Category Archives: Operating system

Nov 9 2012

8 worst Windows 8 irritations (and how to fix them)

Windows 8, I want to love you, but your annoying quirks keep bringing me down.

After spending more than a year conquering the operating system’s overhauled (and nonintuitive) interface in its various prerelease iterations, I’ve now entered a second stage of frustration: I find myself cursing at Windows 8′s major changes less and less, but shaking my fist and swearing like a sailor at its little irritations more and more.

Beyond its polished, tile-based surface, Microsoft’s new operating system plays host to a legion of smaller annoyances—a cornucopia of quirks that will leave you seething long after you get the hang of all the new gesture controls and schizophrenic system options. Some of the problems are whoppers. Others are mere nitpicks that result from a lifetime of traditional Windows use. But many of these problems can be fixed, with one major exception. Read on! Continue reading →

Nov 7 2012

Windows Phone 8: Everything you need to know (FAQ)

The first smartphones bearing Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 operating system are hitting store shelves this holiday season. CNET has even reviewed the Nokia Lumia 920 and the HTC Windows Phone 8X, the first two premium handsets with Microsoft’s next-generation smartphone OS. Yet those of you on the fence still have questions. Here’s what you’re asking. Continue reading →

Nov 3 2012

20 must-know Windows 8 tips and tricks

Windows 8 is rife with features and behaviors that conspire to perplex even the most experienced PC users. Not all of them are bad, per se, but few of them are immediately intuitive. Making matters worse, the OS was primarily designed for touch control, and as a result, many mouse and keyboard commands feel like tacked-on afterthoughts.But help is on the way.We’ve assembled a list of our favorite Windows 8 shortcuts, tricks, and workarounds. Many focus on making the most of the OS on a traditional desktop PC, so if you’re interested in touch gestures, please check out our article that focuses directly on the Windows 8 touch experience. Now let’s start our journey of discovery with a look at easy-to-use (though often tough to remember!) Windows 8 hotkey commands.

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Oct 29 2012

Maximize your first 30 minutes with Windows 8

You’ve successfully installed Windows 8. You’re staring at the Start screen, in all its flat-tiled glory, and it all seems completely alien based on your previous experience with Windows.

As with any new version of an operating system, your first half-hour is critical. You’ll want to learn the basics of navigation, how some important built-in applications work, and how to set up basic functions, including networking, backup, and user accounts. For this article, I’m going to assume that you now have Windows 8 running, and that you can see the Start screen and associated tiles. I’ll also assume that all the current drivers, including networking drivers, are properly installed.

First, let’s go over some basic navigation tips.

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Oct 29 2012

Master Windows 8 gesture

Windows 8 has a few new features (like the charms menu, the Start screen, and gesture commands) which may seem pointless or needlessly confusing at first blush. Experienced Windows users running a non-RT version of Windows 8 may be tempted to ignore these new features entirely in favor of working exclusively through the Desktop app.

That’s a reasonable sentiment, and it’s totally feasible because Windows 8 works equally well whether you stick exclusively to the new Windows 8 interface or the traditional Windows desktop. But Windows 8 really shines when you learn to use the charms and gestures to quickly swap back and forth between the Start screen and the desktop, multitasking and sharing data between new Windows 8 apps and your trusty desktop software.

Before you can do that, you need to get comfortable taking your hands off the keyboard. After a few weeks working and playing with Windows I’m starting to learn how the new control scheme, designed to work equally well on desktops, laptops and tablets, can help you work faster and more efficiently if you take a little time to learn and integrate it into your workflow. With that in mind I’ve put together a brief guide to helping you get more done in less time on your desktop or tablet by mastering Windows 8 touch controls and their keyboard/mouse equivalents.

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