Complaints about Windows 8 lead Microsoft to Deploy Fixes

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If you have used the new Windows 8 by now the chances are you have had your fair share of frustration with the operating system. Perhaps it’s the lack of the start button, the way that snapping works, or otherwise it’s just too confusing. In a positive move, the maker of the operating system, the software giant Microsoft announced that it would be fixing a number of these problems in an update to Windows 8 that will be available on June 26. It will certainly be a welcome upgrade at Nerds On Call Computer Repair. Complaints about some of its more frustrating features have become commonplace among our Nerds. So what exactly does this promising update provide?

Return of the Start Menu: So far Microsoft has announced a few key features for Windows 8.1, promising more to come. The first and most exciting announcement is the return of the start menu. It will appear on the taskbar as a windows logo in the same position that the lower-left icon now occupies. According to Microsoft, this change comes because “we also recognize there are many non-touch devices in use today – especially in the commercial setting. As such we’ve focused on a number of improvements to ensure easier navigation for people using a mouse and keyboard.”

Search for Everything: Another new feature that Microsoft is including in the Windows 8.1 update is an improved search experience. The new version will integrate much more with Bing and will provide contextual information from the web based on your search. The previous, Windows 8, version of this feature only allowed searches for local files, settings, or apps. The new search bar promises to be more powerful. According to Microsoft, “It is the modern version of the command line!” Those who have been using the command line for years welcome an upgrade, like those of us at Nerds On Call Computer Repair. Complaints about the limited functionality of the search bar seem to have been fixed, although time will tell how users adapt to Bing’s search engine. The move could gain Microsoft ground in their battle against Google’s search superiority.

Make it Yours: Windows 8.1 will also be including more personalization options, including the ability to choose your own background for the start screen – including animated backgrounds. Windows 8.1 also provides the option to keep your start screen and desktop background the same, “creating a greater sense of unity and familiarity.” The lock screen can now also be used as a slideshow so that Windows 8.1 running on a tablet device can serve as a picture frame.

Control Everything: Among the tech types like us at Nerds On Call Computer Repair, complaints have been high about the way that the control panel is set up in Windows 8. Windows 8.1 promises to “give[] you access to all your settings on your device without having to go to the Control Panel on the desktop. You can do things like change your display resolution, set your power options, see the make and model of your PC, change the product key, let you run Windows Update, and even join a domain – all from PC Settings.”

There are a number of other minor updates to Windows 8.1 apps like SkyDrive, Internet Explorer, and the Windows Store and more changes are promised. This Windows 8 update looks to be a step in the right direction for Microsoft. If they keep this up, Nerds On Call complaints about Windows 8 will surely decrease. The release date of June 26 can’t come soon enough!