Windows 8 App Store
With Apple adding a Mac App Store for to OS X and everyone from
Amazon to Lenovo getting into the app store game on mobile, a Windows 8
app store seems like a no-brainer. We don't know much about the look,
feel, pricing or selection of the store because Microsoft's only
official word on it comes in a blog post from Windows Division President Steven Sinofsky where he simple lists "App Store" as one of the many teams working on Windows 8.
However, in April, Chinese site CnBeta posted the picture above, claiming that it came from a leaked build
of WIndows 8. Given the windowed appearance of this picture, we can only guess that this is either a fake, an early version, or a version designed for Windows 7 users. We suspect that the final Windows 8 app store will have the same kind of tiled interface as other native Win 8 apps.
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However, in April, Chinese site CnBeta posted the picture above, claiming that it came from a leaked build
of WIndows 8. Given the windowed appearance of this picture, we can only guess that this is either a fake, an early version, or a version designed for Windows 7 users. We suspect that the final Windows 8 app store will have the same kind of tiled interface as other native Win 8 apps.
Expected Features of Windows 8
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Improved File Copy Feature
Windows' obtuse file copying function has been a minor annoyance for
years. Every copy operation has its own dialog box that shows you a
single progress bar which may or may not provide an accurate estimate of
how long the operation will take to complete.
With Windows 8, Microsoft puts all current copy operations into a single dialog box where you can check their progress and pause/resume them. You'll also have access to a more detailed report which shows the file transfer rate of each file copy and a more transparent warning when you try to copy one version of a file over another.
Unfortunately, the estimates won't be more precise. In a blog post, Microsoft says that "estimating the time remaining to complete a copy is nearly impossible to do with any precision because there are many unpredictable and uncontrollable variables involved."
Say goodbye to the Start Menu, at least when it comes to the main desktop. Microsoft has demoed a flashy new user interface filled with touch-friendly live tiles that show everything from the news to your social media updates. Windows 8 also supports full-screen HTML 5 applications on the desktop and the ability to switch between apps with a single swipe to the left or right.
“Tiles are better than icons,” Jensen Harris, Director of PM: Windows User Experience Jensen Harris said in a demo video. “They have a little more space for the app to show its personality. Like the weather app can just show you the temperature without you having to open it.”
Despite the slickness of the new OS, Microsoft may have a hard time convincing users that an interface which looks more like Windows Phone 7 than Windows 7 will work well on non-touch devices.
"On a PC where you are still using a keyboard and mouse, or a laptop, where you don’t necessarily want to touch your screen, or only rely on a touch pad, I think it’s a harder sell,” said ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley. “I just can’t see myself--the way I work, and the way that I know a lot of other people work--having to click through those tiled boxes on the screen in order to find a program."
With Windows 8, Microsoft puts all current copy operations into a single dialog box where you can check their progress and pause/resume them. You'll also have access to a more detailed report which shows the file transfer rate of each file copy and a more transparent warning when you try to copy one version of a file over another.
Unfortunately, the estimates won't be more precise. In a blog post, Microsoft says that "estimating the time remaining to complete a copy is nearly impossible to do with any precision because there are many unpredictable and uncontrollable variables involved."
Touch-Friendly User Interface
Say goodbye to the Start Menu, at least when it comes to the main desktop. Microsoft has demoed a flashy new user interface filled with touch-friendly live tiles that show everything from the news to your social media updates. Windows 8 also supports full-screen HTML 5 applications on the desktop and the ability to switch between apps with a single swipe to the left or right.
“Tiles are better than icons,” Jensen Harris, Director of PM: Windows User Experience Jensen Harris said in a demo video. “They have a little more space for the app to show its personality. Like the weather app can just show you the temperature without you having to open it.”
Despite the slickness of the new OS, Microsoft may have a hard time convincing users that an interface which looks more like Windows Phone 7 than Windows 7 will work well on non-touch devices.
"On a PC where you are still using a keyboard and mouse, or a laptop, where you don’t necessarily want to touch your screen, or only rely on a touch pad, I think it’s a harder sell,” said ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley. “I just can’t see myself--the way I work, and the way that I know a lot of other people work--having to click through those tiled boxes on the screen in order to find a program."
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