After the somewhat mediocre reception that greeted Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, Windows 10 has a lot of work to do to rebuild trust in Microsoft. With a preview of the new operating system now available, we can get a first look at how it’s shaping up.

From what I’ve seen so far, the aesthetic changes are minor but have major impact. The interface will be familiar to all Windows users – however, it has been updated for a more sleek and modern feel.

Most of the advances in Windows 10 have been made under the hood. The taskbar remains, which is good news for those of us who use Windows at work with a keyboard and mouse. Windows 10 boots straight to desktop too and greets you with the welcome return of the start menu. Windows have thin borders to make them look more like tiles, which is another good move. Menus work much the same as you’re used to, but seem snappier.

The inclusion of Cortana in Windows 10 has real potential for productivity as long as you can handle talking to your devices. It isn’t fully operational in the preview yet but it does have great potential.

Continuum is going to be a game changer, not only for Microsoft but for other companies too. It’s a one size fits all operating system that really does work across different devices. It allows Windows 10 to tune itself to desktop, tablet or phone, using touch or not. This unified approach is the future of computing. Apple is trying it with OS X and Google is doing the same with Chrome OS. Microsoft has it in the bag if the Windows 10 preview is anything to go by.

Windows 10 seems a definite move forward in all the right ways. It seems easier to use, more intuitive and includes improvements to many of those things we didn’t like about Windows 8. What’s more, upgrades from Windows 8 and 8.1 will be free for the first year.

Jesmond Darmanin is a technology enthusiast who has his own blog at www.itnewsblog.com.