Destroy Windows 10 Spying Updated with Options for Windows 7 and 8.1

Destroy Windows 10 Spying is an application that does exactly what its name says: it disables data collection in Microsoft’s new operating system and helps privacy-obsessed users prevent any information from leaving their computers.

And thanks to a new version released today, the application gets not only more options specifically aimed at Windows 10 but also at the previous versions of the operating system that are also getting data collection updates.

Both Windows 7 and 8.1 have received a number of updates lately that are enabling data collection, so this new update for Destroy Windows 10 Spying comes to block these features.

Version 1.5 Build 528 adds support to remove more spying updates that were released to Windows 7 and 8.1 computers, while also integrating options to disable the SmartScreen features that offer additional protection against a number of attacks based on social engineering and drive-by downloads.

Obviously, Microsoft’s recommendation doesn’t change, and the company says that installing this kind of apps can harm your computer and operating system’s stability, so make sure you create a backup before anything else to remain on the safe side.

If you’re okay with this and want to give the application a try, go ahead and download Destroy Windows 10 Spying to see what it’s up to and enhance your privacy in Windows 10.

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Microsoft on Windows 10 Privacy Violation Claims: We're Not Spying on Users

It's not a secret that many accused Microsoft for trying to spy on its users with Windows 10, and the settings that are enabled by default in the new OS are said to be the living proof for that, but in a new blog post rolled out today, the software giant clearly explains this is not the case.

Windows boss Terry Myerson says Windows 10 was designed “with two straightforward privacy principles in mind,” so that it collects information that can help the company make the product work better for you and you are always in control of what you share.

Myerson admits that some information is collected from user computers, including anonymous device ID, device type, and application crash data, which the company can use to improve the operating system and software running on it.

But Myerson explains that no files or private content is sent to Microsoft, so information that can directly identify you, such as name, email address, or account ID stays right there on your PC. What's more, everything is encrypted “in transit to our servers and then stored in secure facilities,” so no one beside Microsoft can access it.

Data needed to improve Windows 10

The Windows boss then goes on to explain how this collected information can help improve Windows 10.

“Aggregate data showed us that a particular version of a graphics driver was crashing on some Windows 10 PCs, which then caused a reboot. This driver was not widely used, but still the issue was impacting customers. We immediately contacted the partner who builds the driver and worked with them to turn around a fix to Windows Insiders within 24 hours.

We used the data on Insiders’ devices to confirm that the problem was resolved, and then rolled out the fix to the broad public via an update the next day – all-in-all, this data helped us find, fix and resolve a significant problem within 48 hours.”

Myerson also said that personal information might be collected if you keep Cortana on, but this is only needed because “we aspire to deliver a delightful and personalized Windows experience to you.” You control what data is collected though, he added, and you can always change the settings if you don't want to send something to the company. Although he didn't mention what personal information can be collected, this includes typed text, browsing history, and spoken commands for Cortana.

And last but not least, the Windows boss also emphasized that no email or other communication content is scanned by the company to deliver targeted advertising “unlike some other platforms,” which is a clear reference at Google and how the company scans Gmail content for better ads.

Overall, this new statement is supposed to reassure Windows 10 users that their data is fully secure when installing the new operating system. And yet, Myerson failed to answer one big question: why is Windows 10 phoning home even when you disable all tracking services and data collection processes?

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Microsoft Explains When You Need a Windows 10 Product Key and When You Don’t

With Windows 10, Microsoft introduced a new activation system called digital entitlement that allows users to upgrade from an older operating system, such as Windows 7 and 8.1, to the new one without the need for a product key.

Once the upgrade is complete, the system automatically activates (assuming you were running a genuine version of Windows 7 or 8.1), with Microsoft then allowing you to clean install without asking for a product key anymore.

Windows 10 is re-activated every time you reinstall thanks to this digital entitlement system that attaches a product key to your system (manual re-activation is needed when you make significant changes to your PC configuration, such as replacing the motherboard).

In an updated article in the Windows 10 FAQ, Microsoft details the scenarios when you need a product key for the new OS or not, explaining however that all users upgrading from an older version do not need one.

Digital entitlement

Basically, the digital entitlement system works in four different cases, as it follows:

You upgraded to Windows 10 for free from an eligible device running a genuine copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
You bought genuine Windows 10 from the Windows Store and successfully activated Windows 10.
You bought a Windows 10 Pro upgrade from the Windows Store and successfully activated Windows 10.
You’re a Windows Insider and upgraded to the newest Windows 10 Insider Preview build on an eligible device that was running an activated previous version of Windows and Windows 10 Preview.
This means that even if you purchased Windows 10 from the store, you are allowed to clean-install without the need for the product key. You can re-install as many times as you want and re-activation should be performed all automatically.

Product key

A product key, however, is needed in the following scenarios:

You bought a copy of Windows 10 from an authorized retailer.
You bought a digital copy of Windows 10 from an authorized retailer.
You have a Volume Licensing agreement for Windows 10 or MSDN subscription.
You bought a new device running Windows 10.
Simply put, if you’re a new Windows 10 customer who just purchased a device running the OS, you need a product key. This is the traditional system used for the other versions of Windows, so you should find the product key on a small label that comes with your disc or which is attached to your device.

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Windows 10 Going 3D: Microsoft Patents 3D Live Tiles, Opens Up New Horizons for HoloLens

If you’re a long-time Windows user, you’re probably aware of Microsoft’s obsession for live tiles, a new feature that was first implemented in Windows 8 when the Start screen replaced the super popular and traditional Start menu on desktops and tablets.

The very same live tiles are now part of Windows 10 in both the Start menu and the Start screen, and Microsoft is looking into several ways to improve them for its next products.

One possible method to completely transform live tiles is by turning them into 3D interactive objects that would be available on devices powered by Windows 10. Microsoft has been granted a patent for 3D live tiles recently and this is living proof that the company is indeed planning to go in this direction.

What are 3D live tiles?

A live tile is essentially a dynamic program shortcut that Microsoft first used for Metro apps introduced in Windows 8. Live tiles display information provided by the app without the need for actually opening the app itself, such as weather information, playback details, and new email subjects.

The information a live tile can now provide is somewhat limited, but the new concept of 3D live tiles could completely change the way the standard version works.

Microsoft explains in the patent that “A basic concept used herein will be that of a three-dimensional volume with faces. A volume or its faces may correspond to applications or elements (sub applications) thereof, with appropriate icons or graphic representations displayed thereon.

“A volume may be any three-dimensional volumetric shape, such as a pyramid, cube, and polyhedron, etc. When displayed, the volume may have graphic faces and edges, or alternately, transparent or semi-transparent faces and edges (or no edges).”

In other words, the live tile will have more than just one “face” and thus be able to display much more information than it does right now.

How to interact with 3D live tiles

This is where the revolutionary part comes into play. Naturally, the easiest way to interact with a 3D live tile is by touch. If these ever make their way into our devices, touch will be the main way to work with them, but there’s most likely another method that Microsoft is working on behind closed doors.

HoloLens, Microsoft’s new revolutionary device that makes holograms part of our lives, could be used to directly interact with 3D live tiles, letting us rotate and “touch” them in the most natural way possible.

3D live tiles could thus become interactive cubes that would be displayed across a virtual room that you can control with HoloLens, in the same way Microsoft demonstrated earlier this year at its events.

For the moment, 3D live tiles are still in concept stage, but if everything goes according to plan, expect at least a demo to be presented by Microsoft at a future conference. As for the final version, we’ll probably have several more years to wait before this actually sees daylight.

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Microsoft Updates Huge Batch of Windows 10 Apps

Microsoft has just released a huge pack of improvements for its Windows 10 apps as part of its Windows as a Service approach that brings us updates really, really often.

Today, the whole Office Mobile suite got updated, so if you’re running Word, PowerPoint, or Excel to work with documents, make sure you have a look in the store to get the new versions. OneNote also received its very own updates, and so did Mail and Calendar, which actually got another update only a few days ago.

The Office Mobile suite is offered free of charge on devices with a display of 10 inches or smaller, while everyone can use it with an Office 365 subscription. All apps are updated through the store.

Microsoft Photos, Groove Music, Phone Companion, Solitaire Collection, and Movies & TV are the other apps that have been updated by Microsoft today.

Unfortunately, Microsoft hasn’t released any change log for these new versions, so we can’t tell exactly what’s new and what’s been fixed. Most likely, these are all performance improvements and bug fixes, so you should notice increased speed, better stability and performance boosts after installing them.

If you can’t see the new versions just yet, launch the store and look in the Downloads and updates section to force the scanning process. The download could take a while because some apps, such as PowerPoint Mobile, received more than 100 MB worth of updates.

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