Skip to main content

Windows 10 Release: July 29

Image
By
Terry Myerson, Microsoft’s head of operating systems, made official various elements that have dribbled out in recent months after the company said it was planning a summer launch for the next version of its flagship OS. Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for most machines running versions 7 or 8.1 (enterprise versions aren’t included), while Windows Phone owners will have to wait longer. Anyone considering the upgrade should make sure their PC can handle running the new software smoothly. Testing and reviews will provide the best answer, though Microsoft’s initial specifications signal that any PC cable of running Windows 7 or 8.1 should be able to make the leap.
The OS will ship with the digital personal assistant Cortana, a new Web browser called Edge and, perhaps most importantly, the beloved Start menu that had been eliminated in version 8.1. Windows 10 will also include free antimalware protection and continuing security updates. Yes, it will have “Candy Crush Saga.” No, it won’t ship with an explanation of what happened to the skipped-over Windows 9. (Here’s an FAQ with more info.)
Myerson’s blog post does double duty of hammering home the size of the Windows user base – in the billions — with the Microsoft’s vision of software that can work across all of its devices, including videogame systems, virtual-reality headgear, PCs and mobile devices.
“We designed Windows 10 to create a new generation of Windows for the 1.5 billion people using Windows today in 190 countries around the world. With Windows 10, we start delivering on our vision of more personal computing, defined by trust in how we protect and respect your personal information, mobility of the experience across your devices, and natural interactions with your Windows devices, including speech, touch, ink, and holograms. We designed Windows 10 to run our broadest device family ever, including Windows PCs, Windows tablets, Windows phones, Windows for the Internet of Things, Microsoft Surface Hub, Xbox One and Microsoft HoloLens—all working together to empower you to do great things.”
What he doesn’t get into is the price for those not eligible for the free upgrade. ZD Net said the searches on Newegg.com showed OEM prices for the home edition at about $110, with a pro edition of around $150.
Many people end up getting their OS as part of purchasing a new PC anyway. That’s a key question right there: A new OS traditionally has given the PC industry a sales bump. Windows 8 didn’t really do the job, as too many people shunned the tile interface that worked better on mobile devices. The free upgrade to Windows 10 could hamper any potential sales bump, too.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Marvel Studios' Avengers - Official Trailer

By
245 comments
Read more

Microsoft changes 'Outlook Web Access' to 'Outlook on the web'

By
The branding gurus are really earning their wages down Redmond way Outlook for the Web's new weather-enabled calendar app 14 5 Aug 2015 at 02:58,  Simon Sharwood Fresh from showing glimpses of the next-generation Outlook Web Access client in a preview of Exchange Server 2016 , Microsoft has now detailed just how the new version of the browser-bound Outlook will work. There's a new name for starters: “Outlook Web Access” is now “Outlook on the web”. Those marketers sure are earning their wage! Microsoft saying all the usual stuff about the revision making you more productive. The feature touted as making the greatest contribution to that cause is the new “Action toolbar” that “provides quick access to the most common commands, whether you are clearing out your inbox, replying to an email, or adding an event to your calendar.” One of the things you'll see on the toolbar, depicted below, is the “Sweep” command. That's come from Outlook.com and “provides a simple set of act...
396 comments
Read more

Microsoft upgrades its Surface tablets to Windows 10

By
Consumers interested in buying one of Microsoft's Surface tablets will now find it with Windows 10 preinstalled. Microsoft's  online page  for its lower-cost Surface lineup shows that the tablet now comes with Windows 10 Home edition. The page for the pricier and beefier Surface Pro 3  indicates that they're outfitted with Windows 10 Pro edition. Microsoft has been on a tear to push out Windows 10, partly to make up for the poor response to Windows 8 and partly to get as many Windows users as possible all on the same platform. The company has been offering Windows 10 as a free upgrade to Windows 7 and 8.1 users for the first year. Last Thursday, Microsoft announced that the new OS was  running on 14 million devices  since its official launch the previous day. Now the challenge is to get PC and tablet makers to outfit their new devices with Windows 10. Microsoft certainly would want to lead the way, so it's natural for its own Surface tablets to now be sporting W...
91 comments
Read more