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AT A TWO and a half hour keynote lasst night, Microsoft revealed its vision for Windows 10 and everything else around it. Some of the features it touched upon included holograms, Xbox One, Cortana, Microsoft Office, Project Spartan, and a few other bit and pieces.
While it went through many things at the session, here are the main points to take away from it.
1. Microsoft really wants to bring everyone up to speed
One of the major announcements that was mentioned early on was a free upgrade to Windows 10 for most users.
Those using Windows 8.1, Windows Phone 8.1, and Windows 7 will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free during the first year of release. The inclusion of Windows 7 is a major deal since the majority of people are using that version and will have little reason to upgrade since they’re comfortable. Since it’s now free, it will give people incentive to upgrade to the latest version.
The entire purpose of this is to ensure all developers are creating apps and services for all services since Metro supports universal apps. Both stores are in need of more support from developers and making Windows 10 as tempting as possible requires it to convince as many people to upgrade. The more people using it, the more likely developers are going to create apps for that platform, making it more attractive.
Although the small problem is that those on Windows 8 aren’t included so if you’re still using it by the time it arrives, you’re out of luck.
2. If you can’t beat them, take inspiration from them
Anyone following Microsoft’s announcements will have noticed many similarities between these features and other apps and services out there. Most of the new features could be found elsewhere.
Outlook swipe patterns takes inspiration from iOS Mail, Project Spartan uses feature from Pocket and Safari, and even Windows 10 for Mobile has notifications you can respond to directly, similar to iOS 8 and Lollipop.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, provided something is integrated properly and is easy to use, people won’t care where certain features came from, but it does signal that Microsoft is playing it safe by going for the features that it knows works and what it knows people will find useful.
3. Internet Explorer is dead, long live (codename) Project Spartan
One of the worst kept secrets of this event was the introduction of a new browser, Project Spartan. Internet Explorer had taken a major beating in recent years so it’s probably wise for Microsoft to drop the name and signal a fresh start.
From first impressions, it’s looks clean and it does take some inspiration from Chrome in the basic area. But there are other areas like Note-taking which lets you draw on pages while you’re browsing and share the whole page or save it, a new reading mode which also looks clean, and takes prompts from the likes of Pocket by allowing you to save it, and Cortana is included as well.
4. Control Panel and PC settings will be the one feature.
Not a major addition, but it’s a ‘thank god’ moment for those (i.e. everyone) who were annoyed with Windows 8 and 8.1 insisting that on two separate controls for what was effectively the same thing.
5. Cortana is going to have a better time on PC than mobile.
Of the numerous announcements made, a significant one is Cortana making its way to PC. While it still has yet to make its way over here, placing it on desktop is both a necessary and wise move for two reasons.
The first is that Cortana has a much better chance of being noticed and used on Windows 10 than Windows Mobile. The second is that people will be more comfortable talking to Cortana in the privacy of their desktop than on their phone.
How many people talk to Siri, Google Now, or any text-to-speech feature while they’re in public? The answer is likely very low so putting it in a private environment is a better fit.
6. Xbox app for Windows 10 has one great feature that you will want to try.
The Xbox’s announcement didn’t cover too much new ground, capturing clips and sharing them as well as joining friends in games isn’t going to amaze anyone, but it did have one feature that will certainly work in its favour: streaming.
As part of the new update, anyone with an Xbox One will be able to stream and play their game on their Windows PC or tablet. That’s a pretty significant and handy addition, which is more useful than you would initially think.
Many people will have a PC or tablet, and using an existing device instead of having to get a new one (or buy a specific device like Sony’s Remote Play service) will win it a new set of fans when they find out the TV is taken.
7. Microsoft’s focus is very much on PCs…
While Windows 10 for Mobile was covered, it was regularly referred to as a companion piece to the PC instead of it being a separate entity. Regularly it was referred to as a way of allowing you to take what you’re doing on the desktop with you seamlessly instead of a standalone service.
It would also explain Microsoft’s decision to continue releasing low-cost devices as a way of bringing up the number of Windows Phone users. Yet it’s unlikely how much this is going to work in this case. But that may not matter as much if future products are anything to go by.
8. …but it’s looking beyond the monitor
There’s a certain irony with Google taking Glass away from consumers and making it private as Microsoft just introduced Microsoft Hologram and the accompanying device Microsoft HoloLens, something that it claims to be working on for years.
Effectively a untethered headset that allows you to look at graphics through Augmented Reality (although it’s calling it holograms), Kipman said that HoloLens will be released by the time Windows 10 comes out, and comes with holographic lens which can display information in front and around you.
It has spacial sounds so you can hear holograms behind you, and has a specialised processor, a HPU (holographic processing unit) if you will, and works independent of any device.
From the live demo of Holo Studio, Windows 10′s way of working with 3D content, actions are carried out through touch and pinch gestures as well as voice commands and while it’s not as smooth as the preview video suggested, but you can expect Skype and Minecraft to play a part of it.
Microsoft is promising the moon with this, and it could either be a device that will push AR forward or become another Google Glass.
Time will soon tell which one it is.
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Humans acting like humans
@Thinck: I wish it was more common. Horrific for them and everyone caught up in this act of evil.
@Paul P O’Sullivan: The fact that they’re homeless is irrelevant. They are human beings with human emotions and human compulsions and acted as such. Condescending of the media to highlight that they’re homeless. Clickbait.
@The Magnificent Hog: it’s pure clickbait !
@Thinck: like the Muslim taxi drivers that ferried people all over Manchester, for free, after the attacks? Or the Muslim doctors and nurses that rushed to work from their homes after the attack? There’s not much humanity shown on this particular site, people seem to be calling for a Hitleresque “solution”
@David: I laughed at the Muslim taxi drivers sign FREE LIFT and in small writing if needed
“Just because I’m homeless, it doesn’t mean I haven’t got a heart,” he said.
How they must think we see the homeless. Forgotten and uncared for
@john Appleseed: terrible that we make them feel that way. These men have such good hearts.
@john Appleseed: sure aren’t they all junkies who want free stuff and don’t want to do anything? Pft!
@john Appleseed:
That’s exactly have we treat the homeless
@Deborah Behan: people say something similar about Muslims… they’re all the same… the hypocrisy you read on this site is frightening.
David Sullivan the west ham co owner and his son have found this man and have paid 6 months rent on a house for him to help and say thank you
@Philip Tinkler: is that the same David Sullivan who made his fortune in the porn industry?
Wouldn’t be taking moral guidance from him.
@Tom Burke: That’s an interesting take Tom. Considering you take your moral guidance from a money making cult that has willingly facilitated paedophiles in raping young children. People who are no better than terrorists attacking children…..
@Lord Clanricarde: the porn industry that pays consenting adults to have sex.
Versus the Catholic Church who forced children against there will to have sex and then covered up the abuse and denied it happened for decades under Vatican orders.
Amusing when a Catholic tries to claim the porn industry is immoral
@Lord Clanricarde: still hiding behind that name ??? Show yourself demon ….
@Joe O’riordan: I am the Lord, kneel before me.
@Tom Burke: yes Tom its the same David that made his money legally, trying to help someone that has falling on hard times and clearly deserves a break. Maybe more of us should look at this example for moral guidance
@Lord Clanricarde: ill bet thats not the first time u said that !!!!!!
I cannot imagine the things he saw last night.
@Peter Cavey: however horrific, they were mild compared to some of the UK army bombing campaigns abroad that kill many multiples of the deathtoll in Manchester and even wipe out whole families with not one single family member left
Compassion, solidarity, humanity and charity. These are the nib,e human quantities. The evil terrorists are a tiny minority and atypical of human beings and human nature.
noble human qualities.
@Tony Daly: absolutely. In such tragedy it’s so heartwarming to hear stories about people helping each other.
Feel like I’ve not stopped crying since last night.
If anyone is on a watch list they should be deported. If anyone has any ties to anyone on a watch list they should be deported. If anyone has looked sideways at someone on a watch list they should be deported. Zero tolerance towards these vermin. They have waged war and the West is too PC to do enough about it. Find an island and send them all to it with no food and water. I’m almost siding with trump on this. Almost.
@Teddyzigzagbigbag: of there was sufficient evidence they would be arrested.
The Irish weren’t deported in 1996.
This guy was British, where would you like him to be deported to?
@Karl: you’ve made no sense there. Read my comment back and then read yours again.
@Teddyzigzagbigbag: ok say he was on a watch list.
He was a UK citizen, the UK cannot deport him anywhere.
@Barry Somers: I think I said stick these vermin on an island.
This two men did what everyone else did last night .. fair play and all but the whole city pulled together to help each other …
@Suzie Sunshine: * these
@Suzie Sunshine: Wow, so we can add the homeless to the list of minorities you hate now, you’re a real Grade A dick.
@DainBramage: where in my comment did I say I hate the homelessness? This is just pure clickbait. . Everybody helped each other over there last night ..
@DainBramage: You’re a Grade A troll
@Suzie Sunshine: ‘This is just pure clickbait’, says the genius who has commented on the story 8 times.
@Matty Kineven: new account Matty / Liam Egan? How is the weather in Wexford these days?
@DainBramage: Yawn
@DainBramage: says the genius who can’t count ..
@Suzie Sunshine: Glad you at least have admitted to trolling.
@Suzie Sunshine: yes, the two homeless men helped.
@Tony Daly: as did everyone else ?
Compassion, solidarity, humanity and charity. These are the noble human quantities.
The evil terrorists are a tiny minority and atypical of human beings and human nature.
Fair play to these guys.
Humanity. Amazing guys.
Society often treats Homeless people with disdain, whilst it might be a choice for some to be homeless (at times a way out from the society they wish to escape from) , these people rarely use their human instinct to be humane, kind and decent. Maybe the next time you come across a homeless human being, you might stop to think, that person has a story, had another life and perhaps show a little compassion and respect.
The government should be forced to give them homes (and therapy) for going above and beyond.
Im sure there are a lot of people’s lives that they have touched in just one night and most wouldn’t even give them a second of their time when passing in the street
Why should this man get all the credit just cos hes homeless im sure lots of people with hones were heroes too
Very tough, would be in a delicate state of mind to begin with from living homelessly. Witnessing this could shove someone into a total breakdown.
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