Microsoft sets July 29 launch for Windows 10, begins download reservations
Microsoft on Monday announced that Windows 10 will launch on July 29 across 190 countries, available as a free upgrade for both mobile and desktop Windows devices.
For the desktop version of the operating system, Microsoft has set up a reservation system. Users of Windows 7 or 8 may see a notification pop up in their system tray -- if a copy is reserved, a 3-gigabyte installation file will be downloaded automatically once it's ready, and let users choose to install immediately or wait until a better time.
The desktop upgrade will only be free for the first year. The move is nevertheless a first for Microsoft, which has traditionally made most of its money from Windows sales, but is aiming to put Windows 10 on a billion devices in three years or less.
The operating system marks a radical departure in other ways, as it will be a unified platform across computers, phones, and tablets, simply iterated according to screen size and processing power. Through a feature called Continuum, users of some phones will even be able to connect to a monitor and work as if they were on a PC.
The operating system also comes with a new Web browser, Edge, and Cortana, a formerly phone-only voice command system. Perhaps one of the most significant changes though is the return to a more desktop-friendly interface -- whereas Windows 8 forced PC owners into a touch-oriented "Modern" UI by default, Windows 10 defaults to a desktop view, simply merging Modern tiles into a restored Start menu.
The decision to make Windows 10 temporarily free was likely influenced in part by Apple, which has made OS X upgrades free and annual. Whereas Apple uses this to spur Mac sales, however, Microsoft is largely dependent on software, and will need to make money through new installations, enterprise customers, and various other means.
For the desktop version of the operating system, Microsoft has set up a reservation system. Users of Windows 7 or 8 may see a notification pop up in their system tray -- if a copy is reserved, a 3-gigabyte installation file will be downloaded automatically once it's ready, and let users choose to install immediately or wait until a better time.
The desktop upgrade will only be free for the first year. The move is nevertheless a first for Microsoft, which has traditionally made most of its money from Windows sales, but is aiming to put Windows 10 on a billion devices in three years or less.
The operating system marks a radical departure in other ways, as it will be a unified platform across computers, phones, and tablets, simply iterated according to screen size and processing power. Through a feature called Continuum, users of some phones will even be able to connect to a monitor and work as if they were on a PC.
The operating system also comes with a new Web browser, Edge, and Cortana, a formerly phone-only voice command system. Perhaps one of the most significant changes though is the return to a more desktop-friendly interface -- whereas Windows 8 forced PC owners into a touch-oriented "Modern" UI by default, Windows 10 defaults to a desktop view, simply merging Modern tiles into a restored Start menu.
The decision to make Windows 10 temporarily free was likely influenced in part by Apple, which has made OS X upgrades free and annual. Whereas Apple uses this to spur Mac sales, however, Microsoft is largely dependent on software, and will need to make money through new installations, enterprise customers, and various other means.
Comments
Dinosoft eats too much Nutella.
“"Microsoft has had two goals in the last 10 years. One was to copy the Mac, and the other was to copy Lotus' success in the spreadsheet - basically, the applications business. And over the course of the last 10 years, Microsoft accomplished both of those goals. And now they are completely lost. They were able to copy the Mac because the Mac was frozen in time. The Mac didn't change much for the last 10 years. It changed maybe 10 percent. It was a sitting duck. It's amazing that it took Microsoft 10 years to copy something that was a sitting duck."
Steve Jobs, Rolling Stone, July 16, 1994.
I know others have been playing with Windows 10, but MS those early Beta users claimed Window 8 was a must have, but after it finally release no one really wanted it. The last time MS has everyone wanting one of their new OS release was Windows 95, all other release were forces upon users, they had not choose but to upgrade since MS cut off support.
Sort of sounds familiar.
Hmm.........
Looking forward to this. People can make fun of Microsoft all they want, but with Nadella running things I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss them.
Making a "download reservation" within a "limited time" seems like false scarcity. Downloads are infinitely reproducible, not limited by manufacturing capability, only bandwidth costs. Oh, to recapture the days where people lined up to buy Windows install media at midnight...
Yeah, dual booting into it on my new MacBook Pro and it's pretty slick. Massive improvement, and super fast. Love the new browser. Would I make it my main driver? Never. But still, credit where credit is due.
The Media Center Support is gone for good. The Xbox One TV stuff has gone backwards. It's pretty weak in comparison. I've decided to change platforms to TiVo. The hardware is where I want it and was able to get a new Roamio OTA box for $299 with a Lifetime Subscription. A couple TiVo Mini's and I'm ready to go. With built in support for Netflix, Amazon, Hulu_, VUDU, Yahoo Screen, Youtube and some other stuff, with PLEX support coming June 8th, it's almost a one box solution. I don't pay for monthly TV service. I don't need a zillion channels and only watch a few. i get most of my TV with a Antenna and with Netflix and Amazon, I have a ton of content.
So I may Upgrade to Windows 10, but not right away. I haven't made a switch over to TiVo fully yet. I haven't seen it in action. It hasn't been fully finished, or even remotely and don't know if MS can pull it all together this quickly. Better to wait a few months after release and let others be beta testers.
I still use Windows for a number of reasons. I won't go MAC. My brother has tried for 20 years and I haven't done it. Windows 8 could have almost drove me to the MAC!!! I have my iPhone 6 and iPad 3. I'd like to get a iPad Pro if rumors are true. I did Emulate a MAC on my Amiga computer back in the day so I could use Netscape! That was the #1 go to browser back then.
Windows 8 is the worst OS I ever used. I use it but with the classic shell application to force the UX to behave like Windows 7.
Windows 10 is a much welcome upgrade.
But still OSX's are simply better.
I hope on tablets, you can have 100% full tablet view. Right now you have a mix of tablet view (VERY nice) and desktop view. When you got to settings, sometimes you end up on the desktop view. With a tablet (7"-8"), it's a little tricky to change settings.
I hope they have made it a little more simpler, but overall 8.1 is okay.
I tried to download Win 10 preview, but the downloads all failed (about 2 months ago).
The other big issue is that services like Google Drive and Dropbox see your tablet as a regular computer, so when you set up dropbox/GDrive, those services try to copy everything over. Well, when you have a 32 GB device with the OS eating up 50%....you simply can't use those programs.
It's too bad they dropped Windows RT, but anyway, not they have the same OS across all devices making it theoretically easier for developers. MS doesn't really have the option to have a regular OS and a mobile OS.
I guess what they need is for phones and tablets to act and be like iOS phones and tablets.
And they need better stuff for their store. There's nothing like Goodreader or not really anything like iBooks/Preview for viewing ePub/PDF that is simple and nice looking.
Windows 8 is the worst OS I ever used. I use it but with the classic shell application to force the UX to behave like Windows 7.
Windows 10 is a much welcome upgrade.
But still OSX's are simply better.
Win 8 is the worst you have used?
win me and windows vista were so so bad, you were very lucky to have missed those.
win me was installed on so many 'crap boxes' that passed for personal computers, seems like all my kids friends families got stuck with it.
I used Windows all the way back to 3.0 and I can say I find Win 8 the worst of all. The UX is extremely jarring. Nothing made sense. The Metro UX was difficult and aggravating. And it works poorly with multiple screens.
Eerily similar to the motto of the Complaints Division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation, "Share and Enjoy", which was displayed in large letters atop their building. Unfortunately the Complaints Division's facilities grew so large that the building sank into the ground and what's left of the visible upper half of this motto now reads in the local planet's dialect as "Go stick your head in a pig."
Once again, DNA may prove more prescient than he ever guessed.
I just got invite last night for my SP. My Surface Pro / MacPro combination has been the best workflow set up in my 15 year career - cant imagine walking out of my home with a computer I cant Draw on now.
Wonder what the Cintiq Companion 2 and Vaio Canvas plans are for upgrade.
“"Microsoft has had two goals in the last 10 years. One was to copy the Mac, and the other was to copy Lotus' success in the spreadsheet - basically, the applications business. And over the course of the last 10 years, Microsoft accomplished both of those goals. And now they are completely lost. They were able to copy the Mac because the Mac was frozen in time. The Mac didn't change much for the last 10 years. It changed maybe 10 percent. It was a sitting duck. It's amazing that it took Microsoft 10 years to copy something that was a sitting duck."
Steve Jobs, Rolling Stone, July 16, 1994.
One of the nuttier things Steve said. Did you post that to mock him or are you also a loon?
" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />
-kpluck
“"Microsoft has had two goals in the last 10 years. One was to copy the Mac, and the other was to copy Lotus' success in the spreadsheet - basically, the applications business. And over the course of the last 10 years, Microsoft accomplished both of those goals. And now they are completely lost. They were able to copy the Mac because the Mac was frozen in time. The Mac didn't change much for the last 10 years. It changed maybe 10 percent. It was a sitting duck. It's amazing that it took Microsoft 10 years to copy something that was a sitting duck."
Steve Jobs, Rolling Stone, July 16, 1994.
One of the nuttier things Steve said. Did you post that to mock him or are you also a loon?
" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />
-kpluck
Why is it "nutty"?
I thought it made a lot of sense (indeed, I was admiring his forthrightness, and got a good chuckle out of it.)
Why is it "nutty"?
I thought it made a lot of sense (indeed, I was admiring his forthrightness, and got a good chuckle out of it.)
me too, not often you really get a good answer to 'what do you REALLY think about ms over the last few years Steve?'
I went from OS X.?? to Windows 8. Since I had a brain and knew how to use it, there was no problem.
The main problem was with Business, Seniors (which I am one of) did not like the change, of not having the start menu,
like before.
I go all the way back to Basic then DOS, with the Mac System 7.
Who was the first company to sell softwar with a GUI system?
Berkeley Softworks for both the C-64/128. GUI was developed by XeroX, not Apple or M.S.
Any body can use any OS. You do not have to be a rocket scientist, to you use any computer either.
Use your brain and learn.
Since Mac's and PC's use the same components, the only difference is the OS that runs either system.
I bought a HP laptop, for around $600+/- with 12 gigs of mem. 1 TB hard drive, and a cd/dvd burner.
I can run both Photoshop & Premiere, at the same time. And, if I need too, After Effects.
The other reason why the switch, is Microsoft admits when they make a mistake, I'm still waiting for Apple to say they made a mistake when they redid the Iphone 4, with the Att. and location of the Sim Card on the side of the phone, from the 3 which was on top. I broke 6 sim cards in less then one week. It is still on the side with the 6 & 6+. Samsung, is located inside the phone and underneath components.
The Mac & iPhone are not the best, but if you are either into COOL or STUPID, then buy Apple!
"Install" and "Enjoy"
Eerily similar to the motto of the Complaints Division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation, "Share and Enjoy", which was displayed in large letters atop their building. Unfortunately the Complaints Division's facilities grew so large that the building sank into the ground and what's left of the visible upper half of this motto now reads in the local planet's dialect as "Go stick your head in a pig."
Once again, DNA may prove more prescient than he ever guessed.
thanks for posting, brightened up a monday even more than SJ quote in rolling stone already had-