Microsoft is simplifying updates to its Windows 7 and 8.1 operating systems by rolling cumulative updates into a single downloadable package.

For Windows 7, the SP1 convenience roll up will include all security and non-security updates in a single package. By downloading and installing the package, you'll have all updates prior to April 2016, meaning you'll have to download just a few updates after installing Windows. It's not Windows 7 SP2, but it's the next best thing.

In addition to the Windows 7 SP1 rollup, Microsoft will be providing rollup packages for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 in the future. Unlike the Windows 7 SP1 rollup, these monthly rollups will not contain security updates, so you'll still need to download those after a clean installation.

To download these rollup packages, you'll need to use Internet Explorer 6 or later. Other browsers are not supported as the packages require ActiveX, a software framework created by Microsoft.

• If you're on Windows 10, here are 100 Windows 10 tips and tricks to get you started.

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Microsoft is soon going to make it compulsory for the manufacturers of Windows 10 PCs, tablets and smartphones to include TPM (Trusted Platform Module) for bolstered security.

In a TechNet post which covered the topic of TPM 2.0 compliance for Windows 10 devices in the future, Microsoft said it would be introducing the cast-iron requirement for systems to include TPM on the day before the anniversary of Windows 10's launch.

Redmond stated: "All shipping devices for Windows 10 across all SKU types must be using TPM 2.0 discrete or firmware from July 28, 2016. This requirement will be enforced through our Windows Hardware Certification program."

TPM is already present on a large number of business-targeted computers and notebooks, where security is always a heightened concern, but it's not so common for consumer machines. That will all change soon enough.

Pi exception

All hardware running Windows 10 desktop editions – that's Windows 10 Home, Pro, Education and Enterprise – must implement TPM 2.0 and ship with it enabled, along with all Windows 10 Mobile devices.

The exception to the rule is Windows 10 IoT Core where TPM will remain optional, so the likes of the Raspberry Pi won't be bound by this new Redmond directive.

TPM encompasses a raft of security mechanisms designed to protect a device from tampering and would-be intruders if the hardware falls into the wrong hands, and the newer TPM 2.0 standard offers a number of clear advantages over TPM 1.2 including support for SHA-256 hashing.

It can be implemented either in discrete form (a separate chip) or as firmware TPM.

Via: PC World

• What is TPM, and why does it matter to your business?

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Another round of figures on PC shipments have been released, and following the strong trend of late, there's more bad news for computer manufacturers.

In fact, Gartner's figures for the first quarter of 2016 show a 9.6% drop compared to Q1 of 2015, with total shipments falling to 64.8 million units. That marks the sixth straight quarter in which the analyst firm has observed a decline.

Perhaps the most worrying point of all is the fact that the last time PC shipment numbers dropped below 65 million units was in 2007 – nearly a decade ago now. That's a hell of a long time in the fast-moving world of tech.

Scary slump

So why the major slump? Folks simply aren't replacing their PCs as fast as they used to, with the upgrade cycle lengthening, helped by the fact that hardware is more resilient against becoming obsolete these days. Smartphones have become the priority for people spending their cash on upgrades, too, rather than PCs.

In a broader sense, global economic turbulence has continued to prove problematic, as have unfavourable currency fluctuations.

Gartner also noted that when it comes to the business world, organisations are still testing the waters and formulating upgrade programs, and have not yet started the move to Windows 10. This is expected to happen towards the end of this year, and companies upgrading could also be refreshing their hardware which might help to drive sales.

Right now, though, Windows 10 isn't making much of an impact, and indeed as we've previously discussed it could be a drag factor – because those who have upgraded to Microsoft's newest OS are getting a 'new computer' experience, as it were, without actually having to buy a new PC.

Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner, observed: "Vendors that had a strong consumer focus struggled to increase sell in shipments. There was no particular motivation for US consumers to purchase PCs in the first quarter of 2016. There have been increased sales of two-in-one PCs, but not enough to offset the decline in desktop and traditional notebook sales."

The theme of convertible PCs doing better is again a repeated one, and 2-in-1 devices are expected to make good progress over the course of 2016.

Some stability

When it came to the UK, there was some slightly more heartening news as Gartner said that "consumer demand remained stable" as it did in Germany, despite European PC shipments falling 10% year-on-year in total, with EMEA shipment numbers falling to 19.5 million units.

There were another couple of bright spots aside from convertible PCs, and once again one of them was Apple's Mac computers, which managed year-on-year growth of 1% to reach 4.6 million units shipped. Asus also grew 1.5% to hit 5.4 million units, and these two companies were in fourth and fifth place when it came to the top PC vendors.

Lenovo remains top dog with a 19.3% market share, despite its shipment numbers seeing a major drop of 7.2% compared to Q1 2015. HP and Dell are in second and third place respectively.

• 10 best desktop PCs 2016: which computer should you buy?

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Introduction and changes in enterprise computing

While Apple sells millions and millions of iPhones and iPads, the Mac is more of an oddity in business, especially as companies grow. What might start as a few people with MacBooks on a college campus eventually becomes business users all running Windows on a laptop.

Except for this: IBM recently announced that it is switching to the Mac. And so did SAP. And, as Uber and Buzzfeed have grown, they've stubbornly stayed with the Mac platform, despite having hundreds of users. In fact, the Mac is reappearing in the enterprise. One big reason is that the Mac now offers management software that is much easier to deploy than ever before.

Setup and support

Starting with the serial number for a new Mac, large companies are able to begin the management process before a new Mac is even shrink-wrapped and shipped out.

Another reason is that the user interface is still better. According to IBM, only 5% of tech support calls are related to Mac problems. That's spurred renewed interest in the OS, and a few analysts have told me they see an uptick in adoption.

Yet enterprise users can be still incredulous. PC laptops are still the most prevalent portables at airports, high-tech companies, and hotels. They're cheaper (usually by a few hundred dollars or pounds, possibly more), which makes them more common. Microsoft's new Windows 10 operating system is a hit. It has already been installed on 270 million devices worldwide with the goal of landing on one billion in the next few years. Microsoft owns the business market, or so we've been told again and again.

An open door for Apple?

However, that's starting to change. Gartner analyst Michael Silver, who is the Research VP for Mobile and Endpoint Computing, says most businesses need Windows for about half of the apps they use, despite what you may have heard about the cloud taking over. Yet, as the shift to the cloud makes local enterprise apps less and less viable, the Mac could have an open door.

"We do see the enterprise changing, they are broadening who can have the Mac as an exception to the rule," says Silver. "And, we companies are more likely to choose the Mac."

For any enterprise considering the Mac again, there are three major reasons to choose the platform, but also three major reasons to avoid it. And we're going to detail those reasons on the next page…

Pros and cons

Reasons to switch

1. User-centred management

There's been a dramatic shift in IT to a more user-centred approach. More and more, IT is not 'on-high' dictating which computer and software you need to use. Because of this shift, there is a new trend in embracing the Mac as just another platform available to end users.

Thomas Saueressig, the SVP and Global Head of IT Services at SAP, says his company has deployed Macs "in a five digit number" of units recently, mostly due to the shift in IT.

"The Mac computer has dramatically changed the perception of IT at SAP. It doesn't matter whether our users start their work day using a mobile device while commuting to work and later on continue working at their desk by using a more powerful machine: it has to be a seamless experience," he says.

2. Cloud backup and restore

Code42 is based in the same US city as JAMF Software. The firm's big differentiator is that it is not a scheduled backup service – it operates in the background, with no intervention from the user, and archives local files automatically as you work without much user intervention.

Justine Bienkowski, the IT Team Lead at Buzzfeed, says one of the key benefits of using Code42 is that employees can travel without fear of losing their work, even if that work involves large video files or graphics files.

She says, if someone were to leave the office in New York and fly to London, but leave the laptop in an airport, it would be possible to have a notebook waiting for the employee with a restored cloud backup ready and installed. "We could set up that computer remotely and have it ready for the employee with everything they need," Bienkowski notes.

3. Low tech support costs

IBM insists that the tech support calls for the Mac are incredibly low. That proved accurate in a visit to the company WhenIWork recently, a software developer which makes a timesheet app. According to reps there, they barely have to do any tech support at all. The only issue they've had is related to the trackpad functions, but those questions are usually about how to make the most out of the swipe features and changing some of the settings.

In fact, the main IT support tech, Adele Gower, is the 'office coordinator' and handles issues like employee training and scheduling visits to the company. There are no IT admins. It's just one company that has decided to deploy only Macs, but it shows how small an IT staff is required with Apple's computers. Similarly, at Buzzfeed, even though the organisation has thousands of employees, there are only a handful of IT staff to support the Mac and another 30-35 users who still rely on Windows.

Reasons to avoid

1. Missing Mac skills

Gartner's Michael Silver says one big reason many large companies have not switched to the Mac or do not even consider deploying the platform is that the IT staff do not use the Mac, nor do they have the skills required for management. That's offset by the benefits of using the Mac, which is that JAMF Software and Apple itself make deployment easy, but it still changes the IT landscape. IT leaders view the Mac as yet another platform to support and yet another suite of management tools to purchase.

"Gartner's advice is to get out of the business of providing and managing devices and start providing and managing applications and data users need access to so they can consume them on a variety of devices as they like," says Silver, making the point for either platform.

2. High costs

Regardless of the support and management costs, there's still the nagging problem of acquisition costs. The Mac is more expensive than comparable PCs, although Silver argues that a high-end PC workstation costs about as much as a Mac these days. It's just that many Dell and Lenovo business laptops can costs about $500-$700 (or pretty much the same amount in pounds) and most Macs are twice that much.

3. Outdated hardware

For some IT leaders, the real issue with the Mac platform is that the hardware has become slightly outdated. Indeed, the latest MacBook models use a fifth-generation Intel processor even though Skylake, the sixth generation platform from Intel, is readily available.

Macs do not rely on graphics cards from Nvidia and others – they do not use discrete graphics, which makes them unusable for VR products (like the Oculus Rift) which have just started shipping recently. Only the iMac line has been updated recently to support 4K display resolution.

• Could this be Apple's secret plan for the new iPad?

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Amazon has been introducing its new PC Gaming Store with a round of hardware deals this week and for today only you can pick up a SanDisk Ultra II 960GB SSD for just £159.99.

That's one of the best SSD deals we've seen in a long time, with a hefty saving of £40 compared to the cheapest price you can pick it up for at other PC hardware retailers.

SanDisk is a well-known name in solid state drives with a great reputation. And it's got good form on reliability and robustness too, with its Ultra Plus range containing the most consistent SSDs we've ever tested.

The Ultra II is a standard 2.5-inch SSD, running on the SATA 6Gbps interface. And with its rated 550MB read and 500MB write speeds that means it's capable of performing about as fast as the these sorts of drive are able to.

You need to stretch to an expensive PCIe drive if you really want to go much faster.

This 960GB version is running an eight-channel Marvell 88SS9189 controller so won't suffer the SandForce woes you might have experienced with old SSDs and their inability to cope with incompressible file formats like media content.

And with a full 960GB of solid state storage there's a whole lot of space to pack in your favourite apps and games.

This great SSD deal runs out at midnight so get in quick to bag yourself a terabyte-class drive right now.

• SanDisk Ultra II 960GB SSD for £159.99

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Laptops that turn into tablets, tablets with detachable keyboards... the line between tablet, 2-in-1 and laptop is getting blurrier all the time, and a new patent recently filed by Apple suggests the trend for versatile devices is unlikely to go away any time soon.

We're not talking about a touchscreen display here - we're talking about a touchscreen keyboard underneath the display. Haptic feedback would be used to let you know when you've hit a key, though you'd just be hitting a flat surface with your fingers.

It's essentially an iPad-style on-screen keyboard for your laptop: something Apple is dubbing "zero travel" (because your fingers don't actually travel anywhere). No doubt the MacBook would be able to get even thinner as a result.

Keyboard evolution

While keyboard-lovers would be up-in-arms if the MacBooks adopted this new system, it would allow for flexible, custom keyboards just like those on iOS. The keyboard layout could change depending on the application being used.

Presumably battery life could be improved as well, which may help to sell the idea to MacBook buyers. Ultimately, Apple is unlikely to ditch the physical keyboard altogether - this is more likely to be an optional extra rather than something for its entire range.

As seasoned patent-watchers will know, these filings only show the ideas being thrown around behind the scenes, and there's no guarantee something like this will ever see the light of day - though it's fun to imagine a flat, touch-sensitive laptop keyboard.

• MacBook Pro 2016 release date, news and rumours

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Looks like we're all out of bubble gum

What's the best shooter on the PC or consoles ever? That's a good – but loaded – question, as there are a ton that we could address individually. Besides, we would inevitably get it wrong by someone's measure.

So, let's highlight what's out there now that best exemplifies what shooters are all about – with that, re-releases of seminal works are on the table as well.

Honestly, there are so many shooters out there now that you simply shouldn't miss. Here are several first-person shooter (FPS) games that you need to check out immediately on the desktop or a console.

Again, we'll continue to add to this list over time, so don't fret if your fave isn't on the list just yet.

DOOM

This isn't first on the list for a reason, but the DOOM franchise does immediately come to mind when you talk about shooters in general. The original DOOM, developed by id Software, hit the PC gaming scene way back in 1993, and has since spawned three sequels: DOOM 2, DOOM 3, and the latest installment, DOOM (2016) that's slated for a release in May.

Overall, the series has supposedly sold over 10 million copies since its debut, which includes five spin-offs such as DOOM 64 for the Nintendo 64 and DOOM II RPG for smartphones.

In general, what makes the original DOOM tick is the ultra-fast gameplay. It's a run-and-gun bonanza with a few puzzle-oriented tasks thrown into the mix. Hellish demons and zombified humans attack from left and right as you desperately hunt down a key to progress into the next area. There are secret rooms to find and high scores to beat, if you're in a competitive mood.

The drawback, however, is that DOOM is definitely showing its age, but that also means it can run on a huge number of platforms ranging from the PC to a smartphone. That said, you can purchase DOOM (aka Ultimate DOOM) on Steam, Xbox 360, Android, iOS, and a number of other platforms.

Quake

Here's another shooter from id Software that helped change the way we play FPS games. The original Quake was introduced back in 1996 and not only used polygons instead of pixels, but eventually supported the first GPUs on the PC market. The game also propelled multiplayer gaming on the internet and made Capture the Flag a standard multiplayer mode.

Quake was unique at the time in that it provided a gothic feel inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, and allowed the player to actually freely look around the 3D environment using a mouse. It also allowed the gamer to create mods, which led to some great gameplay like having Cujo by your side or becoming a superhero. It was this mod support that gave birth to Capture the Flag.

Like DOOM, Quake is showing its age and looks rather ancient compared to today's shooters. However, you can probably still find and install a few mods offered by fans online as well as jump on a multiplayer server and duke it out with a handful of humans. Quake and its expansion packs are available for the PC on Steam.

Halo: Combat Evolved

Console gamers probably recognize the Halo franchise best in regards to shooters. Microsoft and Bungie launched the military science-fiction series on the original Xbox console in 2001. The first installment, Halo: Combat Evolved, introduced us to Master Chief and was phenomenal, showing that shooters can indeed be played using a controller.

The game focuses on the battle between man and the Covenant in the twenty-sixth century. The player takes on the role of Master Chief, one of the supersoldiers codenamed Spartans. He's accompanied by Cortana, an artificial intelligence that helps him explore Halo, a ring-shaped artificial world that seemingly borrows from Larry Niven's Ringworld novels.

While Halo: Combat Evolved provided a great story, it also included a cooperative mode that allowed friends to experience the campaign together. The game could also be played online in five different competitive modes and up to 16 players, making it a must buy if Xbox owners wanted to experience Internet-based multiplayer action.

Halo: Combat Evolved is available for the original Xbox if you can still find either. however, it's also part of the Halo: The Master Chief Collection for the Xbox One. There's a version for Windows too that's listed on Microsoft's store for $20.

Half-Life

The original Half-Life game, developed by Valve Software, was based on a modified Quake engine and made its debut on the PC in 1998. Unlike many shooters released at the time, it was very story driven, taking place at the Black Mesa Research Facility in New Mexico.

Gamers took on the role of Gordon Freeman as he witnesses an experiment gone wrong and must vacate the facility. The game was a massive hit, and is now considered to be one of the all-time greatest shooters to date.

Half-Life sold 9.3 million copies by the end of 2008, Valve announced that year. Like Quake, Half-Life supported mods and even shipped with a level editor. That led to incredible mods like Action Half-Life, Natural Selection, Day of Defeat, and Counter-Strike.

And, like Quake, Half-Life offered an incredible multiplayer component that lives on today as Deathmatch Classic. Let's not forget Team Fortress, another popular mod that Valve created using the Half-Life engine.

What made Half-Life really shine was the way it threw out cutscenes for scripted in-game sequences. Again, Half-Life was very cinematic, grabbing the gamer's attention until the very end. Valve updated the game's visuals with the release of Half-Life: Source, which is based on Valve's most recent Source engine.

Half-Life can be purchased for the PC on Steam and may still be available for the old PlayStation 2 console.

Portal

Unlike the Half-Life games, Valve's other hyper-popular shooter series doesn't require you to shoot aliens but instead undergo a series of puzzles, thanks to GLaDOS, a not-so-nice artificial intelligence computer that has taken over the Aperture Science Enrichment Center.

Gamers are armed with only a portal gun that essentially creates a wormhole-like passage between two surfaces, allowing them to move through rooms instantly and in specific places.

The goal simple: reach the exit. But, GLaDOS does not make that easy.

As indicated, there's really no violence involved. Gamers must use their brains to solve the current puzzle and advance on to the next area. Both Portal (2007) and Portal 2 (2011) are based on Valve's Source engine, which to this day still looks rather good given its age.

Both games can be purchased on Steam for the PC, and the original Portal game is part of The Orange Box collection for older consoles. Portal 2 can be purchased on the consoles as well, such as the Xbox 360.

Left 4 Dead

Valve Software has made quite a few hits in the shooter genre, this time with the zombie FPS series Left 4 Dead. This series combines cooperative online gameplay with survival horror, pitting up to four players against hordes of zombies filling the streets.

The story is set days after a virus breaks out and begins turning humans into zombies, which takes a backseat to awesome gameplay that makes the Left 4 Dead series so popular.

Left 4 Dead (2008) and Left 4 Dead 2 (2009) are – like the rest – based on Valve's Source engine. Essentially, the object is to pick one of four available characters that have their individual strengths and weaknesses, and to merely stay alive while battling to reach a safe house or military rescue. Players can use an assortment of weapons ranging from guns to swords and even thrown objects. Both games can be purchased for the PC via Steam, and on the Xbox 360 console.

More to come...

That's it – for now. If you have a favorite shooter that's currently not listed here, comment below and we'll be sure to consider it in upcoming revisions.

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