Everything you need to know about Windows 8

Windows 8, one of major Windows updates ever is about to come in. Microsoft is evidently on schedule to launch the next edition of its famous Windows operating system at its BUILD Developers Conference next week in California. Windows 8 is designed with a host of incredible features, which will make the software a hot product in the market. Unlike all previous versions of Windows, the upcoming version is heavily touch-oriented. Tile-based home screen, performance enhancements from chips to interface and many other grand features will make Windows 8 the most subscribed Microsoft operating system, analysts suggest.

Windows 8

Pricing and availability

In fact, nothing is known about the pricing of Windows 8. As the product is not yet out, it is not the time to talk about its price. However, Microsoft has been selling its predecessor Windows 7 Home Premium for around $135 for an upgrade unit and $200 for the complete version. Almost certainly, Microsoft will be keeping up the same prices for Windows 8. The company will unveil the software in October or November this year, said the CEO Steve Ballmer.

What’s great

First of all, Windows 8 will run on all types of gadgets. Personal computers, notebooks, tablets and smartphones will run on the same software. Moreover, Microsoft has planned Windows 8 as a special version for tablet PCs. Purportedly, the company is to debut Windows 8 on a tablet PC from Samsung at its Developers Conference next week.

A superb home screen is another feature of Windows 8. The new Metro UI of Microsoft makes Windows 8 home screen like Zune and Windows Phone 7. The home screen has tile-looking icons instead of the traditional small icons. Major benefit of the rectangular style icons is that they can display live updates of their respective applications on the home screen. Users need not to get into the applications every now and then because the icons will give sneak peeks into the updates. As well, the tile-based icons make the home screen blank making the device looking cool.

Furthermore, the new Windows software comes with a Windows Phone-like advanced lock screen. That means you can remain accessed to the updates such as messages, calendar events and emails even if the screen is locked. In this mode, you can even change the background and do many other activities. This feature will be in large help on tablets and smartphones rather than PCs.

One another dazzling feature is that the software will support HTML 5 and JavaScript applications along with the popular Windows apps. It is for the first time Microsoft has designed a Windows version with HTML 5 and JavaScript support. To top it all, preinstalled Internet Explorer 10, Microsoft Outlook, ARM processor support, better navigation and gesture features will enrich the Windows 8 experience.

Things to watch out for

Windows 8 is an enhanced version of Windows 7 Premium and Windows Phone. As mentioned above, the new Windows version is highly touch-oriented. That is, the software will only work spontaneously on a touch screen-enabled device. That is why Windows 8 becomes a greater alternative for tablet PCs and smartphones.

Nothing is apparent about the system requirements required for Windows 8. Two recent Windows versions, Windows Vista and Windows 7 have systems requirements of a 1GHz processor and 1GB RAM. The former needs 15GB of free hard disk space, while the latter demands 16GB free space. Most probably, Windows 8 may also come with the same system requirements of its recent editions.

Verdict

Windows 8 should be perfect operating system. In a time competitors are growing or strengthening up, Microsoft should introduce a challenging product. Microsoft’s chief rival, Apple has recently upgraded its Mac OS with the feature-rich Mac OS X Lion. Google, another rival of Microsoft has launched its own PC operating system Chrome OS. Besides, Apple and Google stand highly competitive in mobile operating system with their iOS and Android. It is under this situation, the Redmond-based software giant is to bring out its all-in-one Windows 8 for PCs, tablets and other handheld devices.