As spotted by Paul Thurrott, Microsoft briefly published a document that enumerated the major differences between Windows 10 for ARM processors and Windows 10 for x86 chips. Though the document has now been removed, a cached copy is still available. Many of the differences are predictable consequences of the different architecture. Windows 10 for ARM is a 64-bit ARM operating system. It can natively run both 32-bit and 64-bit ARM applications (though the SDK for the latter is currently, and temporarily, incomplete). As such, drivers for the operating system need to be 64-bit ARM drivers; existing 32- and 64-bit x86 drivers won't work. This isn't a surprise; 64-bit x86 Windows can't use 32-bit drivers, either, even though 64-bit Windows can generally run 32-bit applications without even requiring any kind of emulation. This will mean that ARM Windows has limited hardware support relative to x86. It will also pose a problem for some games that use drivers for their copy protection. … [Read more...] about Windows 10 on ARM limits (briefly) confirmed: No virtualization, no OpenGL
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Microsoft Windows Analytics Helps IT Pros Assess Meltdown/Spectre Exposure
Microsoft has modified its Windows Analytics service for IT admins to report on machines’ Meltdown/Spectre protection status. The Meltdown/Spectre vulnerabilities have been a headache for everyone, but imagine having to deal with it for hundreds or thousands of machines. That task has already fallen onto the shoulders of the world’s IT admins. To make their jobs a little easier, Microsoft put a trio of new features into its Windows administration tool suite. The first is an antivirus status check that probes whether a machine’s installed antivirus software will prevent it from receiving a Windows Meltdown/Spectre patch. The possibility of anti-virus software interfering with the patches was discovered when Microsoft released them in early January. Microsoft eventually gated the deployment of patches according to a whitelist of antivirus softwares. This new feature seems to leverage that list to give visibility into the issue. The natural consequence of needing … [Read more...] about Microsoft Windows Analytics Helps IT Pros Assess Meltdown/Spectre Exposure
Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection coming to Windows 7 and 8.1
Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), Microsoft's security software that combines end-point security and data collection with cloud analytics, has hitherto been unique to Windows 10. But no longer; Microsoft announced today that it's bringing the same features to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. Coming this summer, the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) portions of ATP will be available for these older operating systems, allowing their health and status to be managed through the cloud interface. This will be paired with either third-party antivirus for endpoint protection or Windows Defender/System Center Endpoint Protection. This move shows the contradictory position Microsoft finds itself in. On the one hand, Microsoft wants enterprises to deploy and use ATP as it continues to build its cloud-based device management and monitoring software. On the other hand, Redmond wants those same companies to upgrade to Windows 10. This creates a tension: having ATP as a Windows 10 … [Read more...] about Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection coming to Windows 7 and 8.1
Slow? Sure. But it’s still a $160 Windows 10 PC that fits in your pocket
PCs are like dogs. They come in all shapes and sizes, so much so that it’s weird to think they’re all the same thing. A tiny Yorkshire Terrier and a massive Great Dane are the same species, even if it’s hard to believe at first glance, just as the Intel Compute Stick is a PC, no matter how little it might resemble one. The Compute Stick is the latest in Intel’s efforts to breed new kinds of PCs that fill new niches. First revealed at CES 2015, it launched onto the market in May that year and was marketed as a general purpose computer you can quickly and affordably add to any TV or monitor, with a particular emphasis on streaming media. While the original Compute Stick was impressive in theory, it disappointed us in practice. We didn’t like the underpowered processor, shortage of USB ports, and occasionally flakey Wi-Fi connection. This year’s model, priced at $159, comes with an Intel Atom x5-Z8300 Processor, 2GB of memory, and 32GB of storage. … [Read more...] about Slow? Sure. But it’s still a $160 Windows 10 PC that fits in your pocket
You’ll soon be able to control Windows 10 with your eyes
In a bid to improve the accessibility of Windows 10, Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled details on how it would let you control its operating system with your eyes. The company introduced a beta version of eye control into Windows 10, which includes a launchpad that lets you choose between mouse, keyboard and text-to-speech options. Windows 10 will support the Tobii Eye Tracker 4C, with future eye-tracking cameras to come. The move will enable people with limited or no ability to move their arms a chance to more easily use Windows 10. It's part of a broader push by Microsoft, and the larger tech community, to make products accessible to more people. Microsoft talked about eye control on Tuesday, but offered more details yesterday. … [Read more...] about You’ll soon be able to control Windows 10 with your eyes