windows 8

Hewlett-Packard is offering decent Black Friday deals on some of its premier Windows 8 laptops. And the company has announced shipment dates for a couple of its newest touch-screen entries.

HP's Spectre and Spectre XT models are its top-of-the-line lappies. While just-announced Spectres got tiny discounts, a couple of not-so-recent entries are selling for $100 off today. … Read more

One of the most exciting things about Windows 8 is the emergence of convertible laptops. They can be tablets! They can be laptops! I've wanted this type of device for ages, and I've been exploring the possibilities.

Ever since I got a MacBook Air about two years ago, it's left me disappointed in one key area. I wish there were times I could just use it like a tablet. Soon after getting it, I abandoned taking an iPad around on trips. There was no need. The MacBook Air gave me the same instant-on access to the Web … Read more

We recently showed you how to pin your favorite Web sites to the Windows 8 Start screen. By default, the tile may use the site's favicon.ico file or just display the generic Internet Explorer icon. If you operate a Web site, that may not be good enough for you. Here's how to give your site visitors a high quality tile to pin on their Windows 8 Start screens:

Step 1: Go to the Microsoft site, http://www.buildmypinnedsite.com, then under the "See your site in Windows 8" section, enter the URL of your Web … Read more

You want a copy of Windows 8 Pro? Go ahead and download it -- Microsoft is giving the keys away for free.

According to VentureBeat, an interesting exploit on Microsoft's download page allows users to pick up a free copy of Windows 8 Pro -- directly from the website, and at no cost.

If you attempt to download the free Microsoft Windows Media Center upgrade, which is being offered until January 31, a strange side effect takes hold. Windows 8 Pro will be permanently activated.

For the pirates among us, this would provide a handy workaround for the tech … Read more

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was once asked what market research went into the creation of the iPad.

"None," Jobs replied, in one of his most celebrated quotes. "It's not the consumers' job to know what they want."

I was reminded of that when I read usability guru Jakob Nielsen's recent criticism of Windows 8. Having studied "12 experienced PC users" fiddling with the new operating system on both PCs and Microsoft's new Surface tablet, Nielsen found the usability "disappointing."

There is a litany of concerns, but the biggest seems … Read more

Windows 8 is a much higher priority for Microsoft than the Surface v. iPad battle, according to Reed Hastings.

Hastings, CEO of video-rental service Netflix, was on Microsoft's board until stepping down last month. In a meeting with Dow Jones reporters, Hastings reflected on the challenges facing Microsoft.

"They got a better set of competitors than they've ever had, in Google and Apple, on different sides," said during the meeting according to All Things Digital, which is owned by Dow Jones. "So they've got some big, interesting competitive battles... I use the Surface. It'… Read more

To help you get in the spirit of the holidays this season, Microsoft has released some new holiday theme packs for Windows 7 and Windows 8 systems. To install them, just download the theme packs, then double-click them. Here are some samples of the new themes:

Decking the Halls There are a total of 12 wallpapers in this theme, consisting of mostly beautiful ornaments.

Get it HERE.

Holiday Lights This theme has 17 wallpapers of decorative lights.

Get it HERE.

Snowmen The snowmen theme has seven wallpapers of snowmen in various poses.

Get it HERE.

Decorating the Trees This theme … Read more

Windows 8 mockups from two years ago show more or less the same interface found in the OS today.

The mockups from 2010 were revealed in a keynote demonstration given by Jensen Harris, a director of program management for Microsoft's Windows User Experience Team. Dubbed "The Story of Windows 8," the demo was given during a UX Week conference held by design firm Adaptive Path.

As displayed by blog site iStartedSomething.com, images of the mockups show that Microsoft certainly tweaked some of the look and feel of Windows 8. But the overall design of the OS … Read more

Windows 8 got pummeled today by analysts, who cited it as a major factor in tepid PC growth.

The launch of a new Microsoft operating system rarely, if ever, goes smoothly. But Windows 8 is having an especially bumpy takeoff.

The first reason Deutsche Bank listed today for cutting its PC estimates this quarter was a "lackluster initial uptake of Windows 8," in a research note from analyst Chris Whitmore.

After citing the impact of amorphous factors like "macro weakness" and the "fiscal cliff," Whitmore continues.