Windows 10 Insider Preview 14352 Lets Cortana Spin Tracks As Your Personal DJ
Another week, another Windows 10 Insider Preview build! This time, Microsoft is only targeting users on the 'Fast' ring, meaning that the build should be considered bleeding-edge with the possibility of noticeable bugs being present. If you're not concerned with such things, build 14352 has a couple of cool treats in store.
At the forefront, Cortana has received a big update, with Microsoft touting the ability to turn the AI assistant into a personal DJ. Through its Groove music service, Microsoft allows you to use Cortana to pick and choose something to play, and then control it. Commands such as "Hey Cortana, play Taylor Swift" or "Hey Cortana, play 'Party Songs'" can be used. You can also tell Cortana to pause or unpause the music, in case that keyboard shortcut becomes too arduous.
While Groove integration is a fun feature, Microsoft added a potentially useful one, too. Now, you can use Cortana to set a timer, useful for many different scenarios. Put something in the oven and don't want to forget about it? Just tell Cortana to set a timer for the desired time, and it'll remind you when it expires.
Windows Ink has also been given a healthy update. You can now create reminders from your notes that Microsoft says will "flow with you across" all of your Cortana-enabled devices. You're also able to jot down a phone number, which will ready itself for dialing. Ink is largely a tie-in with Edge, but Microsoft wishes to remind us that Sticky Notes is also a stand-alone app, which can be found in the Start menu.
Other updates included with build 14352 include an updated File Explorer icon (yes, just one), improved Windows Game Bar support (notably, Dota 2 and League of Legends can now take advantage), and as always, a slew of bugs have been squashed as well. If you're running on the Fast ring, you should see the update now; if you're on the Slow ring, it's only a matter of time before the update trickles on down to you.