Windows

Windows 10 is a free upgrade for all Windows 7 and 8.1 users

21 January 2015 7:25 PM

Windows 10 will be free

Windows 10 is a free upgrade for all Windows 7 and 8.1 users.


Wondering how much Windows 10 will set you back? In most cases, more or less nothing. Microsoft has announced that the new operating system will be a free upgrade in the first year for everyone using Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows Phone 8.1. The company sees Windows as a service rather than a product, Terry Myerson explains.

Microsoft is partly following in Apple’s footsteps (OS X upgrades have been free since Mavericks), but can you really complain about getting a big update for free?

Joe Belfiore demonstrated Cortana, which Microsoft announced it has added to the PC

Joe Belfiore demonstrated Cortana, which Microsoft announced it has added to the PC.


Windows 10 brings the same operating system to devices of all sizes, rather than having different ones for PCs/tablets, mobile phones and the firm’s Xbox games console.

One of the features highlighted at the presentation was how Cortana – the voice-controlled digital assistant previously limited to Windows Phone handsets – would now work on PCs.

Cross-device multiplayer gaming, Game DVR & more. The @Xbox experience is coming to #Windows10.

Cross-device multiplayer gaming, Game DVR & more. The @Xbox experience is coming to #Windows10.

Microsoft is currently live with Windows 10 Briefing: Watch the live event here.

Google releases Chrome Remote Desktop for iOS to access your computer from your iPhone/iPad

13 January 2015 9:45 PM
Google releases Chrome Remote Desktop for iOS

Google releases Chrome Remote Desktop for iOS

Google today released its Chrome Remote Desktop app for iOS after a release on Android devices last year [iTunes Link].

The app, available for both iPhone and iPad, allows users to remotely access their computer via the Chrome Remote Desktop app available in the Chrome Web Store.

To get things started, you’ll just have to download and run through a setup for the Chrome Remote Desktop app on your Mac or PC and then open the new Chrome Remote Desktop app for iOS to establish a connection:

On each of your computers, set up remote access using the Chrome Remote Desktop app from Chrome Web Store… On your iOS device, open the app and tap on any of your online computers to connect.

Google first released the app for Android devices in April of last year and before that had its Chrome Remote desktop app for remotely accessing Macs and PCs from other desktop computers.

The app is available now through the App Store for free and works for remotely accessing both PCs and Macs.

More update problems for the Windows Phone 7

30 April 2011 1:08 PM
More update problems for Windows Phone 7

Samsung Omnia 7 (Credit - Samsung)

It may be more of a stumble than a full-on trip, but Microsoft is having a bit more technical trouble with it’s Windows Phone 7 update.

Microsoft’s Michael Stroh, who writes for the Windows blog, acknowledged yesterday that the company stopped sending updates to Samsung Omnia 7 phones. Those are the same phones that were rendered useless, or “bricked,” when Microsoft started to roll out the so-called NoDo update in February.

“The team discovered a technical issue with the update package for this model.” Stroh wrote in a reply to questions posted on the Windows Phone blog. His reply was first reported by the WinRumors website.

Stroh said Microsoft is working to fix the problem. “The work of fixing and testing the package is nearly done, and the team hopes to resume update deliveries soon” Stroh wrote. “When I know more about the timing, I’ll pass it along.”

The update problems seem limited to the Samsung phones. According to Microsoft’s Where’s my phone update Web page, the company is delivering the update to most other Windows Phone 7 devices at this point.

The company really can’t afford any more missteps with the update. After the initial software push that bricked the Samsung phones, Microsoft pulled the update to fix some bugs.