Windows 10: Microsoft Giving Away A Free Upgrade. See Demo Preview [Video]
The Windows 10 operating system by Microsoft is available as a free upgrade, according to an announcement made by Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the company’s Operating Systems group.
Microsoft is on their way to making Windows 10 the largest-ever open collaborative development effort they have ever shipped, with their Windows Insiders Group totaling 1.7 million people.
Windows 10 is expected to inspire new developments across a broad range of devices, including small screens, big screens, and even no screens at all. This new release includes a variety of features, which include using a finger to write on a screen, and voice recognition.
Microsoft’s strategy for offering a free upgrade is aimed at trying to get the operating system on as many devices as possible. Additionally, with Windows 10, Microsoft hopes to bring in more revenue by selling other programs like Microsoft Office on the cloud, or internet.
MSN reported comments made by FBR Capital Markets analyst, Daniel Ives.
“It’s a necessary evil as CEO Satya Nadella and Microsoft have recognized the golden goose and major revenue opportunities will happen after the upgrades have taken place. Microsoft needs to lay seeds for its cloud-centric strategy and Windows 10 is the epicenter of that strategy. It’s all about making it attractive for the ecosystem to upgrade onto this next-generation platform.”
The Windows 10 upgrade will be available this coming fall. The free upgrade will also be offered for one year.
Some of the new features of Windows 10 include Xbox streaming, a condensed Control Panel, Windows Phone 8.1 that allows users to quickly activate Bluetooth and Wi-Fi with a single click, and Microsoft’s Cortana digital assistant that brings Windows Phone capabilties to Windows 10. According to PCWorld, Cortana can answer basic questions like whether you need a coat tomorrow or how much it will cost to attend a university or college, for example.
Cortana is Microsoft’s digital assistant in Windows 10. It replaces the search bar and icon from previous versions, appearing as a small search box at the bottom of the Desktop.
All one has to do is tap it, and it appears. You can simply call out its name and it will begin your query. Telling Cortana to play music launches your music app, and asking her to turn down the volume simply requires issuing a command.
Xbox on Windows 10 allows gamers to gain access to the best of Xbox Live gaming network on Xbox One and Windows 10 personal computers. Additionally, players can capture, edit, and share their best gaming moments with Game DVR, and play new games with friends across various devices.
Windows 10 improves graphic capability, efficiency, and speed. Players will also be able to play games on their PC, streamed directly from their Xbox One consoles to their Windows 10 tablets or personal computers within their home.
Windows 10 has a new, lightweight, clean-looking browser called Spartan built around a new rendering engine. However, it will not be available in the first Windows Insider builds, and it will eventually only come to phones.
Windows 10 also has a native share feature that makes it capable for you to take notes on a webpage in the Spartan browser, allowing you to share your comments and marked-up versions to business associates, friends, and family.
Additionally, the browser’s reading mode is an updated version of the Reading Mode found in Windows 8’s Metro Internet Explorer app. Reading Mode strips out all the ads and sidebar stuff of web pages and formats articles so that they appear like a book.
Windows 10 free upgrades are scheduled for autumn. The free upgrade will available to Windows 7 and 8 users for the first year after its official release date. The Windows 10 build will be available for phones after the Super Bowl.
[Image courtesy of Softpedia]
