Windows 8 Consumer Preview

     A day after its release, Microsoft tweeted that Windows 8 Consumer Preview have reached a million downloads.  Windows 8, the latest update to the Windows operating system, is to be officially unveiled in October 2012 but a consumer preview has been made available to the public since February 29, 2012.

What's New?

Several things:

• They made the familiar even better with your favorite Windows applications now with a brand new appeal and a fresher interface.
  
  

• You swipe, slide and zoom to select, rearrange and switch applications.  Newer ways of accessing and using your files, apps and services.  (Though the interface looks cooler, it does seem to have a very familiar look to it). 


• Windows 8 is natively connected to the cloud, which means that it is connected to the services and content on the web that a user cares about.  It also means that all your Windows files, apps and settings are updated across all your devices running Windows 8.  It promises better connectivity with your friends from across social networking sites as well as an easier way of sharing stuff with people and friends.

• If you have an active Internet connection, you can browse, buy and download apps from the Windows Store to make your Windows experience more fun.  You can also develop your own app from their free tools and samples.

• The new Internet Explorer expects to deliver a faster and fluid browsing experience with your entire screen dedicated to your browsing needs and navigation controls appear at the swipe of a finger.  It also promises better security and more privacy with their SmartScreen and Tracking Protection which will keep you safe from the latest online threats.

     Windows 8 is said to have been designed to run across a variety of PCs: tablets, laptops, and desktops.

System Requirements for Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Processor:  1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster
RAM:  1 GB (for 32-bit) or 2 GB (for 64-bit)
Hard disk space:  16 GB (for 32-bit) or 20 GB (for 64-bit)
Graphics card:  Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device or higher

Additional requirements to use certain features:

• To use touch, you need a tablet or a monitor that supports multi-touch.
• To access the Windows Store and to download and run apps, you need an active Internet connection and a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 768.
• To snap apps, you need a screen resolution of at least 1366 x 768.

Window 8 Consumer Preview Demo

     Here's Jensen Harris, Director of Program Management for Windows User Experience as he gives us an initial look to some of Windows 8's coolest features.

Some Advice

Microsoft strongly recommends that only experienced PC users download Windows 8 Consumer Preview.  There are many things to consider:

• Bugs are normal even with finished software, but the risk is higher with an unfinished software such as this Windows 8 Preview.
• Though it's cool to use features and latest update from a product that's not officially released to the public, there are stuff that you need to do like constantly updating your software, backing up your data and hard drive, troubleshooting PC problems, and reinstalling your whole system from scratch if something goes wrong.  So if you're not really comfortable with the risks, better wait for the official Windows 8 in October.

For some more Windows 8 Consumer Preview FAQs, click HERE.

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Download Links

     Now, if you're sure you can handle it and your hardware qualifies, here are the download links.  Enjoy!

Windows 8 64-bit (3.3GB) - DOWNLOAD HERE
Windows 8 32-bit (2.5GB) - DOWNLOAD HERE
Product Key:   DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J

Note: Once downloaded, you can burn the ISO image to a DVD or copy it to a flash drive.  Remember that Windows 8 Consumer Preview is a pre-release software and it is still subject for extensive modifications before it is made commercially available.  Some product features and functionality may require additional hardware or software.

*For an extensive understanding of this product, visit Microsoft.
*Videos were taken from YouTube.