Windows 8 A short overview

Windows 8 : A Brief Overview

At last Windows 8 is here after couple of public beta versions. Microsoft Windows remain the most popular OS of the world for last two decades. In this version of windows Microsoft added a touchable interface which was never been a part of predecessor versions of Windows 8.

News Features and Improvements:

The new Windows 8 has come with many improvements to older versions of Windows and new features, like an improved Windows Explorer, better peripheral device discovery, easier backup-restore features, family  safety options, new lock screen, new start screen, windows store, an improved task manager and a built in antivirus with windows defender.

Getting Windows 8:

On 26^th October, Windows has made available for download from the website of Microsoft. A limited time offer (available until January 31, 2013) is available for upgrading older versions of windows to new Windows 8.  Those who bought their PCs after June 2 can upgrade to Windows 8 for only $15. Others using Windows XP, Vista or 7 can upgrade to Windows 8 for $39.99. It is also available for shipment for $69.99.

Upgrading From Older Versions of Windows:

For those who want to upgrade to Windows 8 from older version can start here. Click on Download Pro link. An Upgrade Assistant for Windows 8 will be downloaded which will examine your PC for the capability of upgrading to Windows 8 Pro. After this the Upgrade Assistant will walk user through the steps of purchasing, downloading and installing Windows 8.

Hardware Requirements:

• Processor: 1 GHz processor or faster (support for SSE2, NX and PAE)
• RAM: 2GB
• HDD Space: 20 GB
• Screen Resolution: 1366 x 768
• Graphics Processor: DirectX 9 processor with DDM dirver

Other Requirement:

• Mutitouch support needed to use touch.
• A Microsoft account is needed for some features to work.
• Separate playback software needed for playing DVDs.
• Windows Media Center license is not included in this package, it is sold separately.

Good news for windows lovers is that Microsoft has announced that more than 1000 devices including tablets and PCs will be available for Windows 8 soon.