UPDATED 02:23 EDT / DECEMBER 20 2017

EMERGING TECH

In latest Windows 10 build, Microsoft releases new Timeline and Sets features

Microsoft Corp. Tuesday announced its latest Windows 10 Build for its testers, in particular what it calls Insiders in the Fast ring and those who opted in to Skip Ahead.

Build 17063 has a slew of new features, including Microsoft’s long-promised Timeline feature and Sets, which was announced last month.

Windows 10 is now running on more than 600 million monthly active devices, with the next version due out for all users in April. When Microsoft launched Windows 10 in 2015, it confidently proclaimed that the operating system would be on a billion devices within three years, a goal the company claimed was overly ambitious a year later. At the current rate of growth, the company should reach the 1 billion mark in 2020.

Here’s a look at some of the new features in Windows 10 Build 17063, the full list of which is on Microsoft’s blog post:

Timeline

Timeline (pictured above), an extension of the current Task View in Windows 10, was shown off by Microsoft at its Build conference this year, but never made it into the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. Although Microsoft has requested developers start updating their apps to support the new feature, the company haven’t yet confirmed whether Timeline will make it into the next update when it is released to all users in April.

Timeline allows users to view and resume past activities that they started on their current personal computer, other Windows PCs, as well as iOS and Android devices. In this preview of Timeline, users will see and resume web-browsing activities in Microsoft Edge, files opened in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote and updated Universal Windows Platform versions of Maps, News, Money, Sports and Weather.

The scroll bar on the right allows users to quickly find past activities, while users can see all activities for a specific day by clicking the “See all” button next to the relevant day.

To access Timeline, simply click the new Task view icon in the taskbar or press the Windows logo key + Tab. For users with multiple Microsoft accounts, they can disable certain accounts from appearing in Timeline. Go to Settings > Privacy > Activity history.

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft’s new Fluent Design user interface elements have been added to Edge, including an updated Dark theme, easier navigation and the simplification of adding and managing bookmarks for EPUB and PDF books. Microsoft Edge now also supports offline push notifications for supported websites.

Sets

Microsoft is also making Sets available to Insiders in today’s build, but as it is being introduced as a controlled study, not all Insiders will have access to it. Like Timeline, it hasn’t been confirmed yet whether this feature will make it into the final release in April.

Sets, a new Windows-management feature, was announced last month. The new Sets feature allows users to group app data, websites and other information in tabs, rather than opening more than one window. Sets integrates Office (starting with Mail & Calendar and OneNote), Windows and Edge and makes it available in one click.

Cortana

microsoft-timeline-cortana

Cortana also works with Timeline to suggest activities users may want to resume as they switch between their phone, laptop and other Cortana-enabled devices.

Cortana’s Notebook also has a new look with a tabbed view option and a new Organizer section that lets you easily access your lists and reminders. Cortana will also be able to control music playback on a broader range of apps, starting with Spotify in U.S. English.

My People

Microsoft has made some tweaks to its “My People” feature that it introduced in the Fall Creators Update. The feature allows users to pin frequently-used contacts to their taskbar.

The updated version now allows up to 10 contacts to be pinned to the taskbar, up from three, and users can rearrange the icons in any order. Alternatively, they can place all pinned contacts into the overflow, which is hidden behind the main My People icon.   

Snipping Tool

Microsoft’s Snipping Tool now ties in Paint 3D with a new “edit in Paint 3D” button. Users will be able to import a screenshot into Paint 3D, move or remove objects with the Magic select tool and bring in 3D objects from Remix 3D.

Updates for Settings

Windows Settings has received numerous changes, including a refreshed UI based on the Fluent Design principles and a redesigned look for visual acuity.

Microsoft has also added security questions for local accounts. To add questions, go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in Options > “Update your security questions.” In the future, if users forget their password on the lock screen, they will be prompted to answer the questions after clicking the “forget password” button.

New Keyboard Settings allows users to add new keyboard layouts, switch between Japanese 106/109 and English 101/102 keyboard layouts and turn settings on and off for key sounds and autocorrect.

Images: Microsoft

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