Continuum is a new feature from Microsoft that effectively delivers context awareness to hybrid tablets, such as the Microsoft Surface or lenovo
yoga.
When docked or undocked from a keyboard, a pop-up will appear asking
if the user wants to switch to or exit the full-screen “tablet mode”.
This, once again, seems to be a response to criticism arising from Windows 8, where users complained the interface seemed more optimised
for touch and was difficult to navigate using a keyboard and mouse.
Continuum only became available to Windows Insiders on 20 May, and
even then only to those on the Fast Ring
5. Windows 10 Store and Universal Apps
The Windows 10 Store has been available to Windows Insiders since 24
July and is expected to go live to the wider public on 29 July, at the same
time as the new OS launches.
An integral part of the Windows 10 Store is Universal Apps. As the name
would suggest, these are apps that work across all devices from the smallest Windows 10 compatible phone to the gigantic Surface Hub.
The idea of Universal Apps is designed to appeal to both developers and
consumers. For developers, it provides a single platform on which to create their app once and deploy it across multiple platforms.
From a user standpoint, it means a smoother experience across all devices and, as everything is managed in the cloud, the app will be up to date
no matter which device it is being used on, Microsoft has claimed. Additionally, users only have to buy the app once for it to work on all devices,
rather than one for the phone and one for the PC.
So far, the only universal apps seen in action have been from the Microsoft
Office suite. Joe Belfiore, corporate VP of Microsoft’s Operating Systems
Group, showed off the capabilities of PowerPoint and Word at Microsoft’s Windows 10: The Next Chapter event in January, where they were
demonstrated running with a touch-optimised interface on a Microsoft
Lumia smartphone.
7. Windows 10 HoloLens and Holographic
This has not happened yet, but in the meantime it has been announced that
Windows 10 will offer native support for two VR heardsets - Oculus Rift
from Facebook and Vive from Valve - as well as Valve’s Steam VR libraries.
Solid details on how this will work have been scant, and it is not quite Kipman’s vision of dozens of holographic computers, but it does show there is
interest in Windows 10’s AR and VR capabilities from big-name third-party
suppliers.
While HoloLens itself has been pitched at least in part as an entertainment
device, it also has practical business uses, particularly for those working
within the fields of design, engineering and construction.
Specialist software maker Autodesk is one of several companies that have
already announced support for the technology, saying its Maya 3D animation
and Fusion 360 3D CAD/CAM software suites will both support HoloLens
out of the gate.
Windows Insiders have had the opportunity to download and experience
the full suite, though, including Outlook, which now includes side-swiping
to delete or flag messages, or mark them as unread.
Microsoft’s ambitions for universal apps do not stop with Windows 10,
though.
At Mobile World Congress 2015, Stephen Elop, who was then executive
VP of Microsoft’s Devices and Services division, told delegates: “It is our
hope that our cross-platform initiatives deliver not only across our platforms, but those of others.”
Additionally, while not falling within the universal apps bracket, Microsoft
announced de