Once Microsoft’s new OS launches on July 29 you’ll be able to upgrade an existing Windows 7 or 8.x install through Windows Update. If you haven’t reserved the OS yet, and the Get Windows 10 app isn’t showing in the system tray, follow the instructions here.

But what if you want to install the OS from scratch, or have an older version of Windows, such as XP? Although Microsoft hasn’t confirmed it as such, it’s expected the software giant will be releasing ISO files of Windows 10 for this very purpose, and the good news is it looks like you won’t need a product key to install and try out the OS.

Despite being able to communicate with friends, family, and co-workers in myriad different ways, email remains incredibly popular. However, if you just want to send a quick message, ask a question, or fire off a reply, it’s often not as speedy or convenient as text messaging.

Send, from Microsoft Garage, is a new app that makes sending quick emails as easy as texting, without the need for a subject line, greeting, or signature.

Microsoft has revealed its financial results for Q4 FY 2015, posting its biggest-ever loss thanks to a $7.5 billion write-off related to the acquisition of Nokia's Devices & Services business. In the second quarter of the year, Microsoft's revenue was $22.2 billion, while gross margin, operating loss and loss per share came in at $14.7 billion, $2.1 billion and $0.40 per share.

Microsoft has also revealed a $780 million "restructuring charge" as well as a $160 million write-off that is related to its previous restructuring plan. However, both are basically chump change in comparison to the damage that buying Devices & Services has caused. Deciding to make its own Windows smartphones looks to be a huge mistake for Microsoft. There is, however, some good news too.

It's final countdown! Baba ba baaa, baba baba baaaaa! (</Europe mode>) The July 29 launch of Windows 10 draws ever closer, and Microsoft continues to release videos highlighting what's new in a bid to entice people in. The latest installments cover Cortana and Microsoft Edge.

We've already seen a couple of videos from the Microsoft stables, firstly pointing out that the operating system is familiar, and then indicating that it is a new breed for a new generation. Now the company is choosing to focus on what is new -- Windows 10's digital assistant, and the new web browser. Are these enough to convince you?

In some ways it only seems like five minutes since the appearance of Windows 8. But at the same time, it feels as though Windows 10 has been a long time coming. While Microsoft has been talking about the upgrade for quite some time, it has only been in recent months that there has been any sense of progress having been made.

Early builds of Windows 10 were a little lacklustre, and even later builds failed to inspire the levels of excitement that Microsoft would undoubtedly want them to do. Any new version of Windows is met with a combination of trepidation, eagerness, and disappointment, and Windows 10 is no different. It's very easy to say that it is impossible to please everyone, but it's certainly fair to say that Windows 10 has proved particularly divisive. Now, as we edge ever closer to launch, the time comes to ask -- what has Microsoft done right, and what is still wrong?

Microsoft has released an off-schedule patch for all currently supported versions of Windows. A serious vulnerability has been discovered in a font driver that could be exploited by a hacker to remotely execute code on a compromised machine.

The problem affects Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows RT, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012. Windows 10 is not at risk. Microsoft describes the issue as 'critical' and has pushed an emergency patch to Windows Update.

Microsoft Office is the best office suite on the planet. Nothing annoys me more than when someone suggests that LibreOffice is a comparable solution. If you are a home user, sure, you can get by with a limited word processor and spreadsheet offering. If you are a business owner, however, you are crazy to use anything other than Microsoft Office.

Today, GE -- one of the world's most respected companies -- announces that it chose Microsoft Office 365 for its 300,000+ employees. Not only is GE's decision very wise, but it is a huge win for Microsoft too.

Microsoft really is going all-out with its Windows 10 campaigning in the week and a half before launch. The latest carrot to dangle tantalizingly in front of would-be upgraders is the news that Cortana, Microsoft's digital assistant, is spreading into new markets. When Windows 10 launches on July 29, Cortana will be available in the US, UK, China, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain.

Today, Microsoft says that the tool will be made available to Windows Insiders in Japan, Australia, Canada (English), and India in the coming months. Cortana will continue to spread around the world launching in Brazil, Mexico, and Canada (French) by the end of the year. If you were wondering, there's a very good reason that Cortana is not available everywhere from day one.

Microsoft is rumored to be working on two Windows 10 Mobile flagships, that would serve as replacements for the aging, Nokia-made, Lumia 930 and Lumia 1520. On paper, both look great, with specs that match those of high-end Android smartphones. And Windows 10 Mobile is not too shabby either, featuring lots of improvements over its predecessor. As someone who is frequently shopping in this segment, I should consider at least one of them as my next smartphone. However, going down this road again feels like a huge mistake.

After taking everything into account, the cons clearly outweigh the pros. It does not help that I currently use an iPhone 6 Plus, which constantly reminds me why I am not longer rocking a Windows Phone flagship as my daily driver. There is a whole host of reasons why I do not plan to buy a Lumia flagship in the foreseeable future, and here are the most important.

Over on the Skype community pages there are lots of disgruntled Skype users. For a number of weeks now, many users have been plagued with spoof messages from people on their contact list, telling them to visit a Russian website. Others complain that their contacts say their own account has sent out a similar message. Despite the problem having been reported nearly a month ago, Microsoft has still to address the issue.

For now, all the company has to say is "change your password", insisting that a team is working on the issue. The spoofed message includes a shortened URL, so those clicking it have no idea where it leads until it is too late. Rather than offering a full solution, all Microsoft has to suggest is to change Skype passwords -- it seems the company is too busy focusing on Windows 10 at the moment.

The countdown to launch really has begun. Microsoft is now pushing Windows 10 with earnest, launching an ad campaign that heralds the arrival of a 'new generation' of Windows. For many, the launch of the latest version of the operating system is something of a rebirth for Microsoft, and this is an idea that is played upon in a child-heavy advert.

This is the launch of Microsoft's global ad campaign which kicks off in the US now, and spreads around the world on July 29. The first installment is heavy on cuteness and works with the idea that Windows 10 is simple enough for a child to use, and will grow up with this generation.

With just ten days to go to the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft has released a video highlighting reasons to upgrade. Entitled '10 Reasons to Upgrade to Windows 10: IT’S FAMILIAR' (Microsoft's caps), the video is a mere 46 seconds long.

Rather than waxing lyrical about super-exciting features, the video focuses on the fact that anyone moving from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 is going to feel at home. 'Familiar' is a word that crops up again and again. Microsoft wants you to feel that Windows 10 is a comfortable old pair of slippers ready for you to slip into.

Windows 10 has not even been released yet, but that's a perfect reason to start unearthing a few secrets. Over the coming weeks and months there will undoubtedly be an endless stream of tips, tricks, and tweaks to try out, but how's this for starters? Windows 10 has a secret screen recording tool that can be used to capture on-screen activity as a video file.

Taking a static screenshot is very simple. You can either hit the Print Screen key, use the Snipping Tool, or turn to one of the countless screen capture tools out there -- many of which are free. When it comes to capturing video, however, it's something of a different story. Before you splash out on a dedicated tool such as Camtasia, you might want to try out Windows 10's hidden tool. It's designed for gamers really, but anyone can use it.

Running out of space and having to shift files and apps to a memory card is a familiar scenario for smartphone users. It's also something that affects tablets, and with the imminent release of Windows 10 talk has turned to how Microsoft's latest operating system with handle things.

The company had previously said that, just like Windows Phone, it will be possible to install apps to an SD card on tablets which have limited space. That said, this is a feature that will be missing from Windows 10 when it launches in eleven days. Microsoft has taken a last minute decision to delay the feature as it's not quite finished.

As 4G LTE network starts to gain traction in India, Microsoft is looking to make the most out of it. The company announces today that it is pushing out a firmware update to select existing Windows Phone handsets in the country to enable 4G connectivity option in them.

The handsets that are eligible to get the update are as follows: the Lumia 1520, the Lumia 1320, the Lumia 1020, the Lumia 930, the Lumia 925, the Lumia 920, the Lumia 830, and the Lumia 625. A Microsoft spokesperson tells me that these handsets always had the 4G radio in them, but back at the time of their launch -- due to the unavailability of LTE networks -- the company had disabled this connectivity option.