Windows 10 received an important update called Spring 2018 Update. As always little imagination in Microsoft; but let’s focus on the news that is a lot but most of it will not be, so to speak, “visible”.
Most users will not notice big “aesthetic” changes, except for a slight restyling of some elements of the operating system shell.
The main updates of Microsoft’s Spring 2018 Update; are dictated by the Timeline function, the Fluent Design System, Microsoft Edge and a greater attention to Cortana’s notifications and functions. In particular:
TIMELINE
Apple’s “Time Machine” becomes “Timeline” in Microsoft. Traveling virtually in time with your PC has become a reality: a real event history combined with a task-switcher that retires the “Visualization” function of Windows 10.
Near Cortana we will no longer see the open apps and programs, but also the activities performed. The open applications on your PC remain and the virtual desktops are repositioned to the top.
The novelty that characterizes by far the Windows Timeline is that the activities “registered” are not necessarily of the PC in use. But also of other Windows devices, smartphones and tablets Android and iOS connected to the same Microsoft account.
It will, therefore, be possible to restore programs and applications that are open “over time” (up to a maximum of 30 days) on other devices as well. An elaboration of the “time machine” in full “cloud style” and all with a simple click.
This feature can be removed via the settings ( Privacy -> Activity history ) by deactivating the appropriate entries.
FLUENT DESIGN SYSTEM
The fluent design system, introduced in Windows 10 with the previous update, has further improved. In addition to involving more elements of the Operating System, it was developed for the clear theme: the Reveal lighting effects are in fact no longer invisible.
The Start Menu now wears a transparent Acrylic suit and is presented in a decidedly appealing graphic form.
For new computers and clean installations of Windows 10; the folders DOCUMENTS and IMAGES have been reintroduced in the side menu.
Also, in this case, it is all configurable and “removable” through the settings (Settings -> Personalization -> Start -> Choose the folders to display in Start ).
CORTANA
When accessing devices connected to a single Microsoft account; Cortana will suggest the resumption of activities left pending (eg file modification, article reading on the web, file consultation). The notifications should be hidden, but they seem to reside in the Cortana flyout so much more “present” than what is read in the release notes.
Further renewal regarding the design of the notes that presents a new interface with “lighter” and easy to read cards. It will also be possible to make geolocated requests in Cortana. For example “When I get home, remember to …” or “When I’m at the office, remember to …”.
MICROSOFT EDGE
The Microsoft browser makes the look. Acrylic and Reveal arrive, there is a revisiting of the layout of the icons and drop-down menus. Transparency is clearer; the deepest blacks and deeper and deeper colors help better to consult the browser giving it a more elegant and professional connotation.
Completely redesigned bookmarks, reading list, history, and downloads. They are no longer in the form of reduced-space menus, but their position is much wider and more effective.
The audio icon next to the individual tabs will silence the audio in the case of multimedia content.
Improvements also as regards the printing of the single page that can be done by automatically removing the superfluous elements (and typical of the adornment of a web page), thus maintaining a slim and highly readable form.
FOCUS ASSIST
The notifications assistant takes care of showing (and listening) or hiding the notifications that the user wants to stay up to date: a sort of do not disturb with different facets. From Settings, click on System, Notification Assistant and modify the main notifications of the operating system at will. Three modes of main notifications: delivery of notifications without restrictions, filtering of all except for those with high priority or global disabling (except for alarms).
VIRTUAL KEYBOARD
There are several novelties. Acrilyc, opening and closing animations; the ergonomic layout for the tablet (with the separation of the keyboard on the right and left side of the screen so as to be able to reach all the keys with greater ease) that comes back to life at great demand.
The keyboard is equipped with digitization support in several languages in-line as in the famous SwiftKey keyboard for iOS and Android, purchased by Microsoft two years ago.
Also new for the Emoji panel, floating panel for inserting emoticons. Quick combination for access and it is now possible to change the skin color of emoji and perform quick text searches.
These are some of the major innovations of Microsoft’s new operating system, Spring 2018 Update.
Users “the hard judgment” on the degree of “usability” of the new update.
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