the mind behind the original fan art. He claims that Microsoft stole his content which promotes PUBG by showing grassy fields coming out on top of the Xbox One S. You can have a look below for yourself to see the original and the Microsoft version on Twitter (which has since been deleted.)

Remember my XBOX ONE AD CONCEPT? Microsoft just copied it! from PUBATTLEGROUNDS

To be fair, the original image credits and combines an official Xbox Assets/ Screenshot with fan art. The changes to the original are also very subtle, but given that Twitter is the platform, this could have been an error on the Xbox Twitter behalf, not knowing the image was created by a fan.

Microsoft has since deleted the original tweet, but not responded to any of these comments. Since this this has gone viral, more information might be coming soon. Anyway, it is still proof that you should never put non-copyrighted or non-watermarked material on the internet if you’re afraid of it being stolen. Do you think Microsoft stole this fan’s image? Let us know below.

Back in 2015, Microsoft allowed those with Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PCs to upgrade to the new Windows 10 operating system for free. Despite some controversy around the upgrade methods, the company eventually ended the free upgrade offer after a year as initially planned.

Notwithstanding, as some later discovered, those depending on assistive technology were still able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free past the deadline. This offer is now set to expire on December 31st, so if you’ve been thinking about using this as a workaround, you might want to act fast.

Though the Assistive technology offer was intended for those who are upgrading just for Windows 10’s enhanced accessibility features, the offer was still open to all Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users via this website. Aside from a confirmation page, there was no way for Microsoft to tell if users updating were actually going to depend on the accessibility features once the upgrade process is complete.

Since the website downloads the standard Windows 10 installer (and checks it against an existing Windows 7 or 8.1 product key) it technically was seen as a loophole. Unfortunately, though, the website now warns that users should “Please take advantage of this offer before it expires on December 31, 2017.”

This December 31st deadline is a full 18 months after the initial free upgrade offer, so if you’ve been holding off on upgrading to Windows 10, you might want to consider using this workaround now. It’s also not certain if Microsoft will still allow users to activate clean Windows 10 installs with Windows 7 or 8.1 Product Keys, so come January 1st, you may very well need to pay for Windows 10 upgrades. Windows 10 Home is selling for and $119 Windows 10 Pro for $199.

Sure, features such as Timeline, Sets, Cortana and Windows Hello are the more attractive pieces of Windows 10 to play with, but the Windows team still needs help with testing the plumbing of the operating systems such as Windows Indexer.

For those scratching their heads right now, the Windows Indexer is the machine behind the organization in File Explorer. While many of us may haphazardly toss files into folders and then folders into other folders and then splatter those folders onto our home screen, the Windows Indexer tool works tirelessly to tag and organize items so they can be instantly surfaced using Windows Search.
The entire process, as with most things, comes with its own drawbacks and downsides as it uses a merging technique to optimize file queries.

As the Indexer moves from folder to folder, query speeds drop. When the Indexer detects that query speeds could be dropping, it merges indexes to increase performance. A fully merged index returns results up to 10x faster than an unmerged index.
But there’s a catch: merges require a lot of CPU — which, in turn, drains the battery. The more files you have, the greater the power drain. In fact, the biggest complaint that we heard from Insiders was that the Indexer uses too much battery.

As with most things in Windows 10, the Windows team is looking to optimize the Windows Indexer experience, even down to the millisecond so they were excited to have had Insiders help with the project.

Perhaps, unbeknownst to many, Insiders have been using the newer throttled version of the Windows Indexer merging technique. According to the Windows team, the idea was simple, lower the threshold amount of merges and watch battery life improve while negligibly affecting the speed of the process.

Slowly the data started to trickle in. What we saw on our screens was amazing — despite the threshold drop, the query speeds were unchanged. Even more amazing — our heaviest users were gaining up to 10 minutes of additional battery life with the threshold change.
The test ran for 6 weeks last summer and, over that time, we gathered data from over 10,000 Insiders. The data gave us all the support we needed to push the change out to our production builds. We also used the testing to validate a bunch of other indexer improvements: a 40% reduction in the amount of processing required to index text heavy files, the addition of code to smooth out some spikey CPU usage, and dozens of fixes to prevent cases where the index is corrupted and needs to be repaired.

Thanks to the many Windows Insiders testing out various versions of Windows 10, all users of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update are now benefiting from an optimized Windows Search experience.

The Windows team took the time out to thank Insiders on their Windows Insider blog as well as explain the whole process from conception to the release a few months ago.

We should continue to see this sort of subtle testing and implementation happen to other aspects of Windows 10 as the entire operating systems gets fined tuned over consecutive update releases.

While Microsoft is leading the way in cloud services with Azure, the Redmond, Washington company is still way behind in other enterprise areas, including blockchain. As noted by an CNBC report, IBM is the blockchain industry leader and is leaving Microsoft behind in the enterprise blockchain market.

In the last several weeks, you may have heard many news stories about the cryptocurrency, bitcoin. Blockchain was created alongside bitcoin. Blockchain is a data structure that creates a digital transaction ledger that is shared with a distributed network of computers, instead of being accessed through a single provider.

Therefore, blockchain creates a more open system that will transform the way we traditionally view monetary assets, transactions, and sharing financial data. More and more enterprises are investing in blockchain technology as a more secure way of verifying business processes and transactions.

Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have been largely focusing on cloud services, other companies like IBM have been boosting their presence in lesser known technologies like blockchain. So far, IBM is leading the charge in blockchain technology and development.

After working at Microsoft for 25 years, Julie Larson-Green, former Vice President and Chief Experience Officer left the company this year for a new top position at experience management company Qualtrics. Over the years, Larson-Green has earned a reputation as a great team builder, which led Business Insider to ask her some tips for building great teams.

The tech veteran revealed four of her secrets, and the first one is to make sure to “bring together different viewpoints” in a team. Great leaders should always remain curious about what other people think, and it’s important for the members of a team to not have the same point of views.

Secondly, Larson-Green explained that it’s more important to have experts that excel in just one specific area than having people who try to be good at everything. “Don’t try to make an apple into an orange or a pear. Do hire an apple, an orange, and a pear, and then the team as a unit operates at a much higher level together,” Larson-Green said.

Next, the exec emphasized that team leaders should always encourage their employees to give their “exponential effort on the things they like to do,” and not push them to improve on their weaknesses. “If they are working super hard on the things they are not super good at, it takes a lot of more effort,” she added.

Last but not least, Larson-Green explained that team leaders have to create a collaborative environment where team members have some room to figure out how to accomplish their tasks. “This creates less competition on the team and a more collaborative style,” she said.

These are all pretty good tips for team leaders overall, and after leading teams behind beloved products such as Office, Windows, Xbox and Surface, Larson-Green certainly knows a thing or two about team building. According to Qualtrics CEO Ryan Smith, it’s Larson-Green’s ability to create great teams at Microsoft that pushed him to hire her. “If you talked to anyone who worked with her, and every single back channel I talked to, everyone told me about the culture she built on teams,” Smith told Business Insider.

Welcome to our weekly Xbox news recap series, where we go over the top stories of the past week in the world of Xbox. Let’s get started.

Retailers giving away PUBG with Xbox One X sales

It was announced recently that, from December 14th through December 31st, every Xbox One X sold will come with a free copy of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. The massive battle royale game has been making shockwaves throughout the gaming community for several months now, and its introduction to the Xbox has revitalized its fanbase and gotten plenty of new people on board. Giving away the game should help Xbox to get even more people hooked on the game as they continue to develop it.

Flights to the island are boarding now. Grab a seat with #XboxOneX. #PUBG https://t.co/3nd5ej8KUr pic.twitter.com/02mhwj2S0a

— Xbox (@Xbox) December 21, 2017

Microsoft Poland leaks upcoming Keyboard/Mouse support

The official Microsoft Poland recently put up a post that let the cat out of the bag on something Microsoft has been working on for a while. The first thing the blog post said was this: “Thanks to the latest update of Windows 10 on Xbox One, you can now connect the mouse, keyboard and webcam to the console.” It seems pretty clear-cut to say that we’ll have support for keyboard and mouse in the very near future, with the added benefit of s’s ome third party webcams.

Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold just $1 for a limited time

Until January 5th, you can get one month of Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass for just $1. It’s a good deal for people who just got their family’s an Xbox for the holidays, and want to try out some of the premium services without dumping all of the money they usually cost. Unfortunately, the discount doesn’t extend to any period of subscription over one month.

Xbox 2017 Countdown sale kicks off, offering massive discounts

The annual Xbox Countdown sale has begun, offering huge discounts on more than 650 games. The sales knock off up to %65 from several games, including Destiny 2, Resident Evil 7, Cuphead, and Prey. The sales will continue rolling until December 31st, when we all need to come down from our Holiday high and go back to paying retail price on everything. If there’s anything on the list that you’re interested in, you should grab it while you can still shave the price tag.

Thanks for joining us. To keep up to date with all the latest Xbox news, keep a close eye on our Xbox One tag.

Tis the season to get your game on.

For anyone with an Xbox or looking to get someone an Xbox, Microsft is offering some special offers for Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold.

Gamers can now pick up a subscription for either the Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Live Gold service for as little as $1 this holiday season starting from December 21st to January 4th.

Interestingly enough, that’s just the icing on the cake for gifting coming from the Xbox team. Xbox is also partnering with GameChanger to help children’s hospitals around the world.

For every Xbox Game Pass purchased during the holiday discount, the Xbox division will donate $10 from the Xbox Game Pass purchase to hospitals through the GameChanger exchange.

Here at Xbox we believe in accessibility, diversity, and inclusion. We also believe that our passionate and awesome community of Xbox fans love to make a difference in people’s lives. That is why we are incredibly excited and humbled to team up with GameChanger this holiday to positively impact the lives of children facing life-threatening illnesses. Over the past several years, Microsoft has partnered with GameChanger and other organizations to place hundreds of thousands of Xbox consoles in hospitals around the world with the goal of providing entertainment to hospitalized children. Now we want to give our great community a chance to get involved as well.

For the next couple of weeks, give Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass a go for the low price of $2 and get access to over 100 games and a month worth of Live perks while also donating to a good cause this winter break.

As 2017 is coming to a close, the Xbox team has just announced the first Games with Gold titles of 2018 today. On the Xbox One, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III will be launching with Games with Gold on January 1, followed by the FPS survival game ZOMBI on January 16. These two games will be joined by the Xbox 360 titles Tomb Raider Underworld and Army of Two, which are also backward compatible on the Xbox One.

Overall, these four titles represent $69 in value and 4150 in gamerscore, which is not bad to kick off the new year. You can find more details about all these games below:

Xbox One titles

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III ($14.99 ERP): Available January 1 to 31

In Van Helsing III, the civil war is over in Borgovia, but the future looks grim. The city of weird science is in ruins, squabbling factions and criminals fight for power and a strange cult prophesizes the coming of “The end of times.” And they might be just right: A wave of uncanny events shakes the land, and it’s all connected to a mysterious creature, a former ally turned into a fearful arch-villain. Which means that Van Helsing will do what he does best: He wields weapons, prepares his deadly tricks, and hunts down the most dangerous monster who has ever lived… and this time it’s personal. He’s prepared to do anything to achieve his goal, even to face the darkest secret about the birth of the modern Borgovia.

ZOMBI ($19.99 ERP): Available January 17 to February 15

For the second time in history, a great plague has shrouded London in a fog of death. Big Ben tolls as thousands of unprepared die, or worse, are infected by a sickness more gruesome than death. You’re still breathing, for now, but how long will you survive the labyrinth of London’s streets and underground canals, abandoned by the outside world and surrounded by infected? Zombi takes the power of the latest generation of hardware to bring you a new level of horror. Test your will to survive, but beware: death is permanent, and one wrong move can cause you to lose everything.

Xbox 360 titles

Tomb Raider Underworld ($11.99 ERP): Available January 1 to 15

esigned specifically to take advantage of the latest technologies Tomb Raider Underworld represents a new advancement in exploration-based gameplay. As fearless adventurer Lara Croft explore exotic locations around the world, each designed with an incredible attention to detail resulting in breathtaking high-definition visual fidelity that creates a truly believable world and delivers a new level of challenge and choice.

Army of Two ($14.99 ERP): Available January 16 to 31

When one man is not enough, it will take an army of two to fight through war, political turmoil and a conspiracy so vast it threatens the entire world. There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts. Some multi-player functionalities may no longer be supported.

In case you missed it, you can get one month of Xbox Live Gold for just $1 through January 5. Make sure to also check out the last Games with Gold titles for December, as well as the just-announced Xbox Countdown to 2018 Sale.

We already knew that Microsoft would be deprecating the classic Paint app in future versions of Windows 10, but things are becoming more of a reality now. A message in the much-loved Paint.exe app in Windows 10 Build 17063 is now warning of classic Paint being replaced by Paint 3D (via Neowin.)

The notification is not automatic but instead comes up when a user presses on the “Product Alert” icon in the ribbon of the classic Paint App in build 17063 (seen above.) It specifically warns users that “This version of Paint will soon be replaced with Paint 3D. Classic Paint will then become available in the Store.”

It was already known that Paint would be coming to the Microsoft Store, so this is not exactly earth-shattering news. It does, though, hint that Microsoft may or may not be eventually removing Classic Paint and releasing the Microsoft Store app in time for the Redstone 4 release this Spring. More will likely develop in the months ahead, so best to keep Paint.exe close to your heart in the meantime before it’s gone for good.

Coding4Fun has long been know as the area of Microsoft’s Channel 9 website where developers and tech-savvy folks could find hardware and software tricks and projects. Unfortunately, it is now being shut down, with no word as to why.

https://twitter.com/h0x0d/status/944207696332328960

Microsoft instead posted a So Long and Thank You note on the blog, saying that the entire Coding4Fun Blog has been possible because of the community. Have a look at the full note below:

Thank you x 1,000…! Today is the last for the Coding4Fun Blog. We’ve had an awesome run, but times change.
This blog was all that it was because of YOU! Those whos projects and posts that were highlighted, those who left comments and our readers. It’s all of you that made this blog so awesome, you were the power behind it all. Again, and finally, thank you!

This is very sad news for those who may have frequented Coding4Fun, and it’s still not certain why. We hope more information may come to light soon, and if it does, we will pass it along.

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) announced yesterday the 2017 Helen Keller Achievement Award Winners, and Microsoft came out as a victor. The company received the recognition thanks to Eye Control on Windows 10, as well as the Seeing AI app.

According to the AFB, Microsoft took “significant strides in developing inclusive technologies to empower people with disabilities.” The group mentioned Microsoft’s Seeing AI application, which narrates the world for people who are blind or have sight loss. Also mentioned is Eye Control in Windows 10, which allows individuals with severe mobility issues to use a PC by just moving their eyes. Other Microsoft products specified as part of the recognition include Office 365 for accessibility improvements, as well as Xbox for Copilot and the Accessibility API.

Facebook also received recognition, mainly for Automatic Alternative Text feature and a “myriad of product improvements.” It is great to see Microsoft getting acknowledged for their work, as the company always has been working to empower people with their technologies.

Earlier this week, The Windows Insider team delivered a massive release in the form of the Windows 10 Insider build 17063. The new bits brought a long list of new features including Timeline and Sets (for some), but also lots of small changes here and there.

The Settings app was one of the areas that received a lot of attention from the Windows engineering team: in addition to the app getting a new look, this latest Insider build also introduced improved per-app privacy settings. Now, you can go to Settings > Apps > Apps and Settings, and then click “Advanced options” under an app to see all the permissions an app has requested.

As noted by Microsoft’s Jen Gentleman, you can actually access this privacy menu much faster by right clicking an app in your start menu, select “More” and then click on “App Settings.” This also works for apps that you’ve pinned to your Start Menu, but not for those that are pinned on your task bar.

Something nice about 17063 – wanna see what all permissions an app has requested? They're all now listed in one section in the app settings page ???? Fastest way to get there is to right click the app in Start #WindowsInsiders #FastRing pic.twitter.com/2RmgE79Zs9

— Jen Gentleman ???? (@JenMsft) December 22, 2017

The new per-app Privacy menu has truly become a one-stop shop for settings related to each app, with options for checking battery usage, set up lock screen notifications and terminate and/or uninstall the app. Let us know in the comments if this going to make it easier for you to check app permissions for all your Windows 10 apps.

The most recent Windows 10 build only dropped a few days ago, but the Windows Insider team is already hard at work diving through your feedback. Microsoft has added three known issues to the changelog for build 17063, including the problem where audio stops working in Firefox once the build is installed. Take note of the new known issues below:

• ADDED 12/21: While navigating through OOBE, some of the buttons in the pages may not display correctly. In case of running into this, use the keyboard and tab forward through the page’s controls, or hover over blank areas of the screen and buttons will be rendered in the process. This should unblock you and allow you to continue through the OOBE flow.
• ADDED 12/21: We are investigating reports that Windows shows that it “needs activation” and trying to activate fails after upgrading to Build 17063.
• ADDED 12/21: Audio may not work in certain apps like Firefox after upgrading to Build 17063.

According to Windows Insider team member Jen Gentleman, the known issues which are included in build changelogs are ones that impact the decision to upgrade. Bearing that in mind, this is not to be taken as a comprehensive list.  So, if you do happen to stumble upon other issues, feel free to let Microsoft know by dropping a post in the Windows 10 Feedback Hub.

It took over four years but Cuphead has finally gone double platinum.

Well, let me make some clarifications. After being in what most of us thought was development delay hell for three years, the studio behind the massively popular and frustratingly difficult platformer Cuphead has announced that the game has just crossed the 2 million copies sold threshold.

The double platinum feat is a fairly impressive one considering the game has only been on the shelves for less than a year, selling at an average price of $20 and only offered on PC and Xbox at the moment.

Hello friends! Much to our shock and amazement, we can announce that Cuphead has now sold over 2 million copies across all platforms. Even in our wildest dreams, we never thought our crazy little characters would be embraced by this many fans from around the world and we are continuously humbled by your support.

So to everyone who has drawn fan art, composed memes, performed songs, conquered challenge runs, streamed their playthrough, or just played Cuphead and had a good time, we love and appreciate all of you from the bottom of our hearts.

Thanks to the best fans in the world and here’s to a joyful 2018!

Despite the long delay in the game’s release, Cuphead has proven to be well worth the wait for many. The combination of nostalgic animation and artwork combined with the action platform genre appears to have struck a nerve with some gamers looking for something different this holiday season beyond the traditional FPS or time-consuming RPG’s. It’ll be interesting to see if Cuphead can keep up the momentum.

Download
QR-Code

Cuphead

Developer:
Studio MDHR

Price:
$19.99

Since its launch on Steam Early Access in March, PlayerUnknown’s Battleground quickly became one of the hottest games of 2017. The game has just dropped its preview tag on Steam with the launch of PUBG version 1.0, an important milestone which follows the release of the game (in preview) on the Xbox One last week.

If you’re playing PUBG on PC, the version 1.0 of the game brings a new map called Miramar, new weapons and vehicles as well as many gameplay improvements. The full changelog for the update can be found on this page. To celebrate the 1.0 release, everyone who plays the game in the next few release will also get a free limited edition “Winner Winner Chicken Dinner” t-shirt.

Chang Han Kim, CEO of PUBG Corp. also said in a press release that 2017 has been a “phenomenal year” for the battle royale game, which recently hit 30 million players across Windows and Xbox One (via Wccftech.) “We’ll continue to fine tune the Battle Royale experience and will introduce additional in-game content, including new crates, to become available in early 2018,” he explained.

Microsoft today released an update for Office Insiders on Windows Desktop. The version 1801, build 8911.2016 update isn’t a massive release, but it does bring a preview of the previously announced new AI-powered Excel Insights feature. With Excel Insights, users can identify trends, outliers, and other useful visualizations from inputted data. To use the feature, a user can click a cell in a data range, and then click Insert > Insights.

Microsoft notes that the Excel Insights feature will be rolling out gradually to Office 365 subscribers enrolled on the Insider Program. This mean’s that there’s no need to panic if you don’t see it right away. Also, keep in mind that the feature is powered by machine learning, so it will give better analysis as more people use it.

There are no new features for Word 2016 or PowerPoint 2016 in today’s update, but Outlook does pick up improvements for groups. Users should see that conversations will now load faster and can be double-clicked to open the latest messages in its own window. Office Insiders can get this update now by heading to File, Clicking on Account, then Update, and then Update now.

Dell has announced the launch of a family of new Inspiron ultra-slim notebooks in India. The three devices – Inspiron 13 7000 2 in 1 (7373), Inspiron 15 7000 (7570), and Inspiron 13 5000 (5370) – sport a thinner and lighter build, and aim to offer high performance and high quality of entertainment to users.

Dell has been responding to consumer interests on sleek and slicker designs and here we are with our latest Inspiron family! We’ve brought in durability and long-lasting strength in encased anodized aluminum body. The new Inspiron family is every bit striking and versatile, all clubbed into a luxurious lightweight design. We are very excited about making these new machines available in India, and look forward to the interest they will attract from a range of users.”

– Alen Joe Jose, Product Marketing Director, Consumer & Small Business, Dell India

The Inspiron 15 7000 (7570) is a 15-inch with thin bezel display encased in brushed aluminum with Full HD IPS display. Powered by the latest Intel 8th Generation Quad-Core Intel CPUs, the devices support up to 32GB DDR4 RAM with discrete graphics option of up to 4GB. The laptop comes with dual drive options with up to 256 GB SSD and up to 1TB HDD and offers up to 9 hours of battery life. Priced at INR 77,190 for Core i5 and INR 88,690 for Core i7 variant, the Dell Inspiron 7000 (7570) is available in pink champagne and platinum silver colors.

The Inspiron 13 7000 (7373) is a 2-in-1 notebook that is made for portability with a thin design and small footprint. It features a Full HD IPS touch display and is powered by the latest 8th Generation Intel processors with standard SSDs. Available in era grey color, the Dell Inspiron 13 7000 (7373) is priced at INR 76,290 for Core i5 and INR 96,190 for the Core i7 edition.

The Inspiron 13 5000 (5370) sports a 13-inch Full HD IPS display and comes with the latest Intel 8th Gen Core i processors, up to 32GB of DDR4 memory, and up to 4GB of GDDR5 discrete graphics options. Available in platinum silver and pink champagne color variants, the Dell Inspiron 13 5370 is priced at INR 60,690 for Core i5 and INR 75,790 for Core i7 edition.

All three notebooks are available for purchase on www.dell.co.in and in select Dell exclusive, Croma, and Reliance Digital outlets. The Dell Inspiron 13 5000 (5370) will be available for purchase in end January 2018, while the other two are available right away.

It’s been a great year to be a Windows Insider, especially with the recent launch of build 17063 and both Sets and Windows Timeline. That said, if you have something to say about the Windows Insider Program, Microsoft would love to know, so feel free to take the final Windows Insider survey for this year.

Calling ALL #WindowsInsiders! Tell us how we're doing! Weekly Insider Pulse #13 https://t.co/NTEinkSicc (Last survey of the year!) pic.twitter.com/rKBYgQCVSU

— Windows Insider (@windowsinsider) December 20, 2017

As usual, this survey is about how you feel about the Windows Insider Program and flights this week, and Microsoft says they use the feedback to “represent Windows Insider sentiment in Flight Ops the following week.” It’s very basic, asking about the satisfaction with the program, how active you are as a Windows Insider and if you installed/are satisfied with the latest build. The survey should not take longer than 5 minutes, and you have the option of letting Microsoft contact you for feedback.

With 2017 closing out, we’re hoping that 2018 will make for more exciting Windows Insider moments. Do you have a favorite moment this year from the Windows Insider Program? Feel free to sound off in the comments below.

The Witcher 3, winner of many GOTY awards back in 2015 is now enhanced for the Xbox One X. As we saw with several Xbox One X enhanced games over the past few weeks, the patch will add two new graphical modes to the RPG game: a 4K mode which is locked at 30 FPS and a Performance mode that provides 60FPS with dynamic resolution scaling.

The patch 1.60 also brings higher resolution textures, enhanced shadows, ambient occlusion and texture filtering on the Xbox One X, as well as HDR support on both the Xbox One X and the Xbox One S. VG Tech published the following video comparing the performance of the game running on Xbox One X (in both 4K and Performance modes) and Playstation 4 Pro yesterday:

While the open-world game looks really great in 4K, Performance mode may ultimately provide a better gaming experience. Do you care more about 4K graphics or smoother framerates when playing Xbox One X enhanced games, and would you like more developers to provide different graphical modes to gamers? Let us know below.

Windows Hello, like many other facial authentication technologies in the market today isn’t 100% secure, ZDNet reported yesterday (via The Verge). Indeed, researchers from German company SYSS have managed to spoof the system with a modified IR headshot, though the attempt to unlock a Windows 10 PC didn’t succeed with all versions of the OS.

The researchers tried to bypass Windows Hello facial authentication on two PCs running different versions of Windows 10: a Dell Latitude with a LilBit USB camera (a Windows Hello compatible webcam that doesn’t support the “enhanced anti-spoofing” feature of Windows 10) and a Surface Pro 4 with enhanced anti-spoofing enabled.

As it turned out, the spoofing attack was successful with all versions of Windows 10 on the Dell Latitude PC. On the Surface Pro 4, The default Windows Hello configuration could successfully be bypassed on the Windows 10 versions 1607 (Anniversary Update), 1703 (Creators Update) and 1709 (Fall Creators Update), but the spoofing attack also worked on Windows 10 version 1607 with enhanced anti-spoofing enabled. You can see a proof-of-concept video below:

It’s worth repeating that it’s apparently not possible to bypass Windows Hello Face authentication by using a non-modified picture taken by a near-infrared camera. “Depending on the targeted Windows 10 version and the target device hardware configuration, slightly different modifications of the spoofing attack had to be used, for example photos with higher resolution (480×480 pixels instead of 340×340 pixels) or specially colored images,” explained the researchers.

While this spoofing may not be easy to reproduce by attackers, the security company is urging users of the Windows 10 Anniversary to update to the latest version of the OS, enable the “enhanced anti-spoofing” feature (if available) and reconfigure Windows Hello Face Authentication from scratch after proceeding. “If only the Windows 10 operating system is updated from a vulnerable version like 1607 to the latest revision of 1709 without newly setting up Windows Hello Face Authentication, the simple spoofing attack still works,” explained the researchers.

The security company first reported the vulnerability to Microsoft back in October, and it plans to publish further test results in Spring 2018. We’ve reached out to Microsoft for comment and we’ll update this post if we hear anything back.

Earlier in 2017, Microsoft shut down Photosynth. Now, it looks like Microsoft Photosynth is being reincarnated as a new feature in Microsoft Pix. Many of Photosynth’s features are already available in the new Microsoft iOS-only app. Here’s a video showing how Microsoft Pix can help iPhone users take better pictures.

Today, Microsoft Pix got an update adding two new app features. First, there is Photosynth, which allows you take in more perspective of the scene you are. Here’s a photo comparison of how Microsoft Pix can make iPhone panoramas even better.

Photosynth was a popular Windows Phone app launched in 2008 that was able to capture pictures and turn them into 3D panoramas. Photosynth in Microsoft Pix is similar to the original Microsoft app, but also offers faster photo capture and more refined picture clarity.

The second new feature, Pix Comix, was created at Microsoft’s OneWeek hackathon and allows you to turn any iPhone picture into your own personal comic strip. Pix Comix creates these scenes using AI processing to culminate the best scenes to tell your comic story.

Download Microsoft Pix on iOS to try out the new features.

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QR-Code

‎Microsoft Pix

Developer:
Microsoft Corporation

Price:
Free

Windows 10 build 17063 introduces a lot of new features, but as usual, it also comes with some bugs. Thanks to a tip from one of our readers, Robert, we have learned that this latest Windows Insider build apparently has a bug that breaks audio in Firefox.

According to Robert, all audio in Firefox stopped working after installing the new build. The volume mixer can be opened while the sound is playing, but it shows no audio playing at all. A refresh of the browser and checking on Firefox or plugins to see if it was muted also did not fix the problem.

The issue is unique to Firefox amongst browsers, and audio in all other browsers work just fine. There is a thread in the Feedback Hub for this issue. Other Firefox users on Reddit also report the same problem, and some are reporting problems with other programs like OBS and Audacity. There is a dedicated thread on the Mozilla forums as well.

This is definitely an annoying bug, but if you so happen to be experiencing it, the best thing is to upvote the thread on the Feedback Hub in order to bring it to Microsoft’s attention. We hope Microsoft will work on a fix for the next upcoming build.

Thanks, Robert for the tip!

After a brief break, Microsoft’s Xbox Live Sessions is back. Modern Family’s Nolan Gould is set to play Fortnite Battle Royale on the next Xbox Live Sessions on Thursday, December 21 at 7 p.m. PT on Mixer.

For those unfamiliar, Nolan Gould is most famous for his role as Luke Dunphy on “Modern Family.” He will be playing the free 100-player PvP mode of Fortnite during the Xbox Live Session hosted by Microsoft Studios Community Manager, Rukari Austin.

As usual, you can tune in to the live stream on Mixer and submit questions to Nolan, and have the chance to win special prizes. The last Xbox Live Sessions was about a month ago, featuring Star Wars’ John Boyega.

Previous celebrity guests include Megan Fox, Ronda Rousey, Chandler Riggs, James Corden, and DJ Khaled. You can catch up on our coverage by checking here. Also feel free to check out Fortnite Battle Royale via the link below. As a reminder, this game is Xbox One X Enhanced.

Download
QR-Code

Fortnite

Developer:
Epic Games Inc.

Price:
Free

Yesterday, Microsoft released a doozy of a Windows 10 Insider build for PCs on the Fast Ring, build 17063. Included in the build are our first look at Timeline, improvements to Edge that includes Web Media Extensions installed by default, more Fluent Design flowing throughout the OS, and updates to My People, Settings, and input improvements. For a quick look at what’s new, check out Cody’s video on Timeline and all the rest of the improvements in 17063.

With build 17063 also comes a new and somewhat controversial way for Microsoft to test out new features, with what’s commonly known as A/B testing. Microsoft took the unusual step of announcing the change in an email to Insiders from Windows President Terry Myerson, and needless to say there was some backlash as many Insiders have come to the program to be among the first to try out new stuff. Our poll at the time revealed that some 55% of you joined the Insider program to “gain early access to builds and features,” something that’s no longer possible, not for all new features, anyway..

Microsoft is implementing this A/B testing with a new features currently named “Sets,” which allows Windows 10 users to gather their workflow into, well, Sets, and be able to get back to them later. To tell if you have Sets, the easiest way probably is to open up the Store app and look for an additional + sign in the titlebar.

So, are you one of the lucky ones? Unfortunately here, neither PC running build 17063 is showing up with Sets, but did you get lucky? Take our poll and let us know below:

If you are in, we’d love to hear your first impressions of Sets. Sound off in the comments below.

Microsoft has just opened up nominations for the second annual Windows Developer Awards. Lasting until March 8th, this is the perfect chance for you to get a Windows developer recognized for their outstanding work and achievements (via Neowin.)

You can currently vote and nominate right now on Microsoft’s Windows Dev Center website, and it is expected for award recipients to receive their accolades on stage at Microsoft’s Build 2018 conference. There are a total of six categories for nominations, and you can learn more by checking below.

• Application Creator of the Year: Leveraging the latest Windows 10 capabilities: Exploring the latest Windows 10 features and capabilities, the winner of this award pushes the envelope and sets a new bar for what is possible for developing on the Windows 10 platform.
• Game Creator of the Year: Outstanding Game contribution to the Microsoft Store: The recipient of this award has created a game for which the technical achievements are as compelling as the game mechanics. This award recognizes a Windows developer who publishes an innovative, engaging, and immersive game to the Microsoft Store.
• Reality Mixer of the Year: Creator demonstrating a unique mixed reality experience: This award celebrates those who choose to mix their own view of the world, blending digital and real-world content in creative ways and demonstrating the potential of the platform.
• Design Innovator of the Year: Beautiful look and feel:   This award recognizes excellence in design in a published application, or game, that applies Fluent Design System principles to create outstanding interactive aesthetics.
• Commercial Innovator of the Year: Focused on an enterprise audience:   This award recognizes a development talent focused on creating amazing commercial applications.
• Ninja Cat of the Year: This award honors a developer that demonstrates leadership as a standout Windows developer and makes significant contributions in the community.

Those voting and nominating should keep in mind that there are certain requirements which must be met for each of these categories. If you’re looking for inspiration, a list of last year’s winners can be found here.

Windows Server Insiders can now download a new Technical Preview of Project Honolulu, Microsoft’s new browser-based tool for server administration. Project Honolulu Technical Preview 1712 Build 05002 brings some performance improvements, a new tree control in the Files and Registry tools and new features for managing Virtual Machines. You can read more details about what’s new below:

Virtual Machines

Based on high customer request, we now support viewing and changing VM settings while a VM is running, similar to how you can in Hyper-V Manager. On Generation 2 VMs, you can change general settings, memory setting, checkpoint setting and add disks and network adapters.
You can also enable nested virtualization when creating a VM, or from the processor settings of an existing (stopped) VM. This is functionality that was previously only accessible from the command line.

Events

Administrative events are now displayed.

Performance improvements

The new data grid control has been added to all tools except the HCI solution and Storage Replica.
We have started rolling out a new tree control with the same scale and performance improvements as the new data grid. The new tree control is implemented in the Files and Registry tools.

This new Technical Preview of Project Honolulu is available to download from the Windows Server Insider Preview download page. Microsoft says that there are no new known issues in this build, but you’re invited to share your feedback on the Project Honolulu space on the Windows Server Tech Community if you encounter any issues.

The first downloadable content (DLC) level pack for LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 is now available to download for Xbox One owners. Called, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 Movie Level Pack, this DLC adds a new playable level based on the storyline in the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel and also unlocks several new playable characters based such as Ego and movie versions of the main hero team.

A separate character pack also launched today called the Out of Time Character Pack. This DLC doesn’t add any new levels but does add seven new niche characters from Marvel Comics lore. Of particular note are Daredevil Noir who looks closer to his Netflix counterpart (but with missing sleaves) and Hulk 2099 from the fan-favorite Marvel 2099 comic books.

The Classic Guardians of the Galaxy and Agents of Atlas character packs are also downloadable now for regular users after being made available to gamers who pre-ordered this main game before its launch. All LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 DLC is available to purchase individually or as part of the Season Pass.

Have you been playing LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 on your Xbox One? Let us know if you like the DLC in the comments below.

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Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 Movie Level Pack

Developer:
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Price:
$2.99

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Out of Time Character Pack

Developer:
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Price:
$1.99

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LEGO® Marvel Super Heroes 2 Season Pass

Developer:
Warner Bros. Games

Price:
$14.99