Windows 10 Overview

Hey what happened to Windows 9? Was the Windows 8 reception so bad that they wanted to distance themselves from it that far? I think yes. In this post, let’s examine what is new and exciting in Windows 10, and what was killed off from Windows 8!

New Windows Stuff!

All new and exciting hardware support is a big one. This Operating System runs great on tablets and PCs, and a growing category of devices known as hybrids. Think of a Microsoft Surface Pro as an example. You might want Tablet Mode sometimes, but other times, you want it to look and feel just like a laptop, external mouse and all! Microsoft competitors, like Apple, are actually having a tough time keeping up in this area. The iPad Pro is their attempt at a Surface-like device, but for me, I want a mouse and ports and other things that the iPad Pro just does not deliver on…

Another major change is the look and feel, which is distinctly a “flatter” type of design. The great news for most Windows users, however, is that this desktop interface is a natural transition from Windows 7. The Windows 8 experience, was distinctly NOT an evolution from Windows 7.

Are you a fan of Apple’s Siri? Microsoft looks to compete with Cortana – yes even on the PC. This assistant makes searching for things local or even Internet based a breeze.

Notifications now make their way onto your PC in order to keep up with Apple. You can control these and other settings very easily from an all new Action Center this is accessible right from the desktop.

The Windows Store is still there in Windows 10, but now the new apps you can acquire from the store look and feel and act just like traditional Windows apps. So no more confusion about full screen apps versus traditional ones.

Microsoft has made vast improvements in three areas that are really critical for power users – File Explorer, Backup and Restore, and the Task Manager. These improvements really began in Windows 8, but many of us were so mad, I don’t think we ever noticed. 🙂

For the first time, Internet Explorer takes a back seat as the default Internet browser! The new Edge browser boasts cool new features like reading view and writing tools, but perhaps the greatest news is that it i stripped down and super fast. Of course, you still have IE on the box in the event your Web page of the day is not working correctly in the stripped down Edge browser!

For those wanting better versions of Mail and Calendar without making the leap to Office apps should be happy with new and improved productivity apps in Windows 10.

Waiting for Windows 11? You might be waiting forever. Microsoft has made it clear that Windows will now be treated like a service. So you move to Windows 10 and you will receive updates to the OS via the updates feature built in. You can even decide how “experimental” you want to be by receiving updates much faster than the general public in order to try out new stuff before most people.

Dead (Almost) Windows Stuff!

The charms are now gone from Windows 8. Those were those options that appeared when you swiped from the right on a touch screen.

Hot corners are now gone.

The Start Screen (Metro UI) is only there if you want it by turning on Tablet Mode!

Where Do You Get the Latest Windows Training?

I am thrilled to announce that I will be one of the many trainers at CBT Nuggets to tackle the new Windows desktop and Windows Server courses! More and more new courses will be showing up as Microsoft releases them!