Although Windows 8 was not the improvement that Microsoft has anticipated, the company has been hard at work in the past few years in order to right the wrongs and thus create the operating system that we all wanted to have. Named Windows 10, the new installment is set to work across multiple devices, such as laptops, desktop computers and even tablets with Windows support, unifying a wide range of users within a single banner.
Recently, at the conference held by Microsoft on the 21st of January with Satya Nadella and team, we were able to find out all the latest details about Windows 10 and its new changes, but the only thing that Microsoft failed to mention is a release date. However, many people in the tech industry speculate that this will happen at some point during the fall of 2015, most probably this October.
One of the most important things surfaced by Microsoft was the fact that Windows 10 will be free of charge for those persons that already own a Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 computer, as well as those that have a Windows 8.1 mobile phone, something that’s very interesting to say the least. Owners of the aforementioned systems will have the opportunity to get their free Windows 10 copy within a year after the OS will be released, offering more than enough time to get your own copy. The great thing here is that once a device is upgraded you will have the opportunity to get lifetime support for that particular device without any costs, something that’s amazing coming from Microsoft who is widely known to have large prices for all of its software.
A wonderful feature in the upcoming Windows 10 comes in the form of Cortana, which will be the voice activated personal assistant that will allow you to set reminders, search the web or even send messages/mails, among many other functions. Cortana will provide support for multiple language and it will come with some PC specific tasks.
Microsoft has also announced that they will include a new browser in Windows 10, which right now has the name of Project Spartan. Although unclear if this will remove Internet Explorer totally, Spartan will provide a built-in viewer with PDF support, as well as a distraction free reading mode and reading lists. The neat thing here is that Spartan will provide complete support for Cortana, allowing you to browse the web based on your voice.
On top of that, Microsoft had the Windows and Xbox teams working together in order to provide support for accessing the Xbox network on their Windows 10 PC, and they can even stream their Xbox sessions to their PC if they want. Windows 10 will also come with DirectX 12, which is set to bring major improvements in both graphics, efficiency and speed.
In addition, Microsoft will also include in its Windows 10 the ability to blend holograms with real world video thanks to a new device that will be sold separately. This device, called the Hololens will be able to blend real objects with the virtual ones and thus create a whole new stunning world to explore in an interactive manner.
Lastly, the most important thing is that Microsoft will also launch a new version of Microsoft Office right with Windows 10, and it will be called Office 2016. What the new version will provide is complete support for all Windows 10 devices, so it doesn’t matter what supported device you are currently using, you will be able to use the device seamlessly either on a PC or a touch based device.
As you can see, Windows 10 promises to be one of the most revolutionary experiences that can be provided right now via an operating system. Sure, only time will tell if Windows 10 is so good as they say, but the reality is that thanks to the ability of making the new OS free for existing Windows users and the cross-platform compatibility, Microsoft is on the right track to provide one of the best, complete Windows experiences yet.
YouTube: Windows 10 Keynote – The Next Chapter
Photo credit: Microsoft
