Microsoft has unveiled its subsequent massive Home windows 11 replace, chock full of recent options and capabilities. Nonetheless, the star of the present is Bing.
If it weren’t for the truth that Microsoft’s ChatGPT-powered Bing Chat dominated tech headlines for the final two weeks, I’d be shocked that Bing could be the standout addition to Home windows 11. That is the world we stay in now. In a blog post in regards to the new Home windows 11 replace, Panos Panay, chief product officer, outlined that the Home windows 11 taskbar would now embrace entry to the brand new Bing within the search bar.
Bing Chat on the Home windows 11 taskbar | Picture credit score: Microsoft
Microsoft didn’t say far more about Bing Chat in Home windows 11, but it surely did clarify that these within the Bing preview could have entry after putting in the brand new Home windows 11 replace. When you haven’t joined the waitlist for the Bing preview, you’ll be able to be taught extra about how to take action here.
Past Bing
Cellphone Hyperlink for iOS | Picture credit score: Microsoft
In fact, Bing was one in every of many bulletins. Microsoft additionally shared that Home windows 11 would get a preview of Cellphone Hyperlink for iOS. Cellphone Hyperlink, for these unfamiliar, is a Home windows function for linking numerous smartphone options, similar to entry to messaging, apps in your telephone, sharing photographs and movies, and extra. The iOS model of Cellphone Hyperlink will permit sending and receiving iMessages, as reported by The Verge.
Thus far, Cellphone Hyperlink has solely actually labored with Android, and Samsung telephones getting essentially the most function assist. It’s nice to see Cellphone Hyperlink increasing to incorporate iPhone. I believe this was sped alongside by competitors from the launch of Intel Unison, an analogous phone-to-PC connection software program that does assist iPhones. These concerned about making an attempt the Cellphone Hyperlink for iOS preview can be taught extra here.
Revamped contact taskbar | Picture credit score: Microsoft
Microsoft additionally highlighted current Cellphone Hyperlink enhancements for Android customers, particularly mentioning the flexibility to activate your Samsung telephone’s hotspot with a click on out of your PC, or the ‘Latest Web sites’ function that may switch your searching classes out of your Samsung telephone to your Home windows PC.
Microsoft says it up to date Windows Studio Effects to make it simpler to entry the options from the taskbar. Together with that, Microsoft revamped the ‘Chat’ function of the Home windows 11 taskbar with a video preview to assist streamline the method of leaping right into a video name.
Snipping Instrument will allow you to file your display screen
Snipping Instrument with display screen recording capabilities | Picture credit score: Microsoft
Furthermore, Microsoft added a revamped ‘Fast Help’ app that ought to make it simpler for the tech-savvy amongst you to assist troubleshoot buddies’ and members of the family’ Home windows woes. Fast Help contains the flexibility to change between display screen sharing and full management throughout a session, in addition to a brand new “laser pointer” folks can use to focus on icons, menus and extra.
Maybe one of many different thrilling additions — a minimum of for me — is that the Snipping Instrument will now have the ability to file an space of the display screen. It is a big bonus as somebody who usually desires to file a part of my display screen to make a GIF for a narrative I’m engaged on.
Home windows 11 Vitality suggestions | Picture credit score: Microsoft
Home windows 11 is getting new energy-saving options too. Within the Settings menu below System > Energy & Battery, there’s an ‘Vitality suggestions’ display screen that implies completely different settings folks can tweak to enhance vitality use.
Wrapping issues up, Microsoft expanded Home windows 11’s Widgets system with new choices from Cellphone Hyperlink, Xbox Sport Cross and companions like Meta and Spotify, there’s an improved touchscreen mode with a minimized taskbar, Notepad now has tabs, and there are new accessibility choices within the Home windows 11 replace.
You may take a look at all the pieces new in Home windows 11 here.
Replace 2023/02/28 at 9:04am ET: Added extra details about Cellphone Hyperlink for iOS supporting iMessage.
