UPDATED 00:49 EDT / APRIL 07 2016

NEWS

Microsoft’s Windows 10 update brings tons of goodies including Cortana making herself a lot more useful

Only a week after Microsoft promised at Build 2016 it would be giving its OS a bunch of appealing new features, Redmond has made good on that promise after announcing the latest Windows 10 upgrade (Windows 10 Build 14316) for Windows Insiders in the Fast ring.

One of those promises was that the Ubuntu Linux command-line tool Bash would be coming to Windows 10. To open Bash turn on Developer Mode (Settings => Update & security => For developers), search for ‘Windows Features,’ choose ‘Turn Windows features on or off,’ and enable Windows Subsystem for Linux (Beta). To have Bash installed, open Command Prompt and write ‘bash.’ Microsoft goes into detail about Bash in a blog post here.

Other new features include updates to Microsoft’s digital assistant, Cortana, which now has a syncing function across all your devices (you must have Cortana 1.5). This will include getting notifications on your PC if your phone battery is running low, but much more appealing is the find your phone feature. If you lose your mobile device Cortana will track it, and even call it, sending information back to your PC.

The digital assistant also now has the function to share directions across all your devices. It’s as simple as it sounds; ask Cortana for directions on your PC and she’ll then send you the answer to all your connected devices. You can’t, however, do this the other way around.

Microsoft has also updated extensions in the Edge browser. There is now a ‘Pin It Button’ and ‘OneNote Clipper’, as well as an updated version of the Reddit Enhancement Suite, Mouse Gestures, and Microsoft Translator. To get these open the browser, click More, Extensions, and Get Extensions.

On top of all this, you now get the chance to use the Skype Universal Windows Platform (UWP) Preview app, play around with a band of new emojis designed to give you new depths of expressions, and also change your settings, themes and how your desktop is set up. There is more, but of less significance. You can read about it here.

Photo credit: Microsoft

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