Windows 8 today at Mobile World Congress. I've been using the Windows 8 beta (download), officially known as the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, for the past week, and it's by far the most integrated and capable operating system Microsoft has ever put out. The question is, will enough people care?
There's a phenomenal amount of change here to discuss, but if you're looking for a quick summary: Windows 8 is a breeze to use. It's tricked out with social networking and synchronization, it's robust enough to handle Photoshop, it gracefully moves from touch to keyboard and mouse, and it's got some top-notch security.
Despite what Microsoft is calling strong interest from hardware manufacturers and developers, however, its impact is still uncertain at best.
Download Link: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/download
Read more: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/faqFirst, when Windows 8 launches it will be the most ambitious operating system ever, with a workflow that's easy once you learn it, but not necessarily obvious at first blush. Second, more of your Windows 8 experience will be dependent on your hardware than ever before, because it will work on both actual PCs--i.e., desktops and laptops--and tablets.
Last, and this is the one that won't be resolved until Windows 8 starts shipping to consumers in the second half of this year, there's no strong evidence that Windows 8 is what consumers want next. Do people want tablets that aren't made by Apple? Is the tablet more like a larger smartphone, or a thinner laptop? Is there interest in one operating system that offers both casual touch and robust power modes?
Logging on
Windows 8 offers some great log-on options. You can choose to create a local account, but the OS becomes infinitely more useful when you use a Microsoft account. You'll be able to synchronize to it your Windows 8 settings, including Internet Explorer history. This means that when you log in to any other Windows 8 machine with that account, your data will sync, including background settings, address book, other accounts like Facebook and Twitter, e-mail, and instant messaging.
Navigating Windows 8: Keyboard and mouse
Because Windows 8 is intended as unified system for both PC and tablet, it works as well with a keyboard and mouse as it does with touch. As with seemingly everything in Windows 8, this too serves two masters. Sure, it gives you the precision required for Photoshop editing or navigating a spreadsheet's cells, but it's also Microsoft waving a big flag that proclaims Windows 8's usefulness. You get touch, mouse-like precision, and keyboard hot keys in Windows 8, Microsoft is saying. If the company could give you a way to interface with the OS via Morse code, that would be in here, too.
Not only do hot keys work, but from what I can tell, all the major hot keys in Windows 7 perform the same functions in Windows 8, as well as some new ones. These include Win+Print Screen to take a screenshot, which then gets automatically saved to your Photos app, or using the Windows key to switch between the Start screen and your last-used app.
One of the best keyboard functions is that you can pull up an app from the Start screen just by beginning to type. It's ridiculously simple and effective: type "ma" when on the Start screen, and a list of apps with "ma" in their name appear in the center of the screen, but on the right you can flip from Apps to Settings to Files that have the same "ma" string.
Not much will happen when you first connect a mouse to Windows 8. As soon as you move the mouse, though, a scroll bar will appear along the bottom edge of the Start screen. You can then use the scroll bar to navigate through your groups, or you can use the scroll wheel for that--so the vertical motion is interpreted by Windows 8 as a horizontal scroll.
Read more: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/faq
Performance
One important aspect of Windows 8 that I haven't gone in-depth on yet is that it feels quick. You swipe and you're there. Tap and you're there. Mousing around feels just as zippy, and there's a speed and responsiveness to Windows 8 that no other version of Windows has ever had. If there's a third pillar supporting this massive overhaul alongside the integration and the touch interface, it's that Windows 8 zooms.
All of which is even more impressive considering that my demo hardware was a Samsung tablet designed for Windows 7. Shutdown times weren't impressive, taking around a minute. Boot up was blazing, though, taking between 10 and 13 seconds to get to the log-in screen over three cold boots. From the log-in screen to the Start screen took under 3 seconds in each of three cold boots.
Microsoft has said that Windows 8 is designed to sip on battery life. We didn't get the opportunity to benchmark precisely how accurate that claim is, but after heavy daily use for six days straight, I only had to plug in this older-model tablet once a day. It also was good about keeping a charge when unplugged and not in use, something that has not been true of many tablets currently on the market.
Read more: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/faq
Conclusion
It would be beyond shocking if Windows 8 landed like Vista did. This is a tight consumer experience, with features both new and familiar, and in a refreshingly different package. Hardware makers are on-board, Microsoft says developers are investing heavily in it, and it's earning its buzz because there's nothing quite like it out there.