Windows 10 Technical Preview: Hands On
Meet the new Start MenuAs expected, this week Microsoft released the much-anticipated technical preview of Windows 10. This build is not for consumers but for the adventurous type that doesn't mind glitches and troubleshooting. Microsoft is looking for tons of feedback with the technical preview and will eventually release a customer preview sometime early next year before the final version hits store shelves.
Naturally, the first thing I gravitated to in the Technical Preview was the Start Menu. The removal of this feature in Windows 8 caused quite a fuss, enough so that Microsoft caved in and brought the feature back to the desktop. As leaked images indicated over the last several months, it's comprised of two different styles: the traditional app lineup on the left and live tiles on the right.
The start menu is, surprisingly, not big and bulky. The traditional list includes links to Documents, Pictures, PC Settings, File Explorer and the on-screen keyboard. There's also the snipping tool, Sticky Notes, Windows PowerShell and Remote Desktop connection. Users can access all of their apps and programs by hitting the All Apps link, which brings up a list combining traditional programs and Modern UI apps.
Load up your screen with four apps.As for the live tile portion, users can click on one of the apps and drag it to the desktop, creating a shortcut. On my build, the list of "Metro" apps includes Skype, Music, Windows Feedback, People, Calendar, Windows Store, Mail, Weather, Video and News. These apps open on the desktop, casting a nice shadow that gives depth to the desktop.
That brings us to one of the biggest changes in Windows 10: using Modern UI apps on the desktop. Why not just use them on the Start Screen? Because it's gone, or at least, it's not easily accessible in the Technical Preview as it is in Windows 8 and 8.1. Microsoft has essentially merged both worlds into one, and it works rather nicely. The Metro apps open at full screen, but they can be reduced down and resized to the user's liking.
Still, for customers who loved the Start Screen, there is a way to bring it back. Simply right-click on the Taskbar, choose Properties, then hit the Start Menu tab. There's an option to "Use the Start menu instead of the Start Screen." Uncheck this option, and the computer will assign the Start Screen to the Start button instead of the beloved menu.
Performing a searchIn addition to the Start Menu, Microsoft has moved the Search app to the taskbar. Users can search for content locally, such as hunting down the Netflix app installed on the PC, to the latest trending news for the day (powered by Bing, of course). All of this conveniently resides next to the Start button and should make searches easier and quicker than when this feature resided on the Charms Bar.
That's another Windows 8 feature that's missing in action: the Charms Bar on the desktop. That feature was odd to begin with, and given that Microsoft yanked Search and PC Settings from the bar, there probably was no real point of having it. However, the Charms Bar will supposedly appear on tablets and phablets along with the missing Start Screen.
In addition to moving Search to the taskbar, Microsoft is also introducing multiple virtual desktops. This icon sits next to the Search icon and lets customers create new desktops with a simple click. For those with two or more monitors connected, this feature seems a little useless. However, for single-monitor setups and those with low resolutions, customers can spread out their work and access these windows using the Task View shortcut.
Adding a virtual desktopPower users should get a kick out of Snap Assist. This allows users to "snap" an app to each corner of the screen. For instance, maybe the user needs to write a letter and snaps Word to the bottom left corner while throwing Internet Explorer in the corner above, Skype in the top-right and the Music app at the bottom right.
Will Microsoft bounce back from all the negativity surrounding Windows 8? One thing is clear: Microsoft's move to release this Technical Preview shows that the company wants geeks/customers to have a hand in shaping this platform. This is a good move on Microsoft's part, showing that the company is listening to our feedback. For the Technical Preview users, there's even a dedicated app for that very purpose.
Given that this is a very early "consumable" version of Windows 10, there will be problems. Luckily, the only roadblock I've crossed in the several hours I've used Windows 10 is related to text. It's the strangest thing: turn the Start Menu on, and I can't type in Skype, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Word. Turn the Start Menu off, and the text bug goes away. Again, this is not a "gone gold" product we're evaluating, so there will be bugs to uncover and fix.
As for the appearance, Windows 10 really looks no different than Windows 8.1. The UI remains flat, and as previously mentioned, it uses shadows to make the apps stand out above underlying apps and the desktop. The File Manager icon has changed, and its interface has been cleaned up a bit so that the user doesn't have to scroll.
Overall, Windows 10 seems to be shaping up rather nicely. The installation took quite a while, and I can't seem to install the latest Radeon drivers at the moment, but that's OK: this is a technical preview, after all.
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... And post the video.
Kevin Parrish... You are challenged. Make it happen?!
Include the USER option of the metro skin and Win-8 Preview Skin.
Win8 Preview version LOOKED like a slicker version of Win7... I really liked it.
Then check the user data and see WHAT people wanted to use:
flat-metro or slightly MODERN looking Aero.
Windows 8 and this version of 10 still look like multi-colored crap that I simply don't want to look at for 5 minutes... much less every day.
My main beef with this so far has been how they try to lead you to a Microsoft account login versus a local login. During the install process they never mention there being a choice and it took a little digging around to find out how to do it. Even after you go to a local login say you want to provide a feedback using the MS app it then again tries to push you back to a MS account login unless you see and push a small optional link on the first page.
Thankfully even with the MS account login the install gives you the option of turning on or off the copy everything to the cloud function. Which after all of the hacking related to that I think we can all agree is a bad idea to leave that kind of info floating around out there.
So after running Win 7 for a long time and refusing to go to Win 8 after that debacle I can see this becoming a worthy successor to Win 7 with some more work put into it.
One thing I want are Live Tile desktop shortcuts. Move them over to my 4th screen and use it as a quick hot bar.
The start menu is huge and bulky. It takes up way too much real estate. This really us just Winodws 8.1 with a hybrid start menu. As you said, it is still has the flat 90's style about it (ala Windows 8), and looks more suited to kindergarten children, than to anyone who wants to do serious work.
The metro apps are resizable, until you shut them down and re-open them. For me, every time I re-opened one it was full screen. It does not remember your preferences.
The search and multiple desktop icons can't be moved or removed. I use quick launch. I can fit 3 times more little icons on the space, and still have taskbar space left over. The pinned icons for me are a waste of space. But now I have to deal with these two extra icons on the left of quick launch.
I've had explorer crash, and other applications crash the system, especially when attempting to shutdown or restart.
I'm glad they want us to have a hand in shaping this product, but at present it's windows 8.2. There's nothing yet that would make this a "new" OS. I know that stuff is yet to come.
I had no problems with installing the nvidia drivers. Actually, Windows did it automatically for me. Unfortunately I had to uninstall them because I don't have a 3D monitor, I use a surround system for audio, and I don't want auto upgrades or user experience programs. Attempting to disable this feature causes several headaches.
I did like the fact that the file copy dialogue is small by default, but it's a little too simplistic. There was nothing wrong with the Windows 7 version. Sadly, this reflects Microsoft philosophy - change it even if it ain't broke.
It seems to take a little longer to boot - perhaps the key logging and data collection starting up :-) Not enough to be annoying.
Still even with all these, and several other "issues" I remain positive and look forward to more updates.
let's hope that Microsoft are really serious about making this OS work.
Yeah I found there are a few ways to skin that cat but 100% agree this should have been a clear choice on setup just like not saving to the cloud was a clear choice. If you set up Win 10 via the MS account you can simply go into the users area and disconnect from the MS account. It will then ask you if you want to set up a local account.
This was covered awhile ago. Any old app code that was just looking for the 9 at the start (ala Win 95/98) would confuse Win 9 for Win 95/98. Rather than deal with the headache of changing thousands of programs just skipping Win 9 was the easiest solution.
Pfft, live tiles are one of the reasons I didn't go from Win 7 to 8. I'm not running on a tablet or a smart phone. I'm running on a PC.