Windows 10, is now available in Dubai. The Start button remains.
Microsoft’s vision for this next-gen platform goes much further “third platform”, “next generation” and “mobile computing”. Microsoft management is now being driven by technologist rather than marketeers and it looks to be setting the ICT agenda again, as we are also seeing with its approach to the cloud.
The OS will initially be offered for free, which means that existing Windows users will be allowed to upgrade when the release comes out. This is very much in line with the likes of Apple, which over the years has moved to a pricing model where you pay for the hardware and the services you may run on that hardware, but software is more or less free.
With Windows 10, the same is happening for Microsoft, where the push will be around the services you run on it, whether it is Outlook 365, Office in the cloud or the OneDrive cloud storage solution.
Cortana is a prime example , it could embarrass Siri and Google Now. Cortana was Named after an AI presence in the Xbox “Halo” franchise
Cortana is supposed to be a character in a user’s daily Windows drama, taking on a cultural identity to match the localisation settings in Windows. In other words, it not only learns your habits, but adapts to the region in which your device operates. Microsoft sees Cortana as the company’s digital rep, popping up to assist even on other platforms where Redmond’s application software is installed. Eventually, Cortana will be available on Android and iOS, but for now, just Windows… and only in the US, the UK, China, France, Italy, Germany and Spain.
It featured in Microsoft’s Gigjam demo at WPC and was a big hit with the audience.
The Win10 kernel is the most lightweight in the OS’ history and the much-maligned Internet Explorer, while still present in day-one versions of the OS, will be accompanied by Microsoft Edge. (The codename for the project: Spartan has delivered a slimmed-down Web browser . Redmond is noticeably proud of the result.
Windows 10’s security features, Biometric credentials (hardware permitting – the OS supports fingerprint scanners, and if you run Windows 10 on a machine with an integrated Intel RealSense camera, you have access to facial recognition), and Windows 10 ability to mange PCs more like smart phones means a lot less effort on the part of the IT organisation.
A further option is to connect through Microsoft’s unified communications platform Azure, which offers a one-time-password (OTP) option for two-factor authentication.
In switching from laptop to tablet mode on a Lenovo Yoga Pro 3, Windows 10 asks if you want to switch to tablet mode. If you choose “yes” then you also have the option of never being asked again, but all such options are stored in the system’s Notification Centre, so you can change your mind later. We felt that the transition showed genuine thought as to the different interfaces required in working with laptops and tablets – something that reflected early promises made by Microsoft regarding its intentions for Windows 10. The Live Tiles for tablets, and the classic interface for keyboard-and-mouse use, is a dual concept.
For Microsoft to make this a success it requires support for the new Windows Store, which in turn will require the software developers to find the platform attractive. Ultimately this third-party support will play a big role in determining how much the Windows experience evolves towards the goal of lighter-weight management.
Expect Windows 10 to feature prominently at Gitex.

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