Windows 10 Redstone: Major Update Due Summer 2016

Microsoft has unveiled some of the features for the next major update to Windows 10. Among the biggest surprise is better support for the world of Linux.

The new features and tweaks will come in an update that's been codenamed Windows 10 Redstone. It's expected some time this summer and is planned to be the biggest update yet.

Microsoft has likened Redstone to the level of change that came with Windows 8.1, though thankfully this time it will be less about undoing changes in the initial release that went down badly.

Cortana & Action Center Overhauled

The most visible changes for users will be to Cortana, the voice controlled 'virtual assistant' and to Action Center, the feature that houses most key settings and notifications. They'll change in two ways.

Firstly, both will now display information through interactive "cards" which look the same for both Cortana and Action Center. It's a setup that will be familiar to anyone who has used Google Now on an Android device and is designed to make it easier to keep track of multiple sources of information. Unconfirmed reports say it may be possible to better organize these cards, for example by keeping all notifications from social media together.

The second change is that Cortana and Action Center will now integrate with each other. That should mean less redundant repetition of details and more useful information in both. (Source: winbeta.org)

More Support For Touchscreens

The update will also boost Windows Ink, a tool for touchscreen devices that supports both finger presses and digital pens. It will now integrate better with other applications. For example, when you write a note to yourself that says you need to go to a mall tomorrow, Windows can add the note to the correct date on Cortana's calendar feature and then use Bing to work out which mall you likely mean (based on your location) and prepare driving directions.

There'll also be support for Linux applications through something called a Bash shell. In simple terms that means users will be able to run Linux through a command line in which you type text commands rather than clicking icons and menus with a mouse.

While the tool won't be of much use to the average PC owner, it means tech enthusiasts and developers will be able to work on Linux using a Windows 10 PC without using workaround techniques that consume a lot of resources. If nothing else, it's a symbolic moment to see Microsoft support open source software in such an explicit manner. (Source: theverge.com)

What's Your Opinion?

Do any of these new features interest you? Is Microsoft paying too much attention to touchscreens and tech-heads rather than average consumers? What new features or tweaks would you like to see in future updates.