Windows 10 is two years. Hip hip hurray! It has been two incredible years since the official launch of Windows 10. How has it been received and what’s the way forward?
Microsoft windows consumers didn’t take too well to a disruptive Operating system in Windows 8. The aftermath showed the world was just not ready for a touch first era, even though mobile(touch) devices had been on the rise. I remember windows 8’s reception was like Windows Vista all over again and Microsoft had to act very fast. What was wrong? PC keyboard and mouse users thought it wasn’t user friendly. Maybe Windows 8.1 did some good but consumers of the product weren’t impressed thus far.
Microsoft then introduced the Windows Insider program. Program was to allow signees test in advance early builds of the OS and provide an input. I think it was a very brave move, getting users involved in building process. Taking feedback from diverse users of various functionalities and shaping up an operating system that works like they want. We’ll most times Microsoft introduces the feature and we tell them what we think. Other times we tell them what we want in and they try and come up with it.
Windows 10 was officially announced on September 30th 2014 and released on the 29th July 2015. Just 24 hours after availability it had been upgraded on 14 million devices. The number increased to 75 million upgrades by the end of July 2015. That maybe encouraged Microsoft to want to see it running on over 1 billion devices before or by 2018. We’ll that hasn’t been the case and Microsoft have had to say that isn’t going to happen.
By October 9th 2015 there were 110 million Windows 10 users with 1 billion visitors to the Windows 10 app store. Microsoft also recorded the highest user engagement with over 11 billion hours on Windows 10 in December 2015. In November 2015 the fist major update to Windows 10 was available.
Windows 10 is two years what now?
Fast forward a year after, the Anniversary Update was out and looking very impressive. It wasn’t feature rich but included a lot of bug and under the hood fixes. At Build 2016 we were told Windows 10 was running on 300 million active devices. By Build developer conference 2017, 500 million monthly active users. Windows 10 currently has a market share of about 37% and Windows 7 still holds over 40%. Microsoft tried to force help consumers upgrade, by automatically triggering it. Those who saw this and raised the alarm cried foul and Microsoft stopped in their tracks.
Looking at its adoption rate i believe we will have about 600 million active/ monthly active devices by the release of the Fall Creators Update 2017. The Fall creators update will see more features included with lots of tweaks as mentioned at the May Event. There’s going to be a wowing look with the introduction of Microsoft’s fluent design.
The consumer focus hasn’t been all personal and home users. The business community have been well catered for, you know them with this extra security stuff, lol. Well Windows 10 has been built to be the most secured Windows yet. There’s even an insider program for IT administrators and professionals. With their feedbacks Microsoft has made it possible for IT admin to delay, schedule and plan roll outs.
Windows 10 is two years, Way forward?
It’s been great seeing there are over a billion Windows Insiders now helping build the best Windows yet. Insiders even want more build and quicker to try out. Windows 10 cuts across a range of platforms not only PC. From Xbox, Mobile, Mixed reality, IoT and more. Microsoft still courts developers and hopes Windows will be the best platform for all developers. The confusion of Universal Windows Platform and one core seems to be fizzling as Microsoft try’s to make it’s plans clear to developers. Hopefully the app gap isn’t an issue anymore.
Windows 10 is two years and the dream to build an operating systems for the new generation still holds. Building an OS that is a more human way, as in the video will be a challenge. Mostly because as you plan for a new generation the old still exists and transitioning both isn’t that easy. But strides are being made each day in that direction. An example is what happened when there was a rumor about the end of Microsoft Paint. Paint 3D is a more feature rich version of its old compatriot but the world still has a soft spot for old paint.
I’m sure there’ll be more to this story as we move along. It sure will get better and better because folks like you are helping build it. What has been your experience so far with Windows 10, share with us.?
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Follow all the action from the Imagine Cup 2017 World Championship Finals.
The Imagine Cup competition is Microsoft’s global completion for student developers. It empowers the next generation of computer science students to team up and use their creativity, passion and knowledge of technology to create applications that shape how we live, work and play. This years Imagine Cup Finals already has an aura around it seeing it marks a milestone and not forgetting the $ 100,000 top price package.
Four teams have made it to the finals and will compete for the cup and grand prize. Stay tuned as we will have the live broadcast available.
Update: For New Africa to Redmond Software Engineering Applications that apply to 2018-2019 kindly check from the home page or click here for a list of related posts and choose your country or school.
Microsoft is on a quest to recruit students into engineering roles at its Redmond campus. The initiative dubbed Africa to Redmond is set to take place in selected Universities across the continent.
The initiative is part of an ongoing effort to recruit students from Africa into full-time engineering roles at Microsoft. This is part of Microsoft’s plan to showcase the talent pool in Africa.
For its first iteration, University Recruiting and Africans@Microsoft have selected five universities on the continent to recruit from. University of Nairobi(Kenya), University of Lagos(Nigeria), Ashesi University (Ghana), Makerere University (Uganda), and *University of Cape Town (South Africa).
The recruitment process is going to be in three phases. An online Coding challenge, Phone, and In-person Interview. Starting with an online coding challenge for final-year students. A panel of Judges will review the entries and selected applicants will be scheduled for a phone-in interview. Selected candidates from the second stage will have an in-person interview. A successful candidate from the three steps will join Microsoft for a full-time position. The candidate will be assigned to an engineering team once they accept the offer.
The first part of the selection, the online coding event is to show your coding skills. Students will show their engagement with coding by answering questions formulated by software engineers working at Microsoft.
Register at https://msft3c.com and use the Event code “vsSwVE” on the 29th July 2017 and finish the quiz between 9:30 am and 12 Midnight (the event code is subject to school, kindly check from image below)
The announcement to Africa to Redmond: Hack for Africa initiative says:
Do complex problems make you thrive? You are intellectually curious and love to innovate and collaborate.Join Microsoft to envision, create and build the solutions and tools of the future. Together, let’s empower billions.This is where grassroots innovation and large-scale engineering coexist. The environment can lead to some fascinating stories.
Functions Include: Development Engineering: Your work is core to what we do. Development massive, complex software systems that scale to billions.
Customer-facing technologist: Use your technical expertise in the planning, execution and communications of program activities.
Benefits and Perks:
– Building world-changing solutions -Network and collaborate with the brightest in the industry – Work-life balance and the flexibility to work remotely allows teams to be productive anywhere -Endless career paths filled with robust and diverse roles
For more information: careers.microsoft.com/benefits.
Learn more about life at Microsoft: blogs.microsoft.om/jobs
This is the first of its kind and will continue when successful. It’ll also be opened to more countries as it grows and continues. Is your university included? What do you think about this move from Microsoft.
*I’m still waiting for more details on the University of Cape Town event. – I’ll update as it comes in.
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Paint isn’t dead and won’t die it appears for now. Microsoft has confirmed original app will still live on in the Windows 10 store.
“Microsoft Paint is dead, RIP“. That’s what you heard or saw somewhere online last night or this morning depending on your time zone. The support was massive. There were tributes and farewells all over the internet.
After 32 years, Microsoft will no longer include Paint in its next update. People create one last time to pay homage to #MSPaint: ??️ pic.twitter.com/7xv3jg2cy5
If you are a frequent user then you love the application. Good news it’s going only to the Windows store so you need not worry. Confirmed by Microsoft with the doodle below in a blog post, hopefully designed with the app 🙂 . The app will be available for download from the Windows store and not preinstalled in the OS.
Microsoft said;
Today, we’ve seen an incredible outpouring of support and nostalgia around MS Paint. If there’s anything we learned, it’s that after 32 years, MS Paint has a lot of fans. It’s been amazing to see so much love for our trusty old app. Amidst today’s commentary around MS Paint we wanted to take this opportunity to set the record straight, clear up some confusion and share some good news:
MS Paint is here to stay, it will just have a new home soon, in the Windows Store where it will be available for free.
Looking at Microsoft’s plan for Windows 10 operating system, termed Creators Update, it seems legit.
Let me Introduce you to Paint 3D
Our beloved app has evolved. First you need to know it still has every single feature you’ve used and comes with more features.
“the modern-era version of MS Paint, with new capabilities and functions that bring it up to 2017 standards” – Zac Bowden
Paint3D left, Original.Paint right
What was your reaction when you heard it. What do you think retire old app and let in new? Share in the comments.
Meet the Africa partner of the year Award winners from 2017 Microsoft Partner Network Partner of the Year Awards.
Microsoft has celebrated partner achievements at the just ended 2017 Microsoft Inspire conference. The event brings together partners from across the globe to network, collaborate and learn from each other. There was opportunity for partners to interact with Microsoft personnel and other industry experts at the partner event.
Here is a highlight from the first day of the event
Among the several nominations Microsoft selected finalist and I’ll be sharing the winning partners from Africa.
Speaking about the winners Microsoft said;
“These partners and their award nominations are truly exceptional. Their accomplishments should be viewed as examples of excellence for every Microsoft partner.”
2017 Africa Partner of the year
Angola
Partner of the Year Menshen
Menshen is a local high skilled IT company in Angola. They moved the Angolan Airline (TAAG) with 1300 users to O365. It looked an uphill task. But in collaboration with the Fastrack team, Menshen managed to move all users to Office 365.
Egypt
Partner of the Year HITS Technologies
HITS is an early adopter to Microsoft’s Cloud and have more than 300 customers in around 50 countries. HITS SAAS on Azure helped ABK (Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait) Egypt to avoid costly start-up investments. Some key benefits for ABK include, Efficient Management for employees Personnel & Payroll, along with day-to-day tasks. Also ABK have totally switched their environment into paperless via HITS self-services and electronic workflow.
Kenya
Partner of the Year Dimension Data
Dimension Data Kenya continue to demonstrate their ability to support customers in digital transformation in collaboration with the Microsoft team. This year we positively impacted a number of customers in the financial services sector with a number of solutions. Built on SharePoint Online in particular that resulted in several strong, positive customer testimonials from a number of leading retail banks in Kenya.
Africa Partner of the year 2017
Morocco
Partner of the Year Netopia Solutions
Netopia is an ISV in Morocco with a deep focus on transforming digitally, Government services in North and Central Africa. Their eGov suite called CIVIS includes biometric passport solutions, prison management and healthcare assistance modules being rapidly adopted. Recognized this year with the Microsoft eGov Innovation Grant. Microsoft Azure platform is the next generation platform helping Netopia scale their solutions across new markets. Netopia were successful in transforming their business model and now going to offer their solutions as managed IP.
Nigeria
Partner of the Year Reliance Infosystems Limited
Reliance Infosystems is a partner passionate about the Microsoft cloud. Our leading partner driving the digitalization of the SMB Customer Segment for Nigeria. Reliance Infosystems was a typical SI partner but they are a Gold Cloud Competent ISV and newly onboarded CSP partner. They earned 2 Gold Cloud competencies (Productivity and SMMCS) and won over 44 new cloud subscriptions. “Sajenwa” their Payroll/ERP solution built on Microsoft Azure opened new territories for Microsoft in the SMB space.
Rwanda
Partner of the Year Dimension Data
Dimension Data provided strategic support to the customer showing them the business value add of moving to the cloud. The deep technical support provided enabled Microsoft to have a much easier conversation with stakeholders on why the cloud and why now. Dimension Data then had a seamless working relationship with Fast track that allowed the customer to experience value. This has enabled Microsoft to have a great cloud story in Rwanda. Dimension Data has led the cloud story in Rwanda.
Africa Partner of the year 2017
South Africa
Partner of the Year BUI
BUI has won Cloud and Infrastructure Partner of the year awards for 4 years in a row. A leader in helping customers realize their business potential through digital transformation. They are the go to partner of choice for Microsoft’s cloud services and technology. BUI have been involved in deploying some of the largest projects in the country for Microsoft technologies. It has aggressively displaced competitive products across all verticals, with numerous competitive wins.
Tanzania
Partner of the Year Techno Brain T Ltd
Microsoft has relied heavily on the C-Level relationships that Techno Brain has built In Tanzania to build pipeline and close deals. This C- level relationships is what Microsoft tapped into when Exim bank wanted to move to the cloud.This was the fastest, The Cloud EA opportunity, that closed in East Africa this fiscal which benefited from C- level sales initiative.
So there’s a recap of the partner country winners and some of their achievements. Visit the #MSInspire page for more information about the event and awards.
