As the most used OS today, Windows has great challenges when re-designing their interface. With the new Windows 8 design, there will definitely be a lot to adjust to and may even be a shock for some Windows users. When Microsoft released the latest beta of Windows 8, I was anxious to see – so I took some time and got familiar. I’ll share my experience with you so you know what to expect.
Microsoft is designing one operating system for laptops, desktops, phones and tablets. The New ‘Metro’ design is a big change and risk for Microsoft, similar to the Ribbon interface in Office applications, or the big changes seen with Windows Vista. Some will love it and others will hate it, that’s the nature of change. Here’s what the Metro user interface will look like:
I think overall the Metro interface looks very promising for things like Kinect, Windows Phone and upcoming windows tablets. Touch screens work very well with the new interface and over all things seem to flow pretty nicely. But it may take some getting used to on your PC.
Now what everyone seems to be concerned with is on the desktop and laptop, and the business user. There is no Start button and no easy way to completely turn off the Metro interface. If Windows 8 ends up not supporting a Windows 7 style desktop there will be a tough learning curve and many businesses may skip windows 8.
The new OS of course has dozens and dozens of tweaks and improvements. It should run on any system that can support windows 7, and you can download and test Windows 8 in a VM or on a physical machine now if you like. The OS is going to hook into the cloud more with integration into SkyDrive. You will be able to sign into the computer with your Windows email addresses and there will be a Metro apps ‘App Store’, just like the Apple and Android stores.
Time will tell if the Metro interface ends up being a popular choice and what additional changes Microsoft will make before Windows 8 is released in its final version. Keep your eyes peeled, many say Windows 8 will be released around October 2012!
