Windows 8 Upgrades Will Cost $39.99

     According to Microsoft, consumers looking to upgrade to Windows 8 (working title) will have the opportunity to do so at the reduced rate of $39.99 from Windows.com once it launches to the public. The discounted price is for PC users who have a computer running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 and will be available until January 31 2012. Those looking to purchase a computer between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013 will be able to upgrade for $14.99, a cost that Microsoft has traditionally waived in the past for consumers purchasing a PC so close to the release of a new OS. The price of upgrading has been reduced drastically from previous updates such as Windows 7 which cost $119 for the Home Premium version or $199 for Windows 7 Professional. But is Microsoft's new pricing strategy enough to bring their PC users over to the radically different interface?

     Microsoft has completely redesigned the Windows experience with an interface it calls Metro, a visually pleasing start screen that features a variety of rectangular tiles which provide updates and notifications depending on the application assigned to it. Metro is Microsoft's attempt to bring consistency to its PCs in much the same way that Apple has managed to with its products. The design of Metro is aimed predominately at touch screens; such as tablets, supported monitors and select laptops. Those familiar with Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 will instantly recognize the design and functions of the tiles in Metro because the smartphones use the same design.

The Metro Start Screen in the Windows 8 release preview. The tiles can be moved and customized to the users content.

     For those who aren't comfortable giving up the more traditional Windows experience you can easily leave Metro and return to the more familiar design with a simple click of the mouse. The new OS brings with it a number of features such as a redesigned lock screen that provides notifications for emails or instant messages as well as upcoming appointments. It also displays a background image which can be changed, WiFi strength and battery levels. Microsoft has also changed its Main Menu (which it now calls Charms). By clicking your mouse or dragging your finger from the right of the screen you are greeted with a number of options which include Search, Share, Home, Device, and Settings. 

The Windows 8 Lock Screen which displays useful information such as the time and battery levels.

     Microsoft has also included a feature that allows two apps to run side-by-side, a useful tool when watching a video on one app while using Twitter at the same time. Some of the apps that are featured in Windows 8 include news, People, music, Messaging, Internet Explorer, videos, Gallery, Maps, and the Xbox Companion. Those who are using an Xbox 360 will be pleased to know that the Companion app lets them stream media content, such as videos or music, from their PC to their console. Set up is also done automatically as long as your PC and Xbox 360 use the same WiFi connection. Apps will be available from the Windows Store, an upcoming digital market which will allow developers to create apps for Windows 8. New software from the store could be bought, downloaded for free, or run on a trial basis before costing consumers. The store will be the only way of distributing Metro-style applications to users as Microsoft tests and approves of all applications before they are presented to the public.

Windows 8 on display using the multiple monitor technology that Microsoft has improved for the new OS. 

     Internet Explorer will also see an update with the release of Windows 8 and will bring with it a number of changes in order to compete with the ever popular Google Chrome and Firefox browsers. The most significant change comes in the form of "Flip Ahead", a feature which predicts the page you most likely want to visit next. The feature is useful for reading related articles of a news story and is based on user activity and page data. Internet Explorer will also begin to support Flash content, however, because the version of Flash used in Metro is highly customized, websites will need to submit themselves for approval to be able to work with Windows 8. This means that not all sites will be supported.

     The requirements to run Windows 8 are purposely light so that Microsoft can bring as many PC users to the new OS as soon as possible. The hardware requirements are as follows: 

• 1 GHz or faster processor
• 1 GB of RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB of RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)

     By designing Windows 8 to run on computers that use Windows XP (Microsoft's most popular OS) the company is ensuring that minimal fragmentation takes place in the transition to its newest Windows version. This hope is also reflected in the new pricing strategy that Microsoft has adopted as well as the safe approach they're taking in blending the new (Metro) with the old. While Windows 8 seems to be optimized for touch screens, the company hasn't abandoned traditional input devices such as the keyboard or mouse. To learn tips to optimize the usage of Windows 8 with your keyboard and mouse read this story by Michael Muchmore from PC Magazine.

     If you're interested in using Windows 8 before it officially launches it's available here. Just remember that some of the features may not work because it's only a release preview and not the final version. To keep up to date with all of the developments in Windows 8 be sure to check out the official blog here. Also be sure to watch for the official launch date when Microsoft announces it in the near future.