Yes, after being controversially ditched for Windows 8, the iconic “start” button will return for Windows 10.
Microsoft ditched the start menu in favour of tiles for Windows 8 in the hope it would encourage the use of touchscreen devices such as phones and tablets.
However, now the company hopes that restoring the start menu will provide users with a sense of familiarity with Windows 10, something that was sorely lacking from its predecessor. The tiles have not been ditched.
When is the release date for Windows 10?
Microsoft's latest operating system will be released to testers in the final week of January 2015 and hit Windows Phones in February.
The full Windows 10 will launch "later in the year" according to the company.
How much will Windows 10 cost?
Windows 10 will be free for a year for users of the previous operating systems Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1. The price for new users and after the year has yet to be confirmed
What is Microsoft HoloLens?
It is a new wireless holographic headset that will overlap holograms into a user’s vision of their environment. It will run the new Windows 10 independent of a smartphone or computer. Users can create their own holograms within the company’s HoloStudio and 3D print the finished result. Satya Nadella, the boss of Microsoft, said at the launch event on Wednesday: "These are the kinds of magical moments we live for."
What is the price of the Microsoft HoloLens headset?
Microsoft has declined to say how much the HoloLens will cost and when it will be released, saying only that it will be ready for the launch of Windows 10.
What is the specifications of the Microsoft Surface Hub?
The new device is effectively a digital whiteboard for businesses. It has an 84-inch 4K display, with dual cameras. If you pick up a pen and it automatically wakes up.
Does Windows 10 have Internet Explorer?
No, it has Spartan, the codename for Microsoft's first new browser in 19 years. It will include Microsoft’s personal assistant tool Cortana – which is already on Windows Phone – which will pop-up with notifications and act as a search tool. Spartan also allows users to annotate webpages or save them to read later.
Is there a start menu on Windows 10?
Yes, after being controversially ditched for Windows 8, the iconic “start” button will return for Windows 10.
Microsoft ditched the start menu in favour of tiles for Windows 8 in the hope it would encourage the use of touchscreen devices such as phones and tablets.
However, now the company hopes that restoring the start menu will provide users with a sense of familiarity with Windows 10, something that was sorely lacking from its predecessor. The tiles have not been ditched, however, when the start menu is opened, half of it will be dedicated to tiles. The start menu will also be fully customisable for those who want to switch between a classic and modern feel.
Why is it not called Windows 9?
Given that Microsoft’s last operating system was called Windows 8, in line with the number of operating systems built by the company, the new name is out of sync.
Microsoft has said it called the new operating system Windows 10 to highlight the leap from Windows 8 and that it was “not building an incremental product”. Other names that were consider are thought to include Windows One.
Less than 10pc of the world’s PCs run on Windows 8, compared to one in five for Windows XP, so it is no surprise that Microsoft wants Windows 10 to represent a clean break.
Satya Nadella hinted at the difficulties faced in the past in an optimistic closing statement on Wednesday, saying: "We want to move from people needing Windows, to choosing Windows, to loving Windows."
How will Windows 10 affect apps/phone/tablets?
This is where Microsoft hopes Windows 10 will really make its mark. The operating system will run across desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and many other devices.
So far, only the desktop version has really been seen, but Windows 10 will seek to offer a single platform for all Microsoft products, from phones to the Xbox, as well as tablets and PCs. There will be a single store to buy software from, with developers only needing to write it once for all devices. Windows 10 could enable users to manage devices and appliances across their home
What is Continuum?
The Continuum feature is one of the new additions to the operating system and will automatically switch between a PC and tablet mode depending on how it is being used. For example, if a tablet is perched on a portable keyboard then it will behave like a PC.