Lenovo is shaking up its tablet offering with Miix, its latest entry to its multi-mode devices line-up.
The 10.1-inch (1,366x768 resolution) device runs off an Intel Atom dual-core processor, and sports the latest Windows 8 operating system.
But don't be put off by the silly name. (It is a silly name.) Its killer feature is the multi-mode feature, allowing users to work with the device as a tablet and as a laptop. With a "quick-flip" detachable folio keyboard-embedded case, it can switch from PC mode to tablet mode in an instant.
It comes with 64GB of built-in eMMC storage — expandable to 32GB with a microSD card — and comes with the usual Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi networking, and optional 3G-GPS connectivity.
Weighing in at just 1.2 pounds and less than a half-inch thin, its battery will run for up to 10 hours.
The Lenovo Miix will be available later this quarter — no specific release date was given — and will be priced reasonably for medium- to large-sized enterprises at $500.
Along with the Miix announcement, Lenovo also launched new S Series and U Series devices, continuing its push into the tablet market. The company continues to rise in the PC shipments table, according to IDC figures, and it's also ramping up its tablet offering.
The devices will come with unspecified pre-loaded software to improve user experience and add core enterprise features. No word on whether or not it will come with Lenovo Cloud, its eagerly anticipated cloud-based products, which only recently saw password synchronization service Reach debut first.
The new Lenovo IdeaPad S Series tablets range from $429 and $579 in price, while the IdeaPad U Series tablets range from between $799 and $899.
2013年6月20日星期四
2013年6月17日星期一
How To Shut Down Your Windows 8 Device
With the launch of Windows 8, Microsoft made its most aggressive push into revamping the way Windows does things. Chief among these things is the way the Windows 8 completely reimagines the user interface for Windows. Gone is the Start Menu of yore, and with it, the only way many users are familiar with turning off their PC.
Before you dive into turning off your Windows 8 device, there’s a few things to understand. First, because of the changes that have been made to Microsoft’s flagship operating system since Windows 7, completely shutting down your PC could be unnecessary. Though a complete shutdown remains an option, Hibernation achieves many of the effects that a user might want such as very little power consumption. What’s more Hibernation does this while allowing users to open their laptop or press their desktop’s power button and have Windows 8 spring back to life immediately from where they left off.
In short, that gives you the immediate responsiveness of pressing the power button on an iPad or a smartphone. Yes, the device is still consuming a small amount of energy, but it’s nowhere near what it consumes in a powered on state, and quickly allows you to jump back in on the action.
Still, if you want to completely shut down your Windows 8 device, here’s how.
Whether you prefer to press the hardware Windows button on your device, or hit the Windows Key on your keyboard, head to the Start Screen.
If you have a touchscreen swipe from the right edge of the screen or place your mouse cursor into the right top hand corner. Once you see the Charms Bar, hit settings at the bottom to pull up the Windows 8 setup menu.
A fly-out menu should now appear on the right side of your screen with buttons at the bottom that says ‘Internet’, ‘Volume’, ‘Brightness’, ‘Notifications’, ‘Keyboard’ and finally ‘Power”. Tap or click on the Power button.
A small fly-out menu will present you with options for putting your Windows 8 device to sleep, Shut down, and restart.
Now just simply hit shutdown. The Windows device should immediately begin closing any applications you have available and prompt you to save any documents that you already have open. Just in case, it would still probably be a good idea to save anything you are working on.
Before you dive into turning off your Windows 8 device, there’s a few things to understand. First, because of the changes that have been made to Microsoft’s flagship operating system since Windows 7, completely shutting down your PC could be unnecessary. Though a complete shutdown remains an option, Hibernation achieves many of the effects that a user might want such as very little power consumption. What’s more Hibernation does this while allowing users to open their laptop or press their desktop’s power button and have Windows 8 spring back to life immediately from where they left off.
In short, that gives you the immediate responsiveness of pressing the power button on an iPad or a smartphone. Yes, the device is still consuming a small amount of energy, but it’s nowhere near what it consumes in a powered on state, and quickly allows you to jump back in on the action.
Still, if you want to completely shut down your Windows 8 device, here’s how.
Whether you prefer to press the hardware Windows button on your device, or hit the Windows Key on your keyboard, head to the Start Screen.
If you have a touchscreen swipe from the right edge of the screen or place your mouse cursor into the right top hand corner. Once you see the Charms Bar, hit settings at the bottom to pull up the Windows 8 setup menu.
A fly-out menu should now appear on the right side of your screen with buttons at the bottom that says ‘Internet’, ‘Volume’, ‘Brightness’, ‘Notifications’, ‘Keyboard’ and finally ‘Power”. Tap or click on the Power button.
A small fly-out menu will present you with options for putting your Windows 8 device to sleep, Shut down, and restart.
Now just simply hit shutdown. The Windows device should immediately begin closing any applications you have available and prompt you to save any documents that you already have open. Just in case, it would still probably be a good idea to save anything you are working on.
2013年6月14日星期五
60 Windows 8 tips, tricks and secrets
Windows 8 has been with us for over half a year now, and if you're used to previous versions of Windows then you're going to notice that quite a bit has changed. In fact, Windows 8 has seen the biggest change since the jump from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95.
Out goes the Start menu, in comes the new touch-oriented Start screen with new Windows 8-style apps and new interface conventions. Even experienced PC users may be left feeling a little lost.
Don't despair, though, help is at hand. We've poked around every part of Windows 8, uncovering many of its most important tips and tricks, so read our guide and you'll soon be equipped to get the most out of Microsoft's latest release.
1. Open from the lock screen
Windows 8 opens on its lock screen, which looks pretty but unfortunately displays no clues about what to do next.
It's all very straightforward, though. Just tap the space bar, spin the mouse wheel or swipe upwards on a touch screen to reveal a regular login screen with the user name you created during installation. Enter your password to begin.
2. Handle basic navigation
Windows 8's interface is all colourful tiles and touch-friendly apps. And if you're using a tablet then it'll all be very straightforward: just swipe left or right to scroll the screen, and tap any tile of interest.
On a regular desktop, though, you might alternatively spin the mouse wheel to scroll backwards and forwards.
And you can also use the keyboard. Press the Home or End keys to jump from one end of your Start screen to the other, for instance, then use the cursor keys to select a particular tile, tapping Enter to select it. Press the Windows key to return to the Start screen; right-click (or swipe down on) apps you don't need and select Unpin to remove them; and drag and drop the other tiles around to organise them as you like.
3. Group apps
The Start screen apps are initially displayed in a fairly random order, but if you'd prefer a more organised life then it's easy to sort them into custom groups.
You might drag People, Mail, Messaging and Calendar over to the left-hand side, for instance, to form a separate 'People' group. Click the 'minus' icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to zoom out and you'll now find you can drag and drop the new group (or any of the others) around as a block.
Right-click within the block (while still zoomed out) and you'll also be able to give the group a name, which - if you go on to add another 20 or 30 apps to your Start screen - will make it much easier to find the tools you need.
4. Use the quick access menu
Right-click in the bottom-left corner (or hold down the Windows key and press X) for a text-based menu that provides easy access to lots of useful applets and features: Device Manager, Control Panel, Explorer, the Search dialog and more. Download the Win+X Menu Editor and you'll be able to further customise the list with programs of your own.
5. Find your applications
The Win+X menu is useful, but no substitute for the old Start menu as it doesn't provide access to your applications. To find this, hold down the Windows key and press Q or either right-click an empty part of the Start screen or swipe your finger up from the bottom of the screen and select 'All Apps' to reveal a scrolling list of all your installed applications. Browse the various tiles to find what you need and click the relevant app to launch it.
6. Make access easier
If there's an application you use all the time then you don't have to access it via the search system. Pin it to the Start screen and it'll be available at a click.
Start by typing part of the name of your application. To access Control Panel, for instance, type 'Control'. Right-click the 'Control Panel' tile on the Apps Search screen, and click 'Pin to Start'. If you're using a touchscreen, press and hold the icon, then flick down and select 'Pin to Start'.
Now press the Windows key, scroll to the right and you'll see the Control Panel tile at the far end. Drag and drop this over to the left somewhere if you'd like it more easily accessible, then click the tile to open the desktop along with the Control Panel window, and press the Windows key to return you to the Start screen when you're done.
7. Shut down
To shut Windows 8 down, just move the mouse cursor to the bottom right corner of the screen, click the Settings icon - or just hold down the Windows key and press I - and you'll see a power button. Click this and choose 'Shut Down' or 'Restart'.
Some of the tricks available in previous versions of Windows still apply. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, for instance, click the power button in the bottom right-hand corner and you'll be presented with the same 'Shut Down' and 'Restart' options.
And if you're on the desktop, press Alt+F4 and you'll be able to choose 'Shut Down', 'Restart', 'Sign Out' or 'Switch User' options.
Out goes the Start menu, in comes the new touch-oriented Start screen with new Windows 8-style apps and new interface conventions. Even experienced PC users may be left feeling a little lost.
Don't despair, though, help is at hand. We've poked around every part of Windows 8, uncovering many of its most important tips and tricks, so read our guide and you'll soon be equipped to get the most out of Microsoft's latest release.
1. Open from the lock screen
Windows 8 opens on its lock screen, which looks pretty but unfortunately displays no clues about what to do next.
It's all very straightforward, though. Just tap the space bar, spin the mouse wheel or swipe upwards on a touch screen to reveal a regular login screen with the user name you created during installation. Enter your password to begin.
2. Handle basic navigation
Windows 8's interface is all colourful tiles and touch-friendly apps. And if you're using a tablet then it'll all be very straightforward: just swipe left or right to scroll the screen, and tap any tile of interest.
On a regular desktop, though, you might alternatively spin the mouse wheel to scroll backwards and forwards.
And you can also use the keyboard. Press the Home or End keys to jump from one end of your Start screen to the other, for instance, then use the cursor keys to select a particular tile, tapping Enter to select it. Press the Windows key to return to the Start screen; right-click (or swipe down on) apps you don't need and select Unpin to remove them; and drag and drop the other tiles around to organise them as you like.
3. Group apps
The Start screen apps are initially displayed in a fairly random order, but if you'd prefer a more organised life then it's easy to sort them into custom groups.
You might drag People, Mail, Messaging and Calendar over to the left-hand side, for instance, to form a separate 'People' group. Click the 'minus' icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to zoom out and you'll now find you can drag and drop the new group (or any of the others) around as a block.
Right-click within the block (while still zoomed out) and you'll also be able to give the group a name, which - if you go on to add another 20 or 30 apps to your Start screen - will make it much easier to find the tools you need.
4. Use the quick access menu
Right-click in the bottom-left corner (or hold down the Windows key and press X) for a text-based menu that provides easy access to lots of useful applets and features: Device Manager, Control Panel, Explorer, the Search dialog and more. Download the Win+X Menu Editor and you'll be able to further customise the list with programs of your own.
5. Find your applications
The Win+X menu is useful, but no substitute for the old Start menu as it doesn't provide access to your applications. To find this, hold down the Windows key and press Q or either right-click an empty part of the Start screen or swipe your finger up from the bottom of the screen and select 'All Apps' to reveal a scrolling list of all your installed applications. Browse the various tiles to find what you need and click the relevant app to launch it.
6. Make access easier
If there's an application you use all the time then you don't have to access it via the search system. Pin it to the Start screen and it'll be available at a click.
Start by typing part of the name of your application. To access Control Panel, for instance, type 'Control'. Right-click the 'Control Panel' tile on the Apps Search screen, and click 'Pin to Start'. If you're using a touchscreen, press and hold the icon, then flick down and select 'Pin to Start'.
Now press the Windows key, scroll to the right and you'll see the Control Panel tile at the far end. Drag and drop this over to the left somewhere if you'd like it more easily accessible, then click the tile to open the desktop along with the Control Panel window, and press the Windows key to return you to the Start screen when you're done.
7. Shut down
To shut Windows 8 down, just move the mouse cursor to the bottom right corner of the screen, click the Settings icon - or just hold down the Windows key and press I - and you'll see a power button. Click this and choose 'Shut Down' or 'Restart'.
Some of the tricks available in previous versions of Windows still apply. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, for instance, click the power button in the bottom right-hand corner and you'll be presented with the same 'Shut Down' and 'Restart' options.
And if you're on the desktop, press Alt+F4 and you'll be able to choose 'Shut Down', 'Restart', 'Sign Out' or 'Switch User' options.
2013年5月30日星期四
Microsoft Is Backing Down From One Of Windows 8's Boldest Changes
According to reports by Microsoft experts Mary Jo Foley and Paul Thurrott, a forthcoming update to Windows 8 codenamed "Blue" will restore the familiar interface for navigating Windows.
A feature of Microsoft operating systems since Windows 95, the Start button allowed quick access to applications and system features. Windows 8, in a marked departure, traded it for a tablet-like, touchscreen-optimized system for navigating apps. That, understandably, confused and frustrated Windows users, many of whom found Windows 8 befuddling rather than innovative.
Microsoft Shows A Less-Than-Deft Touch
Microsoft has had a consistent party line on these complaints, which is to urge people to try Windows 8 on new touchscreen PCs and tablets.
(See also Windows Blue's Goal: You Will Love Metro - Eventually.)
One of Microsoft's strengths has alway been its embrace of backwards compatibility—the ongoing guarantee that newer PCs will run older software. The Surface RT tablet, which cannot run older Windows software, and the new Xbox One, which likewise will not play old games, suggest that Microsoft has become more willing to abandon the old, as it did with the Start button.
Here's the mistake Microsoft made: While it's trivially easy to update software, and new hardware can be sold, it's far harder to rewire the wetware in our brains. And hundreds of millions of Windows users over the past two decades have been trained to look for a Start button.
(See also How Windows 8 Throws Computer Users Under The Bus.)
And a basic interface feature like that is not analogous to a game or even a piece of software. Video gamers rapidly grow bored of old games and seek out new ones. But the way we use PCs becomes a matter of routine. And there's nothing more annoying than breaking people's routines.
A feature of Microsoft operating systems since Windows 95, the Start button allowed quick access to applications and system features. Windows 8, in a marked departure, traded it for a tablet-like, touchscreen-optimized system for navigating apps. That, understandably, confused and frustrated Windows users, many of whom found Windows 8 befuddling rather than innovative.
Microsoft Shows A Less-Than-Deft Touch
Microsoft has had a consistent party line on these complaints, which is to urge people to try Windows 8 on new touchscreen PCs and tablets.
(See also Windows Blue's Goal: You Will Love Metro - Eventually.)
One of Microsoft's strengths has alway been its embrace of backwards compatibility—the ongoing guarantee that newer PCs will run older software. The Surface RT tablet, which cannot run older Windows software, and the new Xbox One, which likewise will not play old games, suggest that Microsoft has become more willing to abandon the old, as it did with the Start button.
Here's the mistake Microsoft made: While it's trivially easy to update software, and new hardware can be sold, it's far harder to rewire the wetware in our brains. And hundreds of millions of Windows users over the past two decades have been trained to look for a Start button.
(See also How Windows 8 Throws Computer Users Under The Bus.)
And a basic interface feature like that is not analogous to a game or even a piece of software. Video gamers rapidly grow bored of old games and seek out new ones. But the way we use PCs becomes a matter of routine. And there's nothing more annoying than breaking people's routines.
2013年4月24日星期三
The Best Windows 8 Apps You Can Run On Your Desktop
Even if you bypass Windows 8′s “modern” UI entirely using a tool like Start8 or Classic Shell, there are some great apps available for it. Thanks to ModernMix, an app that lets you run full-screen Windows apps in regular windows, you can get the best of both worlds: useful applications in normal desktop windows.
When Windows 8 came out, a lot of great apps also landed. However, some people don’t run full-screen apps in Windows 8 and go right to the desktop instead. Well, love it or hate it, Windows 8 and its “modern UI” is here to stay (at least until Microsoft brings back the start button), and since ModernMix makes it easy to run those full-screen apps in Windows on the desktop, it’s time to take another look at some great, unique Windows 8 apps that you should try.
Groove Music Player is popular on iOS, and we were thrilled when it launched on Windows 8. Its predictive mixes and automatic tagging and organisation of your music collection makes it a must-have app, but if you’re no fan of Windows 8′s modern UI, we can understand why you would have passed it over. With ModernMix, you can run Groove in a window like any other music player and take advantage of all of its features. It will still set you back $3.99, but we think that’s a decent price to pay for an attentive developer, an app that automatically downloads album artwork, lyrics, Last.fm data and auto-tags your tracks for later. Plus, Groove’s automatically generated mixes are so good you’ll wonder how you lived without them.
If you’d rather watch your own videos, the Plex app for Windows 8 is extremely well built and designed, and it runs perfectly even in a window. You could download the standard Plex Media Center app for Windows instead, but the Windows 8 app really does look nice, even when compared to the full Media Center app. Plus, if you can run it in Windowed mode and not turn your entire system into a media centre every time you want to use it, why wouldn’t you? This way you can stream music while minimised, or put the Plex app on a different display and watch video (and still use your primary display for something else) without interrupting your flow.
When Windows 8 came out, a lot of great apps also landed. However, some people don’t run full-screen apps in Windows 8 and go right to the desktop instead. Well, love it or hate it, Windows 8 and its “modern UI” is here to stay (at least until Microsoft brings back the start button), and since ModernMix makes it easy to run those full-screen apps in Windows on the desktop, it’s time to take another look at some great, unique Windows 8 apps that you should try.
Groove Music Player is popular on iOS, and we were thrilled when it launched on Windows 8. Its predictive mixes and automatic tagging and organisation of your music collection makes it a must-have app, but if you’re no fan of Windows 8′s modern UI, we can understand why you would have passed it over. With ModernMix, you can run Groove in a window like any other music player and take advantage of all of its features. It will still set you back $3.99, but we think that’s a decent price to pay for an attentive developer, an app that automatically downloads album artwork, lyrics, Last.fm data and auto-tags your tracks for later. Plus, Groove’s automatically generated mixes are so good you’ll wonder how you lived without them.
If you’d rather watch your own videos, the Plex app for Windows 8 is extremely well built and designed, and it runs perfectly even in a window. You could download the standard Plex Media Center app for Windows instead, but the Windows 8 app really does look nice, even when compared to the full Media Center app. Plus, if you can run it in Windowed mode and not turn your entire system into a media centre every time you want to use it, why wouldn’t you? This way you can stream music while minimised, or put the Plex app on a different display and watch video (and still use your primary display for something else) without interrupting your flow.
2013年4月10日星期三
Windows 8: Signaling Microsoft’s Bright Future?
Microsoft will be remembered forever as the first company to get computer technology out to the masses. Bill Gates’ vision of a personal computer was groundbreaking at the time, and its manifestation shaped reality to what it is today. Yet, since its initial monopoly in the computer market, the company has seen its ups and downs. Other companies, most notably Apple, have become the leaders in innovation, while Microsoft has experienced moderate success and has mostly struggled to keep up with the industry’s fast pace.
With Windows 8, Microsoft did not just scale up its old interface, it created a new one, introducing many core tweaks and changes. The famed “start” button, a feature which became synonymous with the Windows operating system, was the first to go. With that move, Microsoft showed the world that they mean business. The new “start” interface is slick; it is an entirely new screen, separate from the desktop. It is accessible through a simple click of the window-marked button, which has been introduced to PC users in earlier versions of the operating system.
Users can play around with these windows as much as they want, move them around, add and delete them as they wish. Here, Microsoft introduced an interesting feature that is both technologically innovative and profitable from a business perspective. The applications that appear in your computer’s start screen are also compatible with Microsoft’s Windows Phone and the company’s tablets. This means that the interfaces of all of the company’s new products are extremely similar, an aspect that makes the transition between platforms very comfortable and definitely encourages consumers to “PCify” all of their electronic gadgets.
Steven Sinofsky, Windows division president, said the company aims to make Windows-operating hardware “an extension of Windows. It’s a stage for Windows, yet it’s a beautiful stage.”
This idea works remarkably across the three categories of the tech world—the phone, computer, and tablet. New Asus computers featuring Windows 8 now incorporate a new touch-screen technology that integrates smoothly with Windows’ new interface. The transition from these computers over to Microsoft’s Surface tablet or a Windows Phone is seamless. The uniformity of interfaces across platform is nothing short of a revolutionary idea, that Microsoft and other companies are sure to capitalize on further down the road.
Despite these strong efforts, it seems that Microsoft’s “oldie” label remains strong, as sales in the computer department remain slow. Some computer makers have announced as recently as last week that the PC business is in danger as a result of slow sales and declining revenue. This should be a worrying development for Microsoft; the Windows 8 operating system is not even a year old, yet its ability to attract consumers is faltering. The company’s hardware deal with HTC and Nokia’s phone division includes an aggressive global marketing campaign. This shared venture shows signs of hope, as the three companies catch their breath to keep up with competitors Apple and Samsung.
Nokia’s Windows Phone sales are on a continual rise, and now that the company’s selection of devices is complete, it remains to be seen if the Windows operating system will beat Blackberry phones in its way to a bigger share of the handheld market. A report released by the company last week shows that Windows Phones are selling more units than Apple’s iPhone 5 in seven countries worldwide. This data has been questioned by other companies, yet it stands to show that the operating system does have room in the competitive tech market. All in all, the company seems to be catching up to its competitors, albeit at a slow pace.
With Windows 8, Microsoft did not just scale up its old interface, it created a new one, introducing many core tweaks and changes. The famed “start” button, a feature which became synonymous with the Windows operating system, was the first to go. With that move, Microsoft showed the world that they mean business. The new “start” interface is slick; it is an entirely new screen, separate from the desktop. It is accessible through a simple click of the window-marked button, which has been introduced to PC users in earlier versions of the operating system.
Users can play around with these windows as much as they want, move them around, add and delete them as they wish. Here, Microsoft introduced an interesting feature that is both technologically innovative and profitable from a business perspective. The applications that appear in your computer’s start screen are also compatible with Microsoft’s Windows Phone and the company’s tablets. This means that the interfaces of all of the company’s new products are extremely similar, an aspect that makes the transition between platforms very comfortable and definitely encourages consumers to “PCify” all of their electronic gadgets.
Steven Sinofsky, Windows division president, said the company aims to make Windows-operating hardware “an extension of Windows. It’s a stage for Windows, yet it’s a beautiful stage.”
This idea works remarkably across the three categories of the tech world—the phone, computer, and tablet. New Asus computers featuring Windows 8 now incorporate a new touch-screen technology that integrates smoothly with Windows’ new interface. The transition from these computers over to Microsoft’s Surface tablet or a Windows Phone is seamless. The uniformity of interfaces across platform is nothing short of a revolutionary idea, that Microsoft and other companies are sure to capitalize on further down the road.
Despite these strong efforts, it seems that Microsoft’s “oldie” label remains strong, as sales in the computer department remain slow. Some computer makers have announced as recently as last week that the PC business is in danger as a result of slow sales and declining revenue. This should be a worrying development for Microsoft; the Windows 8 operating system is not even a year old, yet its ability to attract consumers is faltering. The company’s hardware deal with HTC and Nokia’s phone division includes an aggressive global marketing campaign. This shared venture shows signs of hope, as the three companies catch their breath to keep up with competitors Apple and Samsung.
Nokia’s Windows Phone sales are on a continual rise, and now that the company’s selection of devices is complete, it remains to be seen if the Windows operating system will beat Blackberry phones in its way to a bigger share of the handheld market. A report released by the company last week shows that Windows Phones are selling more units than Apple’s iPhone 5 in seven countries worldwide. This data has been questioned by other companies, yet it stands to show that the operating system does have room in the competitive tech market. All in all, the company seems to be catching up to its competitors, albeit at a slow pace.
Windows 8 doesn't need saving
Someone needs to consult the Mayan calendar, a Sumerian tablet, or the Oracle of Algernon, because I'm actually on the same side as Ed Bott in this week's Great Debate argument, "Windows 8: Can this OS be saved?" Well, except for one thing: I don't think that Windows 8 needs saving. So to me, the debate's premise is kind of moot. It will be interesting to see the arguments on this one, but seriously, Windows 8 doesn't need saving. Hold off on lowering the lifeboats.
Every time Microsoft releases a new version of its operating system, there's a bit of controversy and fighting that takes place. And I understand your love for Windows XP or your attachment to Windows 7, but it's time to embrace the future.
In my mind's eye, I imagine two nerds getting into the argument about whether Windows 8 can be saved and ending up in a slap fight that eventually is broken up by one of their mothers. Scenarios like this just make me hang my head in embarrassment. But that's the nature of IT folk. It's kind of like arguing Windows vs. Linux, or PC vs. Mac.
Religion is belief-based. Technology is observation-based. Learn the difference before taking a side.
Now having said that, I will tell you that in my humble opinion, Windows Vista and Windows Me were totally bogus and completely unnecessary efforts. Sorry, I know that I said in a previous post that I'd never dog Vista again, but it's such an easy target that I can't resist. The mere mention of it is like Kryptonite to me. And I'm positive that too much exposure to Vista would eventually kill me. I digress.
The bigger questions for me are, "Why does Windows 8 need to be saved?"; and pray tell, "From what does Windows 8 need to be saved?"
I don't get it.
I've been to several retail stores and one discount store around town, and I've seen Windows 8 on several systems. New laptops with touchscreens, desktops, netbooks, and, of course, the Surface tablet line.
I installed it on a laptop and have yet to see anything wrong with it. Admittedly, I'd enjoy it more if I had one of the new touchscreen, models but there's nothing wrong with Windows 8. And I've put it through its paces. I haven't been nice to Windows 8. I hated it at first, but I forced myself to change with the times and work with it. The Windows 8 Metro-style interface is the future of computing.
The mouse will be a thing of the past very soon in our post-PC era that one of the debaters writes about so often. If you, and he, truly believe that we are now into the post-PC era, why the heck would you need to save Windows 8?
Windows 8 is a full operating system that can run real applications. There's no need to apologize for it. It's a good operating system — every bit (pun?) as good as Windows XP, and in many ways, better than Windows 7. One of my favorite features of Windows 8 is its impressive boot time. Thirty seconds from power on, I'm opening apps. Windows 7, conversely, takes several minutes on the exact same hardware.
Windows 8 doesn't need saving any more than Windows 95 did. People are afraid of something new, but in this case, they shouldn't be. And neither should you. Windows 8 is a good operating system that deserves a respected place in history alongside other innovative technology advances.
Let me put this in personal terms for you: Windows 8 is what you wanted. Seriously.
You wanted an operating system that would run on the hardware that you have now because you don't want to spend the money to upgrade. Done. You wanted an operating system that runs on a variety of hardware so that your user experience is the same on all devices. Done. You wanted an operating system that's easy to use. Done. You wanted an Apple-like experience with swipey icons and an app store. Done. You wanted an operating system that doesn't take a long time to boot up — hence all of the geeky tales of "going to get a cup of coffee while it boots". Done.
There's absolutely no need to save Windows 8.
So don't feel compelled to lower those lifeboats just yet. In fact, you can proceed on the Windows 8 journey with no lifeboats at all because this ship is unsinkable.
Every time Microsoft releases a new version of its operating system, there's a bit of controversy and fighting that takes place. And I understand your love for Windows XP or your attachment to Windows 7, but it's time to embrace the future.
In my mind's eye, I imagine two nerds getting into the argument about whether Windows 8 can be saved and ending up in a slap fight that eventually is broken up by one of their mothers. Scenarios like this just make me hang my head in embarrassment. But that's the nature of IT folk. It's kind of like arguing Windows vs. Linux, or PC vs. Mac.
Religion is belief-based. Technology is observation-based. Learn the difference before taking a side.
Now having said that, I will tell you that in my humble opinion, Windows Vista and Windows Me were totally bogus and completely unnecessary efforts. Sorry, I know that I said in a previous post that I'd never dog Vista again, but it's such an easy target that I can't resist. The mere mention of it is like Kryptonite to me. And I'm positive that too much exposure to Vista would eventually kill me. I digress.
The bigger questions for me are, "Why does Windows 8 need to be saved?"; and pray tell, "From what does Windows 8 need to be saved?"
I don't get it.
I've been to several retail stores and one discount store around town, and I've seen Windows 8 on several systems. New laptops with touchscreens, desktops, netbooks, and, of course, the Surface tablet line.
I installed it on a laptop and have yet to see anything wrong with it. Admittedly, I'd enjoy it more if I had one of the new touchscreen, models but there's nothing wrong with Windows 8. And I've put it through its paces. I haven't been nice to Windows 8. I hated it at first, but I forced myself to change with the times and work with it. The Windows 8 Metro-style interface is the future of computing.
The mouse will be a thing of the past very soon in our post-PC era that one of the debaters writes about so often. If you, and he, truly believe that we are now into the post-PC era, why the heck would you need to save Windows 8?
Windows 8 is a full operating system that can run real applications. There's no need to apologize for it. It's a good operating system — every bit (pun?) as good as Windows XP, and in many ways, better than Windows 7. One of my favorite features of Windows 8 is its impressive boot time. Thirty seconds from power on, I'm opening apps. Windows 7, conversely, takes several minutes on the exact same hardware.
Windows 8 doesn't need saving any more than Windows 95 did. People are afraid of something new, but in this case, they shouldn't be. And neither should you. Windows 8 is a good operating system that deserves a respected place in history alongside other innovative technology advances.
Let me put this in personal terms for you: Windows 8 is what you wanted. Seriously.
You wanted an operating system that would run on the hardware that you have now because you don't want to spend the money to upgrade. Done. You wanted an operating system that runs on a variety of hardware so that your user experience is the same on all devices. Done. You wanted an operating system that's easy to use. Done. You wanted an Apple-like experience with swipey icons and an app store. Done. You wanted an operating system that doesn't take a long time to boot up — hence all of the geeky tales of "going to get a cup of coffee while it boots". Done.
There's absolutely no need to save Windows 8.
So don't feel compelled to lower those lifeboats just yet. In fact, you can proceed on the Windows 8 journey with no lifeboats at all because this ship is unsinkable.
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