We have now had Microsoft’s new operating system in the public arena for over a month now and it has been dubbed the fastest Windows roll out ever with 75 million confirmed upgrades/installs since launch.
Those of us who have been using Windows 10 since the Windows Insider Program launched last year have seen the progress of the OS over that time frame. In many ways it has made leaps and bounds past its predecessor Windows 8/8.1 with the addition of windowed apps, a fully configurable Start Menu/Screen and many other new features & performance enhancements.
It is also familiar to users upgrading from Windows 7 because the new Start Menu in Windows 10 inherits some of its layout and capabilities from the style of Start Menu which Windows 7 used.
Since its release on 29 July there have also been five cumulative updates issued to squash bugs, improve performance and tweak areas of the operating system.
The first big update for Windows 10 is expected later this year and is being called Threshold 2, TH2 for short, and is expected to deliver the first significant feature additions to Windows 10 along with a version of Microsoft Edge that is supposed to support browser extensions.
Next, in the spring and fall of 2016, is an update called Redstone and according to Mary Jo Foley these updates will deliver core Windows features.
I am sure all three updates will also be cumulative in nature, just like the five cumulative updates we have received for Windows 10 so far, which means no having to go backwards and install dozens of updates after a clean install.
However, not everything is perfect with the operating system so with updates in the development stages we wanted to come up with a list of five items that should be in Windows 10 at some point.
I conferred with my cohort Rod Trent and we have these five items for our combined wish list.
1. Optional Driver Updates
Currently driver updates are an all or nothing scenario in Windows Update on Windows 10. We did recently provided directions on how to stop all driver updates on the new OS but it should really be an option to select individual driver updates and not block them all. That means manual management and extra overhead for the user who needs to do this.
2. Windows Store Update Notifications in Action Center
I, like many of you, choose to perform manual checks of the Windows Store for app updates. Whatever your reason is for doing this manual check, those notifications for updated apps are only accessible inside the Windows Store app. These notifications should appear in the Action Center on Windows 10 or, if you have automatic app update turned on, then post app update notifications should appear in the Action Center as well. Since I am using an Android handset this is the same behavior I see from the Google Play store and it is very useful.
3. Live Tiles on the desktop
Yes, I mean just like the Gadgets we had on Windows Vista and Windows 7. Imagine having the weather tile updating right on your desktop without having to click the Start Menu to see any updates. Of course, a click on the tile would launch the application as well so you can look deeper into the details. This could work for any live tile that really takes advantage of the ability to provide real time info and make them one click away instead of going down to the Start Menu and then pulling up the Live Tiles you have pinned.
4. Improved Tablet Mode
The general consensus is that Tablet Mode in Windows 10 is subpar compared to what was possible in Windows 8/8.1.
Well, if Windows 10 is the best of Windows 7 and 8/8.1 then why not bring the tablet experience from Windows 8/8.1 and put it in Windows 10 alongside of the Start Menu from Windows 10?
While that is happening how about also bringing back the full screen All Apps listing when a Windows 10 device is in Tablet Mode too?
5. Better Cortana Integration
It is very possible that this is already a work in progress but Cortana needs to expand/continue to expand her repertoire for voice interaction with Windows 10 on the desktop. To really move this technology forward the experience needs to become as natural to use as our keyboards and mice are.
It is great that Cortana has told 500,000 jokes to users since the release of Windows 10 but her capabilities need to move further beyond the novelty experiences. There have been tremendous leaps forward but it is time to press harder.
How about you? What would you like to see come to Windows 10 and the technologies around the new OS?
