This image was taken from the Internet. It is not my screen shot. It is of someone else's.
You might be wondering what the image is above, well it is the new Windows 8 Start page. This is where your computer will boot to when in Windows 8. It does not boot to your regular desktop. You still have the option to use the desktop feature, but I have found that I love the Start page. The desktop does look like your regular desktop in most of your previous versions (7, Vista, XP....) so don't fret if that is what you are looking for.
This OS version was designed more for mobile and touchscreen devices. It is designed to work the same on a tablet or mobile device as well as your laptop or desktop. You will not see any variations in the OS if you end up having it on a tablet and your desktop. The only thing is that your tablet will most probably be a touchscreen. With the screen above, you would just click on the corresponding app screen with your finger and you will be directed to it just as you would if you would take your mouse and click on it.
While in Jeff City at the beginning of the month, I bough the current issue of Maximum PC magazine. This mag was released to go along with the Windows 8 preview. Within it, they have 8 pros and 8 cons of the OS. I will expound on them.
1. Link Up! This feature is awesome in my opinion. Within the OS, you have an app where you can link your social pages to your OS such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and so on and so forth. Once you link them, you don't even have to go onto the Internet to view them and see what others are doing. You also have the option to link certain people from those accounts to show up directly on your Start page. There, you can click on them and be directed to a link on the OS that shows you what they have been up to including status updates and uploaded photos. From a 1 to 8, I give this one 8 stars!
2. Sync Up! This feature allows you to access your data anywhere you are by use of the SkyDrive app. It allows you to see all your apps, photos, people and so on and so forth that you have linked up to your OS. This gets 8 stars as well!
3. Storage space! Everything stores into one area with no need to defrag! This is done by use of a ne RAID (in English, better use of the disks). 8 stars!
4. Great reason to buy an Xbox 360! This feature doesn't touch with me because I don't have one and probably wont for a while. Thing is, Windows 8 has made itself the first OS to integrate itself with one's Xbox live account. You log into the app, give your information, and you can control the account from your computer through the use of the app. I know people that will fall in love with this feature. It is sweet. It still gets 8 stars even though I don't have an Xbox 360.
5. New bells and whistles (that was the title used in the mag). The new Start page (Metro UI interface as they call it) is pretty sweet. While on the Start Page, if you want to find something, just start typing. Yes, just type and it will automatically open up the search page and start offering suggestions to your search. There are much more little quirks but too many to mention here. 8 stars!
6. Speedier startup and shutdown! Holy Cow! Windows did something awesome here. I have no idea what, but it is awesome. It starts up and shuts down in half the time that Windows 7 does. That is no exaggeration, that is fact. Windows 7 = 1 minute to get to log on screen. Windows 8 = 30 seconds to the Lock Screen (logon screen in Windows 8). This by far is the best feature. I have always yearned for a fast OS. Windows, I commend you here. 8 stars!
7. Sending explorer to the office! When you open up your Windows Explorer, you will feel like you are in Microsoft Office. It's user interface is that sweet. Great look and feel for explorer. 8 stars!
8. Stronger search! This was mentioned above in the new bells and whistles section. The search is one of the best features in the OS. Again, there is no need whatsoever to open up search. As long as you are on the Start Page, you can just start typing and the window will appear to help you search. 8 stars!
The 8 cons:
1. More advertisements! There are many apps added that take you to sites that are working with Windows to gain customers and well, money.
2. Where are you! Windows 8 does have a since to make you ask "where am I?" I have found that there are times that I feel absolutely lost while on the Internet. I found many times where I had to just go back to the Start Page and click on the Internet Explorer app.
3. Start Page is strapped to Windows 7! In all honesty, Windows 8 is strictly Windows 7 with the new Start Page that is dependent on apps. Windows 7 is still in the background and you see a strong since of it when you use the regular desktop. I feel they realized that 7 was too good to let go so they just used the programming of 7 and added the new Start Page and the app section. That is it.
4. The look of the Start Page! (I for one feel that this is a nit picky topic but its in the mag) In the image above, you can see that the size of the squares for each app varies from one app to another. You can not change those sizes. They are preset to be the size they are. There are some apps that you will find that are more important to you but they are the smallest of the squares. Some of the bigger ones, I have found, are ones I do not plan on using. Again, nit picky if you ask me.
5. Services are already dictated by 8! There are services within the OS that only allow you to do certain things. This mainly involves the services of linking accounts to the OS. You are not allowed to have more than one social network site linked to each type. Example; 1 Facebook account can be linked to the OS. If you have more than one, you are only able to link the 1. Same goes for Twitter. If you have more than 1 Twitter account, the OS allows for only 1. You can not change this setting. I see, though, this changing in the future.
6. Why introduce a new OS! Why did they introduce this when 7 works fine? (again, another nit picky thing). I feel they introduced it because they wanted an OS to work across all devices. 7 did not work properly across all platforms (tablets and mobile devices mainly).
7. Not much new security in the Cloud! They need to come up with some new security features if they are going to allow for you to access all your accounts through the Cloud. Security is a must in this new OS.
8. No reason to upgrade! (again, another nit picky topic). Why upgrade when it is already Windows 7 with some new features? Again, it was created to be integrated into mobile and tablet devices. Touchscreens will benefit from this OS. I feel that 8 is a great OS and is worthy of upgrade.
The main issue I have with the OS is the "4 corners treatment" that was created. Whenever you are on your computer and wherever you are, you can mouse over one of the four corners of your screen and something will pop up. In the lower left, the start page, in the upper left, the apps and places you have recently been, in the upper right and lower right is the charms bar (holds the search, share and settings buttons for your OS). I find it hard to use at times. The space in which they programmed into the OS for it to pop out and for you to click on is a bit small. The smallest movement of your mouse will cause the screen to disappear. It takes a lot of getting used to. Overall, I am extremely interested in Windows 8. I have fallen in love with the aspect of linking your accounts to the OS. It notifies you of any new activity even if you are not actually on the Internet. For example, I was playing around it earlier, and someone IMed me on Facebook. It immediately popped up in the upper right corner of my OS that someone was IMing me. I then was able to click on it and it took me to my People app and I started chatting with them through the OS to Facebook. It was really sweet. I see myself somehow getting the full release when it comes out.
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