Jan. 21 has come and gone with the announcement of the much anticipated Windows 10. Some computers users are geeked out, and some probably scarcely looked up from checking out leaked Super Bowl commercials on YouTube. Whichever camp you fall into, here's an overview of some of the key revelations:

The Spartan Web Browser is For Real

The behind-the-scenes braintrust at Microsoft has had a new web browser in the works for quite some time now. "Project Spartan" has been surrounded by speculation for months, but the creators have finally revealed the true details.

• Spartan will be built around a new rendering engine and feature a lightweight, clean-looking design.
• Users of Spartan will be able to take notes on a web page and share them with other people.
• A clipping tool will allow you to save portions of a web page to OneNote.
• The new reading mode incorporated into Spartan will please those web surfers who are sick of the clutter often seen on a webpage which includes ads and sidebars. With reading mode, the reader can focus strictly on the text.
• Cortana will be directly integrated into Spartan, which will take web searching to another level as Cortana intuitively tells you what you want to know without even having to type it into a search engine.

‍Windows 10 Looks to be a Pleasant Upgrade

Spartan is just one of the many things that was announced with Windows 10 at the press conference. Here are a number of other things that will be of interest to any tech lover:

• Windows 10 is going back to its roots with an expandable start menu. This resolves a major criticism of Windows 8, making Windows 10 more navigable.
• Windows 10's "Continuum" feature allows for easy transition between the traditional mouse/keyboard combo and a touch screen interface.
• For the forseeable future, Cortana is going to be a big part of Windows users' lives, as she will now be incorporated into everything. On your phone, desktop or tablet, count on Cortana to be there in the form of a button next to start. Cortana will have access to all loaded information with the ability to do things like go into your maps and remember where you parked your car.
• The goal of Windows 10 is complete device compatibility and universality, with apps and features that will allow you to access all of the same information on your desktop, phone or tablet.

‍Microsoft has changed the game in gaming

Gaming will be a very important aspect of Windows 10's success. The announcement of both the integration of Xbox into the operating system and windows holographic could prove to be industry (ahem) game changers.

• A gamer will now be able to play a game on the console in their living room, then go to the PC in their bedroom and pick up right where they left off. The relationship between console and PC gaming will now be a symbiotic one.
• Windows Holographic (Project HoloLens) has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities, not just with gaming, but with the way we perceive reality. The holographic goggles are more durable than Google Glass, but not too boxy. They expand on the technology that we saw with Kinect, creating very realistic holograms. The goggles are something that have to be seen to be believed.
• Project HoloLens will be in the hands of developers this spring. The goggles will be made public for consumer purchase when developers are able to iron out any kinks.

These are only a few of the things to look forward to with the coming of Windows 10. And with all of the new integrated technology, there are certain to be new certifications specific to Windows 10 and its array of affiliated software. We'll keep a sharp eye out for you.