The Windows 10 Insider Preview build is a great way to see what Microsoft has in store for the future of its operating system. The latest update to the build introduces some advanced voice dictation features and a revamped emoji picker.
The news on this update broke on Windows Blogs. Microsoft has experimented with voice typing for many years now, and this update is the company’s latest attempt to give our hands a much-needed rest from the keyboard.
The voice typing feature will include the following:
A modern design – optimized for use with touch keyboards.
Auto-punctuation that allows you to effortlessly put your thoughts down without worrying about question marks and periods (turn it on in settings).
An updated back end for the most reliable voice typing experience ever on Windows.
If you have this Insider build, you can activate voice dictation by pressing WIN + H, or opening the touch keyboard and clicking the microphone button.
If you love spicing up your messages with emoji, you’ll be pleased to hear that Microsoft is revamping Windows 10’s emoji picker. The selector now has an updated design, a better search for that exact emotion you’re feeling, and GIF support.
The update will also revamp the touch keyboard. The keyboard now has new animations and sounds on keypress for better tactile feedback. Child keys can now be entered easier by holding down specific keys.
The emoji picker is making its way onto the touch keyboard, and the newly-revamped voice recognition will appear as a button on it.
Finally, you can now hold your finger on the space bar of the touch keyboard, then move your finger around to move your cursor. This means you have a makeshift trackpad whenever the touch keyboard is on-screen.
While Microsoft has tried many times over the years to revolutionize voice commands, the company hasn’t stopped trying. We’ll keep you updated on any further developments on how Microsoft will introduce voice commands into Windows 10.
It’s clear that Microsoft wants us to do more with our voices than our hands. After all, the company recently implemented automatic voice transcription into Word for the Web.