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Are You Ready For Windows 10

Posted: August 30, 2015
By: Janet A Johnson

Windows 10 is finally here and it boasts several new features every consumer who upgraded to Windows 8, has been asking for! This new Operating System (OS) will be rolled out in stages and will be first available to premium users who already have a licensed copy of Windows 8.1 or 7 SP1. But of course if you absolutely cannot wait to upgrade, laptop manufacturers including Lenovo, Dell, Acer and Hewlett Packard have already unveiled their line of Windows 10 PCs.

The Improvement We’ve Been waiting for!

The Return of the Iconic Start Button

There is no doubt that Windows 10 delivers where Windows 8 failed. One of the biggest complaints users of Windows 8 had was the removal of the start menu button. Its replacement – the start screen – was admonished unanimously by users who simply could not fathom the removal of something that was inherently Windows! Now users of windows 10 have the ease of using the start menu which has been cleverly integrated with the Live Tiles layout. This works perfectly for desktops but may be slightly extraneous for tablet users. Simple solution – tablet users now have a dedicated tablet mode that works impeccably with touch screen devices.

The return of the Desktop View

Windows 10 now allows users to ditch the full screen layout on desktops that was less than ideal for larger screens. Users can now switch from fullscreen mode to windows view for a more pleasant aesthetic experience.

Introducing Cortana for Desktops

Cortana is a powerful tool that allows faster searches on desktops and tablet devices. It has the added bonus of tracking and organizing most used content for quick access and a more user friendly experience.

Notifications at your Fingertips

Smart Phones and Tablets have long used notifications to create a more rewarding user experience. Windows 10 now introduces the convenience of automatic notifications that make it much easier to digest the vast amount of information that accumulates on any PC. Emails, updates and security flags will be made available in this nifty section that promises to enhance the OS.

Building on the Performance of Windows 8

Windows 10 loads quickly, as does Windows 8. The new OS does not necessarily boast much faster loading times but generally improves on the more streamlined booting process adopted by its predecessor.

What you’ll need to Upgrade to Windows 10

There are a few caveats to achieving an upgrade to the new OS. Your computer, laptop, tablet or mobile device must meet all the following criteria to be eligible for a Windows 10 install.

• Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 must be currently installed on your device.
• Your Processor must be at least 1 GHz or preferably faster.
• You must have at least 1GB of RAM available for a 32 bit system or 2GB of RAM for a 62 bit system.
• You should have a minimum of 16GB of hard drive space for a 32 bit system or 32GB of hard drive space for a 64 bit system
• Your graphics card should be a DX9 or later model and have WDDM 1.0 driver support.
• Your device’s screen resolution should be no less than 1024px x 600px.

Windows 10 is the OS we expected of Windows 8. Better late than never! If you are able to upgrade your PC do so before July 29, 2016 when users will be expected to pay US$119.00 for an upgrade to the Windows Home OS and $199 for an upgrade to Windows Pro.