Whether you’re a Microsoft or an Apple user, you’ve probably heard about the release of Window 8. Many of the new features and options have sparked enthusiasm. Hongkiat.com says one of their favorite features is “Windows-To-Go,” an app where you can insert your USB device into your Window 8 PC and “make a copy of [the] OS complete with settings, wallpapers, files and even apps.” When you plug the USB into another PC with Windows 8 already installed it will look “exactly like the OS you normally use with all settings intact.” The feature is a great back up plan for viruses or clean up as well as to ease the transition from work to home life.
An exciting change for many is “the cloud…taking center stage in Windows 8,” according to Lifehacker.com. Your Microsoft account is “driving all of the syncing. Your address book, photos, SkyDrive data and even data within third-party apps,” are all accessible on any Windows 8 device.
While Windows 8 has many great new options and features, it was created primarily for touch screens which may slow down sales and implementation. Bestbuy.com reminds potential Windows 8 shoppers that “despite all the changes that are coming, Windows 8 does still give you a normal desktop,” responding to the concern of misinformed consumers who believe that the update can work only on tablets and not on PCs.
While it can be used on PCs, the new operating system isn’t exciting consumers like Windows 7. According to the LA Times, Windows 8 has captured 58% of Windows computing device unit sales, while Windows 7’s debut captured 83% in its first four weeks. Many are blaming the success of Windows 7 for the lack of success of the new version; instead of enjoying the new features, many are missing the Windows 7 layout and processes.
One of the major differences from previous versions is the replacement of the traditional Start Menu with the Metro UI, an easy way to get to your apps. And while you can still pin programs to the taskbar and desktop, there are more navigation options in the new version including a revised Jump List with more security options. Despite the new choices, some consumers are mourning the loss of the traditional launch button and traditional setup.
Despite consumer misgivings, experts have high hopes for Windows 8. The anticipation of a sales surge during the holiday shopping season should boost product sales, particularly with the many new tablets and laptop/tablets released. If you’re stuck and unsure whether or not the Windows 8 layout is right for you, check out these pro and con articles from CBS News that cover some of the basics to make the most informed decision.
Let us know, have you or will you be installing Windows 8? What are your favorite features?
