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There’s a story making the rounds that Windows 10 will be available as a free update for folks running pre-release builds of the operating system as part of the Windows Insider program… and it’s true. It’s just not quite the whole truth.
The story comes from a comment made on Twitter by the head of the Windows Insider program Gabriel Aul. But a follow-up tweet explains that there’s a major caveat: you only get a free upgrade if you have a valid Windows 7, or Windows 8.1 license.
When you sign up to be a member of the program you can upgrade a PC from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 and keep your existing Windows license key. Or you can download a disk image and perform a clean install while using a license key provided by Microsoft.
If you do the clean install you can effectively install Windows 10 preview without paying for a Windows license: and that means you could install Windows on a PC that previously wasn’t running Windows at all. If you do that, Microsoft is not going to give you a free pass to upgrade to the full version of Windows 10 when it launches this summer.
Anyone upgrading from Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 Preview (with a license that’s been applied from one of those operating systems) can upgrade for free. Anyone who didn’t have to pay for a license will still need to pay for a license to use Windows 10.
Oh, and while we’re debunking things — last week there were a number of reports suggesting that the OnePlus Two smartphone would have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor and a $400 price tag.
This rumor comes from comments made by CEO Pete Lau on Chinese social networking site Weibo. As far as I can tell, he didn’t actually say it will have that processor or price tag. Rather, a question was raised: if the phone has that processor how much would be a fair price?
One answer was 2499.99 Yuan, which Lau said seemed reasonable.
That could certainly be a hint that this is the hardware and price point we should expect. But it’s not exactly a confirmation.
Here are a few more tech news stories that have made the rounds this weekend. If you’d been following Liliputing on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter, you might have already seen them!
- Google begins rolling out Android 5.1 for the Nexus 9
The Nexus 9 is sort of late to the party. Google is rolling out an over-the-air update for the tablet a few months after updates started rolling out for other recent Nexus phones and tablets. [+GoogleNexus] - The Nexus 9/Android 5.1.1 factory image is also available for download
Don’t want to wait for the over-the-air-update? You can download the factory image now (just make sure you know what you’re doing if you don’t want to wipe all the data from your device while installing from a factory image. [Google Developers] - Rumor: 2015 could be the first year Google introduces 2 Nexus phones instead of 1
Don’t care about Nexus tablets? How about Nexus phones? The chief cop at Android Police has been hearing that there might be two of them this year: an LG model with a 5.2 inch screen and a Huawei model with a 5.7 inch display. [+Artem Russakovskii] - Orange launches first Firefox OS smartphones in Africa
Another day, another developing nation (or two) which gets new entry-level smartphones running Mozilla’s browser-based operating system. [Mozilla] - Russian company introduces Elbrus-4C quad-core processor that emulates x86
ARM and x86 get most of the attention, but they aren’t the only chip architectures around… but if you’re going to try something different, the ability to emulate x86 could come in handy if you want to make sure existing apps can actually run on your platform. [Ars Technica] - Rumor/leak: Qualcomm Snapdragon 818 might be a 10-core CPU
Take this one with a grain of salt, but it’s not completely beyond the realm of possibility: rival chip-maker MediaTek is also said to be working on a mobile processor with 10 CPU cores. [STJS] - Firstview introduces WTB-01 Windows mini PC
Sure, tiny desktops with Windows software and Intel Atom Bay Trail processors are a dime a dozen these days (not literally, but it’s getting pretty close). So what makes this model different? A 2.5 inch drive bay which lets you add a huge amount of storage. [Notebook Italia] - Ubuntu partners with GE, Acer, Microsoft, and others on smart devices
GE’s new smart refrigerator runs Snappy Ubuntu Core. Acer’s aBeing One “smart center” for managing Internet of Things devices also uses Ubuntu technology. [Ubuntu Insights]
When you upgrade to 10 with a 7/8.1 key, if you change your mind & go back can you still install 7/8.1 or was that key invalidated by upgrading?
And you still trust what Microsucks told you all ?????
After years of Failure Win 8 and 8.1 they should give compensation to their buyer with totally free Win 10 upgrade.If MS don’t want their customers run away to Apple or Android.
But i guess MS fuckin’ CEOs and leader are not that smart yet. Greedy but stupid boss with high salary and bonus LOL
Key word here is “upgrade”!
The upgrade is free for all Windows 7 and 8.1 users with either a valid installation or valid license key (allows for clean install)… It’s just not free to anyone who isn’t actually upgrading from a qualifying Windows 7 or 8.1 installation or otherwise doesn’t have a valid license key for the upgrade!
In other words, you can’t just pirate a free copy of Windows 10!
Key word here is “Money”.
M$ loves Money.
That is all.
And who doesn’t love money?
Making money is the point of running a company! So is getting paid for making a product you actual worked to create…
Even companies that seem to be giving something away are really only making money in some other way… Like compromising your privacy in exchange for ad revenue, etc. or charging for supporting the product after you get it, etc.
The one question I have is, if I have a Windows 7/8 license (which I do from buying a Windows laptop), will I be able to upgrade/swap my license key and do a clean install off the ISO? I’m not a fan of installing an OS and doing the in-OS upgrade.
Okay, I wasn’t sure if I understood. You get a free upgrade if you have a valid Windows 7 or 8.1 IF you participate in the Beta or is it ANYone with a valid Windows 7 or 8.1 gets a free upgrade?
Both. Microsoft has already said anyone who upgrades from Windows 7 or later within the first year after Windows 10 is launched can do it for free.
What’s new(isn) is the confirmation that you can also upgrade from the Windows 10 preview for free… But *only* if you’ve already got a valid, paid-for license as explained in the article.
Not to blow my own trumpet (but I will :), I believe this (i.e. needing a license to upgrade after installing Win 10 beta) is what I said when someone in a previous comment thread was wondering if you got a free no-questions upgrade if you participated in the Win 10 beta.
I don’t want to upgrade my Win7 laptop to Win10 yet.
Win 7 works perfect for me.
Maybe in a couple of years later.
You will have a year to decide to upgrade for free. After that, you will have to pay.