New Windows 10 preview is all about Ubuntu Bash and battery fixes, says Microsoft
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14332 is available for testers in Microsoft's Fast Ring.
Microsoft's latest Windows 10 test build brings improvements to Bash on Ubuntu and power management, as well as a new Office 365 search feature using Cortana.
The improvements are available now in Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14332 in Microsoft's Fast Ring, the circuit for Windows testers who like living on the bleeding edge and aren't afraid of a few bugs.
Earlier this month Microsoft released its first Fast Ring preview that supported native Bash on Ubuntu on Windows. Testers were quick to report network issues that prevented some tools running in Bash from accessing the internet, such as problems running apt-get update. According to Microsoft, these networking issues have been addressed in this build.
It's also made improvements to Command Prompt, such as windows scaling, font selection, cursor rendering and hiding, background color painting, and scrolling for nano and EMACS editors.
It looks as if Microsoft is working on improving the battery life of Windows 10 PCs with new technology it's testing that optimizes devices, such as Surface, which support Connected Standby. The new feature aims to power down unnecessary activities while still keeping the device connected to the internet.
"As a result, if you're using a Surface or other Connected Standby PC, many of you will notice improved and more consistent standby battery life," Microsoft notes.
It is the Fast Ring, so testers shouldn't be surprised if the feature is unstable. Microsoft has offered instructions to revert to the old behavior on Connected Standby if that occurs. Either way, it wants feedback.
Finally, the build expands Cortana's reach as a search tool, introducing a new ability for it to scour through email, contacts, and calendar in Office 365.
It can also search files in OneDrive for Business and SharePoint. Users will need to apply a filter, such as email, and documents to target particular files. However, Microsoft notes in an update that the feature may not work at present due to a server-side bug that it's working to resolve.