Windows 8 Review

Microsoft has finally released its game-changing operating system, Windows 8. This is the biggest change to the Windows OS since the launch of Windows 95. We've already spent a lot of time using Windows 8, so keep reading to find out what we think of Microsoft's latest operating system in this Windows 8 review - it's the only Windows 8 review you need.

Windows 8 launched on the 26th October and, as usual with Microsoft operating systems - apart from a few exceptions - will be the operating system on all new PCs and laptops. It's also available on tablets, starting with Microsoft's own Surface and, Windows Phone 8 is now available smartphones. In this Windows 8 review we cover everything except Windows Phone 8, which isn't yet available to test.

Windows 8: All change please

You're probably familiar with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 since you use at least one or more of them on a daily basis. Although improvements have been made over the years, they're fundamentally the same as Windows 95. It doesn't take too much effort to switch between any of these versions, even though options have moved around a little.

With Windows 8, things change radically. The desktop, as you know it, is relegated to the side-lines to make way for the new so-called Modern UI (User Interface). This interface is designed to be used with touchscreens as well as with a mouse and keyboard, and requires programs to be written specially for it.

These Windows apps are downloaded via the new Windows Store, or from app developers' websites. The Windows Store is similar to Apple's App Store and Google's Play store. As of the October 26 launch date, there will be relatively few apps there, but the number will grow quickly as more and more people begin using Windows 8. Currently, many are free, and a small number cost a couple of pounds. Again, this is likely to change, so don't expect programs which cost, say £100 now, to be any cheaper when the Windows 8 app is released. 

You can still run programs written for older versions of Windows, but this is possible only on PCs and laptops: Windows 8 tablets (at least those which have ARM processors and run Windows 8 RT) won't have the traditional Windows desktop at all.

When you've entered your password (there's also the option of a picture password), you're taken to the new Start screen, which Microsoft is now calling the Modern UI (formerly, but no longer, Metro). This is best thought of as a full-screen Start menu, since there's no longer any such menu, even on the traditional desktop.

It's at this point which many people will feel lost, but as with any new interface, it takes only a few minutes to gain your bearings and figure out where things are and how to accomplish tasks.

In fact, the Start screen is well designed and conveys much more information that it first appears. Some of the 'tiles' display live information, so you can see the current weather, for example, without launching the Weather app. Similarly, you can see the latest news headlines, emails and share prices and much more without as much as a single tap or click.

If you'd like things to be arranged differently, just tap (or click) on a tile and drag it to a new position. Everything else will rearrange around it, and some tiles can be shrunk or enlarged, making it easier to find the apps you use most.

As you install apps, new tiles are created, and you can also add tiles as shortcuts to programs already installed, including those that run on the traditional desktop. When there are too many to display on screen, you have to scroll right to see more. Alternatively, you can pinch to zoom out, then scroll and zoom in when you see the tile you want.

Those without a touchscreen can hold Ctrl and roll their mouse wheel to zoom in and out, while laptop owners without a scroll area or gesture support can use the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl, + or Ctrl, -. It's well worth learning the keyboard shortcuts for getting around Windows 8 as this is the only way to be as fast as if you had a touchscreen.

In the zoomed-out view, you can click on a group of tiles to select it and move it to a new position. Right-clicking on it (or dragging down on a touchscreen) gives the option to name it - the name then appears above the group. In the zoomed-in view, you can drag a tile between groups to create a new group.

When using the interface with a standard scroll mouse, the scroll wheel will default to horizontal scrolling until you click on a vertical pane of information, such as a list of emails or on a web page. Then it switches to scrolling vertically. It means you can get around the Modern UI without too much hassle, and without needing to buy any new hardware such as Microsoft's Touch Mouse.

There's no getting away from the fact that, as Microsoft freely admits, touch is a first-class citizen in Windows 8 and it's not as quick or pleasant to use it with a basic mouse and keyboard. Keyboard shortcuts, as we've said, are the next best thing.

Keyboard shortcuts for Windows 8

Windows key + Q: Search. This opens the search charm, set to whichever app you're currently using. You can quickly switch to a files search with Windows+F, or settings with Windows+W.
Windows+C: Open the Charms bar
Windows+H: Share charm
Windows+I: Settings charm
Windows+Z: Displays the app bar. This gives contextual options in each app.
Windows+X: opens the admin menu, which appears where the Start menu used to be.
Windows+D: Shows the traditional desktop. Press again to minimise all desktop windows.
Windows+L: Locks your computer and displays the Lock screen.
Alt+F4: Close current app. Also, you can use your mouse to click at the top of an app and drag it to the bottom of the screen.