Today it's an important milestone in the IT world. Microsoft officially stops Windows 7 support service on the 14th of January. It means that millions of Windows 7 users all over the world won't get security updates any longer to keep their PCs safe. The computers running Windows 7 will still function tomorrow but they will be more likely to fall victim to viruses.

The age of Windows 7 has come to its end and worldwide users are urged to upgrade their operating system Windows 10. Microsoft advises users to buy new computers and move all content there as new devices work faster and they are more lightweight and secure. Alternatively, users can back up their files and pay £ 120 for the official Windows 10 license on their old devices.

The company's offer to upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10 for free ended a long time ago, however, there's a loophole (漏洞) and you can still switch your PC to the latest operating system free of charge. Microsoft seems to know about it but doesn't want to officially announce this to earn money and not to annoy people who paid for the updating.

If you don't want to pay money, follow these tips. Before upgrading, don't forget to back up your files on external (外部的) hard drives or via other storage services.

I believe these ingetions can inspire you a lot.

Fairphone

More than 50 million tons of electronic waste, such as used smartphones, is created each year. But Fairphone makes phones from eco-responsible materials. Made of up to 40% recycled plastic, Fairphone has an expected life-span of five years. It has replaceable parts. You can change your battery, screen, or camera by yourself. It’s hoped that it can be marketed in the near future.

AlterEgo

This headset lets you communicate with a computer without touching a keyboard or speaking. Want to task, such as searching for a weather forecast? Ask the question to yourself silently. Sensors read signals from your face. Then the device uses a web connection to complete the task or your smartphone. Experiments have found that it understands 92% of what its user said, and it’ll be improved before going to the market.

Meeting Owl Pro

It is a 360° tabletop camera. It changes its lens and microphone to whoever is speaking. In online classes, participants will have a better feeling for what’s happening in the room. “It’s able to follow the conversation,” says Max Makeev, who is a cofounder of Owl Labs. It’s widely used by K-12 schools.

CrazyCap

Guduru created a bottle cap. It uses cleansing UVC light. It sanitizes (消毒) water in 60 seconds. It has two settings, One purifies water from taps and fountains. The other purifies water from streams and ponds. The cap is rechargeable. People can use it conveniently especially when they’re on the go. It’s supposed to reach consumers soon.