Microsoft enters the last chance saloon with its new operating system. According to the company, this will be the final version of Windows. PC users are only just recovering from Windows 8 – an attempt to pander toward touch-enabled devices, which felt clunky and clumsy on desktops and keyboards. Unlike that folly, however, Windows 10 is a hit.
Microsoft has created a universal operating system that works across all devices: PCs, tablets, phones, Xbox One, HoloLens and more. Open an app in Windows 10 on your PC; pick up where left off on your phone. The company learned lessons from its Windows 8 palaver, and picked the best parts of that system for this upgrade.
The Start menu has returned with a vengeance. Now it’s stuffed with Live Tiles for instant streaming updates on maps, money, sport, weather, news, etc. Searching is fast and intuitive – just click a letter on an A-Z of apps.
Windows 10 ushers in a barrage of new apps. Top of the list is new browser Edge, with its handy reading view that rids web pages of clutter. Users can easily annotate, comment and share web pages. The OS makes multi-tasking fun, setting up numerous desktops and intuitively compartmentalising open apps on the screen.
Groove Music, another new app, packages music collections across all devices. Subscription streaming is built in (with a 30 day free trial). For gamers, an integrated Xbox app will stream gameplay to Windows 10 devices.
This is a work in progress, however. The OS has yet to be released for phones, Xbox One, Windows Surface RT, and other devices. Cortana, Microsoft’s voice-activated personal assistant, built into Windows 10, is not out yet for Ireland. But Windows 10, a free upgrade for Windows 7 or Windows 8 users, could be the first step in a PC renaissance.