The Windows 8.1 Update w/ New Features & Apps

The jump from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 may not seem big but you'll be surprised to see loads of new features, apps, and UI tweaks. Much like Apple's OS X for Macs, Microsoft is also trying to bridge the gap between Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 with the Windows 8.1 update.

The first major change that Windows 8.1 brings is the return of the Start button. The Start button is fixed to the upper-left corner of the screen. Click on it and you'll get the modern Start Screen. There is also the addition of Motion Accents, which are basically live backgrounds that move as you scroll through tiles. With the Windows 8.1 update, you can now do more with the lock screen as well. You have the option of running a slideshow on your lock screen, with photos coming from various places, like your PC and SkyDrive. You can also accept Skype video and voice calls from the lock screen.

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With Windows 8.1, you also get two additional tile sizes for the Start Screen: large (about the equivalent of two of our medium ones) and small (a quarter of a regular one). You also get the option to let apps automatically appear on the Start Screen after you install them.

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When it comes to multi-tasking, depending on the resolution of your screen, you can add more windows to your screen. Microsoft says it partially comes down to how many horizontal pixels you have and how many 500-pixel-wide windows it'll accommodate. The problem is, even if you have a high-res screen, a high dpi rating can keep you from adding as many windows as you might like. Even if you are stuck with just two windows, though, you at least have more flexibility in how you actually arrange them. Whereas before you were forced into an 80/20 split, now you can do 50/50, 60/40. Also, Windows 8.1 has multi-monitor support, so even if you can only manage two windows on your laptop screen, you can view a totally different set of apps on your secondary display.

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Search works differently in Windows 8.1. Search results come not just from settings, apps and files, but from the web as well. You can even play music from the search results, so long as you search for an artist or album already in your Xbox Music collection. Depending on what you search for, you'll get a so-called Search Hero, an app-like layout with results that include photos, web results and deep links to apps you may already have installed, like Maps or Wikipedia. It looks stunning and offers all the information you might need.

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There are changes to the on-screen keyboard as well. First, when you see pop-up spelling suggestions, you can swipe from side to side on the space bar to cycle through them, and then you can tap the space bar when you've highlighted the one you want. In any case, this gesture works like a charm, even on the first try, and it comes with a pleasing sound effect to match, so that you get a little audio feedback. SkyDrive is much more deeply integrated in Windows 8.1 too. The SkyDrive app auto-refreshes with new files, even if you uploaded new material from another device. Even if you don't have SkyDrive open, it'll still stay up to date with the latest files and versions.

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Windows Store has received a big facelift too in Windows 8.1, with popular charts like "Top paid" visible on the main screen, and categories accessible by swiping down from the top of the screen. In general, Microsoft has attempted to flatten the design, with pertinent info like stars and the number of reviews visible even on the main page. Open a download page and you'll see everything laid out from left to right: reviews, star ratings, recent reviews, a description of the app and more technical details like supported processors. Microsoft has also added a recommendation engine so that whatever app you're looking at, you'll see similar picks promoted alongside it.

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As for first-party applications, there is the addition of Reading List, and changes in Xbox Music and Video, IE 11, Camera, Photos, Health & Fitness, Food & Drink, Alarms, Sound Recorder, Calculator, etc. Microsoft has added a Read It Later-type feature and it works much as you'd expect too: once you've opened a web page, just swipe out the Share charm, and select "Reading List." With Xbox Music, the new Xbox Radio feature creates playlists based on suggested artists and albums. The Music app has been redesigned so that it's generally easier to get at your music collection. The left-hand pane has tabs for Collection, Radio and Explore too. Xbox Video, meanwhile, can send video to the Xbox One, with the Xbox One picking up right where you left off.

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As for Internet Explorer 11, the Metro version now supports an unlimited number of tabs, which roam to your other devices. Also, the tabs now sit at the bottom of the screen, just above the URL bar. There are also changes in the Camera app. The biggest addition here is a panorama capture feature. There are new editing tools in the Photos app as well. Whereas this application used to be more of a viewing library than anything else, it now has a host of editing options, including temperature, tint, saturation, contrast, brightness, highlights, shadows and basic fixes like rotating, cropping and red-eye removal. You can also apply artsy effects, including vignette and selective focus. The showstopper, though, is a feature called Color Enhance, which lets you alter the color on a specific part of the picture.

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There's really much more to Windows 8.1 that the things I've mentioned above. And it's for you to try and find out. To wrap up, some of the changes that Windows 8.1 brings to the table include a common wallpaper option, boot-to-desktop, deeper search, more windowing options, a redesigned Windows Store and a new Reading List app. By the way, Windows 8.1 update is available to download for free at the Windows Store.

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Til then...

xoxo Nash