Windows 8: The next generation operating system (OS) for PCs and mobile devices
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has recently stated that Windows 8 has started off on a stunning note with the downloading of four million upgrades within four days of its launch, on October 26, 2012. Its features have been released by Microsoft as early as September 2011, when Windows 8 was first introduced. However, the set of features were improved with certain additions and deletions during the launch of Windows 8 in stages such as – Developer Preview, Consumer Preview, Release Preview and RTM (Released to Manufacturers) Build.
Lets know its features and specifications one-by-one:
User Interface
Re-invented Start Screen, closing the chapter of Start button
The redesigned interface is probably the most talked feature of the new Microsoft OS. It is highly logical to say that the Windows 8 Live Tiles are the most distinguishing feature of Windows 8 if it is compared to the previous Windows versions. The new mobile phone-inspired interface indicates a generation shift in the Windows OS software.
Interestingly, users would be able to interact with these apps appearing in the form of tiles on the interface. You can run these apps on the full screen and can also minimize or maximize the tiles as you were doing in case of Windows. In a nutshell, it can be safely assumed that these tiles are the focal point of the Windows 8 experience. For sure, you are going to miss them, if you are still doing your work on the traditional Windows desktop.
It is needless to say that the Start button in Windows belongs to history now as it has been replaced with the Live Tiles. But the Start button is still there in the left corner of the interface. To make it appear you need to hover your mouse around that area. So it is very much there at its usual place but it is hidden now.
In case of a touch-screen PC as well, you would find a dedicated start button which resembles the Start Key available with the Windows-compatible keyboard. Moreover, you can also find a shortcut to the Start Menu in the Charms Bar but in order to create that you need to swipe in at the right end of the touch display.
However, Microsoft has finally chosen to retain the Start Button but clicking on it would not lead you to a stack of menu showing the list of programs. In Windows 8, programs would be presented in a different manner. After you hit the Start key, you are swiftly taken away to a full screen cluster of Live Tiles that you would be able to swap with your fingers. They are programmed in such a way that you can scroll through with ease on the touch interface. Convenience is therefore the apt adjective for the Windows 8 new user interface.
Lock Screen
The list of features is pretty long in case of Windows 8 OS. Lets talk about the Lock Screen now. You can customize the look and feel of the Lock Screen in the way you prefer. You can choose a background photo and the notifications of your choice for the Lock Screen. Most interestingly, you would be able to see the pending calendar appointments as well as notifications about the number of unread messages and e-mails, without even entering your password. Not only this, you can also choose to display detailed information about couple of things like weather forecast and calendar appointments, in your PC settings.
Desktop
The Windows 8 desktop is very close to the one with the Windows 7 OS. Despite the similarities there are certain changes that you can count apart from the Start menu. To begin with, the Aero user interface is no more there. So there won’t be a transparent border in the Windows as you would find everything flat and two-dimensional.
One major desktop advancement with the Windows 8 is the advanced multi-monitor support. With this feature you would be able to enjoy different desktop backgrounds. Apart from this, users can also set it up in a way that would make a pinned program visible only on the screen on which the particular app is running.
In-built apps
In-built apps form a major attraction to the Windows 8 OS. Lets read about each of them:
You can easily setup the Mail app on Windows 8 without hassles. You can sync your Gmail, Google Contacts or Calendars easily. You also get similar setup options for other e-mail clients like Outlook.com, Hotmail, Yahoo and AOL. Interestingly, the Mail app can import all your folders and labels from Gmail even if you are not using Hotmail or AOL.
Calendar
Once you sync your Google contacts and Calendars, all your appointments would readily show up in the built-in Calendar app. In case you are not using Google or Gmail, you can also chose to link Hotmail, Outlook.com or Exchange / Office365 calendar to the app. The default view for the appointments is monthly that needs customization. The app allows you to see two appointments every day.
People
The People app has also been improved and updated. Now the People app serves both as an address book as well as a tool for making social networking updates. Now you can easily connect your social networking accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, LinkedIn by going into the settings menu in the Charms Bar. The pop up of contacts will increase in the People Hub with the increase in contacts.
People Hub is managed similarly in the Windows phone also. Because of this everyone in your contact list gets a contact card containing information about all forms your contacts including Gmail, Facebook, Twitter. By opening your Contact card, you would be able to update your Facebook post and status as well.
SkyDrive
SkyDrive is the Microsoft app using which users can upload or sync files to cloud storage and then access it through a web browser. This time Microsoft has created not only a SkyDrive app dedicated to Windows 8 but also a browser version to facilitate its cloud storage services.
Users signing up the Microsoft account for the very first time would be provided 7GB of free lifetime storage. However, the existing users of Microsoft Office can avail the 25GB storage over the SkyDrive. Options for more storage are always open for Microsoft users.
Windows Store
At the time of the final launch of Microsoft 8, it was claimed by Microsoft that its online app store – Windows Store already has thousands of apps. However, they did not disclose the precise number of apps available on the store.
So far there are no first party apps for Facebook and Twitter on the store. However, Twitter has stated that it would have an app in the coming future. According to Microsoft, Netflix, The New York Times, Skype, Hulu Plus, Fruit Ninja, Angry Birds, Zinio and Bank of America have gone live on the store with dedicated apps. Microsoft has announced that many more would be joining the store with their apps very soon.
Accessibility
Windows 8 has also accommodated certain enhancements for users who are visually or physically challenged. These are other new features of the OS apart from the apps and the user interface. Steven Sinofsky, president of Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft has provided details about these enhancements. Below mentioned are few of them:
A re-invented Narrator that is designed to read out selected items, loud and quick
Narrator with advanced language support with more language options
UI automation with increased text patterns and document content to enable Narrator read out the result of these applications when used.
System requirements
During the launch of Windows 8, Microsoft has specified that the new OS would require at least:
1GB of RAM
20 GB of free hard disk space
1GHz processor that supports PAE, NX, and SSE2
1,366 x 768 resolution
DirectX 9 graphics.
With the above-mentioned system configuration you would be able to upgrade your system to Windows 8. Microsoft says that those who are upgrading their systems from Windows XP or Windows Vista need to re-install the apps.
Pricing and versions
However, you can opt for a PC installed with both – Windows 8 as well as Windows 8 Pro. On the other hand, Windows 8 Pro is the only software version that is available for sale separately for users. As you all know that the Windows 8 Pro is a business-oriented OS with many useful features such as Remote Desktop Connection and Device Encryption.
Consumers have to pay an upgrade price of $39.99, if they are downloading the software before January 31, 2012. Consumers who would buy the software as a boxed product need to pay $69.99. According to Microsoft, some additional information on the pricing of software would come again shortly.
Wrap up
On the basis of initial experiences shared by users, Windows 8 can be recommended for use on the PCs that don’t have a touch-screen. The software can be installed on Windows 7 systems as well by downloading an upgrade, provided the systems fulfill the minimum required configuration. In nutshell, the new OS is an ideal successor to the Windows 7 with enhanced security, innovative UI, more in-built apps and SkyDrive.
The OS is also equally good for mobile devices and touch-friendly PCs. The products such as touch-screen notebooks, dockable tablets, all-in-one gadgets, convertible laptops and slider PC are some gadgets that are going to be benefitted greatly with this next generation OS.
The only limitation of this OS is seen in form of the disappointment for old Window PC users, who wouldn’t be able to upgrade their PCs to Windows 8 with their archaic PC configuration.