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

1 - Categorization seems unnecessary to me. Semantic zoom I'll agree to. The rest doesn't have to be an option, it should just default to show more apps and administrative tools.

What? I feel that categorization is one of the features that makes the Start screen so customizable

I'm getting an error 0x8E5E0212 when trying to install apps now.  About half my apps installed fine and then this started popping up for every subsequent app.  I did some research and found people encountering this error in 8.1, but when following all the various solutions to fix it I'm still getting the error.  Has anyone else had this issue?

This is AMD we're talking about, I doubt we'll EVER see better drivers.

Only time I wasn't happy with em was back with the 6870 when they'd release endless betas with pretty much no differences whatsoever between releases.  Otherwise they've been as solid as NV for me.

 

Mind you I skipped a few years with the 660 until just now I got a 290, so I can't say if they had issues between there.

 

Prerelease OS though?  Neither sides DX12 drivers seem to be all that great.

  • Like 1

What about application categorization for "All Apps"? Or semantic zoom? Or the options to display administrative tools and more applications if desired? "All Apps" needs to do more than just expand to full screen.

 

Exactly. It needs to function like the Start screen in Windows 8.1 to be efficient for both touch and mice.

 

Don't call it "whining." I have left feedback with the Feedback application, through e-mail, and on the Uservoice website.

 

What exactly are you terming categorization if not just the search options?  Of the filter choices, the only one missing is 'Categories', which was never very useful.  Most used, common, and date are already accommodated for.  All Apps was terrible and should never have expand to full screen.  They should continue the mantra of 'pin' everything for customization.

 

Semantic zoom should return in its WP form, by clicking the letter - not a hot corner.  This is easily the best Start Screen to date for me, primarily because it fits better with WPs approach.  It stops trying to compete with the desktop and instead becomes an extension of it, the primary failing of Win8.  Hell, I even like it full screen.  The combination of the new windowed apps with the transparency finally set off the promise of Modern.

 

I just need to learn to love the hamburger, once they move the flyout left of course.

Only time I wasn't happy with em was back with the 6870 when they'd release endless betas with pretty much no differences whatsoever between releases. Otherwise they've been as solid as NV for me.

Mind you I skipped a few years with the 660 until just now I got a 290, so I can't say if they had issues between there.

Prerelease OS though? Neither sides DX12 drivers seem to be all that great.

Correct, and people with NVIDIA cards are also suffering hard lockups, so we must be patient.

Categories should be dumped.  The only one missing, 'Categories', was never very useful.  Most used, common, and date are already accommodated for.

What may not be useful to you may be to others. It's still nice to have the option.

 

Semantic zoom should return in its WP form, by clicking the letter - not a hot corner.

Not only does the Start screen in Windows 8.1 Update allow for semantic zoom via a hot corner, but the feature can also be activated by clicking the application letter, category, et cetera (otherwise known as the headings).

 

The combination of the windowed apps with the transparency finally set off the promise of Modern.

These features

I think you edited your post after I made my previous reply . . . I will address the new comments as I am now unable to edit the previous post.

All Apps was terrible and should never have expand to full screen.

Why not? Not only does expanding "All Apps" to full screen make the interface easier to use on touch-based devices (and mice as the targets are larger), but it also utilizes all available screen estate which allows more applications to be shown at once, which increases discoverability and is a desirable feature for users of larger monitors. An option to show more applications is also available, which essentially decreases the size of the items on the screen.
 

They should continue the mantra of 'pin' everything for customization.

"'Pin' everything" is a poor mantra as this may be contrary to the user's wishes. Yes, eventually users will need applications that are not pinned and one way to solve this is to pin all newly installed applications by default. Windows 8.1, however, gently allows the user to decide and does not even pin items by default. Some may argue that this change may make it more difficult to find recently installed applications that are not pinned, but there are changes

One issue I've had is that Cortana no longer works on this latest build. When I go to settings and click on Cortana and Search Settings, nothing happens. Anyone else have this issue with the Cortana settings not displaying?

One issue I've had is that Cortana no longer works on this latest build. When I go to settings and click on Cortana and Search Settings, nothing happens. Anyone else have this issue with the Cortana settings not displaying?

Yeah my laptop hasn't liked it much.

having a lot of problems with this build.  After the first install, firstly the start menu wasn't showing all the items, for instance settings, documents then after a day the network settings stopped working.  Decided to do a refresh and after a few hours the search bar disappeared.  Decided to do another refresh and the who start menu stopped working, the same way it did in 9926, then the notification pop-ups stopped as well, guess I'll do another refresh.  No improvement after updates either.  

 

I might be mistaken but as far as I remember when windows 7 was at this stage it seemed far more stable, even 8 was more stable come to think of it

25ioeav.jpg

New Files icon, new Task View icon. 

New Notes in Notification Center

Flashlight in Notification Center 

Seen in Microsoft Windows 10 for devs video: Notification Center

  • Like 3

Javascript is not enabled or refresh the page to view.

Click here to view the Tweet

 

Javascript is not enabled or refresh the page to view.

Click here to view the Tweet

 

Javascript is not enabled or refresh the page to view.

Click here to view the Tweet

 

I should probably include a sarcasm sign but yeah, Apps don't work very well. But on the other hand, apps never worked right for me on Win8.1 either, I still can't install or uninstall some of them...soo

Integrated graphics can NOW - however, that was not the case with the Intel 845G of the Vista era.  (In fact, the 815 - which the 845G replaced - couldn't, either.)  And look at what has changed merely with integrated graphics from everyone, and especially Intel (which arguably was the WORST of the integrated-graphics chipsets of the XP/Vista era).  Intel first improved chipset performance, then moved GPUs onto the CPU (which was the case with every graphics component from Intel since the G4x (arguably the best onboard graphics that Intel did in the on-motherboard era) went away).  The REAL pressure on integrated graphics remains portables and AIOs (both portable and otherwise) - at least there Intel has at least brought their B-game with the DX11-ready and HD video ready HD5xxx (in everything Haswell) - how many of the folks that want the return of features like Aero Glass suffered from incapable chipsets DURING the Vista era?  (In other words, they couldn't have had it then, but want it because they can have it now.  Nostalgia rears its head.)  However, as capable as Intel HD5xxx is, a dedicated GPU (even a mainstream or budget GPU, such as "baby Maxwell" NVidia GTX750 - not even the GTX750Ti) will STILL kick its butt - and that is without bringing DX12 into the picture at all.

Considering 10041 is the most buggy build released yet, im surprised this has hit the slow ring at all. 9926 was flawless build wise, everything worked, and worked better than it did in Windows 7, 8 and 8.1. 
10041 seems to have a plethora or errors show for everyone, from graphics errors, start menu errors, shutdown/reboot errors, install errors... the list goes on. Im even more surprised that M$ didn't fix the mail, contacts and people tiles before sending it out on the slow ring. 
I honestly hope these are fixed in the next build, whether it be flast or slow rings, but 10041 for the most part is horrible. 

  • Like 1

Considering 10041 is the most buggy build released yet, im surprised this has hit the slow ring at all. 9926 was flawless build wise, everything worked, and worked better than it did in Windows 7, 8 and 8.1. 

10041 seems to have a plethora or errors show for everyone, from graphics errors, start menu errors, shutdown/reboot errors, install errors... the list goes on. Im even more surprised that M$ didn't fix the mail, contacts and people tiles before sending it out on the slow ring. 

I honestly hope these are fixed in the next build, whether it be flast or slow rings, but 10041 for the most part is horrible. 

The Mail, People, and Calendar apps are all being replaced soon.

25ioeav.jpg

New Files icon, new Task View icon. 

New Notes in Notification Center

Flashlight in Notification Center 

Seen in Microsoft Windows 10 for devs video: Notification Center

I wonder if this means we'll (finally) get a nice Modern replacement for Notepad?

9926 was flawless build wise, everything worked, and worked better than it did in Windows 7, 8 and 8.1. 

No, it didn't :laugh:

-Wifi doesn't auto connect after waking from sleep

-insane fan usage

-IE randomly slowed down (chrome/Ff work fine)

-taskbar, start menu corruption

 

etc...all in 9926 for me!

  • Like 2

No, it didn't :laugh:

-Wifi doesn't auto connect after waking from sleep

-insane fan usage

-IE randomly slowed down (chrome/Ff work fine)

-taskbar, start menu corruption

 

etc...all in 9926 for me!

Shame I never had any problems at all with 9926, but too many to list with 10041. 

I went back to 9926 and disabled Windows Update for now, will install whatever the next build is on the fast ring hopefully mine (and your) problems will be gone by then.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • ...but you're Johnny, from Australia?    
    • Glow 26.9 by Razvan Serea Glow provides detailed reporting on every hardware component in your computer, saving you valuable time typically spent searching for CPU, motherboard, RAM, graphics card, and other stats. With Glow, all the information is conveniently presented in one clean interface, allowing you to easily access and review the comprehensive hardware details of your system. Glow provides detailed information on various system aspects, including OS, motherboard, processor, memory, graphics card, storage, network, battery, drivers, and services. The well-organized format ensures easy access to the required information. You can export all the gathered data to a plain text file, facilitating sharing with others for troubleshooting purposes. No installation needed. Just decompress the archive, launch the executable, and access computer-related information. Glow runs on Windows 11 and Windows 10 64-bit versions. Glow 26.9 changelog: New Features The processor hardware detection engine has been significantly enhanced beyond traditional Intel and AMD architectures. Native support is now available for modern platforms such as Apple Silicon (M-Series) and the newly introduced NVIDIA Spark. In addition, all ARM-based processors can now be accurately distinguished between ARM32 and ARM64 architectures, providing precise hardware reporting. This marks a major milestone for Glow's hardware detection capabilities. The RAM manufacturer identification algorithm has been expanded. JEDEC vendor codes for popular brands such as Patriot, PNY, Team Group, GeIL, Lexar (Longsys), and Asgard/Gloway have been integrated into the database. This significantly reduces the likelihood of incorrect or "Unknown Manufacturer" results and improves overall hardware detection accuracy. New Public IP Address and Internet Service Provider (ISP) features have been added to the Network section. To ensure reliability, this information is retrieved from the trusted service ipwho.is. When Hiding Mode is enabled, no requests are sent and these features remain hidden, as they may expose sensitive information. The search engine used in the Installed Drivers, Installed Services, and Installed Applications sections has been enhanced. You can now perform more flexible and accurate searches using initials, partial matches, and loosely arranged character sequences. The TS Preloader loading bar has been rebuilt using our modern TS Custom Controls graphics library, developed entirely in-house. As a result of this infrastructure upgrade, the loading bar now features smooth rendering and rounded corners that align with the visual style of Windows 11. [TS Updater] A new validation algorithm has been added to check whether the target application is currently running before the update process begins. Bug Fixes Resolved a condition that could prevent TS Preloader from shutting down safely during rare application crash scenarios. Fixed a text alignment issue in the Network section affecting the display of DNS addresses. Alignment is now rendered correctly. [TS Updater] Fixed an issue that could prevent the updated application's executable "*.exe" file from being located after the update process. [TS Updater] Fixed a bug that could leave outdated "*.sha256" files in the application directory after an update. [TS Updater] Fixed a rare issue that could cause subfolders to be moved into the root directory after an update. [TS Updater] Fixed an issue during the first launch that could cause flickering and a temporary white window appearance due to Windows Defender interactions. Changes A small improvement has been made to the internet connectivity detection algorithm. Connectivity checks are now performed in the background with minimal impact on the user interface thread. The keyboard shortcuts in the top menu have been reorganized and simplified to provide a consistent experience across all Türkaysoft applications and to avoid potential conflicts with standard Windows shortcuts. The TS Preloader splash image has been updated with a Türkiye-themed stadium design to celebrate Türkiye's qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup—its first appearance in 24 years. Congratulations, Türkiye! The TS Custom Controls module has been updated to version 26.6, delivering improved stability and a more polished visual appearance. [TS Updater] The application icon has been redesigned to provide a more modern and refined look. Note: Always unzip the program before using it. Otherwise you may get an error. Download: Glow 26.9 | 1.8 MB (Open Source) Links: Glow Homepage | Screenshot | Github Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • DWARF mini review: the world's smallest smart telescope for night and day sky captures by Steven Parker DWARFLAB reached out to me asking if I was interested in checking out the DWARF mini, which is a portable astronomy telescope designed for amateur astronomers. Why do I say it's for amateurs? Well, for starters, it's not what you'd call "high end"; it's more of a professional-grade starting point for amateurs serious about capturing what's up there in our night and day skies. A typical amateur astronomer is most likely thousands of dollars deep into the hobby, and I will make no claims that this DWARF mini (at a fraction of the cost) could replace it all, okay? Well, if you read on, it will be clearer what I am trying to convey. Disclosure: DWARFLAB provided a free sample without any editorial input or review pre-approval. I have always been interested in looking up and observing the night sky. I see satellites crossing the sky above my garden most nights, and I am always looking at the moon. Yeah, I have a 200MP camera on my phone, but at 200X zoom, AI takes over and makes the pretty moon pictures that I snap, the DWARF mini does not, you get an actual true picture of what you can barely see with the naked eye. Before we start, let's share the highlights of the DWARF mini in bite-sized format: Pocket-Sized & Ultra-Lightweight Weighing just 1.85 lbs (840g), the DWARF mini easily fits into a backpack or large pocket. Its all-in-one, compact design makes it the ultimate grab-and-go digital telescope for hiking, camping, or traveling to dark-sky locations. Intuitive App Control & Built-in Sky Atlas Go from unboxing to your first shot in just 3 minutes! The DWARFLAB App provides a seamless experience with an interactive star map. Simply select your target and start exploring without the steep learning curve of traditional setups. 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. On one side, there is a Type-C USB port to charge the non-removable 7000 mAh battery, and on the other side, a large button to power on or off the telescope. The button is flanked by an LED that is green when connected via the DWARFLAB app, or lights up red when being powered off. Below the button, there are four LEDs that indicate battery power. The DWARF mini does not have any sharp edges as all sides are rounded off; it has a good heft to it, but the weight of it feels quite balanced in the hand, so it isn't top or bottom-heavy. On the front there is the DWARFLAB logo which is quite small and there are no other markings on it. The tripod offers full 360° rotation of the motorized base, which allows for tracking for the time-lapse mode, but also for the 90-second captures of nearer objects in the sky, such as the Sun or the moon. Usage To get started, simply power on the DWARF mini and open the DWARFLAB app, tap on Connect, and it will scan for the DWARF mini over the Wi-Fi network. 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.
    • Adobe Acrobat Reader Dis Continued
    • 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
  • Recent Achievements

    • One Month Later
      lamborghiniv10 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      lamborghiniv10 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Reacting Well
      X-No-file earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • One Month Later
      pestcontrol46 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      pestcontrol46 earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      504
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      270
    3. 3
      Skyfrog
      75
    4. 4
      +Edouard
      75
    5. 5
      FloatingFatMan
      70
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!