Windows 10: Reflecting on Windows 10 and querying the app gap?

We’re about to migrate to Windows 10 at work - at long last.

I’m an enthusiast, not a techie, so for me the upgrade will be a purely end-user experience.

But it got me thinking - as I have numerous times over the past few months - just where is it Microsoft is headed in the consumer space; how different the Microsoft of today is compared to the Microsoft of a decade ago; and how I feel about the brand as a consumer (perhaps too simplistically summarised as the Ballmer vs Nadella eras).

Windows 10 has 800 million users we’re told. That is a phenomenal number. Sure, huge chunks of that will be corporate users and casual users. But those are still big numbers - a huge customer base.

Yes, Windows Mobile was dropped. I still believe it was a strategic mistake for Microsoft not to keep at it. But even so, why the app gap on the desktop?

There’s the flip side of the argument that says on a desktop OS, do you need apps for services that are ultimately web based and dependent on the internet? I accept that a great number of the activities and interactions I’m thinking about can be done in a browser.

But I still feel apps, when done well, make a huge difference to convenience and the user experience. Or we’d just be content to load these services in a browser on our phones and tablets.

As we get ready to migrate at work and maybe even get some Surface tech, it all feels a little empty. The user experience won’t feel as polished, fluid and user friendly as iOS and Android for simple things like social media.

iOS and Android cannot compare to the advantages of a fully blown desktop-class OS. But the app gap just doesn’t seem to add up.

The more time goes on, the more I’m pretty bummed about Windows 10. Don’t get me wrong, it has improved tremendously since launch, and yet it still needs so much spit and polish. Added to this is the lack of clear clear direction of travel with original features like Live Tiles and Cortana - left to languish - and Microsoft inability to make its own baked-in apps exemplars of what its own OS and app model can deliver.

I admit that compared to a decade ago I’m at my home desktop a lot less and on my mobile devices more (hence my belief in Microsoft’s strategic misstep in jettisoning Windows Mobile - although I see the value in their software and services on every device approach and following the money with a focus on things like Azure).

The longer one spends on mobile devices the more one can’t help but compare the mobile and desktop experiences. Despite the raw power and productivity potential of a desktop OS, I can find myself picking up my iPhone to check Twitter or Facebook when waiting for my computer to wake up from sleep mode; or activate the 3D RealSense camera so I can just actually login; or waiting for the desktop to actually load so I can do something. The two seem increasingly worlds apart in terms of responsiveness and ease.

All in all it makes me curious about what the future holds for Microsoft and for Windows in particular.

No question per se - just thinking aloud and inviting some potential discussion.

:)

 

Alias does not reflect under the Mail app on Windows 10.

Hi,

As per the description, I understand that the Mail app crashes and you are unable to see the alias on the Mail app.

I appreciate if you could answer to a few questions to narrow down to the issue.

• Did you receive any error message?
• Are you able to see the Alias in outlook.com?

As an initial troubleshooting step, I suggest you to check if the alias gets reflected on Outlook.com, just to make sure that whether the account issues is related within the Mail app.

If the Alias reflects under Outlook.com, I suggest you to run the app troubleshooter and check if it helps to resolve the issue.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/run-the-troubleshooter-for-windows-apps

If the issue still persists, I suggest you to delete the account from the Mail app and add it back the account again.

Delete an email account from Mail and Calendar apps

Hope the information helps. Let us know if you need further assistance. We will be happy to help.

Thank you.

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

Restoring Windows 10 Image using Macrium Reflect


In addition to the above. Here's my suggestion in step by step.
I assume you have Macrium Installed in your current HD and already made a backup copy.

1. Connect your new HD via USB port and boot up.
2. Run Macrium, click on Restore tab then select the Backup Image that you made to restore
3. click on "select a different target disk" then select your new HD as destination
   
   
   
4. Proceed to restore then Shutdown and disconnect the old HD and replace with the new HD
5. Boot up with your new HD.