Windows 8 RTM Stock App Previews


Recommended Posts

Nice! Finally a good way to browse local music in the music app. Noticed "Xbox smartglass' when i connected the companion app to the xbox today.

Isn't that pretty much how it is in RP? :/ Note how "my music" is still not the main landing page. :crazy:

  • Like 1

I'm shocked by this because when Windows 8 was still in beta apologists kept saying "Wait until the product is finished". Now Windows 8 hit RTM people still aren't allowed to criticize the over-simplicity of the build-in apps?

It's like criticizing notepad for not being like word at this point. If they get more advanced features great but it doesn't seem like it. Now you can find another app that might do more or go back to the desktop, they're valid choices. Besides, I was being general about metro apps and not specific to the built in ones. It seems like regardless though, people have defaulted to the thinking that they're all going to be simple.

How is it the best of both worlds if you have to decide for each task which 'side of the OS' to choose?!

What? You're always deciding what to use for a specific task, if one app doesn't do it for you you use another one, if I need to make some simple changes to an image compared to advanced editing jobs I'm not going to start photoshop. It's the same idea, it's the best of both worlds because you have the choice between what works best depending on the task/situation from the get go instead of being forced into doing it one way or the other.

Nice way to spin things, you work in PR btw?

It's what you said. Then you even go on saying it's unlikely they'll ever become more advanced. In fact, you don't limit what you're saying to the build-in apps, rather Metro in general. The last sentence of your post being in contradiction with the rest.

It's what you said. Then you even go on saying it's unlikely they'll ever become more advanced. In fact, you don't limit what you're saying to the build-in apps, rather Metro in general. The last sentence of your post being in contradiction with the rest.

He didn't say Metro apps were as advanced as Notepad. It's called an analogy. Now, as far as the rest of what he said, that's another story.

You're always deciding what to use for a specific task, if one app doesn't do it for you you use another one, if I need to make some simple changes to an image compared to advanced editing jobs I'm not going to start photoshop. It's the same idea, it's the best of both worlds because you have the choice between what works best depending on the task/situation from the get go instead of being forced into doing it one way or the other.

Except we're talking about two completely different application environments here. Different way to switch between apps, different process model, different way to quit apps, different window behavior, different look and UI widgets, different way to access prefs etc. It might as well be a completely different OS in a virtual machine. In fact, you could have the best of 100 worlds (memory permitting) that way. And now you're saying it is going to remain that way, i.e. Metro for simple apps, Desktop for everything else?! Good grief.

He didn't say Metro apps were as advanced as Notepad. It's called an analogy. Now, as far as the rest of what he said, that's another story.

Obviously in comparison, which still doesn't lead to us to a very positive thing:

The build-in Metro apps compared to what we had on the desktop are as advanced as Notepad compared to Word.

Ouch.

Except we're talking about two completely different application environments here. Different way to switch between apps, different process model, different way to quit apps, different window behavior, different look and UI widgets, different way to access prefs etc. It might as well be a completely different OS in a virtual machine. In fact, you could have the best of 100 worlds (memory permitting) that way. And now you're saying it is going to remain that way, i.e. Metro for simple apps, Desktop for everything else?! Good grief.

Where did I say it'll remain that way? I said it's what many think will be. If anything I expect with time that we'll see more advanced metro apps, the new OneNote MX is a step in that direction with the radial dial element. Besides what does it matter if they're different exactly? So what? That hardly changes anything, you could do things on different OSs and go between the two depending on what you felt was better suited to the task you wanted to complete. This, yet again, isn't anything new, so what's the problem exactly?

Except we're talking about two completely different application environments here. Different way to switch between apps, different process model, different way to quit apps, different window behavior, different look and UI widgets, different way to access prefs etc. It might as well be a completely different OS in a virtual machine. In fact, you could have the best of 100 worlds (memory permitting) that way. And now you're saying it is going to remain that way

this sounds very familiar. Oh that's right, this could have very easily said about the transition from command line to GUI, or the windows 3.11 way of doing things to Windows 95. I could say more but you're probably just gonna say that this in no way relates to the current situation anyway ....

Poor little guy, I'll lend you my shoulder to cry on once Windows 8 is forcefully installed on your computer.

I'll be sure to hold you to that! And yeah, at work I'll definitely be "forced" to work with Windows 8 so you better prepare yourself for a 9-hour flight to Amsterdam. :laugh:

I'll be sure to hold you to that! And yeah, at work I'll definitely be "forced" to work with Windows 8 so you better prepare yourself for a 9-hour flight to Amsterdam. :laugh:

You won't be using the metro apps while you work so where's the problem?

You won't be using the metro apps while you work so where's the problem?

You know this how? We have to work with them for trouble shooting purposes and familiarity.

Is there any direct way I can contact you if and when that shoulder of yours is needed? Like an emergency number or something?

what does it matter if they're different exactly? So what? That hardly changes anything, you could do things on different OSs and go between the two depending on what you felt was better suited to the task you wanted to complete. This, yet again, isn't anything new, so what's the problem exactly?

You said it was 'the best of both worlds'. No it isn't. It's just two worlds is all it is.

Isn't that pretty much how it is in RP? Note how "my music" is still not the main landing page.

I bet the album mixview is still screwed too.

this sounds very familiar. Oh that's right, this could have very easily said about the transition from command line to GUI, or the windows 3.11 way of doing things to Windows 95. I could say more but you're probably just gonna say that this in no way relates to the current situation anyway ....

It does sound familiar. You guys keep parroting this but it just doesn't hold up to me. We had DOS and we could load Windows if we needed it. It wasn't until Windows matured that 95 was able to absorb it and force the change. Beyond application support, we could do the majority needed without leaving it.

This forum has become a place full of whiners and haters, and most of them so called "techies". Probably have as much IT knowledge as a milkman! From discussing screenshots we somehow get to the familiar "metro sucks". You guys probably do your best work on dos, you're so against change. :|

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • Microsoft Edge 149.0.4022.52 by Razvan Serea Microsoft Edge is a super fast and secure web browser from Microsoft. It works on almost any device, including PCs, iPhones and Androids. It keeps you safe online, protects your privacy, and lets you browse the web quickly. You can even use it on all your devices and keep your browsing history and favorites synced up. Built on the same technology as Chrome, Microsoft Edge has additional built-in features like Startup boost and Sleeping tabs, which boost your browsing experience with world class performance and speed that are optimized to work best with Windows. Microsoft Edge security and privacy features such as Microsoft Defender SmartScreen, Password Monitor, InPrivate search, and Kids Mode help keep you and your loved ones protected and secure online. Microsoft Edge has features to keep both you and your family protected. Enable content filters and access activity reports with your Microsoft Family Safety account and experience a kid-friendly web with Kids Mode. The new Microsoft Edge is now compatible with your favorite extensions, so it’s easy to personalize your browsing experience. Microsoft Edge 149.0.4022.52 changelog: Migration to improved V2 architecture for Workspaces. Workspaces, introduced in Edge in 2022, allows users to create durable sets of tabs that can be saved and shared with others. In order to improve reliability and performance of this feature, the following changes are being made: Migrating data for saved Workspaces from OneDrive/SharePoint to Edge Sync service Removing the collaboration/share functionality of this feature For organizations who have disabled Sync through policy, the existing v1 Workspace data will still be migrated to the new architecture. New v2 Workspaces created after migration won't sync across devices and will remain local to each device. This update occurs on a progressive rollout beginning in Edge Stable v145 and will continue rolling out in Edge v149. For more information, see Getting started with Microsoft Edge Workspaces. Feature Updates Passkey Sync for Enterprise Users. Microsoft Edge is introducing support for passkey synchronization for enterprise users, enabling secure, passwordless authentication across devices. Passkeys created in Edge can now be synced seamlessly, improving sign-in experience while maintaining strong security standards. Note: This is a controlled feature rollout. If you don't see this change, check back as we continue the rollout. Enterprise WebView2 runtime downgrade via DowngradeVersion policy. Administrators can temporarily roll back specific applications to a previous WebView2 Evergreen Runtime version (N-1 or N-2) using the new DowngradeVersion policy in msedgewebview2.admx. The Downgrade Version policy allows enterprises to mitigate critical regressions by specifying per-application exe-to-version mappings. The Edge Updater installs the target version side-by-side, and the WebView2 Loader redirects targeted apps accordingly. Downgrades auto-expire with each new WebView2 release: apps pinned to N-1 remain on the same version (now becoming N-2) and will auto-update in the next release, while apps pinned to N-2 will revert to the current Evergreen version. The policy applies only to enterprise-managed devices (domain-joined or MDM-enrolled). For more information, see Microsoft Edge WebView2 Policy Documentation | Microsoft Learn. Collections retirement. Collections has been removed in this update. Users can no longer access or use the feature. To keep saved content, users can export it, or move all pages to Favorites before updating to Microsoft Edge Stable 149. For more information, see Organize your ideas with Collections in Microsoft Edge - Microsoft Support. Modern, unified, and updated Look and Feel. Microsoft Edge has updated the Look and Feel to give customers a unified experience across all of Microsoft AI surfaces including Copilot and Bing. This changes multiple elements of the UX such as spacing, corners, fonts, default colors, etc. Clarify choices surrounding third-party cookie settings. Language under Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies are clarified to better describe the choices users have in managing third-party cookies. Custom primary password retirement. Users are no longer able to create a new custom primary password in Edge Settings edge://settings/autofill/passwords/settings. Any users who are still using a custom primary password will be automatically migrated to device authentication. Additionally, the PrimaryPasswordSetting policy will no longer support the WithCustomPrimaryPassword option. For more information, see Keep your saved passwords private in Microsoft Edge | Microsoft Support. Unifying Copilot Chat policy controls. The Microsoft365CopilotChatIconEnabled policy is the standard for configuring Copilot Chat. Previously, this behavior was controlled by blocking the Copilot extension, either explicitly or by using the * wildcard via the ExtensionSettings or ExtensionInstallBlockList policies. Extension and sidebar policies no longer affect the appearance or functionality of Copilot Chat. Copilot address bar suggestions were also tied to extension policy settings. Starting in Microsoft Edge version 149, admins can use the CopilotAddressBarSuggestionsEnabled policy to manage this behavior. Intune MAM Protected Downloads. The protected downloads feature for Intune MAM is now available for BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) devices, which aren't managed by a tenant. Policy Updates / New policies CopilotAddressBarSuggestionsEnabled - Enable Copilot address bar suggestions CpuPerformanceTierOverride - Override for the CPU performance tier DataUrlInWebWorkerOpaqueOriginEnabled - Enable opaque origins for data URLs in Web Workers DefaultLocalFontsSetting - Default Local Fonts permission setting ForceForegroundPriorityForUrls - Force foreground priority for specific URLs LocalFontsAllowedForUrls - Allow Local Fonts permission on these sites LocalFontsBlockedForUrls - Block Local Fonts permission on these sites Deprecated policies WalletDonationEnabled - Wallet Donation Enabled (deprecated) EdgeWalletEtreeEnabled - Edge Wallet E-Tree Enabled (deprecated) Additional policy changes ForceForegroundPriorityForUrls - ForceForegroundPriorityForOrigins is renamed to ForceForegroundPriorityForUrls OnSecurityEventEnterpriseConnector - Add macOS platform support ProtectedContentIdentifiersAllowed - Remove macOS platform support Download: Microsoft Edge (64-bit) | 193.0 MB (Freeware) Download: Microsoft Edge (32-bit) | 170.0 MB Download: Microsoft Edge (ARM64) | 188.0 MB View: Microsoft Edge Website | Release History Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • User: "But is it good?" Microsoft: "Well, no. But it is less bad."
    • Media Player Classic - Home Cinema 2.7.2 by Razvan Serea Media Player Classic - Home Cinema (MPC-HC) is a free and open-source video and audio player for Windows. MPC-HC is based on the original Guliverkli project (which is no longer maintained) and contains many additional features and bug fixes. As the continuation of the original Media Player Classic, MPC-HC isn’t flashy but it works with nearly any media format. MPC-HC uses DXVA technology to pass decoding operations to your modern video card, enhancing your viewing experience. And MPC-HC supports both physical and software DVDs with menus, chapter navigation, and subtitles. Overview of features A lot of people seem to be unaware of some of the awesome features that have been added to MPC-HC in the past years. Here is a list of useful options and features that everyone should know about: Dark interface Menu > View > Dark Theme When using dark theme it is also possible to change the height of the seekbar and size of the toolbar buttons. Options > Advanced Video preview on the seekbar Options > Tweaks > Show preview on seek bar Adjust playback speed Menu > Play > Playback rate The buttons in the player that control playback rate take a 2x step by default. This can be customized to smaller values (like 10%): Options > Playback > Speed step Adjusting playback speed works best with the internal audio renderer. This also has automatic pitch correction. Options > Playback > Output > Audio Renderer MPC-HC can remember playback position, so you can resume from that point later Options > Player > History You can quickly seek through a video with Ctrl + Mouse Scrollwheel. You can jump to next/previous file in a folder by pressing PageUp/PageDown. You can perform automatic actions at end of file. For example to go to next file or close player. Options > Playback > After Playback (permanent setting) Menu > Play > After Playback (for current file only) A-B repeat - You can loop a segment of a video. Press [ and ] to set start and stop markers. You can rotate/flip/mirror/stretch/zoom the video Menu > View > Pan&Scan This is also easily done with hotkeys (see below). There are lots of keyboard hotkeys and mouse actions to control the player. They can be customized as well. Options > Player > Keys Tip: there is a search box above the table. You can stream videos directly from Youtube and many other video websites You can stream videos directly from Youtube and many other video websites Put yt-dlp.exe or youtube-dl.exe in the MPC-HC installation folder. Then you can open website URLs in the player: Menu > File > Open File/URL You can even download those videos: Menu > File > Save a copy Tip: to be able to download in best quality with yt-dlp/youtube-dl, it is recommended to also put ffmpeg.exe in the MPC-HC folder. Several YDL configuration options are found here: Options > Advanced This includes an option to specify the location of the .exe in case you don't want to put it in MPC-HC folder. Play HDR video This requires using madVR or MPC Video Renderer. After installation these renderers can be selected here: Options > Playback > Output Ability to search for and download subtitles, either automatically or manually (press D): Options > Subtitles > Misc Besides all these (new) features, there have also been many bugfixes and internal improvements in the player in the past years that give better performance and stability. It also has updated internal codecs. Support was added for CUE sheets, WebVTT subtitles, etc. Media Player Classic - Home Cinema 2.7.2 changelog: Updated LAV Filters to version 0.81-23-g6fadb Updated MPC Video Renderer to version 0.10.2.2540 Updated MediaInfo DLL to version 26.05 Updated MPC Audio Renderer Several crash fixes, bug fixes and small improvements. Download: MPC-HC 2.7.2 (x64) | Standalone | ~20.0 MB (Open Source) Download: MPC-HC 2.7.2 (x86) | Standalone Links: MPC-HC Home Page | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • No problems here using the new Outlook. In our company we started to default installing to users on new computers or when we're reimaging. But, if the user needs/ask for the classic one, we install it. Low reject rate at this point.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Very Popular
      s0nic69 earned a badge
      Very Popular
    • Collaborator
      Asgardi earned a badge
      Collaborator
    • Conversation Starter
      mobandz earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • Apprentice
      fernan99 went up a rank
      Apprentice
    • One Month Later
      nothanks earned a badge
      One Month Later
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      467
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      247
    3. 3
      Skyfrog
      79
    4. 4
      FloatingFatMan
      65
    5. 5
      Michael Scrip
      60
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!