Jonathan Johnson
Staff Writer
Microsoft had a press conference at the end of January revealing the latest Windows features and opening the curtains on some new tech.
The press conference started with a bang, confirming that the operating system dubbed Windows 10 would be a free upgrade for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 users for this year only, putting to rest some misconceptions about the software’s free release to previous versions of Windows, stating it would be free for life, no hidden fees or trial time.
Additionally with Windows 10, scheduled to launch this fall, Microsoft announced that the operating system will run natively on all Windows products including Xbox One and various Windows phones. Some new features came to the operating system and the most anticipated would be Cortana Microsoft’s voice command AI.
A previous installment introduced to the Windows phone that now makes its debut on Windows 10. Of course, like many early products that Microsoft has to offer, it is best to wait a week or two for solid reviews and/or patches to the operating system. Many users, like myself, are a bit skeptical about Windows 10 because of the additional features included in the software package.
Let’s take Cortana for example. Cortana is integrated into every aspect of Windows 10 including the operating system itself. Because of its integrated artifacts in the system, the computer running Windows 10 may anchor in performance or network speed, due to Cortana constantly running in the background. Windows 8/8.1 had this same issue during the introduction of its Metro UI interface.
Various users would report performance problems with their operating system because of the moving tiles and the fact that the actual Metro UI runs in the background.
That stated, with Windows 10, they’ve decided to ditch the tile interface and cram it into the start menu. Little is to be said about the customization features in Windows 10, but as I see it, we all have a year to wait and that’s probably best for both Microsoft and the consumer.
Eagerly pushing Windows 10 aside, Microsoft’s new tech has enthusiasts and gamers buzzing all over the Internet about the new tech called, HoloLens. It is an augmented reality headset much like the Oculus Rift, but with more functionality.
HoloLens takes you beyond the gaming world and puts you into real life, rendering 3-D objects. From videos loading on your table, to playing Minecraft and seeing a creeper blow up through the walls of your house, HoloLens takes it to another level of technology. Sounds like science fiction, right?
Peter Bright of Ars Technica said, “Microsoft’s HoloLens is flat-out magical – 2015, the year that sci-fi becomes real.”
Without a doubt, we are in the future and the new Microsoft HoloLens not only is the next step, but it also moves imagination forward from the virtual world to the real world.
As for Windows 10, we’ll have to see. Keep your hopes high, because it’s Microsoft we’re talking about.
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