Regular readers of this blog will know that we’ve been keeping a keen eye on the developments regarding the launch of Windows 10. Microsoft has been promising a lot with regards to their latest operating system. And on 21^st of January, they revealed a whole lot more about what the OS will be capable of, and what to expect from it.

Zero Pounds

One of the biggest headlines is that getting your hands on the new operating system will cost most of us a big fat zero pounds! Yep, in order to increase uptake after the colossal embarrassment that was Windows 8, Microsoft will allow users of Windows 7 and 8 and Windows Phone 8.1 to obtain the sequentially confusing Windows 10 absolutely free. That deal’s only available for the first year of release though. Microsoft are gambling that with more folks using their OS, more developers will be creating apps for them, which is how the Redmond-based company will make their money.

Hail Spartan

Another seriously exciting development is that of Microsoft’s replacement for Internet Explorer. Running on a whole new engine, it’s intended to re-imagine the way users browse the ‘net. Want to read a web page later, or even offline? You can do that. Fancy annotating a page with notes that can be shared? Spartan’s your go-to for that too.

Cortana Awakens

Cortana was initially created to rival Apple’s Siri on the iPhone. Windows Phone users will already be aware of just how cool Cortana is. She’s a voice-controlled personal assistant who learns what you like the more you use her. And Microsoft will be welcoming her on to Windows 10. Sure, she may not become a replacement for the classic mouse-and-keyboard set-up, but for quick notes and tasks, she’s your girl.

Game On

As part of their drive to create a unified tech family, Microsoft is bringing Xbox to Windows 10. The gaming app lets you view what your friends are playing, and which achievements they’re unlocking. But even more exciting is the cross-play factor. Games released on both Windows 10 and Xbox One will let gamers on both devices to play with – or against – each other. Better yet, the new DX12 will mean gameplay is even smoother. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has said that open-source game engine Unity will support DX12 – so if you fancy learning how to make games for Windows 10, you can!

HoloLens

We all knew that VR was, slowly but surely, becoming a thing. And hot on the heels of devices like Occulus Rift comes HoloLens. Unlike other virtual reality units out there, rather than caging users inside the world of the headset, it augments reality, with holographic overlays that appear in the real world. And Microsoft reckon there’s a whole host of folks who’ll make use of HoloLens and Windows 10 – folks like gamers, scientists, and even artists, who can use the HoloSuite to create holographic models using the software.

We’ll be keeping our eyes on the ball to see how Windows 10 pans out – after all, here at Tristar we’re the IT specialists, and we love seeing how tech advances, evolves and grows. As specialists of IT services in London, if you’re looking for experts in the field, we’ve got you covered. For more information about what we do, and how we can help you, simply contact us on 01707 378 453 or email sales@tristarsupport.co.uk and our team will be delighted to help.