Microsoft’s consumer-focused Windows 10 reveal kicks off at company headquarters in Redmond, Washington today and we’re live from the event to see what the next version of Windows has in store.
We’re expecting Microsoft to share new details about how the desktop version of Windows 10 works, but the bigger questions facing Microsoft surround its mobile strategy and the next version of Windows for tablets and smartphones. Will Microsoft merge its Windows Stores for mobile and the desktop into a single cross-platform app store? Microsoft is also to announce new improvements and features for Cortana, its voice-activated assistant, as well as possibly a new browser codenamed “Spartan.”
Windows 10 also marks Microsoft’s first major Windows release since CEO Satya Nadella took over last year. He’ll be speaking today, so make sure to tune in starting at 9:00am PT.
Here’s what’s been announced so far:
- Windows 10 upgrade won’t cost you a dime
- Microsoft introduces a feature-packed browser in Project Spartan
- Microsoft introduces Surface Hub, a 4K TV with Windows 10
- Microsoft jumps into augmented reality with HoloLens, Windows 10
Q: What are the environments where augmented reality works?
A from Nadella: Heads up displays and virtual reality are distinct. (Didn’t use the word hologram)
You can expect a batch of Windows 10 server releases but the focus is currently on personal devices.
It’s hard to hear the questions because there are no microphones in the audience.
Nadella said that they haven’t worked out Windows 10 pricing details yet.
“There’s only one version of Windows 10 for any given form factor” – Myerson. They’re all called Windows 10 — so there’s no Windows 10 Mobile.
“Our goal is to run one of the largest internet services in the world. No fundamental change to our business model.” – Satya Nadella.
And he’s off! But now it’s time for a Q&A with Nadella and Myerson.
Myerson again confirms that Microsoft is planning flagship smartphones for Windows 10.
Windows 10 launching “later this year” with great new hardware both from Microsoft and partners.
And Nadella exits stage left and we’re back to Terry Myerson.
Now Nadella is sharing a story of a family in India who got a Lumia 535 ($129) as their first computing device.
There hasn’t been a new flagship Lumia in a while, so maybe Microsoft is holding it for Windows 10
Microsoft is “going to have a full lineup of phones running Windows 10″ including flagship phones
Now Nadella’s doing the hard pitch to developers to encourage them to write universal applications for the newly unified Windows Store.
Mobility isn’t about the mobility of any device, but the portability of the experience across devices. Sounds like Microsoft still thinks theres a place in the world for the desktop — but it might just be an 84-inch TV.
“Windows as a service is a fundamental change” – Nadella
Satya’s going to talk about about 1) Windows as a service 2) Windows and mobility and 3) how Windows and cross-platform strategy come together
So we can all finally agree that Windows RT is dead, yes? Transformed is probably a better description but still.
“Mobile-first, cloud-first world” – Nadella (again)
“Windows 10 isn’t just a checklist of features, it’s the design sensibility that let us put the personal in computing.”
“Mobile-first, cloud-first world” – Nadella.
“We want people to move from needing Windows, to choosing Windows, to loving Windows” – Satya Nadella
CEO Satya Nadella has taken the stage.
Windows Holographic is basically the geek trifecta: 3D printing, virtual reality, and SPACE
Apparently, Microsoft’s been working on their holographic computer with NASA/JPL labs at Caltech as a partner.
Microsoft is combining augmented reality and 3D printing. Pretty cool stuff.
Wow; I’m 3 minutes *ahead* of the live stream! ;)
Answer: Extremely.
Wonder how useful this might be for folks with 3D printers.
She’s “building” or “prototyping” a quadcopter using Holo Studio. It’s kind of like a user-friendly VR AutoCAD.
We’ve got someone on stage who is seeing the world through Microsoft’s HoloLens.
And if holograms weren’t far out enough, a new software product called Holo Studio will be able to 3D-print (!) “holograms.”
Yup, seems to be an attempt to differentiate from Oculus and the like. Now lets see the Xbox One games that work with this!
Microsoft keeps calling these holograms, but this stuff sounds more like augmeneted reality to me.
Apparently, Microsoft HoloLens won’t just have a CPU and a GPU, it’ll have additional silicon called a “Holographic Processing Unit” or an HPU.
“Will be available in the Windows 10 timeframe” – Kipman
New device: Microsoft Hololens.
Kipman’s giving the hard pitch to Oculus, Magic Leap, and other cutting edge VR companies to develop on Windows 10.
Holographic APIs are enabled in every version of Windows 10.
“Imagine turning your living room into a surreal gaming environment, you might think this is crazy,” Kipman said. “In software, nothing is impossible, and holograms can become part of our everyday life.”
Google has Google Glass, sounds like Microsoft will have Windows Holographic
“Today you’re not only going to see that holograms are real, but everyone’s going to experience holograms for themselves in our labs”
One of the coolest bits from the video is a Minecraft world virtually sprawled out over a living room.
Now we’re watching a demo about what your life would be like if holograms and virtual reality were everywhere.
And he’s discussing holograms. Far out.
Spoke too early, now Alex Kipman, head of Kinect, is on stage talking about technology “disappearing into the background.”
Now we’re back to the virtual reality home GIF.
Not a single Kinect mention during the Surface Hub demo.
I’m wondering how much design work is needed to adapt apps to the BIG screen. Sure, you can run the same code anywhere, but if you have to redesign your app for phones, tablets, pcs, and now this giant TV, that’s still a lot of work.
Content from an online meeting is automatically shared with all participants.
Ooh, Microsoft Surface Hub will be great for videoconferencing. Using Skype for Business, you can hold a remote meeting and the virtual whiteboard is shared to all attendees.
It’s basically a TV on steroids for conference rooms.
Microsoft Surface Hub has whiteboard functionality, and supports digital inking. It’s running Windows 10.
I just pre-ordered. (Kidding)
Microsoft Surface Hub obviously meant for enterprise. I’m afraid to ask how much this 84-inch all-in-one costs.
It’s called Microsoft Surface Hub. It’s an 84-inch 4K display with built-in sensors, cameras, mics, and computing power.
Here’s that Windows Phone Insiders app for the adventurous (like me!): http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/phone-insider/ed2b1421-6414-4544-bd8d-06d58ee402a5?signin=true
Now we’re talking about “entirely new Windows 10″ experiences. I’d guess this means massive touchscreens.
New Windows 10 builds available next week for Windows Insiders. The first build for phones is due in February.
Expect more Xbox news in March.
Even though Windows and Xbox are becoming more integrated, Spencer says “we don’t expect people to start doing Excel spreadsheets on Xbox”
Xbox streaming will work with “any Windows 10 PC or tablet”
You can even turn off your Xbox One from the Xbox app.
Simply right click on the game in the Xbox app, and click “Stream from Xbox One.” The framerate looks good but latency could kill a feature like this.
Nvidia’s done some stuff like this. With a console in your house, you can conceivably play Xbox One games on, say, a Surface.
Windows 10 will be able to stream Xbox One games in your home.
Bringing Xbox chats and friends to the PC could turn it into a real social network juggernaut.
Fable Legends is headed to both Xbox One and Windows 10 PC, and people using a PC can play with Xbox users and vice versa.
Unity and Unreal Engine will both support DirectX 12.
DirectX 12 should improve performance, of course. But a bigger deal is that DirectX 12 uses less power, which is huge for mobile battery life.
Now we’re talking Direct X 12.
And Windows actually automatically records the last 30 seconds of gameplay, so you don’t have to record everything in case something exciting happens. You can share those videos and gaming content through the Xbox app.
Now we’re looking at Steam, playing Civ Beyond Earth. Using Windows-G, you can start recording a gaming session.
They’re demoing a very nice Minecraft world. Sometimes I forget that Microsoft owns Mojang.
Xbox app allows voice and text chat cross-platform.
On every Windows 10 “PC and Tablet” you’ll have the Xbox app. What’s going on for phones, though?
We’re looking at the Xbox app for Windows 10
“We at Xbox have the most active social network of gamers worldwide with over 50M members”
Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, is on stage.
Next up — entertainment and gaming.
And that wraps up the Windows 10 preview — no release date, but Windows Insiders will see these features trickle down over the next few months.
For a restaurant, example, Cortana knows the menu for the restaurant and can even make reservations.
You’ll see Cortana in the address bar if she “knows” something about the page you’re on.
Third major Spartan feature: Cortana integration.
If you use Spartan and reading list, you’ll always have something to read on the subway or on a flight even if you don’t have internet access.
Microsoft’s implementation goes way beyond Apple’s reading list, which doesn’t save the articles to your device for offline reading
You can even add PDFs to reading list.
Second major Spartan feature: a “standardized” format way to read things on the web — along with a reading list of things you mean to read but never get around to. The feature strips a lot of junk out of online stories and saves them to your device, like Instapaper.
Amazing. As a Microsoft MVP in Touch and Tablet PCs about 6 years back, this is the type of tech I saw Microsoft aiming for back then. Nice to see it come to fruition.
Spartan can clip screenshots from part of a website and upload them to OneNote. OneNote is nice, but a lot of people will like better built-in screenshot capabilities
OneNote comes to the browser? Hmmm….
Belfiore is marking up a story about Project Spartan from a site I heard was doing a Super Bowl commercial
New feature: Integrated stylus inking support.
Are those Linux penguins in the Spartan demo or are they Puffins?
Project Spartan will be available on phones too, eventually
It’s got a new rendering engine, according to Belfiore
Okay we’re talking “a new browser.” It’s called (codenamed) Project Spartan.
Probably one of the biggest differences between WIndows 10 mobile and Windows 10 for PCs is whether Word, Powerpoint, and Excel comes pre-installed. Outlook mail client will come on both PCs and phones.
Another observation although we haven’t heard from him yet: This all fitting very well with Nadella’s “mobile first, cloud first” strategy.
Sounds a lot like Google Play Music Match
Soon, Microsoft will allow users to upload their music collections to OneDrive
Microsoft has been basically referring to Windows on the phone and Windows on the PC as the same thing.
The photo app will “auto-enhance” photos by default, removing red-eye, brighting faces, etc.
It’s clear with all of these demos that the “unification” of Windows is finally here. I’m just not sure if that’s going to bring a halo effect between Windows PCs, tablets and phones.
Now we’re looking at the photo app. Belfiore: “running the same code on both devices, but formatted to fit the right screen.”
I was hoping for 4D PowerPoint.
Belfiore says that phones will fully support 3D slide animations for Powerpoint. But you weren’t using those, were you?
Belfiore is making a big deal about how the recent documents list goes from device to device. guess Microsoft realized most people don’t really organize their files and instead just want what they’ve been working on recently.
We’re going to take a look at Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. Which will continue to be free on phones.
Not hearing the word ‘tablet’ a whole lot — sounds like Microsoft sees tablets over 8-inches as basically PCs.
Now we’re talking “universal applications” on both phone and PC.
Haven’t heard “Windows 10 Mobile” yet but Microsoft showed a slide that says “Windows 10 will have a version tuned for touch devices under “8”
Microsoft is taking a cue from Google Hangouts with SMS support but it doesn’t matter; smart usage of Skype after spending billions on the company.
Oooh, Windows 10 will have Skype messaging integrated with the main SMS messaging app.
Microsoft keeps going back to “natrual interaction” as a theme in Windows 10 — that means stylus inking, voice, touch, and “gaze,” which we haven’t seen yet.
Settings is a “universal app” and should be the same across all Windows devices.
Recently installed apps go to the top of the app list. The action center looks like it used to, but you can expand the action buttons on the top and swipe to dismiss notifications.
Demo is using the Lumia 1520 running Windows 10.
Okay, Microsoft confirms it defines “small tablet” as under 8-inches.
Okay, bye Cortana. Now we’re talking “phones and small tablets”
Cortana can send dictated email from a PC. Could be super handy.
Cortana works through typing in addition to voice input. Love that — it’s kind of like a search bar for your whole PC.
Popping up Cortana from the start bar really looks like a Microsoft version of Google Now.
“Hey Cortana” hot word works on the PC as well.
Cortana search on Windows 10 will live on the task bar on the bottom left hand corner of the screen, just to the right of the start menu.
Cortana is headed to the PC.
Um, game predictions tailored for individual users? The gambling community finds this interesting.
Cortana picks the Seahawks over the Patriots in the Super Bowl but implies that her game predictions are different from user to user.
Okay, we’re talking to Cortana.
Props to Microsoft for running the actual software in the demo.
Belfiore warns he’s using “builds that are not finished.” He says “we’re gonna see some glitches.”
Continuum is one of my favorite shows, BTW. Bonus points to Microsoft for using it as a feature name.
You can tile two apps on a tablet side by side, like on Windows 7 snap feature or the Samsung Galaxy Notes (which run Android.)
The 8-inch tablet Belfiore is using is “running the same version of Windows” and can run Win x32 apps
Now we’re getting a demo of Continuum on a Microsoft Surface. When you detach the keyboard, you’ll get a popup: “Do you want to go into tablet mode?”
And the second improvement is a better notifications screen on the right hand side.
And we start with the Start Menu. By default it’s like the conventional Windows 7 start menu but it can go full screen.
His hair looks great, for what it’s worth.
Now Joe Belfiore is going to demo Windows 10 on PCs, Tablets and 2-in-1s.
I’m not sure I want to “subscribe” to an operating system. Hmm….
Indeed. Looks like that free upgrade is for the first year. Whoa!!!
I think I just heard Myerson say “Windows as a service”
That’s another smart strategy: Give folks more incentive to upgrade.
Whoa. The offer even applies to Windows 7.
Covers both Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1. All devices free upgrade to Windows 10.
For the first year, at least.
Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for all devices running Windows 8.1
“We’re going to help developers find their next billion customers in Windows 10″ because of automatic updates and less fragmentation
Now Myerson is discussing a few GIFS — ahem, cinemagraphs — that inspired the design of Windows 10.
Sounds like iOS/OS X Handoff and Google Chrome sync to me. Interesting.
Myerson: “You are our customer, not our product.” Shade.
“It should be easy to put one device down and pick up where you left off” – Myerson
Smart move; for years people suggested that Microsoft didn’t listen to its many users. This approach helps mitigate this.
Now Microsoft is screening a video about how important Windows Insider program is to squashing bugs and improving the OS.
1.7 million people who have previewed Windows 10 already thanks to the Windows Insider program. That’s 3 million installs.
As expected, Myerson is talking about merging software for all devices into one Windows Store.
Windows Apps are headed to Xbox One!
Security is a focus: “The hardware based security in Windows 10″ would prevent some of the recent public hacks.
And “new devices” enabled by Windows 10.
Myerson has taken the stage. Expect “Cortana as never before,” he says.
2 hours? Wow, I hope everyone in Redmond got their coffee early!
But first Windows chief Terry Myerson will kick it off.
CEO Satya Nadella will end the keynote, and we’re in line for nearly 2 hours of presentations.
That’s a lonely Lenovo laptop on stage, presumably as a demonstration device.
We’re here at Redmond Washington, waiting for Windows 10. This show should get started any minute.




































And that’s it for the session today. Thanks for tuning in!