Windows 10 news recap: Build 9879 screenshots leaked, improved animations, security updates, and more

This past week has been quite informative in terms of Windows 10 news. In case you missed anything, we are going to go over the past week in a feature we like to call ‘Windows 10 news recap.’

New screenshots were leaked this past week of an internal build of Windows 10, revealing a number of new changes and additions to the operating system which we can expect to see in the next public build of the Windows Technical Preview. These new screenshots come from build 9879, which is a fairly recent build.

In this build, you can simply right-click on the taskbar and hide the Search and Task View buttons on the taskbar. You can also pin things to the Home area of File Explorer, and the Modern UI app settings menu available in the top left has changed from three dots to the familiar hamburger-style button. It still functions the same, but it now has a more universal look to it.

According to our sources, newer builds of Windows 10 now feature complete and smoother window animations. In other words, the new window animations are far more polished than before.

The Notification Center has also seen some updates, as the button on the taskbar where the Notification Center would usually sit has moved over next to the tray clock. WinBeta also understands that Microsoft is working on improvements to the actual Notification Center itself, perhaps introducing the inevitable action center, however we cannot confirm whether said feature will arrive in the next preview, but it’s definitely coming.

Earlier this week, Microsoft detailed a few of the ways in which Windows 10 has been optimized to make it easier for enterprises to manage devices; this includes new identity and device management options such as Microsoft Active Directory and Azure Active Directory, where connected devices allow users to login to Windows and use a singular ID to access business apps and resources.

Microsoft has expanded on the introduction of Mobile Device Management (MDM) in Windows 8.1 that were focused on the management of a BYOD environment. In Windows 10, that management system can now manage corporate-owned devices too, including the support to configure Enterprise Data Protection policies, multiple user management, Windows Store filter control, VPNs, and a lot more.

Microsoft’s Windows Insider Program for Windows 10 is currently under way and for those of you who are testing Windows 10, Microsoft is offering you a gift. But don’t get too excited, the gift comes in the form of ‘fun desktop backgrounds’ for your customization pleasure. You can check out the wallpapers here.

We learned earlier this week that Dell’s customers are happy with what they are seeing when it comes to Windows 10. Initial impressions of Microsoft’s new operating system are positive, as Dell’s customers are happy that it bridges some of the gaps present in Windows 8.1.

Microsoft is set to issue four new security patches this coming Patch Tuesday for users running the Windows 10 Technical Preview. The updates, which are set to enhance security of the operating system will be pushed out via Windows Update, and included is an update to the Windows Malicious Removal Tool. Patch Tuesday for November takes place on the 11th.

Windows 10 is also set to come with out-of-the-box support for two media formats — MKV and HEVC. MKV, for those that did not know, is a flexible and open standard video file format that has quickly become the preferred file extension for high definition video. High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), on the other hand, is a video compression standard and is a successor to H.264 or Advanced Video Coding (AVC).

That’s all for this edition of ‘Windows 10 news recap.’ You can stay on top of WinBeta’s non-stop coverage of Windows 10 by checking out our dedicated page here.