Windows 8 is being called “revolutionary” because of its whole-hearted embrace of the future. Not only are log-in times breaking records, but the sync feature is seamlessly integrated into the system. Microsoft’s newest Windows edition is aggressively forward-thinking, and it makes a bold statement for the future of Windows PCs.
The new installation process is simple, especially if you’ve chosen to upgrade from Windows 7 for $40. For $40, you get a full Windows 8 installation, and all you need to do is drop in the license key, wait, and reboot. Your computer will never be the same afterwards, even though much of the data you currently have stored will be saved so you don’t need to back it up (just in case, you should anyway).
Windows 8 works mainly off an “app” system, much like the system we are familiar with when it comes to our smartphones. Though you can still install programs like you can on any other version of Windows, you can download applications that make Internet browsing and using a computer easier overall. For example, there is an Evernote app, a Twitter app, and even a Wikipedia app.
When you boot up your computer after Windows 8 has been installed, you are brought to a screen that has apps on one side and your basic desktop and menu icons on the other. You can zoom, flip, and navigate the menu the same way you navigate inside an app, giving Windows 8 a fluid and smooth “together” feel.
When you have a need to visit your desktop or you’re just feeling nostalgic, there’s an app for that – simply click on the block that says “desktop” and you are instantly transported to a Windows 7-esque Desktop window. You can return to your app menu or any other menu at any time, however, by simply hovering at the top of your screen.
Though Windows 8 has one of the steepest learning curves of any advancement of the last decade, and at times it can be unintuitive and complicated, it’s a brave, well-thought out step forward for the PC market.