Windows 10 Technical Preview 2 Now Available
With Windows 10 Technical Preview 2 now available, tech-heads are noticing a common theme: it seems to be a compromise between the 'traditional' format seen in Windows 7 and earlier, and the radical revamp that came with Windows 8.
Start Menu Returns With a Difference
Perhaps the most widely talked about feature -- still -- is the new Start menu. It displays the traditional view of programs on the left, while displaying live tile icons on the right. Users can control how much space the live tiles take up and can even resize it to full-screen mode, effectively replicating the main Windows 8 interface if so desired. (Source: theverge.com)
The desktop also features the familiar taskbar and the system tray, with a row of icons at the bottom of the screen for quick access to frequently used programs, and smaller icons at the bottom right of the screen for quickly accessing system settings.
Other Features in Windows 10 Technical Preview 2
Windows 10 Technical Preview 2 brings a slew of other new features. In summary, here is the breakdown:
Cortana: Microsoft's digital assistant, Cortana is now available on the PC. Users can now search their systems for documents, images, and other files using either voice or keyboard.
Continuum: switching between desktop or tablet mode has been improved. The feature is called continuum and is accessible via the Action Center, or when removing specific hardware such as the keyboard and mouse. Apps run in a window on the desktop; in tablet mode, desktop apps are closed by swiping from the top of the screen.
Settings: the new Settings menu has greatly expanded and includes features such as System, Devices, Network and Internet, Personalization, Accounts, and more. It's suggested that the Settings menu may replace the Control Panel altogether.
Action Center: system notifications are now displayed in a single window which slides onto the screen. The charms bar is now gone.
Storage Sense: allows users to view storage at a glance and to control where apps, games, pictures, documents, etc, are stored using multiple devices.
Download Windows 10 Technical Preview 2
Windows 10 Technical Preview 2 is available only through the Windows Insider program. The Windows 10 Consumer Preview, which is a more finalized version of the Technical Preview has not yet been released is expected later this year.
What's Your Opinion?
Has Microsoft reached the right balance with the new all-in-one interface? Were you put off upgrading to Windows 8 by the revamp to a more touchscreen-friendly interface? If you liked the new interface, do you plan on taking up the option to expand the Start menu to fill the screen?
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Comments
Fun?
Lets see..
in the old days we would get the OS, and all its abilities then ADD an environment.
MS, decided it didnt like what it had, and went to Win95..for alot of reasons..
But it was only to mimic what was already happening.
BUT you could change things for yourself..make an alternative environment.
The things I want in Windows ARENT happening.
mostly related to security.
In hte old days of win95 it was just a change to Point and click..Finding things and changing things wasnt to bad. They should now sell a BOOK on how to fix and adjust things..WITH the click.