Windows 8 first try How to look at Windows 8

Windows 8 Consumer Preview is now released for download, so what about Windows 8? Foreign media today tried the Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

The trial results show that Windows 8 performs satisfactorily in the Metro environment, but not as good as Windows 7 in the desktop environment. Windows 8 has a sense of inconsistency, and it still tries to merge into two different operating systems. This is a problem that Microsoft should solve before it officially launches Windows 8.

Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Microsoft today released the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, version number build 8250, which is the latest version of Windows 8 . The test device is a tablet based on a 1.6GHz Intel Core-i5 processor with 4GB of RAM. Since it is an x86 tablet, it is compatible with all current Windows applications.

Basics

Windows 8 uses the Metro user interface

Windows 8 uses the Metro user interface, which is inspired primarily by Windows Phone. In the Metro interface, applications and functions appear in the form of “tiles” (tiles), and users can operate by simply touching the squares with their hands. The previous start menu and taskbar were completely replaced by the full-screen squares, and the user could also scroll the screen horizontally to display more squares. Users can lock apps, shortcuts, documents, web pages, or anything else, and can customize the interface in a variety of ways.

In addition, developers can choose to create specific Metro apps. These applications cannot be run in a traditional, adjustable window size environment and can only be run in full screen mode. Therefore, this will simplify the development process of the application.

In addition, Windows 8 supports a range of gestures and keyboard shortcuts.

The right side of the screen toolbar Charms

The hidden toolbar on the right side of the screen Charms

The hidden toolbar Charms on the right side of the screen helps users to quickly access some frequently The functions used are:

Search — Open the search interface

Share — Display a list of applications that support sharing

Start: Return to the start screen

Device: Show all connected devices

Settings: Provides a range of setup options, although not "all", but easy to use.

To display the toolbar, simply tap the screen with your finger or place the mouse pointer in the upper right or lower right corner.

Bottom and top of the screen: Commands

Hidden at the top and bottom of the screen are specific application commands. For example, the RUL toolbar of Internet Explorer is at the bottom of the screen, and the Tab list is hidden at the top. Drag the finger or click the right mouse button to bring up these commands.

Left side of the screen: Multitasking

If the user wants to perform more tasks, this is a place to visit frequently. Dragging in from the left will display the last used app. Drag all the way, it will be displayed in full screen. Drag a part to display 1/4 of the left side of the screen. If dragged, the list of recently accessed apps is displayed.

Mouse operations are different, starting from the top left, users can see recently accessed apps.

Start button

The start button has been canceled and cannot be restored. This is probably the most puzzling part of this version of Windows. Even if you go back to the traditional left side of Windows, there is no graphical start button. Of course, the user can use the start button (Windows Logo button) on the keyboard.

Shortcuts

Windows 8 also supports a series of shortcuts:

Windows + arrow keys: Windows + left and right arrow keys, you can move Metro applications left and right. For Windows desktop apps, the same as Windows 7. The up arrow key is maximized and the down arrow key is minimized.

Windows + C: Display the right side of the toolbar Charms

Windows + Tab: Switch between applications. At this point, the Windows desktop is considered an application.

Windows + PrtScn: Capture the PNG file of the current screen and save it in the “My Pictures” folder.

Xbox Integration

Xbox Integration

Xbox Live is locked in a prominent position on the Metro interface, and given the huge success of the Xbox 360, Microsoft’s move is not Hard to understand. After clicking the app, Xbox Live will prompt the user to log in. After logging in, Xbox Live will show all of the user's gaming habits, and there is not much difference compared to the Xbox 360. Even more appealing is that users can launch some of the games they have played recently, even through Windows 8 devices, even with control, despite many limitations.

Although the interface needs to be improved, its potential is huge. If you can integrate Netflix in the future, the features will become even more powerful.

Applications

Like other versions of Windows, Windows 8 also provides some applications, but these applications are developed for the Metro interface.

Mail, Contacts, and Messenger

Mail and contacts can quickly connect to user-specified emails and social networks to import contacts and updates. The Messenger app can connect to Microsoft's own Messenger service or connect to Facebook.

SkyDrive and Sharing

SkyDrive and Sharing

SkyDrive is a product of Microsoft's fight against Apple's iCloud, allowing users to easily upload and download files between two computers. , but the user needs to choose which files to upload, where to send them, and so on.

Microsoft is opening up SkyDrive to developers so that future applications can connect directly to SkyDrive. This is Microsoft's consistent style. For example, the right toolbar charms includes the “Share” option, which allows users to share content from one app to another. For example, sharing photos with a mail application, sharing web pages, and the like.

IE 10

IE 10

The IE 10 for Metro is an important part of Windows 8, with few user interfaces unless the user touches the top or bottom of the screen. To show some control.

Windows 8 has two versions of IE 10, one for the Metro version and the other for the traditional desktop version. Both versions are completely independent, and anything like bookmarks, cookies, and passwords is not shared. For example, to log in to Twitter on one browser, you still need to log in again using another browser.

Overall feeling

After a while, Windows 8 has a sense of inconsistency. As a tablet operating system, users can be limited to the Metro environment and feel good. Compared to other tablet operating systems, gestures are a bit more complicated and less intuitive. But for some experienced users, they might like it.

Windows is primarily a desktop operating system, and there is a sense of distraction between Metro and traditional interfaces, at least in the early stages of Windows 8. Switching between applications is a simple task, and using a mouse is a pain. Under Windows 7, just click on the icon on the taskbar with your mouse. The Metro environment is much more complicated. Point to the top left corner, drag, and select the popup window.

Under Windows 8, I feel that any application is running in a maximized form, which is a very cumbersome problem for users who are doing multiple tasks at the same time.

Summary: Windows 7 was well received after its launch, sweeping Windows Vista in a short period of time. Today, Windows 8 is expected to be officially released before the end of the year, and we have to have a bit of suspicion. Windows 8 still tries to merge into two different operating systems, and its potential is naturally tempting, but unfortunately, until the consumer preview, we still see many shortcomings.

Windows 8 still tries to merge into two different operating systems.

Compared with previous Windows systems, Windows 8 is more suitable for tablet users. But in the desktop environment, it is not as good as Windows 7, which is a problem that Microsoft should solve before it officially launches Windows 8.