![]() ![]() In fact when you think of the clean lines and expanses of white empty space often found on the screen, it seems oddly similar in tone to Google’s most recent version of Android, mixed with the traditional minimalism of Apple. Even the symbols for loading or processing have been tweaked, with users now watching five little balls orbit around an invisible sun, or a coloured line stretching across the top of the screen until the job is completed.Īll of this looks, as the name aptly conveys, like a modern OS. Many of the Modern UI apps also have simplified layouts both visually and functionally, but we’ll cover that in more depth below. This is where the tablet-like nature of the new design begins to rear its head, and may cause those who have grown up using Windows a little confusion. Leaving this Start screen open while reading through a document on a second screen can be a hazardous affair as your eye is invariably drawn to the flashing and flickering of transfer rumours or the startling news that Dolphins are one of the most searched-for terms on the internet today.įor the more organised user, there’s the option to group the icons together in columns simply by dragging them into a new grid and then using the pinch gesture (or mouse wheel) to zoom out, clicking on the column and then naming it. The addition of images that accompany the constantly changing news makes the whole Start screen experience seem alive and interesting, even to the point of it actually being distracting. ![]() Several tiles are live, meaning that they update frequently to reveal the latest sports news, search trends on Bing, weather in your location, or news headlines, and the desktop app tile displays the current wallpaper that you use on the traditional Windows desktop. Large boxes form a multi-coloured grid that sits on top of a customisable background. We can see why the Start screen (effectively a replacement for the old Start Menu) is an interesting environment. To evaluate Windows 8, we used a Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 – a 13in ultraportable laptop whose screen folds back 360 degrees so it can also be used as a tablet – and for OS X, we sourced a 13in Macbook Air. In order to make this more manageable, we’re comparing the two operating systems as they arrive out of the box, with no third-party browsers, email clients, photo managers, or anything else installed. In this feature we’re going to compare both sides of Windows 8 against Mountain Lion. ![]() ![]() Since it isn’t possible to run older applications in the Modern UI, Microsoft has had no choice but to retain the traditional desktop environment, making Windows 8 an operating system of two halves. Finally, it’s possible to experience Windows 8 as Microsoft intended. We’re now seeing PCs manufactured specifically with the Modern UI in mind, featuring touch-screens, gesture-supporting touchpads, and even some unusual designs that enable laptops to transform into tablets. It’s certainly possible to use the Modern UI with a keyboard and mouse, but it can take more clicks to accomplish a task in Windows 8 than in previous versions. One of the problems Windows 8 has faced is being a touch-based OS often running on machines with only a keyboard and mouse for input. ![]()
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