By Tracey Capen
When Windows 10 was first released back at the end of July, the recommendation was to wait for the first major update before migrating to the new OS. That big fix for Win10 is due out any day now.
Plus: Google puts another nail in the Windows XP coffin — and adds another one for Vista, too.
Still waiting for Windows 10 Fall Update
As has been widely reported, the much-anticipated, next major Win10 update, Version 1511, is due out this month. Some reports claim that its essentially Insider build 10586, which went to the fast ring Nov. 5 and then to the slow ring Nov. 9. As a reminder, fast-ring releases are generally quite stable but could have some significant bugs; slow-ring releases are close to a finished product.
There have also been numerous speculations/predictions that it would be released on the regular monthly Patch Tuesday. But based on the updates offered this Patch Tuesday, the Fall Update is still a no-show. Still, the past few months, Microsoft has been much more loosie-goosie about its Windows and Office update schedule. The current betting is that it will start rolling out this Thursday, Nov. 12.
The update could arrive any day now, and it should be chunky. Win10 users should prepare for a relatively long download-and-install process.
Time for XP and Vista users to dump Chrome
A Nov. 10 Google Chrome Blog post notes that Google will no longer send out updates and security fixes for Chrome on XP and Vista. But theres no need to panic; the new policy reportedly starts in April, 2016. Dropping support for Vista is a bit puzzling; Microsoft will send out security updates until April 11, 2017. Mark your calendars.
(The new Chrome policy isnt restricted to Windows; Apple OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion) and earlier versions will also no longer get Chrome updates.)
The post notes that Chrome will continue to work on those platforms. But if theres any single app category that you want to keep updated, its your browsers.
Finally, Google Maps while offline
Smartphones have become the go-to devices for searching locations and viewing maps. But when your connection to the Internet gets spotty, digital navigation can also get dicey. Its the primary reason I use a standalone GPS unit in my truck.
Now, however, not only can you run Google Maps to your mobile device, you can download geographic data for use offline. That includes, according to the Google announcement, turn-by-turn directions and points of interest. Apparently, the app will automatically switch between online and offline modes, based on its ability to connect to the Net.
Not surprisingly, the new Google Maps is available only for Android devices; an iOS version is "coming soon."
Audible vs. Kindle Unlimited; pros and cons
I dont have much time to sit and read books, but Ive been an Audible.com subscribers since its inception. Currently, I pay $14.95 for one book a month, and I listen to Sci-Fi, history, and mysteries while walking the dogs and doing other stuff that doesnt require much thought. Ive especially enjoyed audio books during long road trips up and down the Left Coast.
I also have a Kindle account for times when I can sit and read. So my interest was piqued when I received a Kindle Unlimited offer for just $10 a month (with a 30-day free trial). The $10 fee doesnt restrict you to one or two books a month — its effectively unlimited. Whats especially intriguing is that the digital book Im reading lets me switch back and forth between reading and listening modes.
So it seems as if Kindle Unlimited might be a better deal than Audible (which is owned by Amazon). But the proof of the pudding is, as they say, in the eating — the two services are different. You effectively purchase an Audible book. If you cancel your Audible membership, you still have access to all the books youve paid for. Whether thats a plus depends on whether you reread books.
Kindle, on the other hand, is more like a library — you borrow books. When you cancel your Kindle membership, you lose access to any books youve selected.
But its a bit more complicated than that. A Kindle Unlimited account includes access to a limited selection of Audible books. How many is hard to say, but the Amazon site lists over 4,500 books with narration. (It also list over a million books in the Kindle Unlimited library.) Oddly, the Audible site states that you can pick from over 60,000 Kindle books with the audio option. And Audible has a catalog of over 180,000 titles, including books, magazines, and other content.
So which is better? That, of course, depends on your reading habits. It youre like me and have little time for actual reading, Audible is probably the better way to go. If you have more time on your hands and are less picky about what you read, Kindle Unlimited looks like a good deal.
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