Microsoft Windows 8

What To Expect When Windows 8 Comes Out

The next Microsoft Windows OS code-named Windows 8 will be entirely different from a traditional desktop interface. Touch compatible and portable, Windows 8 will run on both tablets and desktops, and also work fine with a keyboard and mouse.

Windows 8 seems to be the most promising and anticipated Windows release ever. From the tablet interface with animated tiles to the android-like pattern login screen Windows 8 is sure to gain popularity quickly. Windows 8 is taking over the desktop PC with its mobile and modernized OS.

Here’s an in depth look at some new features coming to Windows 8. The most noticeable change is the login screen which will display the time and date in front of a screen-saver like background.

Logon Screen

I was most impressed with the layout of the new login screen as it’s nothing compared to a traditional static screen with a profile picture and login button. The background is a dynamic moving image and you can customize it with a user-selectable image.

The Logon screen will also display the number of emails you’ve recieved during your idle time, as well as chat requests and upcoming calendar events. Click past this screen and you will see a more traditional login box.

Pattern Login

Although a pattern android-like login is not guaranteed to make it into the final version of Windows 8, Maximum PC’s latest issue gives it a 90% chance. As Windows 8 is designed more for a tablet OS with touch-screen technology I wouldn’t be surprised if a pattern-login made the cut.

Early builds of Windows 8 include include the option of a pattern-login screen with 16-blocks compared the the android version of 9-blocks. The extra layer of security and style a pattern-login brings to Windows 8 will easily make it a well-loved feature.

 

Aero Autocolor

Aero Autocolor is a leaked feature that may or may not actually appear in Windows 8. This basic option tucked inside the appearance options will automatically set the dominant color in your wallpaper as your theme’s default color.

 

Touch Optimization

Microsoft is making effort to optimize Windows 8 for touch-screen use. The tablet market is already booming and if Microsoft makes Windows 8 a tablet-based OS it may easily take over the ipad crave and change traditional desktop computing.

Because Windows has such a large install base, previous Windows users will be more inclined to switch to the tablet OS. The only question is, will Microsoft make it’s own tablets to run Windows 8? Windows 8 also works fine with a mouse and keyboard so it’s not all or nothing.

Start Screen

The new Start Screen takes over the default desktop view and replaces it with an interfacesimilair to the Windows 7 Phone GUI. The interface consists of digital animated boxes or tiles that can display widgets, mvoing graphics, and information regarding its contents.

 

Tiles can launch apps like Powerpoint, Word, or any other app from the Microsoft App Store, folders, and programs. Tiles are a more stylish way of displaying apps and programs compared to Apple’s iOS icons. Sorry Apple, but moving tiles are more appealings then static little icons.

ISO Mounting

Not a tool standrad PC users know about, but one power users have long had to deal with third-party software vendors to mount ISO files. Microsoft incorporated ISO buringing in Windows 7 but has yet to include a tool to mount and run ISO files.

This feature seems very likely that it will make it to the final release and come with Windows 8. As other desktop OSes already have built-in disk imaging software (Mac OS X, Linux) it seems only right that Microsoft will finally catch up with the crowd.