Microsoft has started rolling out its biggest upgrade yet: the Creators Update, which promises a wealth of new additions and upgrades. This update also supports the use of the company’s Cortana voice assistant with Raspberry Pi 3, thus allowing users to make amazing devices that can accept voice commands.
Raspberry Pi 3 now gets Cortana support
The Windows 10 Creators Update will start rolling out to users around the world today, and given the improvements, additions and upgrades that it brings, it looks like an important download for all users. One important update is that users will be able to use Cortana on Raspberry Pi, just like it works on computers.
Using Raspberry Pi 3, users will be able to make smart devices which will be able to accept voice commands through Cortana. However, the devices should be based on the Windows 10 IoT Core OS and not on Linux-based operating systems, notes PCWorld.
With this new update, customized commands for Cortana can be programmed for devices. The commands can be related to events, reminders, news, dictionary, mapping, look-ups, and several other functions. Microsoft does mention a Cortana functionality known as “chit chat” that could refer to chatbots, notes PCWorld. This will assist the company with taking on more established rivals like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Yusuf Mehdi from Microsoft says they designed Windows 10 to empower the creator inside all developers.
“To us, that means that everyone has the power to dream big, whether that involves starting a company, developing a lesson plan, inventing a product, developing or broadcasting games, or imagining a whole new world in Minecraft or mixed reality,” Mehdi says.
What you need to know about the Microsoft Windows 10 Creators Update
Microsoft’s Windows IoT Core, outside Raspberry Pi 3, works with other computers and boards as well. The Creators Update adds support for Intel’s Compute Sticks and base support for Intel’s Apollo Lake chips. The operating system already supports boards like Intel’s MinnowBoard and Joule, according to PCWorld.
Cortana requires speakers and microphones, and the Creators Update supports only Logitech’s S150 USB speakers, while the microphone options include the Sound Tech CM-1000USB Table Top Conference Meeting Microphone, Blue Microphones’ Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone/Cardioid, and Microsoft’s LifeCam HD 3000. As you can see, developers do not have many options here.
Microsoft has also included a new gaming mode optimized for intensive PC gaming session as well, code-named “Game Mode.” This mode will tweak the user’s hardware for a more enjoyable and smoother gaming experience. The security has also been enhanced with the new Windows Defender Security Center. The Creators Update brings a new “night light” feature too. This lowers the blue light coming from a computer’s screen, which is believed to affect sleep quality.
Currently, Windows 10 is installed on over 500 million devices worldwide, and Microsoft will be hoping that the Creators Update will assist in boosting this number even more. The good thing for users is that the Creators Update is free. The company, like with its most recent releases, has made the download free to get more users to install it.
