Windows 10 - A Quick Glance

Microsoft plans to change the way you view and interact with technology in their latest version of Windows.  Unlike other versions, Microsoft has relied heavily on the input and interaction from its users with the Windows Insider program.  Allowing, at last, direct interaction with the public and acting upon its suggestions and feedback.  In this article we will touch on some of the features that have been introduced in this new version.



The release of Windows 10 has now been scheduled for July 29, 2015!

Cross Device Homogeneity

With this new version of windows, Microsoft has decided to unify the feel and experience of Windows across devices.  Many of the elements of Windows will simply be “scaled” to fit the screen of whichever device you are using.  Some parts of the operating system (OS) even use the exact same code behind the scenes. Whether you pick up a tablet, a phone, or a PC, the menus and interface will seem familiar.

Xbox App Enhancements

Xbox has also crept in on the action! PC users will be able to play online with their friends who own Xbox Ones with Windows 10.  With this updated Xbox app also comes the ability to stream games from your Xbox One to your Windows 10 PC, so you can play your Xbox without hogging the TV.  As an added bonus, Microsoft has incorporated a new recording feature.  The game "DVR" works much like the one you use for your TV.  It will allow you to save a clip of the last 30 seconds of gameplay from any game...not just games on the Xbox app, but any game (i.e. Steam Games)  for those who wish to display their talents.

Interact with your PC in a New and Exciting Way

Image of Cortana from Halo

Microsoft has also set the bar on computer interactions by being the first to incorporate a personal assistant with their operating system....Cortana.  If you are like me, Cortana has been in your living room for years, living on your Xbox as the Master Chief’s companion in the fantastic game series, Halo.  Cortana has been around on Windows smartphones for a while, but now they are bringing Cortana to life on your PC!


You will be able to interact with your computer using voice commands.  She will even begin to “learn" who you are, and try to anticipate what you need. If you want to find out what she knows about you, there is a notebook that you can view, allowing you to add\remove items\interests from her knowledge.  The interaction seems to be somewhat fluid and natural, almost conversational.

Cortana? Is that you?

I recently installed the latest version of the technical preview release (9926) on a VM and noticed this wonderful circle on the search icon.
I clicked on it and sure enough, Cortana was in this build!  I was truly excited that Microsoft had given me the ability to test this addition properly, instead of just seeing it on a demo.

New Photos App

Photos in this Collection from Pixabay.com

The Photos app has also been given an overhaul.  Several new and exciting features have been added.  There's a new collection view, an auto-enhance feature, and automatic albums.  The collection view strives to reduce clutter by eliminating the display of duplicate photos.  The auto-enhance mode automatically performs some common fixes on your photos (red eye, white balance, etc.) to make the photos you take even better; for those that like to do things manually, you will be able to turn this mode off and adjust them to suit your liking.  The revised photos app can also automatically create albums based on location, time, and the people in the photo; and sure, you can also manually create your own.  The automatic album feature can even arrange the photos to best tell the story of what was going on in the album.

This Spartan?

New Web Browser

Code-named “Project Spartan”, the new web browser is slated to be included with Windows 10.  It will will offer new forms of interactions like a note taking function, a clipping tool, a reading view, and integration with Cortana.  This new browser promises to be the best one from Microsoft yet.



Note Taking
The note taking function will allow you to use a touchscreen device or your keyboard to annotate over webpages and share them with others.  You can write text, circle items on the page, and even highlight sections of text.  A clipping tool allows you to take snippets of a page after you have made notes on it, then share via various avenues.  Sharing clips of pages with colleagues and on social media will be far more productive and easier than ever.

Reading View
 The addition of a reading view will allow you to eliminate clutter on the page and focus in on the content to help productivity. Included with this will be a reading list that will let you save the content of a page offline for viewing when you are not around an internet connection.  You can even combine this with the note taking function.  This new view should be amazing for those of us who spend a bunch of time on blogs!

Cortana Integration
Cortana will also be integrated into this new browser.  She will be able to make suggestions on what you are looking for and anticipate your needs.  At key times, she will also pop up in the browser to provide you with additional information, like directions to a restaurant you have open in the browser or Yelp reviews.  The possibilities are endless.

Last and definitely not least.... 

Windows 10 will be a free upgrade from Windows 7 and 8.1 for the first year after release!

Windows 10 will be free for anyone running Windows 7 and 8.1 on tablets, phones, and PC's.  This offer is said to only be for the first year following the official release. 

Update:
As of 3/18/2015, according to MaximumPC and Reuters, even computers running pirated copies of Windows 7 and 8.1 will get the free upgrade as well.

Update-Update - 4/20/2015:
Apparently Microsoft has now gone back on this statement and will not allow those who have pirated copies.



Final Thoughts:
Windows 10 will be coming out later this year, though no exact date has been posted. It's release will bring some new and exciting things to the world of PC users, and promises to be the best version yet.  It will combine some features that users have been yearning for with some they possibly weren't even expecting.  Even though it hasn't been fully released to the public yet, one can't help but be a bit giddy about it and the world of Windows to come.



How do I get a copy?
If you wish to try these new additions out (and don't mind using incomplete, possibly buggy software), please use the link in the references section below to join the Windows insider program. You will be able to get a copy of the latest build and try out the new version yourself.  There is an option to do the install as an upgrade, however, I recommend downloading the ISO and running it in a VM (like VMware Workstation, Windows Virtual PC, or Oracle VirtualBox) so you don't risk using beta software on your PC and making something you could use, unusable.

References:

Windows Insider Program

Watch the Windows10 Press Briefing