Windows Technical Preview  

1031 members have voted

  1. 1. On a scale of 1-5, 1 being worst, 5 being best. What do you think of Windows 10 from the leaks so far?

    • 5.Great, best OS ever
      156
    • 4. Pretty Good, needs a lot of minor tweaks
      409
    • 3. OK, Needs a few major improvements, some minor ones
      168
    • 2. Fine, Needs a lot of major improvements
      79
    • 1.Poor, Needs too many improvements, all hope is lost, never going to use it
      41
  2. 2. Based on the recent leaks by Neowin and Winfuture.de, my next OS upgrade will be?

    • Windows 10
      720
    • Windows 8
      20
    • Windows 7
      48
    • Sticking with XP
      3
    • OSX Yosemite
      35
    • Linux
      24
    • Sticking with OSX Mavericks
      3
  3. 3. Should Microsoft give away Windows 10 for free?

    • Yes for Windows 8.1 Users
      305
    • Yes for Windows 7 and above users
      227
    • Yes for Vista and above users
      31
    • Yes for XP and above users
      27
    • Yes for all Windows users
      192
    • No
      71


Recommended Posts

I'm direct booting from a .vhdx file. does anyone know if they still have build upgrading blocked for this method (i haven't tried since the 2nd public build and it was blocked then)

This is area of functionality with the biggest hole (across the Windows Modern piece) for me.  It spots you're launching a URL - well done Windows - but what of the root site/content of that URL?  

 

When will it ever say "You have installed apps for *.youtube.com/..., would you like to use an installed app or a browser to launch it?". (Or search the Store for more apps?).

 

Until then, talk of the MS 'App Gap' is moot because the OS isn't smart enough to leverage the apps that exist. (IMO, of course).

 

 

umm I've had youtube and other video site apps installed and if I watch a video on them, I get asked if I want to use the app... instead. in windows 8.1

Finally got 10041 installed. First impression is that it feels like kind of a mess. Definitely not a polished OS and I can't fathom how this will be ready by summer. The desktop icons along with the titlebard graphics just make the whole thing ugly and unpleasant to use. Opening This PC brings up an ugly assortment of folder icons and drive icons that look like a throwback to BeOS.

 

The search field just feels like a hack when you click the startbutton and a white background covers up the "ask me anything" field with a "search the web or windows" field.

 

The transparency of the start menu is barely noticeable. Probably 90-95%. Would be nice if it was configurable.

 

Looks like they tweaked icon size and spacing in the taskbar. I have larger icons now and quite a bit more space. The icons are still smaller than the standard size when I create a new toolbar.

 

I have no idea why there is still a control panel in addition to the Settings menu. They should just pick one or the other.

 

I don't see the mail app in the start menu anymore.

umm I've had youtube and other video site apps installed and if I watch a video on them, I get asked if I want to use the app... instead. in windows 8.1

 

Can you elaborate?  I've only ever seen Brandon Paddock's Tweetium query the user about which installed Youtube app to use, rather than default to IE.  Brandon is not your typical app developer, having been a dev in the Windows 8 User Experience team (I think).  Ideally Spartan should close the gap by analyzing a URL against the capabilities of apps registered in the store, like Android's Chrome does.   What are the chances tho...?

I did a search for Mail and it prompted me to download it from the store and that gives me an error. So, there is no native email app. Just as well anyways, Mailbird is way better.

LOL @ the MS Bob voice!  I like the new install screen.  New icons and circle avatars are meh, though at least top aligned taskbars can search again.  Even better, SharePoint works again in IE.

 

Start Menu still a work in progress.  I like that they embedded some common ones again.  Looks like another beta AMD driver too? (Switchable graphics)

I did a search for Mail and it prompted me to download it from the store and that gives me an error. So, there is no native email app. Just as well anyways, Mailbird is way better.

i got this from the comments on the front page article. it should fix your issue

 

In this build, the Mail, Calendar, and People apps may be broken due to a licensing issue with the Store Beta. To get these apps working again, you need to follow these steps: Open powershell as administrator; Run the command Get-appxprovisionedpackage -online | where-object {$_.packagename -like "*windowscommunicationsapps*"} | remove-appxprovisionedpackage -online; Re-install Mail, People and Calendar from the Store (green tile)
  • Like 2

*** All Nvidia card owners I want to advise you about what looks like an error but in my case wasn't https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1250466-be-aware-of-this-nvidia-driver-issue/

 

simply put: if you get an error about the Nvidia driver in your update that says there was an error, simply check with your Nvidia Experience interface and verify your driver and then in the cortana Box run DXDIAG to verify that you were updated to WDDM 2.0

Windows 10: Everything is a square! Except user pictures, because reasons!

 

The question you should be asking yourself is:

 

How did Neobond know to incorporate the circle avatar design into the new neowin.net layout and match the release of Windows 10 ; )

  • Like 2

i got this from the comments on the front page article. it should fix your issue

This worked, thanks again for posting it. I don't usually use the OS Mail app but I wanted to try it anyways.

 

I know my comments are based on an unfished OS and people are going to be telling me I shouldn't be running it. However, the TP is intended as a preview release for people to evaluate, albeit not on main machines. I'm just troubled by the fact that they are going so out of their way to make this OS as ugly as possible. In this latest TP, the UI is generally the same and they've even added more icons in that UGLY retro style. I highly doubt they would design a whole set of icons only to replace them all on RTM. I recall a great amount of excitement around Vista and 7's terrific looking interface. Just look at how many people are touting the transparent start menu as a major new feature or talk about the icons, recycle bin in particular.

 

Anyways, I think they have a good core product on the way and I'll look forward to just running my own icon packages and UX themes.

 

Can't wait to try the Xbox One streaming.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
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Auto GOTO & 360° Pivot Freedom Enjoy pinpoint automated tracking with full 360° rotation. Powered by a high-sensitivity Sony IMX662 sensor (1/2.8-inch, 2.9μm pixels), it captures amazing, low-noise astro details, bringing faint nebulas and star clusters to life with stunning clarity. Pro-Level EQ Mode & Long Exposure Unlock advanced deep-space imaging with Equatorial (EQ) Mode. Supporting impressive single-frame exposures up to 90 seconds and featuring built-in light pollution filters, it easily cuts through city glow to reveal intricate celestial structures. Smart Cloud Processing & All-Ages Fun Effortlessly enhance your raw data with integrated cloud processing for professional-grade results. Perfect for beginners, kids, and adults, this telescope makes exploring and sharing the wonders of the universe an exciting, family-friendly adventure. The packaging is a pretty minimal affair with the outer box opening like a flap to reveal the plastic mould of the DWARF mini sitting in it. Below, the Sun filter, charging cable, cleaning cloth, and documentation can be found. DWARFLAB also provided a Mini Hydraulic Tripod ($89.99), and I highly recommend getting it if you plan on purchasing the DWARF mini, as it fully supports the motorized tracking feature of the telescope; plus, at 840g, the weight of the telescope, you will need a tripod that supports more than the weight of a smartphone anyway. What's in the box DWARF Mini Smart Telescope × 1 Sun Filter x 1 Type-C to Type-C Cord x 1 Cleaning Cloth x 1 User Guide With that out of the way, here are the full specs: DWARF mini Dimensions (DWH): 60.70 mm x 100.38 × 183.61 (2.39" x 3.95" x 7.23") Weight: 840g (1.85lbs) Aperture diameter: 30 mm (telephoto), 3.4 mm (wide angle) Image Sensor: SONY IMX662 1/2.8" (Telephoto) OmniVision OS02K10 1/2.8" (Wide-angle) Focal length: 150 mm (telephoto), 6.7 mm (wide-angle) Equivalent focal length: 1016 mm (telephoto), 45 mm (wide-angle) Shutter Speed: Tele - 1/10000-90s, Wide - 1/10000-30s Maximum exposure time: 90s (telephoto & wide-angle), Both in EQ mode Rotation range: Lens: 225°, Base: 360° Effective Pixels: 2.07M Maximum Resolution: 1920 × 1080 (Telephoto & Wide-angle) Built-in filters: Astro, Dark, Duo-Band (Telephoto), Astro (Wide-angle) Output: JPG, FITS, TIFF, MP4 Shooting Mode: Photos, Videos, Astronomy, Burst Shooting, Time-lapse Photography Storage: 64 GB Battery: Built-in 7000 mAh, supports external USB charging Charging Port: Type-C NPU: 1 TOPS Features: WiFi, NFC NFC One-Touch Connection Astronomy Post-Processing/Appointment Shooting/Astronomy Mosaic Wi-Fi Transmission Range: 15m (open environment) Color: Black Compatibility: iOS & Android smartphones/tablets Warranty: 2-years (24-months) MSRP: $399 Design Charge port On/off button Lens On the DWARF mini itself, it is a pretty minimal affair. 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The device supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, as well as Bluetooth for discovery, so connection issues were minimal in my experience with it. As previously noted in the specs, the DWARF mini will stay connected with a phone or tablet up to 15 meters in an open environment, such as a backyard. Lighting status Powering on: The green circular light will rotate and breathe in turn Powering off: The red circular light is gradually extinguished Connecting: Green light strip rotating Connected: Green light strip solid/always on 4 lights 1= 0-25%, 2= 25-50%, 3= 50-75%, 4= 75-100% battery power To view the full lighting status, such as tracking mode and connection failure, you can check the user guide on the official DWARFLAB page. DWARFLAB app Above, you can see the steps undertaken to connect the DWARFLAB app to my Galaxy S26 Ultra. Weirdly, I got an alert that a firmware update failed to get uploaded to the DWARF mini the first time, but upon retrying, it worked. Then place the DWARF mini outside, make sure your smartphone or tablet is connected to it, and then head back inside, because you can manage it from the comfort of your home. Simply enter the Atlas tab in the app and search for what you want to capture, and then tap on the camera icon; the DWARF mini will then attempt to track the object and give you a live view right on your connected device. Results I've had the DWARF mini since April, but even though my garden is south-facing, I had a lot of trouble trying to capture a good image of the moon. In the end, it was possible after I took it with me on a trip to my parents in Southend, UK, at the end of May. Here is a capture of the moon, resulting from 20 stacked images over a 90-second exposure. What you are seeing here is not AI-assisted. A good example of what I mean is the latest flagships with their 200MP cameras claiming to capture things like closeups of the moon, and while they are not as good as the above example on the DWARF mini, the resulting image on smartphones is actually AI-assisted above 30X zoom. Here is an example of a similar shot at the moon at 200X zoom using an HONOR Magic8 Pro. The difference is clear. Next, here we have a shot of the daytime moon. Here is a shot of Arcturus, the red giant star, which is the fourth brightest in the night sky. As previously mentioned, it could be a bit clearer, but clouds passing in front of it muddied the shot a bit. The Sun The DWARF mini also ships with a sun filter, meaning you can take great shots of the sun as well. Tracking Sun Resulting (stacked) shot Live zoom The pictures themselves are limited to Full HD, and some of the examples actually came out in HD (1280x720), but this is because the standard telescopic result is in 720p while "Wide" is in 1080p. Above you can see how in the app the Sun is tracked, the resulting capture, and Live zoom. I have only scratched the surface of what is possible with this telescope; I found several examples online of shots of the Milky Way, among others, such as nebulae and galaxies. All of this requires patience and knowledge, although if you know what you are looking for, simply enter it in the Atlas tab in the DWARFLAB app, tap the camera icon, and the telescope will attempt to track it. Conclusion The good The DWARF mini definitely places itself in a price point that makes astrology accessible to anyone looking to get started in the hobby. Say you want to have a closer look at the moon, simply enter it in the Atlas, and the Live view also lets you zoom in and snap pictures. The bad Some issues I came across while operating the DWARF mini were that it sometimes failed to connect unless I held my smartphone right next to it, and finding and tracking sometimes took several attempts to get it calibrated. I discovered that it helped if I sort of positioned and pointed the telescope in the general area it was supposed to detect, but this obviously wouldn't work with objects you can't see with the naked eye; more testing is required for that. Another bit of advice is to ensure that the lens is clean. While making the examples of live zooming on the sun, I discovered that the telescope lens and sun filter were not completely clean, and only after cleaning with a microfiber cloth was I able to get a decent shot of the sun. Where to buy and a coupon Okay, $399 is not cheap for a side hobby, but nor is a $1,500 smartphone flagship that you'll most likely have for a couple of years. This is a one-time entrance into astrology, and it won't become obsolete in one year like a smartphone. It's a thumbs up from me. The DWARF mini is available to buy right now in the U.S. and U.K. at the links below. DWARF mini for $399 on the official site DWARF mini for $399 on Amazon U.S. Use the NEOWIN5OFF coupon code for an additional 5% off at checkout (expires June 21) As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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    • The name, you mean? If so, it's actually the objects common name. There's another one called NGC 7293 which is also known as Helix Nebula (because we're looking at a helix structure top down) but other times also known as the Eye of God. You'll understand when you see it
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