Latest Windows 10 Insider Preview Build Sends Edge Browser Extensions to the Store
Microsoft has released a number of test builds for the new Windows 10 Anniversary Edition since announcing its pending arrival this summer. The latest Windows 10 Insider Preview Build, released last week, gives testers a look at a number of enhancements and bug fixes. But the primary emphasis is on the management of extensions to the Edge Web browser. In addition to introducing several new extensions, users must now access all of them from the Windows Store rather than finding them in folders.
The Windows Insider Preview Build 14342, pushed out to Fast Ring testers Wednesday, will also remove existing extensions from Edge, and users will have to reinstall and/or add new ones after downloading them from the Windows Store, said Corporate VP Gabe Aul, in a blog post announcing the latest release.
The new Edge extensions Aul highlighted were AdBlock, Adblock Plus, Pin It Button, Mouse Gestures, Reddit Enhancement Suite, Microsoft Translator and OneNote Web Clipper. Aul advised against installing both AdBlock and AdBlock Plus as they cause conflicts with one another. Following the initial release, Aul posted an updated note to the build that suggests uninstalling any extensions you no longer want rather than turning them off.
The new build also provides real-time Web notification with Edge. For instance, if you receive a message via Skype for Web while using an Xbox app, a notification will appear just as it does in an app. Edge users also now have swipe navigation, allowing users to swipe from anywhere on a page to return to a prior page.
Besides improvements to Edge, Microsoft outlined improvements to the OS itself including:
- Bash on Ubuntu: Symlinks within the Windows Subsystem for Linux now work on the mounted Windows directories.
- Updated Windows Ink Workspace icon: Microsoft claims the taskbar icon looks better and more consistent with others in the notification area.
- Skype UWP Preview Update: Support for multiple Skype accounts.
- Project Rome: Microsoft announced (and demonstrated) at Build 2016 plans to support redirecting of Web sites to open with an app. A new page at "Settings > System > Apps" is now available, though Aul noted no apps yet support that capability.
If you're on the Fast Ring and have looked at the latest builds, feel free to share your observations.
Posted by Jeffrey Schwartz on 05/16/2016 at 10:42 AM