Windows 10

Windows 10 - Shared VS Kiosk Machine

Windows 10 Kiosk Mode

Windows 10, version 1703, introduces a mode called “kiosk mode”. What happens in Kiosk mode is Windows Signs in Automatically to a restricted local user account ( in case of a computer restart ) and runs in either a single Microsoft Store app full-screen mode inside (above the Lock screen) that prevents anyone from accessing the desktop, switch apps, or change settings, or it can run in multi-app kiosk mode ( Windows 10, version 1803) where only a certain number of apps can be run.

What would this be used for

  • Digital Signage - Small Intel NUC devices outputting a single webpage with company/school updates to a screen in a shared area

  • Kiosks inside of a Retail environment - Such as a Point of Sale device logging into Point of sale app e.g. Sassco Point of Sale

  • Computers providing internet access to Guests in Airports / Hotels or Events

Kiosk mode is not available on Windows 10 Home.

Windows 10 Shared Mode

Windows 10, Verison 1607, introduced Shared PC Mode

Windows 10 Shared PC Mode deletes old guest accounts automatically, because every time a guest logs in, it creates a new profile, which takes up disk space. This is useful for computers which have different people logging into the device every day and stops excess profiles building up using storage

What would this be used for?

  • University Computers

  • Internet Cafes

Both of these modes can be set up and managed through a domain controller or GPO or even better a cloud managed solution such as intune which means devices can be rolled out to different locaitons and all they need is an internet connection

New Business Features Windows 10 ( 1803 ) Download Link

Microsoft’s new version of Windows, Windows 10 is forever improving through feature updates released every quarter for its customers.

The update can be downloaded here and but released out via Windows Updates ( WSUS ) from the 8th May

Focus Assist

In today's distractive work environment Microsoft has come up with technology to snooze all alerts so you can concentrate on your work per below : 

Timeline

Have you ever worked on something and totally forget the name of the document or what webpages or other documents you were using at the same time? Windows 10 Timeline now lets you navigate through your previous 30 days of computer history, just like going back in time, to bring up your previous documents, webhistory and applications. It’s the perfect way to pick up where you left off between one computer and another.

This even links your Windows Phone history or online 365 useage

What’s new in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update

3D, 3D ... 3D!

With Mixed Reality Viewer, you can see 3D objects – either from the Remix3D.com community or your own creation from Paint 3D – mixed into your actual surroundings through your PC’s camera for powerful ways to bring your story to life. 

With Windows Mixed Reality, you can escape to the most immersive experiences – touring top travel destinations, getting inside the most exciting games, attending the most popular events, even travelling across time and space – right in your own home, with you at the center of everything.

Windows and Office together are the best duo for doing. 3D, now in Office, helps you increase visual and creative impact with 3D objects in your PowerPoint presentations, Word, and Excel documents. View, resize, and rotate a 3D object with the 360-rotation handle, pull content from the Remix 3D community or locally from your PC, plus even use a brand-new transition type, Morph, with 3D models in PowerPoint to create cinematic transitions between slides.

The reimagined Photos app now gives you the ability to add filters, text, 3D effects – and soon full 3D objects – and even digital ink to your photos and video clips for great storytelling complete with soundtracks, themes, and transitions.

Ransomware protections. 

To better protect against ransomware attacks, we’re introducing Windows Defender Exploit Guard that helps protect files from unauthorized changes by nefarious applications and your applications from unknown exploits. Additionally, Windows Defender Antivirus now has specific safeguards in place, along with default enhanced coverage that is delivered instantly via the cloud protection service. These and other security technologies protect against persistent ransomware campaigns like Cerber, Locky, and Spora, as well as global outbreaks like WannaCry, and Petya.

OneDrive Files On-Demand

When you save your files in OneDrive, now you can access them just like any other file on your PC without filling up your disk space. Easily tell which files are available online only or offline. Online-only files download on demand with a double-click, and you can make them online only again to free up space. Or you can select files to always be available offline. Click here to learn more about OneDrive Files On-Demand and how to enable it.

 

Windows 10 Mobile - Is no more

Per this recent BBC article ,it looks like Microsoft has put the nail in the coffin of it's mobile Operating Windows 10

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-41551546

The company's Windows 10 chief has tweeted that developing new features and hardware for the Mobile version of the OS was no longer a "focus".

With it's main competition being Android run by Google who gives it away for free and makes money using advertisting , and the iPhone the flagship product from Apple , it's hard for another company to come along and take some market share to make any money out of it! 

Two top reasons to migrate to Windows 10

No New Processor Support

Intel's new 7th generation of i series chip, Kaby Lake will officially be supported only by the company’s flagship Windows 10 OS. Intel also appeared to be on board with Redmond’s decision, saying it

“will not be updating Win 7/8 drivers for 7th Gen Intel Core per Microsoft’s support policy change.”

AMD is also on the same bandwagon

"To achieve the highest confidence in the performance of our AMD Ryzen desktop processors (formerly code-named ‘Summit Ridge’), AMD validated them across two different OS generations, Windows 7 and 10,” AMD said in a statement in response to a question from PCWorld. “However, only support and drivers for Windows 10 will be provided in AMD Ryzen desktop processor production parts.”

You cannot buy Windows 7 or 8.1 anymore

As of October 31st 2016 Microsoft Ended the sale of Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 pre installed on Machines. Any new purchase of Hardware will now land your enviroment in a mixed version of Windows making it harder to : 

  • Create a standard SoE across your enviroment
  • Creat User training as this will need to be duplicated across two Operating Systems
  • Testing Company Applications 

 

There are multiple ways to roll out Windows 10 across your organisation such as Microsoft Deployment Tool , Image X and or Acronis True Image. Speak to Response IT today about solutions and time lines of a Windows 10 Deployment!

Reasons to Upgrade to Windows 10

The Start menu is back - We've missed you , and so have our customers. Classic Start is a default install for customers with 8.1 installed, however Microsoft have listened to the users and brought this back! 

Inbuilt upgrader from Windows 7 just works - Not much explaining here , Microsoft has come along way since the Vista days of the updater breaking a load of Apps and Drivers. You are warned before of programs that might have issues and are made to uninstall these before update.

Stable - We've skipped a release (8.1) , Check below, Microsoft usually skips a good OS per release

  • WIndows 2000  :)
  • Windows ME :(
  • Windows XP :)
  • Windows Vista :(
  • Windows 7 :)
  • Windows 8.1 :(
  • Windows 10 :)

Built for touch - Like 8.1 Microsoft are making the User interface easy so this can be used on your Surface Tablet, Phone and Laptop with Touch Screen easily. Also Microsoft Office finally works with touch! 

Buil in Apps and App Store - Adobe Reader Client, Maps , Media player , Mail and Photo Viewer all included in the operating system and there's a store to find new applications without the risk of running into Virus on internet fake stores!

Built for Cloud - Small business now can use an Active Directory account linked to their Email Address for management without needing an on-premise server

Updates Slipstreamed - Microsoft is continuing to release new updates on a daily basis. That means instead of waiting to release new features through a service pack or major release, 

 

Free - It's was a Free Update util 2016 July for a whole year as long as your current license of windows is Valid. This link still might help you https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgrade