Windows 10 First Look Review: A recent announcement of Microsoft’s next generation of enterprise focused Windows 10 has already been able to drag attention of many – both in aspects of goodness and the bad it carries. Microsoft discontinued what they were delivering customers for the last 20 years with their Windows 8 OS, and now they have realized the misstep. When we published “Top Windows 9 features everyone will love” last month was actually for Windows 10 known now, as Microsoft wants to unify their next OS version name as they just want to do with their OS across the devices itself.
Windows 10 is Microsoft’s upcoming release continuation of Windows OS, first unveiled on September 30, 2014. Windows 10 is likely to address shortcomings of Windows 8 and focus enterprise users alike. Windows 10 aims to eliminate earlier OS glitches by introducing many features which the company previous ignored and otherwise changed the way users were accustomed to using Windows.
Windows 10 is going to address non-touchscreen devices equally as touchscreen ones (which it failed with Windows 8), bringing back the famous Start menu of Windows 7, and universal Windows Store apps within windows on the desktop unlike the full-screen mode of Modern UI apps.
While Windows 10 is expected to be released in late 2015 in the retails, a technical preview build of Windows 10 has been released to all public beta testers on October 1, 2014. With Microsoft’s new Windows Insider program, Windows 10 participants will be the first among users to test drive Windows 10. However, many have reported Microsoft of spying its users. Free keylogger with every Windows 10 install (Technical preview) – the new Windows 10 spy privilege will capture your files, keystrokes and voice, and anything more still to be noticed. Whatever users experienced, they all need to accept WIP terms before proceeding. Let’s begin with our review of early Windows 10 Technical Preview (TP) and dig some of the important features that Windows 10 has in for its users.
Windows 10 Features & Technical Preview
Windows 10 UI & Desktop
Looks like Microsoft learnt a lot recently. From the day zero, I’ve been using Windows 8 and haven’t had much problem with the UI and that Start menu thing, but a large scale of users got stuck with it. Hence, Microsoft with their Windows 10 edition is determined to better User Interface (UI) designed primarily to deliver best experience to users irrespective of device nature – large or small, touch or non-touch alike. Microsoft has added handy shortcuts with Windows 10 like resizing windows. Now, we can have up to four applications snapped to the same window at once – hence for 4 virtual desktops it counts 16 – aint that crowdy? Snapping Windows app and Store apps was never possible before. Even multiple Store apps can be snapped.
Windows 10 Start menu is back
The start menu as expected by many is finally back – even though many would say that Microsoft missed this good piece of user experience in Windows 8 I remain reluctant about that – whatever, Start menu is now much improvisioned to include touch friendly live tiles of the modern Windows store apps. There is a win-win situation for both touch based and traditional user devices. Further, menu and app items on the Windows 10 start menu are fully customizable in order or size or you name it the way you want.
Virtual windows in Windows 10
Probably, you have been using just one desktop per monitor now, unless you are using something like Yod or Power Toys or similar virtual desktop software – but with Windows 10 virtual desktops is a reality. Switching between up to 4 desktops is now possible. Aimed at improving productivity and targeting enterprise users at-large as virtual desktops, Virtual Windows allow one to have multiple versions of the same desktop on the screen, allowing to have various setups on each screen as per need. To say, Virtual desktops in Windows 10 will let users dedicate their different desktops for web browsing only, or gaming only or office/works only in its own desktop – no more cluttering everything on the same desktop.
Windows 10 Store apps
One of the best things I have discovered with Windows 10, is the ability of Store apps to run within windows on desktop despite the full-screen only environment. However, full-screen only mode of these apps can be achieved when you are running as a tablet mode.
Seamless switching between laptop & tablet mode (Continuum mode)
Transitioning between touch-based and non-touch interface for people like me who own convertible laptops and tablets (probably with a keyboard dock, like in Lenovo’s Yoga, Microsoft’s own Surface Pro) is a plus point as users can have optimized mode of Windows 10 experience. Switching between traditional desktop mode in Windows 10 and its touch-based tablet mode is just that easy – either flip your convertible or press a button or dock your keyboard way – and voila you are good to go with your high spec tablet (do note, manufacturers intend to bring this seamless switching easier via physical buttons as well.)
Multitasking with Windows 10
As a pro user, I always run my devices to its maximum configuration – with Windows 10, Microsoft made it easier with powerful multi-tasking feature which in many occasions will be more than helpful to enterprise users and pro consumers like us. Windows 10 Task View is all new multitasking feature that lets us easily switch between Windows 10 modern apps and desktops, and even between any apps. On my Yogapad, task view is activated by swiping left while on non-touch devices it can be activated with the task view button on the task bar itself. Task view shows what apps are running across all your 4 desktops in Windows 10.
Is Windows 10 going to be a perfect OS?
It is equally wise to say NO. First, they would remove a feature from their own product – release it as a new product, market fails, and then again they would add the same feature removed earlier and release it as a new product – ain’t this a shameful job? Well that’s the business, a proposition to Windows 10. Many would just say that. However, let’s not dig into this perfect thing – as Windows 10 is not yet fully polished – it would probably take billions of keystrokes and user monitoring of Windows 10 TP participants for Microsoft come with fixed glitches before releasing to the general users and enterprises.
There are equally bad impressions about the Windows 10, and the Technical Preview – some of which we mentioned earlier in this article. No words on UEFI tweaking have been mentioned. Many users would like to get into Safe Mode by just hitting F8 when the computer boots. It is a pain getting to Safe Mode if the computer isn’t booting correctly.
Watch out our YouTube video for Windows 10 Technical Preview. So, what’s your initial thoughts on Windows 10, do share with us below.
