The most anticipated product from Microsoft that has generated a lot of hype and expectations form the general public for the past year and a half is Microsoft’s Windows 8. Windows 8 OS can be used on desktops (business & home), tablets, smart phones, laptops and other touch enabled gadgets. The major difference you will find between Windows 7 and Windows 8 is that Windows 8 is based on a design to support applications (Apps). Navigating between Windows 8 enabled PC’s to access your data and files from virtually anywhere in the world is now possible using Windows 8 OS.
All the security features and other reliable tools from Windows 7 are retained and built-in, touch sensitivity is enhanced and using key board and mouse is a better experience when compared to Windows 7. Charms bar is another additional feature that helps the user to navigate around the OS extremely fast and provide easy methods to perform common tasks. The Charms bar is given on the right side of the screen and is positioned vertically; this bar is hidden and will appear when you place the mouse on the top right corner of the screen. The short cut to access the Charms bar is C + Windows key.
The right configuration required to run Windows 8 OS and to experience its optimum use the hardware required are:
- 20 GB – 64 bit or 16 GB – 32 bit hard drive is required.
- 2 GB RAM 64 bit or a minimum of 1GB RAM 32 bit is needed.
- A minimum of 1 GHz processer or above.
- A drive that is WDDM 1.0 or above that supports a DirectX 9 Graphic device.
- 1366 x 768 screen resolution and above.
For those who have used the latest Windows phone will find the Windows 8’s interface familiar and easy to use. The start screen is unlike the one found in Windows 7, here the start screen is used to open new apps and it is possible to switch between two or more apps. To check notifications that are being regularly updated and to share content is made easier when compared to Windows 7. The “Tiles” is a new format that is employed by Windows 8 and its features are it has small screen like displays on your home screen. Multiple Tiles can be opened on your home screen and each tile will give you live (real time) updates like sports, movies, news and updates on current events and your email and social network accounts are all shown on your home screen when connected to the internet.
Your desktop and laptop home screen can be customized in such a way that using tiles all your information that you often use the computer to check like emails, contacts, playlists and weather updates is shown on your computer screen without having to open multiple windows to access each website individually. Up to 15 tiles can be opened on your home screen. The Cloud interface is a bonus fixture with Windows 8, the Cloud information storage allows the user to access all of his files, folders and other data stored on Cloud from anywhere in the world using any internet enabled gadget.
The other product expected to hit the market along with Windows 8 is Internet Explorer 10, can’t wait to experience Internet Explorer 10 using Windows 8 OS.