8 things you need to know about Windows 8

It's been two years since Windows 7 launched & proved itself to be one of the most stable operating systems created by Microsoft. Now, with Windows 8, Microsoft is not only aiming for a repeat performance, but also wants to change how we interact with PCs. Karan Bajaj lists eight key aspects that shape this operating system

It's backwards compatible

Although the user interface has been redesigned, Microsoft has ensured that Windows 8 includes full backwards compatibility. All existing applications will work and even the upgrade from Windows 7 to 8 is seamless. All existing hardware & peripherals that are Windows 7 ready will also play nice with Windows 8 without any compatibility issues or additional drivers.

Fluid new Metro interface

The all-new 'Metro' interface has a tile layout similar to the one on Windows Phone 7. It is optimised for touch, though you can also use a mouse and keyboard. The tiles are live and get updated with relevant information when connected to the web. Navigation works with swipe gestures while most apps run in full-screen mode by default. You can also run two apps side-by-side .

Boots in under 10 secs

Boot and shutdown times in Windows 8 are optimised —many newer PCs will start and show your desktop in as little as 10 seconds. Instead of shutting down the entire system, Windows 8 hibernates a few elements. When you start your PC, these elements are resumed instead of re-starting from scartch —decreasing the boot time. Additionally, Windows 8 uses all cores of the processor during a boot cycle.

New Windows Explorer

The ribbon interface from Office 2010 has made an appearance in Windows Explorer. The preview window has been redesigned to make effective use of widescreen displays (since these are now the norm on both laptops and desktops). You'll also notice little changes — like a new file-copy interface that now allows transfers to be paused in between and a new interface to handle duplicate file names with more options to replace and rename files.

Built for touch from the ground up

Windows 8 looks and feels like it was made to be used with a touchscreen . The all-new Start screen with tiled Metro interface works best if you swipe for navigation. The large tiles also make selection easy with a touch sceen. Even the redesigned lock screen requires a swipe-up to unlock —quite like the unlock screen on a smartphone. This feature will push vendors to launch touchscreen notebooks.

One OS for tablets and PCs

Microsoft has announced that Windows 8 will run on standard Intel and AMD processors as well as ARM processors that are used to power tablet devices. Thanks to Skydrive (Microsoft's free online storage) integration, Windows 8 will automatically sync all documents, pictures and other content online with the cloud. So whether you decide to run Windows 8 on a desktop, laptop or a tablet, you will still have all your settings and files accessible as long as an internet connection is available.

Windows Store, for direct app downloads

When MAC OS X has an app store, how can Windows stay behind? Windows 8 will come with an app store, unsurprisingly called the Windows Store. Although, Microsoft has tried to be different in their approach —only applications developed for the tiled Metro user interface will be available for direct download through the store. For standard desktop apps, the store will re-direct you to the developers own website from where you can initiate the download.

Currently available for anyone to download and use

Microsof's Windows 8 Developer Preview is available for everyone to download for free —and you don't need to be a devloper either. The 32-bit version (a 2.8GB download) is here: http:// goo.gl/jVcJQ), 64-bit version is 3.6GB (http:// goo.gl/JG8bR) while the 64-bit version bundled with developer tools is 4.8GB in size (http:// goo.gl/MS1tm). All these are direct ISO downloads that can be used to create bootable DVD discs with any disc writing software like Nero.

Minimum Requirements

1Ghz processor 1GB RAM Direct X9 graphics processor (most onboard graphics chipsets will easily work) 16GB hard drive space Optional Multi-touch screen with a minimum resolution of 1024x768 (to enjoy touch functionality of Metro UI)

Initial Impressions

Microsoft has worked hard on the Windows 8 interface and it shows. The enhancements to Windows Explorer and the new Metro UI will certainly elicit a few 'wows' . The developer preview (currently available to all) is very stable. An upgrade from Windows 7 to 8 took just 30 minutes with modest hardware —very impressive, and it shows genuine potential to be a worthy upgrade to Windows 7. However, Metro apps are different from normal apps —for example, Internet Explorer for Metro does not support flash, whereas the regular IE obviously does. The taskbar has been totally revamped and that may not gel well with all users.

A Competitive Analysis

Compared to its main rival – Apple's OS X Lion, Windows 8 looks classier, is more touch friendly and will work on both tablets and regular systems. Multi-platform compatibility also means that tablets need not have 'limited' operating systems and that any peripheral will work seamlessly. Mac OS X does have an edge when it comes to gesture controls on the trackpad, but Windows 8 is going to do its part and will probably push sales of touchscreen-enabled desktops and laptops. At the moment, Windows 7 is just a developer preview — it's not clear as to how long the preview will last. But by the looks of it, Microsoft seems to have delivered a second hit in a row after Windows 7.