Will you be upgrading to Windows 10?

The official release of the Windows 10 operating system is set for 29th July but will you be one of the first in line to get it? The rollout will come with a new user interface (UI), a new web browser, multi-device connectivity, and will have digital assistant Cortan on board. Will it win over its old consumers who rejected Windows 8? Let’s see from these features:

Start button restored: Yes, it’s back, after an attempt in Windows 8 to get rid of it. We will now see the return of the Start button at the bottom left of our screens where it’s ‘post to be taking its position and making navigation much easier as the search bar is directly above it. The live tiles that showed up on the Start menu in Windows 8 just didn’t cut it for  most. Searching for programs/files will now be easier as the search option will give letters that you can search with to find what yo’re looking for faster.

Apps opening in their correct version: Unlike Windows 8, opening an app directly from the Windows Store will open the app in desktop, not mobile,  mode.  This frustrated users as they did not know how to switch to the desktop version.

New browser called Edge: Internet Explorer is what Windows is known for, that browser we use to install other browsers. Now we will have Edge, a new better browser whose interface can be customized to users’ preferences. It has a feature called Web Note that allows one to draw on the screen (for example to circle an important paragraph or picture and share it on social media platforms), it saves all bookmarked pages to be available offline, has a button that allows users to make web pages easy to read without adverts or sidebars.

Split screen view for multitasking: users can work on different things at the same time, on the same screen or across different devices. They can also zoom in and out of apps; drag one app across one screen to another virtual desktop; and most importantly allows users to share them with other users on social platforms like Skype that allows screen-sharing.

Digital assistant Cortana will be onboard:  Don’t think of it as simply a voice guide. Cortana will study and save user profiles, predicting what they need. It will intelligently study their patterns and behaviour in how they use Windows 10 and will make necessary suggestions.  Cortana can be used by either speaking to ‘her’ or typing out commands. It will also be integrated into emails and calendars to alert you of tasks/mail you need to do/respond to. You can block Cortana from your emails if you want a little more privacy.

Improved Security: the update will come with Windows Hello, a feature that uses facial and fingerprint recognition to unlock your device(s).

Connectivity across all platforms: Windows 10 will automatically detect what type of device you’re using, whether a smartphone, tablet, PC or laptop, and a pop-up will seek permission when you connect 2 of these devices as to which mode from the two you would like to switch to.

If you are part of the Windows Insider program you might be one of the first to get the Windows 10 update before it rolls out to everyone. So no, not everyone will get the update on 29th July, 2015. You can get if you have  a registered version of Windows 7 or 8 for free within a year of its release. Thereafter, you will be required to pay.

Microsoft will roll it out to about 190 countries in 111 languages at the month-end.