Features new to Windows 8. The transition from Windows 7 to Windows 8 introduced a number of new features across various aspects of the operating system. These include a greater focus on optimizing the operating system for touchscreen based devices such as tablets and cloud computing. Development platformeditLanguage and standards supportedit. Snap feature Xbox Music app, along Photos app snapped into a sidebar to the right side of the screen. Windows 8 introduces the new Windows Runtime Win. RT platform, which can be used to create a new type of application officially known as Windows Store apps and commonly called Metro style apps. Such apps run within a secure sandbox and share data with other apps through common APIs. Win. RT, being a COM based API, allows for the use of various programming languages to code apps, including C, CCX, C, Visual Basic. NET, or HTML5 and Java. Script. 12 Metro style apps are packaged and distributed via APPX, a new file format for package management. Unlike desktop applications, Metro style apps can be sideloaded, subject to licensing conditions. Windows 8. 1 Update allows for sideloading apps on all Windows 8. Pro devices joined to an Active Directory domain. In Windows 8 up to two apps may snap to the side of a widescreen display to allow multi tasking, forming a sidebar that separates the apps. In Windows 8. 1, apps can continually be resized to the desired width. Snapped apps may occupy half of the screen. Large screens allow up to four apps to be snapped. Upon launching an app, Windows allows the user to pick which snapped view the app should open into. The term Metro style apps referred to Metro, a design language prominently used by Windows 8 and other recent Microsoft products. Latest trending topics being covered on ZDNet including Reviews, Tech Industry, Security, Hardware, Apple, and Windows. Usb Lock Standard 3.5 Activation Code Software' title='Usb Lock Standard 3.5 Activation Code Software' />Reports surfaced that Microsoft employees were told to stop using the term due to potential trademark issues with an unspecified partner. A Microsoft spokesperson however, denied these reports and stated that Metro style was merely a codename for the new application platform. Windows 8 introduces APIs to support near field communication NFC on Windows 8 devices, allowing functionality like launching URLsapplications and sharing of information between devices via NFC. Windows StoreeditWindows Store is a digital distribution platform built into Windows 8, which in a manner similar to Apples App Store and Google Play, allows for the distribution and purchase of apps designed for Windows 8. Developers will still be able to advertise desktop software through Windows Store as well. Licencias De Actualizacion De Eset Nod32 Antivirus 4. To ensure that they are secure and of a high quality, Windows Store will be the only means of distributing Win. RT based apps for consumer oriented versions of Windows 8. In Windows 8. 1, Windows Store features a redesigned interface with improved app discovery and recommendations and offers automatic updates for apps. Shell and user interfaceedit. The revised lock screen interface in Windows 8. Windows 8 features a redesigned user interface built upon the Metro design language,1. Metro style apps can either run in a full screen environment, or be snapped to the side of a screen alongside another app or the desktop snapping requires a screen resolution of 1. Windows 8. 1 lowers the snapping requirement to a screen resolution of 1. Users can switch between apps and the desktop by clicking on the top left corner or by swiping the left side of the touchscreen to invoke a sidebar that displays all currently opened Metro style apps. Right clicking on the upper left corner provides a context menu with options to switch between open apps. The traditional desktop is accessible from a tile on the Start screen or by launching a desktop app. The AltTab shortcut cycles through all programs, regardless of type. The tutorial that appears after the installation of Windows 8 and when a new user signs in for the first time. The interface also incorporates a taskbar on the right side of the screen known as the charms lowercase, which can be accessed from any app or the desktop by sliding from the right edge of a touchscreen or compatible trackpad, by moving the mouse cursor to one of the right corners of the screen, or by pressing WinC. The charms include Search, Share, Start, Devices and Settings charms. Quick Start for Beginners. TPG no lockin contract SIM only 4G mobile plan includes 1. GB Data and 550 Included Value for Talk Text to Standard AU and International numbers. Learn about HP printers, laptops, desktops and more at the Official HP Website. CNET brings you the best deals on tech gadgets every day. For exclusive offers on smartphones, tablets, cameras and more, find your discount hereThe Start charm invokes or dismisses the Start screen. Other charms invoke context sensitive sidebars that can be used to access app and system functionality. Because of the aforementioned changes involving the use of hot corners, user interface navigation in Windows 8 is fundamentally different when compared with previous versions of Windows. To assist new users of the operating system, Microsoft incorporated a tutorial that appears during the installation of Windows 8, and also during the first sign in of a new user account, which visually instructs users to move their mouse cursor into any corner of the screen or swipe the corners on devices with touchscreens to interact with the operating system. The tutorial can be disabled so that it does not appear for new user accounts. Windows 8. 1 introduces navigation hints with instructions that are displayed during the first use of the operating system, and also includes a help and support app. In Windows 8. 1, the aforementioned hotspots in the upper right and the upper left corners can be disabled. Pressing WinX or right clicking on the bottom left corner of the screen opens the Quick Link menu. This menu contains shortcuts to frequently used areas such as Control Panel, File Explorer, Programs and Features, Run, Search, Power Options and Task Manager. In Windows 8. 1, the Quick Link menu includes options to shut down or restart a device. Windows 8. 1 Update introduced changes that facilitate mouse oriented means of switching between and closing Metro style apps, patterned upon the mechanics used by desktop programs in the Windows user interlace. In lieu of the recent apps sidebar, computer icons for opened apps can be displayed on the taskbar as with desktop programs, shortcuts to apps can also be pinned to the taskbar. When a mouse is connected, an auto hiding titlebar with minimize and close buttons is displayed within apps when the mouse is moved toward the top of the screen. Bundled appseditA number of apps are included in the standard installation of Windows 8, including Mail an email client, People a contact manager, Messaging an IM client, Calendar a calendaring app, Photos an image viewer, Music an audio player, Video a video player, Camera a webcam or digital camera client, Sky. Drive, Reader an e book reader, and six other apps that expose Bing services Search, News, Finance, Weather, Travel and Sports. Windows 8. Calculator,7 Alarm Clock,7 Sound Recorder,7 Reading List, Food Drink, Health Fitness,2. Help Tips,1. 8 Scan,2. Sky. Drive app. 8Windows 8 also includes a Metro style system component called PC Settings which exposes a small portion of Control Panel settings. Windows 8. 1 improves this component to include more options that were previously exclusive to Control Panel. Windows 8. 1 Update adds additional options to PC Settings. Start screenedit. The new Start screen in Windows 8 replaces the Start menu seen in previous versions of Windows.