Windows 10 Technical Preview Hands on Review

Windows 10: Microsoft gaining its grip?

So it has been awhile since I wrote anything about Microsoft. Truly anything at all. I wanted to wait till i got my hands on Windows 10 technical preview before I wrote this review. It is a good thing however I did get a new touchscreen laptop for Christmas, otherwise this review wouldn't be able to fully imply all the features of Windows like it did in my last review. Anyway i should point out a few things before i begin this review.

First and foremost, this is NOT a public release. It is a "Technical Preview". So if you don't hear me complain drastically about any bugs or missing features, you'll know why. Secondly, I will not be doing a side by side comparison this time with Ubuntu. I have realized that was a mistake and if I were to do a review on Linux, it must be kept separate for a fair and unbiased review. Aside from those 2 things, I can honestly say my bias for MS has been misguided and now I am more able to learn from the NT perspective. So let's begin!

First thing i noticed when i turned on Windows is the familiar lock screen. Swipe up and you get something like this:

I added a Fox theme straight from the Microsoft website. You can get it here: Fox Theme For Windows. Once it loaded up. First thing I did was go straight to the Windows icon in the bottom right to go straight to Metro. However, it has been replaced by the ever so familiar Star Menu. 

Indeed. The Start menu is finally back. No more third party programs to get it. One of the main reasons to try Windows 10 I assume. The only difference now is that it has Metro apps on the side and a curious little arrow outward box on the top right. When I clicked on it I got a mundane view of all my Metro apps. 

Alright, so this must be what is left of Metro, I thought. I wanted a little more to be honest. But it only gave me a solid palette identical to the task bar. I also soon realized the task bar is completely opaque and has lost it's transparency. Next thing i was looking for is the "Charm Menu". I tried swiping my mouse cursor along the right side of the screen. Nothing. Then i noticed a chat icon on the bottom right. I clicked it and soon realized the Charm menu was most likely replaced by this "Notifications" Panel. 

This is a hit or miss. Many people I know say the charm menu was the only useful feature in Windows 8. However, this new implementation is more direct and easier to understand for new-comers. I tend to miss the Charm menu however. Now onto the the two odd looking icons on the bottom left next to the Start Menu. The first I noticed was a circle. When I clicked on it, it not only showed a search bar, but a fully "functional" digital assistant. 

What I liked about it most is that it can actually say your name out loud. You can also change your name later on or choose not to have one. The digital assistant called "Cortana" is a lot like Google Now and Siri, however it uses Bing to find results online. Aside from it's querks. I can see myself using this quite often once it becomes more stable. Next was the tiling icon. I thought at first, "this must be to snap windows or something". However i was quick to judge and was actually impressed by a Virtual Workspace.

Finally! Microsoft has finally caught up with Linux and Mac OSX. One reason why i always kept Ubuntu. It took awhile to learn the new virtual workspaces, and it didn't always work. But it sure was useful and I like'd how it was presented. So once i covered that, i decided to see what else is new with Windows 10. I noticed that it can have a "tablet mode", so i decided to ts that out.

Aside from it's advantages, and disadvantages. One thing is clear: Microsoft has been making drastic changes to win its consumers back. Of course, not all are needed, and some are taking away other features it had in 8, (such as the charm menu and transparency). It feels different. Some parts feel like 7, and the others like Metro/8. I guess Microsoft is trying to appease to both groups perhaps? I really hope they add back some missing features later on. Only time can tell. On another note, some minor applications are not recognized properly on Windows 10 Technical Preview. For me it was an Anti-virus suite that came with my laptop and twitch client. Other than that, everything seemed to work.


Windows 10 Technical Preview:
Features: 4/5
Stability: 3/5
EyeCandy: 3/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Usability: 5/5
=
Average: 4/5

Compared to Windows 8 which was a 3/5, this is a huge step forward in my opinion. I just hope Microsoft doesn't fumble and botch this next version of Windows.

Windows 8 vs Linux Ubuntu 13.04

Ubuntu 13.04 Vs. Windows 8 Pro

Windows 8 has only been around for a couple years and has already caused a stir and PC debate that many are taking part in. one very common: PC vs. Linux. I'm writing my review of the features of Linux Ubuntu 13.04 the month before it is released and Windows 8 Pro DVD copy.

For starters, let's start with Windows 8 key features. First thing you'll notice after the bootloader is this screen:

Now how do I use this? Well after you type in your username you just click the right arrow. However! Once you go to the lock screen, i.e.
hibernation, switch users or lock laptop, it would seem you can not log back in. At least traditionally. So what you do is click the bottom of the screen and drag up to reveal the Windows Metro screen. Which looks like this:

But wait! This is not the Windows we are familiar with. That is right, like Canonical and the Gnome Team, Microsoft decided to make dramatic changed to its UI. Strongly hinted off the AOL homescreen from the late 90's. This screen has created a negative stigma in its first appearance back in the Windows 8 Release Candidate. You must be scratching your heads right now wondering what happened to Windows Aero (the desktop UI used in Vista and 7) and my answer is that it's still there, just hidden. You need to find a box labeled desktop scrambled through out the tab boxes in Metro. Once you do, Windows 8 will literally flip around from left to right to reveal the traditional desktop, but with no start menu. This is because Microsoft is trying to encourage for the end users to use Metro more. Here is a screenshot:

Like a tablet, Windows 8 has the traditional programs as well as an App Store now. Apps can simply be installed by a click of a button. To go to settings you go to the hot corner at the top right to reveal them all. To go to open apps as well as desktop, go to the top right to reveal. To exit an app, hold down on the bottom of the screen and lift up with your mouse like the login screen then it will minimize and just drag to the bottom.

Problems I have with Windows 8 Pro.

1. Pay 80 bucks more for extra codecs and Media player (total being $199)

2. Having to switch back and forth between Metro and Aero can be a pain

3. Some key features of Aero removed

4. Hibernation Mode causes Windows to "lock itself out" when in another partition.

5. Sign in issues with some apps.

usability: 3/5
eyecandy: 5/5
stability: 3/5
ease of use: 2/5
vulnerability: 2/5

Score: 3/5 AVERAGE

Ubuntu Linux 13.04

For those of you who haven't heard Ubuntu is an operating system created by Canonical. A company that specializes in the open source operating system known as Linux/GNU. Ubuntu since its 10.10 release has introduced a new interface similar to Mac OSX called Unity. At first it has received bad reception, but people started growing onto it and liking it over time as it added new features over the years. Currently now what I am running on my second partition is Ubuntu 13.04 Beta (the month before it is released.) , so far I can tell you it is mostly stable with some bugs to iron out. They key features of Unity are its Unity Dash, The Hud and the new shutdown UI shown in the picture below:

Hud allows quick console commands without opening terminal or looking for stuff. for example, if an application wishes not to respond all you have to do is double click the alt key to bring up Hud and type in xkill and hit enter. then click on the non-responding application and it will kill the process. Thew new login screen only has subtle changes, although if you haven't tried 12.10, you probably missed out on Remote Login then. It's a nice feature that should have been free on Windows 8. The UI uses a Dash Icon as the Launch icon. It lets you see all your apps, documents, pictures, social feeds, music and videos. This is what is looks like:

You can also download and make purchases through Dash with a few clicks.
The most surprising hidden feature I found out was the improved MTP support. MTP is a protocol that allows devices to connect to your PC, and so far has only worked with Windows without any problems. Before the upgrade, I could not even connect my tablet to Ubuntu, but now I can with ease. One last thing I would like to say is that although you have the choice to buy extra media codecs in Ubuntu, its best to go the geek route and install them yourself for free. So far it is a solid OS, considering its in beta still.

Problems I have with Ubuntu 13.04

1. Very few games and applications vs. Windows

2.bug issues and crashes

3. Some applications freeze up randomly

usability: 4/5
eyecandy: 4/5
stability: 4/5
ease of use: 3/5
vulnerability: 5/5

Score: 4/5 ABOVE AVERAGE

Bottom Line, Ubuntu may not be perfect but in my opinion I still prefer it over Windows. Perhaps Windows biggest downfall is that is puts price tags on things that should be free like remote desktop and extra media codecs. Ubuntu offers them for free. It will be a long time before either operating system reaches perfection, but it's clear in my mind what might stand a chance. But it's all the according to the reader's opinion. 

Microsoft is losing their "touch"

      Having looked back at the last ten years, computers have always been about process power and speed. Then Asus came out with the EeePC. These "tiny" laptops known as netbooks had way less power and processing speed. And sooner then later they didn't phase much of the Audience. Fast forward to 2010. Google announces the Ipad and puts it on the market. Everything started to shift. Once Google made this choice for a lighter alternative to a laptop/desktop. Almost everyone thought ahead and contributed towards smaller lighter and faster operating systems meant for netbooks and tablet PC's. Everyone, except Microsoft.

       Call it tradition, call it lack of hindsight, but the fact remains Microsoft has not yet announced an alternative towards computers with lighter processing power. Google came out with Android OS and soon it will release Chrome OS this year. Their are many linux netbook variants that are built for the web, and Apple has the iOS for their iPads. They have announced however that they will be using Windows XP and Windows 7 for netbooks and Tablet PC's. Is this a smart choice to gain the upper-hand? Probably not.

      Windows isn't really built for netbooks and Tablet PC's. If anything it WILL work, but it would be slow in comparison with Google and Apple's alternatives. In order to survive the changing market with this new "techno craze", Microsoft needs to rethink their operating systems. Sure, Windows 7 is based off Windows CE, but even CE wasn't made with web ready devices in mind. Remember, this was a time BEFORE Tablet PC's became common and netbooks were abundant. Perhaps come out with a Zune OS built for Netbooks and Tablet PC's.

      I doubt it Microsoft will act soon. In fact, When questioned by interviewers at CES 2011 if they would contribute in the new market, Microsoft claimed it will have its own Tablet PC....by 2014....MAYBE. Till then, all we can do is watch Microsoft eating Everyone else's dirt.
  

The future of the Internet and Television

       For the last several years, people have been talking of a craze that appears like it will never die out. This extravagant form of entertainment has been around before, but hasn't captured much of an audience till now. I am talking of course of 3D Television.

      This is however not about 3D television. Although by hindsight, it would appear that 3D TV would indeed be the future, this is just a fallacy created by the media and is nothing more then a popular "trend". The true innovation of the future for television may lie towards something rather new and rather more common. I am of course talking of the Internet. The Internet is nothing really new, although compared to television, it might as well be fastest growing medium ever created. What the Internet is, is a series of protocols (or rules) set by home computers and servers, so they can all communicate with one another. 

   

    So what does the Internet have to do with television? In the past no one has considered integration of the two, but with social sites like Facebook and Twitter, it appears that the Internet could be killing Television! This said, how can TV survive in a world where it is so limited towards communication? The answer lies with Smart TV's. Just like Smart phones, laptops and game consoles, Smart TV's will be integrated with the Internet. This will allow not only the viewing pleasure of your favorite show, but also the ability to "tweet" it towards your friends. The limitations won't stop there. With Television going on the web, you can watch your favorite sports shows while looking at sports statistics without switching between your laptop and TV. On Demand Movies will be easier with services like Netflix. 

     The main reason that 3D TV is not going to survive the next decade of the 21st century lies with trends. Before 3D Television, The biggest unconventional viewing pleasure was drive-in theaters. And we all know how that turned out! The way how I and many see 3D movies is that its something cool and exciting and "IN". The reason 3D movies died down in the past around the late 80's was because people got bored. Why? 3D has limitations and it doesn't give back. It just "enhances" the viewing pleasure, but it doesn't improve productivity in any way. That said, the other big let down is price.

      Most 3D TV's cost more then the average HD TV. Add the prices of 3D glasses (which around $120 a pop), Investing into a 3D Television Set may not seem wise with the Economy. If you have a family of four, your asking for about 500-600 dollars just for glasses. The same plastic glasses you get in theaters. For a hundred dollars less, you can get a Google TV box or Tivo!

      Its too late to make this seem short, so I'll cut to the chase:  3D TV does not create productivity. 3D is just another way to view. Smart TV's however allow integration with the web.  Which makes "you" the viewer capable to give feedback from your TV. That all in consideration, I hope I shed some light on the situation.