Microsoft Announces Availability of Windows 8 Consumer Preview
Milestone lets users explore a re-imagined, no-compromises Windows experience.
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of the Windows 8 Consumer Preview -- the next milestone of the Windows operating system. This latest preview will be made available for download starting today at http://preview.windows.com. The Windows 8 Consumer Preview offers a more robust experience for testing the world's most popular operating system and is available to the widest range of people yet following the initial release of the Windows 8 Developer Preview late last year. The Developer Preview received more than 3 million downloads.
"With Windows 8, we reimagined the different ways people interact with their PC and how to make everything feel like a natural extension of the device, whether using a Windows 8 tablet, laptop or all-in-one," said Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft. "The Windows 8 Consumer Preview brings a no-compromises approach to using your PC."
At a Windows 8 Consumer Preview event in Barcelona that was attended by partners from Europe and around the world, the company shared some key new updates in the Windows 8 Consumer Preview:
-- Broad range of product changes and improvements. Since the Developer
Preview in September, designed to preview the programming platform,
Windows 8 has progressed across every dimension. From completing the
user experience for touch, keyboard and mouse to refining the
development platform, the Consumer Preview improves performance, quality
and reliability across all subsystems. With the added features, it
represents a more complete view of the capabilities of Windows 8.
-- Windows Store with new apps. The Windows 8 Consumer Preview marks the
beta opening of the Windows Store, which is filled with a variety of new
Metro style apps from both third-party developers and Microsoft. During
the Consumer Preview, these apps are available to try and experience at
no cost to users. The Windows Store will offer personalized
recommendations, and Windows 8 gives users the ability to take their
apps and settings with them across multiple PCs, making it easy to
discover and try new apps while offering developers the greatest
opportunity of any platform.
-- Connecting to the cloud across Windows-based PCs and Windows Phone. The
Windows 8 Consumer Preview offers seamless integration with the content
people care about across their devices. An optional additional sign-on
with a Microsoft account provides access to a host of features,
including the ability to roam all settings, use cloud storage,
communicate with email, calendar and contacts, and connect to a broad
range of services. Your connection to the cloud works across your
Windows-based PCs and your Windows Phones.
-- Internet Explorer 10 Platform Preview 5. The best way to experience the
Web on Windows is with Internet Explorer 10. The browser has been
re-imagined to create a new experience designed specifically for Windows
8 devices. It provides an edge-to-edge user interface that is all about
less browser and more Web. Fast and fluid, Internet Explorer is
hardware-accelerated to enable Web performance.
-- Preview of new hardware capabilities. At the event, Microsoft also
showcased Windows 8 running on a wide range of new x86- and ARM-based
reference hardware. This hardware will be available to select developers
for trial and testing as previously announced.
The Windows 8 Consumer Preview will be available worldwide for download in English, French, German, Japanese and simplified Chinese languages. More information about Windows 8 and how to download the Consumer Preview is available at http://preview.windows.com or http://windowsteamblog.com.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Some information relates to a prerelease product, which may be substantially modified before it is commercially released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here.