Windows 8 and its Perks.

Logo of Windows 8

Windows 8 is a version of Microsoft Windows (an operating system produced by Microsoft) for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablets, and home theatre PCs. Development of Windows 8 started before the release of its predecessor, Windows 7, in 2009. Its existence was first announced at CES 2011, and followed by the release of three pre-release versions from September 2011 to May 2012. The operating system was released to manufacturing on August 1, 2012, and was released for general availability on October 26, 2012. Windows 8 uses version 6.2 of the Windows NT kernel.

Windows 8 introduces significant changes to the operating system's platform, primarily focused towards improving its user experience on mobile devices such as tablets to better compete with other mobile operating systems like Android and Apple's iOS. Windows 8 features a new touch user interface and shell based on Microsoft's "Metro" design language, featuring a new Start screen with a grid of dynamically updating tiles that represent applications. The Start screen replaces the "Start menu" of earlier Windows versions. There is a new app platform with an emphasis on touchscreen input, and the new Windows Store to obtain and/or purchase applications to run on the operating system.

In addition, Windows 8 takes advantage of new or emerging technologies like USB 3.0, 4Kn Advanced Format, near field communications, cloud computing, and the low-power ARM architecture. It includes new security features such as built-in antivirus capabilities, a new installation process optimized for digital distribution, and support for secure boot (a UEFI feature which allows operating systems to be digitally signed to prevent malware from altering the boot process). Synchronization of certain apps and settings between multiple devices is supported.

Windows 8 was released to mixed reception. Although reaction towards its performance improvements, security enhancements, and improved support for touchscreen devices was positive, the new user interface of the operating system has been widely criticized for being potentially confusing and having a steep learning curve (especially when used with a keyboard and mouse instead of a touchscreen). Despite these shortcomings, 60 million Windows 8 licenses have been sold through January 2013. This includes upgrades and sales to OEMs for new PCs.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Windows 8

Advantages / Pros:

1. Optimized for the touch screen

Windows 8, the interface dubbed Metro, is really optimized for touch interface with Windows Phone style form.

2. Supports ARM chip

Windows 8 supports devices using ARM chips infrastructure. It is expected to extend the reach of Windows 8 in the tablet arena, given that most currently available tablets using ARM chips.

3. Having a short boot time

Windows 8 Boot in the demo only lasts 8 seconds. A much shorter time than in previous versions of Windows booting.

4. Windows 8 does not require a PC upgrade

Microsoft says a computer that can run Windows 7 can also run Windows 8 so that the users do not need to upgrade your PC. According to Microsoft, Intel Atom processor and 1 GB of RAM is enough to run this OS

5. Windows Store app store

Windows 8 will have its own application store called Windows Store. Windows Store provides a wide range of applications that are optimized for Windows 8.

6. Supports NFC (Near Field Communications)

Windows 8 will support NFC, a technology that their role, among others for financial transactions digitally. Windows 8 tablet taking was likely to automatically include this feature.

Disadvantages / Cons:

1. Overlap between Metro UI and Aero UI.

Developers find the constant change that occurs between the tile-based Metro UI and glassy Aero UI. It is considered unreasonable and very confusing. Switching from Metro applications and desktop applications is very difficult.

2. There is no option to turn tiles into icons.

The smallest size of the tiles, zoom is still too big. When we install a lot of applications will then screen the Metro will look chaotic.

3. It is difficult to move between screens.

The absence of such a function Alt-Tab while working with the desktop and keyboard to switch from one app to another app might be a very difficult thing. Instead, on the Windows 8 Metro UI we cannot use the pointer or finder to put the screen on the left side and drag. It sounds so trivial, but problems will arise when we are working with many applications. There is no quick and easy way to switch between applications. If you move the mouse to the left then the icon will pops up. And if it is not right then we have to click several times, or try again.

4. Metro multitasking.

If my friend uses Metro application (for tablets) in Windows 8, the screen will display two applications are lined. For starters it would not be a big deal. But for advanced users, the ability of Metro to multitasking just for the two applications is a fatal weakness.

5. Metro.

Metro is able to work well on tablets but the UI is not very compatible when used on the desktop. Hard to do for my friend who use Notebook. So that by default Windows 8 could not boot to the Metro UI. In other words, Microsoft needs to provide kill-switch to turn off the Metro UI.

6. Flash content on the Tablet PC.

Apparently Microsoft is deliberately making Windows 8 cannot support Flash content on Tablet PC. The reason Microsoft is doing this is to save battery Tablet. It also can protect our privacy and enhance security Tablet. This is because in some applications, and other electronic devices, the use of Flash content even cause data damage or crash.

Verdict

Our definitive look at the final release of the new Windows

With Windows 8 Microsoft is making a huge bet, as CEO Steve Ballmer has said repeatedly. The visceral and sometimes vitriolic reaction to losing the fiddly Start menu has obscured the major advances in Windows 8. This is a next generation version of Windows, even before you get into Windows RT running on ARM chips.

We liked

Windows 8 is faster; you'll notice the difference on older PCs as much as on new machines. Battery life improves enough to be noticeable. And it's significantly more secure. That makes the low upgrade price a bargain (and given that you can upgrade from any version of Windows, you only need to pay more than the upgrade price if you're building a new PC from parts).

And then there are the features, like Storage Space and File History, or the new Windows Explorer, or better multimonitor support. Picture Password is a great compromise between security and convenience (and yes, it works with a mouse as well as a touchscreen). The charm bar, especially the handy icons on the Setting bar, put most of the tools you actually use to manage your PC at your fingertips. The cloud integration in Windows 8 is a game changer.

It's not just the Windows Store, that's going to make finding desktop apps easier as well as supplying all the games, Twitter clients, feed readers and tablet apps you could want. It's the way that Windows 8 understands what it means to be connected and makes great use of it to make your life easier and more convenient.

We disliked

The new experience and interface is far from universally popular and while every interface is a matter of personal taste, the range of opinions about the Windows 8 interface is extreme even for the world of technology. Actually, we dislike the vitriolic arguments about the interface and Start screen far more than the experience of switching from the desktop and back. What we miss is the unified search of documents and emails in the Windows 8 desktop that you could start from the Start menu (which Microsoft tells us very few people used). The Search charm offers some of this, but only for files and 'modern' apps (so not Outlook or OneNote; OneNote MX is searchable but only opens notebooks from SkyDrive) and you can't see the search next to an open document. A wider selection of apps may deal with this but it's one of the few places the desktop feels like a second class citizen.

Until Connected Standby devices come out, hibernate and hybrid sleep is the best option for getting good battery life on a notebook, but neither are on by default in Windows 8. Microsoft may expect OEMs to tweak this on new PCs but that doesn't mean hiding the options away is a good idea. We understand the plan to make Media Centre something you have to pay for given the success of Xbox for watching video as well as gaming and how few people use Media Centre; it's a shame not to see more improvements in Media Centre and this is only for the die-hard fans. If that's you, make sure you buy Windows 8 at the upgrade price because then you'll get Media Centre free. Incidentally, we don't know what the long-term price of Windows 8 will be after January 31, 2013 when the upgrade price expires.

Talking of things that should install automatically, why are the official apps like Mail, Messages, Calendar and the Bing apps the only ones that you get without having to go to the Windows Store? If you own apps that you've installed from the Store on another PC, we'd like to see the installation ask if you want to install them as well. Also missing; DVD playback software. That's to save the cost of the licence for all the PCs without a DVD drive - when you get a DVD drive it always comes with third-party software (and Media Center can play DVDs) – and this is part of how Microsoft is getting to the low upgrade cost, but it's never fun losing features.

Windows 8 Pro gets BitLocker disk encryption. Windows RT has disk encryption that's very like BitLocker but doesn't get the name because businesses can't manage it in the same way and might get confused. But plain Windows 8 doesn't get BitLocker. That's absurd; if Windows RT devices need to be encrypted (so that your toddler mashing their hands on your password screen five times will securely lock your managed-by-work tablet, by throwing away the encryption keys so you can unlock it with the recovery key, rather than wiping it like an iPad) then so do Windows 8 PCs.

Final verdict

This is the fastest, most secure, most battery friendly version of Windows 8.

It's also a bold move to head off the danger of Windows becoming irrelevant in an iPad future, by giving you the best of both worlds. You can have a slim, lightweight, cheap tablet with a tablet OS, that can also run Office and turn into a notebook when you add a keyboard. (We have to see the final version of Windows RT to see how well this works, but so far we're impressed.) Or you can have a slightly larger and pricier tablet with a tablet OS, that can also run Office and all your applications and turn into a notebook when you add a keyboard. Or you can get all of that in a notebook or a desktop, as long as you can deal with the touch-friendly interface.

Undeniably, Windows 8 shines most on a touchscreen system. Even older touch notebooks that were awkward to use with touch under Windows 7 give you a great experience and the latest tablets are fun and engaging to use (and features like rotation work immediately without you having to hunt down drivers). The mouse gestures mean that you can use Windows 8 without missing a touchscreen, but we really need edge gestures on trackpads and the Microsoft Touch Mouse to make it more natural.

But touchscreen or mouse, Windows 8, undeniably, shines. The final desktop look makes the transition between Metro and desktop less obvious. You can still stay substantially in the desktop if you want to and enjoy a faster, more secure version of Windows with a better browser that has longer battery life. But as more useful 'modern' apps come along, you'll find you split your time between the two experiences more and gestures could be critical to making that a natural combination. Keep an open mind, spend some time getting used to the charm bar and the Start screen and we defy you not to be impressed by Windows 8.

References:

"Windows 8's delivery date: October 26". ZDNet. July 18, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2012.

"Windows Reimagined". All Things Digital. Dow Jones & Company. Retrieved October 21, 2012.

 “Advantages and Disadvantages of Windows 8” http://farzc.blogspot.com/2012/11/advantages-disadvantages-of-windows-8.html

“Windows 8 Review Final Vedict”. http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/software/operating-systems/windows-8-1093002/review/13#articleContent