Windows 8 has been most of the focus of Microsoft’s BUILD Developer’s Conference since the company is excited to allow developers some hands-on time with the new operating system. While the company has shown off a lot of information on Windows 8 tablet features, they haven’t forgotten about desktop or laptop users.
As far as laptops go, Windows 8 has a lot of new features that are sure to tickle the fancy of any Windows laptop enthusiast. Windows 8 now uses even less power than Windows 7, which is always good. Microsoft noted that the first release for Windows 7 used nearly 540 MB of memory. Windows 8 will use slightly more than half of that, about 281 MB.
The improved hardware of Windows 8 support includes a ton of additional features for people who, like me, tend to use more than one monitor at a time. These features include things like better taskbar handling, among other things. In addition to that, the new Reset feature helps eliminate one of the biggest issues laptops face, data left on a laptop after it is sold or donated.
Microsoft also showed off a new control panel designed for monitoring your laptop’s 3G or 4G data plan. This allows you to do this without using up your minutes if you are roaming. Other features that are built into the new OS include “tap to share”. This allows you to physically exchange data with other devices using NFC or built-in antennas.
Most of the other additions to Windows 8 apply to all devices, not just laptops. In the words of Windows President Stan Sinofsky, Windows 8 is a very “touch first” operating system. Even though Windows 8 may seem like an operating system designed with tablets in mind, there are still a ton of attractive features for those of you, like myself, who are excited to get Windows 8 on your laptop or desktop.
Source: PC World – Windows 8 Features for Laptop Users