Microsoft debuts ebook support as part of latest Windows 10 test build

Microsoft released Windows 10 Creators Update Build 15014 to Fast Ring PC and Mobile testers on January 19.

Like the last two Insider test builds, 15014 includes quite a few new features. The blog post describing today’s build also includes an acknowledgement that Microsoft will not be delivering new “My People” feature that it showed off in October 2016 as part of the Creators Update, as it originally planned.

As leaked earlier this week, Microsoft is building support for ebooks into the Creators Update. Testers, starting with those in the U.S. as of today, will be able to purchase ebooks directly from the Windows Store and read them in Edge. Users also will be able to ask Cortana to define specific words and view embedded video and audio content in books.

My People — the ability to pin contacts to the taskbar and drag/drop photos, videos and other content directly on them to share — is now slated for “the next major update” of Windows 10 (a k a Redstone 3, due this Fall,)

Microsoft also decided to remove the Apps Corner feature in Mobile as of this release, due to lack of use. Apps Corner, a feature meant to allow users to set up their phones with a set of pre-approved apps for various users.

Other new features in today’s test build include the ability to pick a custom accent color (for PCs); the ability to automatically get rid of files that aren’t needed by automatically freeing up space on PCs; the merging of Wi-Fi settings under a new section in Settings; and a new power slider for PCs. The new power slider is part of the battery-life-extension work that Microsoft is doing on some select PCs only at the current time.

Microsoft has made a number of more minor tweaks and fixes with this build, as documented in today’s blog post. Known issues are many and worth a read before downloading, as well.

An important note for anyone looking to download this test build: Microsoft says the download progress indicator is broken, which may result in users looking like they are getting stuck at 0 or other percentages. Microsoft is advising users to ignore the indicator and “be patient.”

In possibly related news today, Microsoft sent emails to users of its “Cache” clipboard tool, notifying them of its demise as a standalone product.

Cache was a Microsoft Garage incubator product, meaning it was “experimental,” with its future based on user feedback.

Cache was the successor to another clipboard tool, OneClip.The email notification says that Microsoft “won’t develop Cache as a standalone product anymore” and that it will shut down at the end of next month.

That wording leaves the door open for the possibility that Microsoft may embed Cache or at least some kind of clipboard tool capabilities in another product. Some future release of Windows 10 and Cortana both have been rumored as possible places where Microsoft may, at some point, integrate a clipboard tool.