Balmer Windows 8

Having bought a refurbished Thinkpad x120e just a couple of months ago, I became eligible for this great deal from Microsoft on their new operating system, Windows 8. The update only costs $14.99 for people who bought a computer with Windows 7 within a certain time frame. After the purchase, the install went smoothly. It took roughly two hours and told me all the steps as they happened.

I had seen previews of Windows 8 before I bought it and I wasn’t very impressed. To me it looked like an OS geared towards tablet and convertible PCs. However, my mind changed instantly once I purchased, downloaded and installed it. From the first time I tried the start screen, I instantly fell in love with it. I went to the app store and hooked up my start menu with a few apps I enjoy using including I Heart Radio, Netflix and USA Today. There are also an impressive lineup of games including a free Microsoft Solitaire suite and a solid lineup of XBOX games.

If the new ‘Metro’ start screen isn’t your thing, Windows 8 has a side to it that will remind you of the way Windows has looked from 1995 to 2012, minus the start menu. To get to that mode, simple click on the ‘desktop’ app or drag your mouse to the corner of the screen until you see the desktop icon pop up. Once there, you can access all the classic programs that don’t have an app. I see this as a way to easily transition Windows users to the new Start layout. I do however see Microsoft perhaps dropping support for the classic mode in a future version of Windows and making it strictly an app run operating system.

The reason I enjoy the new layout of the start menu so much is because of its user friendliness and ease of use. It’s just more fun to click on an app specifically designed for the program you’re opening rather than opening a program designed by Windows. Another thing I like is that the phone, tablet and computer version of Windows 8 looks similar. I am using Windows 8 on a non-touch laptop but I could imagine the experience being even better a tablet. Now I’m not going to go run out and start buying all Windows 8 gadgets anytime soon but I’m very curious to see how well Microsoft’s latest OS stacks up to Apple’s OSX/iOS and Google’s Android.

While trying to find a relevant video for his post, I came across the below video of the Window 8 release party in New York from Microsoft’s YouTube channel.