You'll Be Able To Test The New Version Of Windows Next Month

Microsoft is holding a big event at its headquarters in Redmond, Wash., Wednesday to show off Windows 10 and provide a deeper look beyond the tiny preview we got last fall.

Windows 10 is designed to fix a lot of the gripes people had with Windows 8. Instead of focusing mostly on tablet-optimized apps, Windows 10 will work better with traditional desktop and laptop computers, which should be more familiar for most users.

Windows 10 will be the operating system for all Microsoft devices, including Windows Phones and Xbox. Microsoft promises that creating one unified OS will make it easier for developers to write apps for multiple platforms at once. In theory, this should solve Windows Phone's app selection problem. It still doesn't have the best apps like Android and the iPhone.

The final version of Windows 10 probably won't be ready until much later this year. But Microsoft typically lets users try early builds of Windows for free in a consumer preview version, which Foley says will arrive in February and work on certain Windows Phones, PCs, and tablets.