Windows 8 Preview

Microsoft is well aware of Windows 7's lackluster touch controls, particularly in a tablet setting. The company'due south upcoming release of Windows viii will address many of these problems. During its recent BUILD keynote, the visitor shared a slew of upcoming features along with releasing a preview version of the software. The changes betwixt Windows vii and 8 are too numerous to embrace in this review, just nosotros have a list here.

Naturally, with the preview build readily available, nosotros couldn't resist installing Windows eight on the WindPad. First impressions are practiced. So good in fact, I recall Google and Apple tree should be on alert. Although this is only meant to be an early on preview for developers, it feels so much more complete than that.

I already prefer Windows eight to the latest Android and iOS operating systems as information technology feels polished, powerful and interactive. While opinions are jump to vary, I personally liked the Metro interface and constitute that switching between it and the classic Windows seven-like desktop worked seamlessly.

When using the WindPad 110W every bit a tablet (in-hand, sans dock and peripherals), the Metro-style Internet Explorer 10 is fantastic, occupying the entire screen. If you need to admission the classic layout of IE, such as when you sit at a dock, information technology's only a couple taps away in the Windows seven-esque environment.

The Metro interface works every bit well with a keyboard and mouse equally it does by bear on. The desktop fashion is still a bit clumsy when using a finger and you'll still want to tweak icon and font sizes when running this mode on a slate.

However, at that place should be little need for tablet users to shift from the Metro interface to the classic desktop and this volition become even more true as the software is refined. The programmer version comes with a number of Microsoft-built applications as demos.

For example, the weather application provides up-to-appointment data that's visible from the Metro start carte du jour without launching the software. That's one of Metro's coolest features. You're constantly updated with information on all your programs from the start menu, so you don't always have to open them.

Anyone following Windows 8's development will have heard virtually its speedy boot time and we can ostend the hype. The Metro start menu appears just moments after pressing the WindPad 110W'south power button.

What's more impressive is the WindPad'south multitasking abilities in Windows 8. I had to remind myself repeatedly that I was only on a tablet with a 1.0GHz dual-core AMD processor. Switching betwixt the Metro interface and the desktop takes a mere second. Loading applications like Internet Explorer is just as fast.

The WindPad 110W also detects flash drives extremely fast in Windows 8 with most no delay once they're plugged in. There are far likewise many improvements to mention in this early preview merely we really liked the new task director and the way the Bone handles multiple file transfers as well as the revamped transfer window.

For now, it looks as though Microsoft is on the right track with Windows viii and the developer preview has us fifty-fifty more excited about what's to come up. Windows 8 can't arrive soon enough for tablets.