Microsoft Windows 8.1 update will be released this week. For those of you on Windows 8, you’ll want to download the free update. Here is why:
1. Start Button — Yes, most everyone I know misses the start button. Clicking the button will bring you back to your last menu, while a right-click will reveal more traditional options. So, it’s back, but for most of us, we will need to right click to get what we want. For touch screen users, it also can be accessed with a long press.
2. Boot to the desktop — Windows 8 was built for touch screens but most of us still use Windows 8 as our primary desktop where touch screens are either novel or not available. Click on the desktop, right-click anywhere on the taskbar, select “Properties” and click the “Navigation” tab. Check the box labeled “Go to the desktop instead of Start when I sign in” under the Start screen options.
3. Better tile sizes — Tiles in Windows 8 were either large or small. Now a right-click, or long touch, on a specific tile will give you the ability to unpin it from the screen, uninstall the program, resize it, or turn the Live Tile off. Clicking the “Resize” option will allow you to alter the icon’s size to large, wide, medium or small.
As usual, Microsoft does a poor job of providing useful information on the update.The Windows 8.1 download will be available Oct. 18. — It’s been well-tested, so move forward if you are on Windows 8.
For most businesses, I recommend staying with Windows 7 until Windows 9 (or equivalent) is available. Other than touch support and improved stability, Windows 8 is not a necessary upgrade for Windows 7 users. If you are still on XP, it is time to upgrade. It’s hard to believe, but some businesses still have Windows XP as their primary desktop (Geiger is 100 percent Windows 7 except for a few people using Windows 8).
Side Note: I love using my touch screen with Windows 8 while traveling. So if you are in the market for a new laptop, be sure to get one with a touch screen. I love my Lenovo Yoga; however, it is an ultra book and Ultra books have no VGA input (HDMI only) or Ethernet input (Wi-Fi only) so when traveling I’m forced to carry a few extra adapters, but it is light and thin and very reliable.
Geiger CIO Dale Denham, MAS+ provides practical insights on how you can benefit from technology in no nonsense terms. Follow him on Twitter: @GeigerCIO.
