Microsoft removes blocked store from Windows 10 Pro

Businesses running the professional version of Windows 10 can no longer block access to the Windows Store.

Following an update the function is now available only on the more expensive Windows 10 Enterprise version, as well as the Education edition.

Many firms try to prevent staff from downloading additional software as it can cause problems with existing programs and affect productivity.

Microsoft said it had made the change "by design".

"Windows 10 Enterprise is our offering that provides IT pros with the most granular control over company devices," the tech giant said in a statement.

"Windows 10 Pro offers a subset of those capabilities and is recommended for small and mid-size businesses looking for some management controls, but not the full suite necessary for IT pros at larger enterprises."

Educate staff

John Harrison, owner of Harrison IT services, said the change could cause problems for small businesses.

"Users like to change settings or try to install software by themselves. If they don't know what they're doing or don't have the appropriate experience, they can cause all kinds of issues," he said.

"You are going to have to educate staff, tell them not to use the Windows Store unless it really is relevant to the business. How do you manage that policy?"

In September 2015 there were 669,000 apps on the Windows Store, according to Microsoft's own figures.

Microsoft says there are 300 million devices using Windows 10 one year after its launch.

On 29 July, a free upgrade offer for Windows users with earlier versions of the operating system will come to an end.

Cortana India to be updated with Windows 10 Anniversary Update

India is one of the 13 countries to get the updated version of Cortana as Microsoft is focused on "getting it right" for its "most important countries"

India will be one of the 13 countries that will get the updated version of Microsoft's Cortana this summer. The new version will be a part of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. Cortana’s Group Program Manager, Marcus Ash, told PTI that the update would be available for smartphones and desktop computers. He added that Microsoft is focused on “getting it right” for its “most important countries,” particularly India, China and Japan. Ash also said that Microsoft is starting to think about expanding Cortana to other languages given the different regional languages and dialects in India. 
Cortana was officially made available in India with the Threshold 2 update to Windows 10. During Microsoft Build 2016, the company unveiled a number ofnew features that Cortana could be getting in the future. This included integration with Outlook, that would allow it to check emails and calendars. The personal assistant would also become more proactive and will suggest restaurants or arrange transportation. Additionally, developers will get complete access to Cortana’s proactive intelligence, which would allow them to make their apps perform tasks based on user context. Now I can use updated Cortana on my iphone as cortana organizes my life. You can view the apps description cortana. Although, we will get to know more about it after its full review.  

What to expect at Microsoft's Build 2016

Microsoft is holding its annual Build developer conference from March 30 to April 1 and the company is expected to make announcements related to Windows 10, UWP, HoloLens, and more.

Microsoft is hosting its annual Build developer conference from March 30 to April 1 this year. During the conference, Microsoft is expected to make a number of key announcements related to Windows 10, Universal Windows Platform, HoloLens, IoT, and more. Here’s what you can expect from this year’s Build conference.

Windows 10 

After announcing the new operating system last year, Microsoft may unveil some new features for the OS. The company is expected to bring updates to Notifications and Live Tiles, with “two highly-requested surprises” for the latter. Rumours suggest that Microsoft may introduce interactive Live Tiles that would allow users to interact with them without opening the app. The company is also expected to talk about its new Edge browser and show ways developers could integrate biometric identification into websites using Windows Hello.

The company may also talk about the future of Cortana and Continuum at the event. Finally, there may also be talk about game development on Windows, now that games will be available across consoles, PC, phones, tablets, and more.

Universal Windows Platform 

Last year, the company unveiled its Windows bridges that would allow developers to port apps from other platforms like iOS and Android over to Windows. However, following the acquisition of Xamarin, Microsoft discontinued the Android bridge called Project Astoria. Xamarin allows developers to write apps in a single programing language and customise the software to run on Android, iOS, and Windows. The company may also showcase some improvements in the user interface and experience in the Universal Windows Platform (UWP).

HoloLens

The first shipments of the Developer Edition of the HoloLens start from March 30, so expect Microsoft to talk about development for the AR headset. The company has been talking about HoloLens every chance it gets anyway. Microsoft will be holding sessions on educational experiences in HoloLens as well as its apps. The company is holding a session on developing UWP apps on HoloLens. These apps are called ‘2D apps’ by Microsoft, since they are projected on 2D surfaces and the company will inform developers how to ensure their apps work well on a platform like HoloLens.

Xbox

Microsoft is expected to talk about bringing UWP apps to the Xbox One console now that it has received the Windows 10 update. The company will be hosting a session on how to build apps for the console as well as integrating Windows 10 UWP games with Xbox Live. In addition, the company may talk about cross-platform play.

IoT and Cloud

Microsoft is also expected to talk about IoT and the cloud at Build 2016. The company is holding a number of sessions on its Azure cloud computing platform and IoT. In addition, the company will talk about building apps for Azure as well as home automation using IoT and UWP apps.