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Windows 8 represents Microsoft’s most significant change in operating system design since the introduction of the Microsoft Windows® 95 operating system. Therefore, Windows 8 contains more than 300 new features. The following section highlights some of the most important features and changes:
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Start screen. The Start screen represents a significant shift in the way users find and interact with applications and information in Windows 8. The Start Screen is tile-based, and its configurable tiles can display live information and provide an interactive hub experience for users. With its touch- friendly layout, it is significantly different from the Start button interface that has been implemented in Windows since Windows 95.
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Cloud integration. Windows 8 provides increased integration with cloud-based services and information. Users signing in to a Windows 8 desktop computer can connect to the information and settings instantly that are important to them. Windows 8 ensures a consistent user experience across any computer, regardless of the computer’s location.
• Reset and refresh your PC. By using Reset and Refresh, users and IT staff can return a computer to a specific default state, or recover
Windows 8 from errors or corrupt operating system files:
o Reset your PC removes all personal data, apps, and settings from the PC, and reinstalls Windows.
o Refresh your PC keeps all personal data, desktop-style apps, and other important settings, and reinstalls Windows, retaining the
user experience and user data.
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Windows To Go. Windows To Go enables you to supply a fully functioning copy of Windows 8 that can start and run from a universal serial bus (USB) storage device. When users boot from a Windows To Go-enabled USB device, they get a complete Windows 8 experience, along with all of their applications, files, and settings.
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Remote Desktop Services. Windows 8 now includes Remote Desktop Services (RDS) capability, which enables multiple users to connect remotely to the same computing infrastructure, each in an isolated session. You can use Windows 8 in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) scenarios to provide robust and universal access to Windows 8 desktops.
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Hyper-V. Hyper-V® on Windows 8 provides a flexible and high-performing client virtualization environment. You can take advantage of this environment to test applications and IT scenarios in multiple operating system configurations, by using a single computer. By using Hyper-V, IT departments can provide a consolidated and efficient virtual environment through virtual machine compatibility with Windows Server 2012.
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Support for multiple form factors. Windows 8 is the first Windows operating system to provide support for both the x86 and the ARM platform. Windows 8 runs on PCs, as well as tablets and similar devices, providing more ubiquitous access to the Windows 8 environment for users.
