The start button is back
Yes, much to the relief of the Windows lovers, the start button which disappeared in Windows 8 and created a lot of furor is back in Windows 8.1. However, it takes users to the Start screen rather than the Start menu.More of storage device
Another feature that users will love is lower footprint. Windows 8.1 takes up less space and leaves more room for users for storing purpose.Really Smart Search
Powered by Bing, searching in 8.1 reaches a new level. The search results are organized in a page that presents all the basic information including photos, maps and links. This is almost like having a buffet organized for you from which you just need to pick the items you want.Snap Apps
Being able to work with multiple applications is empowering and with Snap in Win 8.1 this becomes a reality. People with high-res monitors can work with multiple windows all open at the same time. You can even resize the windows with just a finger swipe.Lock screen
Gone are the days of having static image in lock screen. Win 8.1 allows to run slideshow in lock screen mode. Other than showing local images you can even include photos from Microsoft SkyDrive in the slideshow. Moreover, unlocking doesn’t require you to fiddle with passwords and wasting time. Answering a call on Skype or unlocking a camera will take much less time.Evolved Start Screen
With Win 8.0 MS started experimenting with the Start Screen and the 8.1 sees a much evolved version of it. You will find more colors and background options for the Start Screen. Some even have motions also. The desktop background and the Start Screen background can be the same too.This feature, though a minor one, can be a big game changer. The modern UI can be made to look like an extension of the platform itself and this will only make it UI friendlier.
Variations in tile sizes
Windows 8.1 includes a variety of tile sizes. Large and small tile sizes are important additions. Users can give names to group of tiles and rearrange them easily. For certain applications you can have double-sized tiles.Win 8.1 promises a clean and fresh Start Screen where you can resize, rearrange or even uninstall multiple apps at one go. Apps can be filtered by their names, date of installation and frequency of use or category. After installing new apps you can choose to pin it on the Start Screen by selecting it from the new category. A cleaner and more beautiful Start Screen is definitely a huge draw for Windows 8.1.
App enhancements
Windows 8.1 promises a lot of enhancements in terms of new apps. Although the Photos app will have new editing features, it will no longer support Flickr and Facebook.Interesting Windows Stores
Shopping for new apps will become easier with enhanced look of the Windows Stores.Features you may like
Apart from these features there are a few more that deserve mention. The SkyDrive is integrated in the OS of Win 8.1 and hence you can save your files directly in it. The files will be available even when you are offline.
The desktop Control Panel is no longer required as you can access your devices directly.
Internet Explorer 11 comes with Win 8.1 which promises faster page load and better touch performance.
With Windows 8.1, Microsoft aims to bridge the gap between old and the new. It aspires to bring together two worlds, the world of touch screen and that of desktops and laptops and present a unique computing experience to the users. While Win 8.0 was a baby step towards this vision, Windows 8.1 is a giant leap that will definitely take us to a new era of touch-friendly computing.
