Windows 10 Preview Tops 1M Users

Almost two weeks after its release, Microsoft's Windows 10 preview has topped 1 million users.

"Over the weekend, we hit 1 million registrants for the Windows Insider Program," Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Operating Systems group, wrote in a blog post Monday. "That equates to a lot of people using the Windows 10 Technical Preview and sending us feedback."

Already, Redmond has received more than 200,000 pieces of feedback about Windows 10 from users. Most are running the forthcoming OS on an actual PC, rather than just trying it out for a few minutes on a virtual machine. Just 36 percent of Windows 10 preview installations are on VMs, while the remaining 64 percent are on actual PCs.

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"This makes us confident that a lot of the feedback is based on 'medium-term' use and not just a few minutes of experimentation," Belfiore wrote.

The company is also seeing signs of some pretty solid usage, he added. Sixty-eight percent of Windows 10 users are launching more than seven apps per day, while about 25 percent are firing up 26 apps a day. Some 5 percent are launching 68 apps every day.

"People on the team are hard at work poring through all the feedback, categorizing and processing it, and cycling it back into our development," Belfiore wrote. "Make sure you look at the feedback others are reporting and use the 'me too' button!"

Unveiled on Sept. 30, Windows 10 is expected to officially launch in mid-2015, bringing back the much-missed Start Menu. The new OS will be Microsoft's most comprehensive platform ever, and work across all devices, Terry Myerson, executive vice president for operating systems, said at the unveiling.

Microsoft is making a big push for enterprise users with this release. After the somewhat lackluster response to Windows 8, Microsoft wants to make sure it gets it right with Windows 10 - hence the feedback request on this early preview.

For more, check out PCMag's Hands On With Windows 10. Also check out How to Get and Install Windows 10, but note that this release is only intended for seasoned PC users and developers. Everyone else should wait until next year's official launch.

Until then, you can check out some of the features coming to Windows 10 in the slideshow above and the video below.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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