Microsoft has released a consumer preview of its upcoming Windows 8 operating system.
The Consumer Preview of Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 8 operating system is now available for download, after it was unveiled at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.Image credit: Microsoft
The launch of the consumer preview took place in Barcelona, at
Mobile World Congress — Windows 8 is the
first version of the OS that can run on ARM's architecture, which
dominates the mobile industry.
"With Windows 8, we reimagined the different ways people interact
with their PC and how to make everything feel like a natural extension
of the device, whether using a Windows 8 tablet, laptop or
all-in-one," Windows chief Steven Sinofsky said in a statement.
Wednesday also saw the beta opening of the Windows Store, which
will offer various Metro-style apps to desktop and tablet users of
Windows 8. The apps that are currently available are all free to use
during the consumer preview period, Microsoft said.
The company also put out a fifth platform
preview of Internet Explorer 10 and published a product
guide for business users of Windows 8.
One of the main rationales behind widely available releases such as the Windows
8 consumer preview is to give Microsoft "a lot of feedback through
telemetry, forums and blog posts", Microsoft's Kent Walker wrote in a
blog post.
"The Windows 8 Consumer Preview is just that: a preview of what's
to come. It represents a work in progress, and some things will change
before the final release. This means you'll encounter some hiccups and
bugs," Walker said.
New features
The consumer preview includes many features that were missing from
the developer preview. SkyDrive integration is one of the most notable
features, plugging Metro apps into Microsoft's consumer cloud.
Windows 8 Consumer Preview represents a work in progress, and some things will change before the final release.
– Kent Walker, Microsoft
Microsoft is encouraging users to log in with their Microsoft
accounts, which immediately hooks them up to settings, files and
contacts that are stored in the cloud. The company is pitching this as
a way to set up quickly on a new machine, or more easily share
machines between different users.
The lock screen now includes smartphone-style notifications and
more gesture and mouse controls have been added. Microsoft has also
included its new 'semantic zoom' feature, making it possible to more
easily arrange and access groups of tiles.
The 'charm bar' has been added to the side of the screen, offering
common tasks such as sharing and searching. Background images are now
customisable, albeit not as freely as will be the case in the final
release of Windows 8. Xbox integration also turns the PC into a remote
control for the home entertainment system.
Business side
On the business side, the consumer preview of Windows 8 now
supports Hyper-V virtualisation, and can also be run off a USB stick
as 'Windows To Go'.
Microsoft is also heavily pushing the live tile experience in the
new OS — its business product guide notes that "a worker in a
warehouse can view stock inventory warnings with data displayed on a
live tile... with a single tap, they can open an app that lets them make
changes or review more detailed information".
The preview also includes an improved version of Microsoft's
BranchCache technology, aimed at making it more efficient for branch
offices to access data from their headquarters. It has been
around for a few years, but BranchCache is now more easily
deployed and its performance has been improved, Microsoft said.
The new SmartScreen Application Reputation service is one of
several added security features in the preview, giving users
information about the safety of the apps they download. Another
feature, AppLocker, restricts which files certain users and groups can
run, and is being pitched at businesses that manage their Windows
machines with group policies.
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