Only sites that are on the Compatibility View list will run Flash, but that does include YouTube and other popular video sharing sites like Vimeo. Microsoft is opting to support Adobe Flash, but only in limited cases. Internet Explorer 10 has been redesigned for touch
For Windows 8 to truly succeed on tablets, laptops, and desktop PCs, it needs developers to create functional and good-looking apps that work across a variety of display and input types. They are designed to be touch-friendly and full-screen, and they represent Microsoft’s riskiest bet in Windows 8. Known previously as Metro style apps, the new Windows 8-style apps are not compatible with previous versions of Windows and are available in a new Windows Store that Microsoft is curating. The biggest change in Windows 8 facilitates a new breed of apps. Windows 8-style apps and the Windows Store Unlike previous versions of Windows, the time and date are not displayed on the Start screen or while you use of any Windows 8-style applications - this can be incredibly frustrating if you spend a lot of time in the new Windows 8 UI. (The odd naming signifies the types of iconography you’d find on a charm bracelet.) The Charms also reveal important information such as the time and date, network status, and battery levels. If you’re using Windows 8 on a touchscreen device, swiping from the right will reveal the new Charms, a set of five icons that surface the most common tasks in Windows 8. There’s a steep learning curve here, from navigation to basic tasks like turning off your PC.
Navigating this new user interface is perhaps the most controversial aspect to Windows 8. Immediately, this unfamiliar interface already looks like it’s customized to you, with your friends’ faces ticking away on the People Live Tile and photos you’ve stored on SkyDrive or Facebook showing up automatically on the associated Live Tile. If your Microsoft account is linked to Facebook, your Facebook contacts will also appear in the People app and its associated tile. If you’ve configured a Microsoft account that uses or Hotmail, then you’ll notice that email, calendar, and contacts will automatically appear. The interface can be customized with backgrounds and colors for those wishing to dig deeper. There’s no Start button, no desktop - just rows of colorful, constantly changing tiles. Taking visual elements from Microsoft’s Windows Phone design, the Start screen is the first thing you’ll experience when you log in. Microsoft’s Windows 8 user interface, originally referred to as Metro-inspired - a nod to the company’s internal design language - is as stunning as it is surprising. You have the option to create a local account, but Microsoft encourages users to enter their email address or sign up online. It’s also used to provide access to Microsoft services like SkyDrive, Xbox Music, and the Windows Store. A Microsoft account (formerly Windows Live ID) acts as a gateway for synchronizing settings, like your browsing history or appearance preferences, across whatever Windows 8 PCs you use. One of the first choices is how you want to sign in to a Windows 8 PC. If you’re setting up Windows 8 for the first time you’ll be greeted with some familiar, but simplified, options. Microsoft is using an online installer to let users check compatibility with their systems and upgrade.
Typically, it will be available pre-installed on machines from stores and online outlets, but anyone with an older system running XP, Vista, or Windows 7 can also upgrade for $39.99. There are a variety of ways to purchase Windows 8. In fact, the boot process is so fast on new hardware that you barely see the redesigned Windows logo that greets you ahead of an entirely new OS. The boot process is surprisingly fast for Windows: gone are the days of staring at an ugly splash screen or waiting for Windows to apply computer settings before you can log in and progress with your day. The most striking changes to Microsoft’s new operating system are evident as soon as you first switch on a Windows 8 PC.