10 reasons Windows 10 is better than Chrome OS and Mac OS X

Windows 10 will be the last edition of Microsoft's operating system, so it's no wonder that the tech giant has gone all out to make it the best OS to date. Microsoft has already revealed features, such as a smarter Cortana and Xbox integration, that may appeal to existing Windows users and lure those on other operating systems. Here are 10 reasons why Windows 10 could effortlessly pull you away from your Mac or Chrome operating system when it debuts for PCs and tablets on July 29.

1. Cortana is back and better than ever

Forget Siri and all of the other personal assistant bots out there. Cortana is back from her greatly exaggerated death in Halo 4, and she's better than ever. A Microsoft blog post that outlined the features of Windows 10, Cortana was branded as the "world's first truly personal digital assistant." The tool can even learn your preferences to provide relevant content as you watch media or set reminders. If you once envisioned a world operated by intelligent robots, the future is now.

2. Microsoft edge may be the next best

If you're suspicious of Google stealing your information through Chrome or tired of Safari's inefficiencies, get ready for Microsoft Edge. The new browser, set to debut with Windows 10, is integrated with Cortana. This means you'll receive streamlined content based on your preferences and browsing habits. Edge may just outdo Google when it comes to guessing your next move on the Internet, which is a good thing - right?

On top of one-upping Google's search engine, Microsoft promises Edge has been built as a safer browser. A new Passport feature, for example, will add a layer of authentication to ensure you are actually you when visiting secure sites. Edge also incorporates a browser and Windows Shell SmartScreen, which will flag users of malicious software installs.

3. Its heaven for Xbox gamers

With Windows 10, Microsoft very obviously made an attempt to please gamers. For the first time, Xbox will officially be integrated with the operating system when it debuts, which means that everything from gameplay recording to streaming can be done in sync with any Windows 10 device. It's a neat feature that will help reduce the number of family feuds and fights with friends over who gets to use the big-screen TV.

4. OneDrive makes life so much easier

Microsoft has pushed OneDrive hard with its promotion of Windows 10, and for good reason. OneDrive has a lot of features worth acknowledging, aside from its basic storage capabilities. Windows users are able to begin a project on one device, then carry it over to another Windows, Android or iOS device, thanks to OneDrive's synchronization over the cloud.

Microsoft also gives 15GB of storage to Windows users for free, and unlimited storage to Office 365 subscribers. To be fair, Google also offers 15GB of free Drive space, but either way it's better than the measly 5GB that comes with Apple's iCloud.

5. Hello Microsoft security

Windows Hello is a new security feature that focuses on making sure you are you. It greets users and allows them to log into their device with their face, iris or finger.

It's the latest HAL 9000-like software from Microsoft that could get tech geeks squealing in delight. Not to mention it's also a pretty advanced security measure compared to old school passwords.

6. The Windows Store has gone better

The Windows Store didn't always have the latest and greatest apps, even if you were just looking for something basic to use for daily productivity or socialization. However, it's come a long way since the beginning with new additions such as Drawboard PDF and GoToMeeting. Now, Microsoft has promised that its apps will be ready to wow you come Windows 10.

There have been upgrades to the Mail, Calendar, Music and Photos apps, for starters. Additionally, Microsoft says app installation and uninstallation is easier than ever. There's also a wider range of payment methods available to users around the world.

7. The rise of 2-in-1 devices

It's no secret that 2-in-1 devices are on the rise. Shipment of these products is expected to rise from 235 million in 2015 to 269 million by 2019. With that in mind, Microsoft is preparing for it with the development of Continuum.

Continuum will allow 2-in-1 devices to smoothly transition from tablet-to-PC mode (and vice versa), allowing you to work in any circumstance.

8. Office apps are a cha--cha-changing

Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 10 users will have access to new universal Windows applications for Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Additionally, it's worth noting that the apps will all be available for purchase separately, meaning you don't need to invest in the whole Microsoft Office suite if you only want one program.

For Windows 10, these apps were designed with touch controls from the ground up. There are now touch-first controls in Excel on Windows 10 for editing without a mouse or keyboard. As more devices come with touchscreens, this may become a must-have feature for consumers.

9. Selective business updates make IT life easier

With Windows 10, Microsoft will roll out the Windows Update for Business. This update will come with distribution rings, where IT professionals can choose which devices receive updates. Additionally, IT will be able to decide when updates should - and should not - occur, according to specific time frames.

Peer-to-peer delivery will enable IT to roll out updates in line with the various bandwidths of company branches. Finally, the Enterprise Mobility Suite and System Center can be integrated seamlessly with the update as well. Overall, Microsoft aims to reduce management costs with the Windows Update for Business.

10. Windows 10 tackles cyber security concerns

Like Windows 8 and 8.1 before it, Windows 10 will come with Windows Defender, the company's free anti-malware protection. Microsoft has also stressed its commitment to provide ongoing security updates for the supported lifetime of its devices. It's a far cry of the built-in security that comes on Macs and Chrome OS, which is to say none really.

Don’t bother feeding Swordmaker ,, if AAPL makes it he loves it ,, if anyone else makes something it’s trash or stolen from AAPL ,, If AAPL later copies something created by another company then it becomes MARVELOUSLY INNOVATIVE.

Apple fan boys are oblivious to any other device makers features..

I get a hoot out of the backslapping celebration of some new application on the I-phone that I have been using for a couple years on a Samsung.

Anybody else remember "hearing this song and dance" before?

Sure we have. Microsoft says, "We are going to make Windows secure. This time we'll get it right. Really. We got it right, this time. Trust us. Cross our hearts and hope to die."

Now, let's have some reasons why Chrome OS and MAC OS X are BETTER than Windows 10.

Chrome OS and Mac OS X are based on Unix. That makes them superior from the get-go.

The original sin was using backslash as the directory separator. The backslash already had a perfectly valid use: to escape special characters. To appropriate it for use as the directory separator was unacceptable.

Sure we have. Microsoft says, "We are going to make Windows secure. This time we'll get it right. Really. We got it right, this time. Trust us. Cross our hearts and hope to die."

I remember when you Apple sycophants touted Apple's security and invulnerability to malware, spyware and hacking.....I don't hear that anymore.....I wonder why?

Could it be that due to iOSs success, that it became a target of hackers? But that excuse was "lame" when employed by Windows fans.

You got your success and you got the burrs that come with it.....something Windows has been dealing with for decades.

Eat your crow and shut up. ;)

Sure we have. Microsoft says, "We are going to make Windows secure. This time we'll get it right. Really. We got it right, this time. Trust us. Cross our hearts and hope to die."

I don't remember anyone at Microsoft ever saying that. What's your source for that quote?

I remember them promising to address particular vulnerabilities but I don't ever remember them promising to create an absolutely secure OS, nor do I recall them or anyone else ever making one.

It could just as easily be argued that the forward slash already had a perfectly valid use as a division operator and appropriating it for use as a directory separator was unacceptable.

Could it be that due to iOSs success, that it became a target of hackers? But that excuse was "lame" when employed by Windows fans.

Did you miss the admission last week from The Hacker Company that they did NOT have any products that could hack into unjailbroken iOS devices? I guess you did. There are still no malware in the wild for unjailbroken iOS devices. . .

There were several zero-day exploits for the Oh-So-Secure fully patched Windows 8.1 just last week that required emergency patches. There are still no remote exploits in the wild for OS X other than about 60 Trojans that the operating system will warn the user about if he or she attempts to download, install, or run them. Could there be tomorrow? Perhaps. We are now 17 years since the release of OS X server into the wild and we are still waiting for the first one. By the way, we never said that Apple was individually secure against "hacking", especially if you could get the user's cooperation. . . which is what it required, plus months of preparation, in every one of those contests where the Mac was the first system breeched.

We stated truthfully that the Mac it was the safest platform for users to use. . . It is still the safest and the iOS is still the safest mobile platform to use.

The iOS certificate flaw was nothing, right?

iOS is popular and is the target of successful hacks. Apple has issues patches numerous times, just like Microsoft has been doing for its popular operating system....Windows.

Apple has no greater security than any other device. Hacking is human versus human more than anything.

But, you want to live in denial.

It could just as easily be argued that the forward slash already had a perfectly valid use as a division operator and appropriating it for use as a directory separator was unacceptable.

In practice, using the escape operator as the separator causes a lot more problems. That's because you use the escape operator when specifying literal strings, whereas the forward slash as the division operator never conflicts with the forward slash as the path separator.

It's interesting that in its internal APIs, Windows is perfectly happy to accept either slash as the separator. It's only at the command line level that you have to use back-slash. That's because they chose the division operator as the command line option delimiter, instead of the subtract operator, which is what Unix uses.

Used to be. Powershell has pretty well supplanted cmd for command line operations, and it's agnostic as far as which way the slashes go for path specifications.

[[Try Mepis Linux. Stable and reliable]]

The distors I’m trying are supposed to be very stable too- Linux Mint, Ubuntu- Manjaro Fedora etc-

I’ll look into mepis though- but I’ve just about had it with Linux- it’s like going back to pre windows 98- only worse- I just wanted to get Linux on, get a few Linux games on (like Nexius, Openarena etc- can’t get them working on any of the distros I’m trying using VMware Player- Other people can=- but they may not have Logitech mouse- who knows- very frustrating trying to find the answers)

The iOS certificate flaw was nothing, right?

It was a vulnerability. No exploits were in the wild. All it did was to cause the device to reboot. It put no data at risk and allowed no escalation of privileges. At worst, it created a denial of service for a short period. . . and the avoidance was easy. Sorry, a vulnerability without an exploit that was rapidly fixed does not equate to a lack of safety. Every OS has vulnerabilities. . . the question is are these vulnerabilities exploitable to the point a hacker can make use of them? If that answer is no, then it's a moot point.

I don’t play games on any OS, but I do have a few suggestions for you.

Years ago, I tried various lightweight Linux distros such as Mepis, Puppy, Knoppix and others. Then I discovered Ubuntu and Mint. Vastly superior. I alternate between those last two and forgot about the former. In my experience, Mint has been more fussy about booting systems with certain video cards than Ubuntu.

1) Try the “Mate” desktop on both Ubuntu and Mint if you haven’t already.

2) Install the distro you want to evaluate directly to the hard drive and forget about running under VM. I have read a number of reviews where the OS’s did not function well on a virtual machine, but did on a physical machine.

3) Are you married to that mouse? Try a different one. Ditto for the keyboard other other problematic hardware.

4) I prefer running Linux on Dell PC’s over other brands.

thanks for the reply- have tried all of those- mint- mate and cinnamon- Ubuntu mandrake, manjaro etc-

I’m just not liking the idea of having to go back and relearn everything as well as running into problems constantly- Windows just works—

I began with windows 95, and remember having to always fiddle with it to get it working, to get things installed, to get drivers working etc- I wasted more dang time doing that when all I wanted was just to start the machine and have it work- insert a disk and install something without having to spend hours online looking for the right drivers etc-

Linux is making progress- but they are ,in my opinion, about as advqanced as say windows 95- perhaps windows 98- but it can’t use nearly the programs and games that windows can

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