Windows 10 optimised devices and opportunities revealed

At the Computex 2015 conference in Taipei, Microsoft showcased new Windows 10 devices and talked about how Windows 10 is enabling new devices and cloud-based solutions and creating new opportunities for partners.

Windows 10 will be available in 190 countries around the world on July 29 and in the following months.

Microsoft hopes to have 1 billion devices running on Windows 10 in the next two to three years, and is driving demand with new devices, solutions and enabling the partner ecosystem.

During his keynote speech at the conference, Nick Parker, Microsoft OEM Division corporate vice president, highlighted the fact that partners can grow their business by selling the Windows 8.1 devices that are in the marketplace now, promoting the experience that Windows 10 will offer on those devices when upgraded, and building new hardware across traditional and emerging device categories.

Parker shared Microsoft’s intent to work with hardware partners to foster opportunities, drive innovation, increase demand and grow the market for Windows devices.

“Our device partners continue to push the envelope of innovation, developing stunning PCs that are sure to delight customers.

“And our commitment to broaden the ecosystem opportunity with Windows 10 is revolutionising how people interact with their devices and create new opportunities for revenue growth,” Parker says.

Parker announced a new collaboration between Microsoft and Toshiba to build next-generation Windows- and Azure-powered IoT solutions.

The companies expect to release a complete offering for the transportation and logistics industry, from devices to services, including state-of-the-art hardware such as an onboard video recorder than can also track vehicle data and analyse driver behaviour, according to Parker.

This also includes a ruggedised environmental device with up to 12 sensors onboard, a military-grade case and a battery capable of six months’ continuous operation that will run on the Azure infrastructure to track shipping and ensure that goods arrive on time, undamaged and in a predictable manner.

Parker also showed Crestron Pyng, a home-automation technology powered by Windows embedded services that connects lighting, shades, audio, thermostats, door locks and security systems, and utilises Azure IoT services so everything works together intelligently.

Connected devices like these can help both individuals and businesses save time and money, according to Microsoft.

Parker highlighted an array of devices designed for Windows 10 including PCs from Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Toshiba:

• Acer Z3-710 is an all-in-one PC with enhanced computing and audio in a 1.4-inch-thin chassis.
• ASUS Transformer Book T100HA is a 2-in-1 laptop with a detachable keyboard that has up to 14 hours of battery life and a tablet measuring 8.45mm and 580g.
• ASUS Zen AiO Z240 features the latest quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU, gaming-grade NVIDIA GTX 960M graphics, a 3D camera and a six-speaker stereo sound system.
• Dell XPS 15 is optimised for Windows 10 and features the same virtually borderless InfinityEdge display of the XPS 13.
• A new x2 from HP is a 2-in-1, ultra-portable, ‘tablet first’ detachable, with magnetic hinge design; and a new HP tablet has more note-taking capabilities and is designed for mobile productivity.
• A new Toshiba PC with Windows Hello and the latest in biometric security technology, including a face-authentication camera, an Ultra HD 4K screen and optimisation for Cortana.

In addition, Parker demonstrated two new PC form factors:

• FoxConn Kangaroo is an ultra-portable desktop PC that turns a TV into a full Windows PC, including a fingerprint reader to support Windows Hello and up to six hours of battery life.
• Quanta Compute Plug is a mini-PC in a power adapter. Plugged into the HDMI port, it turns a TV into a smart computer and enables users to control their TV using Cortana via Bluetooth remote or headset.

Also showcased was a new GPU from NVIDIA that enables a high-performance gaming experience on Windows 10.

GeForce GTX 980 Ti has three times the performance and memory than previous generations (versus GTX 680), has 4K resolution and supports key DirectX 12 features such as Volume Tiled Resources and Conservative Rasters to enable graphics effects on Windows 10.