Microsofts Ups the Ante in Windows 10

Windows 10 - Here's the scoop

Windows 10 – Here’s the scoop

Microsoft is taking several pages out of Apple’s book of tricks for Windows 10 — and Windows users are likely to love them.

Security leaps forward

First, they’re leapfrogging Apple in security.  Not only does Windows 10 do fingerprint recognition to secure your devices; it also does facial recognition or retina scan.  That’s not retina display (high pixel counts on screen); that’s retina scan — looking at your eyeball to make sure that the person trying to access your device and files is actually you.  Bravo!  Insecure systems, files and accounts is one of the biggest weak points of our electronically connected society.  And these are great leaps forward.  Now we look to Microsoft, Apple, other hardware vendors and application developers to build on top of this to secure us from identity thieves, malicious hackers, and cyber-criminals of all sorts.  BTW, Microsoft calls this Windows Hello.

Biometric scanning.  With Windows Hello, it's not you unless your device recognizes your retina print.

Biometric scanning. With Windows Hello, it’s not you unless your device recognizes your retina print.

If you’re purchasing a new computer with Windows, and you want to best secure yourself using these techniques, make sure it has an Intel RealSense 3D camera.  Because that’s the piece of hardware that fully empowers Windows Hello.

Cortana Speaks

If you thought Siri was cool (and sometimes eerie), you’ll get a real kick out of Cortana.  Just like you find on Windows phones (and on iPhones), you can make requests from Cortana; and she will reply.  Only Cortana uses artificial intelligence to learn from you.  She gets smarter as time goes on.

OneDrive really means one drive

We’ve had cloud computing for years, including Box, DropBox, MS OneDrive, Apple iCloud, Verizon Cloud, and a myriad of other services.  So far, only Apple’s iCloud has had real integration with the operating system.  With Windows 10, Microsoft finally integrates OneDrive with its local storage.  Having used several of the cloud storage services for years, my favorite has been OneDrive; so this is a welcome integration.

Tweaks & jumps

Upgrading to Windows 10 gives you a number of other advantages as well — from big things, like a new browser (Microsoft Edge) to replace the gray-haired Internet Explorer; to the return of the Start Button.

I have documented how to get Windows 10 for free (legally too) in my TEQ Column.  It all starts from that Windows logo you see here:

Getting Windows 10 couldn't be easier

Getting Windows 10 couldn’t be easier

 

 

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