Windows 10

Microsoft first announced Windows 10, the next major release of its iconic desktop and mobile software, some three weeks ago at a special event, and, as promised, swiftly rolled out the so-called Technical Preview. Unlike past alpha, beta, and generally unfinished builds, the Technical Preview was made available to anybody interested in checking it out, although came with the usual dose of warnings about the general bugs and instability that is part and parcel of any piece of software that is still in development. Now, a new build has just hit the download channels, and whether you're already on board with the Tech. Preview or simply intrigued by what Microsoft has been doing, we've got the ins and outs right after the fold.

Microsoft finally announced its upcoming version of Windows earlier on this week, and to the surprise of just about everybody, the software maker has opted to call it Windows 10. A bit strange, particularly given that the last major version was Windows 8, but nevertheless, it's the features that count. On first impressions, the updated edition of the software giant’s flagship operating system has plenty of those, and with the Technical Preview having been subsequently rolled out, desktop users are beginning to adjust to the tweaked environment. If you want to install / run as a virtual machine, it's not that difficult to get up and running, and below, we've a step-by-step tutorial guiding you through the necessary steps to achieving this goal via Parallels Desktop.

Complete step by step tutorial on how to download and install Windows 10 Technical Preview on your desktop or laptop the right way.

While the showcasing of Windows 10 was as much about a concerted push on the enterprise sector as anything else, Microsoft also noted that members of its wider ecosystem would be in better tune with one another, creating a more unified platform as a whole. No great details were given to elaborate on the "One product family,One platform, One store" slogan seen in a graphic at the event, but the accompanying images do offer something of a sneak peek into the future interfaces of both Windows Phone and Xbox.

After weeks of apparent deliberation over the name and months of screenshots, Microsoft has just taken the wraps off Windows 10, and below, we've all the key details as revealed by the software company.