How To Test Windows 8 On A Tablet
It’s no secret that Windows 8's new interface is a "touch-first experience" – Microsoft said it themselves. If you’re curious about upgrading to Windows 8, you can try Windows 8 on your PC – but unless you're using a PC with a touch screen, it just isn’t the same. Assuming you have an iPad or Android tablet lying around, you can test Windows 8 with a touchscreen before you purchase a new Windows 8 PC or tablet.
Pokki Brings The Start Menu Back To Windows 8 (And Apps To The Desktop Mode)
Bring back the start menu in Windows 8 – and then some. Pokki is a simple app for re-adding the start menu to Windows 8, but that's not all it does: it also gives you access to a collection of miniature versions of popular web apps. They're bringing the start menu back to Windows 8 while continuing to offer the miniature apps they always have. Here's how it works.
Get Great Windows 8 Features Without the Upgrade [Opinion]
Windows 8 was officially unleashed on the world on 26th October; I’m going to assume you either attended or held your own mini launch party, because that’s what everyone does every time a new version of Windows is released. However, we understand there are some of you who can’t afford the “upgrade”, so here are 5 tips to get the best features of Windows 8 on your shoddy old Windows 7 machine, right now.
Microsoft Is NOT Ready To Support Windows 8: A Case In Point
Windows 8 is upon us! Excited, I've installed the shiny new OS and tried to install my first app from the new Store, only to be notified that my "purchase couldn't be completed" (it was a free app) and that "something happened". Really, that's what the message says. Here's what happened so you are forewarned....
Before the Windows Store: Package Managers and Software Repositories
App stores are everywhere these days. Whether you’re using iOS or Android, you can get all your apps from a single location and have them automatically update in a consistent way. If you’re using Mac OS X, you can use the Mac App Store to get your software. Linux users use package managers with large software repositories to easily install all the software they need. There’s just one platform that seems untouched by time: the Windows desktop.
How To Install Windows 8 From A USB Stick
If you’re looking to install Windows 8 and your computer doesn't have a DVD drive, you’re not alone. Whether you have a Windows 8 DVD or a Windows 8 ISO file you've downloaded from Microsoft, you can use a free Microsoft tool to copy the Windows 8 installation files to a USB drive and install Windows 8 from the USB drive.
The Windows 8 Guide
This Windows 8 guide outlines everything new about Windows 8, from the tablet-like start screen to the new "app" concept to the familiar desktop mode.
Five Surprising Facts About Windows 8
Windows 8 is full of surprising changes – whatever you think about Windows 8, Microsoft certainly isn’t being timid this time around. From integrated antivirus protection and less-disruptive updating to the removal of the Windows Aero 3D interface and the lack of DVD or Blu-Ray playback support in Windows 8, Windows 8 is sure to be full of surprises for the average Windows user. Here are some of the biggest ones you may not have already heard of.
Windows 8 Is Almost Here - Here Are 5 Reasons To Upgrade
The next version of Microsoft’s world-changing operating system is preparing to hit the shelves. I know what you’re thinking: "Already?" It seems like yesterday that Windows 7 was the newest and coolest, but yes, it’s true. Windows 8 is just around the corner and there’s only one question that should concern you. Is it worth the upgrade? There are a lot of new features that are coming in this iteration of Windows.
Which Windows 8 Version Is For You?
If you’re interested in upgrading, you’ll also need to know which edition of Windows 8 is right for you. The good news is that Microsoft has simplified the different editions of Windows in Windows 8 – gone are the Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, and Ultimate editions. The list of available Windows 8 editions is actually fairly short. If you ignore the edition designed specifically for ARM tablets, there are only two PC editions of Windows 8 to choose from.
How To Try Out Windows 8 On Your MacBook Air
If you're reading this article, you're probably a user of Mac OS X, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be intrigued. If Windows 8 has captured your interest, why not take it for a test run? While the operating system hasn't launched, you can download a free preview! In this article, I'll show you how to install it on a separate partition on your MacBook Air.
Thinking Of Stealing Windows 8? Microsoft Probably Won't Mind [Opinion]
Stealing is wrong. Downloading software illegally, without paying for it, and then using it, is wrong. There are no two ways about it. That said, I can't help but feel that some companies want you to break the law. Take Adobe for example, whose discriminatory international pricing scheme actively encourages piracy. In truth, companies sometimes derive important advantages from users stealing their software -- widespread adoption being just one example.
Windows 8 In Daily Use: What Is It Really Like?
You hate Windows 8, don’t you? You’ve never used it, you haven’t even seen it in action (other than via a few YouTube videos) but you hate it. It’s pointless, it’s ugly, it’s unwieldy… you know all of these things, yet you haven’t used it. Perhaps, just perhaps, you’ve been misinformed. I’ve been running Windows 8 for several months now in its various pre-release versions and I can tell you right here, right now, that it really isn’t all that bad.
How To Get Windows 8 For The Lowest Possible Price
Whether the mixed reviews of the preview releases of Windows 8 have influenced pricing or Microsoft are simply taking a leaf out of Apple’s book isn’t quite clear, but the price of a new copy of Windows 8 will be noticeably lower than a comparative copy of Windows Vista or Windows 7. Indeed, there is a chance of purchasing Windows 8 for under $15!
How To Shut Down Windows 8
Windows 8 brings the biggest changes to the familiar Windows interface since Windows 95. The Shut Down option isn’t where you’d expect to find it – in fact, the entire classic Start menu and Start button have been removed. There are a variety of ways to shut down Windows 8, and you’ll need to know at least one of them if you want to shut down a Windows 8 PC.
What Do You Really Think of Windows 8? [You Told Us]
The release of Windows 8 is, at the time of writing, a mere three months away. The time to make sweeping changes has passed, and Microsoft will be unleashing a version of Windows 8 very close to the preview versions we've tried and tested (and in some cases dismissed out of hand) here at MakeUseOf. Microsoft has taken a huge gamble in its strategy for remaining in the game against Apple and Google in the emerging post-PC era.
What's the Difference Between Windows 8 & Windows RT? [MakeUseOf Explains]
With the Surface tablet announcement a few weeks ago and the final release of Windows 8 looming ever closer, some people are understandably going to be confused about the various versions available. I'm here to set the record straight; at least, on the differences between Windows 8, and Windows RT. Read on to find out about the various differences, as well as the pros and cons of each system.
8 YouTube Videos Of People Testing Windows 8
At the time of writing Windows 8 is almost ready for public consumption, with an expected release date of October 2012. The Windows 8 Release Preview is now available to download for those in need of an early fix (and tech-savvy enough to handle it), while the Consumer Preview of the operating system was released in February 2012.
Which Windows Version Is The Best Of All Time? [MakeUseOf Poll]
Sorry Mac and Linux users, this week’s poll is all about Windows, but even if you don’t currently use the most popular OS in the world, you’re bound to have an opinion in the matter. This week we want to find out which is your favorite Windows version of all times.
A Handy Keyboard Shortcuts List for the Upcoming Microsoft Windows 8
Not having to reach for your mouse to do the most routine task is one huge benefit I enjoy every day. That's because I've memorized my list of Windows 7 keyboard shortcuts, and I use applications like Fingertips. Though there have been so many changes to the perspective of personal computing since Windows 7 was dropped, Windows 8 did a good job in recognizing that these are important.