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What Businesses Need To Know About Windows 10
The press surrounding the launch of the new Windows 10 platform is really beginning to build. There is a huge amount that has been written and predicted but here are our top reasons to be excited about the launch of Windows 10:
- It Is Free!!
Well sort of.
Microsoft are offering a free upgrade for users running Windows 7 or 8. The caveat to this is they must apply for the upgrade straight away but the real kick is this is only free for 12 months, after this they will need to pay for the system.
It would seem Microsoft really want to supply and support a single platform which we can all use and enjoy without the predictable interoperability issues that must take up a vast amount of Microsofts’ time.
- It’s cross-platform
Well sort of.
You can only enjoy the new Windows platform on a standard PC on launch day. This comes as a download direct from Microsoft but it has been 100% confirmed that mobile, tablet and even Xbox users will be able to download Windows 10 in the very near future.
We think this is the biggest “game-changer” s it means a smooth transition between devices is finally a reality. It is this change that will really help business users who switch between such devices dependent on their location, from laptop at work, to mobile on the train to tablet on the sofa. Not that this is such a great thing for the art of “switching off from work.
3) The user interface switches to the device you use
“Ah,” you say, “but how can the same operating system run on tablets and desktops? Won’t I be forced to click huge buttons with a mouse, or poke at tiny targets with my finger?” Not if one new feature works as advertised. Continuum detects how you’re interacting with the Windows 10 device, and changes the interface to suit. If you plug in a keyboard, and get a desktop-style UI; unplug it, and watch on-screen back buttons appear to make life easier.
- You will lose some of your old apps
In a continued bid to remain a single, simple platform it has been advised that whilst most Windows 7 apps will work there are many that were adapted for Windows 7 (from XP for example) which will not work. However, Microsoft have stated that there will be a huge range of options so users will not be left without a viable, if not better, alternative.
- Minecraft is coming
Mojang – bought by Microsoft for $2.5bn in 2014 – has announced a new version of its hit game Minecraft which will have a significant link to Windows 10. “Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta” will be free to existing players, allow eight-player co-op play over Xbox Live, and even let you build alongside Pocket Edition players once an update hits.