In two versions, Microsoft is releasing its premier operating system—Windows 8. These versions are Windows 8 and Windows RT. MS has entirely revamped the OS making it look different from all the previous versions of Windows. Windows 8’s stability and performance in 64-bit computers, Microsoft says, has been improved from Windows 7. Windows 8 supports both tablet computers that work on ARM architecture as well as x86 and x64 systems that have regular Intel and AMD microprocessors.
Windows RT will power such ARM tablets like Microsoft Surface and smartphones. In this article, let me introduce you to some of the new features available in Windows 8.
If you are familiar with Windows Phone 7, then you are familiar with the Metro user interface.
The interface of Windows 8 and Windows RT come with the Metro style interface that include ‘live’ tiles that update based on information available. The tiles can be weather updates, social media updates (Twitter, Facebook, etc.), breaking news, messages, etc. Also, there are multiple desktops where you can arrange these tiles neatly.
The support for multiple desktops automatically extends the support for multiple monitors. Unlike the previous versions, multi-monitor setup is very streamlined with Windows 8.
With a multi-tap gesture (two-finger zoom-out), you can see all of the desktops and tiles on them. Not only does Windows 8 support this tiled interface, but also the traditional desktop with icons. The RT version, however, supports only the Metro UI.
Microsoft has incorporated a new feature called Charms with this version of the operating system. Windows 8 interface has a swipe option on the top right-hand corner that brings up Charms with a number of options—search, app settings, social media sharing, hardware settings, etc. This is essentially easy-to-use interface design from Microsoft.
The search function is exhaustive. It is fast and lists all kinds of files for each search term that you enter. This in turn makes Windows 8 file management far better.
If you already have a Microsoft account, you are going to love Windows 8 as it is integrated to your online account seamlessly. All of MS’s services—Outlook email, SkyDrive cloud storage, MSN, Xbox, etc.
You are going to get 7 GB of free storage through SkyDrive just by integrating a Microsoft account to the new PC with Win 8. Also, if your primary email account is in Outlook, email messaging is going to be extremely streamlined for you. Besides this, Microsoft account can sync any data that you have on your system such as settings, email, or the desktop arrangement with your online account.
‘Windows To Go’ is a feature Microsoft has introduced. You can transfer the entire operating system with its settings, files, folders, etc., into a flash drive in order to run it from a different computer with the same settings. This is, however, a feature available only in the Enterprise edition of the operating system.
This will be the application store for Microsoft just like Apple App Store. The Windows Store will feature free and paid apps that are in Metro style UI as well as traditional Windows UI. However, the primary focus of this app store will be for Metro apps for ARM architecture tablets. The developers of traditional Windows applications can either distribute them directly through their channels or advertise through Windows Store.
Windows 8 has a multitasking tool known as ‘Snap’ that helps you work with two apps at the same time. One of the apps takes up most of the screen while the other one occupies a wide sidebar. This makes it easy to manage data between two applications. You can switch between the primary app and the sidebar app.
Google through Android and Apple through iOS have developed beautiful customizable lock-screens. With Windows 8, Microsoft is not far behind. Check out the new lock screen from them here.
Internet Explorer 10 is the default browser for Win 8. After long tiresome battle with Firefox and Google Chrome, IE failed at last and dropped down to Number 3. First was the position it served for a long time and then gave away to Firefox and then to Google Chrome.
Now, Microsoft is very eager with this release of IE. They are indicating that it is highly improved and supports more features of HTML 5. Also, the browser is highly responsive—a quality that IE lacked for a long time. While Google Chrome and Firefox impressed customers with lightning speed, IE developers maintained that “it is not how fast we do a task, but how efficiently we do it that matters”.
But the new IE doesn’t have the pathetic interface of previous versions. It is different in that it has given most of its interface to the web content rather than its own highly unnecessary toolbars and buttons.
A number of new security features have been added to Windows 8. Multiple login options are available, such as regular password, 4-digit PIN, login with finger gestures, etc. In concern for security, Microsoft has developed a new version of its antispyware, MS Defender.
Operating system errors that may be causing problems in computer operation are better detected by Win 8. It launches recovery options in such cases automatically.
Those were some of the most important features available in Windows 8. With two versions, one optimized for both PCs and tablets and other optimized just for tablets at a lower price, Windows is a very big competitor to Apple and Google. Google as you know is still struggling with its desktop and mobile operating systems (a point that MS CEO Steve Ballmer himself pointed out), while Apple is successfully keeping iOS distinct from Mac OS, while keeping extremely fluent interoperability. We have to wait and see where MS stacks up in competition.
With such amazing interface modification (simplistic design that got inspired probably from Google, Facebook, etc.), Windows 8 will be a cake walk for most of the new customers. However, for the people who are already accustomed to Windows traditional UI, the interface may create a few challenges. This is because this is the first time that Microsoft has come so close to real world in terms of computing. The interface and its input gestures (like the semantic zoom) are real-worldly. This is the reason why I believe MS has done a great job with this version of Windows.
Windows RT will power such ARM tablets like Microsoft Surface and smartphones. In this article, let me introduce you to some of the new features available in Windows 8.
1. The All-New Home Screen
If you are familiar with Windows Phone 7, then you are familiar with the Metro user interface.
The interface of Windows 8 and Windows RT come with the Metro style interface that include ‘live’ tiles that update based on information available. The tiles can be weather updates, social media updates (Twitter, Facebook, etc.), breaking news, messages, etc. Also, there are multiple desktops where you can arrange these tiles neatly.
The support for multiple desktops automatically extends the support for multiple monitors. Unlike the previous versions, multi-monitor setup is very streamlined with Windows 8.
With a multi-tap gesture (two-finger zoom-out), you can see all of the desktops and tiles on them. Not only does Windows 8 support this tiled interface, but also the traditional desktop with icons. The RT version, however, supports only the Metro UI.
2. The Charms Sidebar
Microsoft has incorporated a new feature called Charms with this version of the operating system. Windows 8 interface has a swipe option on the top right-hand corner that brings up Charms with a number of options—search, app settings, social media sharing, hardware settings, etc. This is essentially easy-to-use interface design from Microsoft.
The search function is exhaustive. It is fast and lists all kinds of files for each search term that you enter. This in turn makes Windows 8 file management far better.
3. Seamless Integration With Your Online Account
If you already have a Microsoft account, you are going to love Windows 8 as it is integrated to your online account seamlessly. All of MS’s services—Outlook email, SkyDrive cloud storage, MSN, Xbox, etc.
You are going to get 7 GB of free storage through SkyDrive just by integrating a Microsoft account to the new PC with Win 8. Also, if your primary email account is in Outlook, email messaging is going to be extremely streamlined for you. Besides this, Microsoft account can sync any data that you have on your system such as settings, email, or the desktop arrangement with your online account.
4. Take Windows In Your Pen Drive
‘Windows To Go’ is a feature Microsoft has introduced. You can transfer the entire operating system with its settings, files, folders, etc., into a flash drive in order to run it from a different computer with the same settings. This is, however, a feature available only in the Enterprise edition of the operating system.
5. Windows Store
6. Snap
Windows 8 has a multitasking tool known as ‘Snap’ that helps you work with two apps at the same time. One of the apps takes up most of the screen while the other one occupies a wide sidebar. This makes it easy to manage data between two applications. You can switch between the primary app and the sidebar app.
7. Improved Lock Screen
Google through Android and Apple through iOS have developed beautiful customizable lock-screens. With Windows 8, Microsoft is not far behind. Check out the new lock screen from them here.
8. The Latest Browser
Internet Explorer 10 is the default browser for Win 8. After long tiresome battle with Firefox and Google Chrome, IE failed at last and dropped down to Number 3. First was the position it served for a long time and then gave away to Firefox and then to Google Chrome.
Now, Microsoft is very eager with this release of IE. They are indicating that it is highly improved and supports more features of HTML 5. Also, the browser is highly responsive—a quality that IE lacked for a long time. While Google Chrome and Firefox impressed customers with lightning speed, IE developers maintained that “it is not how fast we do a task, but how efficiently we do it that matters”.
But the new IE doesn’t have the pathetic interface of previous versions. It is different in that it has given most of its interface to the web content rather than its own highly unnecessary toolbars and buttons.
9. Security and Maintenance
A number of new security features have been added to Windows 8. Multiple login options are available, such as regular password, 4-digit PIN, login with finger gestures, etc. In concern for security, Microsoft has developed a new version of its antispyware, MS Defender.
Operating system errors that may be causing problems in computer operation are better detected by Win 8. It launches recovery options in such cases automatically.
Conclusion
Those were some of the most important features available in Windows 8. With two versions, one optimized for both PCs and tablets and other optimized just for tablets at a lower price, Windows is a very big competitor to Apple and Google. Google as you know is still struggling with its desktop and mobile operating systems (a point that MS CEO Steve Ballmer himself pointed out), while Apple is successfully keeping iOS distinct from Mac OS, while keeping extremely fluent interoperability. We have to wait and see where MS stacks up in competition.
With such amazing interface modification (simplistic design that got inspired probably from Google, Facebook, etc.), Windows 8 will be a cake walk for most of the new customers. However, for the people who are already accustomed to Windows traditional UI, the interface may create a few challenges. This is because this is the first time that Microsoft has come so close to real world in terms of computing. The interface and its input gestures (like the semantic zoom) are real-worldly. This is the reason why I believe MS has done a great job with this version of Windows.