Review of the Windows Eight - Essay Example

Product Review-Windows 8 Those who keep pace with time survive and thrive but those who cocoon in the past or holdon to their glories too much are forgotten by time. Microsoft Company is considered one of the biggest companies in the world. They enjoyed monopoly in computer software for many years. But they also had to obey the rules of following trends and adapting. The company launched their Windows 8 operating system late but just in time to keep in the race. Microsofts Windows 8 software offers its unique pros and cons. It would be unfair to judge the software based solely on its merits, without considering the context. It was truly the eighth official development of Microsofts operating system (OS). The company changed the entire look of the software. With the latest cell phone and tablet operating systems it was only inevitable to modify desktop and laptop computer OS. In fact, there are some fantastic laptops that allow touchscreen. So the interface becomes truly user-friendly. Upon touching, an object on the screen opens just like it opens in a smartphone or a tablet. Therefore, this combination of software and hardware improvement merges between the two devices, which was probably the objective of launching Windows 8. If the company had not opted for this upgrade, its devices and software would have become obsolete. It would have been suicidal for their market share. The rivals, Apple and Google, would have taken over the market. Microsoft launched Windows 8 at a time when other softwares were doing well, especially in the smart phone niche. It was about time when Microsoft stepped into the smart phone industry. They also made a wise move of launching Windows 8 in collaboration with the Nokia smart phones. Even though, Windows 8 has not truly dominated the market yet but they have indeed taken the necessary step in the right direction that the company was in dire need. One downside to the software is the users have become habitual of using the old interface from Microsofts previous Windows versions. For a new user, the 8th version of Windows seems entirely different and confusing. Especially for a person who has not used any smartphone technology before, where one can easily swipe screens up and down and truly interact with the environment. Windows 8 interface is similar to the interface of a smartphone. Microsoft also had the advantage of packing their other software such as Microsoft Office with their Windows products. The majority of users are prone to using Microsoft office software for their office work and managing documents. The company enjoyed a monopoly in document management softwares. It would not be inaccurate to consider that a lot of people bought Windows 8 to access those MS Office softwares. A product review would be incomplete if there are no set standard for comparison. There has to be a particular rating system or a set of score-sheet to evaluate the product. This system provides concrete template to compare other products. For instance, one can examine another software according to the same criterion. But right now one needs to look at what Windows 8 offers and how it is different from other products. Speed If the user is operating the software on the right device then, it is very fast and smooth Security It offers a huge security upgrade from its predecessors Battery and power consumption. It gives a lot faster booting time compared to its previous versions Touchscreen ability As stated before, it is devised especially for touchscreen capability Drawbacks The famous start menu is not available in the software. One needs to download the software to install it artificially. The users that were habitual of using this button miss it. People who do not have a touchscreen interface in their hardware would feel its need. Some of the older CPUs will not even pick up this new software. So some users have to upgrade their machine only to operate Windows 8. Windows 8 marks a fundamental change the way its previous operating systems used to work. The next upgrades such as Windows 8.1 and Windows 8.1 Pro are only improvements in Windows 8. But Windows 8 itself is an enormous shift from Microsoft’s old pattern. Touchscreen oriented devices such as tablets and smartphones can use this operating system with great ease. People who are attuned to using old software for Microsoft (Windows 7, XP etc.) would undoubtedly feel the need to practice with the new software. So, it is also a disadvantage for the new learners. Microsoft claims to have sold over a hundred million license for Windows 8 which is nearly as good as Windows 7 version. Windows 8 Look1 From a personal angle, the greatest improvement in Windows 8 is its improvement in Microsoft Office (version 2013). There is great interactivity interconnectivity along with other users and across all the devices. It is as easy as ABC to share documents and other data across all devices through the network. The backup facilities are also provided through Window’s cloud services so that no data is lost. With the recent trends in the blogs and social websites it was only inevitable for Microsoft to revamp and modify their Windows and Microsoft Office software so they could better serve people and acquire their market share. The previous Microsoft Office versions could not be used on devices without Windows 8 operating system. Now, with other collaboration software it is possible to use Microsoft Office on other devices that dont even run on Windows. However, it is always recommended to use original softwares along with their devices or operating systems. This might be helpful from all perspectives; the user gets to run the software without glitches and it also helps the companies to sustain their market share. There is a rationing theory in marketing. The selling and marketing methodology works in such a way that the sale of one product leads to the sale of another, or the sale of one product boosts other product sales. All in all, launch of Windows 8 was a great move for Microsoft Inc. They came in late in the run for smartphone domination, but they have stepped in with powerful authority. It was about time they had launched a new software that could be used on smart phones and tablets. If they had delayed it any longer the company would have suffered unprecedented and possibly irrecoverable short and long-term losses. References Branscombe, Mary, and Dan Grabham. "Windows 8 Review Our Definitive Look at the Latest Version of Windows." Techradar. N.p., Mar. 2014. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. Read More