Windows 8 is now almost all grown up and ready for its official retail release. The new Microsoft operating system, which is scheduled to hit store shelves later this year, is now available for download as a release preview.
This is the last step in Microsoft’s process of making pre-release versions of Windows publicly available for testing. The release preview is meant to be an example of the complete product with all of its major features available and major bugs squashed. It’s not exactly what will be sold, but it’s close.
What’s new? A lot. Touchpad gestures have been improved for laptops, Adobe Flash is now integrated into the operating system from the moment it is installed, there are new customization options for the Start screen, multi-monitor support has been improved and new Microsoft apps that will replace the current Windows Live suite have been unveiled. All this is on top of a buffet of bug fixes and minor enhancements.
That’s not to say everything is in this release. Microsoft recently announced that it recognizes the problems caused by switching between Metro and the traditional desktop UI and is working on a new theme that will bridge the gap between them. However, that theme is not included. Also, while there are many more apps available in this build, the full suite will not be finalized and fully polished until the product hits retail stores.
You can download the Windows 8 Release Preview from Microsoft’s new release preview website. Do you think Windows 8 will succeed or fail now that you’ve had to chance to see the latest version?
Source: Ars Technica
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i think it will be a success, RP is already much better than CP, and it was already really stable and fast…. and yes metro is just a big start menu/ program manager (remember it, pre-win95)…..
I’m sorry, all I’ve seen is negative reviews about Metro UI and moving away from the Start menu. I can agree this has the potential of being successful in the mobile environment but in the desktop area, there is a great disappointment with the changes they made and I think that will be the major WIN 8 downfall.
Just try to use it for yourself, and you will see how good it is…. btw, release preview has a positive review even on engadget …..
Yeah, I’m downloading it now. I personally was turned off by the CP. I was running it on a laptop with no touchscreen capabilities and working with the UI was simply horrible with a mouse and touch pad.
I just hope that MS learns from this because their enterprise edition of WIN 8 with the Metro UI will be an absolute nightmare. I work in IT and I have to provide support for a very wide range of OS’s and products, so hate it or love it, I need to still be ready to provide support to this product.
I’m not sure about that, mostly because the metro is just a start menu that is enhanced, and everything else they implemented for enterprise is just great… like windows2go… the new task manager is unbelieveble… multi monitor support is great. etc
Right, those applications are great, but these changes are so drastic that end users will flip out. I can see it now…
“Umm… how do I turn this thing off? How do I get to the desktop? How do I get Word/Excel/PowerPoint? I have to customize my Start page?”
This problem right here will cost companies more money because people will be figuring out how to use the system, call IT support. The transition from XP to WIN 7 wasn’t terrible. I’ve been through 3 company wide migrations and all went well. I foresee this as fubar.
I’m simply stating that a very very large group of people are giving it bad reviews after they try it and already going to wait for the next gen OS. These bad reviews are coming from enthusiasts and support users. if they don’t like it, they will not recommend it to end users and MS will lose money. It’s a fact. You may love it, but a overwhelmingly large majority will hate it.
I’d argue that Metro is but the latest phase in Microsoft’s pandering to the enterprise – the contant dumbing down of the UI since Win98 to cater for numpty secretaries.
“Adobe Flash is now integrated into the operating system from the moment it is installed”
Seriously?Why don’t they use Silverlight that they made instead of Flash?
I don’t think Silverlight is anywhere near as commonly used as Flash.
That is true but shouldn’t they try to revive Silverlight as well
Metro sees very nice. However, there were tons of negative reviews at the start. It seems now that it’s heaven for Microsoft. :)
-Kelvin
It will succeed with people who are aren’t used to Windows, and on any touch-enabled device. However in the world of desktop, laptops, and people who’ve grown up with the Windows start menu, it’ll be a failure. Microsoft has been given good and bad feedback on their changes, and instead of giving users some middle ground, they’ve chose to just to ignore those who help drive thier company over simplicity, and mobility. Don’t get me wrong…Windows 8 woud be awesome on a tablet, but when it comes to my laptop, I don’t think I’ll be upgrading. Good thing Microsoft said a long time ago that they were extending the life of thier operating systems by a few years.
The way I look at it, Metro is a really clean and usable interface…for portable devices. That being said, when it comes to using it as a full blown desktop UI, I cannot see the feasibility of it. Especially if your a power user. I forsee it failing despite how much Microsoft will try and push it.
Why? Metro is just a big start menu…. nothing else on desktops…. either way i don’t remember when was the last time in both w7 and w8 that i was doing anything else than just pressing windows key and started writing the name of the program i need….
Well am not sure but i think this version will seriously make some change in the way we think about the Metro UI as its more stable and fast and dont forget google is planning to launch chrome in metro look so i might be fun to wait for more metro apps.
I have used on the earliest releases and i found it difficult to use the metro interface via mouse. But i do like the looks of it and should be great for touchscreen devices.
The scrolling and gestures meant for touchscreens would be awkward with a mouse…
Want to try this out on my laptop….but I am assuming drivers will be a big problem. Has anyone tried this on an Asus?
Luda,
It might be worth asking this question on MakeUseOf Answers, where more people will see it and can help you.
I wonder how well it will work out for Microsoft. I personally see where it would be nice, but I personally don’t like it that much.
Metro UI will not be a great stuff because even a normal guy who uses computer finding it difficulty. may be there is a work around for this
I don’t mind metro but there needs to be a start menu for when you connect via RDP – on a slow connection the metro interface is pure hell when you connect remotely.