Four reasons why Windows 10 is better than Windows 8

As Microsft has already started rolling out it's much-talked about Windows 10, we bring you four reasons why the latest operating system is better than its predecessor Windows 8.

1. WINDOWS APPS OPEN AS WINDOWS: Apps for Windows 8 were designed to take up the full screen, just like tablets. Although you could split the screen, apps could be placed only side by side, not top to bottom, as you'd probably want when having email and streaming video open at once. Windows 10 restores resizing for all apps, touch or not. It sounds cosmetic, but it makes a big difference in fitting in with your workflow.
2. SINGLE START SCREEN: With Windows 8, the corner start button in desktop mode got you to a full-screen, graphical start page in tablet mode. You had to return to the desktop mode to run an older app, even though you were sent to tablet mode to launch it. With Windows 10, the start button functions the way it did with Windows 7 and earlier. The graphical start page from Windows 8 is embedded in that start button, so that it feels modern without making you chuck old habits. You can still get a full-screen start page, but it's not forced on you.
3. SINGLE BROWSER: Internet Explorer is gone, replaced by Edge. You get some functional improvements, such as a virtual marker to draw arrows or circle an entry on a Web page to share over email, Facebook and other means. Even better, you no longer have separate browsers for desktop and tablet modes. With Windows 8, when you opened a website in desktop mode, it didn't show up in tablet mode. You had to open it again. With Windows 10, it's a unified browser, so you pick up where you leave off if you switch modes.
4. BORROWING FROM PHONES: While Windows 8 tried too hard to adopt features from mobile devices, Windows 10 brings two features that make sense - first, an Action Center that offers quick access to settings such as Wi-Fi, brightness and "quiet hours" - a way to suspend notifications and sounds if, say, you're giving a presentation. Second, Cortana, the voice assistant akin to Google Now and Apple's Siri, comes to Windows PCs. Because you might feel awkward talking to your computer, you have the option of typing in commands, such as "Remind me to get milk.

(AP)