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Source: Microsoft. The possibilities of Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, sketched on a Microsoft Surface by Michael Mindflyer.
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Microsoft has announced that the free Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will start rolling out to Windows 10 users worldwide, starting today. The fourth major update to Windows 10 is all about creativity, and is engineered to bring mixed reality and 3D to Windows users, enhancing gaming, audiovisual content and mixed reality.
Some highlights include:
Windows Ink gets better
With the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, users can now ink directly onto PDFs. Smart Ink also allows users to make squares more easily, or automatically turn doodled boxes into a proper table.
Create in 3D
"3D will offer the next major boost to human productivity, enabling a next generation of computing that moves far beyond the 2D world we’ve been confined to. This is so powerful because 3D is truly representative of the world you live in – improving the way you comprehend, retain, and learn," said Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate VP, Windows and Devices Group, Microsoft in a blog post.
Microsoft Paint users can now migrate to Paint 3D, where they can create and share 3D objects. 3D objects are supported by Microsoft Office - rotate and animate objects within documents and presentations.
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Source: Microsoft blog. This is what Windows Mixed Reality can do.
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See 3D creations in the real world
With Mixed Reality Viewer, users can view 3D objects in the real world and snap pictures of the virtual 3D objects using the world-facing camera on the PC. This is part of Microsoft's push to introduce the world of Windows Mixed Reality.
For accurate immersion in a virtual world, virtual reality technology often needs to track where a user is looking, for example by mounting cameras around a room. Acer, Dell, HP, and Lenovo are launching the first Windows Mixed Reality headsets, which come bundled with advanced motion controllers. "Windows Mixed Reality headsets are the only headsets that don’t require you to drill holes into your walls and you can take them on the go," said Mehdi.
Acer and HP will offer Windows Mixed Reality Headsets with motion controllers; the Lenovo Explorer headset is ergonomically designed; and the Dell Visor features 1,440 x 1,440 LCD panels for a sharp and smooth 360° panoramic experience. Samsung’s just-launched US$499 mixed reality headset, the Samsung HMD Odyssey, will be available November 6. The Samsung HMD Odyssey has dual AMOLED high-resolution displays, a 110-degree field of view, built-in premium AKG headphones, and integrated six degrees of freedom (DOF) inside-out position tracking.
The headsets will be supported by Windows Mixed Reality PCs and Windows Mixed Reality Ultra PCs. Windows Mixed Reality PCs refer to desktops and laptops with integrated graphics. When plugged into these devices, the new immersive headsets will run at 60 frames per second.
Windows Mixed Reality Ultra PCs are desktops and laptops with discrete graphics. Discrete graphics is typically more powerful than integrated graphics. When plugged into these devices, the headsets will run at 90 frames per second, which would deliver a smoother experience.
Save disk space
All files in OneDrive can now be accessed On-Demand, whether they have been synched to the PC or not. In essence, the files will appear in the File Explorer window without taking up any storage space on the PC hard disk.
Explore:
The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update can be experienced on a wide variety of Windows 10 PCs and on the new Windows Mixed Reality headsets. The headsets begin at US$399.
A calendar created in partnership with Singapore-based illustrator Michael Mindflyer provides a painless way to adopt a creative mindset over 21 days while getting to know the Fall Creators Update better. Day 1: start a creative checklist in Microsoft OneNote, and start doodling with Windows Ink's SketchPad on day 2. Download a high-resolution version of the calendar (PDF).
