Microsoft blesses Windows 10 with smart new features in latest update

When Microsoft released Windows 10 in 2015, it mentioned one aspect pretty clearly about the operating system — Windows 10 is a service and not an OS. This means that Microsoft will keep on servicing Windows 10 with security updates and new features over the course of time. Microsoft has rolled out numerous updates since then, adding new features and elements into its PC OS. The latest one to roll out from their labs is the April 2018 update that brings with itself a host of new goodies.

One of the most important features that the April 2018 update brings with itself is the Timeline feature. Think of this as a sort of Continuum feature fused with a History page for your PC’s tasks for Windows across different machines. Windows 10 will now allow you to see your previous tasks at a glance and will allow you to carry forward a particular task to another Windows 10 PC, provided that you have your Microsoft account logged in on both the devices.

Dictation is another feature meant to turn Windows 10 users a bit lazy. One can access it by using the Windows + H key combination and read out the content to your computer, provided you have got yourself a decent microphone. Windows 10 will now also notify you of any Bluetooth peripherals that are ready to pair with the PC. Since we are on the topic of notifications, Windows Defender will now allow users to keep the annoying update notifications at bay. Additionally, the Focus Assist feature automatically silences all the notifications while you are presenting on a projector or playing a game.

Microsoft has also given a slew of smart features to Windows 10. Users can now set audio output preferences per app, i.e. you can choose between your speakers and your headphones for playing audio while opening a particular music streaming app. Then there’s Tab muting in Edge browser, which allows for users to mute audio from a particular tab so as to prevent annoying advertisements blasting out on the speakers in the middle of a conference. Microsoft is also adding support for Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) that have the full support of Google, Apple, and now Microsoft across mobile and desktop operating systems. There’s also a new ‘Nearby Sharing’ feature that allows for Windows 10 users to share files nearby quickly, like Apple’s AirDrop.

The Windows 10 April 2018 update has started to roll out slowly and if you haven’t received it yet, keep checking for the update notification in Windows Update.

(source)