MUST READ: Yahoo lands Tumblr for $1.1 billion: report

Topic: Windows

A deeper dive into Windows 8

Summary: The Windows Developer Preview has been out for a month, and I've had a chance to look more closely at its features. Here's an overview of details, small and large, many of which you haven't seen before.

Ed Bott

By |

 |  Image 3 of 22

The absence of any serious Metro style apps makes it hard to judge the platform, but you can get some clues from the sample apps. For example, the Stocks app allows you to enter a stock symbol and then "pin" the real-time trading information for that stock to the front page.

  • Thumbnail 1
  • Thumbnail 2
  • Thumbnail 3
  • Thumbnail 4
  • Thumbnail 5
  • Thumbnail 6
  • Thumbnail 7
  • Thumbnail 8
  • Thumbnail 9
  • Thumbnail 10
  • Thumbnail 11
  • Thumbnail 12
  • Thumbnail 13
  • Thumbnail 14
  • Thumbnail 15
  • Thumbnail 16
  • Thumbnail 17
  • Thumbnail 18
  • Thumbnail 19
  • Thumbnail 20
  • Thumbnail 21
  • Thumbnail 22

Topics: Windows, Microsoft, Operating Systems, Software

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Related Stories

Talkback

62 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

    OMG! It's the biggest hunk of junk I've ever seen! Maybe they can sell it to vtechkids.com ... or they can compete with those dedicated "email only" touch-screen devices that are marketed to the elderly.

    I've been a loyal Windows user since 3.1 ... I've always been reluctant to switch to an Apple OS ... but this could be the thing that makes me switch.
    arwalden
    Reply Vote

    • Traditional interface.

      @arwalden You /are/ aware that the "Metro" interface is supposed to be available IN ADDITION to a more familiar type of Windows interface, right? I mean, look at picture 7.
      And there are a lot of other changes (improvements/regressions, depending on your POV), too... not just the new interface. I'm not saying you won't hate it, but there's a free pre-beta preview (keep in mind that's all it is) available--you might want to check it out before you make your final call.
      SenorAlejandro
      Reply Vote

      • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

        @SenorAlejandro

        ignore the haters, the 0.000...1 % folks should not matter for Windows 8 to be successful. It is a great UI and option of using desktop UI when necessary. Not sure why people dont realize this will be the best UI for tablets anytime over the static icons of the current generation.
        ninjacut
        Reply Vote

    • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

      @arwalden if you have to justify your switch to Apple by saying "I've been a loyal Windows user since 3.1" then GO!! The best thing about Windows is that we get rid of fake users like you.
      jarzola@...
      Reply Vote

      • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

        @jarzola@... HA! Funny! :-)
        arwalden
        Reply Vote

      • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

        @jarzola@... There is no such things as fake or real users. You are just impolite and upset that someone doesn't share your POV.
        deBrice
        Reply Vote

    • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

      @arwalden ... Why? You made no mention of what's wrong wth your current OS and what thew new one doesa for you?
      tom@...
      Reply Vote

    • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

      @arwalden hey I realy think tha MS is going to change it's system just for a prat like you, go to dude, buy a mac and sys saionara MS.
      ianstaley
      Reply Vote

      • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

        @ianstaley OMG, you guys slay me! :-D
        arwalden
        Reply Vote

      • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

        @ianstaley Why microsoft shouldn't care about their user point of view? This is so pretentious
        deBrice
        Reply Vote

    • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

      @arwalden I agree with you. Honestly, when I see that, I'm glad I switched to Linux for my servers and macOs for my day to day usage.
      deBrice
      Reply Vote

      • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

        @deBrice
        So you use Linux and Apple. No way are you going to be biased against Microsoft then.
        Blogsworth
        Reply Vote

      • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

        @deBrice What do you find better about the Mac OS. I have all three running, but tend to like Win 7 or Mint Linux over a Mac. Just curious as to why people are preferring Mac. I find some things about Mac are just fine, but font rendering is not so good and I can not customise font sizes system-wide. Feel like other things in Mac are locked down. Function wise, it does work. Your opinion?
        mytake4this
        Reply Vote

      • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

        @deBrice
        What a mess... It makes the Andriod UI looks really really good and consistent! This interface is just all over the place! Guess the learning curve for existing users. Windows XP and 7 will be around for a very longs time, unless the fan boys wake up and realize MS is way past it sell by date!

        Glad I left MS back in the late nineties for Linux as my daily desktop. Looking in here out of curiosity makes me realize that I made the right decision many years ago.
        By the time MS sorts this holy mess out, OIS and Andriod would have moved on and taken over the enterprise! When will they learn that good enough is good enough.
        Johan Safari
        Reply Vote

    • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

      @arwalden
      Spoken like a devowed Apple user. Cheers!
      eargasm
      Reply Vote

    • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

      @arwalden Really?
      Because Apple's interface is dumber than this is.
      You think Skype's bad because it doesn't close when you close it? Apple does that for EVERY application.

      You want a real OS? Go Linux. That should make you happy with a 'real' OS. Plus, you'll get all the features that Microsoft and Apple will copy in a few years anyways. If it's old in Linux it will be the next greatest feature from a different company.

      App store? All copied from Linux. Synaptic's had it for years (and that's just one front-end of many). It's a one-click install (with password). It downloads everything the application needs to run.
      Even before graphics- you just type a simple command (you can usually guess the name of the application you want or search the web if you can't remember it) and you get the program.
      It's funny that Apple hasn't sued yet since, of course, the uneducated think that they thought of the principles behind it first.


      It's strange that they didn't copy the "brings up the extension but highlights the main name of the file so you can edit it" feature that Linux has had for years either.

      It's got its bugs, though- but you should be used to that seeing as you've put up with Windows 3.1 all those years ago.
      luckyducky7@...
      Reply Vote

    • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

      @arwalden The last traditional looking desktop standing may just be Mint Linux, one fine day. Try out that OS, if Win 8 is frightful to ya.
      mytake4this
      Reply Vote

    • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

      @arwalden
      Wow, I can now have the poorly recieved W7 Mobile interface on my desktop too.....Oh joy. I guess MS does think two wrongs will make a right.

      Can you imagine the train wreak that is going to happen when you unleash this OS on a technically illiterate work force of several hundred people in your company? It will make Vista's roll out look like a great success. I hope I'm wrong about 8 but MS does not have a track record of getting it right. Time for Ballmer to go bye-bye and take this kaleidoscope of an OS with him.
      KBabcock75
      Reply Vote

  • RE: A deeper dive into Windows 8

    Being another early Dos/3.11 user, I've not had a chance to try Win8 (Alpha/Beta/Concept ?)
    My experience with the iPad2 and BBPlaybook have me thinking the death of the Laptop is nigh...If Apple can penetrate Enterprise bunkers, who knows what will become of Windows xyz...
    stevedebb@...
    Reply Vote

    • Tablets != Laptops

      @stevedebb I seriously doubt it. Aside from the fact that a lot of gamers like their systems to be pretty portable for LAN parties and such and that there are students who need to be able to do things like word processing and Photoshop while on campus but don't have money for that many /different/ devices, tablets really are just toys for most people--an iPod Touch with an easier-to-read screen. When it comes to business, they're good for specialized tasks, but you need a real keyboard and mouse for most things that aren't a fast food ordering kiosk or easy-access design blueprints. Until a tablet lets you computer with real power (and type without staring down at your keyboard), I just don't see it replacing notebook computers.
      SenorAlejandro
      Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close