Windows 8 Consumer Preview
Live FAQ with all the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, Windows Server 8 beta and Visual Studio 11 tidbits
The beta version of the Consumer Preview of Windows 8 client, the Windows Server 8 beta and the beta of Visual Studio “11? for developing for Windows 8 were made available for download to testers. Microsoft presented the Consumer Preview yesterday at an event in Barcelona where it showed the new feature 'hot corners' that enables users to mouse over or touch a corner of the screen to invoke specific actions that are hidden in default mode.
Here’s a partial list of what’s new in the Windows 8 Consumer Preview:
- Addition of the “semantic zoom” panning feature (that Microsoft demonstrated last September, but didn’t include in the Developer Preview). This should make it easier for users to navigate Windows 8 with touch and with mice/keyboards
- App bar that shows commands when users want them via a bar in the bottom of the screen
- Replacement of the Start button with a Start preview thumbnail. The preview lets users to right click to get quickly to familiar Windows features, like Windows Explorer, Search, Desktop, etc.
- Improved app switching by mousing to the top left corner of the screen to allow users to more quickly scroll through their stack of recently opened/closed/used apps
- Consolidation of passwords and credentials into a single “Microsoft Account.” This should make it easier for users to move his/her settings to other PCs.
- Inclusion of new previews of various Microsoft apps, including People, Mail, Calendaring, Messaging and SkyDrive apps. (Many of these seem to emulate the similarly named hubs on Windows Phone.)
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