Windows 10 launched

Start Button: The Start menu feature in Windows 7, which was removed in Windows 8, is now back in the new OS. This was the biggest change going from Windows 7 to Widnows 8 and 8.1. Users were very upset by this, as the Start menu is considered a friendly interface for accessing functionalities and […]

Start Button: The Start menu feature in Windows 7, which was removed in Windows 8, is now back in the new OS. This was the biggest change going from Windows 7 to Widnows 8 and 8.1. Users were very upset by this, as the Start menu is considered a friendly interface for accessing functionalities and applications in the devices.
Microsoft Cortana: This is Windows personal digital assistant, which is Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s Siri. You can launch applications with your voice, as in Google Now or Siri. Cortana is available only in selected markets.
Windows Hello: Hello greets you by your name and has the capability for barometric authentication, so you can log into your PC without a password. Thus, Hello adds another layer of security to an otherwise vulnerable OS. Note that Hello may not work, except on a new computer, as it is said to require a specialized illuminated infrared camera for detecting or recognizing faces, and a finger print reader for use with biometric may not yet be ready.
Microsoft Edge: This is Microsoft’s new browser that replaces Internet Explorer, and has been built from the ground up in Windows 10. One interesting feature of Edge is the ability to annotate Web pages directly. Thus, you can draw and type notes on web pages, as well as clip sections that interest you into OneNote. Edge is easier to use and has been developed to better support mobile devices, when compared with earlier versions of Windows. It also supports the new Internet standard HTML 5 (Hyper Text Markup Language 5).
Windows Continuum: This might as well be the game-changer, allowing you to switch from the desktop mode to the tablet mode, and vice versa. Settings and display modes for applications are automatically optimized for users with multiple devices, such as desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. With Continuum, Microsoft aims to help you use the same OS naturally, even though the platforms may be different. Continuum for phones will be available only on selected models.
Office 2016: Windows 10 also runs Office 2016 suite.
IOT: Windows 10 is said to support devices used for Internet of Things (IOT). It also supports Raspberry Pi – a so-called subminiature computer module, as well as HoloLens, which is Microsoft’s wearable holography projector.
Advanced Security Functions: Windows 10 is believed to be the most secure Windows OS ever built. In addition to the Windows Defender and SmartScreen functions, there is also Windows Hello, as briefly discussed above.
Utility: The Windows OS drives the majority of desktops and laptops. Incidentally, certain tasks or projects will always call for these devices, in spite of the explosive growth of smartphones. These tasks include those requiring a significant amount of computer power and storage space, graphics/image processing, large-scale document or computer program generation, virtually all types of engineering analysis, accounting, document management, database management, and so on. Also, the sheer size of the monitor in desktops is an attractive feature for many. Things just get pretty cluttered on a cell phone, making the system quite awkward, if not impossible, to use in many mission-critical scenarios. (Most studies have shown that larger screens can make you more productive!)
Cost: If you use a Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PC or laptop, you can register with Microsoft to get a free upgrade up till 28 July 2016. However, the Enterprise editions don’t qualify. Also, if your machine is running Windows Vista or XP, or you carry a pirated copy of Windows, you will not be able to upgrade. Devices running Windows RT (Microsoft Surface RT or Surface 2) will also not be able to upgrade to Windows 10. The upgrade you get will be good for the life of your device. If you are not eligible for a free upgrade, for example, if you are still using Windows XP, you may opt for an individual license. In the U.S., Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro will cost you $119 and $199, respectively, to upgrade. Outside the U.S., the rumored corresponding prices are $156 and $262.
Desktop/Laptop vendors: I imagine all desktop and laptop vendors will be churning out devices that support the new OS. I mean the likes of Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Samsung Electronics, ASUS, LG Electronics, Lenovo, and so on.
Want to know how I feel about upgrading versus getting a new machine in light of the new (Windows 10) OS? Easy, I’ll just get a new desktop or laptop rather than upgrading from my old computer. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, it is likely the case that your device has seen a few years. Second, for some weird reasons, things always seem to go wrong with major updates like the one in question. Full backward compatibility, even though promised, is always an issue. After all, getting you to purchase a new laptop or desktop in order to fully exploit the new features of Windows 10, is probably the intent of Microsoft. Finally, do not be surprised if you get a date from Microsoft for when support for Windows 7 will stop.