Microsoft is rolling out its latest Windows 10 operating system in 190 countries today, offering it as a free upgrade to those currently using devices Windows 7 or 8.1.
Now before all you Windows users — and loyalists — get all excited and hook up your devices to the Web and start downloading, here are 10 interesting things you may want to know about your newest companion while in front of your Microsoft-powered device:
1. "Finally, a fun browser": After 19 years of dedicated service, Internet Explorer is gone, and in its place is Microsoft Edge, Windows' new Web browser. Microsoft says that in studying how users currently share and save content, as well as communicate with each other, it found out that it was so labor-intensive.
2. Best Windows for gaming: Windows 10's built-in Xbox app not just brings in some of the best titles out there for game maniacs, but also gives a "huge" opportunity for developers. The latter is particularly interesting: with the Universal Windows Platform, developers can create a game and target over one billion devices.
3. Welcome back, Start Button: Not a few were annoyed when Microsoft ditched the iconic and very useful Start Button in Windows 8; it only appeared as a hotspot on the lower-left corner of the screen, and was made visible again in the Windows 8.1 upgrade.
4. "Hero" desktop: Microsoft wanted a touch of nostalgia for Windows 10, so they've decided to slap in an image on the initial login screen and desktop that brings touches of all previous Windows desktop images — from the humble beginnings of Windows 1.0 to 3.1, 95 to XP and all the way to 7.
5. New "Action Centre": The new Windows 10 Notifications panel is now called the Action Centre, and here is where all the former Charms functions — the ones that appear when you swipe from the right of your screen in Windows 8 — are now located.
6. Simpler File Explorer: There's a new Quick Access area wherein you can pin or unpin stuff you may frequently use, and on the "home" screen of File Explorer you'll also find Frequent Folders and Recent Files.
7. Search anything. Anything: Cortana — in which I described in a tweet in Beijing as something that would give Iris and Siri a good run for their money — is the main talking point (pun intended) here.
8. Universal Apps and the new Windows Store: Windows 10 is taking huge strides for both built-in and third-party apps. The Universal App Platform also gives developers the chance to make apps across all screen sizes.
9. "Great" built-in apps: Whether for your photos, videos, communications, music and what-not, Microsoft says Windows 10 has it all covered for you. "Thousands more" apps are available on the Windows Store, which boast of improved experiences and start up "nice and quick" as well.
10. It's all about trust: for something like Windows 10 to work in this day and age, "you need to build to the core of the OS trust." With changes being made to the Windows ecosystem, the ability to trust the personal computing environment is front and centre in the development of Windows 10 — something that customers can use across a unified platform for them to do what they want, whenever and wherever.
Now that you've has a sneak peek, are you ready to join the millions who have signed up to get their free Windows 10 upgrade?
By Alvin R. Cabral
