Windows 10 Is Here — Technically
You now can download Windows 10, Microsoft’s new unified operating system for PCs, phones and tablets in a technical preview form. As many people disliked Windows 8, Microsoft skipped over a version 9 and went straight to 10. If you’re feeling adventurous, I would download it now!
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Actually, before you do that, you’ll need to become a member of the Windows Insider community. Once you join, you’ll have an active role in helping Microsoft build Windows 10 and be among the first to see new stuff. Obviously, what you see in today’s Windows 10 Technical Preview is far from what it fully will become, but at least you have the chance to be a part of its evolution.
The fully functioning Windows 10 will hit the streets in 2015.
At first glance, the Start Menu is the most prominent addition. It acts in a similar manner to Windows 7 (and previous versions). This Start Menu is modernized, customizable and you can resize it while pinning apps to it. You also can have it match the color of your wallpaper (hints of Windows 8).
Additionally, a new Task View button sits on the Taskbar. It reminds me of Apple’s OS X Expose multitasking view. From this Task View, multiple desktops are available and you can switch among them easily to manage multiple apps. It’s obvious here that Microsoft borrowed some elements from Linux (OS X). The productivity-focused snap views were added into Task View, and you can snap apps in there as you do in Windows 7 or 8, plus apps can be snapped alongside each other or intricately windowed.
Since this isn’t a final build yet, there are subtle hints that the interface will be revamped even more. For example, there are drop shadows around apps, a new bar on the taskbar that indicates what apps are active, and new icons for File Explorer and Desktop. There’s also an ability to run universal modern apps in windows on the desktop. You even can snap them together, and they resize well to make them more usable for mouse and keyboard users.
Windows 10 is bare bones, but now is a good opportunity to download it and give your feedback to Microsoft.
Radiation-Free Sounds with Echo TubeZ
Another product I found at the recent Super Mobility Week show was Echo TubeZ Airtube Radiation Free Headset. This innovative stereo headphone, based on SAAT (Stereo Acoustic Air Tube) technology conducts the sound from your music or cell phone conversations through a hollow air tube without metal wires, and claims to reduce the electromagnetic radiation reaching your head by up to 98 percent.
I tested it on the flight home and it sounded just as good as my usual headphones, if not better. It comes with different earbuds, and I used the smallest size so it would fit into my ear more like earplugs. The sound came through perfectly, and the cords don’t get tangled, as other earphones do. Echo TubeZ comes in a variety of colors and sells for $49, and actually there’s a Facebook special now: Buy one, get one free at facebook.com/EcoTubeZ.
clickchick@outlook.com
