Windows 10
A laptop computer featuring Windows 10 is seen on display at Microsoft Build in San Francisco, California April 29, 2015. Reuters/Robert Galbraith

One of the major attractions of Windows 10 is the Microsoft Edge, a new, faster and more efficient window to the Web. Edge which replaces Internet Explorer aims to become your choice of browser at all times. It promises to make life simpler with the most fundamental user interface. For those who want it, Internet Explorer will be still there to use. There will an option in Edge to open a page in Internet Explorer as well.

Simple UI

Edge urges the user to pay more attention on the Web content than the UI. Thus, the settings provide a number of toggles to turn features on and off. Microsoft prefers to design the homepage with rotating news pieces, weather forecast and even some sports updates.

The new blue “E”

The new “edgy” E icon would now help the users to launch the program. Once the user launches a new tab it will show up small icons with frequently visited sites. By default, Edge uses the Bing search engine to search. The user can either type a Web address directly into the search box or enter a search term that Bing can follow.

Features on Address Bar

Edge takes much of its inspiration from Chrome, dispensing with as many menus and extraneous design elements as possible, reports Computer World. It has discarded the oversized back and forward buttons to make the content of a Web page stand out more. The browser’s basics are easy - there are several icons to the right of the Address Bar that offer accesses to a variety of features like add a favorite, Share URL via mail, twitter etc., zooming, launching new window, printing, pinning the current site to the Start screen, opening a new “InPrivate” window for anonymous browsing and launching the current page in Internet Explorer.

Edge’s Reading View

It is an icon to the left of the star that resembles a book and activates Reading View. It removes each and everything which is irrelevant to a page’s content including ads, navigation, sidebars and anything else that distracts the user from reading the content.

Annotate and Share

Edge also allows the user to annotate and share Web pages. The user just needs to click the annotation icon (looks like a pencil and paper) and mark up a Web page using highlighters and note-creation tools. The user can also save the annotated page and share it via email, OneNote or Twitter.

Cortana

Cortana is built into Edge. Microsoft’s digital assistant serves well defined purposes providing context and further information. Primarily Cortana is present as a search bar under the Start menu; but it can also be launched by tapping its tile on the Start menu. Wake it up by simply saying “Hey Cortana” or “Hi Cortana.” Then it will perform what the user asks her to do from finding file to launching a program.

Hub

The Hub includes four submenus - Favorites, Reading List, History and Downloads. The last two are self explanatory. Favorites menu is where you actually add and reorganise your favorite content. The user also has an option of saving an article to the Reading List, which is a transitory bookmark, reports PC World.

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