Microsoft confirms Windows 8.1 features, announces Internet Explorer 11

The Internet rumor mill is buzzing with noise ever since Microsoft announced that it would release an update for Windows 8 this year. Windows Blue, or Windows 8.1, is not a service pack according to Microsoft but a feature upgrade for the operating system. Windows 8 has been heavily criticized ever since first public versions were made available by Microsoft for testing purposes.
Yesterday news leaked about a start menu button that Microsoft would add to the system again (after having removed it in Windows 8) and a desktop background that you could now also display on the operating system's start screen and not only the desktop.
Microsoft revealed additional details and information about Windows 8.1 on a new blog post on the official Windows blog today.
It is clear from the post that Microsoft will continue on the path that it has decided on. While this won't satisfy die hard critics of the operating system, it may please others who have not as many reservations. Microsoft confirmed that it listened to customer feedback and will introduce changes to the operating system as a response to the feedback.
The blog post covers seven areas. Below is a short summary of the changes and additions announced in the blog post.
1. Personalization
- Users can turn their PC or tablet into a picture frame by displaying a slide show of pictures on the lock screen using local or SkyDrive pictures.
- More colors and background will be offered, including some with motion.
- Desktop backgrounds can now be displayed as start screen backgrounds.
- The start screen will feature additional tile sizes, at least one large (double the size of a the largest tile size in Windows 8) and one smaller tile size (half the size of the smallest tile size in Windows 8) will be available.
- Multiple apps can now be selected at once to be resized, moved or uninstalled. It is also easier to name groups and rearrange tiles.
- A swipe from the bottom displays all apps and apps can now be filtered by name, date installed, use or category.
- New apps that you install are not automatically added to the start screen anymore. They appear under apps instead and are highlighted as new.
2. Search
- The built-in search will return global search results (powered by Bing).
- It features new quick actions, like playing music or videos, so that you can do so right from the results.
- You can now scroll to the left to access local files, apps and settings results.
- Microsoft compares it to a modern version of the Windows command line.
3. Apps and Windows Store
- All built-in apps will receive an overhaul in Windows 8.1.
- Microsoft will introduce new apps as well that it plans to introduce in future blog posts.
- New snap sizes will be made available so that you can for instance displays two apps next to each other with each app using 50% of the screen.
- The same app at the same time application limit is increased to three, so that you can display up to three apps at the same time in Windows 8.1
- Multiple windows of the same app can now be snapped together as well.
- Windows Store will feature an improved layout.
- App descriptions will offer more details and related apps will be shown here that you may be interested in as well.
- App updates install automatically in the background and through the store.
4. Cloud connectivity
- You can save files directly to SkyDrive in Windows 8.1.
- The SkyDrive app provides you with access to files on your device and in the cloud, and also features offline access to files.
- If you log in with your Microsoft account, personalization takes place automatically (settings, apps, and so on).
5. PC Settings
- Microsoft promises that the new PC Settings menu gives you access to all settings on the device so that you do not have to switch to the desktop control panel anymore.
6. Internet Explorer
- Internet Explorer 11 will launch with Windows 8.1.
- The browser will offer better touch performance, faster page load times and other new features.
- Options to adjust the appearance of the modern IE11 to always show the address bar and open an unlimited number of tabs.
- Tabs will be automatically synced across devices.
7. Mouse and Keyboard options
- Windows 8.1 will introduce improvements for mouse and keyboard users (non-touch devices).
- This includes the start menu button that leads directly to the start screen.
- Options to change what the four corner actions do.
- Options to boot into alternate screens and not necessarily to the start screen.
Verdict
The majority of improvements that Microsoft announced today improve how you work with Windows 8. While it changes some of the shortcomings and features that have been heavily criticized, it does not touch others at all. The new start button for instance does not really do anything that you cannot achieve with a tap on the Windows-key and is not what many users expected Microsoft to add.
It is interesting that Internet Explorer 11 will launch this year with Windows 8.1 as it usually takes Microsoft a lot longer to develop and publish a new version of the Internet browser.
Several features that Windows 8.1 introduces make a lot of sense. I'm particularly interested in the new tile sizes, the global wallpaper, better app handling and the Windows Store improvements that Microsoft has planned.
If you had hopes that Microsoft would restore the Windows 7 start menu then this is certainly disappointing news.
Advertisement
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help