Microsoft shows off its fun side with Windows 10 Creators Update
Microsoft is launching a new update to Windows 10 next year that will focus on 3D multimedia, social sharing and gaming.
The Creators Update is coming in spring 2017, Microsoft announced at a press event in New York City Wednesday. It will be a free download for all Windows 10 users.
Paint 3D
The new update will come with Paint 3D, which will allow users to create and share three-dimensional images — no more of those flat bitmaps.
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In a demonstration video for the new program, Microsoft showed children working on Surface computers. They were able to create and shape little creatures on their screens and manipulate educational 3D images.
Megan Saunders, a general manager at Microsoft, demonstrated how users will be able to import "real world" images into Paint 3D. A smartphone app called Windows Capture 3D Experience will allow people to scan in objects using their camera. Then, they can plop them directly into Paint 3D, where they can be manipulated, spliced into new images and so on.
Other Microsoft apps like the Edge internet browser are also getting 3D support. There was a special emphasis on Powerpoint 3D, which will allow users to incorporate three-dimensional shapes and illustrations into their presentations.
HoloLens
Microsoft demonstrated how its augmented reality headset can be used with Paint 3D. Say you use your phone to scan a sand castle into the program. You can create a new image using that sand castle, then export it into the "real world" to view with your HoloLens.
It's all a bit jargon-y, but the bottom line is that you can draw stuff in 3D, put special glasses on, and look at your new creation on your kitchen table, like so:
Microsoft announced that relatively inexpensive "mixed reality" headsets from companies like Lenovo, Dell, HP and Acer will be coming next year, allowing users to explore virtual worlds and interact with 3D imagery (like that sand castle) in their "real" environment.
MyPeople
The Windows 10 Creators Update contains a new social feature called "MyPeople" that will streamline interactions with your friends and family.
SMS, Skype, Xbox Live and other services will all be tied in, and you'll get desktop notifications when you receive new messages from select individuals.
While Microsoft says this will help you "cut through the noise," because you won't have a million apps open at once, this actually looks a bit complicated — when you get a notification, you click into it and select how you want to respond, and there are a number of tiles to choose from.
Still, the feature brings Windows 10 a bit closer to the seamless messaging experience Mac and iOS users enjoy. If you have an iPhone, you can send texts, images and videos using the Messages app on your MacBook — no need to open your phone and type on that little keyboard. MyPeople essentially does the same thing on Windows 10, with a lot of Microsoft services tied in.
Gaming
Finally, there are some new goodies for gamers in Windows 10 Creators Edition.
It'll be integrated into Microsoft's Beam system, the company's Twitch competitor. Users will be able to livestream gameplay from their PC and organize custom "Arena" tournaments. Windows 10 will communicate seamlessly with Xbox Live, so you'll be able to track your progress in games like Forza no matter which device you're using. The Creators Update will also support 4K gaming.
Damon Beres is an Executive Editor at Mashable, overseeing tech and science coverage. Previously, he was Senior Tech Editor at The Huffington Post. His work has appeared in Reader's Digest, Esquire.com, the New York Daily News and other fine outlets.
