What Are AI PCs? A Brief Explanation

Before I start with the explanation below I'd like to say that I believe that AI (artificial intelligence) as we are defining it today is not what most people envision as true 'artificial intelligence.' I look at it more as an augmented intelligence, one that uses your own interactions and those of users like you to generate best case answers, images, videos ect. We've been using the same software, same search algorithms, same voice commands, same pretty much everything for several years now. We never called it AI before because of the marketing strategy. Today we are just now seeing the marketing hype behind those same tools that have been learning our habits for years (I won't get started on the privacy issues here).

AI PCs - Intel's New Marketing Term

To put this simply the term AI PC is an Intel derived marketing term that requires specific Intel hardware and standards to apply. This doesn't mean that other PCs or devices can't run AI or that they aren't AI ready or AI chip equipped. So don't be confused here! 

Intel has stated that for a PC to receive the coveted "AI" label, it needs four things: a neural processing unit (NPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), and the ability to handle Vector Neural Network Instructions (VNNI) and DP4a instructions (so that the GPU can handle video processing)  In other words what Intel is saying is that in order for them to call a new computer an AI PC it must be one with their latest CPU.

 

What is AI Ready and AI equipped

When it comes to slapping the AI ready label on things these are the few small things to know. AI apps and tools are currently used in two different ways. The difference between the two and how you are using them is really the difference in hardware requirements and what is needed. Basically any PC, smartphone, tablet or device can access and use cloud based AI.  On device generative tools require much better, more efficient hardware and that is were some of the confusion starts for most people.

One of the easiest ways to explain the hardware is to say the modern CPU as most people know it has become extremely outdated. New software changes take advantage of and use the GPU and a new NPU (secondary chip) to do the heavy work. These are both considered AI accelerators, deep learning processor, or neural processing units (NPUs). They have been specifically designed to accelerate artificial intelligence and machine learning applications and algorithms. (More on the differences here)

Tools like ChatGPT, Google image generator Gemini, or Microsoft CoPilot are all cloud based and do all their work in a cloud based system. This allows EVERY device to utilize AI because all the work is done by other, much more powerful systems, that then send the results to your PC or phone. This will soon change however as Intel has confirmed CoPilot and other applications will soon run locally on PCs and require better hardware to do so. 

PCs meeting those requirements are already shipping and other devices like the Apple iPhone, Google Pixel 8 and Samsung Galaxy phones are already using secondary more AI specific NPU chips for on-device AI.

In conclusion - don't be confused or fooled!
I'm writing this post I'm really hoping to take some confusion out of buying or upgrading your systems and hope that people aren't fooled into think they have to run out and search only for an AI PC to run their newly hyped apps. Yes newer hardware will eventually be required, and yes it only makes sense to adopt that hardware if you are already upgrading. No, that doesn't mean you will be left out if you don't!

AI Regulations and Why Companies Welcome Them

As the adoption of AI, more directly generative AI, we see more companies calling on the government to step in and step up with regulations. For some this seems counterintuitive. Why would an AI company seek regulation in their own industry that would slow down adoption of their tools right? There are two schools of thought on this.

• Companies are truly concerned that their tools are being used for nefarious activities (scams, hacking cheating ect)
• Companies are concerned that the pace of the market means they will become irrelevant before they can make a market impact

As much as we'd like to think that tech companies are altruistic. Historically speaking, this hasn't been the case. So while some of their calls to action might be rooted in a desire to steer things down the 'right path' it is more likely that they are worried about their massive investment and potential returns.

The AI movement/generation is very quickly becoming what the DOT-COM era was. Startups are hitting amazing valuations and being gobbled up by the big boys in tech. Amazon recently spent 4b investing in AI Startup Anthropic. While Google, NVIDIA, Apple and others are not far behind. If AI continues to evolve at the pace it is now, many of those investment could be outdated and loose overall value well before they produce something that is marketable.

As a comparison Siri was first released in 2011, Alexa in 2014 and both are precursors to the large language models we see rapidly advancing today. It too more than a decade for their widespread adoption. Whereas ChatGPT broke into the market this past year and set off a firestorm and created a free for all in the market and development space. So while we are seeing companies actively petition for some government oversight, what we aren't seeing is those very same companies exhibiting a measure of self control!

 

Related Articles

https://epic.org/the-state-of-state-ai-laws-2023/

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02491-y

https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/11/the-ftc-is-setting-its-sights-on-generative-ai/

Create and Post Instagram Reels From Your PC

If like me you aren't always happy having to create and post Instagram reels from your phone I have a new way (new for some that is) that will allow you to quickly and easily do it from your PC or laptop. Some of you may or may not have heard of BlueStacks. BlueStacks App Player is a simple tool that allows you to was run Android applications on computers running Microsoft Windows or macOS. 

 

 

With BlueStacks you download and run the app player, install the traditional version of the Instagram App from the Google Play Store and run things just like you would from your phone. You can drag and drop videos and pictures from your desktop. Even add your text, audio or stickers just like you would normally do on your phone. 

I'm working on a quick how to and tutorial from more info. For now though I recommend trying it out and posting any questions in the comments below!

Celebrate Madden 17 and Win A Custom NFL Themed Xbox One S

In celebration of the launch of EA Sport's Madden 17 Microsoft has teamed with EA and the NFL to give 32 lucky gamers a chance to win a custom NFL themed Xbox One S featuring their favorite team's colors and logo!

The team at Microsoft put together 32 unique custom Xbox One S (1TB) consoles – one for each NFL team – and are giving fans a chance to show off their team pride like never before and win one. So whether you’re a Cheesehead, a 12, a member of Steeler Nation or have your NFL allegiances sworn elsewhere, you’ll have three ways to enter the sweepstakes and claim a custom NFL Xbox One S as a trophy all of your own:

• Head to www.xboxpromotions.com/MaddenNFL17 and vote for your favorite console
• Click to enter through your Xbox 360 or Xbox One dashboard
• Follow @Xbox and RT the Madden NFL 17 #XboxSweepstakes Tweets

Each of the 32 NFL custom Xbox One S (1TB) consoles will come with a copy of Madden NFL 17 for Xbox One, letting you jump into a football frenzy right away. In addition to the 32 grand prize winners of a custom NFL team Xbox One S console, Microsoft will be giving away ten (10) runner-up prizes consisting of an Xbox One S Madden NFL 17 Bundle (1TB). The Xbox One S Madden NFL 17 Custom Console Sweepstakes runs from today, August 23^rd, and will close on September 6^th. The full contest rules can be seen here.

You can read more and see high resolution images of just what you can win on the Xbox Wire.

Microsoft Re-brands Bring Rewards Into Microsoft Rewards Promises Bigger Better Things

In a likely attempt at swaying more users away from its competition, Microsoft is making big changes to their Bing Rewards program. As announced via their Microsoft Rewards Promotional page, Microsoft will be re-branding Bing Rewards to Microsoft Rewards and adding a few new incentives as well as a few other wrinkles to the mix!

As with Bing Rewards, you’ll still earn points for searching with Bing, but soon you’ll be able to earn those rewards in more (and faster according to Microsoft!) ways. For starters they are upping the amount of points/rewards you earn just for searching. There is also an additional incentive for those of you that chose to search and browse the web with Microsoft Edge. You'll get more points for each search as well as points for every hour of active browsing, up to 30 hours a month. The new Microsoft Rewards program also offers points for every purchase made from Microsoft stores. There you'll earn at least 1 point for every $1 spent—just make sure to stay signed in with your Microsoft account.

One major downside to using Bing for rewards will be that Windows 10's diagnostic and telemetry technology must be enabled to be awarded for browsing points. In terms of what is collected, Microsoft didn't mention much. They simply state that the browse & earn program collects the amount of active browsing time on Microsoft Edge to credit your account and refer users to their Microsoft Privacy Statement.

For those of you that currently participate in the Bing Rewards program, your membership will automatically update in the next few weeks. Your current points will all be transferred over to the new points system with one credit in Bing Rewards is equivalent to 10 points in Microsoft Rewards. Your point balance in Bing Rewards will be multiplied by 10 when your membership is updated to Microsoft Rewards.

With this change Microsoft is going to offer Level 2 members a discount of 10% on rewards from Microsoft brands, as well as access to exclusive offers. We'll also see more Microsoft based rewards with promotions including Microsoft branded products, Xbox games and rewards cards as well as more Microsoft branded product giveaways. Microsoft Rewards will continue to offer gift cards from third parties, like Amazon and Starbucks, on a promotional basis.

For more details or answers to your nagging questions visit the Microsoft Rewards FAQ page.

Windows 10 Anniversary Update Coming August 2

The wait is over, the first major update to Windows 10 finally has an official release date! The announcement was handed down this afternoon from the Windows 10 team that we can expect to see the Windows 10 Anniversary update starting to roll out to users on August 2. It's been a year since Windows 10 arrived and with this new update Microsoft will be releasing a slew of new features.

As to what we should expect in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update we already know we will see a few key additions. Some of the major changes include update to Cortana, the addition of extension in Microsoft's Edge browser, as well as a stronger focus on security features with updates to Windows Hello and Microsoft's built in anti-malware service Windows Defender.

• New Windows Hello features make it easy for you to use the same easy, yet strong, security of Windows Hello with Windows apps and Microsoft Edge, the first and only browser to natively support biometrics with supporting sites. The Anniversary Update also enables companion devices to use Windows Hello to unlock your PC, giving you more choices for quick, secured sign-ins.
• Improvements to Windows Defender include the option to automatically schedule periodic quick scans of your PC; as well as provide new notifications and summaries when scans are complete and threats are found.

Another major addition is going to be Windows Ink, which is available for the first time in the Anniversary Update. Windows Ink enables you to write on your device as you do on paper, creating sticky notes, drawing on a whiteboard, and easily sharing your analog thoughts in the digital world. Windows Ink is integrated into apps like Maps, Microsoft Edge, and Office.

Microsoft is also reminding users of their older operating systems that the self-imposed deadline for upgrading from older versions of Windows 10 is July 29. Meaning that users have until then to get the latest OS an this new update for free. Once again the Windows 10 Anniversary Update launches on August 2, and will be free. If you'd like more details be sure to head over to the Windows 10 blog and read the full announcement

New Microsoft Tool 'Refresh Windows' May Be The End All to Bloatware

One of the biggest complaints we've ever had with purchasing OEM or pre-manufactured PC's is the sure volume of pre-installed software that you are forced to endure when getting your new machine. This 'bloatware' that computer makers pack on new machines often slows down that fancy new PC you just bought and in some really bad cases could leave your machine open to security issues.

Now we may have a new tool to eradicate bloatware, and from a very unexpected source! Microsoft has released a free tool for Windows 10 users that will scrub your PC clean of all that unwanted pre-installed software, leaving you with a fresh clean install of your OS. According to the Microsoft Answers article which outlines the details -- the new tool dubbed Refresh Windows downloads and installs a recent, pristine build of Windows 10 on the PC, overwriting the pre-installed version.

Most Windows 10 users probably know that there is a Reset This PC tool in Settings that lets you reset your PC back to its original, factory condition. But since PC makers can modify the system image used by Reset This PC, the resulting clean install is anything but clean, and will include whatever crapware the PC maker decides to include. Refresh Windows will take a few steps beyond that and give users a truly clean image of Windows 10, similar to installing a retail version of the software!

Just keep in mind this is going to be a barebones install, which most of us geeks like anyways, and that all non-Microsoft applications that were bundled or already installed on Windows 10 -- the exception include the Mail email client and the Edge browser -- are eliminated during the refresh. According to the release notes "It will also remove most pre-installed applications such as OEM applications, support applications, and drivers."

So keep in mind this also means you will need to be prepared to download all your drivers if they aren't already covered by those available in Windows 10. So things like your video card, sound card, and many of the peripherals will need to be manually installed.

Refresh Windows hasn’t been officially released yet, but you can download it directly from Microsoft here. However, there is a catch -- the new tool only works on Windows 10 Insider builds, although it will also work on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update when it’s released at the end of July. For more details be sure to read the full Microsoft Answers post.

Microsoft Reminds Us Windows 10 Free Upgrade Offer Expires July 29th

For those of you who have not yet taken the plunge and upgraded your computers Microsoft has issued a friendly reminder that their free upgrade off expires July 29^th!

If you’ve been waiting until the last possible moment to decide whether or not you want to upgrade to Windows 10, that last possible moment is suddenly right around the corner. Microsoft reminded Windows users in a blog post today that the free Windows 10 upgrade offer ends on July 29^th. After that you’ll still be able to continue to get Windows 10 on a new device, or purchase a full version of Windows 10 Home. However, in order to do so you'll need to purchase a full version of Windows 10 Home for $119.

As part of today's reminder Microsoft took the opportunity to showcase a few numbers in regard to the popularity of their operating system as well as remind users that there is still more great features to come. Microsoft has stated that as the one year anniversary of the release of Windows 10 approaches there are now more than 300 million active devices around the world running Windows 10. Cortana has answered over 6 billion questions, gamers have put in over 9 billion hours of gameplay and the first major update, dubbed the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, is scheduled to roll out over the summer, free of charge.

Microsoft has also stated that Windows 10 has the highest customer satisfaction of any version of Windows to date! So you if you haven’t upgraded yet you might want to think about taking the plunge. To make upgrading a little easier I suggest checking out Microsoft's FAQ page. You might also want to read a few of our articles, especially those regarding the privacy concerns. You may also want to checkout the community at Microsoft Answers. There you'll find lots of help and answers to many of your Windows 10 questions.

Chrome Takes Top Spot From Internet Explore For First Time Ever

After 21 years Microsoft's reign at the top of the browser market has officially come to an end! According to the most recent analytics Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) continued its downward spiral and has officially relinquished the No. 1 spot to Google's Chrome browser. Marking a major milestone not only in IE's 21-year lifespan, but a dramatic changing of the desktop browser guard.

Over the past several years Microsoft has seen Internet Explorer's market share repeatedly dip in favor of up and coming browsers from Google, Mozilla and Opera. However, not once have we seen any of those companies manage to topple Microsoft from the number one spot. According to U.S. analytics vendor Net Applications, during the month of April we saw Chrome do just that.

Net Applications reports that "IE" -- fell 2 percentage points in April, the fifth straight month of a loss greater than a point, and the 16th of any size -- to end at 41.4% of the total global browser user share. Meanwhile, Chrome climbed 2.6 percentage points to take a narrow lead with 41.7%.

Computerworld has attributed IE's decline to Microsoft's August 2014 announcement that users of older versions had to upgrade, in most cases, to IE11, by Jan. 12, 2016. Since the announcement, IE has lost more than 17.1 percentage points of user share, representing a 29% decline.

By forcing customers to upgrade to a newer version of IE -- or alternately, turn to Windows 10 and its default browser Edge -- Microsoft demanded that users change browsers. That had appears to have had a disastrous impact on IE's user share as people rethought their browser choice, and then abandoned Microsoft's browsers for rivals' -- notably Chrome.

Another very plausible cause for users making the change, and one I see as being slightly more likely, is that more users are becoming more familiar with Chrome from the uptake in usage of Google's other services and through Android on their mobile devices. As more companies incorporate Google's services like Drive and Docs, more users are finding it easier to migrate to Chrome and its built in cross functionality. The same with Android users that may in the past have not seen the benefit of using Chrome but now are as they typically have a Google account and use Google's services through Android.

New Windows 10 Roadmap Highlights Several Upcoming Features

Microsoft has officially released the latest Windows 10 Roadmap highlighting the newest features we can expect in upcoming Windows 10 updates and releases. And while we already know the Windows 10 “Anniversary Update” will be coming this summer, many of the new features found on the Roadmap apparently aren't a part of that update.

“The Windows 10 Roadmap provides a snapshot of what we’ve recently made generally available, released into public preview, are still developing and testing, or are no longer developing,” Microsoft explains. While this newest Roadmap is meant specifically for Microsoft's business customers, there are still plenty of noteworthy features we may eventually see for consumers.

Here’s a basic rundown of a few of the highlight:

• Windows and Android phones as well as "companion devices" such as the Microsoft Band 2 will be able to unlock and authenticate apps on a Windows PC.
• Connecting a Windows phone to an external touch monitor through Continuum will allow for touch controls on the large display. Windows phones with Continuum will also support laptop-like docks, keyboards and accessories that utilize your phone's cpu and OS to run and act like a laptop.
• Windows PCs will be able to cast their displays to other Windows PCs making collaborations easier.
• Windows apps will get a picture-in-picture mode.
• Remote display for "display-less" devices, so users can seamlessly control Windows 10 IoT Core applications from any Windows 10 desktop PC, tablet, or phone*. In addition, the technology allows Windows 10 IoT Core devices to use remote sensor readings from any connected Windows 10 device.

Again these new features are being added in addition to the "Anniversary Update" features that we saw highlighted during the Build 2016 back in March. You should also keep in mind that these plans can change, something that Microsoft themselves highlight on their roadmap which also includes a section for canceled features, though it’s currently unpopulated. As for timing, Microsoft isn’t making any promises, and has not yet started testing any of the above features in its Windows Insider builds.

As to what we should expect in the Windows 10 “Anniversary Update” we already know we will see a few key additions, one of the biggest being Linux /bin/bash-support. This will not be a port or a virtualization. It’s a full Ubuntu command line running natively right in Windows, built in partnership with Canonical. As of right now this is mostly a tool for developers, but cross-platform power users may find this particularly useful as well.

We also know we will see updates to Cortana, for more efficient and effective use as well as greater app support and better notification support. You can also expect to see the new Windows Ink feature which allows for more stylus and handwriting support. According to Microsoft, Windows Ink puts the stylus “front and center” by introducing the Ink Workspace, a hub of apps that all focus on different things that a stylus can do.

Of course for you gamers Microsoft didn't leave you out. Microsoft says they will be working to deliver on top fan-requested features like support for multiple GPUs and the ability to turn off v-sync. Game developers will have access to a fully open ecosystem with the Universal Windows Platform, making it easy to bring the games people love to both Xbox One and other Windows 10 devices. With the Anniversary Update, any Xbox One can be a developer kit with Xbox Dev Mode, enabling anyone to develop for the living room. And, the Windows Store will offer a unified store experience for all developers, creating new opportunities to reach millions of new customers.

Win A Trip to Microsoft's Rare Studios to Be The First to Play Sea of Thieves

The Microsoft gaming development team at Rare, yes that is the actual name, has announced a new competition built just for fans (or would be fans since the game isn't out yet) of their latest game Sea of Thieves. With six lucky and the winners being offer the chance at an all-expenses paid trip to the UK studio to play the game before launch. The announcement video is below, while more details follow further down.

For a chance at winning this all-expenses-paid adventure, Microsoft and Rare are asking fans to create something that conveys their excitement for Sea of Thieves, and then share it with the world on social media via an image or video. The more creative and entertaining the entries, the better chance fans will have at winning the contest. This will be based on the judge's very selective and subjective opinions. In fact they have stated their selections will be based on the following three criteria:

• 33.00% - Creativity - you must show something new and different
• 33.00% - Entertainment value - you'll probably need to make them laugh
• 33.00% - Level of excitement for Sea of Thieves - don't be ho-hum about the game!

Once finished, fans must share a link to their image or video with us on Twitter @SeaOfThieves, or on Facebook via Facebook.com/SeaOfThievesGame, including the hashtag #SeaOfThievesContest.
 For a full run-down of the rules, be sure to check out our official rules page here.

There will be 6 prizes total. The prize(s) will be as follows: Each winner will receive a trip (for winner only) to Twycross, UK, for the opportunity to tour Rare Ltd and meet Rare game software developers. Includes:

• Round trip coach airfare from major airport closest to winner's home
• Transportation between airport, hotel, and studio
• Three (3) nights standard hotel accommodations
• Daily meals
• A tour of the Rare Studio

According to GameSpot, Sea of Thieves has been described by Microsoft as "the best game Rare has ever made," and given their rather extensive list of games that may or may not say a lot! The game that was first teased during E3 2015, with the promises to be a first person pirate adventure game with opportunities for exploring jungles, roaming the high seas and enjoy multiplayer naval combat. 

As of yet a release date has not been revealed and Rare has acknowledged on their official site that they have had very specific reasoning for limiting details about the game until now, but hopes this contest will generate buzz and excitement before the release.

Microsoft Issues Recall For AC Power Adapters For Surface Pro Tablets

Microsoft has issued a recall for close to 2.25 million Microsoft Surface Pro AC power adapters in the U.S. due to the potential risk of fire, shock and overheating. This recall involves AC power cords sold with Microsoft Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2 and Surface Pro 3 computers before March 15, 2015.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission website Microsoft has received 56 reports of AC cords overheating and emitting flames and five reports of electrical shock to consumers prompting the immediate recall and replacement of those cords that may be affected. The CPSC noted that close to 2.25 million units are impacted in the US with another 190,000 power cords also sold in Canada.

For help identifying the product affected by this recall Microsoft has issued the follow: Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2 devices have a black case with the product name on the back of the device toward the bottom. Surface Pro 3 computers have a silver case with “Windows 8 Pro” on the back of the device under the kickstand. This recall also involves accessory power supply units that include an AC power cord sold separately before March 15, 2015. The recalled power cords do not have a 1/8-inch sleeve on the cord on the end that connects to the power supply.

A replacement can be requested through Microsoft's support site. Once ordered, the replacement AC power cord should reach the customer within seven to 10 days, Microsoft said. For more details you may also call Microsoft toll-free at 855-327-7780 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.

This recall DOES NOT apply to: AC power cords for Microsoft Surface RT, Microsoft Surface 2, Microsoft Surface 3, Microsoft Surface Pro 3 devices sold after March 15, 2015, Microsoft Surface Pro 4, and Microsoft Surface Book  or AC power cords and power supplies for the docking stations for Microsoft Surface Pro, Microsoft Surface Pro 2, Microsoft Surface Pro 3, and Microsoft Surface 3

Microsoft Officially Drops Security Support For Internet Explorer 8, 9, 10

 All good things (or bad depending on your point of view) must come to end and right? This week we will see Microsoft's long planned end of support for older versions of Internet Explorer, meaning that much like users of the company's older operating systems that have been retired, users of the older version of the Internet Explored browser will no longer receive security updates for any un-patched flaws or exploits!

We are at yet another  Microsoft-imposed deadline, which heralds the end of support for outdated software. Next Tuesday will bring the first batch of Microsoft security bulletins for 2016 and it will also mark the end of security support for Internet Explorer versions 8, 9 and 10. Microsoft made the call almost 18 months ago, giving all of their customers and businesses ample time to prepare for the day when those versions of IE, battered by zero-days, exploit kits and targeted attacks, should be retired.

In reality, however, many users out there are either unwilling or unable to comply with these deadlines. This does not mean that we shouldn't take notice and shouldn't take Tuesday’s deadline seriously. In fact even if you aren't using IE on your own machine you should still be aware of the risks as they may potentially put businesses at risks and therefore may put your own personal data at risk as well!

Statistics from a number of sources show us that there is still a significant percentage of web traffic moving through IE. Netmarketshare.com, for example, says that while IE 11 holds more than 25 percent of market share, IE 8, 9 and 10 combined still account for more than 20 percent. Researchers at Duo Security, examining traffic moving through their services, put the percentage a bit higher for IE 9 and 10—almost 36 percent—running on Windows 7, 8, or 8.1.

Given that browsers historically offer hackers a much juicier attack surface than operating systems, folks may want to take Tuesday’s deadline seriously.

“In most cases an attacker will need to already have access to a local network or be able to trick users into opening malicious files as part of a successful attack leveraging Windows XP vulnerabilities,” said Tripwire security researcher Craig Young. “The web browser on the other hand is of course used to constantly process data from potentially untrusted sources leaving users exposed to a wide range of attack.”

Microsoft warns IE users that without action, after January 12, 2016, they will no longer provide security updates or technical support for older versions of Internet Explorer. Noting that security updates patch vulnerabilities that may be exploited by malware, helping to keep users and their data safer. Regular security updates help protect computers from malicious attacks, so upgrading and staying current is important.

For full details on the end of life cycle of Internet Explore and how you can update and protect  own system you can read the Windows lifecycle FAQ sheet to learn more. If you have not yet updated to Internet Explorer you can do so via the Windows Update portion of the control panel or via Microsoft's Download Site.

Upgrading to Windows 10? Microsoft's Privacy Policies Now Make More Sense

Shortly after Microsoft released Windows 10 to the masses questions began to arise regarding several of Microsoft's new privacy policies and forced upgrade tactics. Many of these changes brought about some serious concerns for users worried that they would lose control over the data collected by Microsoft and lose even more control over what updates were and weren't installed on their machines.

Thankfully this past few weeks Microsoft has been working to alleviate some of these concerns and address many of the questions Windows 10 users have had. They have just released a new more simplified privacy policy that address concerns over their access to your encryption keys and makes it much more clear as to what data is collected and how it is used. On top of that, they have also made good on a promise for business users and released a new tool-set allowing the delay of Windows 10 updates (sorry home users nothing for us yet).

Microsoft's New Simplified Privacy Policy

ZDNet's Ed Bott spotted several recent updates to Microsoft's privacy statement, the lengthy document covering all of Microsoft's major online services, including Windows 10, OneDrive and others. The most recent update, dated October 2015, addresses concerns over how Microsoft handles your BitLocker drive encryption key as well as how they access your user generated content in response to law enforcement demands, to ensure safe operation of its services, and a few other situations. It also addresses the mandatory collection of telemetry data which can be a concern with many businesses operating under regulations that strictly prohibit dissemination of personal information.

First and foremost, and for us the most important, is how Microsoft will handle and use your encryption data. BitLocker drive encryption by default is backed up to OneDrive online, this is primarily to enable data recovery in certain situations. The previous description of  how and when Microsoft would access those keys was pretty vague. However, they have updated the new statement to note that "Microsoft doesn't use your individual recovery keys for any purpose" making clear that while the keys may be stored on OneDrive, Microsoft will not use them and is not interested in decrypting your disk.

The second major area of concern was how Microsoft would access your user generated content within Windows 10 and on your hard drive. Previously the scope of what they had access to and would share with law enforcement (should the need arise) was unclear. The new text makes it explicit that only files stored on OneDrive and e-mails stored in Outlook.com are covered by the Privacy Policy.

As for other changes they do address a few areas related to improvement of services, data collected for support and other things collected when using Cortana. For those changes I'd suggest reading Ed's full story as he covers it really well.

Gain Control of Windows 10 Updates

Thanks to a new feature in Windows 10 version 1511, you can now postpone or pause Windows 10 upgrades and updates, you don't need to be an expert to do so but you'll need a business edition of Windows 10.

Windows Update for Business (WUB) is essentially an overlay atop Windows Update. It is not a new service, nor a new product, but a new set of controls for managing the timing of how Windows Update delivers upgrades and updates to business editions of Windows 10.

Unfortunately for us Windows 10 Home users to use it you need Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education. The device also needs to be configured for the Current Branch for Business. Neither option is available for PCs running Windows 10 Home, where all updates are automatic. Using WUB, individuals and IT administrators can defer the two-to-three-times-a-year upgrades to devices on the "Current Branch for Business" (CBB), one of the three mainstream upgrade tracks and the one most Windows 10 enterprise machines will adopt.

Setting up WUB is a bit involved and unfortunately since it is relatively new there are few quick walkthroughs available. ZDnet does have a some of the details listed but the best option is likely going to be going through the documentation at TechNet.

Our thoughts on Windows 10

So far we've added Windows 10 to all of our devices including our Dell Intel 2in1, ASUS ROG Gaming laptop (which we just got) and all of our desktops (except one). Using Windows 10 on our Dell Venue Pro is a breeze thanks to the option of quickly changing between tablet and laptop mode. You can disconnect the keyboard and immediately be running in tablet mode for more fluid touchscreen support. One our older desktops machines we've noticed some minor improvements in speed and a slight performance boost.

In the end though we love the unified support structure. We have multiple users, all with their own accounts, that all sync across multiple devices. Additionally of our Windows 10 devices are deployed with the same basic setups so there isn't much need to hunt for files, folders or apps that you might have been using on other machine. It just makes life that much easier when swapping devices.

These new privacy policy changes were a bit concerning for us at first, especially given the nature of some of the things we deal with. Keeping user content safe and protected is always a concern and should be for anyone! The newest changes though really seem to help alleviate most of those concerns. So for anyone out there that has been holding off for the upgrade, I say go for it! But we'd like to hear your thoughts.

Do you think these new privacy policy changes go far enough to cover your concerns? or where you even concerned to begin with? Have you upgraded to Windows 10 yet? Will you now? Shoot us a comment below and share your thoughts.

#spon: I'm required to disclose a relationship between our site and Intel This could include Intel providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

Microsoft's Windows Store Offers Over 1000 Movies, Apps and Music For Just 10 Cents

Looking to stock up on movies and music this holiday season? Microsoft has you covered with their new 10 Days of 10 Cent Deals promotion featuring over 1,000 of the latest Hollywood movies, blockbuster music, must-have apps, and addictive games – for only 10 cents each.

Building upon what has been seen as the hugely successful launch of Windows 10, which Microsoft says is now running on over 110 million devices, Microsoft has launched a new promotion offering Windows 10 users access to tons of movies, music, apps and more for only a dime.

The “10 Days of 10 Cent Deals” promotion will feature new selections each day in the Windows Store offering Windows 10 users access to movies to rent including "Jurassic World," "Terminator Genisys" and "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1" as well as music to purchase such as today's top hits including "What Do You Mean," by Justin Bieber, "All of Me," by John Legend, and "Timber," by Pitbull.

These deals will change daily, and there is no guessing what will be on sale or available next. So users should make sure to check back each day so as to not miss out on a great deal!

Get Early Previews of New Features With Microsoft's Office Insider Program

Taking a page from the very popular Windows Insider Program Microsoft has launched a new early preview and testing feature for Microsoft Officer users dubbed Office Insider.The program runs similar to Windows Insider in that it gives users early access to Microsoft Office's newest features allowing you to test them out and provide feedback for Microsoft for potential changes.

For now, the program encompasses the Windows and Android versions of Office, and is open to Office 365 Home, Business, and University users: All you need to do to join Office Insider is to have an active Office 365 account and download and install the Office Insider build. Mac users will have to wait a bit: Microsoft says that it will provide Office Insider builds for OS X “in the coming months.” If you have an Office 365 business or enterprise plan, you can join First Release, which will similarly offer you early access to new product updates and features as they become available

The program will provide preview versions of almost all of your favorite Office 2016 applications including:

• Excel
• Word
• PowerPoint
• OneNote
• Outlook
• Access

For those interested, instructions on how to become an Office Insider are now live, with directions on how to access various Office previews. You can check out more details on Office 2016 and what's new to the program suite here and be sure to checkout the Office 2016 Quick Start Guides.

Microsoft Downloads Windows 10 to All PCs With Automatic Updates

We may think Windows 10 is a hit but that doesn't mean that everyone is ready for the upgrade, nor does that mean that everyone really wants to make the leap just yet. Unfortunately it sounds as though Microsoft might be making a stronger push than you'd expect for user to update.

According to reports from an Inquirer reader, which were later confirmed by Microsoft, Windows 10 is being pushed out to users 'just in case' they decide to upgrade, even if they have previously declined the reservation offer or have yet to reserve their free upgrade.

In their confirmation to the Inquirer a Microsoft spokesperson explained the reasoning behind the move: “For individuals who have chosen to receive automatic updates through Windows Update, we help upgradable devices get ready for Windows 10 by downloading the files they’ll need if they decide to upgrade. When the upgrade is ready, the customer will be prompted to install Windows 10 on the device.”

In other words for users that have automatic updates enabled on their Windows 7 or Windows 8 PCs, Microsoft is pushing the download of Windows 10 upgrade files in order to expedite the upgrade process should the user later decide to upgrade.

At the face of it this may not seem like a big deal, some conspiracy theories aside for most it wouldn't be, however if you are on a limited connection or are using a machine with limited space the download will eat up a big chunk of data. The Inquirer reader noted his PC showed a few odd symptoms as well as major chunk of data being used. He stated : The symptoms are repeated failed 'Upgrade to Windows 10' in the WU update history and a huge 3.5GB to 6GB hidden folder labelled '$Windows.~BT'.

Not Satisfied With Windows 10? You Have 30 Days to Rollback

With Microsoft rolling out the Windows 10 update yesterday the chances are you've had the chance to download and test out the new operating system, if not look here for details on manually downloading it, and while most of the tech world seems to unanimously agree that Windows 10 is a hit you may not feel the same. Luckily Microsoft offers you a bit of a reprieve thanks to the Windows Recovery option.

When planning ahead for this major new operating system roll-out Microsoft seemingly thought of everything. They even thought far enough ahead to give users a 30 days option of using the new OS and still having the ability to roll back to their previous version of Windows if things went wrong with the upgrade or if for some reason the user just wasn't happy.

Now this process might seem a bit seamless, but we have seen reports from Gizmodo and other tech sites that this may not be as cut and dried a roll-back as it may seem. So we are going to try our best to help you out with the process and issues we have seen.

First and foremost, back-up your data! I know we harp on this all the time, but you just never know what might happen and you always want to be safe with anything important! Now that that is done getting the rest started is as easy as going to the start menu, clicking settings and heading over to the Update & Security option then choose Recovery. From here you should see the option to 'Go Back' to whatever version of Windows you were previously running, in this case Windows 7.

From there you'll see a new page with few feedback options, just select a reason, any will do, for the rollback and then click Next. After a warning and a confirmation, the rollback process will start. The process can take as short as a few minutes to about half an hour depending on the speed of your computer.

Some of the apps might appear to be deleted at first, or might not even start (like Google’s Chrome browser), which means you’ll have to reinstall them. Make sure to search for them on your machine first though, as some missing apps might still be there.

Once the process is complete is when you may start to see some issues. Due to the roll-back process some apps may appear to have been uninstalled and may need to be reinstalled, and some of the settings changes you've made in applications may also be lost. Also, make sure you remember the log-in password for the previous version of Windows since the password for Windows 10, if you have changed it, will not work!!

As Gizmodo pointed out, this doesn't necessarily mean that Windows deleted any of these apps or the associated files. Generally speaking they are still on your computer, it is just that Windows has lost track of some of the file associations (in some cases) and the app locations. So in most cases you can still navigate to the specific folders with Windows Explorer and launch them, but it may simply be easier to re-install each app.

You may still encounter other issues as you go back to your previous version of Windows, so you’ll just have to address them yourself as you go along or you can comment below with questions and we'll walk you through anything we can help out with. Another thought might just be to stick it out with Windows 10 a bit longer especially considering it is available for a free upgrade and has been widely praised in reviews!.

Windows 10 Is Here You Can Upgrade Today

The wait is finally over and Microsoft has made good on their promise and released the much anticipated upgrade to Windows, Windows 10. As many know the new upgrade is free for all current Windows users, however it will be rolling out in several phases, meaning upgrades will roll out across the country to users in waves and you may not your update right away. For you geeks that aren't willing to wait you can download the upgrade free now via the links below.

For starts let me give kuddos to Microsoft for what I'd say has been a great job on a major new roll-out. We went the tradition route, upgrading via Microsoft annoying notification bar and 'reserving' our free copy. The upgrade was fairly easy and almost completely painless. An even bigger plus was that it took very little time, less than 30mins to be exact, to download and install all of the upgrade.

So now back to the main purpose of today's post, which is to explain how you can upgrade to Windows 10 immediately!

First, you’ll need to download the Windows 10 installation file as an ISO image. To do this you'll need a few things handy. You'll need to make sure you have a blank DVD and a DVD burner, or a USB flash drive with at least 4GB of free space on hand. Now, simply visit Microsoft’s Windows 10 download page and select the Windows 10 edition you’d like to download. Note that each installation file includes everything you need to install either the Home or Pro version of Windows 10.

Just note that if you are 'upgrading' from a previous version of Windows you'll need to install the version that corresponds to your upgrade path. To find out which version you need checkout the Windows 10 specifications page. Here you can also see the full system requirements and additional Windows 10 details.

Once your download is complete, Windows will walk you through the painless process of burning a Windows 10 installation DVD or adding the installer to a USB flash drive, whichever method you decided on using. After that, you install the Windows 10 upgrade from the new media you created just like you'd install any other OS. Just make sure you backup all of your data first, things have been pretty painless so far but that doesn't mean anything and while you shouldn’t lose anything during the upgrade process you can never be too safe.

Note: that you can also use the tool to perform a clean install rather than an upgrade for those that would prefer that method — but you may need to enter a valid Windows license key under some circumstances if you do that. You can find more details in the FAQ.

Once you are done sit back and enjoy. We've been testing Windows 10 throughout the beta process and so far have loved the new moves that Microsoft has made. Especially the return of the 'start button' and removal of the tiled theme that Windows 8 had. Even though we didn't have any issues with Windows 8, we just find Windows 10 much more familiar.

Why Windows 10 Mandatory Updates Shouldn't Be A Major Concern

It has been widely reported, and seemingly acknowledge by Microsoft, that Windows 10 will feature a new mandatory update process that has sparked some concern by many in the tech world. For many the news that Windows 10 updates cannot be stopped comes across as a bit intrusive and shows a lack of end user control, while others are voicing concerns more deeply rooted in Windows history pointing to the fact that in the past updates have been the culprit of many computer crashes and other issues.

The updated Windows EULA reads:

"The software periodically checks for system and app updates, and downloads and installs them for you. You may obtain updates only from Microsoft or authorized sources, and Microsoft may need to update your system to provide you with those updates. By accepting this agreement, you agree to receive these types of automatic updates without any additional notice.”

In short: Windows 10 will automatically download and install updates and you have no option to switch them off. It is clear Microsoft's intention is that users will be always up-to-date, not only with security patches, but also with feature updates.

While some of this news may be a major concern to most of us geeks, in the long term it will actually end up being great news for the average user and even for businesses. Why you may ask? Because one of the single biggest problems affecting Windows PCs is the risks associated with those PCs not being up-to-date. The holds true mainly in regards to security patches, but the problems also impact incompatibilities that stem from out of date software and drivers, something many day to day users don't thoroughly understand. Now that Windows 10 has complete control over their systems this is far less likely to happen.

The downside to this is clear, the total loss of control over what is and isn't updated on your system and what may or may not be added at a future date. With current versions of Windows, if there is an update a user finds breaks something that they need, they can generally refuse that update for an extended period. We've seen this time and time again with past Service Packs; these are both the most likely updates to break things and the easiest to reject.

There is also the concern that Microsoft may use the new update system to roll out a steady stream of feature updates and other software as they add new capabilities and features to the new operating system. The concern is that users might just find their PCs loaded with new Microsoft related software that they really have no need for.

While both of these may be concerns at the end of the day for the average user the rewards should far out weight any risks! The typical home or business user installing updates likely wouldn't research their updates enough to know which to avoid when installing and which are safe. Even then their is little guarantee that they will or won't work on a given system. Add to that the fact that Microsoft has been much better at releasing stable updates and/or getting fixes out for any that are causing issues and you are less likely to see problems by having automatic updates than you would if you were unpatched.

For us geeks the story is a bit different. We prefer that level of control that allows us to know exactly what is going on with out machines. For those of us that aren't happy with the new changes there will be a couple options. We can either sit and wait for a hack that allows for more control over updates or we can avoid Windows 10 Home and opt for Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise, either of which allow a bit more control.