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48 Hours with Windows 8

Microsoft’s new OS has been out for quite a while and ever since, people had been giving out mixed reactions. Today, we’ve decided to give you not a list of new features but instead, our experiences with Windows 8.

Touching vs. Clicking

First thing you’ll notice is the new Start screen. Love it or hate it, it’s there and it won’t go away. Some might argue that the Desktop is still accessible, but honestly, you’re going to end up using the Start screen more as the Desktop lost several functions.

With the taskbar barely available within the UI, you’ll immediately start thinking about how to work certain things – like shutting down, accessing applications, seeing options and multitasking.

The Charm Bar is found on the right side, while options usually come out on the top and bottom, while multitasking emerges in different ways.

It’s true that Windows 8 is designed for the touch, but to be honest, if we didn’t view any tutorials on how to use the new OS, we would be so lost in the touch interface. That’s where the traditional cursor and keyboard comes in.

We had an easier time learning Windows 8 with the help of a trackpad/mouse. Just by dragging the mouse to the four corners of the screen, we were able to find clues on how to work the system.

Sometimes, you wouldn’t even figure out that certain elements had certain options; you’d just find out through a right-click.

Windows 8 is full of gestures. You’re going to need as much as 2 days to master almost all the touch gestures. Some of these gestures work well with its cursor counterpart, but some just turns out to be inconvenient.

For example, once you are within the new UI, you’re going to have to drag the whole application from the top to bottom just to close it.

All these touch gestures have their counterparts, some might even have keyboard shortcuts – but surely it would take time for you to learn it all.

Fashion vs. Functionality

The operating system’s new UI looks beautiful, there’s no denying that. It’s elegant. It’s clean. It’s definitely a challenger to the Mac’s design.

However, that comes at a price. There are tons of wasted space to give way for Microsoft’s fashion statement.

The new tiles take too much space, especially if you’re using the keyboard and mouse. You’d be hovering through large buttons all the time. Ideal for touch, but not the other way around.

Also, there’s the multitasking feature. Windows wouldn’t be Windows without it. It looks clean but gone is the option to have more than two windows open.

The availability to switch apps easily is also quite a hassle. It’s there, but you need certain gestures to make it appear.

Microsoft’s Store isn’t well filled either. You’ll barely find apps that will take advantage of the new interface. It looks like some of you would be sticking to opening the desktop frequently.

Verdict

That’s it. There is so much to cover, but I’d wanted to give only a quick glimpse as I have never really went deep into Windows 8 before.

Windows 8 isn’t crappy. It isn’t that great either. It’s something like an hybrid; two strong ideas that can hardly work together.

I had this experience with the Samsung Series 5 Ultra, so I had the chance to witness the touchscreen and the trackpad’s role in Windows 8.

Microsoft did a good job with pushing manufacturers to produce hybrid computers; the problem is that they can’t push it to the consumers at lower prices.

We would not appreciate Windows 8 without the touchscreen, and we wouldn’t learn it as easily without the trackpad/mouse and the keyboard.

Truly, we have mixed emotions about Windows 8. Maybe it needs more time to mature. Have you tried Windows 8? What do you think? Hit or miss?

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Avatar for Bob Freking

Bob Freking occasionally contributes articles to the website. He is a UST Graduate of Commerce & Business Administration, Major in Marketing Management, and a full-time Sith Lord with three dragons.

46 Responses

  1. Avatar for von von says:

    you forgot boot time :)) although it may not really be that big of a deal, boot time changes a person’s perspective, it can make them feel that the pc’s run faster, less wait, definitely makes the OS more appealing :D

  2. Avatar for noside_143 noside_143 says:

    awesome start screen… i just like how tiles work… i’m also a windows phone user so the transition wasn’t that hard… i’m currently running WINDOWS 8 PRO with Media Center

  3. Avatar for Marife B. Jaway Marife B. Jaway says:

    i like the new edition windows 8

  4. Avatar for jcnjcjcnjc jcnjcjcnjc says:

    Fast and easy to use. Play it around for a day then you will learn most of the function without manual, tutorial or help.
    Definitely faster than W7 and XP. My old atom netbook runs like new!

  5. Avatar for wpkfol wpkfol says:

    My asus 1201n (3 year-old netbook) runs much faster on windows 8 compared when I was running it on windows 7 and xp.

    I’m so very happy with windows 8 :) It’s a hit!

  6. Avatar for Mica Mica says:

    I think people just need a more open mind to this OS. They also need to market it better. I mean, they are trying to get that Apple upscale branding but I think they’ve completely missed the market that they are actually catering to. We’ll see. I’m still hopeful!

  7. Avatar for edwaine edwaine says:

    Well guys its Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday already, they do have an update on their whitelists (for the flash player functionality of IE metro version) & also they do now release an update for Office 2013! So patch up guys!

  8. Avatar for daniel daniel says:

    been using Windows 8 Pro for 5 days already…

    – damn, it is too fast! 15 seconds boot!!!!!!!!!! 15 seconds shutdown!

    – MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL AND FASTER THAN WINDOWS 7.

    – Try to live without the traditional START button. what i hate about it is that… it consumes the whole screen when active… but now with the multitouch trackpad i have, im fine.

    – more informative Task manager… tells you how much GHZ you are using at the moment…

    – Apps and Desktop apps are different. Windows 8 now looks like an Android, WP8 etc… apps are like mobile apps… desktops programs are the one that you install pa :) tama ba?

    • Avatar for jayze jayze says:

      yup i totally agree
      i never installed Start Menu replacements since that is going backwards.
      Apps from the store is different with normal programs. it’s fun because you can use apps with great interface and many games are free like the ios/android counterparts

  9. Avatar for bobz bobz says:

    Since i bought the acer v5 w/ w8 pre installed and upgrade it to windows 8 pro so luving it… Awsome os….

  10. Avatar for jake jake says:

    hello po . this is out of topic but still related to phones… im planning to buy kc ng iphone5, and may kilala ako na nag ooffer ng 28k for ip5 na 32 gb from europe daw and it’s 28 k dahil direct from supplier…. is this possible? i hope someone can help me… thank you in advance

    • Avatar for stfu stfu says:

      stfu with your iCraps

    • Avatar for Luceran Luceran says:

      Pwede yan surely pero ang 29k caanot buy iphones that run win8rt kasi walang touch interface thats available with android gui taht manufacute bot nokia or apple. I can also get 29k amd another 21k so if your going to get 30k it will be iphone that run win 8.

      Btw off topic tinatanong mo thats the only answer your stupid question deserved.

    • Avatar for jake jake says:

      dahil sa mura na ang bayad sa internet cafe,,,, e2,,isang example ng walang pinag aralan,, kanto kanto lang ang pag uugali,,, ng comment… god bless…. sana tumagal pa buhay mo = p

  11. Avatar for rbb rbb says:

    one thing for sure, in every windows there’s a BSOD.

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