Looking to breathe life into Windows, Microsoft shows off 8.1 update with Start Menu

2456

Comments

  • Reply 21 of 118
    cykzcykz Posts: 81member
    It seems to me that Microsoft is starting a steep decline in Windows sales. More and more business applications are running directly in the browser (agnostic) and may only require Windows at the server level. The current trend is still going AnyDevice.

    My guess is that Microsoft will lose the Windows stronghold within 5 years, but will regain strength with cloud applications when SharePoint and Office 365 will become mature and usefull on all operating systems. They should have started offering offline content editing for all platforms by now. The rest is done in the webbrowser and mobile apps.
    Let's not forget that MS can still execute on strategy (yes, sometimes poorly) with a lot of cash at hand.
  • Reply 22 of 118
    steven n.steven n. Posts: 1,229member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by zroger73 View Post



    "It [the Samsung Ultrabook] blows away a MacBook Retina", huh? In what respect - the number of pixels on a spec sheet? 99% of the population can't distinguish individual pixels in a Retina display as it is - let alone an even higher resolution. Seems like a waste of processing power to me. Marketing gimmick.


    Don't forget the 74% (if I remember from the press release) sRGB gamut on the Samsung VS the near 100% sRGB on the MacBook Pro. Slightly sharper display much worse color.


     


    Oh, and one of them is actually shipping.

  • Reply 23 of 118
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    steven n. wrote: »
    Oh, and one of them is actually shipping.

    That's a silly thing to say, it's not like it's phantom-ware. It will ship soon. That's like going to a HP Z820 Workstation forum and saying at least it's actually shipping when talking about the new Mac Pro.
  • Reply 24 of 118
    don108don108 Posts: 79member
    The preview add makes Win8.1 both look way too busy and provide far too little information in order to put in more images.

    And why are they using the bass and drums from a bad version of The Knack's 1979 song, "My Sharona?"
  • Reply 25 of 118
    gmhutgmhut Posts: 242member
    Windows 8 is the best windows ever.

    ...like saying, "that deuce my cat just pinched off is the best cat turd ever."
  • Reply 26 of 118
    paulmjohnsonpaulmjohnson Posts: 1,380member


    I see the Metro interface in screenshots and videos and think, "that looks pretty neat".


     


    Then I actually use it and think, "that's a piece of shit".


     


    I think the problem is (and you see it in the ads for the tablets), Microsofts got it in their heads that were all ultra cool, urban hipsters who incorporate dancing with our tablets in meetings, and obviously want to constantly change our desktop look and feel to show how hip and individual we are.




    Unfortunately for them, most of us aren't hip and individual, and like our desktop interface to just be nice and clean with things spaced out sensibly.  So we can get stuff done, other than dancing.

  • Reply 27 of 118
    irelandireland Posts: 17,799member


    Possibly the most disorientating video I've ever tried to watch.

  • Reply 28 of 118
    irelandireland Posts: 17,799member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Povilas View Post



    I wonder if it's possible to make something more convoluted than this.


     


    I'd say it would require some work. **** me that video was so bad I'm even surprised.

  • Reply 29 of 118
    irelandireland Posts: 17,799member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Relic View Post





    Well until I can have a tablet with OSX on it to run desktop apps I'll settle with Windows 8.1.


     


    Why would you want that? For a desktop OS and laptop is far far far far far.... superior.

  • Reply 30 of 118
    drblankdrblank Posts: 3,385member


    600 Million Windows 8 devices sold?  Huh?   They only have 100 Million WIndows 8 users. 

  • Reply 31 of 118
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 4,014member
    Sometimes old is just old. Doesn't mean it's bad, just been around so long people see it differently compared to what's perceived as new. No matter how many facelifts you give Zsa-Zsa, she's still old. Windows Whatever is still Windows. Apple was smart in not making its mobile OS another cat. iOS is seen as the fresh face.
  • Reply 32 of 118
    jollypauljollypaul Posts: 328member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by zroger73 View Post



    "It [the Samsung Ultrabook] blows away a MacBook Retina", huh? In what respect - the number of pixels on a spec sheet? 99% of the population can't distinguish individual pixels in a Retina display as it is - let alone an even higher resolution. Seems like a waste of processing power to me. Marketing gimmick.


     


    Samsung's new ultrabook does what everyone had hoped the just refreshed Macbook Air would do, so that is a better comparison. We will have to wait another year to see if Apple can catch up to where Samsung is now.

  • Reply 33 of 118
    mhiklmhikl Posts: 471member
    "The changes represent possibly the biggest about-face in the history of the software giant . . " says Kevin.

    Now is not the time for subtlety, now is the time of grand statements. Unfortunately, I am lost for words.
  • Reply 34 of 118
    rednivalrednival Posts: 331member


    Wow, and Apple forum on an Apple blog with a bunch of people who hate Windows.  Shocked....image


     


    Seriously though, I've used Windows 8 more now and it's awkward.  I had to keep hitting the Windows key and Windows key+D to get back to places where I knew what I am doing.  I was actually a pretty big fan of Windows 7, but as a recent convert to Mac, Windows 8 feels foreign.  I've already had to transition from Mac to Windows and I believe that was an easier task than transitioning from Windows 7 to Windows 8.


     


    Honestly, I have no idea what they were thinking with Windows 8.  


     


    I'd like to get my hands on this to see if it feels better to a Windows 7 user on a mouse and keyboard.  If it doesn't feel more natural though, just giving me back a button isn't much help.  Honestly, the bottom left hand corner had been updated to trigger almost exactly what this seems to be adding, there just wasn't a button.  I hope there's more substance.

  • Reply 35 of 118
    freediverxfreediverx Posts: 1,424member


    "Literally Hundreds of Millions…"

    "This Year"


     


    Marking my calendar for the hilarity sure to ensue in 12 months.

     

  • Reply 36 of 118
    freediverxfreediverx Posts: 1,424member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by zroger73 View Post



    "It [the Samsung Ultrabook] blows away a MacBook Retina", huh? In what respect - the number of pixels on a spec sheet? 99% of the population can't distinguish individual pixels in a Retina display as it is - let alone an even higher resolution. Seems like a waste of processing power to me.



    Marketing gimmick.




    "Marketing gimmicks" = Microsoft core values

  • Reply 37 of 118
    cyniccynic Posts: 124member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JollyPaul View Post


     


    Samsung's new ultrabook does what everyone had hoped the just refreshed Macbook Air would do, so that is a better comparison. We will have to wait another year to see if Apple can catch up to where Samsung is now.



     


    Not sure I understand this line of thought.


     


    While there certainly are some interesting competitors that actually come up with interesting ideas, Samsung is certainly none of them. There is absolutely no catching up to do whatsoever, except if that sentiments means going cheap. Samsung has not innovated anything, but only ever copied, stolen and incremented spec sheets with a twist of seemingly innovative features that turned out nothing more than useless gimmicks.

  • Reply 38 of 118
    freediverxfreediverx Posts: 1,424member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ddawson100 View Post


    This is Microsoft's game to lose. They do have a compelling ecosystem, have great support, and develop good programs to train armies of support techs/engineers. They stumble but recover. Their migration to Office 365 and Azure are widely praised. 


     


    Few individuals have to buy Windows directly and most will just use what comes on their new PCs or what the IT department gives them. (Even if they bring their own they're likely logging onto a Windows network or connecting to a Microsoft mail server). Microsoft is going to be able to recover from the really poor migration to Windows 8 with revenue intact.


     


    Anyway, Windows 8.1 isn't going to correct all the mistakes of Windows 8 but IMO they really don't have to. They really, really should but they don't have to.


     


    Edit: grammar



     


    That's all good and well, but that's not where the future lies. Consumers are rapidly shifting their focus to tablets and smartphones for much of the activity they used to do on desktop PCs. Microsoft is quite weak in these areas.

  • Reply 39 of 118
    cyniccynic Posts: 124member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by freediverx View Post


     


    That's all good and well, but that's not where the future lies. Consumers are rapidly shifting their focus to tablets and smartphones for much of the activity they used to do on desktop PCs. Microsoft is quite weak in these areas.



     


    I agree. The fact that Microsoft seems to think that all Consumers only ever used PCs for Office only adds to this.

  • Reply 40 of 118
    freediverxfreediverx Posts: 1,424member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JollyPaul View Post


     


    Samsung's new ultrabook does what everyone had hoped the just refreshed Macbook Air would do, so that is a better comparison. We will have to wait another year to see if Apple can catch up to where Samsung is now.



     


    I think you forgot the /s

Sign In or Register to comment.