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10 Best Windows 8 Features You Missed
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The frequently heard Metro interface of Windows 8, designed for touchscreen computers and tablet PCs, has been built to use HTML5 and CSS3. It seamlessly integrates into Internet apps such as SkyDrive and Flickr.
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Wednesday, February 01, 2012:
There is a lot of noise coming from developers and reviewers about the Windows 8 operating system (OS). According to a ComputerWorld report, the latest Windows OS that is expected to shift to the beta stage in late February and is likely to launch around the year-end, offers some unique features that could be beneficial for both IT and end-users.
Till now, the frequently heard feature of Windows 8 is its Metro interface that has been designed for touchscreen computers and tablets. Built to use HTML5 and CSS3, it seamlessly integrates into Internet apps such as SkyDrive and Flickr. But apart from this, there are other lesser-known features of Windows 8 that bring great value to the OS.
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Get Apps straight from Windows Store: Catching up with Apple's Mac App Store, Microsoft Windows 8 offers the Windows Store through which users will be able to find, purchase and install Microsoft-approved apps for the OS. Just like the Windows Phone marketplace (for Windows Phone 7), apps will have to be certified by Microsoft to appear in the Windows Store and developers will be able to offer trial versions of their software.
The Ribbon Interface is back: The traditional menu and toolbar system was first replaced by the Ribbon in Office 2007 applications that groups features and tools into separate collections. The change though observed mixed reviews from people, of which long time Office users severely criticised it while others found it quite convenient once they got used to it. Now, Microsoft has clubbed the Ribbon interface with Windows Explorer in Windows 8 where it provides an easy way to check file attributes and sort files.
New Refresh and Reset: The System Restore feature has been here for quite some time now. It allowed users to return back to the default Windows settings but was a bit more complex to use. The new Refresh and Reset feature in Windows 8 gives a quick step-by-step wizard for Reset (go back to default install, lose all data and apps) and Refresh (return all settings to their default for faster and more reliable operation, but keep the data and apps) functions. Home users will be able to access both the functions whereas along with these pro users/ IT admin will be able to set policies for their systems.
NFC integration: Several smartphones from Nokia come equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) support. It can be said that strong ties with fellow partner Nokia has pestered Microsoft to provide NFC support in its Windows 8 OS too. The technology, that has been termed as the next big thing for in-store financial transactions, received a major boost with the launch of Google Wallet.
Instant Boot-up: Pizzas not reaching on time or the longer-than-ever 'Starting Windows' screen, we all hate to wait! Don't we? According to the tests carried, Windows 8 boots in flat six seconds as compared to Windows 7 that takes an average of 90 seconds. Analysts point out that the resuming from sleep and booting up times in Windows 7 is already fast but reducing those extra seconds is still a benefit.
Task Manager gets detailed: Another advantageous feature in Windows 8 is the redesigned Task Manager which offers simpler accessibility and a more detailed interface. Instead of cryptic list of processes and stats, the default screen outlines just the names of running applications and lets the user quickly kill any that are not responding. The 'More details' button opens up the advanced Task Manager, which reveals a plethora of information including total CPU usage time for each app, a CPU performance graph and more details about the memory and other system resources each app is using.
Support for ISO image: At some point, we all must have used ISO Buster for accessing those ISO images in Windows XP or Windows 7. But the same may not be needed in the upcoming Windows 8 as it carries support for mounting ISO images without the need of any third-party software. In Windows 8, users can double click an ISO image on the hard drive and open it in Explorer as a virtual optical drive, access its contents and even copy/paste files elsewhere on the hard drive for use with other programs. It can be a great feature for archiving legacy DVDs and CDs.
Hyper-V virtualisation: Microsoft's virtualisation tool Hyper-V is available to IT administrators in recent version of Windows Server but Windows 8 offers the same to the client OS. This will be beneficial for end users to run other operating systems, including older versions of Windows, inside a virtual machine. Hyper-V will replace Windows 7's Virtual PC component and add a management layer so that admins can tweak options for storage drives and VM settings when a client uses the virtual machine.
Run two apps simultaneously on a tablet: News reports across the Web have quoted Windows 8 as a tablet-friendly OS. The feature to run two apps on a tablet screen at the same time is in fact a unique ability. Any such feature ceases to exist even in the moolah-coughing iPad or any of the popular Android tablets. The feature seems to have been restructured from the Windows ability to allow multiple windows on the screen at once. On the other hand, Apple's iOS only allows one so the user can't watch a video and surf the Web at the same time.
Support for ARM processors: For any desktop or tablet that runs on Windows OS, the device is more likely to be powered by an Intel or AMD processor. But with the Windows 8 OS, things are about to change and move along the ARM way. Metro's UI finger-touch control and swipe feature clearly indicates that the OS has been built keeping a tablet a mind. It seems that the Windows 8 OS, with support for ARM as well as x86 processors, has the potential to trump Android and iOS.
Priy Pandit, EFYTIMES News Network
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