Windows 8 Preview

Microsoft Windows 8

Microsoft introduced the first official shots and test new versions of Windows 8. They make clear that Windows 8 is both radically different from previous versions of the platform, but it also carries its spirit. What are the most interesting innovations in Windows 8?


1. Interface. It is double. The first one looks like Windows 7, with only slight differences. The other, however, is made similarly to the Windows Phone 7 and it's called "Tiles". A tile is each icon that gives you access to various applications or functions and it's updated in real time. For instance, the plate for Outlook will display the sender and the title of the newly arrived messages.


2. Touch Optimization. Each element of Windows 8 is optimized for touch screen. Icons and menus are larger, more simple. Even the "Welcome" screen is very simple.


3. Windows Explorer. It is still present but with a completely different interface. Files again are displayed as tiles, but the functions themselves are the same.


4. Programs for Windows 8 will have two modes - a standard interface and Metro interface. Metro is the name of the new interface tiles, which are considered better for tablets. In addition, you will be able to "Snap" in two applications on one screen. For example, you can watch a movie, but leave a small bar off with updates from Twitter and Facebook.


5. The control panel also has undergone changes as well as Windows Task Manager. They are primarily visual.


6. Microsoft ensures that Windows 8 works much more efficiently than Windows 7, without compromising the vision. The company even proved it by presenting Windows 8 at a 3-year-old first-generation netbook. Windows 7 will feel very difficult to operate such a device, but not Windows 8.


7. Windows 8 runs significantly faster than other versions of Windows. The average PC or tablet will be able to boot in less than 10 seconds.


8. At the same time Windows 8 has full compatibility for all other Windows programs and devices.


Here are some of the great interface features:

- Fast launching of apps from a tile-based Start screen, which replaces the Windows Start menu with a customizable, scalable full-screen view of apps.

- Live tiles with notifications, showing always up-to-date information from your apps.

- Fluid, natural switching between running apps.

- Convenient ability to snap and resize an app to the side of the screen, so you can really multitask using the capabilities of Windows.

- Web-connected and Web-powered apps built using HTML5 and JavaScript that have access to the full power of the PC.

- Fully touch-optimized browsing, with all the power of hardware-accelerated Internet Explorer 10.


View the official Windows 8 preview video:

Sony Vaio C and E Series Get New Looks

Sony announced several new additions to its Vaio C-Series and E-Series laptops, updating them with new designs, colors, and a collection of productivity and entertainment features.


The Sony Vaio C-Series comes in 14- and 15.5-inches screen sizes, and adds neon red and electric blue to the list of colors available. The C-Series laptops come equipped with second-generation Intel Core i3 and i5 processors, with select models getting a big bump in graphics capability thanks to AMD Radeon HD graphics processors. Also added to the list of optional features are Blu-ray optical drives, Intel Core i5 processors, and Intel's Wireless Display technology. New C-Series models also come equipped with backlit keyboard for low-light typing, and an integrated HD webcam.


The Sony Vaio C-Series is available for pre-order now through Sony with a starting price of $730, with nationwide availability coming soon through major retailers.


Also getting a fresh set of new models and features is the Vaio E-Series. Available in 14-, 15.5-, and 17.3-inch form factors, the E-Series comes in several colors, with the 14- and 15.5-inch models available in midnight blue, glacier white, charcoal black, and blush pink. The 17.3-inch will be available in either charcoal black or platinum white. The new designs feature matching lids and palm rests with molded geometric textures and fingerprint-resistant finishes.


Like the Vaio C-Series, the E-Series has several configurations, with an abundance of optional features like wireless display, Blu-ray optical drive, and remote features the integrate with Sony Blu-ray players, Bravia TVs and the PlayStation 3. In addition to Intel second-generation processors, select models of the E-Series come equipped with an AMD E-350 processor with AMD Mobility Radeon HD6130 graphics processor. Both the C- and E-Series laptops feature three dedicated function buttons on the chassis that offer one-touch access to Sony's Web, media, and user assistance tools.