Say Hello to Windows 10…
… and tomorrow the Preview version will become available through the Windows Insider Program. As of now the site has a brief introduction and video of Joe Belfiore introducing Windows 10 to us. Sign up for interested participants is pending.
Terry Myerson, Executive VP of the Operating Systems Group and the ever-present Joe Belfiore announced and introduced a group of tech bloggers and journalists to Windows 10 and the Technical Preview today in San Francisco.
Windows 10: What We Heard Today…
According to the posts, live tweets and shares of those who attended today’s event some of what we knew is confirmed but the big news is Windows 10 will be,
“Windows 10 adapts to the devices customers are using — from Xbox to PCs and phones to tablets and tiny gadgets — and what they’re doing with a consistent, familiar and compatible experience, enabling even greater productivity. Windows 10 will run across the broadest range of devices ever from the Internet of Things to enterprise datacenters worldwide.”
Windows 10 will be a universal OS responding to the device type and characteristics it’s installed on. This includes Windows Phones, and yes in a nutshell the OS will be device responsive. A universal OS is clearly the next evolution from the universal app paradigm.
The Warptest POV
The preview we see tomorrow will differ greatly from the finished product expected to launch in 2015 so for those of you about to (or already) reading the tech-trolls, keep in mind that they probably wrote their posts prior to or without even seeing the Windows 10 Preview. Give yourselves a chance to see how Microsoft have listened and learnt from the wrong turns you feel they took with Windows 8.
How Windows 10 will create a balanced UX for the traditional non-touch oriented Windows 7 users versus those who fully embraced touch in Windows 8 remains to be seen but the hybrid classical and Metro New Windows Desktop and apps will be a good starting point. Microsoft have named the next evolution of the UI, calling it Continuum which I expect to build on the pioneering flat design of Metro UI.
We are going to say goodbye to the Charms bar but hello again to a real Start Menu. Personally, I liked Charms and will be sorry to see it go.
Some are grabbing tight to the name, Windows 10 and not getting past the fact that Microsoft leapt from Windows 8 to Windows 10. We will see a lot more questions about “Where did Windows 9 go?” my tuppennies worth: get over it and move on. This is the sequence it is part of…
One thing is for certain, Windows 10 promises to deliver an answer to the concerns and complaints of consumers in both the business and personal markets. A few other promised, major features are: –
- Cortana: I saw no mention of Cortana in today’s announcement but if Windows 10 delivers Cortana across the whole device ecosystem this will be huge.
- Apps in a window: even the New Windows UI apps will run in the same format as desktop apps.
- Snap enhancements to improve multi-tasking.
- Multiple desktops: to prevent overload and allow for distinct desktops based on use case / project.
- Unified App Store: universal apps and OS are going to make for an exciting time for Windows App Developers. Expect the next Visual Studio (and TFS) to be worthy of all ninja, rock star Devs, Testers etc.
I summed up my first impression of the universal OS concept on Twitter here:
#Windows10 defrags the Windows ecosystem into a unified, universal OS evolving 2 support the existing universal app idea. Yep “defrag” #meta
— jonathanross (@jonathanross) September 30, 2014
Microsoft are stressing the huge collaborative input from Technical Preview participants or “Windows Insiders”. Microsoft plans to maintain a strong dialog to maximize the value of user feedback.
I don’t know about you but I plan to sign up, test the OS and be a part in shaping our next Windows experience. Stay tuned…