Windows 10 what you should know

June 16, 2015

Microsoft is releasing Windows 10 on July 29th. Here is what you need to know:
Is it free?
If you are currently running Windows 7 or 8, it is free to upgrade for the next year. If you are not currently running those versions, prices should be $119 for Home Edition and $199 for Pro.

How do I reserve my free copy?
Microsoft is releasing an update through Windows updates that will display a logo in the lower right of your screen. Clicking it will open details and the reservation process. If you are a Managed Services client or your network is managed by internal IT personnel, they may have blocked this so that you do not update by accident.

Is it better than Windows 8.1?
Our verdict is yes. Welcome back the start menu, a new browser and with tablet PC’s like the Microsoft Surface, it will shift from tablet mode to PC mode automatically. Also, Microsoft is adding in their version of Siri called Cortana that works on both tablets and PC’s.

What else is new?

  • Microsoft is ditching Internet Explorer and going to a new browser called Edge. They are continuing to use the E icon, but the browser is significantly faster and has many features that will make it very usable.
  • Multiple desktops and the capability to move open apps from one to the other are neat features for the advanced users. Also, with OneDrive, moving documents back and forth from tablets to Microsoft phones to Windows 10 PC’s, becomes very easy.
  • 2-factor authentication with the use of video as the second factor (the PC looks for you, and if it sees you in the camera, it acts as the second factor of authentication and logs you in.

Why is my IT blocking the upgrade?
Business IT departments and Managed Service providers are blocking many PC users from the reservation and upgrade plugin because there may be apps that your company is using that may not be compatible with Windows 10. Also, if your company is going to upgrade to Windows 10, IT will want to upgrade all of the PC’s at the same time.

Where can I see more about Windows 10?
Here is a video of the Ignite conference in May with Joe Belfiore, doing a walkthrough of Windows 10 that goes into detail; Video

If you have any other questions, please contact us!

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