Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 (Build 9431)

8.1 update to windows is Microsoft's attempts to make customers to switch to new platform from the established and highly successful Windows 7 and XP. Microsoft's intentions are crystal clear with the release, a unified experience. Its sounds exciting but is it too late or is it just too early.
Windows 8 for many is just "More personal Less professional". The only thing I could not figure out in this windows 8 environment is Recent places. And no matter how hard I tired I could not add it to the start screen ( Usually I opt not to store this information).
As a user I had a hard time using windows 8 for the first time but in time I grown fond of the new interface. So what is the new preview has to offer.

1. A fish???

Yes fish. The boot screen for the new 8.1 has a fish instead of the Windows logo. Why is it so? May be because am using the preview version. But a fish....

2. The big and the little

There has been two new additions to the tile size along with the existing two. One which has the size of 4 normal size tiles and other with just 1/4th the size of a normal tile. Which is cool and a welcome addition. Not all application can take the large tile size.

Resizing the tile is another issue. If you use mouse then you have to right click on it then choose the tile size from the menu below rather than toggling between sizes. Since the tile can have four new standard size this makes good sense. What if you decides not to modify your start screen layout while customizing? Well then you either have to select the customize icon from the extreme right of click on an empty are on the screen TWICE.
Simply put why can't have the same option like windows phone to toggle icon sizes which could make more appealing and interesting rather than menu.

3. Swipe down for Application list

When you are in the start screen you will see a small arrow pointing down. On clicking this list of all apps will be listed. MS included a sort option which can save while searching for your favorite app.

4. Log in to Desktop

One of the commonly requested improvement was the option to boot n to the desktop rather than the start screen. If you don’t have shortcuts on your desk top to launch your favorite applications then this option is just another useless feature. Any way I this choice is now available in the task bar properties. To enable logging in to desktop, you have to follow the steps given below.

Right click on the Task bar

Select properties

Then choose the Navigations tab

Under start screen section check the Go to desk Top instead of Start when I sign in option

5. The return of start button but no Start Menu

It was a certain bet that the next release of windows will have the start button. When windows 8 came along it did not had this option, which is ok if you use it on a tablet. But with mouse you have to click on the left bottom corner of the task bar to reveal the start screen. In this 8.1, instead of this blind click you have one windows icon and that's it. Not the star menu. Frankly I did not want the start menu either.
There is something odd. Unlike other task bar icons this new windows icon is strangely different. When you hover over this you it gets an odd black back ground color and the windows logo animates with a blue light. Not very pleasing. To make things worse, the windows button can be traced in the start screen as well. More like an alternative to the Desktop tile and totally off-putting.
There should be an option to disable this start button. The option in the task bar properties for this is a bit confusing.

6. Unified search

Unified search is a place to find what ever you want no matter where ever it is. It's a cool addition and completely integrated in to bing and windows. The search results are displyed in a very visual manner. And everthing you need to do is right there. I totally dig this feature.

7. New Windows Store

The full windows store experience have been changed. In previous version the store was a bit dead and less than impressive. Now just like the stat screen the full experience has been changed with live sections and suggestion for specific for you. Search has been enhanced with instant search results to make your work fast. Impressive.

8. New Camera app interface

The camera app has gone the way of Windows phone 8 interface, with on screen option for toggling between camera and video mode. There is more, in the video mode you can take pictures by clicking or taping the interface.

And there is less. The option for adjusting resolution and other small options are gone. I have a life cam HD 5000 with me, and I installed the Life cam app from the store but it won’t integrate with the new camera app. Fail.
Along with this new camera app you get new Alarm app, voice recode app but I don’t see the message app that was available with windows 8. This means I have to install a forth party app to make Face book chat.

9. More Snap Views

I have my desktop set up at 1400 x 900 resolution. Previous windows version allowed only two type of snap views. Either 25:75 or 75:25. This time it's even more. You can re arrange the snap view between the existing ranges of 25-75 and also the most anticipated 50:50.

10. IE 11

The new version ships with IE 11. May be when it release to public a better build version may be available. There is no visible changes from IE 10. In the HTML 5 test it scored 355 points which is 35 more than IE10.

11 More PC settings Options on Modern UI

This new release has included more options to the modern UI. Which makes tweaking the settings to your personal preference easier.

Changes I want in the final release

1. Bring back My computer

That's right. 8.1 calls My computer as "This PC". This holds totally valid if you use multiple Windows PC/tablets at the same time, But should this sacrifice the personal touch of My Computer?

2. More start screen personalization options

An option to download more personalization options from windows store or website (just like new themes) could be helpful.

3. IE11 performance

Opening multiple tabs in IE has always been problem. IE11 bundled with this build has stopped responding 2 times in a session of 10 minutes. Some time I had to put the sites on compatibility mode to make them render correctly. This was a big issue from IE9 (which gives every web developer nightmare.)

4. No native Facebook app for PC

We had to settle with the people app to connect to FB. Whereas the windows phone has a native app for FB and so as android tablets. So why not for PCs?

5. Animation on more tiles

Even at largest tile size native weather tile animation is not interesting. It could circle between different information to make it interesting.

6. Different Icon set

The current icon set used in Windows 8 has not been under gone significant modification since Vista. There should be specific theme set which will include this icon pack making the desk top and explorer closer to the modern UI. I would also like to see a complete Modern file browser and control panel.

What are your impressions on the new Windows 8.1? Let me know.
download windows 8.1