Microsoft Windows 8

On February 29, 2012 Microsoft will launch a Customer Preview of its new Operating System, Windows 8. The Customer Preview, commonly called a Beta, is a pre-release product aimed to let Windows users test and learn the operating system before the release of the retail version, scheduled for late 2012. The OS has been driving lots of interest and businesses are eager to get their hands it. But the big question is, what features does it have that will help my business?

Windows To Go Windows To Go is a new feature aimed specifically at businesses. It will allow Windows 8 to be placed onto a USB drive and run from the USB on any computer with a USB port. This is great for Small Businesses as they will be able to save costs, and managers and employees will be able to use the OS anywhere.

No need to update your hardware It seems, to many businesses’ dismay, that whenever a new OS is released the hardware to run it needs to be upgraded. This can be costly, especially with the rate that new OSs are released. With Windows 8, users will not need to update their hardware if they have systems that can run Windows 7. This should bring about great cost savings to any business that wants to upgrade.

Cross Platform Integration with Mobile Phones and Tablets Windows 8 will run on tablets and phones, allowing for users to choose and use the system that works best for them. What this means is that Windows 8 on a tablet, phone, computer will look the same and be able to run or share the same programs, making cross platform integration easy.

Sync to the cloud Microsoft recently released their take on cloud integration, SkyDrive, which will work as a single drive for all Windows devices. Users will have all their files in one place and will be able to access them from any Windows device.

These features will be a great help for businesses, but businesses eager to join the Customer Preview should be aware that this Windows 8 will only be a beta and is not the finished product as such, there will be bugs and some software incompatibilities. If you would like to know upgrade, or know more about Windows 8 and other Microsoft programs please contact us.