Saturday 27 May 2017

Twin Peaks: The Return S03E1 & S03E02

What I thought

First up, a confession. I've not watched ANY of the previous two series of this show, HOWEVER, I am familiar with many of the concepts of the show; the red curtains, dancing dwarf, a giant, murder, mystery, weirdness, Dale Cooper, a lady who talks to logs etc. Even without seeing an episode before, I know all about these bits and bobs (no pun intended) because I'm a sci-fi TV fan, and it's been impossible to get through the last 25 years without hearing and seeing photos/clips from this show. I toyed with watching the first two series on catchup, but life is too short.

I sat down highly excited about this show's return, which, considering I hadn't seen it before, I'm not sure why I was so much in anticipation. However, once I started watching it, it quickly became apparent. Somehow my subconscious knew this was my type of show. The similarities to LOST and especially 2001: A Space Odyssey are uncanny. This is an intoxicatingly hypnotic show, mostly due to the mannerisms of the character's and the way it's filmed. Everything is just plain weird. The characters, the way they behave (which even for the most typical person doesn't seem quite normal) and their dialogue is somewhat a classic lesson on how to say just enough without actually being totally implicitly clear. It's like a lesson on how to be a politician in many ways. They will say and do just enough to plant questions and confusion in you, but never enough to actually enable you to be sure you really know any answers..

Exactly what's going on, I'm not sure. I can take lots of guesses, but I'd probably be shot down by hardcore Twin Peak fans for being totally wide of the mark. How the episode started and everything in the top-floor skyrise apartment building was just mesmerising and so 2001: A Space Odyssey; little to no conversation, not a lot to really make sense of, lots of sitting around, posturing, posing and looking mysterious, but at the same time just looking visually beautiful to observe. Sure, I knew something would eventually happen, and that Tracey was really into that guy. Wasn't quite expecting them to get it on and get mutilated by an entity, but it was a pleasant viewing surprise. In fact, there's another death in this episode and I'm clueness as to how they all relate. This poor high school principal getting pulled in for murder, the double revelation to his wife that they are both cheating on each other and all the confusion as to who knew what and why ... well, every time I thought I knew where that was going, i didn't. I'm still not sure if he knew or not? It seemed he did but then one moment he and his wife were so close and the classic loving couple and the next they were really like worst enemies. Amazing how that turned around. And the body which is of two people? The lady he supposedly murdered? Does that relate to poor Tracy and the lad in the skyscraper? Who knows.

Of course, then we have Dale Cooper's doppelganger wandering about, being all kung-fu, mysterious and murdering people I've no idea who they ever were, but it was sort of entertaining. Why he has to have his hair like that though ... it's just ridiculous. The real Dale Cooper is in the black lodge place with the red curtains, having entertaining and quite frankly odd conversations with random people, including a tree with a brain on the top? What? It sometimes looks a little 1950s sci-fi and then also just feels plain weird and fascinating at the same time. I love everything in that place even though i don't really understand it all. The posturing. The pausing between speaking. The way they walk about. The background sounds. The camera positioning. It's really amazing and captivating to me.

I don't like musical endings to any episode so the last few minutes deflated the experience for me somewhat, and also the fact that I really wasn't totally sure what I'd been set up for. What is the series arc? I guess it's Dale Cooper and his doppelganger but what else? Those murders? We could have done with seeing real Dale out in the real world before the end I think, just so we know where we are starting next episode. I'm also no fan of doppelgangers for the reason that it never feels right or real when the real person and doppelganger are in the same scene. Never quite works for me, although we've not had that in this show yet.

Anyhow, at end of episode, I was reasonably satisfied. It mattered not that I'd not seen the show before, or knew who anyone was aside from a few characters, as it was a fascinating world with so many questions coming to mind and visual delights that I really enjoyed it.

Rating 8/10 - A fascinating and captivating beginning, full of serious weirdness.

A room with a view

Don't drink coffee before sex.

Like an episode of Judge Judy.

Don't be cheeky.

It's a talking tree!

Tuesday 16 May 2017

Windows 10 v1703 In-box/System Apps: History of Updates

Here's a comprehensive list of updates to my Windows 10 v1703 PC In-box apps since this version of Windows 10 was installed on my PC on 8th April 2017.

Note:

  • "What's Changed", if known, information comes from either what I've noticed, what the store lists as what's new or via the app itself.
  • Apps in Windows Store don't get their "What's New" change-log information updated with each update, thus I wouldn't trust them to be up-to-date as you read them in the store.
  • The Date is in UK format, and is not necessarily reflective of the date the version was released as I'm not on my computer every day of the week.
  • These are only updates to Windows System (what Microsoft calls in-box) Apps via the Windows Store. i.e. the apps you get by default for a new user.
  • These are only updates to the PC version of Windows 10 v1703.
  • Changes to System Apps in v1703: New apps are Paint 3D Mixed Reality Portal & View 3D.
  • In v1703 there are 35 Windows In-box Apps, which are 3D Builder, App Installer, Alarms and Clocks, Calculator, Calendar, Camera, Connect, Feedback Hub, Films & TV,  Get Help, Get Office, Groove Music, Mail, Maps, Messaging, Microsoft Solitaire Collection, Mixed Reality Portal, OneNote, Paid Wi-Fi & Mobile, Paint 3D, People, Phone, Photos, Quick Assist (under Accessories), Skype, Sticky Notes, Store, Store Purchase App, Tips, View 3D, Voice Recorder, Weather, Xbox, Xbox Game Bar & Xbox Identity Provider.
List Updated 14th October 2017

Count thus far is that there's been 141 system app updates in v1703.

App
Date
Version
What’s Changed
Windows Voice Recorder
14/10/17
10.1709.2703.0

Mail & Calendar
14/10/17
17.8600.40525.0

OneNote
14/10/17
17.8568.57631.0

Paint 3D
14/10/17
3.1710.4027.0

Groove Music
14/10/17
10.17083.18321.0

Windows Calculator
14/10/17
10.1709.2703.0

Windows Alarms & Clock
08/10/17
10.1709.2621.0

Store
08/10//17
11708.1001.30.0

Mail & Calendar
08/10//17
17.8600.40445.0

Microsoft Photos
08/10//17
2017.39081.15820.0

Xbox
08/10//17
33.33.15001.0
Party Chat; control chat volume and audio device.
Brackets for Killer Instinct tournaments.
Watch game broadcatss in clubs.
co-stream with friends.

Mail & Calendar
28/09/17
17.8500.40955.0

View 3D
28/09/17
2.1709.8012.0

Films & TV
28/09/17
10.17082.14121.0

Store
26/09/17
11708.1001.26.0

Paint 3D
23/09/17
3.1709.13037.0

Store
23/09/17
11708.1001.25.0

Mail & Calendar
21/09/17
17.8500.40885.0

Paid Wifi & mobile
21/09/17
2.1709.2484.0

Windows Camera
21/09/17
2017.727.40.0

Microsoft Solitaire Collection
16/09/17
3.17.8162.0

OneNote
16/09/17
17.8568.57561.0
Link to a specific paragraph.
Cover a hyperlink.
Xbox Game Bar
16/09/17
1.21.11001.0

Mail & Calendar
16/09/17
17.8500.40855.0

Store
16/09/17
11708.1001.21.0
Pin to Start button under every app.
Paint 3D
16/09/17
17.8500.40725.0

Mail & Calendar
09/09/17
17.8500.40725.0

Microsoft Photos
09/09/17
2017.35071.16410.0
Edit video in new editor.
Find people, places and things.
Windows Camera
09/09/17
2017.727.20.0

Windows Calculator
03/09/17
10.1706.2271.0

Windows Voice Recorder
03/09/17
10.1706.2211.0

Windows Alarms & Clock
31/08/17
10.1706.2231.0

Mail & Calendar
31/08/17
17.8400.41195.0

Mail & Calendar
27/08/17
17.8400.41055.0

OneNote
27/08/17
17.8471.57791.0

Skype
27/08/17
11.19.856.0

Microsoft Solitaire Collection
27/08/17
3.17.8161.0

Films & TV
27/08/17
10.17072.13111.0

Store
27/08/17
11707.1001.23.0

Mail & Calendar
22/08/17
17.8471.57721.0

Paint 3D
22/08/17
    3.1708.14027.0
Draw lines and curves right onto your 2D and 3D surfaces.
More file types.
Improvements to Magic Select tool, 2D text editing and model quality when you publish to Remix3D.com.
We'll prompt you to resave any work if you forget.
Mail & Calendar
20/08/17
17.8400.40895.0

Photos
17/08/17
2017.35071.13510.0

OneNote
17/08/17
17.8471.57721.0

Xbox
15/08/17
30.31.1001.0

Mail & Calendar
15/08/17
17.8400.40795.0

Feedback Hub
15/08/17
1.1704.1603.0

Microsoft Solitaire Collection
15/08/17
3.17.7215.0

Mail & Calendar
12/08/17
17.8400.40745.0

Mail & Calendar
10/08/17
17.8241.41275.0
Think the search box above inbox is larger than previously.
Microsoft Photos
06/08/17
2017.18062.13720.0

Windows Maps
06/08/17
5.1705.1391.0

View 3D
06/08/17
1.1705.3039.0

Microsoft Solitaire Collection
01/08/17
3.17.7215.0

Paid Wifi & Mobile
01/08/17
2.1706.1934.0

Films & TV
22/07/17
17.8241.41225.0

Windows Calculator
22/07/17
17.8241.41225.0
New programmer mode? Extra scientific features.
Store
22/07/17
11706.1001.25.0
"Check for Updates" button becomes "Get Updates".
Mail & Calendar
18/07/17
17.8241.41225.0

Skype
18/07/17
11.19.820.0

OneNote
18/07/17
17.8366.57581.0

Xbox Game Bar
15/07/17
1.18.23001.0

Xbox
15/07/17
29.30.2001.0

Groove Music
15/07/17
10.17042.14111.0
Minview.
Microsoft Photos
15/07/17
2017.18062.13720.0

OneNote
15/07/17
17.8241.41225.0
Customise your pens.
Multitasking made easy.
Improve reading with learning tools.
Mail & Calendar
15/07/17
17.8241.41225.0

Paint 3D
15/07/17
2.1707.1017.0
Support for Surface Dial.
Xbox Identity Provider
15/07/17
11.19.19003.0

Store Purchase App
09/07/17
11608.1000.2431.0

Film & TV
09/07/17
10.17042.14211.0

Mail & Calendar
01/07/17
17.8241.40985.0

OneNote
01/07/17
17.8269.57641.0

Xbox Game Bar
27/06/17
1.18.15001.0

Microsoft Solitaire Collection
27/06/17
3.16.5170.0

Mail & Calendar
24/06/17
17.8241.40985.0

Store
22/06/17
11705.1001.21.0
Visual Design Updated.
Skype
22/06/17
11.18.614.0

Get Office
22/06/17
17.8312.7601.0

Mail & Calendar
17/06/17
17.8241.40785.0

OneNote
17/06/17
17.8269.57641.0
Page Previews.
Hide subpages.
Find text on a page.
Find the right command.
See what's changed.
Nickname your notebooks.
Change notebook colour.
Windows Voice Recorder
17/06/17
10.1706.1561.0

Microsoft Tips
17/06/17
5.10.1441.0

Xbox
17/06/17
29.30.2001.0

Microsoft Photos
17/06/17
17.524.10020.0

Windows Alarms & Clock
17/06/17
10.1706.1531.0

Xbox Game Bar
17/06/17
1.18.15001.0

Windows Calculator
17/06/17
10.1706.1602.0

Feedback Hub
17/06/17
1.1704.1603.0

MSN News
08/06/17
4.21.1434.0

Microsoft People
08/06/17
10.2.1451.0
Visual Design Updated.
Skype
08/06/17
11.17.420.0

Windows Calculator
08/06/17
10.1705.1522.0
Visual Design Updated.
Xbox
03/06/17
29.29.31001.0

Groove Music
03/06/17
10.17042.14111.0
Inspired Playlists.
Windows Alarms & Clock
03/06/17
10.1705.1452.0

Get Office
03/06/17
17.8225.5925.0

Film & TV
03/06/17
10.17042.14211.0
Share links to social media, email and other apps.
Find and play videos from a USB drive or media server.
Mail & Calendar
27/05/17
17.8218.40507.0

Windows Maps
27/05/17
5.1705.1391.0
Get directions for trips with multiple stops.
Search for hotels or restaurants then sort and filter the results.
Visual Design updated.alarm
OneNote
27/05/17
17.8241.57621.0

Windows Voice Recorder
27/05/17
10.1705.1303.0

Xbox
27/05/17
29.29.24001.0

Windows Alarms & Clock
27/05/17
10.1705.1304.0
Visual Design updated.
Skype
27/05/17
11.16.595.0

Windows Calculator
27/05/17
10.1705.1302.0
Visual Design Updated.
Feedback Hub
27/05/17
1.1704.1361.0

Microsoft Solitaire Collection
27/05/17
3.16.5170.0

OneNote
20/05/17
17.8241.57591.0

Xbox
20/05/17
29.29.17002.0
Game Arena.
Stop following game via activity feed.
3D Builder
20/05/17
14.1.1302.0

Windows View 3D
20/05/17
1.1705.3039.0

Paint 3D
16/05/17
2.1703.21017.0

Microsoft Tips
13/05/17
5.0.13.0

Skype
11/05/17
11.15.597.0
Share your PC's audio when you share your desktop.
See your images without having to leave app.
Store
11/05/17
11703.1001.45.0

Windows Camera
11/05/17
2017.308.50.0

Mail & Calendar
06/05/17
17.8126.42377.0

OneNote
06/05/17
17.8067.57781.0

Xbox
06/05/17
28.28.28008.0

Microsoft Photos
06/05/17
17.425.10010.0

Skype
06/05/17
11.14.675.0

Films & TV
06/05/17
10.17032.10341.0

OneNote
29/04/17
17.8067.57711.0

Groove Music
29/04/17
10.17032.10331.0

Windows Alarms & Clock
29/04/17
10.1704.1013.0

Skype
29/04/17
11.14.662.0

OneNote
22/04/17
17.8067.57631.0
Make Audio Notes.
Easier insertion of files and pictures.
Capture your screen.
Drag and Drop pages or sections.
MSN News
22/04/17
4.20.1102.0
NA
3D Builder
22/04/17
14.0.1031.0
First release for xbox and mobile. More fonts, painting and measuring stuff.
Sway
22/04/17
17.8067.45101.0
Set your sway to automatically play in background.
New templates.
Quickly access people's sway's that you've viewed.
Apply new styles.
Sway.com.
Feedback Hub
22/04/17
1.1703.971.0
Notification setting for new announcements.
Get Office
22/04/17
17.8107.7600.0
NA
MSN Money
22/04/17
4.20.1102.0
NA
MSN Weather
22/04/17
4.20.1102.0
Dark Theme.
MSN Sport
22/04/17
4.20.1102.0
NA
Mail & Calendar
14/04/17
17.8104.42387.0
NA
Xbox
14/04/17
27.28.8007.0
NA
Skype
14/04/17
11.13.133.0
Simplified why your contacts on skype connect with people app.
Searchable chats, keyboard shortcuts and send SMS with little credit.
Group Video calling redesigned.
Switch mics, camera or to new device during a call.


On 8th April 2017 I updated from Windows 10 V1607 to Windows 10 V1703.

System App Updates Prior to this date can be found on this page.