Windows 10 PC - Build 14328 - Anniversary Edition Feature Complete
On April 22 MS released Windows 10 Build 14328 for both PC and Mobile. As I stated in an earlier post the Mobile release was just 2 days and 1 build number from the 13427 build that added the Messaging Everywhere beta
While the update installed fine on all my machines, my Dell Venue 8 Pro is experiencing intermittent BSODs around what appears to be a known issue with "connected standby" on connected devices. Luckily a workaround was published with some reg hacks. The post wasn't well publicized so here it is..
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/forum/insider_wintp-insider_install/connected-standby-causing-buchecks-workaround/0d1007c4-5a0b-46f0-8c77-b8aa33554ea5?tm=1461337112248&auth=1
With 14328 - MS added the final features to the Redstone 1 or Anniversary edition branch that was announced at Build and that was Ink and an improved Notifications capability.
Additionally however we did get an updated Start Menu which added all apps to the tiles area. You can tell this was specifically designed to appeal to Windows 7 Users.
So with the new Ink capability came three apps. First was an updated Sticky Notes that better supported stylus based input. Next was an app called SketchPad with it's nifty ruler feature - where can place a ruler on screen to help with drawing string lines. Finally there is the Screen Sketch app which allows you to make annotation on a snap shot of the current window.
So kind of cool capabilities - If you have the hardware that can support it. And how much do you really use these kinds of apps. I tried them on my Dell Venue 8 Pro Tablet. Sure they all work - but I found working with the ruler a little challenging and with the Screen Sketch is only shows the screen in portrait mode not landscape and so it appears very small and very difficult to make small notes.
So I'm going to be honest here. MS has had touch and stylus based capabilities in Windows for over a decade now and the fact that this is the best they can come up along with One Note is kind of a joke. Office is still not stylus input friendly along with other apps where it would make sense. Sketchpad is just a new MS Paint app. I haven't used the sticky notes app in years and this new capability is not going to compel me to use it.
As far as the new Start Menu is concerned, okay so you make it a little easier for me to find an app - so I don't have to click on All apps first. Yawn.
Same with the new notifications capability. The whole point of notifications is a quick note on something or event, that you usually ready quickly and clear. So adding all sorts of detail takes away from the main app in the first place.
As with Redstone for Mobile - Redstone/Anniversary for PC has focused more features that are supported on Windows 10 devices only. Most desktops/laptops today don't support touch/stylus have built in cameras, etc. In other words they aren't Surface or a 2:1 from a major vendor. For example I just received a new laptop for work and it supports touch but not pen input.
So asking the same question I just did with my phone. Are these new features compelling enough to want me to but a new PC. For my use cases the answer is no. I just don't do enough Pen input to justify buying a machine that has it and I don't think the addition of these new apps will change that. Is it potentially a nice to have, sure.
Bottom line is - with the addition of Ink, etc - Windows 10 Redstone 1 or Anniversary is feature complete - so I expect upcoming builds in May, June to focus more on bug fixes and refinement than new features. We'll start to see the next list of new Windows 10 features for Redstone 2 probably in late July or August.
While the update installed fine on all my machines, my Dell Venue 8 Pro is experiencing intermittent BSODs around what appears to be a known issue with "connected standby" on connected devices. Luckily a workaround was published with some reg hacks. The post wasn't well publicized so here it is..
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/forum/insider_wintp-insider_install/connected-standby-causing-buchecks-workaround/0d1007c4-5a0b-46f0-8c77-b8aa33554ea5?tm=1461337112248&auth=1
With 14328 - MS added the final features to the Redstone 1 or Anniversary edition branch that was announced at Build and that was Ink and an improved Notifications capability.
Additionally however we did get an updated Start Menu which added all apps to the tiles area. You can tell this was specifically designed to appeal to Windows 7 Users.
So with the new Ink capability came three apps. First was an updated Sticky Notes that better supported stylus based input. Next was an app called SketchPad with it's nifty ruler feature - where can place a ruler on screen to help with drawing string lines. Finally there is the Screen Sketch app which allows you to make annotation on a snap shot of the current window.
So kind of cool capabilities - If you have the hardware that can support it. And how much do you really use these kinds of apps. I tried them on my Dell Venue 8 Pro Tablet. Sure they all work - but I found working with the ruler a little challenging and with the Screen Sketch is only shows the screen in portrait mode not landscape and so it appears very small and very difficult to make small notes.
So I'm going to be honest here. MS has had touch and stylus based capabilities in Windows for over a decade now and the fact that this is the best they can come up along with One Note is kind of a joke. Office is still not stylus input friendly along with other apps where it would make sense. Sketchpad is just a new MS Paint app. I haven't used the sticky notes app in years and this new capability is not going to compel me to use it.
As far as the new Start Menu is concerned, okay so you make it a little easier for me to find an app - so I don't have to click on All apps first. Yawn.
Same with the new notifications capability. The whole point of notifications is a quick note on something or event, that you usually ready quickly and clear. So adding all sorts of detail takes away from the main app in the first place.
As with Redstone for Mobile - Redstone/Anniversary for PC has focused more features that are supported on Windows 10 devices only. Most desktops/laptops today don't support touch/stylus have built in cameras, etc. In other words they aren't Surface or a 2:1 from a major vendor. For example I just received a new laptop for work and it supports touch but not pen input.
So asking the same question I just did with my phone. Are these new features compelling enough to want me to but a new PC. For my use cases the answer is no. I just don't do enough Pen input to justify buying a machine that has it and I don't think the addition of these new apps will change that. Is it potentially a nice to have, sure.
Bottom line is - with the addition of Ink, etc - Windows 10 Redstone 1 or Anniversary is feature complete - so I expect upcoming builds in May, June to focus more on bug fixes and refinement than new features. We'll start to see the next list of new Windows 10 features for Redstone 2 probably in late July or August.
Comments
Post a Comment