Microsoft has released a new Windows 10 build for Fast Ring Insiders. Build 10576 for Windows 10 PC version comes with a handful of improvements, most prominently the ability to cast media from Microsoft Edge.
In a blog post, Microsoft's head of its preview program Gabe Aul says insiders will now be able to cast video and audio content from the company's new Edge browser to any device enabled with Miracast or DLNA in the same network.
For instance, users can mirror YouTube videos to a Miracast- or DLNA-supported TV straight from Edge simply by clicking the "..." menu in the upper left corner of the browser and choosing Cast media to device. They can also do the same with other types of content, such as streaming music from Pandora and photos uploaded to Facebook.
It's worth noting, however, that media casting on Edge does not support copyrighted content or content that can be accessed through a subscription. It's unclear if Microsoft plans to offer support for paid content. However, it should if it wants Edge to go up against Google Chrome, currently the most popular web browser in the world according to most figures, surprisingly followed by Internet Explorer.
Edge is not the only browser to offer media casting to its users. In fact, Google Cast, which the company introduced with the launch of the first Chromecast, is supported on Chrome. Google Cast is a robust platform that can mirror content from Chrome to many popular devices, including Sony's entire line of Bravia smart TVs, high-res speakers from Sony, LG and Denon, and of course the Chromecast and Nexus Player. Mozilla also announced support for video casting on Firefox in 2014, but the feature has remained in beta since then.
If Microsoft wants to give its browser a real edge — one that it really needs right now — it should at least look into adding support for casting more content, including content from streaming subscriptions such as Netflix and Hulu. It's something we can imagine Microsoft doing, considering CEO Satya Nadella's push toward embracing all platforms instead of sticking to Microsoft's walled garden.
Meanwhile, the newest build also includes the ability to ask Cortana while reading a PDF. Users can highlight a portion of the PDF and right-click to ask Cortana for more information. The build also comes with an updated Xbox app, which brings a host of social features, such as the ability to find Facebook friends to play with and add voice narrations to Game DVR.
