WINDOWS 8 CONSUMER PREVIEW!
(SHOULD YOU PREPARE TO BUY & UPDATE?)
Windows a complete experience to
most a complete hassle and very complicated to the rest. This is a misconception amongst people,
people who grew up in the early tech and Windows Era since Windows 1.0, 3.1,
95, 98, NT, 2000, Me, ect. have at least the basic knowledge of how the ever
updated OS works & runs. Most feel
that now with Windows 7 me included is the safest, fastest, & most complete
OS ever. No matter on how I or you feel we have to agree that Windows has come
a long way in the way we use our computers and work today. The fact that even
though there is other choices out there for a OS like IOS Macs & Linux most
people still gravitate to Windows as their main operating system of choice.
Programs are usually faster & more secure on Windows do to its years of
patching holes & security vulnerability updates protecting our data and
computers from harm. Another reason can be that PCs are made cheaper than Macs
due to the lack of the so called customer support which mostly isn’t needed. 
Now with
the Windows 8 Consumer Preview out and the final release on its way how will
Win8 compare to the now best OS known as Windows 7? Will this OS be the new way we all use
computers, and what about the now support for tablets & ARM chips? Will Windows 8 be doomed as a Windows Vista
parody, or will it be a great new OS for all to upgrade to and use, & is it
more easy to use, more secure, & is it supposedly faster & lighter than
Windows 7? All these questions will be
answered from my use of Windows 8 from Install to Boot to Use Ect.
Well Well
the Windows 8 Consumer Beta already at this time, man I it was not to long ago
when I met Windows 7. So how is the big
brother of the unofficially called best OS out today, well I will tell you
about that now!
Windows 8
comparing the 32bit 2.52GB version & the 64bit 3.33GB both can be held on
one DVD-9 disk easily. Sure though on my
limited test devices like my very old Gateway 1.2 ghz processor 32bit with a
90gb PATA HDD & 1GB DDR2 Memory, yes this is obsolete hardware for sure so
caparisons can and will differ from my review/preview. After going to the http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/consumer-preview website downloaded the two ISOs even though I
will only be using the 32bit version for now you never know. Downloading was
average then burning the ISO was fast, now its time to install Windows 8. Popped in the disk then it ran the system
check, after that was finished it went to the setup menu asked for what I
wanted to do which for me a full clean install. Then it installed only taking
6-8 minutes which is fast really fast, so here comes next the hardware and
other system setups which on this very old laptop and after windows 8 was starting
up for the first time it took over a minute and a half, which NOTE MY SLOW OUT
OF DATE LAPTOP SINCE VISTA 1! After that the boot up was fast even though it
had not shown the new Windows logo but a fish picture which to me is
confusing. Starting up Windows 8 always
directly takes you to the Metro interface so if you want to see your desktop
tap on the desktop icon.
Microsoft
really wants Windows Metro I mean Windows 8 to be an all in one solution to
desktop & mobile computing. At first
I had not cared about the gimmicky Metro display but after a while it seems to
grow on you especially if you get it on a tablet.
Even though I wish and hope for some Kinect like interface
for the computer for Metro a tablet will make it feel right at home. Each of the Metro Icons are basically apps or
programs that come with the PC or can be purchased from the MS Store or
installed from disk. Each of our use to
apps or programs are Internet Explorer, Mail, Videos, Music, Pictures, Weather,
Xbox Live, Xbox Live Companion, Ect. So
how can you install your regular everyday Windows programs in Windows 8 well
the same like you always do man, just pop in the disk or download from the net
click install and Windows 8 will add a personalized icon for each program on
the Metro interface and the Desktop if you want! So far all my programs are compatible with
Windows 8 even though Microsoft wants to change the way Windows works in the
long run.
New
features or lack of is the well known missing Start button which is now currently
hidden in a right side panel if you pan your mouse to the right of the screen.
The unofficial Start has your shutdown & Restart Icon unknown if there is a
sleep icon maybe it can be activated. There is a power battery level icon, a
WiFi panel, settings icon, devices icon, Ect.
Note you will get use to this bit of a space saver.
There is a
secure WiFi part to Windows 8 making it easier and better for you to connect to
the web or network, and a device setup & connect part for any and all your
devices you have connected to your Tablet or PC wired or wireless. When testing the Win 8 provided apps or my
own programs Windows ran fluently very smooth like they should run even on a
old piece of junk lol. There is a tab in
the unofficial Start Menu that can enable easy access to the Advanced features
of Windows for those experts who like to tweak everything and anything in the
OS.
As I have
mentioned briefly before Windows 8 is integrating for us Xbox gamers Xbox Live
Games and a Xbox Live Companion which Xbox Live Games lets you play games from
the online Live Store and earn achievements for those games to your
Gamertag. For the Xbox Live Companion
feature which shows live your current xbox gamer status, your friends list and
what they are currently up to & chat ect. You can even link up your Xbox360
to your tablet / PC to take control of you Xbox for movies, game startup,
anything even though I use a controller for this, this companion app can be a
cool idea of what can be done in the future for now I like my Live App to view
off my Phone or my tablet. This is one
of the main things Microsoft wanted to integrate into Windows 8 for all current
and future entertainment purposes. 
Microsoft
has certainly made at great effort to implement a plan for a new OS for
integrating all there devices using Windows and Metro to run the entire show
for entertainment, productivity, use, and business. I just wonder if they are
going a bit far for Windows PC users who might not like the new interface and
may confuse or disappoint some. In my
opinion I love Windows 7 and I will be ready for Windows 8 but I for now have
no real reason to get Windows 8, and I’m sure there are some bugs that still
need to be found and worked out In Windows 8.
This is no doubt a good version of Windows for new PC buyers or Builders
maybe down the road I will get a deal on a copy of Windows 8 and use it on my
PCs but for now I will wait.
In
conclusion to this basic inside look into Windows 8 with the Windows 8 Consumer
Preview I have basically stated everything that most people want to know about
the new OS except maybe for the security which it does have the Windows
Firewall and Security Essentials installed for protection from viruses,
Trojans, and such. This is in fact not a
revamp of the Windows Vista fiasco but a improved Windows 7 interface with
everything you would like it to offer. So don’t worry about integration because
this works well with any PC even my old busted slow Laptop with no power at all
and it still runs flawlessly. For the
whole Windows 8 on Arm we will have to wait and see if and when any ARM tablets
come out into the wild then we will know if it’s the one. Any other questions like the power used or
how tablet / laptop battery life is will have to wait for now, but its resource
handling leaves me amazed and could well be what most of us need. If or when I do get this as a future OS or
when I build a new PC for others I will include this as an OS option which
anyone should like. Easy Setup CHECK, Fast Startup & shutdown time CHECK,
New interface DOUBLE CHECK, but still the same old Windows under the hood for
all to use YES! So its up to you if you want to get this as your future new OS
for any of your devices for me my choice is clear. Microsoft you have taken the
next step and I thank you for it good job!
Download the 64Bit or 32Bit editions of Windows 8 &
don’t forget the Serial Key below the download to activate Windows. Next Burn
to a DVD with your favorite Disk Burning program, install then enjoy!! (NOTE:
MAKE SURE YOU BACKUP ANY DATA THAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU FROM YOU LOCAL MACHINE
& TRY NOT TO USE THIS WITH YOUR EVERDAY MACHINE JUST IN CASE!!!)
Windows 8 Consumer Beta 1st Boot to Use Video! (Done using Droid!)
--------------------------------------WIN 8 PHOTOS--------------------------------------------
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WINDOWS 8Consumer Final Beta
- The main user feature when starting windows 8 is the Metro User Interface!
- Apps Developed by Microsoft preinstalled including Explorer Browser, Xbox Live Games, Xbox Live Companion, Win Mail, ect.
- THERE IS NO START BUTTON! Kinda there is a right side panel in both the Desktop & Metro Interface for that which you type to search for your programs or just place them on your desktop Hmmmmm! Microsoft is hoping that developers make their programs Metro friendly by adding Metro button compatibility. (UPDATE! I found out while installing some programs into Windows 8 that they showed up as Metro Made Icons which I can say is way cool a thumbs up Microsoft!)
- Has support for ARM based chipsets even though I have no ARM based devices for now!
- There are improved Windows tools for the more advanced users like better disk checking, defrag, memory check, and system resource monitoring.
- Safe & easy WiFi / Network Setup
- Quick Startup & shutdown due to less running resources (Unlike my piece of sh*t test laptop which is slow by itself!)
- You can have your account securely attached to your Windows Live ID Account so no one can access it unless with a password or you can just have a regular windows account. (Except for people who have no internet or WiFi in their area then you cant access your computer with your Live ID)
- Most of the design for Windows 8 is around the touch interface and tablets
- The Windows symbol will be highly used for switching from apps, activities, programs, ect. to the Metro Main Interface with one tap FAST!
- Everything is fast, sleek, & pretty
- Connecting to printers or other devices will be a snap with the device interface especially wifi devices.
- Bing Microsoft’s search engine is EVERYWHERE!
- They don’t want you to find out how to Restart, Sleep, or Shutdown so they stuck those features in the unofficial start menu in the settings gear button with all the other helpful features!!!!
Mr. Mike's Gripes!
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