Windows 10 Will Bring Native Support For .Mkv And Flac Files

Microsoft is planning to add the .MKV and FLAC support on Windows 10 for next year, to expand its support for other popular media file formats. Microsoft is also adding the native support for audio codecs and advanced video in Windows 10 Developer Preview. 

Windows 10 build 9860 was recently released by Microsoft, wherein they have also given the native support for .MKV and FLAC media formats. As far as these media formats are concerned, these were not supported by Microsoft in any of their builds and as recent as Windows 8.1. This lead to the user getting the pop-up displaying that, “File is not supported by the player”, when they tried opening these formats in windows media player. Gabriel Aul from the Windows Insider Program posted some of the screenshots on Twitter depicting the FLAC support in Windows media player. Going by the lossless nature of the file format, the FLAC support by the media player for Windows 10 has taken the high-end audio fanatic community by a large storm.

Further, the company is also looking to offer platform-level support for MKV and FLAC media formats, this means that now a 3rd party application also will be able to play these files. One of the best features is the fact that a user does not need to search and install plug-ins in their media player to play these files. This news is even more exciting as Microsoft is currently working on unveiling their new consumer-centric features of Windows 10 in late of January 2015. From this, it is very clear that the company is trying to reach out to the fans of the AV and making the right changes, which will mainly helping in boosting the multimedia competency of Windows 10.

Need of FLAC and .MKV format: 

High-end audio fans love to use FLAC files as it promises everything, which required for crystal clear sounds. But unfortunately, this format is not widely-supported; however it is going to get the space in Windows 10. Last month Microsoft officials stated that now Windows 10 will support .MKV format also.

As now Microsoft is providing the platform-level support for FLAC and .MKV format, so it clear that now third party applications will be able to play their specific files on Windows 10. It will be helpful for users as; now they don’t need to face any hassle such as; installing plug-ins and other software’s in order to play the files of these formats.

Although FLAC is not a very widely supported format, but it is loved by the high end audio fans as it preserves the quality of the music as it would be in any music studio. It has the capability of reducing the original audio file to 60 % of its original size. This is possible through the fancy algorithm of FLAC. With the passing, we are getting new information about the yet to be launched Windows 10 operating system

The other positive aspect of FLAC is that it is an open and non-proprietary format with royalty-free licensing. Currently, there is no patent or any kind of issues that anyone has to worry about regarding FLAC. FLAC is known for boasting about their support for metadata tagging, cover art, album and fast seeking. Microsoft is ready to unveil these consumer-centric features in January 2015, for Windows 10. It is making the clear statement that now in January is targeting the AV geeks and enthusiasts.

Windows 8.1 new patches available!

While Windows 8.1 will be officially released during the month of August, but in the mean time Microsoft continues to fix some bugs in the Public Preview. Thus, there are three patches that are currently deployed via Windows Update. They bring greater stability to SkyDrive and bug fixes for Internet Explorer 11 or the tethering function. The final version of Windows 8.1 is not expected until next month from Microsoft and certainly not before the fall in PC manufacturers meet. A Public Preview is available since the end of June and can give a good overview of the changes made by the Redmond over Windows 8, released last year. Still, the software giant is making adjustments in the Public Preview. A first one was made very recently, while three other patches are pushed for several hours. The first is to make it more stable SkyDrive storage service house online. The second patch seeks to solve a bug in Internet Explorer 11 when timer and VBScript code is used within a web page, according to specific scenarios. The third patch is meanwhile to improve the functioning of tethering, which made its debut with Windows 8.1, and that did not work as expected. As a reminder, it allows you to share an Internet connection if a 3G / 4G modem is present in the device.

Microsoft announces seven security updates in July Patch

The July Patch (July 9, 2013) brings Windows users probably seven security updates. They include updates for some critical vulnerability in Microsoft software. By this update Microsoft plugs critical security flaws in Windows operating systems. Microsoft's July Patch security updates out seven. The Company classifies six as "important” and other as “critical", the seventh. To repair among other gaps in the Microsoft operating systems from Windows XP, in the Office suite of office applications and Internet Explorer. Microsoft Suffice to a patch that takes care of the issue discovered from Google employee Tavis Ormandy vulnerability of mid-May in this update. Microsoft's Patch Tuesday is usually on the second Tuesday of each month instead - the next Patch Tuesday is thus 13 August 2013. The security updates will be installed automatically with the appropriate active Internet connection.

Microsoft OneNote updated for Android and iOS

The application has been completely reviewed, Microsoft provides, particularly in terms of user interface and functions portage have been strengthened. Microsoft continues to consolidate its desktop offering for Smartphones. After the launch of Office Mobile for iOS (reserved for Office 365 subscribers), the publisher today reviewing OneNote which remember is proposed independently on Android and iOS (iPad and iPhone). These include better compete with the king of the sector, namely Evernote which has no less than 65 million users worldwide. The application allows you to manage, sync and share sets of notes has been extensively revised for the two platforms, announces Redmond. The user interface has been redesigned to be more consistent from one platform to another and sharing tools have been strengthened through the collaborative work (editing tools in real time for several employees on the same document). The timing of notes with SkyDrive and SharePoint Pro is now automatic and the list of recently opened notebooks is also synchronized. The program of festivities of the iPad version: a new toolbar for formatting options, full screen mode, the appearance of a search engine. The Android version has also acquired an internal search engine and the ability to record voice memos.