Lilbits 309: Keeping Windows 10 small

Around a decade ago it seemed like a safe bet that personal computers would keep getting faster processors, more storage space, and other beefed up hardware. So when Microsoft released new versions of its operating systems, the system requirements tended to be higher than those for previous versions.

These days there are plenty of powerful computers on the market. But there’s also demand for low-power, energy-efficient, and inexpensive systems. So any computer that can run Windows 7 can also probably run Windows 8.1 or Windows 10.

And Microsoft has done a bit of work to make sure that you can even get Windows 10 to run on computers with as little as 16GB of storage (although you’re probably still better offer with at least 32GB).

Microsoft provided some details about its new space-saving technology earlier this year, but now Microsoft’s Michael Niehuas provides a more in-depth look in a technet blog post. Looking for a plain English translation? AnandTech has you covered.

Here’s a roundup of recent tech news from around the web. You can keep up on the latest headlines by following Liliputing on Twitter, Google+ and Facebook.

• Windows 10 uses CompactOS instead of WIMboot to save storage space
  In a nutshell, this means you get more free space, can enable or disable the feature at any time, and get system updates saved to your recovery storage so that a complete system restore won’t require you to re-download every Windows updated ever. [AnandTech]
• Intel’s upcoming Cannonlake chips may be available with up to 8 CPU cores
  A job listing suggests we could see 6 and 8 core Intel chips for low-power computers including notebooks and convertibles. [Motley Fool]
• Chainfire transfers ownership of SuperSU to a new company
  The lead developer of one of the most popular Android apps for managing root permissions plans to continue working on the project for at least two more years, but it’s no longer being managed by a single person. [Android Police]
• NVIDIA launches Maxwell-powered Quadro M graphics cards for notebooks
  Quadro: it’s not just for desktop systems anymore. [AnandTech]
• Leaked pictures of the upcoming Microsoft Lumia 550
  The Lumia 950 and 950 XL may get all the attention, but Microsoft also has a new entry/mid-range phone on the way. [@evleaks]
• Axiomtek PICO 842 is an upcoming Bay Trail fanless mini PC board with SODIMM and SATA connectors 
  Most Bay Trail mini PC boards have RAM and storage that are soldered to the motherboard, making upgrades difficult, if not impossible. This board will let you add your own memory or storage. There’s no word on how much it will cost, but it should be available in December in at least two configurations, including one with an Intel Celeron N2807 dual-core CPU and another with a Celeron J1900 quad-core processor. [CNX Software]