Версии веб-приложений для Microsoft Store
Помимо альтернатив настольных приложений, в магазине есть множество приложений для веб-сервисов. К ним относятся Pandora, Amazon, Netflix, Instagram. и другие.
В некоторых случаях эти «приложения» являются просто оболочкой на веб-сайте (например, Amazon). Нет причин использовать его, если вы можете просто добавить сайт в закладки в своем любимом браузере.
Однако другие предлагают уникальные функции или лучшие макеты. Например, хотя вы можете прокручивать Instagram в браузере, вам необходимо использовать приложение Instagram Store для доступа к картам DM. Вы также можете оставить настольное приложение для видеосервисов, таких как Netflix и Hulu, для легкого доступа, особенно если вы часто используете свой ноутбук в режиме планшета.
Следует ли вам использовать приложение Store или веб-приложение, зависит от ваших потребностей. Некоторым людям нравится иметь специальные приложения для сервисов, которые они открывают постоянно, например Pandora, чтобы избавиться от большого количества вкладок браузера. Поэкспериментируйте с каждым, чтобы увидеть, какой из них вам больше нравится.
Настольные приложения против приложений Microsoft: интерфейс
Само приложение может немного отличаться между версиями. Как правило, настольные приложения предлагают больше функций и значков навигации, в то время как приложения Магазина используют более крупные и разнесенные кнопки. Это делает приложения Магазина более удобными для использования с сенсорным экраном.
Например, сравните версию OneNote, включенную в Microsoft Office, с приложением OneNote в Магазине. Ниже представлена настольная версия:
Вы можете видеть, что, как и другие приложения Office, у этого приложения на ленте есть вкладки для всех видов функций. К ним относятся расширенные инструменты, такие как история изменений, возможность записи видео и всевозможные теги, а также поддержка макросов. Кнопки также расположены близко друг к другу, поэтому вы ожидаете чего-то, разработанного для мыши.
Для сравнения, вот версия выпуска Store для OneNote:
Вы можете увидеть, насколько здесь прост интерфейс по сравнению с настольной версией. У него меньше вкладок и кнопок со значками, которые расположены дальше, чем у его предшественника. Кроме того, версия для магазина предлагает гораздо меньше настроек, чем ее настольная версия.
Как упоминалось ранее, это больше похоже на приложение, которое вы используете на своем телефоне, чем на настольную программу. Он хорошо подходит для быстрого использования, но опытные пользователи обнаружат, что многие функции недоступны в OneNote.
What are Desktop Applications?
Desktop Applications are the classic Windows OS apps that use native Win32 / COM API or Microsoft .NET Framework API for communicating with the operating system. To use desktop applications, Windows users first need to download the dedicated installer from the internet and then launch it to install the application on the system. The software developed for Windows XP, Vista, or 7 can be purely categorized into Desktop applications. An example of a desktop app is Microsoft Office 2010. Since Win32 / COM API and Microsoft .NET Framework API are both supported in Windows 8, 8.1, and Windows 10 as well, therefore these OS are also compatible with the apps build for Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7.
Utilities
Windows 10 is a virtual toolbox. It can be your search tool, your calculator, and even your digital nightstand.
Network Speed Test
We’ve all lived in a place with a dodgy internet connection at some point in our lives. Perhaps the speed fluctuates wildly or your connection is prone to dropping out. Sadly, internet service providers rarely have much inclination to do anything about it—they’re getting your money and they’re happy.
It’s frustrating to try and build up a body of evidence to present to them. Speed test websites are full of adverts and they don’t log your historical results.
Network Speed Test rectifies the problem. It’s got a clean interface, it’s lightning fast, and it logs past network performance history in easy-to-understand charts.
Speed Test by Ookla
If you’re looking for a simpler version of Network Speed Test, check out Speed Test by Ookla. The company’s website is one of the best ways to find out the speed of your internet connection, and the web app is no different.
The app will test your ping, upload, and download speeds, and display all the data in beautifully presented real-time graphs. It’ll even keep a log of previous tests so you can track how your speed varies over time.
Advanced Password Generator
By now, everyone should know about the importance of using strong passwords. As password hacks become more common, failure to do so have genuinely catastrophic real-world consequences.
But making strong passwords isn’t always easy; there are so many facets of password creation you need to remember. Instead, why not let the Advanced Password Generator do it for you?
It can use a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and punctuation to make your password as secure as possible.
Productivity
Like any computer platform, Windows 10 is designed for productivity as well as entertainment. Here are some of the best apps for using while you’re working.
Copy Space
Copying and pasting are incredibly useful and simple. If you have to move a lot of content, however, constantly bouncing back and forth between apps can quickly become frustrating.
Try using Copy Space instead. It’s a universal clipboard that can store several items at once. All your copies are sorted into categories, and it can sync between all your devices.
Drawboard PDF ($8)
One of the PDF’s biggest annoyances is the lack of editing options. Although Drawboard PDF doesn’t let you edit text, you can draw all over PDF files to annotate them. The aim is to reduce the number of times you will need to print a sheet to make notes on it.
It also includes some other useful tools, including the ability to merge and reorder documents, measure lengths and angles, and overlay grids and other templates.
Xodo PDF Reader and Editor
The free Xodo PDF Reader and Editor is an impressively full-featured PDF app. You can write on documents, annotate in real-time with other users, and make notes on blank documents so you can print them later. There is even a night mode so you can work at night without straining your eyes.
Bing Translator
Google Translate isn’t the only show in town. There are lots of great translation apps out there. One of the best is Microsoft’s product.
The translation quality of Microsoft’s tool is just as good as Google Translate, it works offline, and it’ll sit happily in your taskbar for easy access.
OneNote
Microsoft no longer releases the OneNote app as a standalone desktop app; you will need to install the Microsoft Store version.
Luckily, it’s just as full-featured as its predecessor—long-time OneNote users shouldn’t notice much difference.
Money Lover—Money Manager
There are lots of family budgeting desktop apps trying to grab your attention. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could even try making your own budgeting spreadsheet in Excel.
Or, you could consider Money Lover—Money Manager.
You can track your money across long time periods, it comes with a financial calendar that’ll send you alerts and notifications, it includes lots of useful (and free) graphs and charts, and it works in multiple currencies.
Code Writer
Are you looking for easy-to-use code editor apps? Code Writer has you covered.
It’s been around since the early days of Windows 8 and has built a loyal following of fans. It comes with active syntax highlighting, supports more than 20 file types, and has a live tile that displays both the names and save states of your open documents.
Interestingly, it also supports several cloud storage services, so you can take your project with you wherever you go.
Для запуска игры нужно приложение XBOX
Еще одна программа, которая распространяется через фирменный магазин приложений, нужна для запуска приобретенных игр. В ней сохраняется прогресс пользователя и игровые достижения.
Хорошо, что ранее я уже восстановил работоспособность Windows Store, ведь если бы игру можно было загрузить из другого источника, магазин все-равно оказался бы нужен для скачивания программы XBOX.
Снова вопрос: почему нельзя разрешить локальное сохранение данных для тех, кто не хочет переносить свой прогресс в облако и не требовать установку дурацкого приложения? С одной игровой машиной в этом просто нет необходимости.
Игры загружаются очень долго
При покупке игры в Windows Store её нельзя скачать из других источников. Скорость серверов Microsoft вообще не радует. При этом предлагают загружать не установочный образ или хоть сколько-нибудь сжатые данные для дальнейшей распаковки, а уже готовую игру размером 55 Гб.
Для сравнения на всем известных сайтах образы без потерь занимают около 40 Гб. При той скорости, которую выдают сервера Microsoft, лишние 15 Гб сэкономили бы мне около 2-3 часов времени.
Почему бы не предоставить пользователю возможность загрузить игру из любого источника, а при запуске просто попросить лицензионный код?
У Microsoft это не работает, будьте добры, дождитесь окончания установки из официального магазина.
В итоге загрузка заняла у меня около 7 часов! Я приобретал пакет с оригинальной игрой и несколькими официальными дополнениями. На скачивание последних я пока не решился. Судя по всему, для этого нужно еще 3-4 часа.
VLC for Windows Store
VLC has a great reputation for being an all-in-one media player that will play just about anything you throw at it with minimal fuss and maximum configurability. Now that same audiovisual excellence comes to the Microsoft Store with VLC for Windows Store, which brings the Modern UI to the VLC experience. VLC will play just about anything you throw at it, from audio to video files, as well as trickier formats such as OGG, FLAC and MKV. While desktop purists are likely to stick with the classic VLC, Windows users looking for a great media player that also fits the Modern aesthetic while also including powerful back end features now have a great option available to them.
Best Windows apps for productivity
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Duolingo
Trying to brush up on your language skills? Need a little bit of help for a language class? Planning on a trip to a foreign country? This free app may be exactly what you need to prepare. It’s a language learning app with tons of gamification, along with plenty of rewards and achievements for a variety of quizzes. The app’s ultra-casual nature means you can use it for minutes at a time and still learn something, so why not give it a try?
Dropbox Cloud Storage
Are you looking for one of the best Windows apps for cloud storage? Well, not everyone needs or uses OneDrive, which is included in Windows 10. If your business or school prefers Dropbox as the cloud storage solution of choice, well, there’s an app for that. This slick piece of software allows you to view your pictures or videos using a grid — or as a list when dealing with documents. The free-to-use Basic plan gets you 2GB of free storage, and it’s only a few dollars to get a lot more than that if you need it.
Microsoft To Do
If you don’t already have an app for planning, making lists, and collaborating, then Microsoft To Do is a great option for you, as it can really help improve your productivity and scheduling. It might even help reduce stress. It comes with a My Day view feature, which has a daily planner with recommended tasks. Other cool features include setting up grocery lists and a dark mode.
Microsoft OneNote
OneNote is a note-taking app designed to integrate completely with the Microsoft 365 system, with excellent support for all levels of note-taking. Do you want a digital binder filled with different notebooks for specific topics? No problem. Do you want to sketch out some new design ideas? Never been simpler. You also can insert web videos or add files.
In addition to content creation, the app supports excellent sharing options for colleagues and robust collaboration features that include freeform highlighting and annotation.
Skype for Windows
Skype remains one of the most popular chat clients for long-distance communication, and it’s another example of an app that integrates very well with Windows 10. Chances are good that, if you’re already using a video chat service at home or work, you know exactly what to download. But if you haven’t done much video chatting in the past and want to explore this type of communication with friends and family, Skype is a great place to start, and you should give this app a chance.
A version of Skype is already integrated with Windows, but the official desktop app also allows you to share pictures, opt in for translation, and share your screen for troubleshooting purposes.
Microsoft Sticky Notes
This app lets you create digital sticky notes as reminders, and then place them on your desktop screen. The latest version comes with a few new tools as well, including the ability to add images to your notes, use the Surface Pen to create handwritten notes and work in dark mode. You can even sync your notes across apps and devices.
Backiee — Wallpaper Studio 10
Yes, a wallpaper app can be a productivity app, too — especially when you find out how much time it saves on your 4K background hunt. This app offers top-notch, high-resolution background wallpapers that you can change with a click without depending on sketchy sources online. Wallpapers go up to 8K resolution, and you can apply a lot of different search filters to find the wallpaper you want, making this an easy recommendation for new Windows users.
However, the real fun begins when you start opening and using apps. The browser space allows you to position multiple apps next to each other so they can be open and active at the same time, just like traditional browser windows on your computer. You even have the ability to create custom apps for the tasks you frequently have.
Slack
Slack is a communication and collaboration platform designed for teams and organizations. It offers a chat-based workspace where users can communicate in real time through channels and direct messages. Slack is known for its versatility and is widely used for business communication, project collaboration, and team coordination. While certain individuals prefer using the web version of the app, it makes a lot of sense to just install the app as it works well with Windows 11’s notifications and Focus Assist mode.
Food and Drink
Cooking isn’t for everyone, but if you have an interest in getting to grips with one of life’s most vital skills, having a computer on hand is particularly useful. Touchscreen devices like Windows tablets are of considerable use in the kitchen, along with these apps.
Recipe+ Nutrition Profiler ($8)
Designed to display nutrition information for existing recipes or ones you create. It works offline and features a database of over 12,000 food types. It is a great way to find out just what foods in your diet are healthy and where you can make improvements.
Recipe Keeper
Recipe Keeper is a recipe organizer, shopping list manager, and meal planner. You can add and organize your own creations and import recipes from external sites. You can also add ingredients to a shopping list directly from your recipes with a single click.
Halo: Spartan Strike ($5.99)
While we doubt we’ll see a full Halo game on PC for a while, desktop gamers can still explore parts of the Halo saga with Halo: Spartan Strike, sequel to the Spartan Assault top-down shooter. Players don Spartan armor and take on humanity’s enemies, from the vengeful Covenant zealots to the mysterious Prometheans. Fight your way through a 30 mission campaign spanning the length and breadth of Halo history, from the historic Battle of New Mombasa to the Gamma Halo. Each mission brings new challenges such as Promethean enemies and weaponry, as well as familiar standbys such as the Bubble Shield and an arsenal of UNSC weapons and vehicles. A neat bonus is that Spartan Strike achievements can unlock exclusive rewards in the Halo: Master Chief Collection on Xbox One.
Reading
Whether you’re using a tablet computer, a desktop, laptop, or hybrid, reading apps are vital to digesting information from the latest bestsellers to reports in PDF format.
Overdrive
Overdrive has a global network of more than 34,000 libraries which you can use to borrow eBooks, audiobooks, and videos.
Anything you borrow will automatically sync across all your devices and the library is open 24/7. The app also doubles as an eReader, so you can do your borrowing and reading through the same interface.
Best of all titles are automatically returned at the end of their loan period—you’ll never have to pay a late fee again!
(Note: You need to be a member of your local library to access the app)
Book Bazaar Reader
Why do you need to pay for eBooks when apps like Book Bazaar Reader are out there? It scrapes lots of sources of free publications (including Guttenberg, Flibusta, FeedBooks, FreeBooks, and ManyBooks), then presents all the results to you in one easy-to-use interface.
The app supports EPUB, MOBI, FB2, PDF, and TXT formats, and has cool additional features like annotating and highlighting.
Freda
If you don’t like the interface of Bazar Book Reader, check out Freda. The principle of the app is the same; it gives you 50,000 free titles you can download and read. It supports EPUB, FB2, HTML, and TXT files and you can even import your own DRM-free books to use in the eReader.
Kindle
This app gives you access to over one million books on the Kindle Store. All the titles can sync across all your devices. What are you waiting for? Get reading!
Audible
Who’s got time to read books these days? Between commuting to work, updating Facebook statuses, and feeding the dog, most of us don’t have a spare minute in our days.
That’s why audiobooks have grown in popularity over the last few years. They let you drive, update Facebook, and feed the dog at the same time, all while still managing to give your brain a fix of quality literature.
The Audible app has all the features you’d expect. They also recently added streaming, so you don’t need to download a book to listen to it.
News Live Tiles
The Microsoft News app is a nice idea. The app is constantly being improved; if you haven’t used it for a while, you should give it another chance.
Unfortunately, the live tile isn’t so useful; it cannot display all the information you care about. The reality is, it’s impossible for the app to display all those headlines in such a small box.
The solution is to download News Live Tiles. It’s a glorified RSS reader that allows you to create feeds for any site you want. The headlines from those sites are then displayed in the live titles. You can have as many tiles as you want.
Nextgen Reader ($6)
Originally designed as a Google Reader Windows 10 app, this tool now offers support for many other RSS feed reading services and has grown beyond its initial purpose into an extremely usable reader, complete with sharing options.
Shopping
Your Windows 10 computer is a hub for the online marketplace. You can connect to the likes of Amazon or eBay and make your purchases, directly from within a dedicated app. Who needs a browser?
Newegg
Are you looking for cheap deals and bargain prices on electronics and tech? You need Newegg. The online-only retailer has 10.5 million products and will deliver to your door.
Amazon
Using this Amazon Windows 10 app is faster than using the website. Search is fast and processing purchases is efficient—try it!
CPlus for Craigslist
Whether you’re looking for something for sale, somewhere to live, or even somewhere to work, this remarkable Windows 10 app lets you win at using Craigslist. Previously known as Craigslist+.
Best Windows social media apps
screenshot
You probably don’t need a reminder to download social apps like , but we still like to mention Instagram’s Windows app, which provides a lot more functionality than a web page. The app isn’t always updated by , but it does provide basic access to most Instagram features on the iOS or Android versions of the app. That includes access to Instagram Stories and the Instagram Feed, as well as messages and the search feature. It’s a nice desktop companion with quick social media management tools.
If you or your friends use WhatsApp, you deserve this clean desktop version that makes it easy to carry on multiple detailed chats at the same time. The app also offers complete syncing so you can pick up conversations on any other device as needed, without worrying that the conversation isn’t updating properly.
Twitter is home to late-breaking news and hot takes. You can read and write to everyone from celebs to politicians to your favorite authors posting their thoughts there, for better or worse. It’s also one of the best Windows apps because it loads fast, runs smoothly, and looks and feels like a native app.
Discord
Discord has expanded its horizons beyond the gaming community, although gamers still comprise the largest percentage of its user base. You can use Discord to participate in study groups, enjoy live-streaming video content, or engage in conversations in languages like Latin or ancient Greek right on the platform. Discord hosts vibrant communities catering to developers, musicians, entertainment enthusiasts, and naturally, fans of both major and niche multiplayer games. The user interface is not only sleek, but also thoughtfully crafted for an optimal user experience.
Другие бесплатные игры, которые мы, возможно, установили в Windows 10, чтобы скоротать время
В дополнение к предыдущим играм, которые, безусловно, напоминают нас более чем на одну, в Microsoft Store для Windows 10 мы можем найти другие, более интересные игры, чтобы иметь возможность играть в игры и проводить время за компьютером.
Дракономания , например, позволяет нам разводить собственных драконов, строить нашу армию и соревноваться с другими игроками в битвах в Интернете.
Легенды драконьей мании
Разработчик: Gameloft SE
Снайперская ярость еще один пример очень качественной бесплатной игры. Эта игра направлена на то, чтобы стать снайперами, чтобы мы могли выполнить более 500 доступных миссий, а также соревноваться с другими людьми как индивидуально, так и в лигах.
Снайперская ярость
Разработчик: Gameloft SE
Если ты любишь готовить, Кулинария Лихорадка позволяет нам управлять собственным рестораном быстрого питания, чтобы стать лучшим шеф-поваром в Интернете.
Кулинарная лихорадка
Разработчик: Nordcurrent
News and Sport
With so much going on in the world, it’s vital to stay abreast of current events. And if the daily news ever becomes too much to handle, at least you check the latest happenings at your favorite sports team!
News 360
News 360 is one of the best news aggregators. It pulls stories from multiple sources to give you a live feed of things you’re interested in.
The more you use the app, the better it gets. It will learn which subjects and topics you like the most and tailor your feed accordingly. If you give it permission, it can even use data from your Facebook and Twitter account to help it improve.
Google News Viewer
Google News Viewer is not an official Google product, but don’t let that put you off. It looks beautiful and makes reading your news a breeze.
Newsstand
Newsstand is the third news aggregator on the list but it offers a couple of features that warrant its inclusion.
Firstly, you can add any site to the app using the Additions form. Secondly, you can create a Favorites list of your preferred sources, and finally, it has a built-in list of the most popular sites for easy navigation.
Newsflow
Newsflow is an RSS reader which is designed with the news in mind. Its key features are breaking news notifications, pinnable live titles for specific topics or sources, and searchable keywords.
It can also play YouTube videos and GIFs in-app, thus making it a one-stop shop for all your news needs.
MSN Sports
MSN Sports is the default Microsoft sports app. It comes pre-installed on your system, but if you deleted it years ago then forgot all about it, you should give it a second chance.
You can add teams and leagues, read the latest stories across hundreds of sports from countless services, and even enable notifications for live scores and breaking news. If you’re especially interested in sports from a certain country, you can change the region within the app.
Eurosport
Eurosport publishes more than 150 articles a day on a wide variety of sports. Whether you want news or long-form featured content, you will find it in this app.
There’s also a huge amount of video content, so if you prefer to watch rather than read, this is a must-have.
Настольные приложения и приложения из Microsoft Store: разнообразие
Несмотря на то, что для Windows доступен широкий спектр отличного программного обеспечения, вы не найдете все из них в Microsoft Store. Разработчики должны внести небольшую плату за регистрацию, чтобы разместить свои приложения в Microsoft Store, что, возможно, не стоит того для создателей небольших гаджетов.
В магазине доступно не так много популярных приложений, как Discord, Steam, Caliber, Snagit и многие другие. Это означает, что геймерам и профессиональным пользователям приложений во многих случаях приходится придерживаться настольных приложений.
Однако вы также можете найти в Магазине версии многих популярных программ для настольных ПК. Такие как Slack, Spotify, iTunes, Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram и Evernote.
Многие из приложений в Microsoft Store — это предложения для мобильных устройств, такие как Netflix и Candy Crush Saga, которые представляют собой простые игры или приложения для доступа к одному веб-сайту или услуге. Однако даже некоторые небольшие настольные утилиты доступны в варианте Store. Это с PureText , отличное маленькое приложение для вставки текста без форматирования.
Любимое приложение для редактирования фотографий фанатами Paint.NET Он также доступен в магазине за несколько долларов. Это то же самое, что и бесплатная версия, но разработчик предлагает ее в качестве дополнительного пожертвования с более удобными обновлениями.
Video Players
Do you like watching TV and movies? How about streaming content from popular subscription services? You need these apps.
Plex and Kodi are the two biggest names in the home theater world. Kodi doesn’t have a Windows Store app, but Plex does.
It will let you access any videos, photos, and music that you have on your server via your Windows PC. To supercharge your experience, you should install some of the best unofficial Plex channels.
Netflix
Enjoy TV episodes, movies, and original content from the world’s leading streaming subscription service. This Netflix app is comparable with the browser interface, and in some ways better. You can watch in 4K if you have a suitable monitor.
Hulu
Hulu offers a mix of on-demand series and movies and live TV. If you want live TV, your subscription will cost you more money.
VLC
The Swiss army knife of media players has been a long-time favorite of users. Unfortunately, it can be a bit aggressive on your battery life.
The Windows Store app is lighter and less resource-heavy. It supports video, audio, MKV, and FLAC playback, and lets you manage your media library.
Tubecast for YouTube
As more and more people cut the cord, YouTube has emerged as a popular way for users to get their entertainment fix.
Sadly, you won’t find an official YouTube app in the Windows Store, but Tubecast is the next best thing. It acts as a YouTube client and can stream content to smart TVs, Chromecasts, Amazon Fire TVs, Rokus, PlayStations, Xboxes, and any DLNA-enabled gadget.