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2012

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Windows 8 - Disappointing Usability for Both Novice & Power Users. 8 worst Windows 8 irritations (and how to fix them) Windows 8, I want to love you, but your annoying quirks keep bringing me down.

8 worst Windows 8 irritations (and how to fix them)

After spending more than a year conquering the operating system's overhauled (and nonintuitive) interface in its various prerelease iterations, I've now entered a second stage of frustration: I find myself cursing at Windows 8's major changes less and less, but shaking my fist and swearing like a sailor at its little irritations more and more. Beyond its polished, tile-based surface, Microsoft's new operating system plays host to a legion of smaller annoyances—a cornucopia of quirks that will leave you seething long after you get the hang of all the new gesture controls and schizophrenic system options.

Some of the problems are whoppers. Others are mere nitpicks that result from a lifetime of traditional Windows use. But many of these problems can be fixed, with one major exception. Lock down the lock screen. Thanks to Windows 8 and the Surface, Microsoft’s consumer perception scores set new records. According to brand polling conducted by YouGov, Microsoft and its Bing and Windows products are riding high.

Thanks to Windows 8 and the Surface, Microsoft’s consumer perception scores set new records

Following a launch cycle that saw a new version of Windows, a relaunch of Windows Phone, the Surface, and the introduction of a plethora of developer tools and enterprise software, Microsoft is more in the eye of consumers than it has been in years. YouGov polling tracked what it calls “consumer perception.” This statistic is ranked off of the question, “If you’ve heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, through advertising, news or word of mouth, was it positive or negative?” Which is turned into a “Buzz Score.” Yes, this is all a bit mathmagical, but YouGov was ranked as the second most accurate polling shop in the 2012 election, besting the NYTimes, Wall Street Journal, Gallup, and others. Here are the key findings from the survey data: Windows is at its highest point of perception since Windows 7 was introduced in late 2009. I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

Bill Gates spotted in Windows 8 Times Square launch video. When Microsoft had its massive Windows 8 launch in New York City's Times Square a couple of weeks ago, the company didn't indicate to the press or the general public that the company's chairman Bill Gates might show up.

Bill Gates spotted in Windows 8 Times Square launch video

Yet, in a newly posted video from Microsoft showing the launch of Windows 8, Gates is indeed seen, very briefly, inside the Microsoft Store in Times Square. The video, posted on YouTube, has Gates inside the store and talking to customers (you can see him at the 1:08 mark). It's possible that Gates actually showed up on October 26, the day after the Windows 8 launch. This is because we also spotted a couple of images that were posted on the Flickr account of a man name Tom Starkweather who took two photos of Gates walking around by himself in Times Square on October 26th.

Top 6 New Features of Windows 8 Release P. Windows 8 on the desktop - an awkward hybrid. Windows 8's new user interface has proven nothing short of polarizing.

Windows 8 on the desktop - an awkward hybrid

The hybrid operating system pairs a new GUI concept, the touch-friendly Metro interface, to the traditional windows, icons, menus, and pointer concept that Windows users have depended on for decades. In so doing, it removes Windows mainstays such as the Start button and Start menu. A Walkthrough Of The Windows Store Experience On Windows 8 Compared To The Mac App Store On OS X Lion. Advertisements One of the more significant additions to Windows 8 (on the latest Consumer Preview build) – which is critical for the platform to succeed in the tablet space – is the Windows Store, essentially an app store where you can purchase applications for Windows, particularly Metro-style ones.

A Walkthrough Of The Windows Store Experience On Windows 8 Compared To The Mac App Store On OS X Lion

Thus, in terms of functionality, it’s pretty much like a combination of the iOS and Mac App Stores. But, in usability and design, it does have its differences. For one, it’s a Metro app. Windows 8 Will Come in Four Versions. Finally!

Windows 8 Will Come in Four Versions

After years of confusing consumers with multiple, slightly different versions of the same operating system, Microsoft announced today that Windows 8 will come in only four versions: One for home use, one for business, one for devices running ARM chips, and one for large enterprises that buy in bulk. For most people buying an operating system for a traditional desktop or laptop, the choice will be between just two versions. Microsoft Windows 8 will have user-friendly reinstall button. So, how many of you can relate to this story?

Microsoft Windows 8 will have user-friendly reinstall button

Your computer has been infected by a virus, or it's just running really slow, or you accidentally deleted a system file, or maybe you bought the computer from someone else and it still has all the previous owner's junk on it. If you wanted to just perform a complete, fresh install of Windows, would you be able to find your original Windows install disc? A lot of you would probably say no. Windows 8 lets users decide which IE opens links. News March 27, 2012 06:43 AM ET Computerworld - Windows 8 users will be able to set which version of Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) automatically opens Web pages when links are clicked, Microsoft said Monday.

Windows 8 lets users decide which IE opens links

The new operating system features dual and dueling editions of IE10, one for the traditional desktop and another designed specifically for the touch-first, tile-based Metro user interface (UI). Is Windows 8 any faster than Windows 7? Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 operating system is finally put to the test in a new report and we find out exactly how much faster it is compared to Windows 7.

Is Windows 8 any faster than Windows 7?

According to the report, Windows 8 booted faster and generally ran faster than Windows 7. As PCWorld reports, both Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Windows 7 were installed on an identical machine (3.3GHz Intel Core i5-2500K processor, 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB 7200-rpm hard drive, Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 Ti graphics card). 6 Ways to Totally Avoid Metro and Use Only Desktop Mode in Windows 8. Windows 8: Everything You Need to Know. As far as Microsoft is concerned, 2012 is the year everything changes.

Windows 8: Everything You Need to Know

The software giant is on course to reinvent its core software, Windows, for the modern era. Windows 8 changes Windows entirely, yet leaves it untouched in some key ways. How it all works — and how its customers respond — will determine the company's future. Windows 8′s Competing Interfaces Will Double Your Effort, Halve Your Fun. Like a Miley Cyrus / Hannah Montana concert, Microsoft’s new operating system promises the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, after manically switching back and forth between Windows 8′s new tablet-inspired Metro UI and traditional desktop mode, users will feel like they’ve accompanied the teen star on a bad Salvia trip. Microsoft is making the right move by offering a touch-friendly interface for tablets without abandoning its long-standing windowed desktop, but users should be able to run all their programs in the single environment of their choice.

Windows 8 Tricks, Tips and Shortcuts to Make the Preview Process Less Painful. The Windows 8 Kill Switch: A Hacker's Dream Come True. A number of stories about a Windows 8 kill switch have appeared on the Web, each with its own odd and ominous tone. The blogosphere has gone berserk with all sorts of menacing commentary, such as the following from the Vigilent Citizen: The very anticipated operating system Windows 8 will have a feature that was never found on PC's before: A kill switch that can remotely delete software and edit code without the user's permission. Although Microsoft claims the switch would only be used for software that is downloaded from its app store, no official policies clearly define the actual purpose of the kill switch... nothing is truly considered "illegal" and that includes issues regarding spying, censorship and free speech.

Pretty scary, kids. Less-than-totally-freaked-out Computerworld has this to say: Windows 8 Consumer Preview: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly [REVIEW] I'm writing this article on a Windows 8 tablet. Thankfully, I've got a wireless keyboard and mouse as well as a dock to help the Samsung developer tablet act more like a regular PC. Microsoft made the Windows 8 Consumer Preview available this morning to everyone who wants to check it out. It was also kind enough to give Mashable a sneak peek. What exactly is a consumer preview? I can tell you this: It definitely means it's not ready for general release.