Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Microsoft launches Project Westminster to fast-track app conversion to Windows 10

Add as a preferred source on Google

One of the big changes coming to the Windows 10 operating system is a much greater focus on the Windows store. While some were concerned that this would create somewhat of a gated community of approved applications, that seems less likely with the launch of Project Westminster, which allows for the simple conversion of Web apps and games to Windows 10.

Save $20 on Ultimate Help Desk service for Win10 transitions. MSRP $99.99

Recommended Videos

Announced earlier this year, Westminster is now live and already helping developers convert their projects to the new Windows standard. They can even do so using existing code and workflow, and debug any potential issues with the Microsoft Edge F12 developer tools.

However, this goes beyond just making an app available on Windows 10, as Westminster also makes apps work well on a variety of different devices, including mobile platforms, laptops, tablets, and consoles. On top of that, it allows for the simple integration of features like Cortana voice commands and analytics, letting developers track in-depth information about their users and how they use the application.

There’s even talk toward the end of that video of Westminster helping developers make their applications work well on its HoloLens device. While that won’t be something that many will consider doing just yet, it’s likely to become more popular when the devices are released commercially, likely sometime in 2016.

One concern some have suggested over at WinBeta, is that the ease with which Microsoft is making it possible to bring applications to Windows 10, it will mean a lot of developers simply wrap their site in a management layer and publish it on the store, rather than making functional changes to the system. Essentially, they worry that making the bar for entry low will mean a lot of lower-quality applications will be available on Windows 10.

Do you think that will be the case with Project Westminster?

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale covers how to guides, best-of lists, and explainers to help everyone understand the hottest new hardware and…
The MacBook Air and iMac are next in line for Apple’s OLED push
OLED MacBook Air could arrive in 2028, while the iMac remains further out
MacBook Air M5

Previous reports have indicated that Apple plans to launch redesigned MacBook Pros between the end of this year and early next year featuring touchscreen OLED displays, but the brand’s OLED ambitions for its Macs won’t end there.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman now reports that Apple is also working on OLED versions of the MacBook Air and iMac, corroborating earlier supply-chain reports about both devices. The information comes from people familiar with Apple’s plans, although neither product appears close to release.

Read more
WhatsApp can now open and edit PDFs without making you download them first
Adobe Acrobat is adding built-in viewing and annotation tools for PDFs shared through WhatsApp on larger screens
Text, Person, Aircraft

Adobe is making PDF attachments much less annoying in WhatsApp. Its new Acrobat integration lets you open a PDF and mark it up without downloading the file or leaving the conversation.

The feature is available today through WhatsApp Web and the Windows app. The headline comes with an important caveat, though. This isn’t full PDF editing. You can review and annotate a document, but you can’t rewrite its original text or rearrange the layout.

Read more
Substack now lets you check if a post was written by AI
A new Pangram-powered scanner lets you check posts, notes, and replies for signs of AI writing.
Video playing on Substack.

Substack is giving readers a way to check whether the post they're reading was written by a human or by a chatbot. The company has partnered with AI-detection firm Pangram to introduce new tools that will let users scan posts, notes, and replies for AI-generated text. CEO Chris Best introduced the features in a post titled "Against Claudefishing," his term for content that leans on AI while presenting itself as human work.

How the scanning tool works

Read more