Microsoft has announced that a new Taskbar feature will begin rolling out to Windows 10 users over the next few weeks, and the changes are set to provide a much more personal experience to regular Windows users. The new feature is called "News and Interests" and places a widget on the taskbar which gives you at-a-glance weather info along with the latest news from MSN.com. It could be just the kind of thing to further enhance the best home computers out there at the moment, especially if you can't decide between Windows or Mac.
The idea behind the feature is that you're likely to want the information right there rather than need to open up a browser window to learn more. Such quick access means you can easily check the current major headlines, as well as what the weather locally is doing, or your favorite sports team scores too. In a blog post by Windows' Aaron Woodman, the firm explains that no one wants to have to juggle devices or jump between websites which is why this at-a-glance method could prove so successful.
A simplified process, all you need to do is tap the weather prompt in the taskbar and you can gain some insight into everything you might want to learn about the day's events around the world. Microsoft has focused on providing 'snackable' news so there's no need to devote a lot of time to it if you simply want to check in quickly in between meetings or other work events. Crucially, it's far quicker to load up then to open a web browser or switch between tabs.
As you'd expect from such a service, it's possible to adjust what's shown to you. If you have no interest in financial news, for instance, you can swap that out for a different type of information card. You can also choose different news publishers so you can prioritize your favorite source of news rather than be stuck with anything that doesn't appeal. Major news organisations such as CNN, Fox News, Politico, and ESPN are all included here amongst many others.
If you're keen to keep up to date with daily happenings at a glance, "News and Interests" could be a useful substitute for your humble web browser. Of course, if you've checked out the best web browsers out there, speed shouldn't be an issue but added convenience is always helpful.
The new feature will roll out to Windows 10 users over the next few weeks. You don't have to do anything to add it. It'll just show up on its own once Microsoft gets to your PC. If you're not keen to use it, it's possible to disable too, but we suspect it'll be well worth trying for at least a little while.
