You're not going to get a Windows 11 upgrade until next year
You've probably noticed that there has been an absolute glut of Windows 11 news in recent days. After Microsoft officially announced the upcoming version of its operating system, there has been excitement, analysis, disappointment, leaks, and much more.
And today, Microsoft has delivered some bad news. While Windows 11 is being released later this year, if you're currently running Windows 10, you're going to have to wait until 2022 to get your free upgrade.
Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro at a big discount now... and get Windows 11 free later
If you bought a computer with Windows 10 pre-installed, the chances are that it came with Windows 10 Home Edition. While this is fine for day-to-day stuff, it does -- fairly obviously -- lacks many of the feature of Windows 10 Pro.
Many people are drawn to the idea of Windows 10 Professional but are put off by one thing. Price. But what about it Windows 10 Pro was significantly cheaper? We have a special offer that means you could save 65 percent off the usual selling price -- and then you can get a free upgrade to Windows 11 later!
WhyNotWin11 is a better Windows 11 compatibility checker
There is huge interest in Windows 11, in particular finding out if a computer can be upgraded to the latest version of Windows when it is released in the coming months. Microsoft has released its own PC Health Check app that reveals whether a computer can run Windows 11, but it is not overly informative -- even though it has been updated to provide more information.
But PC Health Check is not the only tool for checking if you can upgrade to Windows 11 or not. Another option is WhyNotWin11, which helps you to determine if you hardware is up to the task, including checking what TPM version your system has.
Windows 11 is borrowing ideas from PowerToys
If you're a fan of utilities, you've very probably installed PowerToys for Windows 10. Long an essential software collection for older versions of the operating system, Microsoft gave the beloved tools a reboot for Windows 10 a couple of years ago, and it has gained an enthusiastic following.
And this is not surprising; the utility collection includes some incredible tools, and there's the promise of more great additions in the future. But it's not just us users who think PowerToys is great, the developers behind Windows 11 also appear to be fans. So much so that they decided to steal a few ideas from PowerToys and integrate them into Windows 11.
Microsoft updates PC Health Check app so you'll know why you can't upgrade to Windows 11
Since Microsoft officially announced Windows 11 earlier this week, there has been a huge amount of interest from people eager to find out whether their computer is capable of running the operating system. The TPM (Trusted Platform Modules) requirement in particular has caused much confusion.
Microsoft released the Windows PC Health Check tool to allow people to check to see if their computer is compatible with Windows 11. While it is fair to say that it did indeed let reveal whether a system Windows 11 compatible or not, it did not give much more than a "yes" or "no". Now the tool has been updated to provide more helpful information, so if your computer fails the Window 11 compatibility test, you will know why.
Windows 11 is only getting one major update each year
With Windows 10, Microsoft has been releasing two "feature updates" per year -- but with Windows 11, this release schedule is changing.In a move that will be welcomed by system administrators around the world, Microsoft will only be pushing out one big update per year.
While some people will mourn the loss of twice-yearly additions to the operating system, it will make life much easier for anyone managing large numbers of computers who is concerned about down time and problems. But this is not the only news about Windows 11's updates.
Windows 11's Android app support is not as disappointing as you might think
Microsoft has officially announced Windows 11, the dust has settled, and the excitement has died down a little. Now it's time to look at what we know is going to be included in the latest version of the operating system, rather than guessing and speculating as we have had to do up to now. And when we do this, there various reasons to be disappointed.
We always knew -- or at least suspected -- that Windows 11 was not going to be a major change from Windows 10. It has already been dismissed by some as being little more than a theme pack or service pack, but there are new features. One of the things that generated quite some interest is support for Android apps, but hearts then sank after learning that rather than Google Play, apps will need to come from the Amazon app store. But there is some great news...
What I'd like to see in the upcoming Sling app
I’ve mentioned before that I replaced my satellite service with Sling about six years ago. Since then it’s added a cloud DVR and recently upped the capacity of that to what I consider to finally be a reasonable amount of storage space. It’s also added quite a few more channels in that time. There have been app updates as well, some welcome and some not so much.
Now the service teases another update coming soon. A box popped up on my screen the other day announcing the change and promising an improved TV experience "soon".
Has your PC failed the Windows 11 upgrade check? This may help you make it compatible (for free)
The big reveal has been made: Windows 11 is coming later in the year, and it’ll be a free upgrade. So if you’ve been putting off the move to Windows 10, relax: you can buy or upgrade now, then upgrade again when the new OS becomes available.
Windows 11 offers more than a simple facelift over Windows 10 -- although at first glance you might think that many of the features announced yesterday amount to little more than windows dressing.
Mozilla launches new data sharing research platform
Data, as we know, has become a valuable commodity and that has thrown the privacy and transparency aspects of what information organizations hold about us into sharp relief.
Mozilla believes that we should have more control over our data and is launching a new platform to give people more choice over what data they share and with who, and allowing them to help with research projects.
Best Windows 10 apps this week
Four-hundred-forty-four in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Microsoft Store in the past seven days.
Microsoft unveiled Windows 11 this week. The next version of Windows will be released later this year, and it will include new features such as support for Android apps, performance improvements, usability improvements, and Teams integration.
Want to move the Windows 11 taskbar? Tough! You can't
The taskbar has been a feature of Windows for many years now, and it is almost as iconic as the Start button. Traditionally it is placed at the bottom of the screen, but there has always been the option to move it to the top or sides if preferred. Not so with Windows 11.
Although the majority of people leave the taskbar where it is, the prevalence of widescreen and ultra-widescreen monitors has meant that it makes more and more sense to move it to the side to make better use of space. With Windows 11, however, Microsoft has taken the decision to lock the taskbar in place at the bottom of the screen.
How to check if your PC can run Windows 11 right now
Following Microsoft's big event yesterday, PC users around the world are asking themselves "will my computer run Window 11?". Although many people have installed the leaked version of the operating system, most will be waiting for the official release later in the year.
Microsoft has already shared details of the minimum system requirements for Windows 11, but this is not information that everyone finds useful; many have been baffled by the TPM (Trusted Platform Modules) requirement, for instance. People are looking for a straight "yes" or "no" answer rather than having to check hardware specs. So, if you're wondering whether or not you need to buy a new PC to be able to enjoy everything that Windows 11 has to offer, here's how you can check right now using a special tool from Microsoft.
TEAMGROUP launches hardcore T-FORCE CARDEA Z44Q NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
If you have a cutting-edge PC with PCIe 4.0, you will probably want to get a compatible solid state drive to maximize your performance. True, PCIe 4.0 SSDs are largely for bragging rights and benchmarks -- you probably won't notice a difference in actual use -- but still, you might as well go for the best if the difference in price isn't totally obscene.
Today, TEAMGROUP unveils a new M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD. Called "T-FORCE CARDEA A440," this speedy gaming-focused SSD comes with interchangeable heatsinks -- a very unique cooling option. Essentially, you can opt for the giant aluminum heatsink if it fits in your computer, or the graphene heatsink if space is tight
Everything you need to know about Windows 11 in under 3 minutes
If you didn’t watch today's full Windows 11 reveal -- because you didn’t have the time, opportunity or inclination -- then you can catch up on what’s new here.
Of course, as they say, a picture paints a thousand words, and a video is even better when it comes to conveying information.
Most Commented Stories
© 1998-2024 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.