The Ebsv5 and Ebdsv5 VMs offer up to 120,000 IOPS and 4,000 MBps of throughput for remote disk storage. Both series also include up to 512 GiB of RAM.
The Ebdsv5 series features local SSD storage with up to 2400 GiB of capacity. Both series provide 3x the remote storage performance of data-intensive workloads compared to previous generations of VMs. The Ebdsv5 series is available with local disk and the Ebsv5 is available without local disk. The Ebdsv5 series does not support standard SSDs and standard HDDs for data storage.

The Ebdsv5 and Ebsv5 series run Intel® Xeon® Platinum 8370C (Ice Lake) processors in a hyper-threaded configuration. The series are ideal for a variety of memory-intensive enterprise applications. They feature:

• Up to 512 GiB RAM
• Intel® Turbo Boost 2.0 Technology
• Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology
• Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions 512 (Intel® AVX-512)
• Intel® Deep Learning Boost support

“While Ev5 VMs meet the performance requirements for many business-critical applications, some large on-premises database environments require even higher VM-to-disk performance and IOPS per core, which the latest NVMe Ebsv5 VM sizes can now support. NVMe Ebsv5-based virtual machines offer customers the performance to scale without having to reorganize their applications, while reducing the cost of infrastructure and licensed commercial software running on these instances.”

Priya Shan, Senior Program Manager, explains in a blog post on the Technology Community

The E96bsv5 and E112ibsv5 virtual machines are currently available in the West Central region of the US, with other regions to follow. Additionally, customers can sign up for a preview to gain access to the new sizes. Finally, pricing details are available on the pricing page.

The author of the “Out of Office Hours” blog, Michael Niehaus who is a developer and IT admin finds out that the Teams icon is actually saving space on your RAM when it is not placed somewhere on your taskbar.

In his posts he emphasizes on the usage of Windows 11’s widgets – Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft Edge.

Widgets is not the only one which generates several Microsoft Edge WebView2 processes to make it work. WebView2 gives its users an opportunity to use Edge and its rendering engine and it is not necessary to launch Edge or try to use Edge’s user interface.

When united, those processes use a few hundred megabytes of memory in order to work.

All these processes, connected with the widgets, are not able to start unless you actually click the widgets button.

The Microsoft Teams’s processes run no matter if you are using the application or not. If this makes you feel uncomfortable, you can just uninstall it but according to Niehaus removing the icon from the taskbar is enough.

“We saw an incredible response to the Galaxy S20 FE and Galaxy S21 lineup. So we applied the same approach with S21 FE 5G, equipping it with the premium features that matter most to our loyal Galaxy fans — because we’re focused on delivering a smartphone that meets their most important needs.”

The handset sports a 6.4-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 processor, as its successor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, is starting rollout on flagships from companies like Xiaomi. There’s a triple camera system with a 12-megapixel main, 32-megapixel ultrawide and 12-megapixel telephoto.

The system comes with either 6 or 8GB of RAM and 128 or 256GB of storage, along with a solid 4,500mAh battery.  There’s also 5G on-board.

The design borrows plenty of cues from the standard S21, though the premium build has been swapped out for a lower-cost plastic construction.

The S21 FE starts shipping January 11.

Since the Insider build was released, there’s been many more updates for the dev channel, where it brings back the search bar to the start menu, more refinements to the new design across the menus, alongside better multi-monitor support for the taskbar, alongside many fixes.

So, while we wait for its October release, here’s everything we know about Windows 11 so far.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? Windows 11 is the successor to Windows 10
• When is it out? October 5
• How much does it cost? Free

Windows 11 release date 

Microsoft confirmed that Windows 11 is launching on October 5 as a free upgrade, with eligible devices being notified from them on. There will be also a PC Health Check tool will be updated closer to the launch of Windows 11, so you can see whether your own device is eligible to upgrade.

When will be release date though?

— Jure Zajc (@JureZAJC1) June 24, 2021

There is going to be a yearly update of the new operating system, similar to Apple’s efforts with macOS. While Microsoft released a tool that allowed you to see if your desktop PC or laptop will be able to run Windows 11, it was confirmed to be buggy, giving erroneous results for machines that would have no problem in running the update.

How to download Windows 11

Microsoft has updated the Insider build named 22000.132 on the developer channel. The build is now widely available on the beta channel, showcasing more refinements across the board, including the Microsoft Store. The best point of call would be to make sure that your PC is enrolled for Microsoft’s Insider Program first, as long as it meets the requirements. In the meantime, vendors such as Lenovo have released some guidance to other users who have machines running Windows 7 and above, that it may be a free upgrade, but with a caveat.

Minimum Specifications

There’s been a lot of discussion as to which devices are eligible for Windows 11. Regardless of the TPM requirement, others are simply wondering if they need to look to upgrade their PC or laptop soon. Microsoft has published the requirements for the update, but they are subject to change as we near release and the company take feedback on board.

• Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with at least two cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or SoC
• RAM: 4GB
• Storage: 64GB
• System Firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable
• TPM: Trusted Platform Module 2.0
• Graphics Card: DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver
• Display: 720p, 8-bit per colour channel, at least 9-inch diagonal
• Internet Connection and Microsoft Account: Windows 11 Home requires an active internet connection and a Microsoft Account to complete the initial, first-use setup of the operating system, or when switching a device out of Windows 11 Home in S-mode.

How much is Windows 11?

Windows 11 will be a free update for existing Windows users – you’ll need to be online to download, install and activate Home versions, and you’ll need to have a Microsoft account when installing it.

So far Microsoft has released the hardware requirements for Windows 11, but there’s confusion over TPM and whether the company are pushing hard over the minimum threshold for which devices are eligible to be updated to the new version. Windows 11 features.

There are improvements across the board in Windows 11, with Microsoft promising that updates will be 40% smaller, and touting Windows 11 as “the most secure release yet”. The taskbar is optimized for touch as well as mouse peripherals and is now renamed the dock.

New multitasking features are also on offer thanks to a feature called Snap Layouts, which enables you to arrange multiple windows across the screen, not just side by side, but in columns, sections and more. There’s now a much-improved health check app found in Settings, where Windows 11 will recommend you to turn down the brightness, for example, change the power saving mode of the battery and much more.

Another feature is Snap Groups, where you can go back to previously snapped windows from the dock, so for example you can go to your email app, Edge browser windows or anything else without having to snap them back to the previous view again. There’s also improved multi-monitor support, so when you reconnect an external monitor, Windows 11 remembers the previous positions of the windows that were on that monitor.

There’s even an estimated installation time for Windows Update, so you can see whether you need to hold off from updating your PC until later in the day.

Teams are also integrated into the dock, so you can easily join in with meetings and family calls. This looks like the first inkling of Skype disappearing from Windows, especially with the Skype sounds being heard in the demo when a call was incoming.

The Microsoft Store is finally seeing a redesign, with better-curated content, and better options for managing your purchased shows, such as mirroring them to your television. Apps such as Disney+, Adobe Creative Cloud, Pinterest and more are already in this redesigned store for Windows 11, ready to go. WPA, EWP and Win32 apps are now all in the Microsoft Store as well. If a developer has a commerce engine, they can keep 100% of the revenue brought from the Microsoft Store.

Android apps are also ready for Windows 11, discoverable from the Microsoft Store, via the Amazon App Store. We suspect that the reason why Amazon is allowing their version of the store instead of Google may be to do with the. APK filename being replaced from August.

A new look for 11

Fluent Design is the new name for the look of Windows 11. Across the board, everything looks more modern and fresh, with rounded windows and apps such as Snipping Tool seeing huge improvements in years.

One of the biggest changes users will notice is that the Start menu has been moved to the centre of the screen, so it dynamically changes depending on the time of day, and the content you’re working with. If you’re using the Insider Build, there are already ways of customizing the taskbar and the start menu, including moving the icons back to the left. Light Mode and Dark Mode are here too, with a unified design across the operating system.

Windows Widgets are back in Windows 11 with Microsoft touting AI-powered dynamic features that enable widgets, as with the Start menu, to change depending on the apps you’re using and the time of day. There are plenty to choose from, such as the weather, Bing maps, news, and more. These will be available for third parties as well, so you may see as many widgets available to pick as there are on Apple’s iOS and iPadOS operating systems.

Gaming on Windows 11

Gaming will be a much bigger focus in Windows 11, with the sluggish and frustrating-to-use Windows 10 Xbox app replaced by a new Game Pass app that enables you to buy, manage and remove games, making it easier for you to access and download games, from Doom Eternal to Halo Infinite.

HDR will also be supported on compatible machines, offering improved lighting and contrast for gaming and viewing media. Direct Storage is also here, with the main game assets able to be downloaded and installed, enabling you to play your games even faster than before.

Touch improvements

Tablet mode has been one of Windows’ weaker points ever since Windows 8, and the new tablet features that Microsoft showed off for Windows 11 could be key to the operating system’s fortunes, especially with future Surface products in the pipeline from Microsoft – to have a new, numbered operating system for its upcoming tablets could be a big selling point for new users.

At the event, Microsoft touted bigger touch targets and easier ways to move windows around, and better rotate optimizations, for example in how windows are rearranged, so you don’t lose track of the applications you were using. Gestures used with the trackpad of the Surface models are also coming to the touchscreen, bringing in some familiarity here. Haptics is also coming to Windows 11 when you use a stylus for better feedback when drawing or sketching.

The touch keyboard has also been redesigned, with a smaller keyboard just for your thumb, and emojis ready to be used. Microsoft says dictation will also be improved, alongside voice commands, with ‘delete that’ options and more.

This description is referring to the upcoming innovations in the realm of battery technology — specifically that of solid-state batteries. And while both fusion power and solid-state batteries have been labelled technologies of the future but never of today, advancements and investments in solid-state materials have increased tremendously over the years. Today not only are there many major companies and credible researchers involved, but it also seems we may finally start seeing these batteries released in just the next few years.

A simplified diagram shows the liquid electrolyte of conventional batteries and the solid electrolyte of solid-state batteries.

Batteries are nothing more than devices that store chemical energy and convert it into electrical energy. They have four main parts: the cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator. The cathode and anode are the electrodes.

What is important here is that there is one main difference between our current batteries and the solid-state batteries of the future: the electrolyte. Current lithium-ion batteries have a liquid electrolyte. Unfortunately, certain compounds present in the liquid electrolyte allow for the growth of crystalline structures known as dendrites. The dendrites produce long, sharp whiskers that can puncture the separator and cause short-circuiting, consequently leading to dangerous explosions. Solid-state batteries have a solid electrolyte that inhibits the growth of these harmful dendrites. Not to mention something astounding happens once the electrolyte is switched from liquid to solid.

The battery has a higher energy density, the risk of fires and explosions is greatly reduced, it takes up less space, and it is able to operate in a wider range of temperatures. Let’s take a look, for example, at what this would mean for vehicles.

By far the largest drawback of electric vehicles today is their limited driving range. An average electric vehicle will get a range of 250–300 miles (402–483 km) on a full charge. Fully charging the vehicle takes anywhere from an hour to 17 hours depending on whether the vehicle is charging at a station or using a standard outlet at home. Yet electric vehicles are expected to continue growing in popularity, eventually dominating the automotive sector. To reach this point they will need to expand their range to at least 450 miles (724 km) while remaining affordable to the consumer.

Here are the solid-state batteries

The driving range of electric vehicles becomes double or triple the current number. Companies can choose between making a smaller, lighter battery that charges faster or leaving the battery the same size with a much more extensive range. Charge times are reduced to just 15 mins. If we look at Samsung’s advancements in solid-state batteries we see they were able to develop a battery that can be charged and discharged over 1,000 times with a range of 500 miles (805 km) per charge. This is a battery life of 500,000 miles. And all while being able to operate efficiently in more extreme temperatures.

Something like this could be the end of gas-powered vehicles. For laptops and smartphones, it means the devices could last days on a single (very fast) charge, with the overall lifespan of the battery increasing from just 2 years to over 10. Medical devices could become more portable and compact while the larger temperature range means solid-state batteries could have applications in future space technology.

This potential has not escaped the attention of powerful companies. Volkswagen, Ford, BMW, Hyundai, Toyota, and Bill Gates have all invested billions of dollars into solid-state research. Toyota is planning a limited release of vehicles with solid-state batteries by 2025. And yet the most exciting breakthrough comes from someone you’ve probably never heard about.

CeraCharge makes solid-state batteries the size of a grain of rice.

A research team led by physicist John Goodenough has submitted a patent for glass and a ceramic solid-state battery that is stable, non-flammable, offers faster charging, and has 3 times more energy storage than a regular lithium-ion battery. This was achieved by adding sodium or lithium to form an electrode in the battery. Equally as important, the battery is affordable and is estimated to last over 2,000 charge and discharge cycles. The operating temperature range for the glass battery is between -4º F and 140º F (-20º C and 60º C).

Goodenough himself is no ordinary scientist. He’s won 8 scientific awards, including the Nobel Prize in chemistry. His past world-changing innovations include the original lithium-ion battery and the RAM needed to make your computer run. His involvement — along with the involvement of many major competing companies — have put the solid-state battery well within our reach. We may begin to see the limited release of this technology in just 3 or 4 years, though it is difficult to say when it will achieve wider release to the public.

The battery represents a lot more than just convenience. It represents a key element in saving the world. More capable electric vehicles can provide a drastic shift in the automotive market — a shift away from more emission-heavy gas vehicles. Solid-state batteries may also be produced with earth-friendly materials like the very sodium found in our plentiful ocean water. But perhaps more than anything, the arrival of solid-state batteries will represent the capabilities of our most brilliant minds: the capability to make real a technology we’ve known about for centuries and dreamt about for decades. It does not forever have to remain a technology of the future, but can be the technology of today.