The IT Nerd

That isn’t a misprint. Microsoft today at a preview event announced Windows 10 to the public.This is  the last “major” Windows update. Microsoft’s strategy is to make smaller updates to the Windows 10 codebase, rather than pushing out new major updates years apart. Sort of what Apple does with OS X where they come out with a new release every year with smaller updates in between.

Some of the key features include:

• A refreshed user interface.
• The Start Menu will be a mix of what users loved about the one in Windows 7 with elements of Windows 8.
• The addition of Universal Windows apps which addresses a major grievance that many Windows 8 users have experienced with Modern user interface apps not working well when run from the desktop.
• A feature called “Continuum” that automatically adjust Windows for 2-in-1 tablet-computer hybrids so that it can automatically detect whether there’s a keyboard and mouse hooked up to the device and offer the more desktop-friendly version of the Windows user interface.
• A “tablet mode” that will automatically pop up whenever you touch the screen.

In short, Windows 10 is supposed to make tablet users as well as mouse and keyboard users happy. Good luck with that Microsoft.

Microsoft is expected to release a preview test build of Windows 10 sometime tomorrow. When it goes live at this link, I will grab a copy and give you my thoughts. Expect the OS to ship sometime in 2015.

UPDATE: Microsoft has just posted a press release on Windows 10.

This entry was posted on September 30, 2014 at 1:58 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags Microsoft. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.