aNewDomain — At this point, Microsoft Windows 10 has been downloaded and installed on millions of computers and tablets, but I wonder how many of those millions have actually looked closely at the free apps that come with the operating system.
Here are five high-quality, useful and free Windows 10 apps you ought to try now.
Windows 10 Mail
Just about everyone uses email these days. The free Windows 10 Mail app is better than you might think. You can use Mail to manage and read email from your Microsoft account of course, but you can also use it to read email from other sources like Gmail. I like that the Mail app display is crisp and uncluttered — read, reply, and move on.
Windows 10 Calendar
The Windows 10 Calendar app operates in tandem with the Mail app. Once you set up your various accounts for email, you also automatically synchronize the calendar data. In recent years, synchronizing your Windows calendar with your Google Calendar required third-party software, but not anymore. Organizing your busy schedule is just a little bit easier now.
Maps
Of course everyone knows about Google Maps, but Windows 10 Maps can also help you find the best path to your destination. The Maps app can provide turn-by-turn directions and suggests points of interest like restaurants and accommodations. Again, I like the clean and clutter-free display.
Windows 10 Weather
The weather impacts everyone, so just about all of us take a few moments each day to find out if it’s going to rain or be blisteringly hot. We typically do this by catching the local news on the television or radio.
But with the Windows 10 Weather app you can check the weather right from your PC or tablet in seconds. Current conditions, 12-hour forecasts and radar images are all right there, right when you want to see them.
Windows 10 Cortana
The other Windows 10 app getting plenty of attention is Cortana, Microsoft’s digital personal assistant. If you want, Cortana can act as your universal interface for all of the Windows 10 apps. For example, you can ask Cortana to suggest a restaurant and “she” will use Bing and Windows 10 Maps to find a list of potential eating establishments. She will also have directions ready for each location when you decide which restaurant strikes your fancy.
Windows 10 apps
The current crop of free Windows 10 apps is a lot better than you might think — so don’t dismiss any them out of hand. It’s entirely possible that you already have all the apps you will ever need with your installation of Windows 10.
So check out these five apps, and all of the other apps, before you head for the Windows Store to buy a third-party solution. You might just save yourself a few bucks. That’s why these five free Windows 10 apps are my picks this week for Freeware Friday.
For aNewDomain, I’m Mark Kaelin.
Featured image: Courtesy Microsoft News
All other images are screenshots captured by Mark Kaelin
