Anytime there’s a major overhaul of an operating system fear and panic ensue and Microsoft’s OS upgrade to Windows 10 was no different. Many feared another inception of Microsoft’s much hated Windows 8. However, now just over 2 years later many are realizing that Windows 10 is actually quite good on many levels. If you’re one of those that are still holding out on upgrading to the latest version of Windows because you’re still not sure if it’s right for you, here are some of the features that are part of Windows 10 that just might help you make the jump.
It’s Faster
As technology advances it has the tendency to slow things down. Windows 10 is faster than previous versions because it compresses the system files and maximizes storage space. These features help Windows 10 to deliver faster system speeds.
System Restore Is Better
In addition to making the process of creating a system restore point easier, Microsoft also improved system restore so that if you need to restore your computer files it makes sure that it restores them to the state it was right before there was an issue.
Connectivity To All Your Devices
Windows 10 also makes it easy to connect all your Windows devices. Perhaps following Apple, Windows now uses Universal Windows apps which become available on all the user’s devices allowing them to continue working on any device. This means that you can pick up where you left off from one device to another. If you start working on something on your Windows laptop and then switch to your Windows phone there’s no problem. Everything you need is there and you can continue where you left off.
Cortana
Just like Apple’s Siri, Windows now has Cortana as a voice activated virtual assistant. You can ask Cortana to find a file on your computer, locate a nearby restaurant, or even provide the answer to a trivia question and it will return the information you need instantly. Other uses are asking Cortana to play a certain song or pull up a website. The possibilities are endless.
Windows Ink
Windows Ink is a handy new feature for those with touch-screen Windows 10 systems. Think of this feature as a way to carry around notebooks with your notes, doodles, sketches, websites, and more. It’s a great way to mark up documents or articles with comments and then email them to someone for review. It allows you to write notes using your finger or a pen device reducing the need for physical notebooks or multiple scraps of paper with notes on it. You can just keep it all within your Windows system so you can take it with you wherever you go.
It’s Easier To Use
Microsoft made Windows 10 more user friendly and intuitive, which creates a user experience that is easy to adapt to quickly and requires very little training. This feature alone should help more people make the jump to upgrading to Windows 10. Previous versions (we’re looking at you Windows 8) were confusing and not very intuitive. This created a whole slew of people who were not happy and who reverted back to Windows 7. This is not the case with Windows 10.
It’s More Secure
Windows 10 is the most secure Windows ever due to all their security updates. Among them are the addition of Windows Hello, a unified dashboard for security, new Edge browser, and the Windows app store.
Windows Hello replaces the need for a long password to lock and unlock your Windows devices. Instead it uses bio-metrics such as your fingerprints or facial recognition which helps to increase the security of all your Windows devices. For those that are wondering about how Microsoft uses this bio-metric information you’ll be happy to learn that your fingerprint or facial scan is only located on your device and not sent to Microsoft at all. For this reason, every Microsoft device you have will need to be set up individually to use these features because they are not shared between devices. This is another way that Microsoft increases the security of Windows 10.
The unified dashboard called Windows Defender Security Center combines all the elements needed to secure your system available in one place. Here you’ll find your system’s anti-malware protection, Windows Firewall, Family safety settings, app and browser controls, and device health reports. The anti-malware scan interface (AMSI) tools, which were develop by Microsoft, can catch malicious script while they’re in memory. This little feature can prevent cyber criminals from executing script-based attacks by attempting to catch scripts when they are first input into the system.
The new Edge browser has a sandbox that traps malware and makes it harder for it to breakout and attack your system.
Also Microsoft’s insistence of only allowing apps to be installed from the Windows store helps to prevent malware from being installed onto your system especially since the bad guys are unlikely to use that route to do harm.
Automatic Updates
Windows 10 has automatic updates. This means that you don’t have to wait for Update Tuesday to make sure your computer is secure with the latest updates and patches. Microsoft releases updates and patches as they are created and Windows 10 automatically downloads and installs them making sure that your computer is always up to date and secure. In this day and age of hackers and cyber-threats this is exactly what we all need.
These are just a few of the new features and benefits of Windows 10 to consider if you’re still on the fence about whether or not to upgrade. One other thing to consider too is that in the not too distant future all other versions of Windows operating systems will no longer be supported with updates and patches. This is probably one of the biggest reasons to make the switch sooner rather than later.