State of the Union 2015: Full transcript

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="metadata " style="text-align: justify;"> <div class="m-share m-share__rail-top js-share-rail-top"> <div class="js-gigya-sharebar" data-description="As Prepared for Delivery " data-image-src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/150120212419-bts-obama-turn-the-page-sotu-00002810-large-169.jpg" data-isshorturl="true" data-link="http://cnn.it/1CyODQR" data-subtitle="" data-title="State of the Union 2015: Full transcript" id="gigyaShareBar_4_gig_containerParent"> <div class="gigya-sharebar-element" id="gigyaShareBar_5" style="visibility: visible;"> <div class="gig-bar-container gig-share-bar-container"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="vertical-align: bottom; white-space: nowrap; zoom: 1;"></td></tr> </tbody></table> </div> </div> <div class="gigya-sharebar-element" id="gigyaShareBar_6" style="visibility: visible;"> <div class="gig-bar-container gig-share-bar-container"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="vertical-align: bottom; white-space: nowrap; zoom: 1;"></td></tr> </tbody></table> </div> </div> <div class="gigya-sharebar-element gigya-element-large" id="gigyaShareBar_7" style="visibility: visible;"> <div class="gig-bar-container gig-share-bar-container"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="vertical-align: bottom; white-space: nowrap; zoom: 1;"></td></tr> </tbody></table> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="pg-left-rail-tall__wrapper" style="text-align: justify;"> <div class="pg-side-of-rail pg-left-rail-tall__right-side"> <div class="pg-left-rail-tall__head"> <section class="zn zn-large-media zn-body zn--idx-0 zn-has-one-container" data-containers="1" data-eq-pts="xsmall: 0, medium: 460, large: 780, full16x9: 1100" data-eq-state="medium" data-vr-zone="zone-0-0" data-zn-id="large-media" id="large-media"><div class="l-container"> <div class="el__video el__video--fullwidth"> <div class="js-media__video media__video" id="media__video_large-media_0--wrapper"> <div class="media__video--thumbnail" id="large-media_0--thumbnail"> <img alt="bts obama turn the page sotu_00002810" class="media__image" itemprop="image" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/150120212419-bts-obama-turn-the-page-sotu-00002810-story-top.jpg" /></div> <div itemprop="video" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/VideoObject"> <div class="video__end-slate--inactive video__end-slate js-video__end-slate" data-eq-pts="xsmall: 0, small: 300, medium: 460, large: 780" data-eq-state="medium"> <div class="l-container"> <div class="video__end-slate__top-wrapper"> <div class="video__end-slate__main"> <ul class="cn cn-list-hierarchical-xs cn--idx-0"><h3 class="cd__headline"> <span class="cd__headline-text js-cd__headline-text"></span></h3> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="metadata" id="large-media_0-metadata"> <div class="metadata__source"> <span class="metadata__source-name"></span></div> </div> </div> <div class="media__caption el__storyelement__title"> <span class="el__storyelement__header">Obama: 'Tonight we turn the page'</span> <span class="el__storyelement__gray">03:05</span></div> </div> </div> </section></div> <div class="pg-left-rail-tall__body" itemprop="articleBody"> <section class="zn zn-body-text zn-body zn--idx-0 zn-has-multiple-containers zn-has-218-containers" data-containers="218" data-eq-pts="xsmall: 0, medium: 460, large: 780, full16x9: 1100" data-eq-state="medium" data-vr-zone="zone-1-0" data-zn-id="body-text" id="body-text"><div class="l-container"> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> There is a ritual on State of the Union night in Washington. A little before the address, the White House sends out an embargoed copy of the President's speech to the press (embargoed means that the press can see the speech, but they can't report on it until a designated time). The reporters then start sending it around town to folks on Capitol Hill to get their reaction, then those people send it to all their friends, and eventually everyone in Washington can read along, but the public remains in the dark. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> This year we change that.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> For the first time, the White House is making the full text of the speech available to citizens around the country online. On Medium, you can follow along with the speech as you watch in real time, view charts and infographics on key areas, tweet favorite lines, and leave notes. By making the text available to the public in advance, the White House is continuing efforts to reach a wide online audience and give people a range of ways to consume the speech.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> -----</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, my fellow Americans: </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> We are fifteen years into this new century. Fifteen years that dawned with terror touching our shores; that unfolded with a new generation fighting two long and costly wars; that saw a vicious recession spread across our nation and the world. It has been, and still is, a hard time for many. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> But tonight, we turn the page.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Tonight, after a breakthrough year for America, our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since 1999. Our unemployment rate is now lower than it was before the financial crisis. More of our kids are graduating than ever before; more of our people are insured than ever before; we are as free from the grip of foreign oil as we've been in almost 30 years.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Tonight, for the first time since 9/11, our combat mission in Afghanistan is over. Six years ago, nearly 180,000 American troops served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, fewer than 15,000 remain. And we salute the courage and sacrifice of every man and woman in this 9/11 Generation who has served to keep us safe. We are humbled and grateful for your service.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> America, for all that we've endured; for all the grit and hard work required to come back; for all the tasks that lie ahead, know this: </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> The shadow of crisis has passed, and the State of the Union is strong.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> At this moment -- with a growing economy, shrinking deficits, bustling industry, and booming energy production -- we have risen from recession freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth. It's now up to us to choose who we want to be over the next fifteen years, and for decades to come.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well? Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort?</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Will we approach the world fearful and reactive, dragged into costly conflicts that strain our military and set back our standing? Or will we lead wisely, using all elements of our power to defeat new threats and protect our planet?</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Will we allow ourselves to be sorted into factions and turned against one another -- or will we recapture the sense of common purpose that has always propelled America forward?</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> In two weeks, I will send this Congress a budget filled with ideas that are practical, not partisan. And in the months ahead, I'll crisscross the country making a case for those ideas.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> So tonight, I want to focus less on a checklist of proposals, and focus more on the values at stake in the choices before us.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> It begins with our economy.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Seven years ago, Rebekah and Ben Erler of Minneapolis were newlyweds. She waited tables. He worked construction. Their first child, Jack, was on the way. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> They were young and in love in America, and it doesn't get much better than that.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> "If only we had known," Rebekah wrote to me last spring, "what was about to happen to the housing and construction market." </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> As the crisis worsened, Ben's business dried up, so he took what jobs he could find, even if they kept him on the road for long stretches of time. Rebekah took out student loans, enrolled in community college, and retrained for a new career. They sacrificed for each other. And slowly, it paid off. They bought their first home. They had a second son, Henry. Rebekah got a better job, and then a raise. Ben is back in construction -- and home for dinner every night.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> "It is amazing," Rebekah wrote, "what you can bounce back from when you have to...we are a strong, tight-knit family who has made it through some very, very hard times."</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> We are a strong, tight-knit family who has made it through some very, very hard times.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> America, Rebekah and Ben's story is our story. They represent the millions who have worked hard, and scrimped, and sacrificed, and retooled. You are the reason I ran for this office. You're the people I was thinking of six years ago today, in the darkest months of the crisis, when I stood on the steps of this Capitol and promised we would rebuild our economy on a new foundation. And it's been your effort and resilience that has made it possible for our country to emerge stronger.</div> <div class="el__video--standard js__video--standard" data-autoplay="false"> <div class="js-media__video media__video" id="media__video_body-text_50--wrapper"> <div class="media__video--thumbnail" id="body-text_50--thumbnail"> <img class="media__image" itemprop="image" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/150120234100-president-obama-state-of-the-union-story-top.png" /></div> <div itemprop="video" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/VideoObject"> <div class="video__end-slate--inactive video__end-slate js-video__end-slate" data-eq-pts="xsmall: 0, small: 300, medium: 460, large: 780" data-eq-state="small"> <div class="l-container"> <div class="video__end-slate__top-wrapper"> <div class="video__end-slate__main"> <ul class="cn cn-list-hierarchical-xs cn--idx-0"><h3 class="cd__headline"> <span class="cd__headline-text js-cd__headline-text"></span></h3> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="metadata" id="body-text_50-metadata"> <div class="metadata__source"> <span class="metadata__source-name"></span></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="el__video--standard js__video--standard" data-autoplay="false"> <div class="js-media__video media__video" id="media__video_body-text_51--wrapper"> <div class="media__video--thumbnail" id="body-text_51--thumbnail"> <img alt="bts obama wrap sotu_00011528" class="media__image" itemprop="image" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/150121003405-bts-obama-wrap-sotu-00011528-story-top.jpg" /></div> <div itemprop="video" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/VideoObject"> <div class="video__end-slate--inactive video__end-slate js-video__end-slate" data-eq-pts="xsmall: 0, small: 300, medium: 460, large: 780" data-eq-state="small"> <div class="l-container"> <div class="video__end-slate__top-wrapper"> <div class="video__end-slate__main"> <ul class="cn cn-list-hierarchical-xs cn--idx-0"><h3 class="cd__headline"> <span class="cd__headline-text js-cd__headline-text"></span></h3> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="metadata" id="body-text_51-metadata"> <div class="metadata__source"> <span class="metadata__source-name"></span></div> </div> </div> <div class="media__caption el__storyelement__title"> <span class="el__storyelement__header">Obama seeks unity with Congress during SOTU</span> <span class="el__storyelement__gray">01:54</span></div> <div class="el__video__expand--standard el__storyelements--expand"> </div> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> We believed we could reverse the tide of outsourcing, and draw new jobs to our shores. And over the past five years, our businesses have created more than 11 million new jobs.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> We believed we could reduce our dependence on foreign oil and protect our planet. And today, America is number one in oil and gas. America is number one in wind power. Every three weeks, we bring online as much solar power as we did in all of 2008. And thanks to lower gas prices and higher fuel standards, the typical family this year should save $750 at the pump.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> We believed we could prepare our kids for a more competitive world. And today, our younger students have earned the highest math and reading scores on record. Our high school graduation rate has hit an all-time high. And more Americans finish college than ever before.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> We believed that sensible regulations could prevent another crisis, shield families from ruin, and encourage fair competition. Today, we have new tools to stop taxpayer-funded bailouts, and a new consumer watchdog to protect us from predatory lending and abusive credit card practices. And in the past year alone, about ten million uninsured Americans finally gained the security of health coverage.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> At every step, we were told our goals were misguided or too ambitious; that we would crush jobs and explode deficits. Instead, we've seen the fastest economic growth in over a decade, our deficits cut by two-thirds, a stock market that has doubled, and health care inflation at its lowest rate in fifty years. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> So the verdict is clear. Middle-class economics works. Expanding opportunity works. And these policies will continue to work, as long as politics don't get in the way. We can't slow down businesses or put our economy at risk with government shutdowns or fiscal showdowns. We can't put the security of families at risk by taking away their health insurance, or unraveling the new rules on Wall Street, or refighting past battles on immigration when we've got a system to fix. And if a bill comes to my desk that tries to do any of these things, it will earn my veto.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Today, thanks to a growing economy, the recovery is touching more and more lives. Wages are finally starting to rise again. We know that more small business owners plan to raise their employees' pay than at any time since 2007. But here's the thing -- those of us here tonight, we need to set our sights higher than just making sure government doesn't halt the progress we're making. We need to do more than just do no harm. Tonight, together, let's do more to restore the link between hard work and growing opportunity for every American.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Because families like Rebekah's still need our help. She and Ben are working as hard as ever, but have to forego vacations and a new car so they can pay off student loans and save for retirement. Basic childcare for Jack and Henry costs more than their mortgage, and almost as much as a year at the University of Minnesota. Like millions of hardworking Americans, Rebekah isn't asking for a handout, but she is asking that we look for more ways to help families get ahead.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> In fact, at every moment of economic change throughout our history, this country has taken bold action to adapt to new circumstances, and to make sure everyone gets a fair shot. We set up worker protections, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to protect ourselves from the harshest adversity. We gave our citizens schools and colleges, infrastructure and the internet -- tools they needed to go as far as their effort will take them.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> That's what middle-class economics is -- the idea that this country does best when everyone gets their fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. We don't just want everyone to share in America's success -- we want everyone to contribute to our success.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> So what does middle-class economics require in our time? </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> First -- middle-class economics means helping working families feel more secure in a world of constant change. That means helping folks afford childcare, college, health care, a home, retirement -- and my budget will address each of these issues, lowering the taxes of working families and putting thousands of dollars back into their pockets each year.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Here's one example. During World War II, when men like my grandfather went off to war, having women like my grandmother in the workforce was a national security priority -- so this country provided universal childcare. In today's economy, when having both parents in the workforce is an economic necessity for many families, we need affordable, high-quality childcare more than ever. It's not a nice-to-have -- it's a must-have. It's time we stop treating childcare as a side issue, or a women's issue, and treat it like the national economic priority that it is for all of us. And that's why my plan will make quality childcare more available, and more affordable, for every middle-class and low-income family with young children in America -- by creating more slots and a new tax cut of up to $3,000 per child, per year.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Here's another example. Today, we're the only advanced country on Earth that doesn't guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave to our workers. Forty-three million workers have no paid sick leave. Forty-three million. Think about that. And that forces too many parents to make the gut-wrenching choice between a paycheck and a sick kid at home. So I'll be taking new action to help states adopt paid leave laws of their own. And since paid sick leave won where it was on the ballot last November, let's put it to a vote right here in Washington. Send me a bill that gives every worker in America the opportunity to earn seven days of paid sick leave. It's the right thing to do.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Of course, nothing helps families make ends meet like higher wages. That's why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work. Really. It's 2015. It's time. We still need to make sure employees get the overtime they've earned. And to everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, go try it. If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> These ideas won't make everybody rich, or relieve every hardship. That's not the job of government. To give working families a fair shot, we'll still need more employers to see beyond next quarter's earnings and recognize that investing in their workforce is in their company's long-term interest. We still need laws that strengthen rather than weaken unions, and give American workers a voice. But things like child care and sick leave and equal pay; things like lower mortgage premiums and a higher minimum wage -- these ideas will make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions of families. That is a fact. And that's what all of us -- Republicans and Democrats alike -- were sent here to do.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Second, to make sure folks keep earning higher wages down the road, we have to do more to help Americans upgrade their skills.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> America thrived in the 20th century because we made high school free, sent a generation of GIs to college, and trained the best workforce in the world. But in a 21st century economy that rewards knowledge like never before, we need to do more.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> By the end of this decade, two in three job openings will require some higher education. Two in three. And yet, we still live in a country where too many bright, striving Americans are priced out of the education they need. It's not fair to them, and it's not smart for our future.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> That's why I am sending this Congress a bold new plan to lower the cost of community college -- to zero. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Forty percent of our college students choose community college. Some are young and starting out. Some are older and looking for a better job. Some are veterans and single parents trying to transition back into the job market. Whoever you are, this plan is your chance to graduate ready for the new economy, without a load of debt. Understand, you've got to earn it -- you've got to keep your grades up and graduate on time. Tennessee, a state with Republican leadership, and Chicago, a city with Democratic leadership, are showing that free community college is possible. I want to spread that idea all across America, so that two years of college becomes as free and universal in America as high school is today. And I want to work with this Congress, to make sure Americans already burdened with student loans can reduce their monthly payments, so that student debt doesn't derail anyone's dreams.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Thanks to Vice President Biden's great work to update our job training system, we're connecting community colleges with local employers to train workers to fill high-paying jobs like coding, and nursing, and robotics. Tonight, I'm also asking more businesses to follow the lead of companies like CVS and UPS, and offer more educational benefits and paid apprenticeships -- opportunities that give workers the chance to earn higher-paying jobs even if they don't have a higher education.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> And as a new generation of veterans comes home, we owe them every opportunity to live the American Dream they helped defend. Already, we've made strides towards ensuring that every veteran has access to the highest quality care. We're slashing the backlog that had too many veterans waiting years to get the benefits they need, and we're making it easier for vets to translate their training and experience into civilian jobs. Joining Forces, the national campaign launched by Michelle and Jill Biden, has helped nearly 700,000 veterans and military spouses get new jobs. So to every CEO in America, let me repeat: If you want somebody who's going to get the job done, hire a veteran.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Finally, as we better train our workers, we need the new economy to keep churning out high-wage jobs for our workers to fill. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Since 2010, America has put more people back to work than Europe, Japan, and all advanced economies combined. Our manufacturers have added almost 800,000 new jobs. Some of our bedrock sectors, like our auto industry, are booming. But there are also millions of Americans who work in jobs that didn't even exist ten or twenty years ago -- jobs at companies like Google, and eBay, and Tesla. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> So no one knows for certain which industries will generate the jobs of the future. But we do know we want them here in America. That's why the third part of middle-class economics is about building the most competitive economy anywhere, the place where businesses want to locate and hire.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> 21st century businesses need 21st century infrastructure -- modern ports, stronger bridges, faster trains and the fastest internet. Democrats and Republicans used to agree on this. So let's set our sights higher than a single oil pipeline. Let's pass a bipartisan infrastructure plan that could create more than thirty times as many jobs per year, and make this country stronger for decades to come.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> 21st century businesses, including small businesses, need to sell more American products overseas. Today, our businesses export more than ever, and exporters tend to pay their workers higher wages. But as we speak, China wants to write the rules for the world's fastest-growing region. That would put our workers and businesses at a disadvantage. Why would we let that happen? We should write those rules. We should level the playing field. That's why I'm asking both parties to give me trade promotion authority to protect American workers, with strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe that aren't just free, but fair. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Look, I'm the first one to admit that past trade deals haven't always lived up to the hype, and that's why we've gone after countries that break the rules at our expense. But ninety-five percent of the world's customers live outside our borders, and we can't close ourselves off from those opportunities. More than half of manufacturing executives have said they're actively looking at bringing jobs back from China. Let's give them one more reason to get it done.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> 21st century businesses will rely on American science, technology, research and development. I want the country that eliminated polio and mapped the human genome to lead a new era of medicine -- one that delivers the right treatment at the right time. In some patients with cystic fibrosis, this approach has reversed a disease once thought unstoppable. Tonight, I'm launching a new Precision Medicine Initiative to bring us closer to curing diseases like cancer and diabetes -- and to give all of us access to the personalized information we need to keep ourselves and our families healthier.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> I intend to protect a free and open internet, extend its reach to every classroom, and every community, and help folks build the fastest networks, so that the next generation of digital innovators and entrepreneurs have the platform to keep reshaping our world.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> I want Americans to win the race for the kinds of discoveries that unleash new jobs -- converting sunlight into liquid fuel; creating revolutionary prosthetics, so that a veteran who gave his arms for his country can play catch with his kid; pushing out into the Solar System not just to visit, but to stay. Last month, we launched a new spacecraft as part of a re-energized space program that will send American astronauts to Mars. In two months, to prepare us for those missions, Scott Kelly will begin a year-long stay in space. Good luck, Captain -- and make sure to Instagram it.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Now, the truth is, when it comes to issues like infrastructure and basic research, I know there's bipartisan support in this chamber. Members of both parties have told me so. Where we too often run onto the rocks is how to pay for these investments. As Americans, we don't mind paying our fair share of taxes, as long as everybody else does, too. But for far too long, lobbyists have rigged the tax code with loopholes that let some corporations pay nothing while others pay full freight. They've riddled it with giveaways the superrich don't need, denying a break to middle class families who do. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> This year, we have an opportunity to change that. Let's close loopholes so we stop rewarding companies that keep profits abroad, and reward those that invest in America. Let's use those savings to rebuild our infrastructure and make it more attractive for companies to bring jobs home. Let's simplify the system and let a small business owner file based on her actual bank statement, instead of the number of accountants she can afford. And let's close the loopholes that lead to inequality by allowing the top one percent to avoid paying taxes on their accumulated wealth. We can use that money to help more families pay for childcare and send their kids to college. We need a tax code that truly helps working Americans trying to get a leg up in the new economy, and we can achieve that together.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Helping hardworking families make ends meet. Giving them the tools they need for good-paying jobs in this new economy. Maintaining the conditions for growth and competitiveness. This is where America needs to go. I believe it's where the American people want to go. It will make our economy stronger a year from now, fifteen years from now, and deep into the century ahead. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Of course, if there's one thing this new century has taught us, it's that we cannot separate our work at home from challenges beyond our shores. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> My first duty as Commander-in-Chief is to defend the United States of America. In doing so, the question is not whether America leads in the world, but how. When we make rash decisions, reacting to the headlines instead of using our heads; when the first response to a challenge is to send in our military -- then we risk getting drawn into unnecessary conflicts, and neglect the broader strategy we need for a safer, more prosperous world. That's what our enemies want us to do.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> I believe in a smarter kind of American leadership. We lead best when we combine military power with strong diplomacy; when we leverage our power with coalition building; when we don't let our fears blind us to the opportunities that this new century presents. That's exactly what we're doing right now -- and around the globe, it is making a difference.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> First, we stand united with people around the world who've been targeted by terrorists -- from a school in Pakistan to the streets of Paris. We will continue to hunt down terrorists and dismantle their networks, and we reserve the right to act unilaterally, as we've done relentlessly since I took office to take out terrorists who pose a direct threat to us and our allies. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> At the same time, we've learned some costly lessons over the last thirteen years. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Instead of Americans patrolling the valleys of Afghanistan, we've trained their security forces, who've now taken the lead, and we've honored our troops' sacrifice by supporting that country's first democratic transition. Instead of sending large ground forces overseas, we're partnering with nations from South Asia to North Africa to deny safe haven to terrorists who threaten America. In Iraq and Syria, American leadership -- including our military power -- is stopping ISIL's advance. Instead of getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East, we are leading a broad coalition, including Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist group. We're also supporting a moderate opposition in Syria that can help us in this effort, and assisting people everywhere who stand up to the bankrupt ideology of violent extremism. This effort will take time. It will require focus. But we will succeed. And tonight, I call on this Congress to show the world that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the use of force against ISIL.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Second, we are demonstrating the power of American strength and diplomacy. We're upholding the principle that bigger nations can't bully the small -- by opposing Russian aggression, supporting Ukraine's democracy, and reassuring our NATO allies. Last year, as we were doing the hard work of imposing sanctions along with our allies, some suggested that Mr. Putin's aggression was a masterful display of strategy and strength. Well, today, it is America that stands strong and united with our allies, while Russia is isolated, with its economy in tatters. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> That's how America leads -- not with bluster, but with persistent, steady resolve.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> In Cuba, we are ending a policy that was long past its expiration date. When what you're doing doesn't work for fifty years, it's time to try something new. Our shift in Cuba policy has the potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our hemisphere; removes a phony excuse for restrictions in Cuba; stands up for democratic values; and extends the hand of friendship to the Cuban people. And this year, Congress should begin the work of ending the embargo. As His Holiness, Pope Francis, has said, diplomacy is the work of "small steps." These small steps have added up to new hope for the future in Cuba. And after years in prison, we're overjoyed that Alan Gross is back where he belongs. Welcome home, Alan. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Our diplomacy is at work with respect to Iran, where, for the first time in a decade, we've halted the progress of its nuclear program and reduced its stockpile of nuclear material. Between now and this spring, we have a chance to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that prevents a nuclear-armed Iran; secures America and our allies -- including Israel; while avoiding yet another Middle East conflict. There are no guarantees that negotiations will succeed, and I keep all options on the table to prevent a nuclear Iran. But new sanctions passed by this Congress, at this moment in time, will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails -- alienating America from its allies; and ensuring that Iran starts up its nuclear program again. It doesn't make sense. That is why I will veto any new sanctions bill that threatens to undo this progress. The American people expect us to only go to war as a last resort, and I intend to stay true to that wisdom.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Third, we're looking beyond the issues that have consumed us in the past to shape the coming century.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> No foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the privacy of American families, especially our kids. We are making sure our government integrates intelligence to combat cyber threats, just as we have done to combat terrorism. And tonight, I urge this Congress to finally pass the legislation we need to better meet the evolving threat of cyber-attacks, combat identity theft, and protect our children's information. If we don't act, we'll leave our nation and our economy vulnerable. If we do, we can continue to protect the technologies that have unleashed untold opportunities for people around the globe.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> In West Africa, our troops, our scientists, our doctors, our nurses and healthcare workers are rolling back Ebola -- saving countless lives and stopping the spread of disease. I couldn't be prouder of them, and I thank this Congress for your bipartisan support of their efforts. But the job is not yet done -- and the world needs to use this lesson to build a more effective global effort to prevent the spread of future pandemics, invest in smart development, and eradicate extreme poverty.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> In the Asia Pacific, we are modernizing alliances while making sure that other nations play by the rules -- in how they trade, how they resolve maritime disputes, and how they participate in meeting common international challenges like nonproliferation and disaster relief. And no challenge -- no challenge -- poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> 2014 was the planet's warmest year on record. Now, one year doesn't make a trend, but this does -- 14 of the 15 warmest years on record have all fallen in the first 15 years of this century. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> I've heard some folks try to dodge the evidence by saying they're not scientists; that we don't have enough information to act. Well, I'm not a scientist, either. But you know what -- I know a lot of really good scientists at NASA, and NOAA, and at our major universities. The best scientists in the world are all telling us that our activities are changing the climate, and if we do not act forcefully, we'll continue to see rising oceans, longer, hotter heat waves, dangerous droughts and floods, and massive disruptions that can trigger greater migration, conflict, and hunger around the globe. The Pentagon says that climate change poses immediate risks to our national security. We should act like it.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> That's why, over the past six years, we've done more than ever before to combat climate change, from the way we produce energy, to the way we use it. That's why we've set aside more public lands and waters than any administration in history. And that's why I will not let this Congress endanger the health of our children by turning back the clock on our efforts. I am determined to make sure American leadership drives international action. In Beijing, we made an historic announcement -- the United States will double the pace at which we cut carbon pollution, and China committed, for the first time, to limiting their emissions. And because the world's two largest economies came together, other nations are now stepping up, and offering hope that, this year, the world will finally reach an agreement to protect the one planet we've got.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> There's one last pillar to our leadership -- and that's the example of our values. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> As Americans, we respect human dignity, even when we're threatened, which is why I've prohibited torture, and worked to make sure our use of new technology like drones is properly constrained. It's why we speak out against the deplorable anti-Semitism that has resurfaced in certain parts of the world. It's why we continue to reject offensive stereotypes of Muslims -- the vast majority of whom share our commitment to peace. That's why we defend free speech, and advocate for political prisoners, and condemn the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. We do these things not only because they're right, but because they make us safer. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> As Americans, we have a profound commitment to justice -- so it makes no sense to spend three million dollars per prisoner to keep open a prison that the world condemns and terrorists use to recruit. Since I've been President, we've worked responsibly to cut the population of GTMO in half. Now it's time to finish the job. And I will not relent in my determination to shut it down. It's not who we are.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> As Americans, we cherish our civil liberties -- and we need to uphold that commitment if we want maximum cooperation from other countries and industry in our fight against terrorist networks. So while some have moved on from the debates over our surveillance programs, I haven't. As promised, our intelligence agencies have worked hard, with the recommendations of privacy advocates, to increase transparency and build more safeguards against potential abuse. And next month, we'll issue a report on how we're keeping our promise to keep our country safe while strengthening privacy.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Looking to the future instead of the past. Making sure we match our power with diplomacy, and use force wisely. Building coalitions to meet new challenges and opportunities. Leading -- always -- with the example of our values. That's what makes us exceptional. That's what keeps us strong. And that's why we must keep striving to hold ourselves to the highest of standards -- our own.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> You know, just over a decade ago, I gave a speech in Boston where I said there wasn't a liberal America, or a conservative America; a black America or a white America -- but a United States of America. I said this because I had seen it in my own life, in a nation that gave someone like me a chance; because I grew up in Hawaii, a melting pot of races and customs; because I made Illinois my home -- a state of small towns, rich farmland, and one of the world's great cities; a microcosm of the country where Democrats and Republicans and Independents, good people of every ethnicity and every faith, share certain bedrock values.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Over the past six years, the pundits have pointed out more than once that my presidency hasn't delivered on this vision. How ironic, they say, that our politics seems more divided than ever. It's held up as proof not just of my own flaws -- of which there are many -- but also as proof that the vision itself is misguided, and naïve, and that there are too many people in this town who actually benefit from partisanship and gridlock for us to ever do anything about it.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> I know how tempting such cynicism may be. But I still think the cynics are wrong.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> I still believe that we are one people. I still believe that together, we can do great things, even when the odds are long. I believe this because over and over in my six years in office, I have seen America at its best. I've seen the hopeful faces of young graduates from New York to California; and our newest officers at West Point, Annapolis, Colorado Springs, and New London. I've mourned with grieving families in Tucson and Newtown; in Boston, West, Texas, and West Virginia. I've watched Americans beat back adversity from the Gulf Coast to the Great Plains; from Midwest assembly lines to the Mid-Atlantic seaboard. I've seen something like gay marriage go from a wedge issue used to drive us apart to a story of freedom across our country, a civil right now legal in states that seven in ten Americans call home. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> So I know the good, and optimistic, and big-hearted generosity of the American people who, every day, live the idea that we are our brother's keeper, and our sister's keeper. And I know they expect those of us who serve here to set a better example. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> So the question for those of us here tonight is how we, all of us, can better reflect America's hopes. I've served in Congress with many of you. I know many of you well. There are a lot of good people here, on both sides of the aisle. And many of you have told me that this isn't what you signed up for -- arguing past each other on cable shows, the constant fundraising, always looking over your shoulder at how the base will react to every decision.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Imagine if we broke out of these tired old patterns. Imagine if we did something different.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Understand -- a better politics isn't one where Democrats abandon their agenda or Republicans simply embrace mine. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> A better politics is one where we appeal to each other's basic decency instead of our basest fears. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> A better politics is one where we debate without demonizing each other; where we talk issues, and values, and principles, and facts, rather than "gotcha" moments, or trivial gaffes, or fake controversies that have nothing to do with people's daily lives. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> A better politics is one where we spend less time drowning in dark money for ads that pull us into the gutter, and spend more time lifting young people up, with a sense of purpose and possibility, and asking them to join in the great mission of building America.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> If we're going to have arguments, let's have arguments -- but let's make them debates worthy of this body and worthy of this country. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> We still may not agree on a woman's right to choose, but surely we can agree it's a good thing that teen pregnancies and abortions are nearing all-time lows, and that every woman should have access to the health care she needs.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Yes, passions still fly on immigration, but surely we can all see something of ourselves in the striving young student, and agree that no one benefits when a hardworking mom is taken from her child, and that it's possible to shape a law that upholds our tradition as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> We may go at it in campaign season, but surely we can agree that the right to vote is sacred; that it's being denied to too many; and that, on this 50th anniversary of the great march from Selma to Montgomery and the passage of the Voting Rights Act, we can come together, Democrats and Republicans, to make voting easier for every single American.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> We may have different takes on the events of Ferguson and New York. But surely we can understand a father who fears his son can't walk home without being harassed. Surely we can understand the wife who won't rest until the police officer she married walks through the front door at the end of his shift. Surely we can agree it's a good thing that for the first time in 40 years, the crime rate and the incarceration rate have come down together, and use that as a starting point for Democrats and Republicans, community leaders and law enforcement, to reform America's criminal justice system so that it protects and serves us all.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> That's a better politics. That's how we start rebuilding trust. That's how we move this country forward. That's what the American people want. That's what they deserve.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> I have no more campaigns to run. My only agenda for the next two years is the same as the one I've had since the day I swore an oath on the steps of this Capitol -- to do what I believe is best for America. If you share the broad vision I outlined tonight, join me in the work at hand. If you disagree with parts of it, I hope you'll at least work with me where you do agree. And I commit to every Republican here tonight that I will not only seek out your ideas, I will seek to work with you to make this country stronger.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Because I want this chamber, this city, to reflect the truth -- that for all our blind spots and shortcomings, we are a people with the strength and generosity of spirit to bridge divides, to unite in common effort, and help our neighbors, whether down the street or on the other side of the world.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> I want our actions to tell every child, in every neighborhood: your life matters, and we are as committed to improving your life chances as we are for our own kids.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> I want future generations to know that we are a people who see our differences as a great gift, that we are a people who value the dignity and worth of every citizen -- man and woman, young and old, black and white, Latino and Asian, immigrant and Native American, gay and straight, Americans with mental illness or physical disability. </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> I want them to grow up in a country that shows the world what we still know to be true: that we are still more than a collection of red states and blue states; that we are the United States of America.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> I want them to grow up in a country where a young mom like Rebekah can sit down and write a letter to her President with a story to sum up these past six years: </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> "It is amazing what you can bounce back from when you have to...we are a strong, tight-knit family who has made it through some very, very hard times."</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> My fellow Americans, we too are a strong, tight-knit family. We, too, have made it through some hard times. Fifteen years into this new century, we have picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off, and begun again the work of remaking America. We've laid a new foundation. A brighter future is ours to write. Let's begin this new chapter -- together -- and let's start the work right now.</div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> </div> <div class="zn-body__paragraph"> Thank you, God bless you, and God bless this country we love.</div> </div> </section></div> </div> </div> </div>

State of the Union 2015: Full transcript

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Windows 10's new features: Cortana, a 'Spartan' browser, Xbox streaming, and more

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span itemprop="articleBody text"></span></div> <section class="page"> It’s official, folks: Windows 10 is coming to the people. After kicking off Windows 10 with a bevy of business-friendly features, Microsoft drew back the curtain on the operating system’s new consumer-focused features at an event on Wednesday, while simultaneously driving home a vision of an operating system designed to deliver a singular, cohesive experience across a myriad of device types.<br /> And it'll be <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2873214/windows-10-will-be-a-free-upgrade-for-windows-7-and-8-users.html">a free upgrade for Windows 7 and 8 users</a>, who can snag the operating system for nada in the first year after Windows 10 hits the streets.<br /> After Microsoft operating system chief Terry Myerson announced that crucial tidbit, Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore took the stage to run through some features coming to Windows 10 Preview that are designed to make using the operating system a smoother experience.<br /> First, Belfiore showed off some helpful tweaks to Windows 10 features that have already been announced: The Start menu will be able to expand to fill the full screen if you desire, for one thing. The Action Center (read: Windows 10’s notification center) is receiving improved functionality, such as Windows Phone 8.1-esque quick action buttons that let you activate features (such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) with a single click. Notifications in the Action Center will be able to be expanded.<br /> More helpfully for everyday workflow, Windows 10 will condense the Control Panel and the modern UI PC Settings into a single interface, eliminating Windows 8’s maddening insistence on dumping crucial system tools into two separate locations.<br /> Microsoft also announced that its Continuum feature, which dynamically shifts the Windows 10 interface from the Modern UI to the desktop depending on whether you’re using a traditional PC or a touchscreen device, will soon appear in Windows 10 Preview builds.<br /> <h2> Cortana comes to PCs</h2> <figure class="large "><img alt="windows 10 cortana weather" height="325" src="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/01/windows_10_cortana_weather-100563972-large.png" width="580" /> <figcaption> Cortana on a Windows 10 PC.<br /> </figcaption></figure> As anticipated, Microsoft’s Cortana digital assistant will make the jump from Windows Phone to Windows 10, assuming control of many of the operating system’s search features. Cortana, which will get her own place next to the Start button in the desktop taskbar, can perform many of the same basic tricks she does in Windows Phone. Cortana can be interacted with via text or natural voice queries, just like on mobile devices.<br /> Still based off Microsoft’s cloud-based Bing brains, Cortana can answer basic queries like “Will I need a coat tomorrow?” or how much it costs to attend the University of Washington, as Belfiore showed in live demonstrations. But Cortana’s also been tweaked for more useful PC-like interactions. She can scour your local machine, OneDrive account, and even your business network to find files based on natural language queries. Belfiore showed off the capabilities by asking Cortana to “Find PowerPoint slides about the charity auction” and “Show me photos from December.” The digital assistant surfaced the desired information nearly instantly.<br /> That sounds pretty darn handy, and there are more playful commands, too: Telling Cortana to “Play my music” launches the music app, while asking her to “Please be quiet” silences the music. Nice!<br /> <h2> Windows 10 for phones and universal apps</h2> Belfiore then veered off to show Windows 10 on phones and tablets, including a brief demo of mobile, touch-friendly Office apps. Windows 10 for phones will basically act like an extension of your PC, featuring <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2138625/microsoft-introduces-universal-apps-that-scale-across-phones-tablets-and-pcs.html">universal Windows apps</a> that share the same central heart and design as their PC counterparts, as well as newly universal notifications that synchronize across Windows 10 devices.<br /> Windows 10 phones and small-screen tablets will include a free copy of Office. For a quick look at the universal Office apps, be sure to check out our article on Windows 10 for phones and tablets.<br /> After the mobile talk, Belfiore showcased a rebuilt version of Outlook designed for PCs, tablets, and phones alike as a universal Windows app. Strongly resembling the Mail app in Windows 8—at least aesthetically—the universal Outlook map will sport a unified look across device types, packing touch-friendly commands such as swiping left on a message to remove it, or swiping right to flag it for later follow up.<br /> Since many of Microsoft’s apps—including Outlook—have their heads in the cloud, changes you make to a universal app on one device will be immediately reflected on other devices, as Belfiore demoed by actively editing Calendar app entries simultaneously on a PC and a phone.<br /> Microsoft’s bringing the same cloud-centric, universal app experiences to its core Windows apps as well, all powered by OneDrive on the backend. The Photos app will create albums from all your devices, intelligently removing duplicates and burst photos. A revamped universal People app will collate your contacts, while the Music app is also receiving a universal overhaul. As rumored, Microsoft will add support for you to put your music collection in OneDrive within the next month or two, so you can listen to your tunes anywhere. Maps will also be receiving Cortana integration, and she'll be able to remember where you parked your car.<br /> <h2> This is Spartan</h2> Also new to Windows 10 is Spartan: A new, clean-looking, lightweight browser built around a new rendering engine. It won’t be available in the first Windows Insider builds, and it will only come to phones eventually, Belfiore said.<br /> <figure class="large "><img alt="windows 10 project sparta markup web" height="325" src="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/01/windows_10_project_sparta_markup_web-100563996-large.png" width="580" /> <figcaption> The Spartan browser's annotation capabilities.<br /> </figcaption></figure> The Spartan browser includes a note-taking mode that lets you annotate a webpage, then share your marked-up, commented-on version with others using Windows 10’s native Share feature. There’s also a clipping tool so you can save portions of websites directly to OneNote.<br /> Spartan also doubles down on the mere act of <em>reading on the Internet</em>. The browser integrates an updated version of the stellar Reading Mode found in Windows 8’s Metro Internet Explorer app. Reading Mode strips all the ads and sidebar crud out of webpages, formatting articles so that they appear similar to a book. It’s a wonderful thing. Spartan also taps into the Windows Reading List app, so you can save articles to read later, synchronizing the list across multiple devices. Unlike the Reading List app in Windows 8, the one in Windows 10 will let you save content to read offline.<br /> <figure class="large "><img alt="windows 10 project sparta cortana" height="325" src="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/01/windows_10_project_sparta_cortana-100563995-large.png" width="580" /> <figcaption> Cortana surfacing restaurant info in the Spartan browser.<br /> </figcaption></figure> Cortana is also being integrated directly into Spartan. "Because she knows you, she can help in more nuanced ways,” Belfiore said, showing an example where searching for “Delta” in his address bar popped up information for the Delta flight Belfiore was scheduled to take later. Cortana will also pop up when you visit a restaurant’s website, surfacing directions as well as information about the restaurant’s menu, hours of operating, and Yelp reviews.<br /> <h2> Improving PC games with Xbox</h2> <figure class="large "><img alt="windows 10 xbox video" height="325" src="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/01/windows_10_xbox_video-100564013-large.png" width="580" /> <figcaption> The Windows 10 Xbox app.<br /> </figcaption></figure> Microsoft’s also bolstering Windows 10’s gaming chops by deeply integrating Xbox capabilities into the operating system. A new Xbox app essentially looks like a more fully fleshed-out version of SmartGlass, letting you chat with your Xbox Live pals, view your achievement information, or access game DVR clips. The app also lets you like, share, and comment on game clips.<br /> But Windows 10’s new gaming chops is about more than merely expanding Xbox’s footprint. While you’re playing traditional PC games, be it in Steam or otherwise, a new <em>Windows key + G</em> keyboard shortcut brings up an interface for saving snapshots and 30 second video clips of your adventures, which then brings you into the Xbox app to share it. Games don’t directly have to support the functionality as it’s being overlaid directly by Microsoft in Windows 10.<br /> <figure class="large "><img alt="windows 10 steam" height="325" src="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/01/windows_10_steam-100564014-large.png" width="580" /> <figcaption> Windows 10's new screenshot- and video-capturing tools will work with any PC game, including Steam games.<br /> </figcaption></figure> As previously announced, the performance-enhancing DirectX 12 gaming API is also coming to Windows 10. Xbox head Phil Spencer claims that the API can deliver up to a 50 percent performance improvement in games.<br /> Microsoft also wants to enable more gaming experiences regardless of the device you’re using. <em>Fable Legends</em> players on Windows 10 and Xbox One will be able to play with each other, and you’ll be able to stream your Xbox One games directly to any Windows 10 device, though it sounds like it will be limited to local networks only, similarly to Steam in-home streaming.<br /> <h2> Surface hub and Windows Holographic</h2> <figure class="large "><img alt="surfacehub" height="375" src="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/01/surfacehub-100564009-large.jpg" width="580" /> <figcaption> The Surface Hub.<br /> </figcaption></figure> This has nothing to do with Windows, but it's a major—and unexpected—hardware announcement from Microsoft: The company's rolling out the Surface Hub, an 84-inch, 4K, touch-enabled display for office collaboration. You can <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2873292/microsoft-reveals-surface-hub-an-84-inch-4k-touchscreen-for-office-collaboration.html">read the full details here</a>.<br /> <figure class="large "><img alt="microsoft windows 10 holographic" height="387" src="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/01/microsoft_windows_10_holographic-100564051-large.png" width="580" /> <small class="credit">Image: Microsoft</small> <figcaption> Windows Holographic will build 3D imaging into Windows 10, which can be experienced using the HoloLens headset.<br /> </figcaption></figure> And the Surface Hub isn't even the craziest hardware announced by Microsoft today. That honor goes to Windows Holographic, a set of technologies—a headset, new Windows 10 technology, and a HoloStudio dev app—that brings some insanely intense augmented reality capabilities to Windows. You'll definitely want to check this out.<br /> <h2> When can you get it?</h2> Myerson also revealed some stats from the Windows 10 Technical Preview. Thus far, more than 1.7 million people have registered for the Windows Insider program, and they’ve installed Windows 10 on more than 3 million different PCs.<br /> A fresh Windows 10 Preview build containing the newly announced features will hit PCs next week, with a Windows 10 build for phones becoming available after the Super Bowl. Here's <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2690339/how-to-install-the-windows-10-technical-preview-everything-you-need-to-know.html">how to get started with the Windows 10 Preview</a>.<br /> </section></div>

Windows 10's new features: Cortana, a 'Spartan' browser, Xbox streaming, and more

It’s official, folks: Windows 10 is coming to the people. After kicking off Windows 10 with a bevy of business-friendly features, Microsoft drew back the curtain on the operating system’s new consumer-focused features at an event on Wednesday, while simultaneously driving home a vision of an op…

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