The Next Chapter of Microsoft
Microsoft's recent Windows event was held on the 21st. But it wasn't just about an OS. It was also on perfecting the experience of switching between devices and giving us new ways to interact. While we expected a boring event, Microsoft, rather confidently, blew our minds away. Are we excited? Yes, we are and we want to tell you why. Keep on reading!
Windows 10 is an old story with new features. There are a few small but effective modifications and additions to the UI that'll make your computing experience better. But what made us really happy was Cortana for PC. Microsoft's digital personal assistant was a great competitor for Siri when it was first introduced. Now, not only will you be able to use it on your desktop, laptop or convertible but it's been redesigned to work on a full-fledged computer and perform tasks that you would normally complete through a time-consuming process. One mentionable example: you can now ask Cortana to open any office document on a certain topic and she'll search your hard disk and OneDrive and do it for you. Also Cortana now has a home page which will have all your important information and it'll give you pop up notifications based on your interests. She can even predict scores! Cortana learns fast and she learns well.... and guess what? You can actually control what she knows about you. New things you want to add, stuff she got wrong etc.
Windows 10 on phones is amazing too. They got multitasking right and new adjustments, such as to the Word app, makes you more productive on the go. And remember, universal apps? Microsoft promised us a single store for all our devices. Makes the developers' work easier and lets you stay connected smoothly across platforms.
Say Goodbye to Internet Explorer. Project Spartan is Microsoft's new browser. At first look, it's not a massive change but yes, it is something to wait eagerly for. Because a lot of nifty features are now integrated into the browser itself. Take for instance, you can now scribble and add comments to an existing webpage and instantly share it with anyone. You can also quickly save articles for offline reading. Webpages that were not always compatible can now be viewed in a standard way. Is all this enough to turn our heads around? Maybe, just maybe.
Surface Hub: Time for new devices. The Surface Hub, in simple terms, is an 84-inch 4K touch display running Windows 10 that's been optimized and modified to be used in meetings mainly focusing on collaboration between the participants. Different users can now connect to the meeting via Skype through the hub and see what the hub's display is showing. Equipped with a stylus, it's perfect for note taking and quick diagrams. You can remotely show your presentation or a doc to everyone. And after the meeting's finished with just the press of a button, the meeting notes will be transferred to all the devices of those connected and become ready for the next gathering.
Next, the Xbox app in Windows 10: Gaming just got a lot more exciting on PCs. Imagine getting an awesome kill in a game and you want to show it to your friends. But you didn't record it, did you? From now on, you need not worry. The Xbox app can automatically replay the last thirty seconds in any game. Cross-platform gaming is something they put a lot of work into, helping you connect with friends in Xbox live and communicate with them, along with sharing achievements. And another cool new feature is game streaming. That is, you can now stream games from your Xbox and play them on any windows device. Comfort and preference should indeed always come first.
HoloLens: That thing about us going nuts over the event? We indirectly meant HoloLens. What is it? We like to call it a device that lets you interact with holograms in real life. Basically, it's a wearable which looks kind of like a VR headset but is actually much smaller, thinner and elegant looking. When you're using it you'll see holograms of different apps and anything, in fact, blending with your surroundings. Digital calendars on your fridge, a virtual pet jumping on your couch or a 3d model of something you've been working on. You can video chat and even view what others are seeing through their HoloLens and collaborate with their work by using the hologram interface via gestures, eye-tracking and advanced controls. You've got voice recognition for simply speaking commands and sounds for hearing the holograms respond to you. Holo studio lets you create a 3d model of anything as you view them just like you would in real-life and make changes to it. Amazing thing about HoloLens is that it is completely independent, meaning you don't need a phone or a computer to use it. And yes, games. YOU CAN PLAY GAMES USING HOLOLENS!!! Think about a Minecraft world on your table that you can modify by simply interacting with it in a natural way. You can even walk on Mars and explore! Beat that!
Note: Windows 10 will be free for users using original versions of previous Windows. Right now, the technical preview and an insider version is available. All releases are expected at mid-2015.
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