According to VentureBeat (one of my favorite tech news sites), Windows 10 made an appearance on more than 75 million PCs in just a month. That translates to 5.21% of all operating systems around the world and the fastest ever adoption of a new OS.
But Windows is installed on more than 90% of the world’s computers, which means that most of the Windows world is waiting, with almost 58% still on Windows 7. (12% of you are still on XP — what’s up with that?)
The Windows 10 launch has had its fair share of hiccoughs, and I’m one of the people who waited a while to let them smooth the bumps. Last week I took the upgrade plunge (and the dang thing made me cry!). Here are 3 reasons why you might consider upgrading now, with this one very important asterisk.
*** If (WHEN?) you come across a weirdness with Windows 10, Google the problem you’re having. You are not the only one! You’ll probably find workarounds and fixes from either Microsoft itself or the thousands of helpful nerds who share their nightmare stories and solutions on forums. I don’t (really) regret downloading Windows 10. It’s the future. And almost any problem you discover is fixable.
Oh, and then there’s this… People are really mad at Microsoft for data-tracking features of Windows 10. Here’s an article about how to restore some of your privacy.
But, ummm…. back to the good things about Windows 10 (if you still want to read them).
- Cortana: Your Virtual Personal Assistant
Apple has Siri. Google has Google Now. And Microsoft has Cortana. These voice-activated personal assistants are literally standing by, waiting for you to need something.With Windows 10, Microsoft embeds Cortana into your desktop. Not only do you have a snapshot of your day, you can use your voice to ask questions for internet searches, information finding and more.
Cortana doesn’t have the personality that Siri does. I asked both personal assistants the same question: “Which is better… Siri or Cortana?” Cortana brought up a search page on Bing.
Siri was a little sassier.
- The Edge Browser
Microsoft Internet Explorer is dead… oh wait. We already knew that. Many of us haven’t used it in years. Microsoft’s new Edge browser adds functionality to our regular expectations, especially with the ability to write on a webpage and share it with others.
- Windows 8 Is Gone
One of the biggest things I like about Windows 10 is that it’s NOT Windows 8, which I hated. Getting around in Windows 10 makes sense and doesn’t take a manual. My husband is notoriously resistant to change, and he didn’t blink with the new interface. It just makes sense.
So this is my short list of things you may like about Windows 10. I’d like to hear your favorite features. I was going to write TEN reasons instead of 3, but I’m still mad at the tears Windows 10 caused. Sniff.
