Windows 8: A Few Neat Features

The new version of Microsoft Windows, Windows 8, only recently hit the market. And the tech press have already combed through the software. That’s great news for you: The editors at computing publications across the Internet have already given Windows 8 a test drive. And these editors are now publishing their findings online. It’s a great way for new users to learn the ins and outs of this new operating system. For example, InfoWorld writer J. Peter Bruzzese recently wrote about various nifty features of Windows 8. Here’s a glance at some of what Bruzzese found:

The charms bar

Windows 8 comes with a side navigation bar called the charms bar. It becomes visible on the right side of the screen when users click or swipe there. Once it’s visible, the bar allows users to take advantage of a variety of shortcuts. Users can click or tap the “Settings” option and then click “Power” to put their computer to sleep. The charms bar has settings for searching, sharing, and switching to the Windows 7 desktop.

Retrieving lost files

What’s worse than losing a file? Not much when it comes to computing. Fortunately, Windows 8 can help. The operating system comes with a new way of saving copies of files that lets users obtain previous versions if their current file is lost or damaged. This feature works in much the same way as does OS X’s Time Machine utility.

Windows on the go

This is a really cool feature if you are on the go but don’t want to take your whole computer with you. If you have the Enterprise Edition of Windows 8 you can put your entire Windows environment onto a USB drive and take it with you. You can then pull it up on another machine that is compatible with Windows 7 or 8.

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