Windows 10 January Build is now available for download

On January 21, Microsoft unveiled the  Windows 10  platform worldwide and also announced that the new build would be available within a week, though not equipped with all features. The company has stuck to their word and  the build is now available for download.

According to the  blog by Windows , in order to gain access to the preview builds, you have to join the  Windows Insider  programme, which is free of cost. The blog added that they are pushing out the Build 9926 out widely, flighting simultaneously to both ‘Fast’ and ‘Slow’ rings as well as available on ISOs.

Just as before, the update will come to users automatically via the Windows Update. But those who do not wish to wait for it to download, can go to PC Settings > Update and Recovery > Preview Builds and select Check Now. 

For  the first time ever , Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 users. Windows 10 will ensure that desktops, mobiles, laptops, tablets, 2-in-1 devices will all run the same Windows 10 OS, which will be optimised based on the platform.

In other features, the Start Menu is now available in full screen instead of the limited in Windows 8.1. The Action Centre has quick buttons to switch Wi-fi and Bluetooth on or off. There is a new Notification Centre and notifications in these will be synced across devices. The Control Panel and Settings menu have been merged into a single folder. Also when using a 2-in-1, when you go from a desktop mode to a tablet mode, users will be prompted if they want to switch to tablet mode.

Microsoft has also brought its personal  voice-assistant Cortana  to all Windows 10 devices, including desktops and laptops. Cortana now supports 7 languages and can speak in impersonations as well.

Outlook will come with an in-built Word engine which provides the Office ribbon and allows multiple ways of formatting Office documents. The calendar app will also be synced across devices and will sport a consistent design as well. There’s also a new Photo App gallery, which seems to have been inspired by Google+.

The new  Project Spartan  browser added will allow users to annotate a webpage using a stylus or touch interface, click on any section of a webpage to type out a comment and then share this page with friends or co-workers.