Microsoft’s next operating system was supposed to be Windows 9, but Microsoft is taking a leap forward to Windows 10. According to Microsoft reps the new name is to reflect the big advances coming to Windows 10.
The most talked about news on Windows 10 is that the Start Menu is back and Start Screen is out. However, I do not think that point of view is entirely accurate.
The Start Screen was more or less a collection of Live Tiles for Windows Apps pinned to it like your Mail app, Weather app or Calender app. Windows 10 no-longer have a Start Screen, but incorporates the Live Tiles on the Start Menu.
So, Windows 10 is essentially a breath of fresh air by overlaying your Live Tiles on your Desktop instead of the cumbersome way Windows 8 handled Live Tiles by requiring you to toggle between the Desktop and the Start Screen.
Windows 10 moves Microsoft closer to its dream of a single unifying platform for all devices from desktop PCs all the way down to smartphones and maybe even smartwatches. However, the interface will be tailored to offer the best experience on each device.
Even when you are using a touch device, Windows 10 can automatically switch up your device to be more mouse and keyboard friendly once you attach a keyboard. It will switch back to a more touch friendly UI once you unplug the keyboard.
Windows 10 will have one App Store for all devices from smartphones to tablets and PCs and you can access your app accross any of your Windows 10 devices. The app will scale according to the size of the display on your device.
This could be great for developers as the universal application concept makes things simpler and could increase the amount of apps available for the Windows 10 platform. Windows 10 can natively run apps from remote desktops and supports multiple desktops. The Charms Menu will also be available for touch enabled devices.
There is no word yet on when Windows 10 will be available or the pricing structure, but speculations points to an April 2015 launch. In the meantime, you can take part in the Windows Insider Program to be able to tryout early builds of Windows 10.
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