Microsoft Will Release Chromium Edge as Part of Windows 10 Update in January 2020
Microsoft has moved with uncharacteristic speed since it announced the end of its fully custom Edge browser. The company said in late 2018 that it would move to a Chromium-based browser, designed to integrate Microsoft services instead of Google’s. After months of toil, you can try Chromium Edge right now. Microsoft says the stable version of its new browser will come as part of a Windows 10 update in January.
Microsoft tried for years to pull people away from Chrome, which dominates the browser market. Microsoft even resorted to nagging Windows users with questionable warnings about Chrome that touted Edge’s battery efficiency. Still, Chrome was faster and had generally better support across the web. Edge and its custom EdgeHTML engine simply couldn’t keep up.
The new Edge has the same Chromium base as Chrome, Opera, and numerous other browsers. However, it has Microsoft account access and features like Bing, a dark theme, and tracker blocking. Microsoft will also support extensions, which developers can submit to the Edge repository right now.
We already knew that Microsoft hoped to release the browser in January, but some users might not be overjoyed it will arrive as part of a Windows update. Unless you are in a managed enterprise network, Windows 10 updates are functionally mandatory. Your PC will eventually download the update and start pestering you to restart to complete installation. Next month, that process will deliver the new Chromium version.
For most people, the change won’t be a problem. You didn’t use the old Edge, and you probably won’t use the new one. However, Microsoft is still cramming yet another program on your computer. Luckily, Microsoft does have a tool to prevent Edge from installing on your computer in the next update. It takes a bit of leg work, but the process is pretty straightforward. You can then choose when (or if) to install the new Edge browser.
After the initial release, Edge updates won’t be tied to Windows updates. You should get new stable builds of Edge several times per year. If you’re curious about what the new browser has in store, you can download the beta, dev, or canary builds of Edge right now — those get updates much faster. The new Edge runs on all versions of Windows from 7 onward, as well as macOS.
Continue reading
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Is Leaking into Space
NASA reports the probe grabbed so much regolith from the asteroid that it's leaking out of the collector. The team is now working to determine how best to keep the precious cargo from escaping.
SpaceX Launches ‘Better Than Nothing’ Starlink Beta
Those lucky few who have gotten invitations to try the service will have to pay a hefty up-front cost, and the speeds aren't amazing. Still, it's a new generation of satellite internet.
NASA Created a Collection of Spooky Space Sounds for Halloween
NASA's latest data release turns signals from beyond Earth into spooky sounds that are sure to send a chill up your spine.
MSI’s Nvidia RTX 3070 Gaming X Trio Review: 2080 Ti Performance, Pascal Pricing
Nvidia's new RTX 3070 is a fabulous GPU at a good price, and the MSI RTX 3070 Gaming X Trio shows it off well.