Windows 10 looms while phone makers clamor for attention
Culture
Phone makers are trying to pry your attention away from the big Windows 10 launch.
I'm Iyaz Akhtar filling in for Bridget Carey on assignment.
This is your CNET Update.
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Windows 10 is available as a free download starting on Wednesday.
If you're wondering if you should take the plunge on the upgrade, Here's what you should know.
First up is a free upgrade for Windows 7 and 8 users for the first year.
So you don't need to rush to download it the second it's available.
If you're dependent on older software, you might not want to install Windows 10 on a mission critical system.
However, Windows 10 does bring back a huge feature that people have clamored for since the introduction of Windows 8 The official return of the Windows start menu.
Hitting that start button on your keyboard won't take you away from desktop into an alien wall of tiles.
10 also brings Cortana, a personal assistant that can take care of tasks.
It's like Google Now or Siri, but in your laptop or tablet.
How do you get Windows 10?
You should have seen a notification on your Windows machine to reserve your free copy Microsoft has also confirmed with CNET that you'll have one month to downgrade back to Windows 7 or 8 from within Windows 10.
Samsung is waving its hands wildly, trying to get your attention.
While Windows is on your mind, the company announced it is holding a press event on August 13th in New York.
The invite shows a series of lines that suggest a phone is coming.
For weeks rumors have run rampant that Samsung would introduce a new version of its Galaxy Note line in August to avoid competing with a new iPhone which is expected in September, so expect a new Note on the 13th and maybe a larger Samsung Galaxy S 6 Edge.
Chinese start up One Plus also announced something but much more concrete, it introduced a new version of its flagship phone known as the OnePlus2 And it's going for a super phone build at a mid-range price.
Around $330 will get you a 16 GB model, and $390 will get you a better-equipped 64 GB version.
Getting the phone isn't as easy as just going into a store.
You'll need to get an invite that you can get at pop-up stores, starting July 31.
The stores will be in a handful of cities, including London, New York, and San Francisco.
Meanwhile Motorola unveiled this new line of Moto X phones.
First the flagship Moto X is now known as the Moto X style internationally except in the US where it's know as the Moto X Pure.
The X Pure has a 5.7 in.
quad ac screen with a 21 mega pixel camera and will launch in September The Pure name alludes to a pure Android experience without weird customization.
And it'll run on every major US carrier.
A new version of the budget-minded Moto G is available today at a price of $180 without a contract.
This version of the Moto G finally includes LTE on every model.
Motorola also introduced a brand new phone called the Moto X Play.
A budget version of the motor xperia with not so good specs and hits in August.
That's it for TechNews Update, there's more at cnet.com.
From our studios in New York, I am Iyaz Akhtar.
Thanks for watching
