If you think that Windows 8 will be released for PC only, you are wrong because Windows 8 comes in three versions for three different platforms: PC, tablets and smartphones, and this post will cover all the advantages ready to surprise us. October.
Windows 8 for PC
Take a look at the start screen for a preview of the Windows 8 desktop. Does it look familiar? Of course!!! You saw that similar design on current Windows phones. As identical as it may sound, don’t forget that both smartphones are powered by Windows Phone 7.5 (oddly named ‘Mango’).
What you see here is the same Metro user interface, with many additional features. Now the programs will no longer be called programs; they are applications. And Windows 8 has a whole market to show them off. And if you think the system is going to work like a turtle, it is fast, very fast; even with live tiles, it is very fast and makes the overall Windows experience pleasant.
Where is the start button? Let’s say Microsoft removed it. Well, you won’t actually be able to see it directly to your face. You have to access the accesses that can be achieved by sliding the screen. There you go, the Start button. Along with that, you have new buttons like share, search, devices, and settings. All of this is hidden from your eyes, so you are not distracted by unnecessary Windows elements. It’s an operating system with a difference …
Windows 8 for tablets
It is more or less the same as the PC version; only this time, the operating system is optimized for mobile devices, preferably tablets. If there’s something different, it’s in the name: Windows RT, where RT is short for RunTime. It is the engine that powers Metro applications on tablets.
What are the Metro apps? You see, not all devices will be able to run heavy, high-end applications (due to their lower frequency processors) like the PC version. So Microsoft decided to create a sub-OS that can run less demanding applications and those applications are called Metro applications. Needless to say, they won’t counteract the amazing Windows 8 experience. Windows RT will come pre-installed on all Windows Slates and a star attraction to showcase it will be the Microsoft Surface.
Windows Phone 8
Do you know why Windows Phone 7.5 was dumb (and not to forget the inches that nearly destroyed Microsoft’s brand equity)? The answer: the black bar on the left. It almost felt like it ate the entire screen. On top of that, some glitches and ‘limited’ customization made Mango not possible.
But this time Microsoft has learned its lesson and implemented it in Windows Phone 8. No more black bars, no more glitches, it’s Windows Phone at its best.
What’s new? Well, obviously it’s the disappearance of the black bar. And now, your home screen is no longer restricted to those monotonous square tiles; You can CHANGE THE SIZE of the tiles as per your preference and keep the fresh Metro design. Big or small, there is always room in Windows Phone 8. And as usual, they are live, always updating you with missed calls, messages, notifications and you can also keep track of the people you love the most.
It has NFC communication through which you can perform “Touch to share” activities. Windows Phone 8 comes with a built-in wallet with which you can make your payments without using a real wallet (almost like Passbook on iOS6 and Google Wallet). Payments can be made through NFC.
Windows Phone 8 ‘cleans’ the clutter created by Mango and I must say it is ‘squeaky clean’.
The Windows 8 Advantage
- Native Encoding Support – That means amazing games and apps on the market!
- A personal wallet (finally !!)
- NFC communication
- BitLocker Drive Encryption – Makes Windows Virtually ‘Hack-proof’
- Anti-Phishing Encryption – Takes you to sites with verified landing pages
The low
There is not much for the PC and Tablet versions. But for Windows Phone 7.5 users, I have bad news. You will not be able to update your device to Windows Phone 8, but to a mini update called Windows Phone 7.8.
It has the cool Metro UI and resizable widgets, but not the long list of other things mentioned above. Sorry, but Mango season is over …
After all this, you must be waiting to know when Windows 8 will hit the market, right? Don’t worry, just wait this October, because Microsoft plans to release its operating system on all platforms in the same month, on the same day. And who else is invited to the 2012 OS party? Our friends iOS6 and Android Jellybean! The final showdown is yet to come …
Stay tuned to TechnGizmos for the latest information from the tech world.