 As Windows 10 approaches its third birthday, it's maturing steadily. A worldwide installed base of more than 700 million active users is impressive, but what will it take to convince Windows 7 users to switch? Here's my report card. Microsoft released Windows 10 three years ago this month. That three-year anniversary used to be a very big deal for Microsoft's OEM partners and for its corporate customers running Windows, because it signaled the expected arrival of a new Windows version. With Windows 10, that calendar is no longer relevant. Instead of a "big bang" release every three years, Microsoft has been trickling out new features for its flagship desktop operating system, releasing a total of five feature updates in the past three years. The most recent release, the April 2018 Update, might not seem like that big of an upgrade compared to the version that came out a mere six months earlier. But compare it to the original Windows 10 release from July 2015 and the contrast is striking. The Windows 10 you see today is the equivalent of one of those big-bang releases, and perhaps even more impressive because Microsoft's customers have been able to provide real-time feedback as new features have evolved in the intervening three years. Read the full report on OUR FORUM.  The flagship will sell all Surface products, Xbox consoles, and gaming accessories. Microsoft opened a flagship store in Taipei on July 6, showcasing its Surface range and as part of Microsoft's strategy to target Taiwanese consumers, reported CNA. The flagship store will also sell Microsoft's range of gaming products and is the U.S. company's 14th flagship store. The Xinyi District (信義區) store reflects Microsoft's targeting of the Taiwan market and is set to cater to Taiwanese consumers according to Chang Chia-hao (張家豪), a Senior Product Marketing Associate. Microsoft recently expanded its Surface range of personal computers and the flagship will allow these new products to be available to Taiwanese consumers in the shortest possible time, according to Chang. The flagship store will be the platform through which new Microsoft products will be brought to Taiwan, Chang added. Microsoft's Surface range has become popular in Taiwan, with sales increasing by between 10 and 20 percent every year since the product launched five years ago according to Hsueh Wei-hung, deputy head of Microsoft's Consumer Channel Group. Further details are posted on OUR FORUM.  Microsoft is reportedly planning to launch a new Surface-branded Windows 10-powered tablet that won’t cost more than $400 and it would compete with Apple iPad in the education market. The rumored Surface tablet will feature rounded corners and it may still borrow some design cues from the existing models of Surface Pro lineup. The software maker is rumored to launch the Surface Tablet to compete with the iPad this year, according to Bloomberg’s sources. The key capabilities of the Surface lineup such as Type Cover, note-taking would be retained. The tablet will feature much less powerful chips than the current Core i5 and i7 models offered on expensive Surface Pro. It’s a low-cost model and it won’t come with high-end specifications. It’s likely that the device will look decent look, just like the Surface Pro models. Microsoft won’t go for Intel Core i5 or i7 processor but instead will pick Pentium processors to keep the price below $400. In terms of graphics and processors, Intel is on tap to supply both. The report suggests that the low-cost Surface will use Pentium Silver N5000 and Pentium Gold Y-series processors. It would be considerably faster than the Atom-powered Surface 3, and the top-of-the-range model will be equipped with Intel Pentium Gold 4410Y or the Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y. Configurations may include 64GB of storage and 128GB of storage, coupled up 4GB of RAM and 8GB of RAM respectively. It’s expected that the new lower-cost model will weigh less and also have a shorter battery life. More details are posted on OUR FORUM. |
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