Windows 10: Ten Things You Need To Know About It

Microsoft has unveiled Windows 10, the latest version of Windows operating system for desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones. Windows 10 is aimed at doing away with the quirky features of Windows 8 and providing a unified platform that pleases both the desktop and touch screen users.

Here is a list of 10 must know features of Windows 10 that will entice you to upgrade your current version of Windows.

1. Start Menu is Back

Window 8 users can sigh a relief as the erstwhile start menu is back in Windows 10. Many desktop users found it difficult to navigate through programs without the start menu in Windows 8, and hence Microsoft has brought back the start menu.

The tiled interface of Windows 8 has also been retained along with the start menu. In windows 10, you can quickly access popular apps such as mails, weather, finance, maps etc from the start menu. Microsoft has tried to address the problem by providing a feature that will satisfy both desktop and touch screen users.

2. Continuum

Continuum is a new feature in Windows 10, which will detect whether the computer is being used as a desktop with attached keyboard or as a tablet with touch-screen feature. Windows 10 operating system can switch to more touch-friendly user interface when the keyboard is detached. On machines like the Surface Pro, this is a handy feature that provides flexibility to the user.

In Windows 8, the “modern” apps available in Windows store opened in full screen mode. Many users found it really inconvenient to switch between apps. In Windows 10, these apps have been renamed as “universal apps” and they can be windowed like any other normal app.

The traditional desktop interface of Windows is regaining prominence in the latest version. Microsoft has tried to retain the conventional style by tweaking the interface to suit the touch screen users rather than going in for complete overhaul.

4. Multiple Desktops with Enhanced Multitasking

Microsoft is calling its multitasking feature as “Task View” where you will able to view all your open windows in one place. You can also create multiple desktops which will enable users to organize their apps better.

A new “Task View” button is available in the task bar. You can launch the task view interface by clicking this button which will bring up all your open windows on virtual desktops that you have created. When you launch the task view for the first time, you will be prompted with “Add a desktop” option which will allow you to create multiple desktops.

5. Snap Assist

The new multiple virtual desktops feature is further improved by the presence of snapping feature. With this snapping feature, users can now resize windows to fit any part of the screen. It is also possible to place windows side-by-side.

With multiple desktops, this is a cool new feature that will enhance the user experience. The snap assist will be extremely useful for those users who use a tablet as it will be easy to switch between applications and scroll content.

In Windows 10, you can add the Recycle Bin icon to the task bar and the start menu. You no longer have to minimize all your open windows to access the Recycle Bin. It might appear like a minor tweak but a helpful change that is sure to enhance a user’s experience.

It is now official; the Windows 10 start menu is resizable. You can adjust the size of your start menu to fit the left side of your window or shrink it to a strip. This feature will be quite useful for tablet users who have to view in display screens of varying sizes. The ability to adjust the size of the start menu renders more flexibility.

8. Charms Bar Stays

There were widespread rumors that the charms bar will be dropped in Windows 10. But, the technical preview still has a charms bar. Several Windows 8 desktop users have found the charms bar pretty annoying but Microsoft is not ditching the charms bar yet.
The charms bar might undergo few minor tweaks before the release of the final version to suit both the desktop and touch users.

Windows 10 has an updated command prompt that supports proper text selection and pasting a directory with Ctrl + V. We know it was long overdue and Microsoft has finally done it.
Windows 10 supports native text selection and line wraps providing great relief to users. You can paste text in the command prompt without using the traditional context menu as it now supports Ctrl + V option.

In earlier versions of Windows, when you launch the Explorer Window, you will find a list of drives and libraries. In Windows 10, the explorer window has a new “Home” section which shows frequently accessed folders and recent files.
It also shows any location that you have designated as Favorites. The home section is the default landing page when you launch Windows Explorer in Windows 10. This feature is quite useful to quickly access frequently accessed files.

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Last Updated on December 18, 2020

Can Technology have Biases Like Humans?

Chief of Product Management at Lifehack Read full profile

Technology has taken a vantage leap in providing solutions for man. Before now, technology used to appear complex and would require a great deal of expertise to handle solutions available. Today, we have technology applicable in the simplest human activities as smart products with intelligent algorithms powering them as they make error-free judgments and provide intelligent and analytic solutions.

Does technology have all the answers?

This article from Credit Suisse, tells us that technology does not have all the answers because it has been found to exhibit “similar biases,” as humans. No one can discredit the impact of technology, but it is not totally free of human input and this is the reason we experience these biases in many areas we have technology holding foot.

Creating technological solutions transparently

This article suggests that the process of creating technological solutions be made transparent and subject to contribution from many people who would end up as users of the product – male, female, young, old, learned, unlearned and all other preferences as we have them. It also underscores the importance of having women on product development teams. This approach is not sure to eliminate all forms of bias, but it is a good way to start in order to appraise the full benefits of technology.

Technology as the connecting tool

Technology so far has been a major connecting tool amongst us humans. It is used and appreciated by all regardless of race, language and sex. In order to keep it less subjective to these arguments about human biases. I believe we should gather opinions on products and solutions before making them available to the public. This could be done by gathering input from intended target users and receiving feedback across the stages of production.

“Recognizing the problem is a start…success will depend on inclusive technologies that meet this vast untapped market.” This cannot be more apt especially at a time when we look up to technology for solutions. We should not muzzle our progress with technology by battling algorithm bias. The first way to avoid this battle is by reading this article here.

Everything you need to know about Windows 10

By Jonathan Riggall

Microsoft releases it’s new operating system Windows 10 on July 29 2015, and you can find all the articles we’ve published about it here.

Windows 8 was a huge change from 7, but Microsoft thinks that this new version so different that it’s skipping number 9 altogether. It’s also a free update for Windows 7 and 8 users. If you’re wondering whether you should make the change, you will find out below.

Which Windows 10 version should I get?

To help you decide which version of Windows 10 is for you, here are all the versions and how they’re different…

What to expect in Windows 10

Here are some of the major changes you’ll see in the new operating system…

Windows 10 will be free for Windows 7 and 8.1 users for one year

Microsoft will be following in Apple’s footsteps by offering its upcoming operating system for free for one year after launch.

Internet Explorer is dead. Long live Microsoft Edge

Let’s take this time to say a proper goodbye to Internet Explorer with an abbreviated history of the most hated browser in the world.

Removing the Update to Windows 10 icon from your Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 PC

You might be excited about updating to Windows 10, but less so about the constant reminders Windows is pushing. Here’s how to get rid of them.

Windows 10 preview from Build 2015

Microsoft revealed more details about Windows 10 at its Build developer conference back in April. We took some time to check it out.

What’s new in Office 2016?

Microsoft Office is still the company’s bread-and-butter product when it comes to revenue. We take a look at the preview build of Office 2016, and compare it to previous releases of the popular productivity suite.

How to get the most out of Cortana, the Windows 10 virtual assistant

Windows 10’s new assistant, Cortana has arrived and we are here to see exactly what she is capable of doing in this series of videos.

Windows 10

1. Download Restoro PC Repair Tool that comes with Patented Technologies (patent available here).
2. Click Start Scan to find Windows issues that could be causing PC problems.
3. Click Repair All to fix issues affecting your computer’s security and performance

• Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.

What is Windows 10?

Windows 10 is a personal computer operating system developed and released by Microsoft as part of the Windows NT family of operating systems.

It was officially unveiled in September 2014 following a brief demo at Build 2014.

Windows 10 release date

The first version of the operating system entered a public beta testing process in October 2014, leading up to its consumer release on July 29, 2015.

Minimum requirements for Windows 10

For modern computers, Windows 10 pose no real issues in regard to requirements. The operating system works fine on various machines, such as laptops, desktops, tablets and so on.

• RAM: 1 GB for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit
• Processor: 1 GHz or faster processor or SoC
• Hard disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit OS 20 GB for 64-bit OS
• Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver

Hardware Limitations for Windows 10

Windows 10 Home supports up to 128GB of RAM on x64 versions. Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise support up to 512 GB on the x64 platform.

The 32-bit versions of Windows 10 support up to 4 GB of RAM.

Windows 10 supports 2 physical CPUs. The number of logical processors depends on the processor architecture. 32-bit versions of Windows 10 support a maximum of 32 cores, and 64-bit versions support 256 cores.

Windows 10 editions

The first two from the list below are the main editions used by the public:

• Windows 10 Pro
• Windows 10 Home
• Windows 10 Mobile
• Windows 10 Enterprise
• Windows 10 Enterprise Mobile
• Windows 10 Education

Additionally, all versions include both 32-bit and 64-bit editions. However, starting with Windows 10 version 2004, the OS was no longer supported for the 32-bit version.

Windows 10 new features

Windows 10 has introduced the universal apps developed on the UWP.

These apps can be designed to run across multiple Microsoft product families without the need to be re-written for each device —‌ including PCs, tablets, smartphones, embedded systems, Xbox One, Surface Hub , and Mixed Reality.

The first release of Windows 10 also introduces the following new features:

• A virtual desktop system
• A window and desktop management feature called Task View
• New Start Menu with more space for Windows Apps
• The Microsoft Edge web browser
• Support for fingerprint and face recognition login
• New security features for enterprise environments
• DirectX 12 and WDDM 2.0 to improve the operating system’s graphics capabilities for games
• Microsoft introduced Cortana

How do you upgrade to Windows 10?

The Windows 10 free upgrade through the Get Windows 10 (GWX) app, ended on July 29, 2016.

Although, users with assistive technologies could still upgrade for free after that date. Another possibility was to take advantage of the loophole.

Note: The accessibility upgrade offer expired on December 31, 2017.

Upgrade to Windows 10 is now available through purchase the license either on a device or as a full version of the software.

A new concept of updates for Windows 10

There were many rumors around after Windows 8 came up and everyone believed in the obvious assumption that Windows 9 will come after Windows 8.

The tech giant had its own reasoning for leaping to Windows 10, including the fact that this is such a big upgrade to deserve more than one number.

In another sense, Windows 10 is the unofficial heir of Windows 7, having more similarities with the latter than to Windows 8. Microsoft decided to return to that interface, considered more intuitive to many users.

Also, with Windows 10, Microsoft modified the way in which Windows is updated. Instead of bigger and fewer updates, the tech giant opted for a more continuous flow of new features and fixes to keep the operating system up to date.

From the Anniversary Update, Microsoft started to release a new version once every month in Spring and Fall.

The initial release was named Windows 10 version 1507, and from that Microsoft released seven updates:

The version number stands for the year and month of the release (approximately). For Example, Windows version 1607 was released in July 2016.

Patch Tuesday updates, and what they mean for Windows 10

Besides the major feature updates, Microsoft continuously updates Windows 10 with a series of monthly updates called the Patch Tuesday updates.

These get their namesake from the fact that they are always released on the second Tuesday of every month. Of course, they shouldn’t be taken lightly because of their namesake, since they bring important fixes, new features, and much-needed security improvements to the Windows 10 OS.

As a rule of thumb, these updates can be installed just like any other typical updates, and they can be also be uninstalled as well.

As an example, you can get Patch Tuesday updates through the following methods:

• Most common methods used by home users
  • Via the Windows Update menu
  • One-by-one via the Windows Update Catalog
• Most common methods used by companies for multiple PCs:
  • Using the Windows Server Update Service (WSUS)
  • En-masse via Group Policies

For more information on how to get these monthly updates, you should check out this guide that our experts have written.

Of course, keeping your OS is extremely important, and certain steps need to be taken in order to ensure a perfect update process, especially in larger companies over multiple PC networks.

Failing to update as soon as possible will leave you exposed to hackers and vulnerabilities, especially in the following days, such as Exploit Wednesday and Uninstall Thursday.

Since these updates are released monthly, they have added up to quite an amount. For those of you interested in a detailed history of Windows 10’s update history, check out this in-depth article.

Few tips on how to use your Windows 10 PC efficiently

Windows 10 incorporated several programs that help your computer run smoothly. However, there are third-party software that can provide a better Windows experience.

The first and most important aspect is security. We recommend the best antivirus solutions for Windows 10.

Also, check out these 7 of the best PC repair and optimizer software to keep your computer clean and efficient.

Privacy is also extremely important, therefore, we recommend 10+ best VPN software clients for Windows 10.