ICYMI: August 8, 2015

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A lot can happen in a week. Seven days might not seem like much, but it can be an eternity in the tech news cycle.

Between Windows news, hardware and software developments and Microsoft's fast-paced movements throughout the technology landscape, it's never easy to keep your hand on the pulse of technology. Not to mention everything that's going on right here at Windows Central!

Every week we're going to compile the biggest stories into one post, so you never fall behind – In Case You Missed It (ICYMI).

Windows

Windows

Just short of a week after its release, Microsoft began rolling out Windows 10's first major post-launch update. Weighing in at 325MB, the "KB3081424" was without a specific changelog but was a cumulative update loaded with bug fixes and performance updates.

We found out Tuesday at Gamescom that Xbox One will be getting Windows 10 in November, complete with DirectX 12. Those of us who are Xbox preview members will get a taste of it sometime in September.

Microsoft also released a preview of their Windows Bridge for iOS tool to the open source community. The tool, which allows iOS developers to convert their wares to Windows 10, will be a key component in wooing app creators and bringing apps to the platform.

Since it launched on July 29, the number of people installing Windows 10 just keeps climbing. In fact, estimates are that it could now be installed on as many as 27 million PCs.

But people who haven't made the jump still may have questions. The team here at Windows Central has been working feverishly to bring you the info you need to know. For instance, is it better to upgrade to Windows 10 or to do a clean install?

This week, we've also added tutorials on how to deal with common errors you may experience during an upgrade, how to enable Windows 10's dark theme, how to use Live Tiles, and some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts for Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. Check out all of our Windows 10 tips and tricks

Other notable items:

Microsoft

Microsoft

OneDrive got a nice little bump across different platforms. The update lets users sync Shared Folders on their devices, making it much easier to access all of their data just about anywhere.

But with Gamescom 2015 happening this week, Xbox dominated the Microsoft news sphere. One big announcement was that Xbox One will be getting an Over-the-air TV DVR feature. The DVR function, which is due in 2016, will also be able to stream shows to Windows 10 devices, much like it can games at the moment.

With the added ability to record television, users may need a little extra storage space. With that in mind, Seagate and Microsoft teamed up to create a 2TB HDD for the Xbox One.

We also got a bit more information about the cross-game and cross-buy features headed to Windows 10 and Xbox One. The unfortunate news is that instead of the "buy once, get everywhere" model for games that we hoped we would be getting, cross-buy support will only apply to in-game purchases and DLC packs, rather than for the games themselves.

The good news is that once Microsoft perfects the process with their own games, the functionality could expand to third-party developers.

If you weren't able to follow us during all of the action of Gamescon 2015, be sure to catch up on everything that went down by checking out Windows Central's coverage of the event.

Other notable items:

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous

After weeks of speculation, Nokia sealed the deal and finally sold their HERE division to Audi, BMW and Daimler. The deal is worth $3 billion.

We chatted with Stardock CEO Brad Wardell about the company's Windows 10 version of their Start menu alternative, Start10. We also got the chance to discuss DirectX 12 and their upcoming game offerings.

Intel launched their new 6th-gen i5 and i7 processors. The new "Skylake" 4GHz Core i7-6700K and 3.5GHz Core i5-6600K chips have been specifically designed and manufactured for gamers and performance enthusiasts.

And finally, Verizon announced that as of August 13, it will revamp its data plans and ditch phone contracts. The four new options, which customers can share with up to ten devices, will be:

  • Small: $30/month for 1GB of shareable data
  • Medium: $45/month for 3GB of shareable data
  • Large: $60/month for 6GB of shareable data
  • X-Large: $80/month for 12GB of shareable data

Big Red is also doing away with phone subsidies, giving people the option to buy a device outright at its full retail price or spread the cost out over monthly payments.

Other notable items:

Share your thoughts on this past week of news! And we'll be back again next week to do it all over again.

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Seth Brodeur
Seth Brodeur