The Metro UI act as Shortcuts to programs, and also contains some new and powerful Live Widgets. But in this article we will give you a complete review of the Metro UI, with its benefits and troubles.
Introduction to the new Metro User Interface
Taking a giant leap, in developing and designing windows, and making it more user friendly and easier to use, Microsoft launched its new Windows 8 with the new Metro Interface. Bright colored tiles, intelligently arranged over the Home Screen, to provide you with the shortcuts, for your Most used applications, has in a way helped us and made our tasks a bit easier.
Microsoft has already loaded its Window with powerful Live Widgets, as a part of this new Interface.
- Mail App shows few of your recent new mails in its icon.
- The Calendar App, shows the arriving calendar events.
- Photo App, keeps revolving images, showing different image out of your saved collection every time.
- Many more such Apps are available for your use.
Though the usage has become a bit trouble some, but Navigation has been made tremendously fast, and also the overall performance of the Windows is marginally good then its previous versions.
Also, The Metro UI comes with a "CHARM BAR" , which slides in from the side of the windows, when hovered by mouse. It is a set of 5 icons, Search, Sharing, Devices, Application Setting and Shortcut to Home Screen.
The Metro Interface is originally designed for Touch Screens, but is also available for non-Touch machines. Hence those finger tapping and sliding on the screen becomes a bit difficult using Mouse and Keyboard. You are also provided with an option to switch to the old interface, but the Applications in both the interface aren't linked in any way.
You need to customize the Apps in both the Interfaces of the Operating system separately. Basically, they work like separate Operating Systems on one machine.
You need to customize the Apps in both the Interfaces of the Operating system separately. Basically, they work like separate Operating Systems on one machine.
Annoying Features of Windows 8 Metro UI
1. The very First reason is quite clear, This interface is designed for the Touchscreen Machines, hence it becomes a bit difficult and troublesome while using it with Keyboard and Mouse.
2. Also the screen tiles, often disappears without warning, and for a new user it is quite difficult to customize and change the settings. (A new Window 8 user even tweeted, "It took me 10 minutes to find the button to turn my PC off").
3. Also the Metro Apps, are displayed in the Full screen mode always, wasting the valuable screen real estate. Full screen mode also makes it difficult to view 2 running applications at the same time in small windows side by side.
4. There's no way to shut the Metro Apps off.
5. Display in form of tiles, reduces the Information density. The amount of data displayed at once on the screen is less. For eg: the Music App, only 24 songs are displayed at a time in form of tiles, which is good for small collection but not an efficient way to scan a big library.
6. Transition from the new interface to the traditional desktop is awkward. ( Also, we miss the age old Start button.)
We are desperately searching for solutions, Softwares and Programs, to enable the Old interface and functions, in Windows 8 to make it more like the Windows 7 version of the Operating system.
We will keep you updated. If you have any query or any solution for the above annoying features , do let us know through your comments. We love hearing from you.
