Microsoft has just launched its latest OS version on PCs

Jul 29, 2015 17:01 GMT  ·  By
 NEW FEATURES • SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
 NEW APPS • AVAILABILITY
 MORE CHANGES • CONCLUSIONS

Back in October 2012, Microsoft introduced Windows 8 with much fanfare, with Steve Ballmer, its CEO at that time, describing the new operating system as the software that can change the world.

It was mainly referred to as a modern alternative to its predecessor, with the majority of company executives saying that Windows 8 was an improved version of Windows 7 enriched with new features specifically designed for the modern world.

But the problem with Windows 8 was that it lacked the key Windows 7 features, such as the Start menu and Aero Glass effects, which for many was a deal breaker. Using Windows without a Start menu proved to be impossible for beginners, while others turned to all kinds of third-party software to address the annoyances with Windows 8.

This unexpected problem (or somehow expected, given the fact that Steve Sinofsky, the former Windows boss responsible for Windows 8, left the company one month after the debut of the OS) reflected on Windows 8’s market share, with early figures pointing to another flop after Windows Vista. Often referred to as “the new Vista,” Windows 8 failed to make a difference in the long term, reaching a market share that’s only a little over 10 percent.

Enter Windows 10.

One year after the launch of Windows 8, Microsoft tried to fix some of the problems that were highly criticized in the core operating system with a major update called Windows 8.1. The Start button was brought back, along with some other changes that were supposed to make the operating system easier to use for everyone.

Just like its predecessor, Windows 8.1 had only a small impact on the market share of modern Windows, so it was pretty clear that Microsoft needed a new start. A new Windows that would be specifically built to address the complaints and feedback of customers.

In late September 2014, Microsoft announced Windows 10, deciding to skip Windows 9 for a yet unknown reason. Together with Windows 10, Microsoft also launched the Windows Insider program, a new effort that allowed users to download and install pre-release Windows versions in order to test them on their own devices and send feedback to the company.

As part of this program, Microsoft rolled out a total of 15 preview builds of Windows 10, each coming with new features, apps, and improvements that are or are not available in the stable build.  

Build number Release date Available for
6.4.9841 October 1, 2014 Slow + Fast rings
6.4.9860 October 21, 2014 Slow + Fast rings
6.4.9879 Fast ring: November 12, 2014
Slow ring: November 25, 2014
Slow + Fast rings
10.0.9926 January 23, 2015 Fast ring
10.0.10041 Fast ring: March 18, 2015
Slow ring: March 24, 2015
Slow + Fast rings
10.0.10049 March 30, 2015 Fast ring
10.0.10061 April 22, 2015 Fast ring
10.0.10074 Fast ring: April 29, 2015
Slow ring: April 29, 2015
Slow + Fast rings
10.0.10122 May 20, 2015    Fast ring
10.0.10130 Fast ring: May 29, 2015
Slow ring: June 12, 2015
Slow + Fast rings
10.0.10158 June 29, 2015 Fast ring
10.0.10159 June 30, 2015 Fast ring
10.0.10162 Fast ring: July 2, 2015
Slow ring: July 6, 2015
Slow + Fast rings
10.0.10166 July 9, 2015 Fast ring
10.0.10240 Fast ring: July 15, 2015
Slow ring: July 15, 2015
Slow + Fast rings
Windows 10 reached RTM on July 15, 2015, but Microsoft has never confirmed it. Windows 10 build 10240 was said to be the eagerly anticipated RTM version scheduled to launch on July 29 with the final build of the operating system.

On July 16, Microsoft rolled out 10240 to Windows Insiders, giving testers the chance to try out what was supposed to be the final version of the OS before its public launch. One of the signs that 10240 was RTM was the removal of the watermark from the desktop, with Microsoft confirming that only app updates and small improvements would be shipped before the launch.

NEW FEATURES

Windows 10 was supposed to completely overhaul the experience you get on all devices, bringing together PCs, tablets, smartphones, Xbox, and IoT devices. A single store supposed to provide access to apps developed to run on all these devices thanks to the universal app concept was also introduced, along with a new UI and new categories for TV shows and music.

But let’s take the biggest changes one at a time and detail them.

The Start menu/Start screen

Although it’s not so important for some users, Microsoft has developed some sort of obsession with bringing back the Start menu in Windows 10. Microsoft uses the Start menu to promote Windows 10 all over the world, indirectly confirming that removing it in Windows 8 was a huge mistake.

The Start menu is back in Windows 10 with modern features. The traditional design available in Windows 7 was improved with live tiles borrowed from the Windows 8 Start screen, but also with new context menus, icons and fonts for a fresh look.

The Start menu is extremely easy to use, and those who don’t like it can always turn to the Start screen. A small option included in Windows 10 allows you to expand the Start menu in a fully working Start screen, just like in Windows 8, but again with modern tweaks that make it look, work, and feel better.

There are plenty of customization options and visual tweaks available for the Start menu, as well as new effects when opening/closing it. Colors, transparency, and effects can all be customized and enabled or disabled.

A search feature is also offered in the Start menu, and although a search box is included in the taskbar, you can simply start typing in the menu and it’s instantly launched. The same behavior was used for Windows 8’s Start screen, where you could start typing to get results in real time.

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This is what the Start menu looked like in the very first version of the Windows 10 preview released in October 2014.

Task View

One of the most requested features in older Windows versions, already available in non-Windows operating systems, such as Ubuntu, is multiple desktops, which allows users to work and organize running apps in a more effective way.

Task View is finally implemented in Windows 10 and it can be easily accessed from the taskbar with just a single click, but keyboard shortcuts to jump from one desktop to another are also being offered.

Microsoft describes this feature as an improved Alt + Tab app switcher, but it’s a lot more than that. You can organize desktops depending on the type of apps you launch, so you’ll always know where some specific apps are running.

Task View lets you use a single taskbar across all desktops and view all running apps in a single place, but there are also options to have a clean taskbar for each individual desktop.

Cortana

The personal assistant launched by Microsoft for Windows Phone users is now available on the desktop too with exactly the same feature lineup. This is part of Microsoft’s effort to offer a similar experience across all devices running Windows 10, so you can wake her up by simply saying “Hey Cortana,” let her track your interests and provide you with information when you need it.

Cortana works, looks, and feels on the PC just like the Windows Phone version.

Cortana can be easily launched from the dedicated icon/search box in the taskbar, but if “Hey Cortana” is turned on, you can simply call her by name.

The same features available on Windows Phone are also present on Windows 10, but additionally, you can also send emails, control your music playback, and search for files stored on your computer.

Cortana is thus the perfect personal assistant for your PC, so if you thought that talking to your computer was awkward, you should really get used to it.

Notification center

Another feature that’s borrowed from Windows Phone is the notification center, which groups all notifications, alerts, and messages in one place. You can thus manage them much more easily than before, with Microsoft planning a number of other features, including quick reply for messages and other actions that can be performed on notifications.

This feature comes with the same transparency effect as the rest of the operating system and matches the system color, so it perfectly blends with the desktop.

Touch support is also offered in case you use Windows 10 on a tablet, but you can also clear notifications, either all at a time or one by one, with a mouse.

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The new notification center available in Windows 10, which groups notifications, alerts, and messages in a single place.

Continuum

Windows 10 comes with Continuum, a feature that’s specifically designed for touch-capable devices. Instead of forcing users to switch to the Modern UI (which was introduced in Windows 8), Continuum makes the whole desktop and apps compatible with the touch, thus offering almost the same experience as with a mouse and keyboard.

Continuum is specifically aimed at 2-in-1 devices and it’s automatically turned on when you remove the keyboard, so if you have a Surface Pro 3, for instance, you can simply start using the tablet mode when disconnecting the keyboard.

With Continuum, the Modern UI finally makes sense in Windows.

Tablet mode can obviously be disabled, so if you want to stick to the desktop, you can do that for as long as you want. There are also a few options to tweak Continuum, but the feature should do its job with the default configuration.

This feature is possible with the help of universal apps, such as the Office productivity suite, which are designed to run on both desktops and tablets, so they offer support not only for keyboards and mice but also for touch.

Windows Hello

This is one of the new features developed from scratch in Windows 10 that could determine some to purchase a new computer in order to make the most of the operating system.

Windows Hello takes biometrics authentication to the next level by adding support for new security systems, letting you log into the operating system with your face or even your iris.

For this feature, additional hardware is required, so you won’t be able to use it on your current computer unless you buy a third-party accessory that lets you do that.

Otherwise, new PCs coming with the needed hardware are the best choice, and Microsoft says that this is one of the reasons you should purchase a new computer. Windows Hello brings better protection for your Windows version, so if you want to make sure that no one else besides you accesses your data, this is the best addition to Windows 10.

One-hour BUILD 2015 session on Windows Hello and Microsoft Passport, the new security features available in Windows 10.

NEW APPS

Windows 10 also ships with a bunch of new apps supposed to overhaul the experience you get on both desktop and tablets, but it’s worth mentioning that most of these new tools are designed to run as universal apps, so they are available on all devices powered by the new OS.

Microsoft Edge

First and foremost, there’s a new browser. Microsoft Edge is replacing Internet Explorer in Windows 10 as the default browser and comes not only with a new engine but also with plenty of new features and a redesigned UI.

Edge is supposed to be a rival to Firefox and Chrome from the very beginning, so in addition to the common features you usually expect to find in a browser, there’ll also be extension support that will debut later this year.

The browser comes with an interface that looks fresh and modern and also incorporates Cortana, letting you perform a number of tasks without touching the mouse or keyboard. Edge is supposed to make collaboration easier, so you can annotate pages and share notes with your friends straight from the browser, without the need for any additional tool.

Edge is also blazing fast thanks to the engine bearing the same name, and Microsoft says that all of these will be improved in the coming updates. A dark theme is also offered to match the new Windows 10 look.

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Microsoft Edge, the new browser in Windows 10, which replaces Internet Explorer as the default app after nearly 20 years.

READ MORE: Microsoft Edge screenshots

Windows Store

Microsoft redesigned the store and made it look similar on all devices, again in an effort to offer the same experience across all devices. Basically, the store is now not only easier to use but also offers the same UI on PCs, tablets, and smartphones, with universal apps to be available no matter the device you’re using.

At the same time, the store also comes with support for movies, TV shows, and music, which kind of makes it an iTunes rival that’s directly bundled into Windows 10. There’s no need to use any other app anymore, and the store makes it pretty easy to purchase a movie or a new music album.

The universal store will also be available on the web, again with the same look, so as long as you have Windows 10, the exact same experience will be offered on all platforms.

Image
The Windows Store is provided as a universal app, so it offers the same look and features on PCs, tablets, and smartphones.

Outlook Mail and Calendar

Both the Mail and the Calendar apps were redesigned in Windows 10, with Microsoft making them universal apps to work across all devices.

There’s a completely new look for both of them, which seems to be inspired by the Outlook mail client that’s already available on Android and iOS.

They both look cleaner and are easier to use with a mouse and keyboard and with touch, and Microsoft promises that no third-party app would be needed to handle your email or appointments.

Unfortunately, the Mail app doesn’t work exactly as expected, and sometimes there’s a few-minute delay when you get new emails, no matter what protocol you use. We experienced these problems on Exchange and IMAP with a corporate account, but Gmail appears to be working fine.

Notifications are now integrated into the system, and there are also a few other tweaks for these apps, including the possibility of setting up a wallpaper for the email client, but those looking for advanced capabilities might be disappointed.

Alarms & Clock

Another app borrowed from Windows Phone is Alarms & Clock, which does exactly what its name suggests. You can set up alarms, configure multiple clocks, use a timer or a stopwatch, all right in Windows 10.

This app is pre-installed on all versions of Windows 10, so it comes with the operating system from the very beginning. This is quite the easiest way to set up an alarm, but there are plenty of other apps in the store doing exactly the same thing.

Groove Music, Movies & TV

With Windows 10, Microsoft also dropped the Xbox branding for some of its apps, including Music and Movies, thus giving them a name that makes a bit more sense.

The music app is now called Groove Music and comes with the same feature lineup, but with some improvements, including a new UI that’s supposed to mimic the one on phones and make everything more eye candy. The same goes for the Movies & TV app, which is mostly supposed to help you manage the content you purchase from the store.

All these apps are meant to help make Windows 10 a bit more enjoyable when it comes to entertainment, but also to help it make more sense in a world where Microsoft tries to fight confusion by any means after the Windows 8 disaster.

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The new Groove Music app in Windows 10, which replaces Xbox Music just because "it has nothing to do with Xbox."

OTHER TWEAKS

In addition to all these major improvements, there are hundreds of other enhancements that you will discover as you use the operating system.

For example, Windows 10 comes with a new dark theme that’s configured by default on the desktop, and you should see that the second you log in for the first time. The dark visual style is also being used for some of the apps across the OS, including Microsoft Edge, which comes with both light and dark themes.

At the same time, Windows 10 has new context menus across the operating system for a more modern feel, so for instance, you can right-click any taskbar icon to see them.

And speaking of new icons, Windows 10 also boasts a new icon pack that looks more modern and fresh but that caused quite a discussion throughout the development of the OS. Testers were extremely disappointed with some of the icons included in older preview builds, so Microsoft replaced them several times to make sure that it gets the icons right. So the icons you see here are the best the company could come up with.

There are also new effects for opening, minimizing, maximizing and closing apps, but also a thicker border for all windows, which makes it look even flatter, which is actually the direction the company has been going in since the debut of Windows 8.

The operating system now comes with native support for MKV and FLAC formats, so although Windows Media Player hasn’t received too many improvements, it can play such files now without additional codecs being required.

The desktop Control Panel is slowly being phased out, so in Windows 10, all your computer configuration options are in Settings, a new panel that’s once again very similar to the one on Windows 10 Mobile. The desktop CP is still there, but Microsoft will remove it completely at some point in the future, so for the moment, we have to live with both of them.

Some of the options only exist in Settings, so you should really try getting used to it already to reduce the impact of Control Panel’s full demise later this year.

Settings has all you need to set up your computer, and a search box allows you to quickly look for specific configuration options.

AVAILABILITY

Windows 10 is available free of charge until July 29, 2016 for everyone running Windows 7 or 8.1 on their devices. This offer only applies to those with a genuine license, so pirates cannot upgrade their computers to Windows 10 without paying.

Windows 10 will be available in several versions, as follows:  

Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro
Windows 10 Enterprise Windows 10 Education
Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise Windows 10 IoT
Windows 10 Mobile
Pricing will be the same as for Windows 8, so for the Home version you have to pay $119.99, whereas the Pro version costs $199.99.

In addition to downloads and DVDs, you can also get Windows 10 on a USB stick. Pricing is exactly the same as above.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Microsoft struggled to make Windows 10 run flawlessly on Windows 7 and 8.1 computers, since the OS is offered as a free upgrade to those using any of these two OS versions, so requirements are basically unchanged.

Here are the essential system requirements, but keep in mind that, for some features (such as Windows Hello), additional hardware is required:  

Processor 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor or SoC
RAM 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit
HDD space 16 GB for 32-bit OS 20 GB for 64-bit OS
Graphics DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver
Display 1024x600 pixels resolution or higher
READ MORE: Full Windows 10 system requirements

CONCLUSIONS

Windows 10 is definitely a step forward for Microsoft, and there’s no doubt that the Windows Insider program, which allowed the company to build the operating system together with its users, was the best decision the new CEO and the Windows team have recently made.

This way, Windows 10 is specifically designed to address the needs of those who are supposed to use it on a daily basis, although for the moment, there still are a bunch of features that are missing from the OS.

For instance, File Explorer still does not have tab support, and the functionality of the new Edge browser is still limited, but Microsoft promises to tackle this in the coming updates, as work on the operating system continues.

The Windows Insider program will continue after the official launch of Windows 10, and the first update is supposed to arrive later this year, most likely in October or November, again with improvements based on the suggestions of testers.

Some say that Windows 10 is a rushed product and the absence of some features is living proof, and while this might be indeed true, it’s also important to look at the reasons that made the company bring the new OS to the market sooner than projected.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella: We want people to love Windows.

Windows 8 performed well below expectations and 8.1 made almost no difference, while Windows Phone was still losing users until the debut of the Insider program. In other words, without a new product, Microsoft kept losing ground, so bringing Windows 10 to the market as soon as possible was critical.

Plus, by launching it in July, Microsoft gives its partners more time to install the new OS on their devices and benefit from the increased sales usually experienced during the back-to-school season. The latest Windows versions were all launched in October or November, when this shopping season was about to end, so this time, Microsoft is testing a new approach that would help both itself and its partners.

All in all, Windows 10 is a welcome update for our desktops and tablets, but it’s hard to call it a “finished” product. And Microsoft doesn’t seem to mind. As Windows boss Terry Myerson says, “Windows 10 will never be done.” Windows as a Service is alive and kicking.

READ MORE: Softpedia's full Windows 10 coverage.

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