Microsoft Edge to get a free built-in VPN

Source: Microsoft

If you want a way to encrypt your internet connection, Microsoft plans to add a free built-in VPN service called Edge Secure Network. As with most VPNs, you can use it to mask your location, allowing you to protect your data and access services that might be blocked in your area. 

This free offering won't replace paid VPNs since it is limited to 1GB of data per month. And you'll need a Microsoft account to use the service. The company hasn't started testing the feature yet. But when it's live, you can enable it through Edge's three-dots icon. There will be a new "Secure Network" to enable the feature. When you're done browsing, it'll automatically turn off. 

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Microsoft gets Kids Mode to help protect children on shared family PCs

You don't want to keep your kids from accessing information they can learn from, but you want to make sure they can browse safely. Enter the new Kids Mode on Microsoft Edge. The company has rolled out this free option on both Windows and macOS. It's accessible through the Edge profile option. And it's designed to lock kids into the Edge browser where they can only access approved sites (whether that be the 70 kid-friendly sites Microsoft selected or any other websites you added to that list).

When you enable Kids Mode, you'll have the option to choose between five to eight years old or nine to 12 years old. Both age ranges offer the highest level of Edge's tracking prevention and strict Bing SafeSearch, so it keeps out any adult text, images, and videos from search.

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Microsoft to adopt four-week release cycle for Edge updates

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Microsoft plans to adopt a four-week release cycle for its browser's stable builds, following Google Chrome's footsteps. The company plans to start this new schedule with Edge 94, which is expected to arrive in September. 

Google announced plans to follow a four-week cycle earlier this month, with the launch of Chrome 94 coming in the third quarter of 2021. The aim is to release new features faster. Since both browsers are based on Chromium, it makes sense for Microsoft to follow the same schedule.

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Microsoft will get rid of its 'legacy' Edge browser on Windows PC on Apr. 13

Source: Microsoft

While it might have taken Microsoft such a long time to transition from Internet Explorer to its Edge browser, the company is ready to move forward with its Chromium-based browser. Microsoft recently announced that when it releases its cumulative monthly security patch on April 13, it will take Edge's legacy version from Windows 10 machines. And those who don't have the new Edge version will receive it.

The legacy version is the browser that launched alongside Windows 10. It was based on Microsoft's EdgeHTML rendering, which the company rebuilt using Google's Chromium software and launched sometime in June 2020. It then announced a couple of months later that the Legacy Edge version wouldn't receive security updates after March 9 of this year.

Source: Microsoft | Via: Engadget