Windows 10 - Fall Creators Update Release

On Oct 2, MS released build 16299.15 to Fast Ring Insiders.  In effect this build marks the end of the Redstone 3 branch and the release of the Fall Creators Update.

 MS calls out that they are testing the Cumulative Update feature with this release - ergo the .15 moniker - and we may receive one or more CUs by the time the public release occurs on Oct 17.   So the actual public release may be a .20, .30 or higher CU to the 16299 primary build.

 There was really no detail on what the CU actually addressed since the blog post basically listed the same fixes as 16299.0

 The CU installed easily on my machines and from all early navigation and testing seems fine.   

 I'm looking forward to updating my new laptops that I'm keeping outside the Insider track.   They have the hardware to truly support Windows 10.  For my legacy machines - I'll certainly update - but as I've stated many times - the impact won't be as great.  Just as with the Creators Update (1703) I think the pace of updates by users will continue to slow.  

 Many folks on Windows 10 are running on legacy gear that simply doesn't support touch, pen, hello, etc.  And the challenge is - you can't find a good monitor for example that supports touch, pen and hello in a single device.  MS really wants you to buy a new device for that and the problem is that for many folks those features are not compelling enough to have them buy a new AIO or Laptop to support it.

 We also got a surprise announcement yesterday that MS is killing off it's Groove Music Pass and Service and partnering with Spotify to transition users.   More on that is a separate post - but it's not a good sign for the future of other parts of the MS Store like Movies & TV, Books, etc.   

 So now my focus will turn to the Redstone 4 branch and what ever new name MS comes up with.   We'll see what the next 6 months of development brings - but based on what has been announced so far - I'm not expecting huge changes for this branch.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ASUS RT-AC68U Router & WDS - a nice solution for a large home.

I recently had a newer Asus RT-AC87U Router die.  The wireless chipset never seemed to work well and first the 5Ghz bands started to fail and then the 2.4Ghz failed leaving my 25 wireless device household high and dry. So after some due diligence I decided to replace with 2 of the older RT-AC68U and implement a Wireless Distribution System (WDS) configuration. In the past - I've mentioned an open source router OS called DD-WRT.  The Asus routers come pre-installed with their version of DD-WRT.  Asus does utilize their own UI overtop DD-wrt and overall I do not like nearly as much as the traditional UI - but core dd-wrt capabilities are there.   Additionally you can flash the RT-AC68 with native DD-WRT if your so inclined. In my previous configuration I was also using an older Linksys 4200 running dd-wrt configured in Client Bridge mode that allowed clients to connect to the Linksys as well as use some of the bands to connect back to the RT-AC87U. While it worked - I felt that
Read more

Solar Storage - 2023 Update

  A few years back I published a 2 Part post discussing Solar Energy systems.  The discussion focused on all the due diligence and prep work needed and what were some of the key considerations around designing and implementing a solar system. One of the discussion points was around solar storage or batteries.  What were the use cases for batteries and if they were a good investment and should you incorporate them into your design. Back in 2020 - the math around batteries said no - that you wouldn't be able to break even on the cost of a storage system over its normal warranty life of 10 years. So here we are three years later and so I figured it was time to revisit.   There are two primary uses cases for solar storage.    First is what's called peak offset or peak shifting.  This is a concept where you utilize stored solar generation to run your home during what many utilities call Peak Periods that are part of a general category of rate plans known as Time of Day (TOD) plans.
Read more

Home Automation Platforms + Matter - Early Observations

For those of us who have been involved in automating homes by adding "smart" devices from light switches to thermostats, cameras, sensors, controllers, etc - there was always a challenge with managing the wide range of devices. While each OEM had their own app that would allow you to control their devices - you'd often end up with anywhere from 4 - 10 apps that were required to manage the entire home.  And depending on your product choices you also had to have hubs to communicate from your Wifi network to other RF networks like Zigbee or Z-Wave.  With many of these "hubs" they had native support across multiple vendors or you had to add plugins or provide specific OEM support. Some OEM apps were great, some sucked, but it became challenging to provide a solution for a client where they could easily manage their home on their own.  Between having to maintain multiple credentials/logins across the apps and even communicating which app controls what - it sometimes
Read more