For those of you that have been waiting for the heralded release of Windows 8.1, it is finally here. If you were looking for an integrated experience that paves the way for the future of tablet computing, you will be sorely disappointed; however, it is a step in the right direction. Though it is still, essentially, two operating systems spliced together (the traditional desktop environment with a tile based, touch friendly graphic UI), there are a few changes that are actually useful:
- An Windows Start Menu (well, sort of). The most significant flaw in the new Windows 8 environment was the dissolution of the Windows Start Button/Menu in favor of a new graphically based tile system. Microsoft heard the cries of disdain rising around the marketplace and actually did something about it with the release of Windows 8.1. There is now a cute little “Windows Button” where the former Windows XP/Vista/7 Start Menu was located. However, this button does not open a Windows XP/Vista/7 style Start Menu. Rather it is a bridge between the old world and the brave new world of touch computing: it takes you to the new tile based Start Page System. However, there are two little tricks to modify this behavior and make this button more useful. First, right click on the Windows Button and you will see that they have incorporated access to many useful functions such as the Control Panel, Programs and Features, Device Manager, Logoff/Shutdown, and many more useful features. Not what we’d hoped for, but it does make for a more unified user experience. The second little trick is revealed below.
- More options to customize your Windows desktop environment. Just right click the taskbar at the bottom of your screen and left click “Properties” to reveal some useful new options for customization in the “Navigation” tab. You can go straight to the desktop once you signin/login (rather than the tile based Start Screen), show your desktop background on the tile based Start Screen, and transform the Windows Start Button into an App menu that shows installed apps rather than taking you to the Start Screen, and much more.
- Depending on your screen’s resolution, you can now snap up to four apps on your Start Screen. In addition, you may now open up multiple versions of the updated Internet Explorer 11 web browser in these windows. Paired together, these are HUGE usability upgrades.
- Microsoft finally got their Search Charm right by incorporating a unified search function. Rather than separating search results into distinct apps, settings, and files categories, “Windows 8.1 pools everything into a single cohesive search results page, complete with results from other apps, including SkyDrive, Bing Web search, and the Video and Music apps.” This makes the search charm infinitely more effective and useful.
So, if you’ve been considering the considerable time cost in downloading the Windows 8.1 update or mulling over whether or not to upgrade to a new computing system, these are a few useful additions that might have made it worth the wait. Furthermore, if you are a parent, Windows 8.1 has a host of useful feature to filter, control, and monitor you child’s Windows and internet user experience; everything from what apps they can install to what games they are allowed to play by rating in its “Family Safety” feature. In my opinion, that alone makes it worth the upgrade/update.