Features new to Windows 10

Windows 10 introduced a number of new elements, including the option to use a touch-optimized interface (known as tablet mode) or a traditional desktop interface similar to that of Windows 7 along with live tiles from Windows 8.

Development platform

Windows 10 supports an extension of the Windows Runtime platform introduced by Windows 8 known as the Universal Windows Platform (UWP). UWP emphasizes a core set of APIs common to all variations of the operating system, enabling the ability to code a single application with adaptations (such as user interface differences) for different device families and states, including desktops and laptops, tablets, smartphones (via Windows 10 Mobile), Xbox One, and other new device classes such as Surface Hub and HoloLens. An application may also react to the available displays and input on a device; when connected to a monitor or a suitable docking station, a UWP app on a smartphone can take on the appearance of the app on a PC. Information can also be synchronized between versions of an app for different devices, such as notifications and licensing.[1][2][3]

Cortana

Windows 10 has brought the Cortana assistant from Windows Phone 8.1 to Windows 10. By default, Cortana appears as a search pane on the taskbar, but can be changed into a button, like in tablet mode, and can be activated by voice using the command "Hey Cortana", when a user searches the Start menu, or when a user searches the Cortana search pane. With Cortana, users can ask Cortana questions about the weather, calendar events, and other types of notifications, along with online information.[4] Cortana currently requires a Microsoft Account to function.

New and updated applications

Microsoft Edge

Main article: Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge is the new browser for Windows 10 and is the successor to Internet Explorer, although Internet Explorer will remain for compatibility and legacy purposes. Cortana has been integrated into Edge, accessible by the option "Ask Cortana" in the right click menu, as well as a Reading View and the ability to write notes directly on web pages and save to OneNote. A Reading List feature has also been added, where users can save articles or other content to be accessed and read later. Microsoft Edge also includes a Share button on its toolbar where tapping or clicking on it will bring up the system Share panel, where users will be able to share a webpage to installed applications such as Reading List or third-party apps such as Facebook and Twitter.[5][6][7] Since its release, Microsoft Edge has scored 402 out of 555 points on HTML5test.[8]

Mail

Main article: Mail (Windows)

The Mail app from Windows 8 has been updated. The Windows 10 Mail app adds user-configurable swipe gesture controls, as well as POP3 email support.[9]

Calendar

The Calendar app from Windows 8 has received updates as well, such as Google Calendar support.[9]

Settings

The Settings app has similar functionality as the Control Panel, albeit with a Metro-style user interface.[9]

Maps

The Maps application introduced in Windows 8 received updates, such as the ability to download maps for offline use.[10]

Shell and user interface

Windows 10 also allows web apps and desktop software (using either Win32 or .NET Framework), to be packaged for distribution on Windows Store. Desktop software distributed through Windows Store is packaged using the App-V system to allow sandboxing. Web apps are executed from remote servers, and have access to Windows functions such as notifications and camera access. As with Windows 8, locally packaged web apps can be written using HTML and WinJS.[11][12]

Continuum

Continuum is the blanket title for a group of features on Windows 10 that are designed to enable smoother transitions between a default interface mode designed for use with a keyboard and mouse, and an interface designed for touchscreen environments, especially on hybrid devices such as laplets. Enabling "Tablet mode" switches the primary interface to a full screen version of the Start menu, and opens all applications in a maximized view by default. The taskbar is also modified, adding a Back button next to the Start button, and by default, hiding buttons for opened and pinned applications. Task View is used as the primary means of switching programs. Windows can prompt to switch between these two modes, or automatically do so, if certain events occur, such as plugging in a keyboard or mouse to a tablet, switching a laplet to its laptop state, or vice versa.[13][14][15][16]

Task View

Task View is a task switching and virtual desktop system, accessible via the taskbar button, keyboard shortcut Windows+Tab ↹, or swiping from the left of a touchscreen.[17][18] Activating Task View shows a zoomed display of all windows currently opened on a specific monitor; clicking on a window switches to it. Task View can also be displayed when a window is snapped to half the screen or three windows are snapped to fourths of the screen, prompting for a window to occupy the remainder of the screen. Task View also allows the creation of virtual workspaces; windows can be dragged into and out of these workspaces.[19]

Start Menu

Windows 10 reintroduced the start menu as seen in versions of Windows prior to 8. However, unlike these versions, the new start menu includes live tile features from Windows 8. It is possible to resize the Start menu and view recently added and most used applications. It can also be made full screen for tablet users or users that prefer a Windows 8-like experience.[20] The right hand side of the Start menu can be used to pin tiles. The menu can contain a limited amount of columns, depending on the screen resolution. These columns can be divided in groups that can all have their own title. Every group is divided into 6 or 8 other columns, depending on the user's settings, to allow either 6 or 8 small sized tiles next to each other.

Action Center

Action Center is a sidebar that provides a list of received notifications and a group of "Quick actions" buttons for different settings areas. It is accessed by clicking the Notifications icon in the system tray, or swiping from the right of the screen on touchscreens.[21][22][23]

Gaming

DirectX 12

Windows 10 includes DirectX 12 alongside WDDM 2.0.[24][25] Unveiled March 2014 at GDC, DirectX 12 aims to provide "console-level efficiency" with "closer to the metal" access to hardware resources, and reduced CPU and graphics driver overhead.[26][27] Most of the performance improvements are achieved through low-level programming, which can reduce single-threaded CPU bottlenecking caused by abstraction through higher level APIs. The performance gains achieved by allowing developers direct access to GPU resources is similar to other low-level rendering initiatives such as AMD's Mantle, Apple's Metal API or the OpenGL successor, Vulkan.[28][29] WDDM 2.0 introduces a new virtual memory management and allocation system to reduce workload on the kernel-mode driver.[24][30]

Xbox One integration

Windows 10 brings more updates to the Xbox app introduced in Windows 8. Games from the Xbox One can be streamed to any Windows 10 device excluding smartphones.[31]

Shortcut keys

SHORTCUT EFFECT
⊞ Win+Ctrl+F4 Close new desktop
⊞ Win+Ctrl+← and ⊞ Win+Ctrl+→ Switch between desktops
⊞ Win+Ctrl+D Create new desktop
⊞ Win+← Snap active window to the left
⊞ Win+→ Snap active window to the right
⊞ Win+↑ Snap active window to the top
⊞ Win+↓ Snap active window to the bottom
⊞ Win+Tab ↹ See all desktops and open apps via the Task View page
⊞ Win+Q Open up Cortana for voice input
⊞ Win+S Open up Cortana for typed input
⊞ Win+A Open up Windows 10 Action Center
⊞ Win+X Open Start button context menu
⊞ Win+I Open the Settings app
⊞ Win+G Open the Game bar

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kevin, Gallo (March 2, 2015). "A first look at the Windows 10 universal app platform". Windows Blog. Microsoft. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Our first look at Windows 10 on phones, and Universal Apps for touchscreens". Ars Technica. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Guide to Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps". MSDN. Microsoft. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  4. ↑ Branscombe, Mary (August 5, 2015). "20 smart new and improved features in Windows 10". Tech Radar. Future US, Inc. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Microsoft Edge - Microsoft". Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Take your reading with you - Windows Help". Microsoft. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  7. ↑ "11 Tips and Tricks for Microsoft Edge on Windows 10". How-To Geek. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  8. ↑ Buckler, Craig (August 18, 2015). "Microsoft Edge: the Review". SitePoint. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 Chacos, Brad (July 29, 2015). "Windows 10: The 10 best features you should try first". PCWorld. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  10. ↑ Chacos, Brad (October 26, 2015). "Windows 10's best tricks, tips, and tweaks". PCWorld. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  11. ↑ Peter, Bright (March 3, 2015). "Microsoft's next attempt to fill the Windows 10 app gap: Web app apps". Ars Technica. Condé Nast. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Here's how Microsoft hopes to get Android and iOS phone apps into its Windows 10 Store". ZDNet. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Watch how Windows 10 works with touch interfaces". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Windows 10 Technical Preview 2: Configure Tablet Mode". Thurrott.com. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Windows 10 Technical Preview 2: Continuum and Tablet Mode". Thurrott.com. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  16. ↑ Bowden, Zack. "Windows 10: The tablet experience is better than ever (with video)". WinBeta. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Microsoft Unveils Windows 10 with New Start Menu". Tom's Guide. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  18. ↑ Warren, Tom (September 30, 2014). "Windows 10 is the official name for Microsoft's next version of Windows". The Verge. Vox Media.
  19. ↑ "How to use Windows 10's Task View and virtual desktops". PC World. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  20. ↑ "Upgrading from Windows 7 or 8? You'll Love Windows 10". CNN Money. February 22, 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  21. ↑ "This is Windows 10 for phones". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Windows 10: a closer look at the future of Microsoft's vision for PCs". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  23. ↑ "How to customize Windows 10's Action Center". PC World. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  24. 1 2 "The DirectX 12 Performance Preview: AMD, NVIDIA, & Star Swarm". Anandtech. Purch Inc. February 6, 2015. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  25. ↑ Langley, Bryan. "DirectX 12 and Windows 10". DirectX Developer Blog. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Windows 10 will woo gamers with supercharged DirectX 12 graphics API". PCWorld. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Microsoft details DirectX 12 for better Xbox One, PC performance". Techradar. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  28. ↑ Smith, Ryan (March 24, 2014). "Microsoft Announces DirectX 12: Low Level Graphics Programming Comes To DirectX". AnandTech. Purch Inc. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  29. ↑ Smith, Ryan (March 3, 2015). "Next Generation OpenGL Becomes Vulkan: Additional Details Released". Anandtech. Purch. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  30. ↑ "What's new for Windows 10 Insider Preview display drivers (WDDM 2.0)". MSDN. Microsoft. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  31. ↑ Gilbert, Ben (January 22, 2015). "Windows 10 means big changes for the future of Xbox". Engadget. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
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