The good guff on Windows 11

Windows 11 has finally been announced after rumors for the past 18 months. Surprisingly though, it is slated to release THIS November/December ('this holiday season'), so obviously it's been in the pipe for some time.

What is it? What's changed?

·Clean new design, rounded windows support for multi-screen and ultra-wide screens, including more versatility with window snapping ·Multiple desktops modes, allowing you to switch from work mode (and the apps that go with it), to gaming or school mode, then back again - all while keeping everything open, yet separate.

·Start menu has changed (again...ffs) - time will tell whether it's a pain or not

·Microsoft Store has been redesigned and now allows android apps through a collaboration with the Amazon store - you'll need a MS and Amazon account to access this.

·Widgets pane (slides out from the side) which includes curated (read: we know all-together too much about you) suggestions - could be cool, could be gimmicky - time will tell on that one

In essence, it appears as though MS is tayloring this more to the multi-tasking, work from home, work on the go / mobile computing crowd. They're designing this product, it seems, to work seamlessly as you check your mail via touch on your tablet over breakfast, to connecting your keyboard and making that tablet a laptop on the commute to work, to connecting that laptop to a dock with multiple monitors and keeping working on that idea you had in the dying hours of yesterday. What will that mean for the vast majority of us? Not much to be honest.

Who can get it / Compatibility...

You'll need a CPU supporting TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) - essentially 4th gen processors and above, meaning that if you've bought a new computer in the last 6 years, you're fine. You'll also need to be running a 64-bit operating system already (if you want to upgrade, more on that later) and need 4Gb of RAM and 64Gb of storage space(you should have this anyway) So really, it's quite compatible... unless you're me and haven't needed to upgrade your system in 8 years *sigh*...

When's it coming out?

We've been told "This holiday season", so most likely November / December

What's it cost / how do I get it?

If you've already got a 64-bit Windows 10 machine, it will be a free upgrade done through Windows Updates - which may actually be awesome if they pull it off correctly. Outside of that, it'll probably cost the usual $170ish for Home and $220ish+ for Professional.