Brandon LeBlanc, Microsoft's Senior Marketing Communications Manager on the Marketing Group, updated the Windows blog on Tuesday with word that despite all the rumors and speculation, there will be no Windows 8.1 Update 2. Instead, the company will distribute updates and enhancements the old fashioned way -- via Windows Update (WU), Microsoft Update (MU), and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).
Included in the update this month will be three new end-user settings for the touchpad: leaving it on when the user connects a mouse, allowing right-clicks, and double-tap and drag. Also new in next week's update will be Miracast Receive, which will allow the computer to serve as a Miracast receiver.
"[Miracast Receive] exposes a set of Wi-Fi direct APIs for Independent Hardware Vendor (IHV) drivers or OEM drivers to develop Windows 32-bit applications that run on all supported x86-based or x64-based versions of Windows 8.1, enabling the computer as a Miracast receiver," LeBlanc explained.
The update next week will also add a feature that "reduces the number of prompts with federated use in accessing SharePoint Online sites." If "Keep me signed in" is checked when logging in for the first time, users will not see prompts for successive access to that particular SharePoint Online site.
"For current Windows 8.1 consumers who have elected automatic updates, the rollout will be gradual to ensure all customers receive the update in a timely manner," LeBlanc wrote on Tuesday. "Those who wish to install the update ahead of automatic updates may do so beginning August 12th manually via Windows Update."
Follow Kevin Parrish @exfileme. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.
