Microsoft launches free Windows 10 upgrade
Jul 29, 2015
Microsoft’s latest version of Windows operating system is finally here.The long-time leader in PC software launched its much-awaited Windows 10 on Wednesday in Nairobi Kenya.
By Maurice Okore in Nairobi
Microsoft’s latest version of Windows operating system is finally here.
The long-time leader in PC software launched its much-awaited Windows 10 on Wednesday in Nairobi Kenya.
Windows 10, which comes almost three years after the launch of the company's last operating system is available in 190 countries as a free upgrade for users of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.
The new operating system is designed to work across laptops, desktop ATM machines, servers and smartphones. It also has a new Web browser called Edge and a desktop version of Cortana, the online digital assistant that is Microsoft’s answer to Google Now and Apple’s Siri.
Microsoft unveils the new Virtual Desktops feature
Still, the company insists Windows 10 will seem familiar to users of Windows 7, the six-year-old operating system still running on most PCs.
New PCs and tablets running Windows 10 will go on sale on July 29, while the operating system will be made available on smartphones and other devices later this year.
HIGHLIGHTS
START MENU
The Start menu is Windows 10’s most obvious feature and it will please Windows 7 users. It combines the best of Windows 7 with one or two panels of live tiles pulled from Windows 8. Selecting “all programs” shows them in alphabetical order, but the search box is familiar to users of Windows 7.You can run your traditional desktop programs from either side of the Start menu, from the taskbar, or from XP-style icons on the desktop.
CORTANA
Cortana, the personal assistant is already familiar to Windows Phone users. Her features include being able to set reminders, recognize natural voice without the user having to input a predefined series of commands, and answer questions using information from Bing like current weather and traffic conditions, sports scores, and biographies.
A Microsoft official announces the availability of Windows 10
WINDOWS HELLO
Windows Hello is a new sign-on system, which includes face recognition if you have an Intel RealSense-compatible camera.
ACTION CENTER
Action Center is a smartphone like notification center that replaces the loathed Charms bar from Windows 8. It provides notifications and quick access to common settings.
VIRTUAL DESKTOPS
Multiple virtual desktops are included as standard. To add a new desktop simply click the task view button on your taskbar and click the “new desktop” button. Just like how you can run as many application windows as you like, there’s also no limit to how many desktops you can create.
CONTINUUM
Continuum switches between desktop and tablet modes, and will enable future Windows 10 smartphones to work like desktop PCs.
DIRECT X
Microsoft’s DirectX 12 is new for Windows 10 and more efficient enabling better gaming performance and longer battery life.
MICROSOFT EDGE
Microsoft’s new lightweight, standards-oriented and faster browser called Edge is also included, which feels faster than Internet Explorer. With it you can write or type annotations on to web pages and email them to people, but it doesn’t support extensions yet. Microsoft officials told me that the extensions are coming later this year.
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