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Microsoft Chopping Off Older Features From the Updated Windows 10

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Microsoft is about to launch its new features, added to Windows 10, in the month of October. It has released the list of features that will be added as well as to be removed, from Windows 10 with the Windows 10 Version 1809, for the Windows Insiders.

Microsoft wrote, “Each release of Windows 10 adds new features and functionality; we also occasionally remove features and functionality, usually because we’ve added a better option.”

windows 10
Image Source: blogspot.com

With every Windows update, Microsoft also removes the features, that users do not use or are not needed, anymore. Like the Hologram app, which was used to create 3D word art. Now, since, it has been removed from Windows 10, the user can use the Paint 3D, to create one and view it using the Mixed Reality Viewer. Other features that have been deprecated with the new Windows 10 updates are:

Phone Companion: Microsoft has dropped the Phone Companion app, as from now on, the user can use the Phone Page to connect the phone with the PC.

FontSmoothing setting in unattend.xml: The FontSmoothing setting was used to antialiasing the font, but now Window 10 will use ClearType by default and the FontSmoothing setting is no longer needed.

Business Scanning: Business scanning app also called Distributed Scan Management (DSM) will be dropped out from the Windows 10 new version as there are no devices available to use these apps.

Snipping Tool: The snipping tool is used to take screenshots is not completely removed, but Microsoft has stopped developing it, and in future can be replaced by Snip & Sketch app.

TPM: In the coming updates, Microsoft has shifted the information stored in the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) management console to the Device security page in the Windows Defender Security Center.

limpet.exe: The tool used for accessing the TPM for Azure connectivity will be released as an open source.

One Sync: Microsoft will no longer develop the OneSync service for the Mail, Calendar, and People apps, although, it will add a sync engine to the Outlook app that will perform the same task.

Microsoft also wrote, “We’re no longer publishing new updates to the WEDU server. Instead, you may secure any new updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog.”

Microsoft has also released a list of the new updates that will be added to Windows 10, including Companion device dynamic lock APIS, OneSync service, Snipping Tool.

Microsoft has not clearly mentioned the date when the Windows 10 Version 1809 will be out, but it will definitely be launched in the month of October.

Apple’s Next-Generation iOS 12 Available On the Latest iPhones

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Apple, on Monday, launched its iOS 12, two months later the announcement of its launch in June. The much-awaited Apple iOS 12 is out and is available for the iPhones and iPad released in 2013 and later. The new iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and XR model will have this version of iOS inbuilt. Last year the release of iOS 11 was quite a disappointment as those flashy updates could not do any better for the iPhone’s performance, but slowing down the speed. After iOS 11, all the older users have been sceptical about the new updates as it had worsened the performance of their phones instead of making any improvements.

The iOS 12 has been pushed out with the claims of having better performance and new features added to it. It is good to know that this time Apple has put all its efforts in enhancing the performance of the iPhones, i.e. 40 per cent faster speed. Unlike the iOS 11, that just had a few flashy changes and redesigned the look and the appearance of the OS and the Apps.

Apple iOS 12
Image Source: futurecdn.net

In the earlier iOS versions, there used to be 10 different notifications for a single app at the same time. Now, iOS 12 has introduced group notifications for a single app. You can now manually turn off or mute the notification, for any of the apps, to avoid the disturbing notification sounds.

Like the new Android 9, Apple has also become considerate about the screen time of the user. The iOS 12 has provided an option for tracking and limiting the time the user spends on a particular app or on the phone. You can also set the time of sleep, and the app will notify you to stop using the phone and the screen will become grey. Although, you can still continue running the phone by changing the settings.

Also, the iOS has also updated its password management by providing two-factor authentication services. Similar to the iPhone X, now you can also swipe between the apps, notifications, and access the control centre, using the gesture navigation. You can also add your conversations and instructions to Siri with its new shortcuts.

The iOS 12 is also added with the feature for creating the Avatars, by mixing emojis and animoji, i.e., Memoji. You can create custom animated Animoji avatars that you can use in the real time on top of live pictures, messages and videos. The feature is currently available in the latest iPhone XS, XS Max, or XR models.

There have been many other changes as well, including easy photo sharing, easy photo searching, easy browsing eBooks, real-time object measurements, improved ARKit 2, Google Maps embedded to CarPlay, Group Video calls for up to 32 users. The group call feature has not been launched yet and will be available by the end of the year.

It is great that Apple has been thinking of improving its performance instead of the design of the iOS. And, the smaller iPhones and the older iPads will also enjoy these features without worrying about the poor performance.

New Xbox Avatars Rolling Out to Windows 10 Testers

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Xbox Avatars
Image Source: xbox.com

Microsoft has been working on its Xbox avatars for more than a year now and, had announced its launch the last fall. The plan did not work out and the launch got postponed. Also, in the mid of April 2018, the promotional video of the Avatars was leaked that faded away all the suspense.

In June 2018, Microsoft started testing Xbox Avatars. The Avatars were unveiled for the insiders for testing on the Alpha and Alpha Skip Ahead rings. Now, after two months of the unveiling for the insiders, on 16 August, Microsoft has made it available for the Windows 10 testers as well. The testing for the Avatars is done through an app named as Xbox Avatar Editor that is available for download from the Microsoft Store. Also, the Windows 10 testers must be a part of Microsoft’s Xbox Insider program, so that, they can have the full access to all the functions of the Avatars.

The Xbox Avatar Editor is fledged with various new Avatar customization features, like body type options, clothing, props and even fingernails, to customize your Avatar accordingly. By the launch of these new live-Avatars Microsoft is going to add some more dynamic features to make the Avatars look more realistic.

Using the new Xbox Avatars, the users will be able to create a unique representation of themselves through the different options of clothing, appearance, colour, mood etc., according to their personalities, or otherwise. The new Avatars will be integrated into the Xbox One Dashboard and will be displayed on the Gamertag Profiles.

The testing of these Avatars has been going on for two months now, and there has been no announcement of any fixed date on which the Avatars will be launched officially. But according to the sources, the month has been decided and the Avatars will be available for the Xbox users by the October this year.

Android 9 Pie – The Latest Version of Android Hitting the Market

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After Oreo, Google is back with its another desert, I mean the latest edition of Android – Android 9 Pie. It was launched on Tuesday and, is already rolling out on Google’s Pixel smartphones and will be available for most Android smartphones by the end of the year. This new version of Android is powered by artificial intelligence and, has come with many additional features that claim to help the users to reduce their smartphone addiction to an extent. Let’s see what Google has brought for us with its latest Android version:

1) App Dashboard: The new features of the Android 9, include an App Dashboard, showing various apps, that you have used, from most to least, the whole day long. The dashboard can also tell the number of times you have unlocked your phone, which can be an eye-opener for many, as people spent a lot of time on their smartphones these days.

2) Digital Well Being: The Digital Wellbeing, display a multicoloured circle, each colour representing a particular app, that you use on the daily basis, and between the circle, the total time, the phone screen is opened. You can tap on the colours, to further see the details about the app and set a limit for its usage.

Android Pie
Image Source: Image Source: Pcmag

3) App Timer: App Timer is another Android feature that will help to decrease your mobile usage. The timer is available on the App Dashboard, and you can set a time limit on a particular app so that when you have reached the limit, the app will grey out and you will not be able to start it again until the next set time.

4) Adaptive Battery: Android has come with another feature of saving the battery that works according to your app preferences. The earlier versions of Android also had a similar feature but in this one, with the aid of artificial intelligence, the phone will adapt your app usage practices and will divide the battery control according to the most to least used apps. This will ensure that the apps you need will use the battery.

5) App Actions: App Action also based on your daily app habits and creates shortcuts for your most used apps and activities you do on an app. It will result in the quick launch for even your daily activity inside a particular app.

Along with all the above features it has got a few more features like Gesture, Wind Down, Do Not Disturb, Adaptive Brightness, New Navigation System, etc. Most of them are using the artificial intelligence for making the smartphones more intimate part of our lives so that it can work according to our habits and can help us reduce our Smartphone addiction. Also by the end of the year, Google is going to add a few more features to Android Pie and Android Pie will be available for most of the Android users by the fall.