Microsoft’s new operating system for PCs – Windows 10 – offers some great new features, including a redesigned web browser called Edge, an intelligent assistant named Cortana and many interface and operating enhancements. It also brings back the Start button, whose absence was long lamented by Windows 8 users.
The upgrade itself is free for qualifying devices, but it does require a fair amount of data to get it installed and keep it updated.
The upgrade for Windows Phones is not yet available – Microsoft is promising to deliver later this year.
Upgrading
You can upgrade an existing copy of Windows 7 or 8, as long as it is the latest version. The way to tell whether you have the latest software is to check if there is a small Windows flag at the bottom of the screen. This is the Windows 10 upgrade tool and if you don’t see it, you’ll need to download and install the latest Windows updates for the version you’re using.
Running the Windows upgrade tool will guide you through downloading the program and installing it.
Burning bandwidth
Now, while Windows 10 is free, it is a 3GB download which, if you’re on a mobile data plan, could prove quite costly. If you can, download it via Wi-Fi. Alternatively, if you don’t want to burn your bandwidth, you can pop into an Incredible Connection shop where they will perform the upgrade in-store for free on eligible Windows devices by using a special USB installer drive.
Mandatory updates
The data demands don’t end there, however. In previous versions of Windows you could opt to have updates installed automatically, install them yourself or ignore them altogether.
Not so in Windows 10. In this version of Windows there’s no choice – updates are mandatory and are downloaded and installed automatically. If you plan to use Windows 10 then you need to be prepared for this. The updates, says Microsoft, are necessary to provide users with the latest bug fixes and security updates as they are needed.
Data-driven devices
Users of all computers, tablets and smartphones are slowly coming to grips with the idea that all of these devices rely increasingly on a steady and reliable data connection and that their usefulness in future will depend on it.
Cloud services like Gmail and Google Drive have made users aware of the need for always-on data connections and even Microsoft’s own Office 365 productivity software makes use of an internet connection.
Online storage
OneDrive is an online storage service, built in to Windows 10 and is also available as an app. OneDrive makes it possible to easily access and share your files and photos across devices.
So, if you make a change on one device to a document or picture, the changes are immediately reflected on your other devices as well.
This requires a data connection and if you’re using mobile data, the costs can rack up fairly quickly. However, you can configure apps and cloud services to update only when there’s a WiFi connection in range.
Upgrade: free, data not
Remember too that Windows 10 includes Live Tiles, which are little windows that carry streaming information (like news reports, for example) and these are also dependent on a data connection.
For most Windows 10 users, a mobile data connection is a must for when they’re using their computers away from homes and offices, but WiFi is the way to go when possible.
Upgraders should bear in mind that while the 3GB Win 10 upgrade download is free, the data required to get it is not.
