NEW YORK: Microsoft decided to bounce Windows 10 and skip from Windows 9.
Start menu
Microsoft killed it for Windows 8 in the assumption that tablets were dominating and swiftly brought it back in Windows 8.1 when it appeared that wasn’t so.
Microsoft Windows 10 Start Menu Since being dismissed from Windows 8, the Start menu is certain to be back at the center of Windows 10
It’s back for good now with Windows 10 and expect Microsoft to aim for a balance between the desktop-based full experience and something akin to the Windows 8 live tiles for tablets like the Microsoft Surface Pro 3.
Apps
Microsoft may have written the book (well, the program) on apps back in the day but since the dawn of the mobile age, the tech giant has largely been left behind.
Expect Windows 10 to further harmonise the experience between desktop, smartphone and tablet.
Microsoft Windows 10 Desktop Microsoft will be seeking to strike a balance between a desktop-based OS and an attractive mobile system
Like using the App Store on a Mac and iPad, Microsoft will try to leverage its desktop presence to get developers interested in building programs that can run on both a new Windows 10 laptop, a Windows Surface laptop and the company’s own mobile OS.
Cortana
No, not the one from Halo . We’re talking about the virtual assistant Microsoft created to go toe-to-toe with Siri and Google Now.
Cortana is already well established on Microsoft’s mobile devices and we’re expecting to see her make the jump to desktops this afternoon as part of a new feature of Windows 10.
Some rumours have suggested that Cortana could be integrated into the Windows 10 search function, allowing you to use your laptop or desktop’s microphone at any point to hunt for a file or program.
Cortana is a long way from being a creepy cyborg geisha , but the adoption of voice-controlled personal assistants is only accelerating.
Spartan browser
Microsoft is reportedly developing a second browser, codenamed Spartan, that will run alongside its traditional Internet Explorer.
The new browser will rival Google’s Chrome and Mozilla’s Firefox in terms of its speed and simplicity.
Like those two browsers it will support extensions and will also be available on mobile platforms – including Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.
We’re expecting Microsoft to fill in the blanks about Spartan at its event this afternoon.
Gaming with Xbox
Head of Xbox Phil Spencer is expected to put in an appearance at this afternoon’s event, meaning we could be hearing some interesting Xbox-related news for Windows 10.
Microsoft’s gaming devision is arguably one of its hottest properties at the momen
