Time Running Out for Free Windows 10 Upgrade

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Windows 10
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Friday – or to be more precise, the wee hours of Saturday morning — is your final chance to upgrade to Windows 10 for free.

So, get moving if you plan to make the switch. Or, hang in there a little bit longer if you’re fed up with those annoying, uninvited Microsoft reminders that periodically pop up on your computer screen.

Barring a last-minute change of heart, Microsoft will end its one-year free upgrade offer at 5:59 a.m. ET on July 30, according to CNN Money. After that, you will need to pay $119 for the home version of Windows 10.

Windows 10 launched in July 2015. Qualified Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 devices are eligible for the free upgrade.

Some critics have argued against upgrading. Woody Leonhard of InfoWorld says that Windows 10 “may have a few too many rough edges to tempt you, especially if you’re comfortable with what you have.”

For example, he mentions privacy concerns, and challenges for those who use OneDrive (and who currently use Windows 8.1) or who like the Windows Media Center.

Others laud Windows 10, and offer tips for making the most of the operating system.

Last year, Brandwatch analyzed comments from Windows 10 users posted on social media in the first month after the product’s launch. If found that 92 percent were positive.

Originally, Microsoft had a goal of seeing Windows 10 installed on 1 billion devices by mid-2018, CNN Money reports.

However, Microsoft recently acknowledged that it likely will fall short of that goal. Thus far, 350 million devices run Windows 10.

Last week, Microsoft tried to entice more people to switch to Windows 10 by dangling the carrot of a free laptop for some users. The company also has announced a free upgrade to Windows 10 that will be released on Aug. 2. It will include:

  • The ability to log on using face-recognition, fingerprint and iris technology
  • An improved version of Cortana, the Windows 10 personal digital assistant
  • The introduction of Windows Ink, which Microsoft describes as a “set of pen-driven experiences that help you set your ideas in motion with your pen.”

What do you think of Windows 10? Let us know by commenting below or on our Facebook page.

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