Microsoft Corp has announced a free upgrade this northern summer to Windows 10 that adds some new features and expands others.
The company has touted Windows 10 as the operating system for a wide range of devices, from personal computers to hand-held gadgets, Xbox game consoles and even the company's HoloLens augmented-reality headset.
Microsoft says Windows 10 is now running on 270 million devices, up from 200 million in January.
Analysts say that's a respectable figure, considering it was released last July, although Microsoft is aiming for 1 billion devices in a few years.
The Windows 10 upgrade will include expanded abilities for its voice-activated digital assistant Cortana, which will be able to provide reminders or answer questions even if it's on a device, such as a tablet or smartphone, where the user hasn't unlocked the screen.
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Another new feature will extend Microsoft's biometric software, Windows Hello, so users can log into more apps and online accounts through fingerprint or facial recognition.
The upgrade also expands the ways in which users can write their own notes or draw lines and sketches with a digital pen on websites, maps and other images that are displayed on their screens.
