Microsoft is releasing its long-awaited Windows
8.1 upgrade as a free download this week. It
addresses some of the gripes people have had
with Windows 8, the dramatically different
operating system that attempts to bridge the
divide between tablets and PCs.
Windows 8.1 still features the dual worlds that
Windows 8 created when it came out last
October. On one hand, it features a touch-enabled
tile interface resembling what's found in tablet
computers. On the other, there's the old desktop
mode where the keyboard and mouse still reign.
The update adds some new finger- and gesture-
friendly shortcuts for touch-based apps, while
restoring some respect for the desktop mode that
a billion PC users have become accustomed to.
The Window 8.1 update is free for current owners
of Windows 8. Check out the new features in
Windows 8.1
Start button
The Start button is back in desktop mode,
although not the way it was before Windows 8
came along. In Windows 7 and before, a click on
Start would have brought up programs and
important folders in a list. Now, one tap on Start
flips you back to the new tile interface, where you
can click or tap tiles to open programs. A long
press brings up crucial settings such as the
Control Panel.
Boot to Desktop
You can now start up the machine in desktop
mode, bypassing the tiles for a short time. That
removes some of the headache for companies
that want to use Windows 8 but don't want to
buy a touch-screen monitor for every employee.
Onscreen keyboard swipes
The onscreen keyboard now includes the ability to
type numbers or punctuation marks by swiping
up or away from certain keys on the standard
"QWERTY" layout, eliminating the need to toggle
between numeric and alphabetic layouts. You can
also select from suggested words mid-stream
using side swipes and taps on the virtual
spacebar.
Gesture-enabled apps
You can now wave in the air in front of the front-
facing camera to get a response. For example, in
the new app Bing Food & Drink, a right-to-left
wave in "Hands Free Mode" flips through pages of
a recipe.
Quicker tile organising
You can tap and hold Windows tiles with your
finger to move them. Another couple taps will
allow you to resize them in one of four sizes. In
the previous version, you had to go back to the
mouse or touchpad and right-click on tiles to do
this, and you were limited to two sizes.
Easier apps access
Finding all your apps takes just a swipe up on
your start screen, as long as you don't do it from
beyond the bottom edge. Before, you had to swipe
up from the bottom edge, then tap on the All
Apps button.
Automatic updates
Apps update in the background, replacing the
constant reminders to go to the Windows Store to
update the apps yourself.
Smaller tablets
Windows 8.1 now has a home screen that looks
good in portrait mode on screens measuring 7
inches to 8 inches diagonally
Lock screen access
You can now answer Skype calls or take photos
from the lock screen without having to log in.
Just swipe down. You can also set other apps like
Twitter to send notifications when the screen is
locked.
8.1 upgrade as a free download this week. It
addresses some of the gripes people have had
with Windows 8, the dramatically different
operating system that attempts to bridge the
divide between tablets and PCs.
Windows 8.1 still features the dual worlds that
Windows 8 created when it came out last
October. On one hand, it features a touch-enabled
tile interface resembling what's found in tablet
computers. On the other, there's the old desktop
mode where the keyboard and mouse still reign.
The update adds some new finger- and gesture-
friendly shortcuts for touch-based apps, while
restoring some respect for the desktop mode that
a billion PC users have become accustomed to.
The Window 8.1 update is free for current owners
of Windows 8. Check out the new features in
Windows 8.1
Start button
The Start button is back in desktop mode,
although not the way it was before Windows 8
came along. In Windows 7 and before, a click on
Start would have brought up programs and
important folders in a list. Now, one tap on Start
flips you back to the new tile interface, where you
can click or tap tiles to open programs. A long
press brings up crucial settings such as the
Control Panel.
Boot to Desktop
You can now start up the machine in desktop
mode, bypassing the tiles for a short time. That
removes some of the headache for companies
that want to use Windows 8 but don't want to
buy a touch-screen monitor for every employee.
Onscreen keyboard swipes
The onscreen keyboard now includes the ability to
type numbers or punctuation marks by swiping
up or away from certain keys on the standard
"QWERTY" layout, eliminating the need to toggle
between numeric and alphabetic layouts. You can
also select from suggested words mid-stream
using side swipes and taps on the virtual
spacebar.
Gesture-enabled apps
You can now wave in the air in front of the front-
facing camera to get a response. For example, in
the new app Bing Food & Drink, a right-to-left
wave in "Hands Free Mode" flips through pages of
a recipe.
Quicker tile organising
You can tap and hold Windows tiles with your
finger to move them. Another couple taps will
allow you to resize them in one of four sizes. In
the previous version, you had to go back to the
mouse or touchpad and right-click on tiles to do
this, and you were limited to two sizes.
Easier apps access
Finding all your apps takes just a swipe up on
your start screen, as long as you don't do it from
beyond the bottom edge. Before, you had to swipe
up from the bottom edge, then tap on the All
Apps button.
Automatic updates
Apps update in the background, replacing the
constant reminders to go to the Windows Store to
update the apps yourself.
Smaller tablets
Windows 8.1 now has a home screen that looks
good in portrait mode on screens measuring 7
inches to 8 inches diagonally
Lock screen access
You can now answer Skype calls or take photos
from the lock screen without having to log in.
Just swipe down. You can also set other apps like
Twitter to send notifications when the screen is
locked.
