Microsoft’s boffins are working overtime to get Windows 10 up to scratch in time for its big release early next year. But that hasn’t stopped someone from spilling the beans so to speak, and there’s been another leak, this time of Windows 10 Build 9901.

The freshly leaked build is an exciting one, giving us a first look at Cortana in action on the desktop, and also comes with a new Xbox application.

For those unfamiliar with Cortana, it’s basically Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s Siri – a voice assistant that was originally built for Windows Phone. Cortana is capable of performing many tasks, such as searching Bing to find answers to any questions you ask of it, providing weather updates, managing personal contacts, and even trying to guess the winner of the world cup.

In the new build, Cortana has been integrated into the Windows Search interface, which means it should be possible to search using voice commands when Windows 10 finally arrives. It looks very similar to the Cortana on Windows Phone – which isn’t a surprise considering how Microsoft has set itself on a path towards convergence of its two main operating systems.

For now Cortana is only partially functional, which means it can only handle a small number of commands. Nevertheless, once it’s fully up and running, we think it might become a handy feature for busy office workers who need to answer a quick query without leaving whatever document or spreadsheet they’re working on.

Image via Neowin.net

Aside from Cortana, the other new feature is a new Xbox app that provides direct access to the user’s gaming world. Clearly a consumer-oriented feature, the app lets users visit the Xbox Store, view their friends list, activity feed, achievements and more. More interesting perhaps is that Windows 10 may also come with SmartGlass integration.

There are a few minor updates included in the new build too, including new animations in the TaskView switcher, and a new settings app interface that more closely resembles the old control panel. Microsoft has also given the Windows Store a makeover too, adding movies, music and TV categories next to the applications.

Neowin.net, which first obtained the leaked build, says Microsoft is likely to say more about these new features on January 21, when it’s scheduled to hold a major consumer preview launch event for Windows 10.

photo credit: tecnomovida via photopin cc