Windows 8 - Its It Your Choice?

Windows 8 New Release Just Came Out. A Lot

Of People Are Wondering If Its For Them. Well In

This Article We Break Down The Two Differences 

And What Windows 8 Has To Bring To You And

Your Computer. 

Windows 8 began selling on Friday, Oct. 26. Now that the latest version of Windows is on the market, is it time for you to upgrade?

Have you decided if you will upgrade yet, or are you interested in a new Windows 8 PC or tablet? Microsoft has been preparing the marketplace with advertising and TV commercials. Now that it's here, the advertising is likely to increase heavily. Here are some important things you should be clear about before making a purchase.

First and foremost, Windows 8 is a dramatic departure from previous versions of Windows. Some may view this as a good thing and some may not. The look and feel of your computer has become a very personal thing, and technology enthusiasts are likely to embrace the challenge of a completely redesigned operating environment. Those who do not like change may wind up loathing the new interface. Only time will tell. Because the user experience has changed so significantly, I'm beginning to develop an impression that Windows 8 will be far more of a consumer product than a business product, but as I just said, only time will tell.

So why do I say this? Let's first look at the current landscape. Windows 7 has become a familiar desktop operating environment that both businesses and consumers have come to rely on.

We all know how to navigate our Windows Desktop and the Start Menu to find our files and programs.

Windows 8 introduces a new desktop environment called the Metro Interface, which is a tiled interface characterized by numerous square tiles across what has been the traditional Windows Desktop.

The Desktop still exists, but it is accessed from a tile and once there, the Start Menu is no more — the tiled interface is your new start menu, if you will.

This fundamental change is likely to cause some anxiety among those who are quite comfortable with the traditional Windows Desktop.

The other significant change is that there are now two very different versions of Windows 8. Windows 8 RT is a somewhat limited version of Windows 8 that will run on Microsoft's new Surface tablets.

You are likely seeing a lot of advertising for these new Surface tablets this weekend, as this will be the first major Windows 8 hardware and software device to hit the market.

While the Surface tablets run Windows 8, it's very important that you understand they are running Windows 8 RT, which is not the same as Windows 8. Windows 8 RT will not run traditional Windows applications.

You will not be able to install Microsoft Office or QuickBooks on Windows 8 RT, as an example. All apps for Windows 8 RT will have to be purchased from the new Windows Store, no differently than how iPad applications have to be purchased from the iTunes store.

However, just because an app is in the Windows Store, does not necessarily mean it will run on a Windows 8 RT Surface tablet.

You will have to make absolutely certain that the app will run on Windows 8 RT. There will be a version of Microsoft Office for Windows 8 RT, however, it will not be ready for a few more months.

Surface tablets will initially come with preview versions of the software.

There will be a Windows 8 version of the Surface, called the Surface Pro Tablet, which will run Windows 8 and any Windows application, so if you intend to get a Surface tablet to run Microsoft Office and QuickBooks, you will have to wait until January when the Surface Pro is set to release.

The Surface tablets available with Windows 8 RT today will not do what you want.

This is where things are not as clear as I would have liked to see, especially for business customers.

Windows 8 presents such a dramatic change that I don't see many businesses wanting to adopt the new operating system until sufficient time passes to allow the manufacturers of critical business systems software to test their applications on the new operating system and resolve any issues that may exist.

Fortunately, when it comes to things like printers and other peripherals, all the devices that work with Windows 7 are supposed to seamlessly work with Windows 8, as the drivers are all compatible.

This has been a major hassle in prior introductions of new operating systems, as the software drivers that control the interaction with the hardware had to be completely re-written and there were lots of compatibility issues.

We should not have to confront that issue this time, however, on the pure software side, the new Metro user interface will require software companies to redevelop their software to support this new operating environment.

Windows 8 is likely to be a success, but the adoption in the business world will almost certainly trail that of the consumer space. The focus on touch technology, at this point, is not as widely used in the workplace as it is at home. If you're thinking about new computers that may come with Windows 8, a new Surface tablet or an upgrade to your existing computer, be sure you do your research or consult with an expert to help you make informed decisions that you will be pleased with.

Apple's iPad Mini - Has Microsoft And Amazon Scrambling

Despite it's higher-than-expected price of $329, the debut of Apple's new smaller iPad, the iPad mini, this week looks to have created the kind of frenzy the company is famous for. Apple has already sold out of the white ipad mini during the pre-order period, and now the company is readying a 4G LTE version of the tablet for release on Nov. 21, according to tech blog 9to5Mac.

A report in the Apple-centric blog indicates Apple may start shipping iPad Mini tablets with 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless connectivity sooner than expected, arriving to customers on Nov. 21 with expedited shipping. The LTE-ready version starts at $459, while the WiFi-only iPad Mini starts at $329.

While Apple itself hasn't commented, it's possible the early sell-out of the devices was due to issues with the iPad mini's display panel. An NPD DisplaySearch report by Senior Analyst Richard Shim, said that although Apple is expanding its partner base for the iPad Mini, issues with the display panel would limit initial shipments.

Either way, the iPad mini is already off to an impressive start, and if analysts' predictions for the device are correct, this is the start of even bigger sales figures to come. According to research firm IHS, the iPad Mini could help the 7-inch tablet market double in size in 2012 and 2013. IHS noted that the report's projections were conservative figures that could be affected not only by demand for a smaller Apple tablet, but how well Apple would be able to meet demand.

Tech site Eweek also notes that, "Expected high demand for the Apple tablets in Asia could also drive sales to extraordinary levels."

The debut of Apple's iPad mini has left Amazon and Microsoft both scrambling to make cases for its tablets, in many cases by disparaging Apple's new tablet.

According to The Unofficial Apple Weblog, Amazon reportedly e-mailed a select group of customers a survey about the iPad Mini, shortly after its announcement this week.

The highly technical questionnaire, which is similar to surveys the company has sent on other topics in the past, asks customers to rate how Amazon's $199 7-inch Kindle Fire HD stacks up next to 7.9-inch tablet Apple unveiled Oct. 23.

"The new iPad Mini screen has a resolution of 1,024 by 768, corresponding to 163 pixels per inch," the questionnaire says. "If another device offered a detail of 216 pixels per inch, how would you rate it compared to the iPad Mini?" The comparison is a reference to the Kindle Fire HD - which offers just that resolution - according to The Unofficial Apple Weblog, which published Amazon's questionnaire.

"It looks like Amazon is trying to figure out if customers want an iPad," says Rishi Shah, a marketing consultant and blogger.

The questionnaire tries to gauge how the Kindle matches up against the new competition, he says, and even offers a $5 Amazon gift card as a reward for returning it.

There's nothing "clandestine" about such market research, says consumer advocate Edgar Dworksy. "Maybe they want to get a sense of new features that would be of the most interest," he says.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos also spent a good amount of time on a quarterly earnings call Oct. 25 comparing the Kindle's specs to those of the iPad mini, which suggests Amazon is very anxious about Apple's new smaller tablet and wracking its brain to come up with a solution, says Peter Hildick-Smith, president of market researcher Codex Group. "Amazon is clearly concerned about its growing, direct competition with the world's most highly valued company," he says.

Amazon's consternation with Apple's iPad mini could be a sign Amazon knows its fighting a losing battle in terms of the higher-end tablet market, studies suggest.

The iPad Mini has many advantages over other 7-inch $199 tablets, according to a report this week by JP Morgan analyst Mark Moskowtiz. The larger screen size, faster iO6 software and "look-and-feel" give it an edge over cheaper rivals, the report says. Since the price gap is also closing between the Kindle and the iPad, "Amazon is gearing up for a features war," says tech expert and blogger Jakob Nielsen.

Microsoft has been more brazen and direct in taking shots at Apple's iPad Mini. President of Windows and Windows Live, Steven Sinofsky said that Microsoft and its PC-making partners have found a way to deliver modern computing at a price far less than Apple.

He noted that there are full-featured Windows 8 laptops that sell for $279. "These are fantastic machines," Sinofsky said at the Oct. 25 launch of Windows 8 and the Surface tablet. At the iPad mini's price you can get a computer good enough to last a student through college, he said.

"It's $279," he said referring to some Windows 8 laptops. "Here we are, talking about seven-inch recreational tablets for $329."

Sinofsky said he is very pleased with the range of computers produced by the likes of Acer, Lenovo and Dell. He emphasized that there are numerous thin, light, touch-screen Ultrabooks that sell for hundreds less than Apple's $999 MacBook Air.

"It's not just discounting," Sinofsky said. "It's engineering work that drives the cost down."

iPad Mini Specs

You'll be able to get an iPad Mini Wi-Fi model in three memory configurations starting on November 2: $329 for 16GB, $429 for 32GB, and $529 for 64GB. Two weeks later on November 16, we'll see Wi-Fi + 4G models hit the shelves at $459 for 16GB, $559 for 32GB, and $659 for 64GB.

The 1,024x768-pixel resolution matches that of the iPad 2, but on a 7.9-inch display. "This definitely isn't Retina Display, but it's better-than-iPad-2 display. Videos look excellent, and the IPS screen has great wide-viewing angles," said CNET.

Includes a front-facing 720p-capable FaceTime camera, and a 5-megapixel back camera, and also supports 4G LTE, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi at 5.2Ghz, Bluetooth 4.0, and will use Apple's Lightning connector, first seen on the iPhone 5.

Apple claims that the Mini has a 10-hour battery life.