Windows 8 Review

Today were checking out Microsoft's most ambitious operating system yet the Windows 8 beta also known as the consumer preview is in fact rocketing traditional Windows core for the Metro tiled interface that Microsoft has created. The first unified OS for both PC’s and tablets and it’s got the sink to back it up. Windows 8 is big, gutsy and is a whole heck lot to show you and will freak you out just a little bit. So okay you may like it but trust me you will want to see this. There are two big changes in Windows 8, the first and most obvious one is most likely to hurt your brain just a little bit, is the touch interface.

Windows 8 is all kind of touchy-feeling after logging in the first thing you'll see is this new start screen, we saw a rough version of this back in September but now the tiles are interactive and they update in real-time. More than that in a sec, here is how you navigate around; swiping from the right edge of the Windows charms will appear. These include the instantly recognizable search, share, start to return to the start screen, devices and settings. Once you’ve launch at least one app you can swipe in from the left edge to return to the last open app and pinch to zoom out and get a global view of your app groups. You can also create new custom groups and move apps around.  A quick swipe in and then back out on the left edge shows the thumbnails of recently used apps as well as your start screen at the bottom. So yes, the start button is hidden, but no it's not really that hard to get to. It takes about the same effort to get to the start screen for their edges. The left and right edges are for settings so the top and bottom are for the apps themselves.

In Internet Explorer for example, this means that your location bars at the bottom and your tabs are up to the top on the start screen, were you get a list view of all your apps. In mail you can set up accounts including non-Microsoft ones like Gmail, create folders, sync and more. And it’s a little confusing to know that settings will often appear under the settings charm even when those settings are accessible from the top or bottom edges. So clearly, there are some workflow snags the Microsoft hasn't quite worked out yet. So what’s that second big change? Windows 8 is such a schmoozer, is arguably the most social desktop OS out there. From the login screen, we can see your calendar and e-mail notifications and said other apps to appear to the real-time updates to your tiles on your start screen.

Windows 8 is anything but a static input only experience search is global and includes data from all your apps that have activated the search API hooks. And of course being Windows you can easily tweak those settings, part of being social is syncing. Windows 8 is sync happy; it connects the Microsoft account such as Hotmail or live. And you'll be able to sync settings nearly instantaneously from one Windows 8 to another, throwing the apps syncing from the Windows store. You got one heck of a mobilized system sky drive, will help you keep your files sync to. Okay fine, you can poke it with a stick on how will it work with the mouse and keyboard. Simply connect your traditional interface peripherals and bam! Scrollbar the screen automatically knows when your mouse is pushing one of the images. They will scroll you through your groups hotkeys get a lot of love in Windows 8, all the combos for Windows seven working, Windows 8 and even the Metro interface. If you miss Windows 7 or just want a precision of the spreadsheet, you can jump to the familiar Windows 7 style desktop with the desktop tile notice that apps here can be designed to appear more like traditional Windows. So i.e. tendon Metro is touched ocular while i.e. tendon desktop mode look like IE 9 even though both IE 10 skins are powered by the same engine and have the same features. Short version Photoshop and other high precision programs have nothing to worry about.

Those are just two of the biggest changes in Windows 8 but there are tons more security gets a lot of attention. You can choose one of three logins password, pin or send a picture login perfect. For it was also stuck, are likely to never encounter that protecting you like trusted boot for double checking system integrity and smart screen to protect you from phishing and malware. Their features like refresh, that will reinstall Windows 8 without deleting your data, multiple monitor support for showing start on one screen and the desktop on the other and more.

Windows 8 is a heck of a Hail Mary pass the land like Vista Microsoft will be in a world of trouble. It doesn't look like that it cannot happen, hardware makers are investing heavily in it. And it's earning its buzz, because there's nothing quite like it out there. Windows is ready for you to touch it question is well waiting for the unified desktop mobile experience for people already moved too much into mobile to care.