Windows Insiders have been trying the Windows 10 Technical Preview for a few months, but today Microsoft announced what everyone can look forward to in 2015. This ambitious OS overhaul wants to make all your Windows devices -- PC, phone, tablet, Xbox -- work better together via universal apps, Continuum, the Spartan browser, and Xbox apps. Here's what you need to know about today's announcements.
Windows 10 is coming in 2015, and it will be free
That's right, Microsoft has shifted its strategy and will offer Windows 10 absolutely free for current Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1 users for the first year after release. Windows 10 is slated for consumer release later this year -- Microsoft has offered no pricing or a firm date, but fall is likely. In the meantime, Windows Insiders should see a new preview build of Windows 10 in the coming week and Windows Phone 10 in February.
Microsoft promises you'll switch seamlessly from PC to tablet, mouse to touchscreen, with Windows 10's Continuum. Continuum will even support touch gestures for old-school Win32 applications. Notifications will sync between your phone, tablet, and PC in a style reminiscent of Apple OS X Yosemite's Continuity. Expect to see Continuum in preview builds of Windows 10 in three to five months.
Universal applications will help you work across devices
Microsoft will bring new and updated apps to Windows 10 that will work across PC, phone, and tablet, so you can hand off from one device to another. Expect upgrades to Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. The photo app will gather photos from all your devices so that you can see them anywhere, and the app will have a duplicate remover and an auto-enhance function. The people app will put your contacts from various social networks in one easy-to-search directory. The music app will let you create and edit playlists from your own library, Spotify-style, and will integrate with OneDrive to allow syncing across devices. The Microsoft Map app will feature Cortana, who can remind you where you've parked your car.
Cortana will be everywhere
Microsoft's voice-activated personal assistant is making her PC debut. Cortana learns from your behavior, customizing search results and displaying only information that is relevant to you. For example, browsing for a restaurant's website will get you additional data such as directions, reviews, and even nutritional data via the Notification bar. You can also order Cortana to play music, find documents, or pull up photos from a specific event.
You will play Xbox games on PC
Xbox One will play nicely with Windows 10, with Xbox apps for PC and tablet, cross-platform gameplay, and device-to-device handoff. DVR-like features will let you record and share game clips, and the new Xbox app will let you stream gameplay directly from your Xbox One to any Windows 10 device. Judging by the demo, framerate and resolution aren't half bad. Xbox Live players will be able to play alongside their PC counterparts. No dates were announced, but we wouldn't be surprised to hear more from the Game Developers Conference in March.
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