Windows 8 / RT |OT|

These new features sound awesome! Can't wait for blue!

But, one thing got my attention, Win+S, the new integrated search shortcut is the same as the one onenote uses for taking images clips of the screen... how will they handle that?
 
Sounds like a very nice update. Fixes my main two pet peeves with unified search and auto app updates. Neither of those were really painful in their current incarnation, but the updates will definitely make them more convenient to use.
 
when the 8.1 preview comes in the Store for download, would really need to bother installing it onto a partition? Would the preview effect you current Windows 8 licence?
 
SCHUEY F1 said:
when the 8.1 preview comes in the Store for download, would really need to bother installing it onto a partition? Would the preview effect you current Windows 8 licence?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if the preview will be available through the Store, just the final update in the fall. I assume they'll just release an ISO online for the preview at BUILD.

----------------------

Update looks great.
 
Bunch of other articles out too:
http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2013/05/30/placeholder-title/?fromcat=all
http://mashable.com/2013/05/30/windows-8-1-features/
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/30/microsoft-windows-8-1-unveiled/
http://techreport.com/news/24878/windows-8-1-start-button-boot-to-desktop-mode-confirmed

I am looking forward to seeing if the Store team updated the way you search marketplace, it is pretty much the part I dislike the most about Windows 8 (although for casual users probably the top tiles are enough to pull you into mainstream apps...)
 
If you look closely at the thumbnail of the apps on the side you can see some changes to the Store.

Multitasking_2D00_High_2D00_res_5F00_0130F94A.png
 
Windu said:
weather app with the large tile looks really nice.

Start_2D00_with_2D00_wallpaper_2D00_High_2D00_res_5F00_313398B8.png


Also those excel etc.. tiles look different than just the standard desktop tiles.

edit: looks like desktop applications can use better tiles "Desktop apps will also use colorful tiles by default, and developers will have the option to create richer versions."

I like that both wp8 and w8 are coming closer together with their UIs.

edit2: this is cool
Click to expand...

all they need to add is an option to window metro apps on a desktop and also to turn the start screen into a slightly smaller start menu (takes up 60% of screen instead of 100%) on a desktop and blue would not only be perfect, but no one would be able to complain about it
 
infinityBCRT said:
all they need to add is an option to window metro apps on a desktop and also to turn the start screen into a slightly smaller start menu (takes up 60% of screen instead of 100%) on a desktop and blue would not only be perfect, but no one would be able to complain about it
Click to expand...
there are third party applications that already do that.
 
Windu said:
If you look closely at the thumbnail of the apps on the side you can see some changes to the Store.

http://blogs.windows.com/cfs-file.ashx/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-59-23-metablogapi/Multitasking_2D00_High_2D00_res_5F00_0130F94A.png[/IG][/QUOTE]

Good. The Store and Xbox Music apps need some serious rethinking.
Click to expand...
 
man, you slackers didn't make an "official info" 8.1 thread? Come on, don't make me do this myself :-) that "leak" thread is an incomplete abomination!


I'll summarize what I think is some of the coolest info:

Configuration, mouse improvements:
  • No, the start menu isn't coming back, but the start screen and overall mouse usability/discoverability has been substantially improved.
  • Ability to boot to the desktop
  • Ability to make the "all apps" view your default view instead of the tiles, essentially making it work more like a full-screen start menu
  • Improvements to the "all apps" view to more easily sort through your installed programs (by name, or last used, or recently installed, etc.)
  • Ability to show desktop applications first in the "all apps" view instead of modern apps, if that's what you use most frequently
  • Ability to use your desktop background on the start screen, so it's not as jarring
  • Ability to selectively disable "hot corners"
  • Shut-down / restart options added to the "Win+X" menu (or right-click on the start button)
  • Ability to keep the start screen always visible on one monitor (as a dashboard) while doing stuff on another monitor
Basically, it helps respond to user feedback about confusion, jarring changes, and mouse usability, without making personalization/live tiles/etc. completely irrelevant.


New search
  • Universal search returns instead of segregated search
  • Instant results appear as you're typing - whether settings, programs, files, or web results
  • Hitting Enter on a search takes you to the full-screen search experience shown in the screenshots in the article (which is amazing btw)

There's a lot more, but I'll mention one more thing here that I think is particularly amazing - integrated SkyDrive support. Even on a 32GB Surface you can have a 100GB SkyDrive available to you.
  • Nothing syncs locally by default
  • You can still selectively sync whatever you want locally
  • All "online only" files still show up in Explorer.
  • They can be searched, have thumbnails, etc. but barely take up any room at all. (My 45GB of data on SkyDrive takes just a few megabytes in data stored locally)
  • Right when you want to open one, or some application needs one, it automatically streams from the web in the background
  • "Online only" files can even be transparently used by any existing applications - desktop or modern - because the system automatically fetches them when it needs them


Definitely check out the articles - lots of big stuff I didn't mention at all.
 
Feel free to steal/link to if you'd like! I just don't want the thread to be derailed by complaints about me shilling my product :-)
 
"•Right when you want to open one, or some application needs one, it automatically streams from the web in the background"

The streaming part sounds awesome. Does that mean streaming videos too (like the skydrive apps already does) but seamlessly working across the system on all apps?

If that's what it is than, WOW, amazing!

Edit: Oh, and will that feature be exclusive to skydrive, or all cloud storage metro apps will have options to hook up with the system on the same manner? Skydrive already is my default cloud storage service, but having the same access to all of them would be incredible (specially bitcasa with its infinite storage)
 
I don't know if it actually streams things, it might have to fully download the file first.

And I'd rather not talk about what specifically I work on, mostly because I don't want to become everyone's customer support :-)
 
dLMN8R said:
I don't know if it actually streams things, it might have to fully download the file first.

And I'd rather not talk about what specifically I work on, mostly because I don't want to become everyone's customer support :-)
Click to expand...
turn it on and off again
 
dLMN8R said:
I don't know if it actually streams things, it might have to fully download the file first.

And I'd rather not talk about what specifically I work on, mostly because I don't want to become everyone's customer support :-)
Click to expand...

If your stuff simply worked there wouldn't be a need for support!!!! ;-)
 
Windu said:
weather app with the large tile looks really nice.

Start_2D00_with_2D00_wallpaper_2D00_High_2D00_res_5F00_313398B8.png


Also those excel etc.. tiles look different than just the standard desktop tiles.

edit: looks like desktop applications can use better tiles "Desktop apps will also use colorful tiles by default, and developers will have the option to create richer versions."

I like that both wp8 and w8 are coming closer together with their UIs.

edit2: this is cool
Click to expand...


its good to hear that we will be able to add proper tiles for Desktop apps...

Hopefully once 8.1 is out, we will get proof that Desktop users are top priority and not other way around. We kind of became 2nd class citizens in their quest for tablet market share.

R7 looks yummie... if they put haswell i7 into it, i might finally get new laptop... this Elitebook is getting old but had no real reason to update yet.
 
spwolf said:
its good to hear that we will be able to add proper tiles for Desktop apps...

Hopefully once 8.1 is out, we will get proof that Desktop users are top priority and not other way around. We kind of became 2nd class citizens in their quest for tablet market share.

R7 looks yummie... if they put haswell i7 into it, i might finally get new laptop... this Elitebook is getting old but had no real reason to update yet.
Click to expand...

Yeah I always assumed I would get a 2nd gen Surface Pro and then get a new desktop/all in one for home sometime, but the R7 looks awesome.
 
I've only been using Windows 8 for about a couple hours and I know I have much to learn. But these past few hours have been so counterintuitive, frustrating, ugly, confusing. I can't get this thing to do anything I want it to do. It's out of control.
 
Himself said:
Thanks, these should help me jump off. I'm gonna look at the stuff in the OP as well. I knew that things were possible, but as far as first impressions go Windows 8 was abysmal.
Click to expand...
Yeah windows 8 does zero teaching except for a 5 second video when creating a user, they expect you to find all of the hidden UI's on your own. The next update Windows 8.1 tries to fix some of these issues.
 
The Windows 8 Music app is a confusing mess, with a puzzling and frustrating interface that emphasizes the hit-driven Xbox online music service. The Windows 8.1 version looks completely different, beginning with the home page. The three main links on that home page allow you to quickly play music from your collection (local or online) or play streaming music by tapping the Radio link (similar to the current Smart DJ feature). The third link, Explore, takes you to the Xbox Store, where you can search and shop. The display of the collection is neat, crisp, and modern.
Click to expand...
Microsoft’s powerful but arcane Libraries feature is no longer spotlighted in the Windows 8.1 version of File Explorer. The Libraries node is gone from the navigation pane, and the default libraries aren’t created when you set up a new user profile, although you can create custom libraries if you want
Click to expand...
http://www.zdnet.com/a-closer-look-at-whats-new-in-windows-8-1-7000016184/
 
The note about libraries is....shall we say....very incomplete. Far more to the story than Ed's reporting there, and it's pretty much all goodness.
 
Plain and simple - if you like libraries in Windows 7 and Windows 8, you have nothing to worry about. If you had specific complaints about how libraries worked in Windows 8, you'll probably be happy, but I'm not quite ready to tell you why.
 
ymmv said:
Any improvements to the windows desktop?. I couldn't care less about Metro, the "improved" start menu or apps.
Click to expand...

The start button is back!

You can also adjust hot corners, shut down by right clicking the start button, automatically boot to the desktop, and make pressing the start button open all apps instead of the start screen.
 
Himself said:
I've only been using Windows 8 for about a couple hours and I know I have much to learn. But these past few hours have been so counterintuitive, frustrating, ugly, confusing. I can't get this thing to do anything I want it to do. It's out of control.
Click to expand...

Same here. I quickly got over my frustration, though, and now just can't help but laugh at the absurdity of the initial user experience. Just getting Solitaire and Minesweeper installed was an hour long ordeal with the end result being worse versions of the originals. Is there really no way to run those apps in a window? Score one for office productivity I guess. Hilarious.
 
foomfoom415 said:
Same here. I quickly got over my frustration, though, and now just can't help but laugh at the absurdity of the initial user experience. Just getting Solitaire and Minesweeper installed was an hour long ordeal with the end result being worse versions of the originals. Is there really no way to run those apps in a window? Score one for office productivity I guess. Hilarious.
Click to expand...

You could always just snap them to the side, works pretty well for the handful of times I play Solitaire.

And if you really want to run apps in a window, there's always ModernMix

E0P4.jpg
Click to expand...
 
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