On July 29th of last year, Microsoft launched Windows 10 to the general public. The operating system’s debut generated a lot of buzzes, with many tech experts hailing it as a return to Windows’ classic form (see the reappearance of the Start button) and a substantial step forward thanks to many impressive new features.
Here are 5 of the top features of the new operating system:
1. Return of the start menu at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.
The Windows 10 Start Menu mixes with a dash of the Metro Start screen’s functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to more traditional PC software. You can turn off the Live Tiles and unpin the Metro start items to make it just like the regular Windows start menu. You can also choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to recreate a more Windows 8-like experience.
2. Cortana, the personal assistant, debuted on Windows Phone now is built into Windows 10.
Cortana can help you find information online via natural language queries via voice or text commands. You can also use this same search feature to search your hard drive, one drive, or network resources. For example, you can say “Find pictures from July.” This assistant can also play music, set alarms, and create calendar events!
3. As for your web browser, it’s out with the old and in with the new.
While Internet Explorer is still installed for compatibility web browsing purposes, Microsoft Edge is your new browser. This new browser is built from the ground up to enhance performance. Cortana integration will help you navigate the web as well as provide supplemental information on sites. Digital inking tools allow you to mark up a website quickly and share it with others. Lastly, it has a Reading View, which lets you save articles for reading at a later time.
4. Virtual desktops are now a part of Windows.
This new feature 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 10’s virtual desktop implementation is called, won’t appeal to everybody, but it provides broad new functionality for power users.
5. Continuum is a great feature built into Windows 10.
This feature lets touchscreen users that dynamically switches the interface between the PC-friendly desktop and a Windows 8-like model, that’s better suited for fingers, depending on how you’re using the device. Tablets will default to the touch screen mode, while hybrids will switch between the two ways depending on if a keyboard is attached. In tablet mode, the Start menu expands to fit the full screen, as do Windows apps. If you’d like to force a switch, the new Action Center has a dedicated “Tablet Mode” button that you can enable or disable at will.
We recommend you get your system looked at if you are thinking about upgrading to Windows 10. Many device manufacturers haven’t released drivers for the devices installed on your computer. If you opt for the free upgrade your machine to Windows 10 via the free upgrade downloaded on your computer, you run the risk of having a problem-ridden computer.
If you need help upgrading your computer to Windows 10 or downgrading back to Windows 7 or 8 after a bad install of Windows 10, we are here to help. You can call us at 720.744.2412 or toll-free at 888.510.0833. You can also contact us via our form on our website: