Windows 11: What’s New and why prefer the new OS?

windows 11
Source: cnet

Recently I upgraded my system to Windows 11 and was terribly scared it might break like most products do when they’re just new in the market.

After all installations I noticed the interface was just amazing.  It gives a whole new touch to computing. My eleventh generation HP ProBook seems to come alive like the MacBook Pro. Thanks to the new icons display style.

With the icons moved to the center of the taskbar and all the cool features I witnessed, I decided to check out and share with you what makes this window edition thick.

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Here is what Alison DeNisco Rayome published in cnet about the new windows 11

“Windows 11 brings a lot more than just design changes. Keep your eye out for these upgrades.

Microsoft’s Windows 11 has completed its phased rollout and is now ready for broad deployment on compatible devices. As with any major operating system upgrade, there are some big differences between Windows 10 and Windows 11, although the overall shift is less abrupt than previous OS upgrades. In general, you should be ready for a more Mac-like aesthetic and  a focus on productivity features — plus the chance to finally use Android apps on your computer with Windows 11.

Windows 11: The big difference in the new OS

Windows 11
Enhanced search experience. Photo: cnet

Design and interface

Windows 11 features a new design with a centered Start menu and Taskbar.

Windows 11 brings a brand-new, more Mac-like interface to the OS. It features a clean design with rounded corners and pastel shades. The iconic Start menu also moves to the center of the screen along with the Taskbar. But you can move those back to the left, where they are in Windows 10, if you prefer.

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Windows 11 finally lets you download Android apps to your PC.

Android apps are now available for Windows 11 through the Microsoft Store, via the Amazon Appstore. (There were a couple of ways to access Android apps on Windows 10, including if you had a Samsung Galaxy phone, but this will make it native.) This is something Windows users have been waiting for for years and marks another move toward the merging of mobile and laptop devices.

windows 11
Android app integration now made possible in Windows 11. Photo: CNET

Better virtual desktop support

Multiple virtual desktops displayed on a monitor

You’ll find it easier to create and toggle between different virtual desktops in Windows 11 than in Windows 10.

Windows 11 lets you set up virtual desktops in a way that’s similar to on a Mac. It allows you to toggle between multiple desktops at once for personal, work, school or gaming. In Windows 10, this feature was harder to set up and use.

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Easier transition from monitor to laptop

It’s be easier to group different sets of windows and apps together and move between a desktop and a monitor thanks to Snap Layouts and Snap Groups.

The new OS includes features called Snap Groups and Snap Layouts — collections of the apps you’re using at once that sit in the Taskbar, and can come up or be minimized at the same time for easier task switching. They also let you plug and unplug from a monitor easily, without losing where your open windows are located.

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Microsoft Teams added to the Taskbar in Window 11

Microsoft Teams is built directly into the Taskbar in Windows 11 for easier video calling.

Teams got a face-lift and is now integrated directly into the Windows 11 Taskbar, making it easier to access (and a bit more like Apple’s FaceTime). You can access Teams from Windows, Mac, Android or iOS.

You can now call and speak to Microsoft Teams directly. Photo: CNET

Widgets on Windows 11 desktop

Launch widgets from the Taskbar in Windows 11 to see at-a-glance information like weather, news and stocks.

While they’ve been around for a while (remember desktop gadgets on Windows Vista?), including in a recent Windows 10 update, you can now access widgets directly from the Taskbar and personalize them to see whatever you’d like.

Enhanced touchscreen, voice and pen support in Windows 11

Microsoft made Windows 11 easier to use on tablets than Windows 10.

For tablets, Microsoft has aimed to improve the experience for touch, with more space between icons on the Taskbar, and support for gestures. Windows 11 also adds haptics to your digital pen, so you can hear and feel vibrations as you use it for taking notes or drawing. Finally, the OS introduces voice typing and commands across the system.

Xbox tech to improve gaming

Video game astronaut sitting in a spaceship cockpit

Windows 11 brings some tech additions from the Xbox for better gaming.

Windows 11 will get certain features found in Xbox consoles, like Auto HDR and DirectStorage, to improve gaming on your Windows PC. This marks another move toward integrating PCs and Xbox consoles for Microsoft.

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For more, check out everything we know about Windows 11 and how to download Microsoft’s latest OS.

Ubong Nsekpong

Ubong Nsekpong is a graduate of Communication Engineering from FUTO. Founder, TechForest SoftTechnologies Ltd. A web developer, digital marketer, writer and a passionate promoter of the tech ecosystem in Nigeria South.

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