It has been over a year now since Microsoft introduced the world to their new desktop operating system, and to say the industry has mixed opinions about it would be an understatement. Even though Microsoft included brand new features and support for USB 3.0, NFC and cloud computing services, the public and the office professionals still had their doubts.
Microsoft were now competing with the likes of Android and Apple iOS because they had chosen to totally redesign their user interface to improve the user experience on tablets. They included a brand new start screen which displays programs in the form of gridded tiles and also the Windows Store which allowed users to purchase apps similar to that of Apple's App Store and Google Play.
With the initial release of Windows 8 the familiar Start menu had disappeared, a feature which had been with Microsoft since Windows 95. Users who had grown up with Windows did not take to this very well, so Microsoft brought it back much to the delight of many users.
Windows 8.1 Taskbar with Start Button
With Windows 8 came the Windows App Store which gave you the ability to download and purchase applications. Initially only 5 devices were able to be registered which allowed devices to share their apps with other devices using the same login. With the new update, 81 devices can now share their apps, not that Microsoft expect people to own 81 devices but this number being a quick nod to the update that introduced it.
Also with the 8.1 update comes the ability to sync with cloud based storage in the form of Onedrive (formally Skydrive). When you sign-in with a Microsoft account, Onedrive is setup as your default storage location but can be changed if necessary. Files are synced with local storage so they can be accessed offline also with the ability to change individual folders and files.
When Windows 8 was first released users did notice there was the lack of guidance and help functions especially considering Microsoft was rolling out a new interface consisting of Charm bars and Live tiles. Now when you log into the OS you are presented with pop-ups explaining the new UI features and those wishing to navigate the new Windows can use the useful built-in Help + Tips app.
Support for Wi-Fi Direct which allows two devices to connect without having to join an office hotspot or home wireless network, Windows 8.1 devices can now connect to Wi-Fi Direct printers without adding additional drivers or software. More and more devices are being released with this feature giving greater flexibility of new technologies with Windows 8.1. For enterprise environments, NFC (Near Field Communication) tap-to-pair printing has been included which allows users to simply tap their NFC tagged printer without having to know details of printer drivers and location.
Browsing the Internet has become more perilous these days, so Windows 8.1 comes with the new Internet Explorer 11 brimming with a new GUI and tighter security features for enterprise environments. Internet Explorer 11 has increased anti-malware capabilities to scan ActiveX and other binary extensions to prevent malware and other harmful code.
To view other features and improvements, you can visit Microsoft Technet or contact Celerity Limited to discuss your requirements.
Gary Eckman, Technical Consultant, Celerity Limited
- to read this article on Celerity's website please visit www.celerity-uk.com or click here.
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