Microsoft released the first important update for Windows 10 on Nov. 12, offering new and interesting features. Some of them, however, are less obvious to the user.
In short, computers that get the latest Windows 10 update will receive a "Find my device" feature, Cortana support that helps with text messages, Microsoft Edge multiple-device sync support, better overall OS performance and more.
The Find my device functionality helps users locate their notebooks, if the devices get stolen or lost. Windows decided to make the existing smartphone functionality available to laptops as well. It uses Microsoft Account and this means that you can simply log on to another device and track the GPS position of your laptop, should anything unexpected happen to it.
Enabling it is easy via Settings > Update & Security > Find my device.
Notebooks also get other features borrowed from smartphones. When taking a flight across time zones, for instance, your Windows 10 computer now switches accordingly. The setting is a bit tucked away, but you can enable it by going into Settings > Time & language > Set time zone automatically. The auto-adjust time zone becomes a default option after the latest Windows 10 update.
For users of Windows 10 phones, Cortana gets improved functionality. Not only does it notify you when you have missed calls, but it also allows you to reply to those calls via SMS. For example, Cortana notifies you that John Doe called, you may simply voice-command it to "text John Doe," thus opening a text message. This feature uses your Windows Phone to send the text message.
Uber users also get more out of the Windows 10 update, too. Linking your Uber and Microsoft Account means that Cortana can now give driving direction to events, or even call you an Uber ride.
Furthermore, with existing Miracast and DLNA streaming in Windows 10, the update now makes the options easier to find. A "cast media to device" option means that Microsoft Edge and some other apps allow the user to beam photos or videos with zero additional setup. It strongly resembles the way Google's Chromecast works.
For Microsoft fans who use a laptop and a Windows phone, the Redmond-based company's Internet browser just got synch capabiities, enabling users to share favorites, bookmarks and passwords across devices running Windows 10.
Microsoft also embedded Skype in the update. The free voice-calling software comes divided into three apps: Skype Messaging, Phone and Video. For those who are more comfortable with the original Skype, you may download and use it instead of the integrated apps.
The "Metro" app snapping feature first appeared in Windows 8, and now makes its way into Windows 10. For increased work productivity, Microsoft allows users to resize two desktop app windows based on each other's dimensions. To readjust the dimension of the windowed apps, hover the cursor at the middle of the snapped apps. This will trigger a new slider, giving you control over the windows' proportions.
The Start menu, although not designed to appease Windows 7 loyalists, shows improvement as well. You may modify the width of the columns by going into Settings > Personalization > Start > Show more tiles, which give 4 tile-wide columns. The number of maximum tiles in the Start menu increased from 512 to 2048 tiles. A higher level of consistency among context menus is also visible.
The new update can be installed using the Windows 10 update center.
