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| The Windows 10 launch fan event in SIngapore was very well attended. |
Microsoft's Windows 10 is now available as a free upgrade1 or with new PCs and tablets across 190 countries. Windows 10 includes innovations such as Windows Hello2, Cortana3, an Xbox app and the Microsoft Edge browser for a familiar, yet more productive experience.
“Windows 10 is built to enable people and organisations to do great things and the launch of Windows 10 today marks a new era for computing in Singapore and around the world. New innovations on Windows 10 make computing more personal, productive and secure whether you are a consumer, student, professional or business," added Jessica Tan, Managing Director, Microsoft Singapore.
"Microsoft is excited that Windows 10 is resonating well from the feedback of over 5 million Windows Insiders and the overwhelming reservations from users. We are also looking forward to the opportunities to work with our developers, retail and devices partners to create new apps, services, devices and experiences for Windows 10. Starting from today, Windows 10 is available as a free upgrade for all Windows 7 and 8 users for one year and we encourage all to upgrade today.”
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| Quek. |
The most secure Windows ever, Windows 10 is delivered as a service and kept automatically up-to-date with innovations and security updates. Windows 10 offers one experience that will become available on the broadest range of devices, including PCs, tablets, phones, Raspberry Pi, Xbox One, HoloLens and more — with more than 2,000 devices or configurations already in testing. The new Windows Store and Windows Software Development Kit are now available as well, opening the door to more new app experiences on Windows 10.
“Windows 10 delivers on our more personal computing vision, with a natural, mobile and trusted experience. Along with our partners, we’re excited to deliver the best Windows ever, which will empower people and organisations around the world to do great things.”
Windows 10 is the "best Windows ever", with voice, pen and gesture input support for natural interaction with PCs and the return of the Start menu plus Live Tiles for instant streaming updates. Windows 10 is also the most secure Windows Microsoft has ever released, with enhancements to Windows Defender and SmartScreen to help safeguard against viruses, malware and phishing. It comes with innovations such as Windows Hello, which offers a fast, secured, password-free way to log in.
Windows 10 is the "best Windows ever", with voice, pen and gesture input support for natural interaction with PCs and the return of the Start menu plus Live Tiles for instant streaming updates. Windows 10 is also the most secure Windows Microsoft has ever released, with enhancements to Windows Defender and SmartScreen to help safeguard against viruses, malware and phishing. It comes with innovations such as Windows Hello, which offers a fast, secured, password-free way to log in.
Keeping up-to-date is also simple, as free updates will help people stay current with the latest features and security updates for the supported lifetime of the device.
Highlights include:
Cortana, the personal digital assistant, which makes it easy to find the right information at the right time. Cortana is presently available in Australia, China, India and Japan.
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| It is now possible to make notes on top of web pages with the Edge browser and a touch screen, and then share that information. |
The new Microsoft Edge browser lets people quickly browse, read, annotate and share.
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| With Windows 10, it is possible for two people to play the same Xbox game with a laptop in one room and the Xbox device in another. |
The integrated Xbox app delivers the Xbox experience to Windows 10, bringing together games and accomplishments across Xbox One and Windows 10 devices.
Continuum, which optimises apps and experiences across touch and desktop modes.
Built-in apps including Photos; Maps; Microsoft’s new music app, Groove; and Movies & TV. With OneDrive, files can be easily shared and kept up-to-date across all devices.
A Microsoft Phone Companion app enables iPhones, Android or Windows phones to work seamlessly with Windows 10 devices.
The all new Office Mobile apps for Windows 10 tablets are available in the Windows Store4. Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps offer a consistent, touch-first experience for small tablets. For digital note-taking needs, OneNote comes pre-installed with Windows 10. The upcoming release of the Office desktop apps (Office 2016) is designed for the precision of a keyboard and mouse, but will also be optimised for large-screen PCs, laptops and 2-in-1 devices such as the Surface Pro.
Open for business
Windows 10 is also the most extensively tested version of Windows ever. The operating system will help companies protect against modern cyberattacks, deliver better experiences for employees and enable continuous innovation with a platform that keeps companies up-to-date with the latest technology. Businesses will be able to control the frequency of their updates and select the features and functionality that are right for each group of their employees.
Windows 10 includes built-in, enterprise-grade security, so customers can replace passwords with more secure options, protect corporate data and corporate identities, and run only the software they trust. New management and deployment tools simplify device management, help lower costs, and enable companies to power their business with the enterprise strength of the Microsoft Azure cloud.
Apps at the Windows Store
The new Windows Store is now accepting new apps for Windows 10. The new Windows Store is the only store where people can use Cortana to control apps with their voice5 and get real-time notifications on their app tiles. All Windows Store content is certified by Microsoft to help keep devices safer. In addition to existing Windows 8.1 apps such as Netflix, Flipboard, Mint.com, Asphalt 8: Airborne and The Weather Channel, the Windows Store provides a constant stream of new and updated Universal Windows Apps and games, including Twitter, Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition beta, Hulu, iHeartRadio, Candy Crush Saga and others including WeChat and QQ, which will launch soon6.
Guenter Weimer, General Manager, Windows and Surface, Microsoft Asia Pacific said: “We have a bold vision for Windows 10, where it provides consumers and enterprises with one platform, one store and one experience that extends across the broadest range of devices. In the era of more personal computing, Windows 10 users can expect universal apps delivering seamless and new experiences across devices."
Upgrading tips
Upgrading to Windows 10 is easy for customers running a genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 PC or tablet. Those who reserved their upgrade to Windows 10 will be notified in waves when their upgrade is ready to be installed. For business customers, Windows 10 is available to start deploying within their work environments, and starting August 1, organisations that have volume licensing subscriptions can upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Education.
Retail partners are ready to help people upgrade to Windows 10 with the largest tech bench programme ever, including more than 100,000 trained retailers and tens of thousands of stores around the world. Free upgrade programmes are now available, with Windows 10 software becoming broadly available in retail stores around the world between mid-August and September. Devices running Windows 10 will be available in some retail stores, with more devices to become available in the weeks and months ahead.
“We are committed to bringing Windows 10 to as many consumers and organisations as possible in Asia Pacific in the coming months. In addition to the online upgrades, we are working with over 50 leading IT retailers in the region to set up more than 800 Tech Bench locations where consumers can look forward to getting help to migrate from Windows 7 and 8 to the best Windows ever. For consumers and businesses looking for the latest Windows 10 devices, we are excited to announce that we will have the widest range of Windows hardware ever available by this holiday season,” said Weimer.
Bryan Ma, Vice President of Client Devices, IDC Asia/Pacific and Worldwide, was upbeat about the new launch. “Microsoft has really gotten its act together with Windows 10, and we think Microsoft can beat its self-stated goal of reaching 1 billion Windows 10 devices in two to three years. Not only is the user interface (UI) much more polished and intuitive for consumers, the company has also worked very closely with the critical commercial user segment to get the OS to where it needed to be,” he said.
Joe Sweeney, Advisor at IBRS, was also very positive about Windows 10, but cautioned that businesses need to rethink the way they work to really benefit from a version of Windows that works anywhere and everywhere.
“Microsoft’s consumer-led strategy will likely be successful migrating the public to Windows 10 more rapidly than previous Windows releases. In turn, this will drive the demand for enterprise IT groups to support Windows 10 in 6-18 months’ time. While Windows 10 is a relatively painless update from a technical perspective, a simple upgrade is not IBRS’ recommendation," he said.
"Instead, enterprise IT groups should fundamentally rethink the idea of a desktop-centric work environment, and develop a digital workspaces strategy that embraces all the places, devices, and times where work is done. Armed with this knowledge, the scope of Windows 10, among other tools and technologies, can be used to transform the business, rather than simply repeating the past practices.”
Open for business
Windows 10 is also the most extensively tested version of Windows ever. The operating system will help companies protect against modern cyberattacks, deliver better experiences for employees and enable continuous innovation with a platform that keeps companies up-to-date with the latest technology. Businesses will be able to control the frequency of their updates and select the features and functionality that are right for each group of their employees.
Windows 10 includes built-in, enterprise-grade security, so customers can replace passwords with more secure options, protect corporate data and corporate identities, and run only the software they trust. New management and deployment tools simplify device management, help lower costs, and enable companies to power their business with the enterprise strength of the Microsoft Azure cloud.
Apps at the Windows Store
The new Windows Store is now accepting new apps for Windows 10. The new Windows Store is the only store where people can use Cortana to control apps with their voice5 and get real-time notifications on their app tiles. All Windows Store content is certified by Microsoft to help keep devices safer. In addition to existing Windows 8.1 apps such as Netflix, Flipboard, Mint.com, Asphalt 8: Airborne and The Weather Channel, the Windows Store provides a constant stream of new and updated Universal Windows Apps and games, including Twitter, Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition beta, Hulu, iHeartRadio, Candy Crush Saga and others including WeChat and QQ, which will launch soon6.
Guenter Weimer, General Manager, Windows and Surface, Microsoft Asia Pacific said: “We have a bold vision for Windows 10, where it provides consumers and enterprises with one platform, one store and one experience that extends across the broadest range of devices. In the era of more personal computing, Windows 10 users can expect universal apps delivering seamless and new experiences across devices."
Upgrading tips
Upgrading to Windows 10 is easy for customers running a genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 PC or tablet. Those who reserved their upgrade to Windows 10 will be notified in waves when their upgrade is ready to be installed. For business customers, Windows 10 is available to start deploying within their work environments, and starting August 1, organisations that have volume licensing subscriptions can upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Education.
Retail partners are ready to help people upgrade to Windows 10 with the largest tech bench programme ever, including more than 100,000 trained retailers and tens of thousands of stores around the world. Free upgrade programmes are now available, with Windows 10 software becoming broadly available in retail stores around the world between mid-August and September. Devices running Windows 10 will be available in some retail stores, with more devices to become available in the weeks and months ahead.
“We are committed to bringing Windows 10 to as many consumers and organisations as possible in Asia Pacific in the coming months. In addition to the online upgrades, we are working with over 50 leading IT retailers in the region to set up more than 800 Tech Bench locations where consumers can look forward to getting help to migrate from Windows 7 and 8 to the best Windows ever. For consumers and businesses looking for the latest Windows 10 devices, we are excited to announce that we will have the widest range of Windows hardware ever available by this holiday season,” said Weimer.
Bryan Ma, Vice President of Client Devices, IDC Asia/Pacific and Worldwide, was upbeat about the new launch. “Microsoft has really gotten its act together with Windows 10, and we think Microsoft can beat its self-stated goal of reaching 1 billion Windows 10 devices in two to three years. Not only is the user interface (UI) much more polished and intuitive for consumers, the company has also worked very closely with the critical commercial user segment to get the OS to where it needed to be,” he said.
Joe Sweeney, Advisor at IBRS, was also very positive about Windows 10, but cautioned that businesses need to rethink the way they work to really benefit from a version of Windows that works anywhere and everywhere.
“Microsoft’s consumer-led strategy will likely be successful migrating the public to Windows 10 more rapidly than previous Windows releases. In turn, this will drive the demand for enterprise IT groups to support Windows 10 in 6-18 months’ time. While Windows 10 is a relatively painless update from a technical perspective, a simple upgrade is not IBRS’ recommendation," he said.
"Instead, enterprise IT groups should fundamentally rethink the idea of a desktop-centric work environment, and develop a digital workspaces strategy that embraces all the places, devices, and times where work is done. Armed with this knowledge, the scope of Windows 10, among other tools and technologies, can be used to transform the business, rather than simply repeating the past practices.”
#UpgradeYourWorld
As part of the Windows 10 initiative, Microsoft is encouraging people to share how they plan to #UpgradeYourWorld and to vote for a global nonprofit to receive a cash donation by simply mentioning the nonprofit in a post on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and using the hashtags #UpgradeYourWorld and #vote.
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| Nine nonprofit organisations have been chosen to receive a donation from Microsoft. These include Code.Org, The Nature Conservancy, Save the Children, CARE, the Malala Fund and the Special Olympics. |
Based on everyone's votes, the 10th nonprofit will receive US$500,000 as well as Microsoft technology and services—part of US$10 million that Microsoft investing in organisations that are upgrading the world. Nonprofits which have at least one branch outside of their home country will be considered, and everyone may vote once a day per social platform, up till the end of August. From September 1, Microsoft will consider votes for a local nonprofit.
Interested?
Find out more about Upgrade Your World
1 Limited time free upgrade offer for qualified and genuine Windows 7 and 8/8.1 devices. Hardware and software requirements apply; see http://www.windows.com/windows10upgrade for details.
2 Windows Hello requires specialised hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors.
3 Cortana available in Australia, China, Japan and India in Asia Pacific. Experience may vary by region and device.
4 An Office 365 subscription is required to edit Office apps on Windows 10 PCs or larger tablets.
5 Hardware dependent.
6 Some apps and content sold separately. App and content availability and experience may vary by region and device.
2 Windows Hello requires specialised hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors.
3 Cortana available in Australia, China, Japan and India in Asia Pacific. Experience may vary by region and device.
4 An Office 365 subscription is required to edit Office apps on Windows 10 PCs or larger tablets.
5 Hardware dependent.
6 Some apps and content sold separately. App and content availability and experience may vary by region and device.
