Advertisement

Windows 8 launches with a bang, but will users get it?

It's finally official: The newest Windows operating system, Windows 8, is now available, and Microsoft is ready to crow about it.

Microsoft kicked off the launch with a live webcast by CEO Steve Balmer in Seattle, Washington, eagerly extolling the virtues of the new operating system to a crowd of tech journalists.

"Windows 8 will help you do everything, and it will make it fun to do nothing," Balmer told the crowd.

And if it lives up to the promise, Microsoft may have found that perfect balance between being able to work hard and play hard.

That is, if everyone can figure out how it works.

[ Related: Microsoft builds momentum ahead of massive Windows 8 launch ]

During today's launch, Balmer detailed some of the key software additions and improvements to the new operating system. There's the integrated Bing search built into Windows 8, along with the Bing Apps designed to consolidate the best News, Finance, Weather, Sports and other specialized content from around the web. There's an improved Skype interface, which Balmer says is designed to be "always on." Windows 8 will also coincide with the launch of Outlook.com, the mail client designed to work online as well as in the operating system, as well as Internet Explorer 10.

In addition, there is also an attempt to improve interconnectivity between Windows 8 devices. SkyDrive, the new cloud storage system, lets users sync saved documents and media across all of their Windows devices (including Windows 8 tablets and the upcoming Windows Phone 8, which we'll learn more about on Monday). Balmer also touted that Windows 8 will be a better option for its corporate Enterprise customers, who he claims have said that Windows 8 will "better let them do what they need to do." For all users, their Microsoft Account will sync between devices, and for those who own an Xbox 360, they can sync their Windows 8 PC with the gaming console via SmartGlass to watch movies stored on the PC.

But the biggest change users will likely notice is in the user interface. The new Modern UI mimics the tiled look of the Windows Phone interface, which is excellent for tablet and phone users but might trip up many who are using the new OS on a traditional desktop. Various reports of user groups testing the new interface only to get confused have already begun to surface.

A survey of 14 people by CNET reported that the new look, while attractive, "comes with a huge learning overhead." Users quickly got confused by emails, unsure of which text fields were editable. They couldn't figure out how to open Internet Explorer, and thought they'd lost open apps since they were unfamiliar with where to find them now that the bottom task bar is gone.

[ Related: Why Microsoft removed the Start button from Windows 8 ]

Elsewhere online, videos have begun popping up of people trying out Windows 8 for the first time, and it isn't always positive. People are shown being unsure where to find apps they are looking for, how to navigate back to the home screen, and how to shut down the computer. Most of all, users seem to be upset about the lack of Start button.

Despite the learning curve, it's likely that many users will be able to adapt in order to capitalize on many of Windows 8's new features, including Charms — context-sensitive options available on all Windows 8 apps, replacing the File menu in many cases — or all of those new apps now running in full screen.

Windows 8 is available tomorrow as the pre-installed OS on many new PCs, as a $14.99 upgrade to Windows 7 on a new PC purchase or $39.99 for a full new install.