As expected, Microsoft is using its Build developer conference to distribute a pre-beta, developer preview version of Windows 8 (for x86 PCs only; the hardware to run the ARM version on isn't finished yet).
Windows 8 is Microsoft's combined desktop, laptop and tablet operating system, designed to go from 10-inch touch-only tablets to big screens in your living room, from ultra-portable notebooks to massive gaming systems and business desktops.
You can check out our Windows 8 preview video below:
It's got the Windows Phone 7 Metro-style touch interface of live tiles, the Metro programming model for building web apps and native apps that run full screen and share information.
Windows 8 also features gestures to put two apps on screen side by side, and the traditional Windows desktop for when you need richer apps like the ones we've been using in Windows for years.
That's a combination no other single operating system can offer - but how well does it work?
The inspiration of Windows Phone 7's Metro interface is clear in the interface for the Windows 8 Lock screen and Start screen (which completely replaces the Start menu).
But this isn't a slavish copy of the phone operating system look.
It still has the live tiles and the personalisation, enabling you to pin people, RSS feeds and web pages alongside apps. But it's more colourful, more flexible and better designed, to enable you to arrange and explore large numbers of apps.
Windows 8 interface
You can customise both the image you see on the Windows 8 Lock screen and the details of unread emails and missed instant messages that it shows. And you can pin desktop apps such as Office or Task Manager, and even a link to the desktop, to the Lock screen.
You can group tiles together - giving groups a name or leaving them blank - and make any tile single or double width. Just swipe the tile up a little to get the option to change the size, unpin the app or uninstall it completely.
You'll be able to do that for pre-installed Metro software too (which is what Microsoft is encouraging OEMs to bundle on new Windows 8 PCs).
As well as moving a tile to a new location by dragging it, you can also drag it up to the top of the screen with one finger and hold it there while you swipe across the screen to get to where you want to drop it - a much easier way of dealing with a long list of tiles.
Future builds of Windows 8 will also enable you to pinch to zoom out so you can see all the tiles on screen at once, and rearrange groups at the same time.
Once you launch apps, you can use gestures to arrange them. Swiping from the left switches to the next app, but you can also swipe and drag to put two apps on a screen side by side - and one of those can be the Windows desktop.
There are only three window sizes for apps arranged like this (counting full screen), so that developers don't have to worry about making an infinite number of layouts look good. One app is a thin QVGA 'snap' view on either side of the screen, and the other is a larger VGA full view - which is why this only works on 1366-resolution widescreen PCs.
But if the Windows 8 desktop is in full view you can still use Aero Snap to arrange two windows, and if it's in snap view you get thumbnails for all the running desktop apps that you can tap to open.
This is a good combination of enabling you to use two apps at once on a tablet. This is something only the occasional dual-screen Android tablets enable you to do, and then only for a limited number of apps. It also makes it easy to switch from Metro apps to desktop apps and back.
Swipe in from the right of the screen and you get what Microsoft is calling the Windows 8 "charms": search and share, which work across different apps; devices and settings; plus a button for switching between the Start menu and the desktop.
The Settings charm gives you the settings for the current Metro application plus options for volume, brightness, notifications, networking, switching language and choosing to sleep, shut down or restart.
It's great to have one place to do that in every application. It's also a logical place for commands such as Restart that used to be on the Start menu, because there was nowhere else to put them. We kept looking in there for a link to the Control Panel, which is currently just a tile on the Start screen.
It would be more logical to put a link here for more settings, in the same way that the friendly Control Panel interface organises the most common options clearly, with a link to the desktop control panel for other settings (and you can still search for specific control panels just like searching for an app or file).
Open an app that needs the Windows desktop and you get the familiar desktop view with Recycle Bin, task bar and Start button.
But the Start button opens the Start screen again - the Start menu is gone in Windows 8.
The look of the desktop and desktop apps will change before the Windows 8 release date. We're expecting the new-look Task Manager to be a clue to the final interface style, but the ribbon makes an appearance in Explorer. This is always controversial, but we think it works well for organising options and tools together.
If you use multiple monitors, you finally get better desktop management. You can have the Start screen on one monitor and the desktop on the other, which keeps the two interfaces separate.
But if you're using multiple screens it's more likely you're using desktop apps, so you'll like the option to duplicate the task bar on both screens or pick which icons you see on the task bar for each screen. You can also finally put a different desktop background on each screen.
Your comments (25) Click to add a new comment
mikeinnyc
January 15th
25. I had Windows 8 for over 2 months now. I have gotten used to this however, today my wife used my computer. I was scolded and told to put back windows 7! She was clicking every button desperately to gain access to the old start menus.
My wife "now hates windows 8" no chance of her going back. She's Italian!
I had a deep Epiphany of what Microsoft MUST DO: "MS must have an OLD Start menu available" to those that won't take the time to learn.
I see the stock falling hard as investors dump shares in droves.
I will sell Microsoft stock short just knowing that there are people out there like my wife who won't take the time to learn.
Sadly, its the best OS out there but "I must think like the Average computer user" because really that what this OS was built for.
Definitely not for experienced IT guys. On the outside its wildly confusing with 1000 apps. How about lets neatly get rid of scatter and place them back into folders like the old start menu. Its just overwhelming noise that could be deem confusing for the massive changes MS invoked into this system. yes this is the best OS MS has ever had with super speed IE loading web pages. I can't believe how fast pages load! As well the from boot time to start up. RDC is vastly improved but only if you use the run command MSTSC but you will be lost in the metro trying to configure settings. While I am grateful as an alpha tester with 30 years experience MS has some deep choices to make. make it for dummies or make it for pros but make it so that each can use the computer without using a hammer!
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d000000d
December 29th 2011
24. have been using the pre beta for a few days now and have to say that this is by far the best computing experiance i have had by far for these reasons
1) quick install taking only 3 clicks
2) works perfect with windows 7 drivers and programmes such as flash player, ati ccc and games. my non plug and play wireless n usb adapter even instantly worked on plug in.
3)built in virtual drive is very handy.
4)the more i use my pc and install it genuinly adapts to and keeps getting quicker.
5)new start menu is very good being quick easy and layed out well.
have today used a windows 7 laptop after using this copy of 8 and have to say after using windows 8 you WILL NOT want to go back. there are a couple of problems i have seen such as the os seems to double download and double open exe on occasions but seeing as this is only a pre beta and far from the final build i expect this upcoming release to far surpass anything on the market.
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mbryans
November 28th 2011
23. If there are things that should be fixed in Windows 8 is:
1. Improve performance of Windows Photo Viewer, so much faster than IrfanView.
2. Simplify Windows Media Player, as shown in iTunes.
3. Modifying Windows Explorer to be able to display photos and videos as beautiful as iPhoto.
Can Windows 8 really see the needs of its loyal users?
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mbryans
November 28th 2011
22. Some of features that are absolute for Windows users:
1. Simple desktop with wallpapers and gadgets
2. Windows with big red close button
3. Star Menu at the bottom left corner of the taskbar
4. Fast searching box in top right corner of the window
5. Taskbar with icons, pinned shortcuts, and clock
I hope Microsoft is still preserved on Windows 8.
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ru4r33lr8n0w
October 4th 2011
21. Windows 8 is garbage! Unless you consider mind-numbing frustration at having to redundantly click on a myriad of counter-intuitive tiles and panels and windows for the sake of what had been done previously with one click; somehow tolerable...it's ****!
Here's a new WinDev mantra I've made up for Win8...
M-indlessly
E-mploy
T-iles
R-egardless
O-f
U-ser
I-ntuition
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masterctrl1
September 24th 2011
20. Anyone stuck in "desktop mode" should try this test anytime you have the opportunity. Run your favorite desktop app on a touchscreen system configured for large icons or larger font or a screen resolution to make buttons and menus work best. Spend 2-3 days using it this way with mouse, keyboard, and touchscreen, Then switch back to good ol' desktop mode without a touchscreen. I guarantee you'll want the touchscreen back -- immediately! Now imagine if all your favorite desktop apps were touchscreen optimized. That is the future, plain and simple, and Windows 8 is going to take us there with a common UI across multiple devices. I for one, can't wait and I started out on an IBM PC running DOS with floppy drives. Imagine the next generation growing up with touch-driven tools starting in kindergarden and grade school. The desktop as we know it is DEAD.
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lonestar33
September 23rd 2011
19. I'm giving it a chance in Boot Camp on my MacBook Air for now. It is clearly tablet influenced, but it's pretty ugly to look at. The double tiles are just pointless, reduce them down. How do I change the weather to read Celcius please? Who chose that unpleasant shade of green? Can it be changed. By the way although Boot Camp is strictly speaking set up for Win7 it can be made to work.
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xarzy
September 16th 2011
18. i do hope that Windows 8 would live-up to the high expectations of Windows loyal users. And may engineers of this incoming platform provides an easy to integrate code policy and a robust fun to use interface.
see related post: http://www.infotechpeek.com/2011/09/13/windows-8/
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james
September 16th 2011
17. To those asking, we're busy playing around with Windows 8 and will add more of our thoughts about its potential as a desktop OS very soon
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paul
September 15th 2011
16. @paul43524 Our reviews policy regarding hands ons is here: http://bit.ly/qncEYw
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somethingelse
September 15th 2011
15. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DArxXyimC0Y
I made this short video after a 12 hr test of Windows 8
it shows Windows 8 with no true desktop style start menu, a BIG mistake by ms
OK MS said in the dev video "the windows 7 start menu is gone", they need to have a option to put back.
How to get 7 start back in bindoh's hate (for now) ...
Open Run type regedit.exe hit Enter key to launch Registry Editor.
In the Registry Editor, navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
In the right pane, double-click on the entry named RPEnabled and change its value from 1 to 0 to enable the Windows 7 Start menu in Windows 8
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paul43524
September 15th 2011
14. I wish TechRadar would stop calling Previews "Reviews". This applies not only to this article, but across the site.
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bradavon
September 15th 2011
13. This hands on has some more info about Windows 8 Desktop mode:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9219996/First_look_The_two_faces_of_Windows_8_Developer_Preview_
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bradavon
September 14th 2011
12. @ Dj99: I remain unconvinced. Desktop Apps still won't be written for touch. How well will they run? Not very well IMO, even with fuzzy logic.
All iOS and Android apps are written from scratch with touch in mind.
Besides Windows 8 tablets are a good year away. There's plenty of time to buy iPad 2/iPad 3 or Android and then Windows 8.
We don't even know how far along iPad or Android will be when Windows 8 ships.
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bradavon
September 14th 2011
11. I imagine it will run fine with a mouse/keyboard. A big button will work just as well with a mouse, as a finger.
The question that everyone is wondering and as all articles are tablet focused no one has answered, is how well Windows 8 will run as a Desktop OS?
I mean 100% of people using Windows today aren't use Metro Apps, they're using Desktop Apps. That 100% will work in the Desktop mode of Windows 8.
* How do these work in Windows 8?
* Is the constant jarring nature of Metro to Desktop to Metro annoying?
* How easy it is to stay in Desktop mode?
There's no Start Menu for instance. So as soon as you press it, you're dumped back into Metro. It looks like to avoid this, you "have" to put every app on the Desktop or pin it to the Task Bar. If it's on the Start screen, you're dumped out of Desktop mode.
* What new features does Desktop mode get?
I've seen articles mentioning an improved System Restore that allows you to restore revisions of documents/photos etc... Actually it was a different app. I forget the name.
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liassic
September 14th 2011
10. It would have been useful if you'd said at the beginning of the review that you were going to review it from a tablet point of view.
I'm more interested in how it works as a desktop OS - with a mouse and keyboard.
Is this the end of Windows as a desktop OS?
That's what I need to know. Thanks.
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munichlondon
September 14th 2011
9. Looks very promising indeed. To me W8 is one of the prime examples why competition between compentent companies is the best thing that can happen to customers.
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dj99
September 14th 2011
8. Looks really good.
At the moment if you are thinking about buying a new computer you will need to own a tablet AND a laptop/desktop (if you want an iPad for example).
With Windows 8 you can just buy a tablet and have a keyboard dock around if you need it. Also... it will run Crysis!
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techpike
September 14th 2011
7. A desktop os based on a tablet OS...Still a day late and a dollar short.
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