Why Windows 10? Shouldn't there be a Windows 9?
Microsoft has a reason for skipping over No. 9. "Windows 10 carries Windows forward into a new way of doing things. It is not an incremental change, but a new Windows that will empower the next billion users," a company spokesperson told ABC News.
This keynote is going to be two hours. Then a break, then demos.
Terry Myerson, EVP of Operating Systems is now on stage kicking off the event. We got a sneak peek at Windows 10 last year but there's plenty more to learn today about new experiences.
Myerson says Microsoft's "device family" will be expanding today. Stay tuned!
Windows 10 has been installed more than 3 million times by Microsoft insiders who have tested it and have shared more than 800,000 pieces of feedback.
At least 1.5 billion people in the world use windows, according to Microsoft.
Myerson outlines three key points:
Mobility of experience. You should be able to use the technology on whatever device you want.
The second area Microsoft has worked on innovating is trust. "You are our customer, not our product."
Lastly, natural interaction such as voice and gesture control can be integrated.
Terry: The question, "What version are you running?" becomes not a thing. Windows is a service. Users will always be up to date
Windows 10 is a free upgrade for all Windows 7 and 8 users for the first year.
"Today really is a monumental day for Windows," Myerson said. "Windows 10 is so much more than the latest version of Windows."
If you're having problems with the Microsoft live stream, you're not the only one. Many people are reporting on Twitter that coverage has been a been spotty. Stay with us for updates so you don't miss any of the big announcements.
Alex Kipman just announced "Windows Holographic," which blends your digital world and your real world. We're about to find out more about what that means.
Windows Holographic seems to require some fancy goggles. This demo video is cool -- Explore Mars, hold workplace meetings with holograms.
Imagine an engineer seeing instructions as they work, a surgeon learning a procedure virtually, turn your living room into a "surreal" gaming environment. "Holograms can become part of our everyday life."
I suppose this means with "Windows Holographic" you might be able to get personal concert experiences from some of your favorite performers. Hologram Michael Jackson, anyone?
Microsoft wants to attract Oculus, Google Glass, other developers to create for Windows 10.
Now we know what those goggles are called: Microsoft HoloLens. The eyewear has see-through, high-def lenses, spatial sounds so you can even hear holograms when they're behind you.
"It was science fiction and now we are bringing it into science fact," a developer said in a video.
Your digital and physical lives are now blended with HoloLens. While the technology is cool, will people actually want to put on the futuristic goggles?
The HoloStudio can project images in front of the wearer as they're building something. For this demo, they're building a quad copter. Pieces move and change with verbal controls and gestures.
We're 15 minutes away before the start of Microsoft's big event. We'll be live blogging the latest on Windows 10 and any other surprises Microsoft has in store, along with our partners at Yahoo , so stay with us.
Quick update before this event officially gets going. I (Rafe) am at Microsoft at the event and will cover what I can see from here. Other team members will be providing additional analysis and commentary, and helping manage the community (that would be y'all) for questions and comments.
