Windows 10 is here and it’s free

Windows 10 comes with a lot of new features and improvements. The Metro UI, which used to be the persistent interface in Windows 8.1, has been re-imagined to intelligently switch from tile mode to desktop mode depending on the device and case use.

July 29 was a landmark date for Microsoft as it officially released Windows 10. While it is a favorably significant upgrade over Windows 8.1, the most radical move for Microsoft is to offer the upgrade for free.

This is a huge sacrifice for the company as licensing their regular upgrades used to come at a cost. Rolling out Windows 10 is a huge loss in terms of potential revenue. That is core revenue that is being given out for free.

Over 80 million users signed up for the free upgrade and that number will definitely grow as the update servers stabilize. While many will not get it right away, the rollout will come in phases and eventually reach everyone.

In the Philippines, Microsoft has partner dealers and retailers that will assist customers in upgrading/installing Windows 10 on their PC. Microsoft.com has also listed download links to the ISO file that customers can configure to a DVD or USB drive and install on other PCs later on.

The upgrade is a breeze although the size of the download is quite large. For a USB installation, you will need to free up space of at least 3GB.

 If your PC is already running Windows 7 or 8.1, no additional verification is needed to proceed with the upgrade. However, a fresh install of Windows 10 will only require the serial number.

The other more interesting feature of Windows 10 is that Microsoft wants Windows 10 across all types of devices – from your phone to your tablet and then your PC. That means the experience between the devices will be almost similar. Sharing of files and documents across all devices will also be smooth with One Drive.

Windows 10 for smartphones will not hit primetime until later this year but Microsoft has promised that they are working hard with OEMs (official equipment manufacturers) to launch new handsets with Windows 10 right out of the box. Older models of Lumia phones running Denim will most likely get the upgrade once it is ready. They hope to get these rolling out before the end of the year.

Windows 10 comes with a lot of new features and improvements. The Metro UI, which used to be the persistent interface in Windows 8.1, has been re-imagined to intelligently switch from tile mode to desktop mode depending on the device and case use. This gives Windows power users the old interface with their favorite Start button whenever they want it. In a way, Microsoft is combining the powers of Windows 7 with the flexibility of Windows 8 in realizing Windows 10.

There’s Cortana, a personal digital assistant, and the new Microsoft Edge browser that is said to be faster and more robust than Internet Explorer and other contemporary browsers.

It is also equally interesting to see what new devices PC makers will introduce in the coming months as well as potential new handsets from the Microsoft Lumia line.

In the meantime, we can all enjoy our free copy of Windows 10.