Sei sulla pagina 1di 164

http://www.pcadvisor.co.

uk/review/operating-systems-software/windows-8-vs-windows-10-comparison-
review-uk-3595035/

Windows 8 vs Windows 10
comparison: What's the difference?
Windows 10 has been officially unleashed on the world. For many people, it is a free
upgrade. But should you get it? We compare old and new Windows OSes and explain
what is the difference between Windows 8 and Windows 10. It's a Windows 8 vs
Windows 10 comparison review.

By Matt Egan | 18 Mar 16

PRICE WHEN REVIEWED


99.99 (Home), 189.99 (Pro), US$119.99 (Home), $199.99 (Pro)

BEST PRICES TODAY


Retailer Price Delivery

Price comparision from , and

manufacturers

WINDOWS 8 VS WINDOWS 10 COMPARISON:


WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
Windows 10 has been officially unleashed on the world. For many people, it is
a free upgrade. But should you get it? We compare old and new Windows
OSes and explain what is the difference between Windows 8 and Windows
10. Here's our Windows 8 vs Windows 10 comparison review.
WINDOWS 8 VS WINDOWS 10 COMPARISON: UK
PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
Buy a new PC or laptop and it will almost certainly come pre-installed with
Windows 10 so the situation is more likely to be whether you should upgrade
from Windows 8(actually Windows 8.1 these days). As an end user you will
not know the cost of Windows 8 to your PC's manufacturer, but if you pay for
an upgrade or to buy a licence outright you will have to shell out. A standard
Windows 8.1 upgrade licence will cost you around 79, a Windows 8.1 Pro
licence 189.
Compare that to Windows 10 which is a free upgrade for existing Windows 7,
Windows 8.1 and (some) Windows Phone users. At least for the first year,
anyway. So if you are a Windows Vista or -XP user, you may want to think
about upgrading now.

WINDOWS 8 VS WINDOWS 10 COMPARISON:


DEVICES
Right now there are three different types of operating system that could
reasonably be called 'Windows 8'. Four, if you count 64- and 32-bit versions.
Windows 8 itself is x86 software built for use with PCs and laptops, as well as
some tablets. Then there is Windows RT, which is for use on other tablets,
primarily Microsoft's own Surface and Surface 2. Finally, there is Windows
Phone 8 (which explains itself). Windows 10 does away with these divisions.

Microsoft has done away with Windows RT. That's good news in some
respects, because RT was undoubtedly the runt of the Windows litter. The
bad news is that Surface and Surface 2 owners face a dead-end: there's no
upgrade to Windows 10 for them.

This means Microsoft's bold claim that Windows 10 would run on all Windows
PCs, laptops, tablets and phones isn't completely true. Plus, only some
phones running Windows Phone 8 are updateable to Windows 10 Mobile.
After delays, Windows 10 has finally launched as a upgrade for existing
Windows Phone 8 users.
See also: Windows 10 launch event as it happened.

WINDOWS 8 VS WINDOWS 10 COMPARISON: START


MENU
The return of the Start Menu is a key change to Windows 10 on the desktop.
Here's Windows 8's Start Screen:

And here's how it looks in Windows 10:


Some people are moaning that Microsoft hasn't listed to their pleas to bring
back the Windows 7 Start menu as-is, but the Start Menu is improved in such
a way that it may make Windows apps useful. The Windows 10 Start Menu
includes a list of frequently used apps and shortcuts to PC settings. Here you
will also find documents and pictures folders. At the bottom there is an All
apps shortcut.

And Microsoft has retained the functionality of the Windows 8 Start


screen over on the right, with resizable Live Tiles, so that you can
immediately check unread mail or Calendar appointments.
The Start Menu is customisable - you can resize it, and rearrange the tabs.
The menu can even be run in full-screen mode if you're so inclined. (See
also: How to install Windows 10now.)

WINDOWS 8 VS WINDOWS 10: UNIVERSAL APPS


AND CONTINUUM
These are two big and important features of Windows 10, which will make
most Windows 8 users want to upgrade.

The first does what it says on the tin and means that a Universal App
(incuding things like Outlook and Word) will provide the same experience
across any device running the OS - whether it's a PC, laptop, tablet or even a
phone. The interface, of course, will simply adjust to the screen you're using,
but more importantly your data is synched across all your devices so you can
finish something you started somewhere else.
Continuum is similar but different and is specifically the ability to run a
desktop-like PC experience from a Windows 10 Mobile device. You'll typically
do this with the Microsoft Display dock, which connects your phone to a
monitor, keyboard and mouse. This way you can get a decent amount of
productivity from just a smartphone. Not every app will run in Continuum,
though, so it does have limitations.
WINDOWS 8 VS WINDOWS 10 COMPARISON:
CORTANA
Another key new feature of Windows 10 not available in Windows 8 is
Cortana Microsofts semantic digital assistant. A kind of super-Siri, which
can engage you in conversation. More than simple speech recognition,
Cortana constantly scours the web for information to inform its interactions
with you. And it learns from your behaviour, contacts and so on, in order to
better serve your needs. Cortana on Windows Phone is pretty great. And it
improves with use. So the inclusion of Microsofts digital assistant is a big
boost over Windows 8.
Here's a guide on how Cortana works in Windows 10.
WINDOWS 8 VS WINDOWS 10 COMPARISON:
SEARCH IMPROVEMENTS
Universal search in Windows 8 is a much-undervalued feature. It's been in
Windows since Vista, but came to maturity in Windows 8. Searching to load
up apps and files is much more efficient than navigating via apps and file
systems. And because Cortana is woven into Windows and search, the new
search box next to the Start button is extremely useful indeed.

As well as typing you can talk to Windows 10. Whether that's searching for
something stored locally or something online, it's all done from the same
search box. You can type or say the name of a file you want, or ask Cortana
to launch Photoshop. You can even 'search' for a weather forecast or an
appointment in your calendar.
On top of this, File Explorer has been updated with a Quick Access section
which replaces the old Favourites. This automatically displays your recent
files and frequently visited folders and makes finding files you've worked on
faster and easier. (See also: 10 best new features in Windows 10.)

WINDOWS 8 VS WINDOWS 10 COMPARISON:


WINDOWED MODERN APPS AND SNAP ASSIST
Every app in Windows 10 can be dynamically resized in a window. That
includes modern apps, so unlike in Windows 8 - where modern apps can only
run full screen or snapped next to one other app - you can run as many as
you like simultaneously in Windows 10.

A new Snap Assist feature means up to four apps can be snapped per screen.
This has the potential to be a killer productivity app - true multitasking on a
single screen without the hassle of manually resizing apps so they fit without
wasting any precious pixels.
Even better, Snap a document to one side or one quarter of the screen, and
Snap Assist displays other running apps which you can snap to another area
on the screen, and this continues until the screen is full. The feature is
intended to save you the hassle of Alt-tabbing through all your open apps to
arrange a desktop.

WINDOWS 8 VS WINDOWS 10 COMPARISON: TASK


VIEW AND VIRTUAL DESKTOPS
When you click the Task View button, you get a new version of the
thumbnails you get in Windows 8 (or 8.1) when you press Alt-Tab.

However, this is yet another useful and visual productivity enhancer: Task
View allows you to create a kind of multi-monitor setup within a single
monitor. It's basically the virtual desktops which Mac users have enjoyed for
years.
As with previous versions of Windows you can use Alt-Tab to quickly shuffle
between windows. When you click the new Task View button there's an Add
desktop button in the bottom-right corner. On each desktop you can snap
apps or run them in whatever size windows you like. So you could keep your
email and web browser on one Desktop that you hide away when you are
working on an Excel spreadsheet.

WINDOWS 8 VS WINDOWS 10 COMPARISON: XBOX


Finally Microsoft is attempting to make use of the awesomeness that is Xbox,
within the dreary world of Windows. Whereas Windows 8 users can install an
Xbox app on to Windows PCs, it really doesn't offer much of the true Xbox
experience. In Windows 10 Microsoft aims to change that.

With Xbox on Windows 10, Microsoft is attempting to bring into Windows 10


the best features from Xbox Live and the Xbox console. Windows 10 comes
with its own built-in Xbox app, offering a unified view of your games, the
activity of your friends, and your own gaming activities. Windows 10 also
bakes in Xbox Live, so that the more than 50 million Xbox Live members can
connect across multiple devices in new ways.
Plus, you'll be able to stream games from an Xbox One to your Windows 10
tablet (such as the Surface 3 Pro below), laptop or PC: a literal game
changer. And a massive improvement over Windows 8. (See also: Windows
10 screenshots.)

. (See also: Windows 10 vs OS X 10.10 Yosemite comparison.)

SPECS
Windows 10: Specs
Windows capable PC and web connection
membership of Windows Insider Program
OUR VERDICT
With Windows 8 being so poorly received (despite being a pretty decent OS
underneath) Windows 10 is certainly a step in the right direction. If you're
eligible for the free upgrade, there's really no reason not to get it for features
like Universal Apps and Continuum. It's a harder decision if you have to pay.
For some, it will make more sense to buy a new laptop, PC or tablet with
Windows 10 already installed, as machines running XP or Vista are already
long in the tooth.

https://www.howtogeek.com/219098/heres-whats-different-about-windows-10-for-
windows-8-users/

Heres Whats Different About Windows 10 for


Windows 8 Users
By Chris Hoffman on June 10th, 2015

Windows 10 isnt just a big change for Windows 7 users. There have been some major
changes in philosophy since Windows 8. Windows 10s touch interface is now very
different and more integrated with the desktop.
Whether youve been using Windows 8 on a desktop PC, on a tablet, or on a two-in-
one device, youll find a lot of changes. Tablet users will see the biggest changes.

Windows 10 Restores Sanity for Desktop Users


RELATED ARTICLE
Heres Whats Different About Windows 10 for Windows 7 Users

Windows 10 continues a pattern of Microsoft retreating from the original vision of


Windows 8. Where Windows 8 forced you to boot to the Start screen and eliminated the
Start button, Windows 8.1 added boot-to-desktop functionality and Start
button. Windows 8.1 Update added even more mouse-based controls.

Windows 10 goes further, restoring the pop-up Start menu for desktop users.
The charms bar and app switcher hot corners are eliminated. All those new universal
apps, called Metro apps, Modern apps, or Store apps in Windows 8, now run in
windows on the desktop. They can be controlled and used just like normal desktop
applications. Theres a tablet mode optimized for touch devices, but Windows 10 never
forces you into this mode on a desktop PC. Touchpad gestures have been rethought, so
you wont end up seeing the charms after accidentally sliding your finger of the right
side of the touchpad. Rather than two different versions of Internet Explorer, theres now
a single browser named Microsoft Edge.

You no longer need to jump through all those hoops to enable boot to desktop or install
a third-party Start menu, nor do you need to disable those obnoxious mouse-based hot
corners. You also dont need to change the default apps to different image and PDF
viewers those new-style applications will now open in windows on the desktop rather
than ripping you away to another interface. If youre used to a desktop interface,
Windows 10 will seem much more natural than Windows 8.
Improvements for Desktop Users

Windows 10 offers significant improvements for desktop users over Windows 8,


too. The Task View feature finally brings integrated virtual desktops to Windows, giving
Windows users what Linux and Mac users have had for a long time. Even if you dont
want to use virtual desktops, this provides an Expos-like interface that displays all your
open Windows.

Other changes even include enhancements to the Command Prompt. Theres


integrated Game DVR functionality for recording and streaming PC gameplay, DirectX
12 technology. Enhancements to Snap allow you to snap desktop windows in a 22 grid
and more quickly snap windows.
The integration of the new universal apps into the desktop means you might actually
want to use them alongside your traditional Windows desktop programs. Time will tell
just how many people will care about these.

OneDrive Changes
RELATED ARTICLE

How Windows 8.1 Integrates SkyDrive Everywhere

If youve gotten used to the way OneDrive works in Windows 8.1, you might be
disappointed. Rather than downloading all the files in your cloud storage, OneDrive on
Windows 8.1 displayed placeholder files. Theyd be automatically downloaded when
you access them with a program in Windows or try to open them. You could also choose
to make some files available offline ahead of time.

Microsoft changed things in Windows 10. OneDrive will work just how it did on Windows
7. Like with competing services like Dropbox and Google Drive, placeholder files are no
more. Youll have to choose what to sync ahead of time. Microsoft said they did this
because the placeholder files in Windows 8.1 were buggy and incompatible with some
Windows desktop programs.

The Redesigned Touch Interface

Touch users will have the biggest shock with Windows 10. Familiar interface elements
like the charms bar and app switcher are now completely gone. Rather than a new-style
Modern interface and a desktop that sit alongside each other, everything is integrated
into a single interface.

The old Modern app switcher is no longer there. Swipe in from the left on a tablet and
youll see the same Task View interface desktop users see, which will allow you to
choose an open window. Microsoft is using the same interface in both places, rather
than offer two different application switchers, as it did on Windows 8.

The charms bar is also gone. Swipe in from the right and youll see the notification
center, which helpfully provides some shortcuts to common settings at the bottom of the
notifications.
As the charms bar is gone, universal apps no longer rely on it for their search, sharing,
or settings functionality. New-style universal apps have integrated Search, Share,
and Settings buttons built into their interface if they need them, just as on Android and
iOS. App bars full of hidden settings are also gone, largely replaced by hamburger
menus that appear at the top-left corner of applications.
There is still a special Tablet Mode that makes the user interface more ideal for touch-
based tablets. On tablets without mice and keyboards, this will be enabled
automatically. On 2-in-1 devices, this mode will automatically be enabled when you
unplug your devices keyboard thanks to Continuum. You can also choose to manually
toggle Tablet Mode on and off from the setting shortcut at the bottom of the notification
center.

Enable Tablet Mode and youll have a more Windows 8-style interface. The Start button
now brings up a fullscreen version of the Start menu. Apps you open will open in full-
screen mode even traditional desktop applications and you can swipe down from
the top to snap them to either side of your screen, just as on Windows 8.

Unlike on Windows 8, the taskbar does stick around. But it goes into a super lightweight
mode without any application icons on it by default, and it will have a global back button
like on Android.
Windows 10 is a course correction after Windows 8, and it is much more at home on a
desktop PC. Tablet and touch device users will find an interface that works differently,
but it does make a lot more sense when switching between touch and mouse-and-
keyboard mode on 2-in-1 PCs.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2950014/windows/10-things-windows-10-does-
better-than-windows-8.html 10 things Windows 10 does better than Windows 8

Fixing the Start menu is just the beginning. Windows 10 brings many other good changes, and
we show you the best ones here.

By Brad Chacos

Senior Editor, PCWorld | JUL 28, 2015 3:35 AM PT


MORE LIKE THIS

Windows 10 review: It's familiar, it's powerful, but the Edge browser falls...

Here's what Windows 10 won't change: Windows 8's plans to tie you to Microsoft...

Windows 10 build 10061 hands-on: Exploring the new Technical Preview's fresh...

VIDEO

Windows 10 Creators Update Review: Microsoft makes it fun


43% off TP-Link Smart LED Wi-Fi Light Bulb, 50W Dimmable and Alexa Compatible...

Get 72% off NordVPN Virtual Private Network Service For a Limited Time - Deal...

20% off Litom Solar Outdoor Motion Sensor Security Lights, 2 Pack - Deal Alert

LATEST REVIEWS

Microsoft Windows 10 Creators Update

Brillisoft Translator with Speech

Lenovo ThinkPad X220

Did the PC market collapse because Windows 8 sucked, or did Windows 8 suck because
Microsoft overcompensated for the PC markets collapse? Its a bit of a chicken-or-the-egg
scenario, but one things certain: Windows 8 sucked.

Windows 10, on the other hand, absolutely rocksespecially when compared to its bitterly
disappointing predecessor. Its nothing less than a refined blend (to steal a term from ol Stevie
B) of the best parts of Windows 7 and Windows 8. Sure, Windows 10 still drags over the
Windows apps and services themes that Microsoft started pounding home in Windows 8, but it
does so in a way that actually respects the legacy the traditional desktop earned over the years.
How do I love thee, Windows 10? Let me count the ways youre vastly improved over Windows
8.

Don't miss: PCWorld's Windows 10 review

1. The Start menu is back

Mark
Hachman

Oh how Ive missed you.

Halle-friggin-lujah.

Sure, Windows 10s Start menu isnt quite the one youre used to, acting instead like a mash-up
of Windows 7s Start menu with Windows 8s Start screen, replete with Live Tiles and Windows
Store apps. My colleague Mark Hachman nailed it on the head in his Windows 10 pre-
review when he said to consider Windows 10s Start menu more as a dashboard than a launching
pad.

Either way, the Start menus back. And if you dont dig all the Live Tiles, its easy to unpin them
and stock the Start menu with shortcuts to traditional desktop software.
2. Windows Store apps mime desktop programs

But the Start menus absence was only one of Windows 8s great failings. The design of
Windows Store apps was another.

These monstrosities tossed everything glorious about desktop computing to the curb to splay
themselves upon the altar of touch-friendliness. When opened, Windows 8s apps expanded to
fill the whole screen, engulfing even the taskbar. Worse, they consumed all that space with
spectacular inefficiency, leaving tremendous amounts of unutilized space in favor of big, empty
blocks that were fine for fingers, but resulted in a dearth of information density and a vast
amount of superfluous scrolling with a mouse.

Not in Windows 10.

The News app in a desktop window in Windows 10.

In Windows 10, Microsoft shoved those Windows Store apps into proper, moveable, resizable
desktop windows, which enables you to integrate them into your workflow far more seamlessly.
Gone are the awful hidden Charms bar controls, replaced by a proper menu bar, and thanks to
their scaling interface the newly universal Windows apps that ship with the system now feel
much more natural on the desktop.
I banished Windows Store apps from my Windows 8 workflow entirely, but happily use their
Windows 10 counterparts daily. The small changes add up to a huge improvement. Windows are
coming back to Windows, folks.

3. Better Metro integration all around

The interface formerly known as Metro is far more seamlessly integrated in Windows 10.

Whereas the desktop and Metro felt like dueling interfaces in Windows 8being ripped from the
desktop to a full-screen Metro app when you opened a file was so damned frustratingtheyre
complementary in Windows 10, largely because of the Windows Store app and Start menu
improvements mentioned previously. The eradication of the disastrous Charms bars is another
firm step in the right direction. Now, when you have to use Metro elements while in the desktop,
it occurs while in the desktop, and the benefit of that cant be overstated.

4. The right interface for the right device

But ignore all that if youre using a Windows 10 Phone or tablet, each of which uses a morphed
version of Windows 10 to display an interface best suited for each screen size. Windows 10s
tablet mode, in fact, looks an awful lot like Windows 8s Start screen.

Microsoft tried to sell Windows 8 as an operating system for every device, but it did so by
forcing the same interface across tablets and PCstwo very different device types. Windows 10
tweaks the formula, letting a PC be a PC and a tablet be a tablet, and its vastly better for it.
Windows 10s Continuum feature helps hybrid devices like the Surface behave like a tablet when
its standalone, and like a PC when the keyboards connected.

And if youve got one of those fancy two-in-one hybrid devices? Windows 10s Continuum
mode has you covered. Heck, thanks to Windows 10s shared core and universal apps Windows
10 Phones can even mime proper Windows 10 PCs when connected to an external display.

5. DirectX 12

Not all of Windows 10s improvement focus on slapping a Band-Aid over Windows 8s ghastly
design. Microsoft hopes to lure gamers firmly entrenched in Windows 7 over to Windows 10
with the inclusion of DirectX 12, a turbo-charged version of Windows popular graphics API
technology.

Further reading: DirectX 12 FAQ: All about Windows 10's supercharged graphics tech

DirectX 12, like AMDs Mantle before it, allows for vastly improved CPU utilization in gaming
scenarios and provides developers closer-to-the-metal access to graphics hardware. The end
result: Intel and Microsoft say frame rates can increase by more than 50 percent when the same
application is run in DX12 rather than DX11or, alternatively, power draw can be halved.
Wowza.

Intel

Intel and Microsofts DirectX 11 vs. DirectX 12 demo.


Our own early DirectX 12 testing, conducted with 3DMarks synthetic API Overhead feature
test, shows that the potential performance leap with DX12 is insaneonce games start being
published that use the new API, of course. Look for those to land later this year.

6. Virtual desktops

Windows 8 treated the Windows desktop as just another app. Windows 10 gives you desktops
and desktops and more desktops, via its new embrace of virtual desktopa feature long beloved
on Linux and OS X.

Further reading: How to use Windows 10's Task View and virtual desktops

Windows 10 supports as many virtual desktops as your hardware can handle, rather than placing
an artificial cap on the action. Management of the individual desktops and their apps is handled
via Windows 10s surprisingly slick Task View, which can be accessed by its icon in the desktop
taskbar.

FINALLY.
Virtual desktops can be especially handy if you dont have multiple monitors: You could dedicate
one to social tools, another to work applications, and a third to PC games, for example, so you
arent tempted to goof off in the middle of a hot and heavy productivity session.

7. Yet more power user tricks

Between the Start menu, DirectX 12, and virtual desktops, Microsofts clearly hoping to coax PC
power users who avoided Windows 8 like the plague over to Windows 10but the bribery and
enticements dont stop there.

Windows 10 is loaded with more enthusiast-level tricks, from display scaling improvements to
greatly enhanced Command Prompt tools (paste support, yay!) to the ability to Snap four open
windows to the four corners of your screen. If Windows 8 was Microsofts disgusting attempt to
win over the hearts of mobile users, Windows 10 is a flat-out apology letter to PC enthusiasts.

8. Action Center

Windows 8s Windows Store apps may not have been a pleasure to use on proper PCs, but one
key advantage they held rocked my socks: System-wide notifications. Where traditional desktop
software tends to be self-contained silos, Windows Store apps will shoot you a pop-up
notification in the upper-right corner of the screen when, say, you get a new email or a new direct
message in Twitter.
Windows 10s Action Center slides out from the right edge of the screen when summoned.

If you see them, that is. After a notification pops up in Windows 8, it disappears into the ether,
never to be seen or summoned again. Sure, you could theoretically see missed notifications on
their apps individual Live Tiles on the Start screen, but who hangs out there?

Windows 10 cures the ill with the introduction of its new Action Center, which appears in the
right-hand side of the taskbar. Missed notifications will reside there until you dismiss them
huzzah!. Youll also find quick-action buttons that allow you to swiftly manage Wi-Fi and
Bluetooth, enter Tablet Mode, and more.

9. Cortana

Windows 8.1s search function already pulled info from the web with the help of Bing, but the
results were just a dumb web search and you had to travel to the Start screen to conduct one.
There was no way to quickly search for something from the desktop without the help of third-
party software. Ugh.
Mark
Hachman

Cortana shows what youve got going on today when you activate her in Windows 10.

Cortana, the digital assistant that first appeared in Windows Phone 8.1, replaces the search
function in Windows 10 and delivers a flat-out superior experience to Windows 8.1s search.
First of all, her search bar is located right within the desktop task baralready a vast
improvement.

Further reading: Meet Cortana: The Ultimate guide to Windows 10's digital assistant

Cortanas also powered by Bing, but uses machine learning to provide a personalized summary
of your day, surfacing calendar details and news she thinks youll find interesting when you open
the interface. Cortana responds to voice commands as easily as typed ones, and also understands
natural language commands. You can tell Cortana to Find pictures from June, for example, and
the assistant will even include your OneDrive-stored files in the results. Simply put, Cortanas
greatas long as you dont mind providing personal info to Microsoft.
Cortana also groks natural language search commands.

Plus, Cortanas sassythough not all of the cool easter egg questions that Cortana answers on
Windows Phone work on the Windows 10 desktop just yet. (Be sure to ask Cortana what she
thinks of Siri!)

10. Windows Hello

Windows 8 had the usual authentication optionsPIN code, password, yadda yadda yadda.
Nothing lacking, but nothing exciting either, in other words.

Windows 10 kicks things up a notch with enhanced support for two-factor and biometric
authentication, spearheaded by the awesome Windows Hello feature, which (among other things)
can use depth-sensing cameras to automatically log you in.

As PCWorlds Mark Hachman wrote in his Windows 10 pre-review after spending some hands-
on time with Hello:

Boy, Hello is terrific. You simply train the machine by letting the PC camera look at you for a
moment or two. Thereafter, when you sit down at your PC, it recognizes you and logs you in
no effort required. And if you share that PC with others in your family, it will recognize them,
too, automatically logging them in and picking up where they left off.

Facial recognition is nothing new, but Hellos flavor of it sounds uniquely special. Too bad
itll only work with a handful of PCs when Windows 10 launches.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2874400/windows/windows-10-the-10-
coolest-features-you-should-check-out-first.html

Windows 10: The 10 best new features to try first


Brad Chacos @BradChacos Aug 5, 2016 5:32 AM

See larger image

The best of what's new

Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.

The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.

Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.
See larger image
The best of what's new

Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.

The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.

Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image


The Start menu

Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.

You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.

Brad Chacos @BradChacos Aug 5, 2016 5:32 AM


3 of 12

Thumbnails

MORE
See larger image

The best of what's new

Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.

The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.

Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Start menu

Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.

You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

Windowed Windows Store apps

As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.

I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.

Brad Chacos @BradChacos Aug 5, 2016 5:32 AM

4 of 12

Thumbnails

MORE

See larger image

The best of what's new


Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.

The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.

Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.

NEXT

PREV
See larger image

The Start menu

Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.

You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.

NEXT

PREV
See larger image

Windowed Windows Store apps

As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.

I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.

NEXT

PREV
See larger image

Cortana

Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.

Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.

The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.

Brad Chacos @BradChacos Aug 5, 2016 5:32 AM


5 of 12

Thumbnails

MORE
See larger image

The best of what's new

Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.

The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.

Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Start menu

Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.

You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

Windowed Windows Store apps

As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.

I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.

NEXT

PREV
See larger image

Cortana

Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.

Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.

The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Edge browser

Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.

Edge uses Microsofts new rendering enginewhich isnt included in IE in Windows 10


and packs some nifty extras. Cortana pops up with supplementary information while
you search the web, such as Yelp reviews and Bing Maps directions when youre
viewing a restaurant website, or coupons when youre shopping online. Digital inking
tools let you easily mark up a website and share it with others. Finally, Edge also
includes an awesome clutter-stripping Reading View, and allows you to stash articles in
the complementary Reading List app for later perusal.

Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.

Brad Chacos @BradChacos Aug 5, 2016 5:32 AM

6 of 12

Thumbnails

MORE
See larger image

The best of what's new

Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.

The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.

Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Start menu

Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.

You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

Windowed Windows Store apps

As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.

I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.

NEXT

PREV
See larger image

Cortana

Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.

Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.

The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Edge browser

Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.

Edge uses Microsofts new rendering enginewhich isnt included in IE in Windows 10


and packs some nifty extras. Cortana pops up with supplementary information while
you search the web, such as Yelp reviews and Bing Maps directions when youre
viewing a restaurant website, or coupons when youre shopping online. Digital inking
tools let you easily mark up a website and share it with others. Finally, Edge also
includes an awesome clutter-stripping Reading View, and allows you to stash articles in
the complementary Reading List app for later perusal.

Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Virtual desktops / Task View

Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.

Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.

Brad Chacos @BradChacos Aug 5, 2016 5:32 AM


7 of 12

Thumbnails

MORE
See larger image

The best of what's new

Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.

The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.

Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Start menu

Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.

You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

Windowed Windows Store apps

As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.

I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.

NEXT

PREV
See larger image

Cortana

Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.

Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.

The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Edge browser

Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.

Edge uses Microsofts new rendering enginewhich isnt included in IE in Windows 10


and packs some nifty extras. Cortana pops up with supplementary information while
you search the web, such as Yelp reviews and Bing Maps directions when youre
viewing a restaurant website, or coupons when youre shopping online. Digital inking
tools let you easily mark up a website and share it with others. Finally, Edge also
includes an awesome clutter-stripping Reading View, and allows you to stash articles in
the complementary Reading List app for later perusal.

Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Virtual desktops / Task View

Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.

Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.
NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Action Center

Notifications are one of the coolest features of modern operating systems, with pop-ups
reminding you of all sorts of useful information. Windows 8 had them, but those
notifications disappeared forever as soon as they faded from your screenan issue if
you werent actively sitting in front of your PC when one popped up.

Windows 10 cures that ill with its Action Center. As notifications slide into view, theyre
archived here. Those notifications were listed in simple chronological order in the initial
Windows 10 release, but the Anniversary Update overhauled the interface to group
notifications by appa welcome, much more polished change. The Action Center also
provides quick-action buttons for common functions, like activating Bluetooth or
connecting to a VPN, as well as an option for shifting the interface to Tablet Mode.

The notification tracking carries over to the main Windows taskbar, too. Any Windows
Store apps pinned to it will display a circular icon with the number of unread notifications
when applicable, while the Action Center icon will show your total number of unread
notifications.

Brad Chacos @BradChacos Aug 5, 2016 5:32 AM

8 of 12

Thumbnails

MORE
See larger image

The best of what's new

Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.

The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.

Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Start menu

Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.

You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

Windowed Windows Store apps

As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.

I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.

NEXT

PREV
See larger image

Cortana

Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.

Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.

The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Edge browser

Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.

Edge uses Microsofts new rendering enginewhich isnt included in IE in Windows 10


and packs some nifty extras. Cortana pops up with supplementary information while
you search the web, such as Yelp reviews and Bing Maps directions when youre
viewing a restaurant website, or coupons when youre shopping online. Digital inking
tools let you easily mark up a website and share it with others. Finally, Edge also
includes an awesome clutter-stripping Reading View, and allows you to stash articles in
the complementary Reading List app for later perusal.

Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Virtual desktops / Task View

Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.

Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.
NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Action Center

Notifications are one of the coolest features of modern operating systems, with pop-ups
reminding you of all sorts of useful information. Windows 8 had them, but those
notifications disappeared forever as soon as they faded from your screenan issue if
you werent actively sitting in front of your PC when one popped up.

Windows 10 cures that ill with its Action Center. As notifications slide into view, theyre
archived here. Those notifications were listed in simple chronological order in the initial
Windows 10 release, but the Anniversary Update overhauled the interface to group
notifications by appa welcome, much more polished change. The Action Center also
provides quick-action buttons for common functions, like activating Bluetooth or
connecting to a VPN, as well as an option for shifting the interface to Tablet Mode.

The notification tracking carries over to the main Windows taskbar, too. Any Windows
Store apps pinned to it will display a circular icon with the number of unread notifications
when applicable, while the Action Center icon will show your total number of unread
notifications.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Revamped core apps

Windows 10 introduces overhauled Mail and Calendar apps that are vastly better than
their Windows 8 counterparts. While the Windows 8 apps were pokey, the Windows 10
variants are speedy and responsive, and they manage to fit much more info on the
screen while still being friendly to mice cursors and fat fingers alike. The new apps also
dynamically shift their interfaces to fit nicely into windows of all shapes and sizes.

The Mail app adds swipe gesture controls so you can quickly sort your inbox with just a
few swipesand what each swipe does is user-configurable, too. But more important
for practicality, the revamped apps include key functionality that was missing in their
Windows 8 predecessors: POP email support in the Windows 10 Mail app, and Google
Calendar support in Calendar.

The new Photos app is surprisingly robust, as well.

Brad Chacos @BradChacos Aug 5, 2016 5:32 AM

9 of 12

Thumbnails

MORE
See larger image

The best of what's new

Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.

The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.

Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Start menu

Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.

You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

Windowed Windows Store apps

As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.

I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.

NEXT

PREV
See larger image

Cortana

Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.

Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.

The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Edge browser

Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.

Edge uses Microsofts new rendering enginewhich isnt included in IE in Windows 10


and packs some nifty extras. Cortana pops up with supplementary information while
you search the web, such as Yelp reviews and Bing Maps directions when youre
viewing a restaurant website, or coupons when youre shopping online. Digital inking
tools let you easily mark up a website and share it with others. Finally, Edge also
includes an awesome clutter-stripping Reading View, and allows you to stash articles in
the complementary Reading List app for later perusal.

Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Virtual desktops / Task View

Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.

Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.
NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Action Center

Notifications are one of the coolest features of modern operating systems, with pop-ups
reminding you of all sorts of useful information. Windows 8 had them, but those
notifications disappeared forever as soon as they faded from your screenan issue if
you werent actively sitting in front of your PC when one popped up.

Windows 10 cures that ill with its Action Center. As notifications slide into view, theyre
archived here. Those notifications were listed in simple chronological order in the initial
Windows 10 release, but the Anniversary Update overhauled the interface to group
notifications by appa welcome, much more polished change. The Action Center also
provides quick-action buttons for common functions, like activating Bluetooth or
connecting to a VPN, as well as an option for shifting the interface to Tablet Mode.

The notification tracking carries over to the main Windows taskbar, too. Any Windows
Store apps pinned to it will display a circular icon with the number of unread notifications
when applicable, while the Action Center icon will show your total number of unread
notifications.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Revamped core apps

Windows 10 introduces overhauled Mail and Calendar apps that are vastly better than
their Windows 8 counterparts. While the Windows 8 apps were pokey, the Windows 10
variants are speedy and responsive, and they manage to fit much more info on the
screen while still being friendly to mice cursors and fat fingers alike. The new apps also
dynamically shift their interfaces to fit nicely into windows of all shapes and sizes.

The Mail app adds swipe gesture controls so you can quickly sort your inbox with just a
few swipesand what each swipe does is user-configurable, too. But more important
for practicality, the revamped apps include key functionality that was missing in their
Windows 8 predecessors: POP email support in the Windows 10 Mail app, and Google
Calendar support in Calendar.

The new Photos app is surprisingly robust, as well.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

The Xbox app

Windows 10s new Xbox app should feel deeply familiar to Xbox One fans: The center
point is your Activity Feed, which is populated by your Xbox Live Friends activities, such
as unlocking an achievement or launching a Twitch stream. The right side of the app
lists your friends; selecting one offers options to view their game clips, invite them to a
party, send an IM, and more. You can also view your own achievements, manage your
profile, and more all right within the app. You can even stream your Xbox One games to
a Windows 10 PC or tablet.
We cant help but feel that this app is more beneficial to console gamers who happen to
have a PC than to true PC gamers, despite the Xbox apps Game bar, a system-wide
tool that lets you snag screenshots and video clips of your PC games (and more). But
its a very handy tool indeed if you fall into the former campand it will no doubt gain
more significance once Microsoft rolls out the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, which will
let you buy games once and play them on Windows PCs or the Xbox One, with cloud
saves and cross-platform multiplayer traveling between the two.

The Anniversary Update also adds a dedicated hub for Windows 10 PC games in the
Xbox app.

Brad Chacos @BradChacos Aug 5, 2016 5:32 AM

10 of 12

Thumbnails

MORE
See larger image

The best of what's new

Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.

The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.

Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Start menu

Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.

You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

Windowed Windows Store apps

As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.

I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.

NEXT

PREV
See larger image

Cortana

Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.

Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.

The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Edge browser

Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.

Edge uses Microsofts new rendering enginewhich isnt included in IE in Windows 10


and packs some nifty extras. Cortana pops up with supplementary information while
you search the web, such as Yelp reviews and Bing Maps directions when youre
viewing a restaurant website, or coupons when youre shopping online. Digital inking
tools let you easily mark up a website and share it with others. Finally, Edge also
includes an awesome clutter-stripping Reading View, and allows you to stash articles in
the complementary Reading List app for later perusal.

Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Virtual desktops / Task View

Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.

Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.
NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Action Center

Notifications are one of the coolest features of modern operating systems, with pop-ups
reminding you of all sorts of useful information. Windows 8 had them, but those
notifications disappeared forever as soon as they faded from your screenan issue if
you werent actively sitting in front of your PC when one popped up.

Windows 10 cures that ill with its Action Center. As notifications slide into view, theyre
archived here. Those notifications were listed in simple chronological order in the initial
Windows 10 release, but the Anniversary Update overhauled the interface to group
notifications by appa welcome, much more polished change. The Action Center also
provides quick-action buttons for common functions, like activating Bluetooth or
connecting to a VPN, as well as an option for shifting the interface to Tablet Mode.

The notification tracking carries over to the main Windows taskbar, too. Any Windows
Store apps pinned to it will display a circular icon with the number of unread notifications
when applicable, while the Action Center icon will show your total number of unread
notifications.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Revamped core apps

Windows 10 introduces overhauled Mail and Calendar apps that are vastly better than
their Windows 8 counterparts. While the Windows 8 apps were pokey, the Windows 10
variants are speedy and responsive, and they manage to fit much more info on the
screen while still being friendly to mice cursors and fat fingers alike. The new apps also
dynamically shift their interfaces to fit nicely into windows of all shapes and sizes.

The Mail app adds swipe gesture controls so you can quickly sort your inbox with just a
few swipesand what each swipe does is user-configurable, too. But more important
for practicality, the revamped apps include key functionality that was missing in their
Windows 8 predecessors: POP email support in the Windows 10 Mail app, and Google
Calendar support in Calendar.

The new Photos app is surprisingly robust, as well.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

The Xbox app

Windows 10s new Xbox app should feel deeply familiar to Xbox One fans: The center
point is your Activity Feed, which is populated by your Xbox Live Friends activities, such
as unlocking an achievement or launching a Twitch stream. The right side of the app
lists your friends; selecting one offers options to view their game clips, invite them to a
party, send an IM, and more. You can also view your own achievements, manage your
profile, and more all right within the app. You can even stream your Xbox One games to
a Windows 10 PC or tablet.
We cant help but feel that this app is more beneficial to console gamers who happen to
have a PC than to true PC gamers, despite the Xbox apps Game bar, a system-wide
tool that lets you snag screenshots and video clips of your PC games (and more). But
its a very handy tool indeed if you fall into the former campand it will no doubt gain
more significance once Microsoft rolls out the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, which will
let you buy games once and play them on Windows PCs or the Xbox One, with cloud
saves and cross-platform multiplayer traveling between the two.

The Anniversary Update also adds a dedicated hub for Windows 10 PC games in the
Xbox app.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Continuum

Yes, Windows 10 is vastly improved on PCs, but Microsoft didnt forget about
touchscreen users. The operating system includes a handy Continuum feature that
dynamically switches the interface between the PC-friendly desktop and a Windows 8-
like mode thats better suited for fingers (pictured above), depending on how youre
using the device.
Windows tablets will default to the latter; PCs to the former. Hybrids will intelligently
switch between the two modes depending on whether you have a keyboard
attached. Windows 10 Mobile phones will even ape a full-blown PC when theyre
connected to an external monitor.

In tablet mode, the Start menu expands to fit the full screen, as do Windows apps. If
youd like to force a switch, the new Action Center has a dedicated Tablet Mode button
that you can enable or disable at will.

Another device-specific Windows 10 feature: Windows Hello, which uses biometric


authentication to log you into your PCif your PC packs hardware thats compatible
with the new feature.

Brad Chacos @BradChacos Aug 5, 2016 5:32 AM

11 of 12

Thumbnails

MORE
See larger image

The best of what's new

Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.

The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.

Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Start menu

Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.

You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

Windowed Windows Store apps

As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.

I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.

NEXT

PREV
See larger image

Cortana

Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.

Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.

The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Edge browser

Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.

Edge uses Microsofts new rendering enginewhich isnt included in IE in Windows 10


and packs some nifty extras. Cortana pops up with supplementary information while
you search the web, such as Yelp reviews and Bing Maps directions when youre
viewing a restaurant website, or coupons when youre shopping online. Digital inking
tools let you easily mark up a website and share it with others. Finally, Edge also
includes an awesome clutter-stripping Reading View, and allows you to stash articles in
the complementary Reading List app for later perusal.

Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Virtual desktops / Task View

Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.

Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.
NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Action Center

Notifications are one of the coolest features of modern operating systems, with pop-ups
reminding you of all sorts of useful information. Windows 8 had them, but those
notifications disappeared forever as soon as they faded from your screenan issue if
you werent actively sitting in front of your PC when one popped up.

Windows 10 cures that ill with its Action Center. As notifications slide into view, theyre
archived here. Those notifications were listed in simple chronological order in the initial
Windows 10 release, but the Anniversary Update overhauled the interface to group
notifications by appa welcome, much more polished change. The Action Center also
provides quick-action buttons for common functions, like activating Bluetooth or
connecting to a VPN, as well as an option for shifting the interface to Tablet Mode.

The notification tracking carries over to the main Windows taskbar, too. Any Windows
Store apps pinned to it will display a circular icon with the number of unread notifications
when applicable, while the Action Center icon will show your total number of unread
notifications.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Revamped core apps

Windows 10 introduces overhauled Mail and Calendar apps that are vastly better than
their Windows 8 counterparts. While the Windows 8 apps were pokey, the Windows 10
variants are speedy and responsive, and they manage to fit much more info on the
screen while still being friendly to mice cursors and fat fingers alike. The new apps also
dynamically shift their interfaces to fit nicely into windows of all shapes and sizes.

The Mail app adds swipe gesture controls so you can quickly sort your inbox with just a
few swipesand what each swipe does is user-configurable, too. But more important
for practicality, the revamped apps include key functionality that was missing in their
Windows 8 predecessors: POP email support in the Windows 10 Mail app, and Google
Calendar support in Calendar.

The new Photos app is surprisingly robust, as well.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

The Xbox app

Windows 10s new Xbox app should feel deeply familiar to Xbox One fans: The center
point is your Activity Feed, which is populated by your Xbox Live Friends activities, such
as unlocking an achievement or launching a Twitch stream. The right side of the app
lists your friends; selecting one offers options to view their game clips, invite them to a
party, send an IM, and more. You can also view your own achievements, manage your
profile, and more all right within the app. You can even stream your Xbox One games to
a Windows 10 PC or tablet.
We cant help but feel that this app is more beneficial to console gamers who happen to
have a PC than to true PC gamers, despite the Xbox apps Game bar, a system-wide
tool that lets you snag screenshots and video clips of your PC games (and more). But
its a very handy tool indeed if you fall into the former campand it will no doubt gain
more significance once Microsoft rolls out the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, which will
let you buy games once and play them on Windows PCs or the Xbox One, with cloud
saves and cross-platform multiplayer traveling between the two.

The Anniversary Update also adds a dedicated hub for Windows 10 PC games in the
Xbox app.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Continuum

Yes, Windows 10 is vastly improved on PCs, but Microsoft didnt forget about
touchscreen users. The operating system includes a handy Continuum feature that
dynamically switches the interface between the PC-friendly desktop and a Windows 8-
like mode thats better suited for fingers (pictured above), depending on how youre
using the device.
Windows tablets will default to the latter; PCs to the former. Hybrids will intelligently
switch between the two modes depending on whether you have a keyboard
attached. Windows 10 Mobile phones will even ape a full-blown PC when theyre
connected to an external monitor.

In tablet mode, the Start menu expands to fit the full screen, as do Windows apps. If
youd like to force a switch, the new Action Center has a dedicated Tablet Mode button
that you can enable or disable at will.

Another device-specific Windows 10 feature: Windows Hello, which uses biometric


authentication to log you into your PCif your PC packs hardware thats compatible
with the new feature.

NEXT

PREV
See larger image

Windows Ink

The Anniversary Update added all sorts of polish and little extras to existing Windows
10 features, but it also introduced a new feature of its own: Windows Ink.

Windows Ink furthers Microsofts focus on stylus support. Clicking the button on your
styli or pressing the new pen icon in the taskbar pulls up the new Windows Ink
dashboard. The dashboard includes a trio of native new inking apps, displays any inking
apps youve recently used, and even makes suggestions for stylus-supporting apps you
may enjoy, complete with a link to a curated section of the Windows Store devoted to
Windows Ink.

The native Sticky Notes app can read your scrawl to automatically identify key info and
intelligently create Cortana reminders or display relevant info provided by Bing. In the
future, Windows Ink will even be able to do your math homework.

Brad Chacos @BradChacos Aug 5, 2016 5:32 AM


12 of 12

Thumbnails

MORE
See larger image

The best of what's new

Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.

The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.

Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Start menu

Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.

You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

Windowed Windows Store apps

As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.

I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.

NEXT

PREV
See larger image

Cortana

Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.

Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.

The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.

NEXT
PREV

See larger image

The Edge browser

Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.

Edge uses Microsofts new rendering enginewhich isnt included in IE in Windows 10


and packs some nifty extras. Cortana pops up with supplementary information while
you search the web, such as Yelp reviews and Bing Maps directions when youre
viewing a restaurant website, or coupons when youre shopping online. Digital inking
tools let you easily mark up a website and share it with others. Finally, Edge also
includes an awesome clutter-stripping Reading View, and allows you to stash articles in
the complementary Reading List app for later perusal.

Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Virtual desktops / Task View

Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.

Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.
NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Action Center

Notifications are one of the coolest features of modern operating systems, with pop-ups
reminding you of all sorts of useful information. Windows 8 had them, but those
notifications disappeared forever as soon as they faded from your screenan issue if
you werent actively sitting in front of your PC when one popped up.

Windows 10 cures that ill with its Action Center. As notifications slide into view, theyre
archived here. Those notifications were listed in simple chronological order in the initial
Windows 10 release, but the Anniversary Update overhauled the interface to group
notifications by appa welcome, much more polished change. The Action Center also
provides quick-action buttons for common functions, like activating Bluetooth or
connecting to a VPN, as well as an option for shifting the interface to Tablet Mode.

The notification tracking carries over to the main Windows taskbar, too. Any Windows
Store apps pinned to it will display a circular icon with the number of unread notifications
when applicable, while the Action Center icon will show your total number of unread
notifications.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Revamped core apps

Windows 10 introduces overhauled Mail and Calendar apps that are vastly better than
their Windows 8 counterparts. While the Windows 8 apps were pokey, the Windows 10
variants are speedy and responsive, and they manage to fit much more info on the
screen while still being friendly to mice cursors and fat fingers alike. The new apps also
dynamically shift their interfaces to fit nicely into windows of all shapes and sizes.

The Mail app adds swipe gesture controls so you can quickly sort your inbox with just a
few swipesand what each swipe does is user-configurable, too. But more important
for practicality, the revamped apps include key functionality that was missing in their
Windows 8 predecessors: POP email support in the Windows 10 Mail app, and Google
Calendar support in Calendar.

The new Photos app is surprisingly robust, as well.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

The Xbox app

Windows 10s new Xbox app should feel deeply familiar to Xbox One fans: The center
point is your Activity Feed, which is populated by your Xbox Live Friends activities, such
as unlocking an achievement or launching a Twitch stream. The right side of the app
lists your friends; selecting one offers options to view their game clips, invite them to a
party, send an IM, and more. You can also view your own achievements, manage your
profile, and more all right within the app. You can even stream your Xbox One games to
a Windows 10 PC or tablet.
We cant help but feel that this app is more beneficial to console gamers who happen to
have a PC than to true PC gamers, despite the Xbox apps Game bar, a system-wide
tool that lets you snag screenshots and video clips of your PC games (and more). But
its a very handy tool indeed if you fall into the former campand it will no doubt gain
more significance once Microsoft rolls out the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, which will
let you buy games once and play them on Windows PCs or the Xbox One, with cloud
saves and cross-platform multiplayer traveling between the two.

The Anniversary Update also adds a dedicated hub for Windows 10 PC games in the
Xbox app.

NEXT

PREV

See larger image

Continuum

Yes, Windows 10 is vastly improved on PCs, but Microsoft didnt forget about
touchscreen users. The operating system includes a handy Continuum feature that
dynamically switches the interface between the PC-friendly desktop and a Windows 8-
like mode thats better suited for fingers (pictured above), depending on how youre
using the device.
Windows tablets will default to the latter; PCs to the former. Hybrids will intelligently
switch between the two modes depending on whether you have a keyboard
attached. Windows 10 Mobile phones will even ape a full-blown PC when theyre
connected to an external monitor.

In tablet mode, the Start menu expands to fit the full screen, as do Windows apps. If
youd like to force a switch, the new Action Center has a dedicated Tablet Mode button
that you can enable or disable at will.

Another device-specific Windows 10 feature: Windows Hello, which uses biometric


authentication to log you into your PCif your PC packs hardware thats compatible
with the new feature.

NEXT

PREV
See larger image

Windows Ink

The Anniversary Update added all sorts of polish and little extras to existing Windows
10 features, but it also introduced a new feature of its own: Windows Ink.

Windows Ink furthers Microsofts focus on stylus support. Clicking the button on your
styli or pressing the new pen icon in the taskbar pulls up the new Windows Ink
dashboard. The dashboard includes a trio of native new inking apps, displays any inking
apps youve recently used, and even makes suggestions for stylus-supporting apps you
may enjoy, complete with a link to a curated section of the Windows Store devoted to
Windows Ink.

The native Sticky Notes app can read your scrawl to automatically identify key info and
intelligently create Cortana reminders or display relevant info provided by Bing. In the
future, Windows Ink will even be able to do your math homework.
NEXT

PREV

See larger image

But wait, there's more!

These 10 awesome features are only the tip of whats new in Windows 10. Check out
PCWorlds comprehensive reviews of both Windows 10 and the Windows 10
Anniversary Update for deep dives into the operating system, or our guide to
the Windows 10 Anniversary Updates best new features for a focus strictly on whats
new in Microsofts latest big update.

Looking for more actionable info? Check out our mammoth compilation of the best
Windows 10 tips and tricks for info on how to make the OS your own. Once youre done
with that, get even more granular with 12 powerful Windows 10 tools PC enthusiasts will
love, new Windows 10 features that eliminate everyday hassles, and powerful new-to-
you under-the-hood features if youve upgraded from Windows 7. Theres also a handful
of fresh secrets lurking within the Anniversary Update.
Finally, one of Windows 10s most major changes cant be overtly seen whatsoever:
The new DirectX 12 graphics technology promises to revolutionize PC gaming. Its
already starting to pay major performance dividends in next-gen games.

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/10-great-
new-features-in-windows-10-1267365

20 smart new and improved features in


Windows 10
By Mary Branscombe October 20, 2015 Operating systems

It's more than just a new name

Introduction
With Windows 10, Microsoft is trying to keep some of the touch and tablet
features it created for Windows 8, combine them with the familiar Start menu
and desktop, and run it all on top of an improved operating system with
more security, a new browser, the Cortana assistant, its own version of Office
for on-the-go editing and plenty of new features intended to make life
simpler.

Of course, that also means it's very different to use, whether you come
from Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows XP. You have to look in a new place
even to turn your PC off.

On top of that, Windows 10 is more than just a PC operating system; it's also
what will run on Windows phones and on small tablets as well, because a 6-
inch phone and a 7-inch tablet aren't such very different devices. Microsoft is
expecting people to put Windows 10 on a billion devices (which ought to
encourage more app developers to at least take a look at building their apps
for Windows phones and tablets, as well as for Xbox One and HoloLens).

Update: We've collected all our how to use Windows 10 guides, so make
sure you take a look.

Here are some of the key new and reworked features you can try out for
yourself now that Windows 10 has touched down.

For a load of neat tips and tricks on Windows 10, buy: Windows 10 Beyond
the Manual

Cortana helps you with search and control


Cortana, the Windows Phone assistant, shows up in Windows 10 as a search
pane on the taskbar, which you can also trigger by saying 'Hey Cortana'
and when you start searching the Start menu. That gets you apps you have
installed, documents you have access to, apps you could install from the
Store, search results from the web and a range of other information
including from apps and services that integrate with Cortana.

You can set reminders for different times and places that appear on other
Cortana devices, so you can get your Microsoft Band to remind you to take
the rubbish out as you walk up to your front door.

Task switcher
Most Windows users don't know the Alt-Tab keyboard combination to see and
switch between all running apps, so as well as having a redesigned task
switcher with bigger thumbnails, Windows 10 also puts a task view icon in
the taskbar to help them find it.
Taskbar gets subtle
The Cortana search bar and task switcher button take up a large chunk of the
taskbar, which is also rather more subtle about showing you which icons are
for open programs, with just an underlined bar rather than a full highlight.

The standard tools in the system tray all get updates to the new Windows 10
look, with a new menu showing available Wi-Fi, a new volume slider and a
power monitor that also lets you change screen brightness.
Snap Assist
Because all your apps and programs run in windows on the desktop, instead
of modern apps from the Store being in their own space, you can no longer
drag across the left edge of the screen to bring another app on screen and
get a split view. Instead, you drag windows into the corners of the screen to
get the familiar Snap view.

You can now use all four corners of your screen if you want each window to
take up a quarter of the screen instead of half, and the space that isn't filled
by the window you just dragged shows thumbnails of your other windows to
make it easier to snap the next one into place.
Action Center
If you've used Windows Phone 8.1 (or Android and/or iOS), you're used to a
notification centre you can drag down from the top of the screen. Windows
10 puts that on the right of the screen, where the charms bar was in
Windows 8, with notifications from various apps at the top and your choice of
various settings buttons at the bottom for quick access.
The command prompt enters the 21st century
Those of us that use the command prompt have been stuck with pretty much
the same experience since the 1990s, but in Windows 10 you can finally
resize the command prompt window and use familiar keyboard shortcuts to
copy and paste at the command prompt. It's far from ground-breaking but
it's a very welcome improvement after years of frustration.
Improvements to Windows Explorer
The new 'Home' view in Explorer shows you a Quick Access list of useful
locations and folders you visit frequently, with a list of recently opened files
underneath it, which is faster than having to go to the Recent Places link in
older versions of Windows. The Share tab on the ribbon gets a makeover too
if you used to use the Share charm in Windows 8, this is where you'll find
it
The new Edge browser
To catch up with fast-moving browsers like Chrome and Firefox, Microsoft
took its browser back to basics, ripping out years of code that didn't fit with
web standards and making a lean, fast browser.

It's a work in progress it won't get support for things like ad-blocking
extensions until a while after Windows 10 launches but you can do plenty
of neat things here. For example, you can scribble notes on a web page to
send to a friend (if you're trying to decide what hotel to stay in on holiday,
for example) and Edge has Cortana built in to pull useful information out of
web pages, like the phone number of a restaurant, or the opening hours.

Sites like Medium that didn't work properly with IE should look better and
have more features in Edge.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/08/02/windows-10-vs-windows-8-vs-

windows-7-whats-the-difference/#1a8460415c9b
Windows 10 Vs Windows 8 Vs
Windows 7: What's The
Difference?

Gordon Kelly ,

CONTRIBUTOR

I write about technology's biggest companies

Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

Windows 10 launched on July 29th and has already been


downloaded over 14 million times. But why? Microsoft MSFT +0.00% s
decision to make Windows 10 free plays a big part (especially
given warnings to wait) but it is also just the tip of the iceberg.

So lets weigh up the main differences between Windows 10,


Windows 7 and Windows 8. There are a large number of pros but
also some significant cons, including a few potential deal
breakers.

1. What Makes Windows 10 Worth The Upgrade

Cost - While some Windows 7 and Windows 8 users will not


get Windows 10 free, for the vast majority there is no cost to
upgrading whatsoever. On paper this is a great deal because
Windows 10 is not cheap and Windows 10 Home and Windows
10 Pro editions retail for $119 and $199 respectively.

By contrast Windows 7 and Windows 8 have not been made free


by Microsoft following Windows 10s release and the company has
no plans to make them so. Consequently even if you revert back to
Windows 7 or Windows 8 in time, it would seem to make sense to
take your free Windows 10 upgrade while it lasts.

Longer Support -Another key reason for getting the latest


edition of Windows is Microsoft will support it for longer than
both Windows 7 and Windows 8. The Windows Lifecycle
page (screen grab below) breaks this down into two sections:
Mainstream Support and Extended Support.

Mainstream Support is the deadline for adding new features and


functionality which makes it less crucial, but Extended Support is
when Microsoft will stop supporting the platform
with security updates. As you will see Windows 10 gives five
more years Extended Support over Windows 7 and two more
years over Windows 8:
Windows Lifecycles - Image credit Microsoft

Flexibility And Universal Apps -Where Microsoft deserves


a lot of credit with Windows 10 is its ambition because the OS will
run across all future Microsoft devices from desktops and laptops,
to hybrids, tablets and smartphones.

The biggest benefits of this are:

1. Apps in the new Windows Store will run on any


device which means a single version of Angry Birds
works everywhere.
2. Microsofts Continuum feature allows you to
potentially connect a phone or tablet to a monitor and
keyboard and use it like a PC. Yes Windows 10 really
does run through every device and the user interface
can adapt to its environment - be that phone, tablet or
PC and touch, mouse or keyboard interaction.

Read more- Windows 10: Should You Upgrade?

Gaming -Windows 10 brings with it DirectX 12 and for serious


gamers this is a must have. Initial reports suggested DX12 would
bring a 30-40% performance gain over DX11 and whereas the
reality is closer to 10-20% thats still money for old rope. Windows
7 and Windows 8 will never get access to DX12.

In addition Windows 10 supports streaming games from an Xbox


One. Controllers for the Xbox One are compatible with Windows
10 PCs and you can be playing The Witcher 3 on your desktop or
laptop in minutes. Best of all, Xbox One streaming is fast and
responsive and again it will not come to Windows 7 or Windows 8
at a later date.
Windows 10 is the single operating system working across all Microsoft desktops, laptops, tablets and phones

Search / Cortana - Windows 8 offers fairly decent online


search baked into its controversial Start Screen and Windows 7
only offers local searches (what is on the computer itself),
Windows 10 easily trumps them both.

The secret to its success is Cortana, a voice assistant ported over


from Windows Phone and whose name comes from the Halo
video game franchise. Like Siri on iOS and Google GOOGL
+0.21% Voice Search on Android, Cortana can respond to voice
commands and perform everything from quick Internet searches
to core tasks around Windows 10 like opening a new email,
creating calendar entries and much more.

Cortana isnt perfect, but she/it works pretty well out the gate and
will only get better with time.

Edge Browser and Virtual Desktops - Ive listed these


both together as they are catch up features. The Edge browser
(which is still feature limited at launch) is Microsofts attempt to
claw back momentum from Chrome. Edge works significantly
faster than Internet Explorer and is only available on Windows 10.

In addition to this Windows 10 finally adds Virtual Desktops like


those long seen on Linux and Mac OS X. These allow users
without multi-monitor setups to create multiple virtual desktops
which are handy for splitting usage between work and leisure,
work into projects or whatever you require. Its a great feature.
Gallery

Windows 10: Best And Worst New


Features
Launch Gallery
11 images

Minimum Requirements - Technically Windows 10 doesnt


win this category, but in requiring a PC with no greater minimum
specifications than both two year old Windows 8 and five year old
Windows 7 Microsoft deserves great credit. Those specifications:

RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2GB for 64-bit

Hard disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit OS 20GB for 64-bit


OS
Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0
driver
Display: 800 x 600

I suspect a major motivator for Microsoft here was that Windows


10 needs to run smoothly on both phones and tablets as well as
PCs. That should make it efficient enough to run on most PCs
these days, with the exception of some very old Windows XP
machines.

Read more - When 'Free' Windows 10 Becomes


Expensive, You Must Know This

Security - While both Windows 7 and Windows 8 do a pretty


good job of keeping users secure, Windows 10 ups its game with
several new features. First is Device Guard which blocks zero-day
attacks by vetting unsigned software programs and apps. Device
Guard can also operate virtually so even if it is compromised a
remote version can recognise and neutralise malicious software.

Windows 10 is the single operating system working across all Microsoft desktops, laptops, tablets and phones

Next is Windows Hello which is enhanced biometric support


designed to reduce reliance on passwords by using your face, iris,
or fingerprint. Youll need hardware support for this on your
device (webcam, fingerprint reader, etc) but initial feedback is it
works well and again should improve over the lifetime of
Windows 10.

Lastly in Windows 10 Microsoft now delivers security patches


outside Windows Update so they go straight to your computer the
moment they are available. In theory this means Windows 10
computers are always up-to-date which gives hackers a much
harder time, even if there are also some notable downsides.

In fact, while this list may make upgrades to Windows 10 sound


like a no brainer, there are actually serious pitfalls in moving to
Microsofts latest OS.

So now here are all the reasons you should stay put on
Windows 7 or Windows 8...

2. What Makes It Worth Staying On Windows 7 Or


Windows 8

Great as a free price tag, longer support, better apps and gaming,
searches and security may sound unfortunately the list where
Windows 7 and Windows 8 current beat out Windows 10 is just as
strong.

These are my main concerns:

Stability - Right now Windows 10 is brand new and it has


launched with a surprisingly large number of bugs which you
wont find in Windows 7 or Windows 8. Among these are
disappearing icons from the taskbar, Start Menu lock-ups,
Windows Store download bugs, copy and paste errors, problems
with audio and more.

In fact Microsoft is about to release a massive one gigabyte


download of bug fixes, which gives you an idea of the scale. The
trouble is such numerous patches always bring new bugs of their
own. Consequently this isnt so much a reason never to upgrade to
Windows 10, but a good reason not to upgrade to Windows 10
right now.

By contrast Windows 7 and Windows 8 (despite the latters


bumpy start) are pretty much rock solid these days.

Mandatory Updates - Windows 10 may be more secure and


up-to-date because of this, but Microsofts decision to force
updates upon users also has significant downsides. This has
included automatically installing a broken graphics driver
which crashed displays, a security patch which crashed
Windows Explorer and more.

By contrast Windows 8 and Windows 7 make all updates optional


and youre alerted to install them. I believe the ideal solution lies
halfway between the two: make all updates automatic by default,
but give users the option to stop or delay any update categories or
individual updates they like. Right now this lack of flexibility
makes Windows 10 a deal breaker for some.

Read more - Windows 10 Automatic Updates Causing


Serious New Problems
Windows Update's Nvidia driver update clashes with Nvidia's own GeForce Experience update software leading to
system instability and these contradictory notifications - Image credit Paul Monckton

Brutal Enforcement Policies - Of course mandatory


updates have led to many users devising elabourate ways to
sidestep Windows 10 patches, but theres little point in this.
Microsoft requires users to accept these terms in its Windows 10
EULA (end user licence agreement) and security updates now
sidestep Windows Update and are installed to all versions of
Windows 10 without warning.
Meanwhile driver and feature updates through Windows Update
can be delayed up to one month by Windows 10 Home users (the
vast majority of consumers) and eight months by Windows 10 Pro
customers (most businesses), but after that time Microsoft will cut
off the next round of updates (including security patches) from
users until they accept the previous ones.

Windows 7 and Windows 8 have had similar policies for major


updates in the past (Service Packs in Windows 7, and the
Windows 8.1 update) but a user doesnt face a ticking clock for
every single update - big or small - as with Windows 10.

Interestingly Microsoft recently released a tool for uninstalling


bad updates on Windows 10 which suggests its stance may be
softening, but the tool only works after updates are installed
which isnt much use if a bad one stops your PC from booting.

Privacy -If the enforcement policies were tough, however, they


have nothing on the privacy violations Microsoft requests in the
Windows 10 EULA. A notable section reads:

We will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including


your content (such as the content of your emails, other private
communications or files in private folders), when we have a good
faith belief that doing so is necessary.

Needless to say necessary is a crucial qualifier and this should


mean Microsoft wont violate your privacy for no reason, but that
all comes down to trust - and theres not a great deal of that going
around in a post-Snowden world.
Windows 10 is a smart mix of the new and the familiar

Ease of Use - In fairness Windows 7 is so ubiquitous that


Windows 10 was never going to be more intuitive to use than its
much loved forebear. That said Windows 10 is more intuitive than
Windows 8 and much of that comes down to the return of the
Start Menu. Consequently Windows 10 is a great blend of the
advancements of Windows 8 and the familiarity of Windows 7,
but sight of Windows 8 elements (and there are many) will still be
too much for some.

Windows 10 also needs greater consistency across its user


interface as there is still a jarring transition between traditional
desktop settings like the Control Panel and settings pushed into
the Modern UI. Microsoft really needs to get this sorted out and it
shouldve been by now.

Lost Features - This wont affect too many users, but the fact
is Windows 10 does kill some features Windows 7 and Windows 8
users consider essential.

The big one is Windows Media Center which is a mainstay in


some home media setups, while theres also no native DVD
playback (Microsoft is reconsidering this), no desktop gadgets and
no floppy drive support. Meanwhile games like Solitaire have been
removed and are now ad supported from the Windows Store with
payment required to remove them.

Read more - Windows 10 Upgrades Explained: Who Gets


It Free?

Broadband Hog - While Windows 10s mandatory update


policy has split opinions, a far less widely reported issue is also
taking place: the new OS uses a peer-to-peer (p2p) update
distribution system called Windows Update Delivery
Optimization (WUDO).

The benefit of WUDO is that once one Windows 10 device has


downloaded the latest updates it will automatically distribute
them to other PCs on your network, saving time. The problem is
your PC will also start to share this update with other PCs around
the world that still need it. This takes the pressure off Microsofts
servers but also means Windows 10 will consume more of your
bandwidth than Windows 7 or Windows 8, neither of which do
this.

The good news for those on metered connections is this can be


changed by going to:

Settings > Update & Security > the Windows Update


section > Advanced options

Select PCs on my local network only for WUDO to


only be used for your PCs, or

Switch it off so each PC has to get their own


downloads

While the option to disable is nice, WUDO is another example of


where Microsoft should be more transparent with Windows 10
and let them know upfront what their devices will be doing behind
their backs by default.
Windows 7 and 8 users are now prompted to get Windows 10

Bottom Line

Given the way Windows operating systems evolve over their


lifecycles, it is impossible right now to overly praise or damn
Windows 10 but we can start drawing conclusions compared to
the differences between it and its predecessors.

My personal feeling is that Windows 10 is an improvement on


both Windows 7 and Windows 8 and in time it will be considered
one of the great Microsoft releases. That said Windows 10
launches with more bugs than it should and (while Microsoft has
crafted a super OS) it is also the most controlling and invasive
version of Windows the company has ever released and a
compromise does need to be found long term.

All of which means Windows 10 is both the best and most


troubling Windows version Ive used. Those determined to be on
the cutting edge will upgrade and love it, but those more wedded
to Windows 7 and Windows 8 should wait a little longer. The
Windows 10 free purchase period lasts until July 29th 2016 for
eligible users so there is time to see whether Microsoft can
address the differences which make Windows 10 worse than its
predecessors compared to those that make it shine.

Potrebbero piacerti anche