Microsoft look set to shake-up the world once more!
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The windows 10 keynote in Redmond USA a selective audience 0f tech and windows journalists gathered for this monumental day for Microsoft. windows phones with a shrinkable and undockable touch blackberryesque keyboard, ‘universal apps’ and free upgrades were just some of the fantastic news for windows aficionados.
A universal app store that will mean for developers they no longer have to be put off developing for windows mobile devices abd Xbox. They can create one app and it will port to all windows 10/Xbox. As Windows 10 still has a metro interface and one built into the start menu for desktop users, this means installation will be a breeze for both Metro and desktop. Metro will run in a window. So you can use say PowerPoint on a Nokia 1520. Licenses hopefully will apply to all devices but up to the developers.
Spartan the new browser project will replace the now unappealing Internet Explorer. Microsoft had to do something as, well…. Chrome is just better and more secure and as a result people who install Windows tend to just install Chrome straight away and set it as their default browser – I do! However I keep Firefox developing and coding etc.. Early indications suggest it is very ‘Chrome-like’.
Xbox will not be just gaming machine anymore, it will now become your home hub and be at the center of all your windows technology. It will allow you to just switch in real time to another device on your network, say, mid-game mid game, you go upstairs and continue where you left off – awesome! Other features like the ability to record and to go back in time and grab that battle clip, your awesome moment can even be captured on steam. fable and mknecraftbwill be rhw first crlssplatflrmThe are boasting cross-platform gaming.
HoloLens – The Enterprise Holodeck!
Holographic stuff. The prototype holo-lens is what is already in use by NASA with programming their Mars Rover. No pictures or videos were ‘permitted at the event when the select few got the opportunity to try it out. Almost all without exception were absolutely stunned by this device.They explained that they were loooking at a table and on the table was a mine craft game in 3d they walked over to the table and looked in a hole in it and bats flew out! You can have concepts in rooms to scale and walk around them, like a motorbike. It is there – but it is not!
This is the nearest to the Enterprise ‘Holodeck’ we have and is VERY exciting. It is augmented reality rather then virtual reality like Oculus Rift (see past posts), as such it is less ‘queazy’ to use and perfect for ‘makers’ and people who want to create 3d objects and see them befor say printing them or cutting them out on say a FlowJet Machine. They already looking at its use with Skype. Rather than a screen you could sit down with the person in your room! Scary and maybe I am not ready for that yet! It will not be released for sometime but out of the way Google Glass there is a new king in town and it comes from MS!
Free Upgrades for Windows 8 and Windows 7 users!
Yes if you have a legitimate version of Windows. Then you will get up to a year after release to upgrade you system for free! This is really great news! I am running Windows 10 since its first technical relaeas and I am already in love with it – go download the betas but install them on a partition – do not overwrite you existing software!
Cortana looks like she is gonna have a cat-fight with Siri!
Cortana, can search your one drive and web for answers and files! Like, “Cortana, get me my latest wordspress document!,” and lo and behold it appears! Some say, she (or he as an option) is a tad ‘robotic’ as not every answer is available, but the words she doesn’t have an answer for have to be assembled on the fly. however, common stock answers are impressive. ‘Perceptive Pixel’ (a company that Microsoft recently purchased showed off their huge conferencing screens and multi-touch and multi-pen displays running windows 10 may replace the whiteboard! But a (for now) £8,000 grand a pop only maybe for the Bankers conference rooms for now eh? Maybe ONE could be purchased by a school and 100 for Eaton College and Oxford for lectures eh?! They are 84inch 4k.
Conclusion
Microsoft is back baby! After some time in the wilderness with 8.1!