A lot. Launching this summer, Windows 10 will combine all of the most popular features of Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 with many more functions and tech innovations based on feedback from millions of users who were given advance access through the Windows Insider Program to help shape and fine-tune the system before official release.
Upgrading to Windows 10 will also be free on qualified Lenovo systems in the first year. It’ll offer an entirely new way of using technology to make the things you do every day easier and more enjoyable, and we’re really excited about it.
Wondering what to expect with Windows 10? Here are some of the most anticipated updates:
The Start Menu Is Back
And it’s more intuitive and useful than ever. The Start menu—the same familiar one you’ve always known, only better—will include more options to personalize and organize your experience on Lenovo devices. One click of the Start key will pull up a clean, cohesive desktop display that allows you to pin your favorite apps right next your most used apps like File Explorer, PC Settings and Photos.
Apps Are Universal
Perhaps one of the most exciting additions to the upcoming iteration of Windows is the universal app platform. You’ll be able to access favorite apps on any and every Windows 10 device you own—your smartphone, laptop or tablet, even the Xbox console in your living room—and the experience will automatically adapt to your screen size. They’ll all be seamlessly updated through the Windows Store and integrate with Cortana search.
Cortana Comes to PCs
And then there’s Cortana, a true personal assistant that can follow your Microsoft account from mobile device to laptop to desktop. In Windows 10, you can ask her to:
- Find files on your PC
- Set reminders
- Keep track of your calendar
- Remember where you parked
- Search the Internet…
…and a lot more. When released to the public, Cortana is expected to integrate with hundreds of popular apps, from LinkedIn to Lenovo REACHit. (Stay tuned for an exciting Cortana + REACHit announcement next month.)
The more she learns about you through the Windows 10 Notebook, the more personalized her assistance will become. Use the notebook to tell Cortana what you like, where you go, when you don’t want to be disturbed and how you want to start your days. (Traffic and weather reports for your morning commute? An overview of your calendar? She’ll keep track of all of this and more.)
The Browser Gets an Edge
With Windows 10 will come Microsoft Edge—an all-new browser to replace Internet Explorer. It’s high-tech, mobile-friendly and, well, edgy. With Microsoft Edge, you’ll be able to:
- Write directly on web pages and share your mark-ups with others
- Create distraction-free reading lists that are accessible even when you’re offline
- Use Cortana to get personalized recommendations and find what you need faster
Best of all, Edge runs as an app through the new universal platform, so it’ll adapt to the screen size of the device you’re using and stay regularly updated through the Windows Store.
Gaming Gets Grand
Xbox Live is built right into Windows 10, providing instant access to the greatest gaming community in the world and offering more ways to connect and play—no matter where you are or where you go. Game streaming lets you play Xbox One games on your laptop or tablet, and cross-device multiplayer gaming lets you take on villains from your Windows 10 PC even when they’re playing against you from an Xbox One. Use the Windows 10 Xbox app to:
- Take your favorite games on the road (or to another room)
- Stay connected with friends to chat, track achievements and more
- Record and share your favorite gaming moments
And that’s all just for starters.
There’s also Windows Hello, biometric authentication that will take us closer to a world without passwords, and Microsoft HoloLens, technology you can use to bring 3-dimensional, high-definition holograms to life in your living room.
Images provided by Microsoft.