With the second major revision to Windows 8, somewhat
bewilderingly named Windows 8.1 Update, Microsoft looks to own finally
remembered that there area unit laptop users out there WHO still work with a
monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Not most are jubilantly sound and swiping away at
pill and hybrid screens nonetheless, and also the loudest complaints concerning
the OS are relating to its lack of support for people who use their PCs in an
exceedingly a lot of ancient fashion.
Windows 8.1, discharged in Oct 2013, was a course correction
of types, walking back a number of the a lot of conspicuous nods to fashionable pill thinking found
within the original unleash of Windows eight, as well as a limited-use begin
button and a research operate that not needed you to look apps, settings, and
files on an individual basis. Despite these enhancements, Windows 8.1 still
felt sort of a one-size-fits-all answer, cramming a slate-style mentality onto
each screen.
With Windows 8.1 Update, you currently get a computing
atmosphere that feels versatile enough to figure on 8-inch tablets moreover as
27-inch desktops. bit continues to be the well-liked input methodology for
operating within the tile interface several still decision railway, however
ultimately, mouse and keyboard users are not fully not noted.
These choose options stand out because the highlights of
Windows 8.1 Update (read a lot of concerning the remainder of the new
options here), and also the possibly reasons you may finally feel OK concerning
upgrading if the somewhat tortured history of Windows eight has afraid you off
hitherto.
The come of the X-to-close button
If you've got a touch-screen device, something from AN
8-inch pill to a 27-inch work surface laptop, one in all the primary Windows
eight moves you little doubt learned was to swipe a finger down from the
highest of the screen to very cheap so as to shut native Windows eight apps
(accompanied by AN awkwardly contrived animation). however with a mouse, a
similar move was each unreasonable and laborious to drag off systematically.
merely adding the top-right-corner X button to shut is such a no brainer, it
makes the whole Windows 8.1 Update transfer worthy.
One weird catch, however. Closing a Windows eight bumps you
back to the normal desktop, notwithstanding you were antecedently within the
railway interface. Inexplicably odd.
Different views for various screen sizes
Got a traditional-size laptop computer or monitor screen?
Then you may boot right into the acquainted desktop read from previous versions
of Windows, instead of the tile-based menu. Of course, you'll be able to still
switch at can, however having the classic desktop because the main event
instead of a hidden feature is what politicians would decision "walking
back" a disputed move. tiny tablet-style screens still boot to the tile
read, that is sensible, and a taskbar properties menu permits for even a lot of
customization.
Right-click support for begin screen tiles
The three-dimensional tiles that structure the Windows eight
begin screen is hard. Launch a brand new laptop for the primary time, and you
may realize a unique mixture of apps described by these tiles, in several
sizes, and classified into totally different sections, all with very little
rhyme or reason. Even worse, a number of the biggest tiles provide no usable
data on the far side a straightforward icon drawing. that individual downside
hasn't gone away, however a minimum of it's currently straightforward and
intuitive (that's a word that keeps on stoning up, just in case anyone at
Microsoft is paying attention) to easily right-click on any tile and size it,
hide it fully, or perhaps pin it to the classic desktop taskbar.
An easy-to-find power button
Short and easy, and precisely the kind of wisdom feature
inexplicably missing from Windows eight for its initial eighteen months of
life. within the upper-right corner of the tile interface, there's currently a
giant power icon, which might restart, shut down, or set your system to sleep.
Previously, if you were employing a mouse and/or did not have slightly screen,
you had to hover the mouse pointer at the upper-right corner, then rigorously
navigate all the way down to the Setting section, then method down to} the
little power button all the way at very cheap of the screen. Search gets a
top-corner icon moreover, however that was a minimum of easier to seek out
access pre-Update.
Add any app to the desktop taskbar
As mentioned antecedently, you'll be able to currently
right-click on any Windows eight app (the kind that runs full-screen by
default) and add it to the classic desktop taskbar. notwithstanding you hate
the tile read, there area unit some smart apps activity there, and that i in
person adore the intrinsic News app.
currently you'll be able to still access these while not having to navigate to
the tile-filled begin screen initial.
Battery, time, network, and date indicators within the begin
screen
Actually, these area unit all basic-but-useful options still
missing from Windows eight. Even when over a year and a [*fr1], laptop users
cannot merely look at the vaunted begin screen on their laptops, tablets, or
hybrids, and see what quantity battery life they need left, to mention nothing
of the flexibility see the time or date. As always, activating the Charms bar
offers you a number of this data (with simply a really basic visual icon for
the battery and affiliation icon for the Wi-Fi network), however it still hides
various terribly sensible things from read while not user interaction. In
distinction, because of the live tiles on the beginning screen, the most recent
sports scores, recipes, and promoted app store apps area unit invariably
straightforward to visualize.
Despite this oversight, the updates enclosed in each Windows
eight.1 and Windows eight.1 Update area unit tiny items that add up to a really
totally different feel from the initial Windows eight expertise. If the OS had
launched during this condition in 2012, we'd doubtless have a way totally
different read of it, instead of watching for common sense options to trickle
in over time. That said, for the primary time, I currently want victimization
Windows eight on a nontouch all-in-one desktop is currently a viable expertise,
instead of one thing that perpetually needs you to deem workarounds and
compromises.
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