Tag: windows 8.1

Hands-on with Windows 8.1 Preview: Windows 8 done right

Late last month, Microsoft announced a raft of interface changes that Windows 8.1 would introduce. We’ve been giving them a spin. As you might guess from the name, Windows 8.1 is an update to (and improvement on) Windows 8. The new user interface introduced in that operating system—the Start screen, touch-friendly “Modern” apps, the charms bar—is retained in Windows 8.1. What we see is a refinement and streamlining of these concepts. The new Start screen is a pleasing evolution of the old one. The differences are visible as soon as you log in. In 8.1, the Start screen offers a lot more flexibility over layout and tile sizing. By default, the Weather tile takes advantage of this, using a new double-height tile size to show the forecasts for both today and tomorrow, in addition to the current conditions. Read 22 remaining paragraphs | Comments

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Hands-on with Windows 8.1 Preview: Windows 8 done right

Hands-on with the Windows “Blue” desktop experience

The Beta fish is back in the new Windows “Blue” previews. This week, Microsoft is unveiling the previews for its Windows “Blue” operating systems—the Windows 8.1 client, Windows Server 2012 R2, and an update to Windows Server Essentials.  Last night, Microsoft released the previews through its MSDN and TechNet programs for its server platforms, which include a feature called “Desktop Experience”—an add-on which gives the server versions of the platform the same interface as Windows 8.1. As a result, Microsoft has tipped its hand about some of the interface changes it will be showing in the preview of the client, which it will release later this week. Here’s a quick look at the most significant changes in the interface we’ve found in our first hands-on with the preview revisions.   Read on Ars Technica | Comments

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Hands-on with the Windows “Blue” desktop experience

Windows 8.1 gains boot-to-desktop to attract business users

At TechEd North America today, Microsoft unveiled a host of features coming in Windows 8.1 that should make the operating system more appealing to business users. Windows 8.1 is a free update to Windows 8 that will ship  later this year . On top of bringing back a Taskbar-visible Start button , Windows 8.1 will give enterprises a lot more control over the operating system’s appearance. Chief among these controls is the ability to boot straight to the desktop, a feature found in prerelease versions of Windows 8 but not officially supported in the final version. Additionally, IT departments can now exact more control over the Start screen, fixing its layout and prepopulating it with tiles for corporate apps. At its most extreme, this will allow IT departments to turn Windows 8 machines into kiosks, booting into specific Metro apps. If the built-in capabilities aren’t sufficient, Microsoft will be releasing an embeddable version. The catchily-named Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry will be for use in things like point-of-sale systems and ATMs. Read 6 remaining paragraphs | Comments

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Windows 8.1 gains boot-to-desktop to attract business users

Windows 8.1 to feature internet tethering, native Miracast wireless display support

Despite our novel-length preview of Windows 8.1’s new features, Microsoft continues to trickle out details about the updated OS as we get closer to Build 2013 later this month. This is turning out to be a hefty improvement over the love-or-hate Win8 that launched last fall, and the company appears to have plenty more tricks up its sleeve before all is said and done. This morning, Microsoft announced that 8.1 will offer native support for Miracast wireless displays, as well as internet sharing capability, NFC tap-to-pair printing, WiFi Direct print, improved IT controls and other enhancements to the platform’s security and management. All told, the new features are a little more behind-the-scenes than, say, the new Start button, but it’s a clear indication that we’ll likely have quite a few more surprises coming our way between now and the update’s official release. The source link has the laundry list of various improvements, so head there if you’re looking for more info. Filed under: Desktops , Microsoft Comments Via: The Verge Source: Windows Team Blog

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Windows 8.1 to feature internet tethering, native Miracast wireless display support