Team-BHP - Windows 8 anyone ?

Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

- Gadgets, Computers & Software (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/gadgets-computers-software/)

- - Windows 8 anyone ? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/gadgets-computers-software/116716-windows-8-anyone.html)

Quote:

Windows 8 is out for users to download and experience. Here are some best features:

The Windows 8 consumer preview is loaded up with great features. Here's a closer look at our five favorites.
1. Internet Explorer 10

I know, I know. We're just as shocked as you are. But IE 10 is fast, fluid, and tons of fun in Metro. Swiping to navigate back and forward makes perfect sense; it's how every mobile web browser should navigate. Double tapping zooms in, or out, even when IE is running in Snap state (a small, minimized version that runs in the side of the main window). Zooming and panning is fluid, reacting just as you would expect a natural object to react. Momentum speeds up and slows down in relation to your touch. And if you do need the power of a full-throated, plug-in capable version of IE, you're just two clicks away from the Desktop version.
2. Semantic Zoom

Semantic Zoom makes organizing all your apps a snap. Pinch the screen to zoom out and all of your Start screen tiles minimize where they can be easily re-arranged. You can drag individual tiles, or groups of them, to re-order how they appear in Start without having to scroll endlessly.
3. App Bar

Metro banishes application chrome, but recognizes that you need it sometimes. So Windows 8 makes it accessible via an App bar that launches when you swipe up from the bottom edge of a screen. It's a best-of-both-worlds way to have controls when you need them, and screen real estate when you don't.
Show in-app commands in a couple of apps by swiping up from the bottom edge of the screen.
4. App Management and Switching

In the developer preview you could swap between running apps in Metro by swiping from the left edge, but the consumer preview takes that functionality to the next level. You can do a left side mini-swipe, or use the mouse to go to the top left corner of the screen and pull down, to see all the running apps. You can drag an application tile from the Snap state to the bottom edge to kill it. And of course you can still have apps run in that Snap window in a minimal state.
5. Charms

Charms have also been refined in the consumer preview. Swiping from the right side brings up the Charms, which allow you to search, access settings, share data with other apps, and more. The "show desktop" element is gone. The spacing has been widened slightly, both to make them more accesible for lefties as well as righties, but also to let you accomplish tasks quickly and get back to work. So, for example, after you hit the Settings Charm, the settings themselves appear where your thumb already is.

You can download this here Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Then you need to put that file on something you can install it with. That means either burning the ISO disc image to a DVD or copying it to a USB flash drive. A little annoying, but that comes with the territory when installing a separate operating system.

Whether you're using Windows or OS X, this feature is built right in.

Now let's install that sucker. (If you're prompted for an activation key, use this: DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J)

Post your experience here :-)

Source: Windows 8

I will definitely wait till it is official launched as this one is just for trial (one month I guess)?

BTW when it is launching officially?

A friend of mine works with Microsoft and had a developer version installed on his laptop.

Here's the thing : the screen you see (in the pic posted by the OP) is just the Home Screen with a lot of Tiles (short-cuts to actual programs). Once you click on Start, it goes back to the usual interface that you see now on Windows 7.

Of course, the GUI is refreshing, but I was really hoping they'd transformed the whole Windows experience. For now, you just see the Tiles for shortcuts, eventually you use the same Desktop as 7. This being said, there are of course tons of other changes in the GUI which I liked.

I personally love how WP Mango is and I hope they move closer to that. Maybe once touch-monitors become common, Windows 8 will make more sense.

I must be one of the first ones to download and install the release yesterday evening. Been trying it out since then. So far my impressions is that this is almost same as Windows 7 with a funky "metro style" interface built on top. For example, the Start button which has been there in all versions of Windows so far has been replaced by a "Start screen" with "live icons" for frequently used programs and services. Navigation is a bit odd given that the usual entry point is missing.

The download link is
Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Looks so much like the Windows Phone 7's UI! IMO this thing is going to fail pretty bad; the UI looks classy but at the same time it's moving out from what we are currently used to. This thing is perfect for tablets and smartphones but PC's, I think the regular interface is much better. I just hope they are coming out with a regular version to! Already own a Windows Phone, don't want tiles everywhere :P

Windows 8. What should I say? A nice experience at the word go. Almost identical to the Windows Phone and would work wonders on a touch screen laptop/desktop.

Microsoft cannot go wrong on this one as it is trying to capture the App Marketplace, or should I say, it has to.

Good thing is that it does not require heavy hardware. :thumbs up

In windows 8, you can disable the phone style UI to return to classic style. This is suited to both desktops as well as touchscreens. Looks nice so far!

Quote:

Originally Posted by libranof1987 (Post 2699247)

I personally love how WP Mango is and I hope they move closer to that. Maybe once touch-monitors become common, Windows 8 will make more sense.

I had a touch screen tablet (old style, where you have a laptop with touch screen that swivels and folds flat) and it's a pain to use. Shoulders start paining after a while from touching screen.

Now, does this thing boot from an external drive?

I had installed the 64 bit version. It is awesome. It is fast. Even it is designed for touch screen there is no problem using normal mouse and keyboard.:thumbs up The interface is a complete makeover from traditional windows framework we had experienced since famous Windows 95. Looking forward to the ultimate version of Windows 8 for my upcoming Dell XPS 8300:)

Cheers!

Vinu

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k (Post 2699559)

I had a touch screen tablet (old style, where you have a laptop with touch screen that swivels and folds flat) and it's a pain to use. Shoulders start paining after a while from touching screen.

This is expected. Touch is suitable for certain type of usage. Mouse is such an amazing thing that without even moving your palm, you can move the cursor across an large screen very quickly and accurately. Worst thing will be to have a desktop with a touch screen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k (Post 2699559)

Now, does this thing boot from an external drive?

Yep, it is said that Win 8 can be booted from an external drive.

So, you could have your own OS at any other Win 8 compatible PC and lookup personal documents (provided they are uploaded on Skydrive).

From what I've seen on the Lumia, this promises to be one of the best OSes ever, usability-wise. For the first time, I am actually excited to wait for a Microsoft OS!

I had mixed experience , I have to restore ( refresh ) it twice , maybe I am running on SSD or some additional program is creating problem & unlike windows 7 when we refresh , it erases all installed apps and suddenly Microsoft is calling Office as app !! so I had to reload office twice & download more than 2 Gb Mails twice already . I will suggest not to try on main notebook/ desktop till more stable or updated drivers are available .

The promise of Microsoft is to have single OS that powers desktop, tablet, and phone. Win8 is the beginning. What we have as Phone7 (Mango) will as well change when Phone8 (Apollo) comes. On tablets - esp Windows on ARM - will have same Win8 kernel. MetroUI is a design language of the future, and Win 7 compatibility available now in preview version might go away. To be specific, Win 7 model of application development is not compatible with Win 8 Metro app development.