Updated: Windows 10 features revealed - Cortana and universal apps come to PC

Microsoft has revealed more about Windows 10, this time focusing on the consumer version of its next-gen OS. Details are being revealed right now in Redmond, though the features won't release for at least three or five months, or more, down the road.

The first new feature revealed was Cortana on the PC. That's right, Cortana is coming to your computer thanks to Windows 10.

The voice-powered search assistant works much like Google Chrome; ask her a question about who's playing in the Super Bowl, and it will relay the answer audibly. The assistant has an integrated search capability so it can pull up things unique to the PC, such as files. Microsoft's Joe Belfiore said the assistant brings a new, natural way of interacting with a PC.

Belfiore reiterated Cortana's role as a personal assistant, so in addition to asking her general search-related questions, users can get details about their own lives, including calendar events, flight information and personal interests. Belfiore noted the information is whatever a user lets Cortana know, a reassurance that it won't collect information you don't want it to know.

Universal apps

Belfiore also detailed a number of universal apps, what he called "a family of apps to give customers everything they need for modern productivity for phone and PC."

The apps essentially offer a device size-optimized experience on devices. Office is optimized for a phone; you're still getting the full fat version of Office a mobile device - a nearly "no compromised version" of the app, Belfiore said. Users can continue working on a shared document from PC to phone without loosing functionality (ahem, Google Drive).

Outlook was also treated to the universal app treatment. Word ran richly on a phone and email wasn't compromised. In fact, you can use Word in email.

Microsoft's Photos app is another universal app. Nicely, the app aggregates photos from every device a user owns, giving them a full view of their collection.

We'll constantly update this piece as more features are revealed, so stay tuned.

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