Everything Microsoft Announced Today at Its Windows 10 Event That Really Matters
Microsoft today announced the new Surface Studio universal desktop, an updated version of the Surface Book, and another Windows 10 update due out this spring. Here are all the important details you need to know.
Windows 10 “Creators Update” will be released in Spring 2017.
Microsoft has announced a new update for Windows 10 – dully dubbed the “Creators Update” – that will add a bunch of new features aimed at getting creative work done, especially with 3D. In particular, the Windows Paint desktop app is getting a huge update that includes support for 3D objects.
In their demo, Microsoft used a camera app to 3D scan a sand castle on stage. Moments later, they imported the model into the new Paint 3D program. They also removed the background from the family photo using the “magic” selection tool, the result of which you can see above. These are photographs, selections, and 3D objects brought together in a single non-Photoshop application. Not bad for a program usually associated with crappy BMP drawings.
Microsoft has also partnered with SketchUp to create a library of 3D models that you can import into many applications such as Paint 3D and Powerpoint. You can upload your own objects, including creations created in Minecraft. You can even 3D print the models you find or create.
Surface Studio is Microsoft’s first all-in-one desktop, and it’s great
For the first time, Microsoft enters the all-in-one market with Surface Studio . This device features a massive 28-inch touchscreen display designed for artists and designers. The display has a wide color gamut and 13.5 million pixels, 63% more than 4K, according to Microsoft. The screen can be tilted upward like a normal display, or it can be tilted downward to act as a drawing board. You can use Surface Pen to draw directly on the screen in applications like Photoshop.
Microsoft also announced a new peripheral called the Surface Dial for video and audio editors and graphic artists. You can place the watch face on a table or directly on the screen. Rotate it to scroll through the timeline, or tap it to open various tools such as the color picker. Microsoft hopes it will be a little easier than using a mouse for everything.
However, this will affect your budget. Surface Studio starts at $ 2,999. Of course, if you are creative every day, you can spend as much on a powerful desktop and drawing tablet, so it might be worth getting it all in one package.
New Surface Book is more powerful with longer battery life
Microsoft’s original Surface Book, a high-end convertible laptop, made its mark . Microsoft today announced a new version with an Intel i7 processor and a significantly larger battery, which Microsoft claims can provide up to 16 hours of battery life. The new unit starts at $ 2,399, so it’s not for the wallet, but if you’re looking for a powerful laptop-tablet combo, the new Surface offers more powerful hardware for power users.
Your most common contacts will be on your taskbar
The new Creators Update will also bring the People panel to Windows 10. Here, your most frequent contacts live in the taskbar, continually staring at you from tiny icons. If you want to send them an image, you can simply drag and drop it to their face. Click their icon and you can open your last conversation with them.
You can also find every application you use to communicate with a person in this menu. Click on a person’s face and you can go directly to an email, message, Skype call, or whatever app you use to communicate with that person.
Windows-compatible standalone VR headsets to retail for $ 299
Most virtual reality headsets, like the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift, are hefty in price and require an even bigger investment in a powerful PC . Microsoft wants to lower the price a little . The company announced that it will partner with manufacturers such as HP, Dell, Lenovo and ASUS to create headsets starting at $ 299.
Virtual reality is a bit different from augmented reality that Microsoft is showcasing with its Holo Lens technology, which overlays images on the real world through a transparent display. Some of the newer VR headsets may be cheap, but we don’t yet know what sacrifices you’ll have to make to get the discount.
Windows 10 and Xbox will get built-in game streaming with Beam
Earlier this year, Microsoft acquired the Beam game streaming service . While not as big as Twitch , it will get a big boost with the latest Windows 10. You can start streaming from the Xbox One or the Xbox app on Windows.
Players will also be able to start their own in-game tournaments and share them on Xbox Live. You will be able to choose the game, the type of tournament (for example, single elimination) and share the event for later.