If you've been waiting to upgrade from Windows 7 or 8.1 to Windows 10, your delay is about to cost you money. Last year, Microsoft put forth its free Windows 10 Upgrade offer for customers on Windows 7 and 8.1 systems.
Over the last 12 months that offer has been taken up by literally a few hundred million people and now it is time to take a look at why those of you who have not jumped in yet should seriously consider grabbing that upgrade before it expires on 29 July 2016.
Let's get started looking at five of those reasons.
REASON #1: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY, MONEY
Free is free and not having to spend money for an operating system upgrade is a good deal.
If you wait to upgrade to Windows 10 after the 29th of July then it will cost you: $119 for a Windows Home upgrade or $199 for an upgrade to Windows 10 Pro.
REASON #2: SECURITY
Every new version of Windows is proclaimed as the most secure version of Windows ever, and of course Windows 10 has picked up that moniker as well over the last year. Here's why it can lay claim to "most secure version of Windows":
Windows Hello
Utilizing biometric methods such as facial or fingerprint recognition you can secure your computer system so that only you can log into it. These identity verification methods will also work with websites in Microsoft Edge and Windows Store apps to further make access to your personal and sensitive data more secure. Your facial and fingerprint data are encrypted and stored on your local device and not the cloud to keep them even more secure. You are required to establish a PIN when you setup Windows Hello just in case there is a failure or an inability to access the feature for some reason. That PIN will get you access into the operating system to remediate those facial or fingerprint recognition issues.
Windows Defender
This feature is built into Windows 10 and provides protection from and removal of viruses, malware and spyware. It protects your system at boot-time and provides real-time and cloud based protection when you're using the OS.
Limited Periodic Scanning will be available for consumers who use a third party anti-virus/malware solution instead of Windows Defender. When it is activated on your system, which you must opt into, it will scan your system and alert you to any threats that are discovered on your device. These scans will be done on a schedule that will minimize its impact on the user.
Automatic System Updates
I have worked on enough computers to see the negative impact that a lack of system updates can cause, and in Windows 10 Microsoft has decided to help save you from your lack of maintenance. It now makes system updates automatic to prevent those situations from happening.
Although many users do not like that they can not control these, it is resulting in a more secure environment for everyday users and that was Microsoft's ultimate goal.
I shared some firm proof of this working when I recommended Windows 10 as a way to help get a relatives computer under control earlier this year.
REASON #3: REGULAR UPDATES
Because Windows 10 is the first shift from annual service packs to the Windows as a Service (WaaS) model, so nearly every month, there will be a cumulative OS update to address security issues, bugs or to improve overall performance.
But the operating system isn't the only thing to benefit from WaaS. Since so much of Windows 10's functionality is now delivered through first party apps built by Microsoft, those apps can be updated at any time with new features or bug fixes.
These updates can also be scheduled to update automatically so you always have the latest version of the app ready to go.
REASON #4: GAMING
If you are a PC and Xbox gamer, then you will see more crossover between your two platforms including the ability to stream games from your Xbox console to one of your Windows 10 computers. Recently announced feature Xbox Play Anywhere allows you to purchase some gaming titles on one device and then play it on your other devices - without having to pay for the game again.
The Xbox App for Windows 10 allows you to interact with your Xbox Live Community and friends from any Windows 10 device including sharing achievements on social media, messaging with your Xbox Live Friends and tracking your latest achievements and game progress.
REASON #5: MICROSOFT EDGE
For Windows 10, Microsoft has built a brand new browser from scratch with the goal of providing the safest and best possible browsing experience.
It includes the ability to annotate directly on web pages using devices that support writing on the device with a stylus/pen, easy access to Cortana for searches and other tips while you browse and a special Reading View that will just let you focus on the page content and not all the distractions that are on so many webpages these days.
Microsoft Edge will soon gain extension support so that you can use browser extensions such as Adblock, Adblock Plus, LastPass, Amazon Assistant, Office Online and others to make your browsing experience even better.
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You can learn more about various features in Windows 10 by following all of our coverage here at Supersite: Windows.
But, wait...there's probably more so be sure to follow me on Twitter and Google+.
