All the spotlights were on Redmond this week as Microsoft
held a special event to introduce its next-generation operating system –
Windows 10.
To everybody’s delight, it looks like Microsoft has made a
lot of improvements in the system, especially in creating a seamless experience
using different devices. The most obvious change in Windows 10 would probably
be the return of the start menu. But unlike the one on earlier versions of the
OS, this one features live tiles in it.
Another new addition to Windows 10 would be its new browser
called Project Spartan. The new browser will have a number of new features
including a much streamlined user interface, built-in note-taking and sharing
features, a reading mode, a built-in reading list and even Cortana.
And while we’re at Cortana, Microsoft has also mentioned
that Windows 10 will also run on phones, finally unifying the experience across
different devices. The company promises a tailored experience for each device
making sure that elements are resized and scaled depending on the size of the
display.
Moreover, Windows 10 will allow users to use apps on different types of devices including desktop PCs, mobile phones and tablets. For instance, the messaging app will now be able to handle IM apps like Skype, email composition will be handled by MS Word and the Photos app will have OneDrive integration that will aggregate all your photos in all your devices.
Microsoft has also announced that the Xbox will have Windows
10 integration, allowing the company’s gaming console to use apps from users’
PCs or tablets. Moreover, Xbox One owners will be able to stream their games to
a PC.
The new OS will be available as a free upgrade to those who
are using Windows 7 or Windows 8 for the first year.
Finally, the Redmond-based company has also introduced a new
device called HoloLens, which competes with other VR headsets in the market
including the Oculus VR, Google’s Cardboard and Sony’s Project Morpheus.
HoloLens is actually a standalone device and doesn’t need to
be connected to a computer for it to work. It has a see-through holographic
lens that displays the holograms on top of the world you’re actually seeing. It
has its own CPU and GPU as well as a dedicated processing unit to render the
holograms, which Microsoft calls the HPU.
