Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Microsoft Annouces Windows 10 Release Date

On June 1st 2015, Microsoft announced that it would release Windows 10 as a free upgrade on July 29th 2015. The upgrade will be made available via download, to current Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users. The upgrade will remain free until July 29th 2016, at which time it will cost $119 for the Home version and $199 for the Pro version.

Microsoft says that Windows 10 will come with a host of new features that include: The Start Menu, which makes its return, Cortana, Microsoft's voice enabled digital assistant, the new Edge browser, Windows Hello, which is a biometric login service, Windows Store, and more. Windows 10 users will be able to download the touch versions of Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. It is also expected that Outlook and OneNote will ship with Windows 10 at no additional cost.

There are a few things that will not remain after an upgrade to Windows 10. One change will be the absence of Windows Media Center. Separate playback software will be needed in order to play DVDs. However, Microsoft plans to release a DVD option later in 2015. Gone too are Windows 7 desktop gadgets, as well as Windows 7 versions of Solitaire, Mindsweeper, and Hearts. The upgrade will also uninstall and reinstall your antivirus software, provided that it is up to date.

Those who wish to get a free upgrade to Windows 10 must be running either Windows 7 service pack one or Windows 8.1. A new Windows icon will appear in the lower right corner of your system tray. When you click this icon a window will open that will explain how to reserve your free upgrade. When your upgrade is ready, it will automatically download onto your computer. There is an option for choosing when you wish to install your upgrade.

If you should change your mind you can cancel your reservation by clicking the icon and then clicking the three horizontal lines in the upper left corner of the window. A menu will open. Go down and click on view confirmation. In the lower left corner of your confirmation is a cancel link. 


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