Microsoft has just rolled out a brand-new Windows 10 preview build – 10061 – to users who’ve set their update option to the “fast” ring. Microsoft notes that those on the “slow” ring will remain stuck with 10041, as 10049 introduced a language pack bug it doesn’t want to risk plaguing its patient users with. Those who installed 10049 are advised to refer to this guide to reclaim some storage space.
First seen in the non-public 10051 build, 10061 features brand-new Mail and Calendar apps, which are made to be simpler and look much more modern than the previous versions. I sourced 10051 from the darkest depths of the Web when it came out, and I really did like what I saw from both apps.
By default, this build of Windows 10 features a cool black theme, but if you already have had customized it with color in the past, it’ll pull that setting in instead. Also new here is the ability to enable transparency, which in my opinion can make the new Start menu design look a lot better.
Finally, 10061 also brings some important updates to Continuum, task view, and virtual desktops. There are a good number of known bugs, so be sure to check here to make sure that none of them would be considered a roadblock for you.
If you’re interested in updating to 10061, simply set your preview build option to the “fast” ring. Pre-built ISOs are not currently available, but I’d expect them to drop within the week.
It’s also worth noting that at the RSA Conference on Monday, Microsoft announced that Windows 10 would be including a feature called ‘Device Guard’. As it sounds, system administrators will be able to control how different devices – especially those not supplied by the company – are treated. The ultimate goal here is to prevent malware and persistent threats from infecting systems as much as possible. Part of what makes this useful is that devices could operate in a sandbox of sorts to keep potential issues away from the rest of the system. Clearly, this is a feature targeted at the enterprise, and that very well could be where it remains.
All I know for sure right now is that Windows 10 is shaping up to be a great release.