Windows 10 is released! Here's an overview of what's new in Windows 10 and what those features mean to you. Also, check out the new course on lynda.com: http://www.lynda.com/Windows-tutorials/Windows-10-New-Features/380386-2.html
2. Windows 10 is here
and with it, several new
and not-so-new features.
Here's an overview of what's new in
Windows 10 and what those features
mean to you.
WINDOWS
10
4. What's Old Is New Again
It's been MIA for three years, but
the Start menu is back in Windows 10.
The new Start menu will be where you access all of your
programs as well as providing quick links to important
items including Settings and Power.
It will also include dynamic resizable tiles that provide the
latest information about weather, sports scores, social
media messages and more.
6. Unified Control Panels & Settings
In previous iterations of Windows, if you wanted to make
changes to your system settings, you were left having to
make your customizations in multiple places.
In Windows 10, most–but not all–of these changes can be
made from the new Settings menu, which you access from
the new Start menu.
Hardcore users will want to dive into the Control Panel for
more advanced tweaks, but most of us will benefit from
the new Settings app.
8. Universal Apps
With Universal Apps in Windows 10,
Microsoft promises that the same
application will run just fine on any device
running Windows 10, including a Windows
10 desktop, a Windows 10 tablet, a
Windows 10 phone and even Xbox One.
10. Your Windows 10 Phone
Can Turn into a PC
With a new feature called Continuum, smartphones
running Windows 10 can transform into desktop PCs
when connected to a larger screen.
When connected to a larger screen, everything will
look just like a full version of Windows 10–but it's all
being powered by your phone–and your phone
becomes the trackpad!
Note that Microsoft says this feature may require a newer device,
so your existing Windows phone may not support this feature.
12. Goodbye Internet
Explorer. Hello Edge.
Windows 10 ushers in a new web browser to
replace Internet Explorer. The new Edge web
browser–available only on Windows 10–
includes new features like Cortana voice
commands and the ability to make annotations
on websites (i.e. you can draw a circle around
an item that you want on Amazon.com).
There's also a new tab page that shows other
websites and useful information like the weather.
14. Hey Cortana.
Cortana may have started out on Windows Phone as
Microsoft's answer to Apple's Siri, but Cortana is now
making her way to the desktop.
In Windows 10, Cortana shows up as the search box next
to the new Start menu. You can search the web or your
local computer and results will appear above it. Just like
on your Windows phone, you can perform more complex
searches like movie times or flight statuses.
Microsoft touts Cortana on Windows 10 as a "whole new
natural way of interacting with your PC."
16. Task View
You can think of Task View as the ability to have multiple,
virtual desktops. For example, you can have one
desktop for Microsoft Word and another for browsing the
web on the new Edge browser in Windows 10.
Task View can be used for more than just different
applications in each View. You can also customize a
Task View to contain the documents and applications
that pertain to a specific task.
You can access the new Task View feature in the
Taskbar, right next to Cortana.
18. Snap Assist
Snap is a window management feature that allows
you to arrange open windows by dragging and
dropping a window to different edges of your screen
or you can use a keyboard shortcut to arrange the
position of the windows.
The Windows 10 Snap Assist feature will display a
thumbnail list of open windows in one of the empty spaces
and allow you to click on a thumbnail and have that
window snap into place.
20. Stream Xbox Games to a
Windows 10 PC
With the new Xbox app for Windows 10, you can
remotely control an Xbox One console from your
Windows 10 PC.
This means if you're on a local network, you can play an
Xbox One game on a Windows 10 laptop in another room.
Your Xbox One will be busy streaming that game so you
won't be able to use it to watch Netflix, though.
Xbox One controller, PC headsets and microphones are
supported but mouse and keyboard input are not.