14 DAY TRIAL // If you’re still using Windows XP right now, but you are planning to move to another platform, this could be the right time to do it.
Microsoft has recently launched a price cut campaign for Windows XP users that brings them PCs capable of running the modern operating system Windows 8.1 flawlessly, which means that you would remain secure once support for XP comes to an end on April 8.
Basically, if you decide to purchase a new PC from the Microsoft store, you receive a $50 (€36) gift card, 90 days of free support and access to Laplink’s data transfer solution that can help you move files from a Windows XP machine to a new computer running Windows 8.1.
Microsoft is offering $50 (€36) discounts for laptops, $70 (€50) for tablets, and up to $300 (€215) for all-in-ones, thus making this new promo pretty exciting for all Windows XP users who were planning to upgrade to a new OS version.
Windows XP, on the other hand, remains a very popular operating system that’s still powering 29 percent of the desktop computers worldwide, which means that it remains the second most-used platform after Windows 7.
That’s why the software giant Microsoft warns that all those who will remain on Windows XP after retirement will become vulnerable to attacks, despite all security apps that might be running on their computers.
“If you continue to use Windows XP after support ends, your computer will still work but it might become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses. Also, as more software and hardware manufacturers continue to optimize for more recent versions of Windows, you can expect to encounter greater numbers of apps and devices that do not work with Windows XP,” Microsoft said in a statement.
Starting March 8, Microsoft is displaying upgrade notifications on all Windows XP machines, just to make sure that everyone is aware that support is coming to an end on April 8.
The notification was made possible through a patch delivered via Windows Update, so those who don’t want to be bothered by such messages can avoid downloading it from the start.
The upgrade notifications, however, come with an option to disable them completely, which means that all Windows XP consumers who want to continue using the same operating system can do so without being attacked with messages telling them to move to a new OS version.