[sc:windows-category ]Microsoft made a lot of announcements at build a few weeks ago and Windows was front and center.
Windows 8.1 Update
The first update to 8.1 is a pretty tame affair all things considered. They’re all great little touches that will make life easier for traditional desktop users.
It is already available so you should be able to get it easily enough and there’s no real reason not to.
Windows is Free?
There were rumors floating around that Microsoft was working on a free version of Windows, but I don’t think anyone expected them to announce it so soon.
Windows, both standard and phone will be “free” on devices with displays less than 9 inches. This is a big move and it should see small form factor devices running Windows drop in price.
It will also let Microsoft compete more directly with Google and Chrome/Android.
The Future
Microsoft has been fighting a PR battle over Windows 8 since it made such a radical change from 7. Now they’re giving some hints as to where they’re going, including:
- A new start menu, including live tiles.
- The ability to run Modern apps on the desktop.
- A single application that can run across all versions of Windows, from Phone to Xbox.
These are major steps and it’s interesting to see Microsoft go on the offensive.
Perhaps the new CEO is having a major impact already, we’ll have to see what comes next to know for sure.
