Microsoft has released Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20206 to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel, bringing a new set of input features that the company says will make Windows 10 even better at helping users communicate using text and voice on their devices. The changes include voice typing, an updated emoji picker, improved touch-keyboard design and the ability to move the cursor using the space bar.
New Emoji Picker
The incoming update includes a revamped emoji picker with an updated design that Microsoft says aligns with its Fluent Design principles. The changes include a new acrylic background, an inline search box and animated GIF support. The update is also bringing input and clipboard history together into a single experience. “You can still press WIN + V to go straight to clipboard history, but now you can also access it by switching to the ‘Clipboard’ category after pressing WIN + [.] or WIN + [;]”, said the company.
Voice Typing
Build 20206 also brings the ‘new and improved version of Windows dictation’ that enables users to type with their voice wherever there’s a text field on the PC. The improvements include a modern UI optimized for use with touch keyboards and auto-punctuation for ease of typing. Voice Typing is, however, restricted to only a handful of languages, including English, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Spanish, German, Italian and Japanese.
Improved Touch-Keyboard Design
The new build also brings an updated touch-keyboard design that includes updated key sizes / layouts to optimize for typing comfort & accuracy. The changes include new key press animations and sounds, optimized child keys for quicker entry, emoji search, a new entry point for voice typing and more.
Cursor Movement Using Space Bar
Another change in the new build is the ability to change the cursor position by using gestures on the touch keyboard. “All you need to do is place a finger on the space bar and slide your finger left, right, up, or down. As your finger moves, so will the cursor – one character or line at a time”, said Microsoft. According to the company, the feature is based on feedback from users.
The incoming update also includes a whole bunch of fixes, improvements and optimizations, and you can check out all the details on the official Windows blog.
