Top 5 New Windows 10 Features

Windows 10 won't be launching for quite a while but we already know a lot about Microsoft's upcoming OS. From Xbox for Windows and Cortana for desktop to a resurrected Start Menu and new multitasking tools, the new platform will offer a bevy of new features. These are the 10 best.

t's what Windows 8 detractors have been clamoring for, and Microsoft has finally brought back the Start Menu. Now, when you click on the Start button at the bottom left of the screen, you get two panels side by side, with the left column showing pinned, recently and most-used apps.

You also get a power button at the top for options such as Hibernate, Standby and Shutdown, and an all apps option a la Windows 8. The right column features a selection of live tiles that you can customize, resize and reorganize. Not only that, but the search field at the bottom will look up related Internet results in addition to programs and files (as it did on Windows 7).

Even better, you can have the Start Menu expand to full screen whenever you want, eliminating the need for a Modern UI Start Screen.

2. Xbox App

You will soon be able to play any Xbox One game on your PC or tablet, with the Xbox app for Windows 10. The new operating system will support Xbox game streaming (through your home network), with improved speed and graphics performance thanks to Direct X 12 support. The app also lets you record, edit and share your fagging victories with the Game DVR feature, which lets you grab the previous 30 seconds of your game so you don't miss unexpected wins. You'll also be able to join your friends in games across Windows 10 or the Xbox platforms, and see your friends' activity via Xbox Live

3. Improved Multitasking

A new Multiple Desktops feature lets you run another set of windows as if on another screen, but without the physical monitor. This is similar to Apple's Spaces feature on OS X, and helps you manage your multitude of open windows and apps. Instead of having multiple windows open on top of each other on one desktop, you can set up a whole other virtual desktop for those programs to reside in. Set up one specifically for home and leave your apps such as Netflix and Amazon open, and create another desktop for work on which you keep Word, Excel and Internet Explorer open.

With the new desktops comes a new way to keep track of your open apps on Windows 10. On the new operating system, you can either hit the new Task View button on the task bar or swipe in from the left edge of the screen to pull up a one-page view of all your open apps and files. It's not much different from using the Alt-Tab combination shortcut on your keyboard, but this presents a convenient way for touch-oriented users to get an overview of what's running.

Microsoft also updated its Snap View multitasking feature to let you dock windows to the four corners of your screen. While you could split your display between apps before, the number of programs you could have side-by-side was limited by your device's screen resolution. The system will even suggest what other open apps you can use to fill up available space, a feature called Snap Assist.

4. Universal Apps

To make the transition across devices more seamless, Microsoft is introducing a new category of software called Universal Apps, which use the same code but adapt their interface to the device in your hand. The company is also bundling its own set of Universal apps with the OS, including Photos, Videos, Music, Maps, People & Messaging and Mail & Calendar, which all function the same way on tablets, phones and PCs. The content is stored and synced via Microsoft's cloud service One-drive so you can pick up where you left off on another device.

Some of these apps, such as Photos, are brand new. Photos will pull your images across your PC and mobile devices and organize, enhance and sync them through One Drive. The system even detects duplicates and stores just one copy of the same image, and can automatically create good-looking albums for you. The Mail app has also been overhauled and will now be a version of Outlook, complete with an editor based on Microsoft Word.

5. Unified Settings / Control Panel

Instead of having two apps to control your device settings in Control Panel and PC Settings, Microsoft is making things less confusing by bringing them together in one. You'll be able to manage your device from one place instead of hunting for a specific menu.

We expect more features to be announced as Microsoft gets closer to publicly releasing Windows 10, so stay tuned for more info.