Things you should know about Windows 10

Microsoft is giving up its traditional revenue stream by offering its much-improved Windows 10 as a free upgrade for anyone running windows 7 or above
Microsoft seems to deliver in cycles. They produce a stellar Windows XP that refuses to die, and then the dud that Windows Vista was. Next came the much-lauded Windows 7, which was promptly followed by Windows 8 that,to put it mildly, wasn’t well received. We’re once again at a stage where Microsoft is poised to deliver, and by most accounts they have succeeded.

Both Vista and Windows 8 were an attempt to be revolutionary, with the latter embracing a touch-first world, before the world was ready. Windows 10 is a reassessment of Microsoft’s strategy and an endeavour to refine their offering, and to once again tailor it to suit the traditional PC. But the changes that Windows 10 brings are more fundamental. Microsoft is giving up its traditional revenue stream by offering Windows 10 as a free upgrade for anyone running Windows 7 or up. This is an approach to fortify its presence in the tablet and mobile space, and in the process, encourage developers to build ‘universal apps’ that run across Windows 10 on the PC, mobile, tablet and even the Xbox. Microsoft will also be doing away with the big periodic update model, and will push automatic updates that ensure that the operating system keeps getting better and more functional with time.

 Windows 10 Key features that make it a tempting upgrade:

Start Menu: The Start Menu was sorely missed in Window 8, and it is making a comeback in Windows 10. But this iteration also merges the live tiles into the veritable menu, displaying a bank of glance-able information like news, weather, and so on.

Microsoft Edge: Microsoft finally bids adieu to the infamous Internet Explorer (IE), and ships Windows 10 with the new default Edge browser. The new browser has been created from a scratch and can be a little rough around the edges but it manages to deliver. It’s light, and fast, something IE could only dream of being. It also comes with a handy annotation tool.

Universal Apps: Since Windows 10 will run across desktops, laptops, hybrids, tablets and smartphones, Microsoft will let developers create a single app that works across all these devices. The company enjoys a dominant position in the PC business, and it hopes that the spillover effect of universal apps will help its tablet and smartphone business grow by getting users more apps.

Gaming: Windows 10 also brings the power of Direct X12 to the PC, and this translates to better gameplay. Another nifty addition is the ability to stream games from your Xbox to the PC with no lag. It lets you play with the same Xbox controller, only this time connected to your laptop or desktop. There is also a new Xbox app.

Cortana: Microsoft’s digital assistant is Windows 10’s highlight feature, however it will be slow to roll out to India. But once it’s here, you will not just be able to search locally, but online as well using your voice. Needless to say, it will take care of all those things that Siri and Google Now presently accomplish on the phone.

Revamped Core Apps: Mail, Calendar and Photos have all received major updates, and make for great tools to manage everyday things. The Photos is good enough for basic editing, and fills a long-standing lacuna in Microsoft’s offering.

Action Center: Notifications have taken over our life, and Windows 10 aptly reflects that with its Action Center, the new home for notifications from all connected apps on your PC. Also present are quick-action buttons for common functions, like activating bluetooth, as well as an an option for shifting the interface to the tablet mode.

Continuum: Since Windows 10 directly boots into the desktop à la Window 7, PC users have heaved a sigh of relief. But what if you’re using a hybrid or a tablet? Enter Continuum. This lets Windows intelligently switch between different modes — if Windows detects a keyboard and mouse, it switches to the PC mode, similarly on a tablet the interface is optimised for fingers. Smartphones running Windows 10 will also be able to switch to the full-blown PC mode if you connect these to an external monitor.

The above are just some of Windows’ marquee features, and don’t even scratch the surface when it comes to the numerous refinements that the new release brings. Every new operating system has its share of initial bugs that take a few weeks to patch, but if you aren’t running any specialised hardware, the upgrade should be fairly seamless and a no-brainer, it’s free afterall!

Source: The tribune India