MS Opens Official Windows 8.1 Preview Site

[HawkMan]

Now, direct from MS......so no more worries or arguments for installing windows 8.1 without windows 8 pre-installed. :)

 

http://searchenterprisedesktop.techtarget.com/news/2240186161/QA-Microsofts-Erwin-Visser-on-Windows-81-updates-security

 

 

 

But you still lose everything when you upgrade Win8 to 8.1 beta and then from beta to RTM..... or did they now change that ?

[FaiKee]

But you still lose everything when you upgrade Win8 to 8.1 beta and then from beta to RTM..... or did they now change that ?

Yep, you just keep the account from Preview to RTM, arseny  had explained about that in MDL

 

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/45420-DISCUSSION-Windows-8-1-Preview/page23?p=765156&viewfull=1#post765156

[lmaobox]

Any ideas about Windows Title Font color option? It is black by default so you can't see Winodws Title while using Black Windows themes.

[xankazo]

Can't wait!

[Dot Matrix]

THREE DAYS! :woot:

[BoDEAN]

Yep, you just keep the account from Preview to RTM, arseny  had explained about that in MDL

 

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/45420-DISCUSSION-Windows-8-1-Preview/page23?p=765156&viewfull=1#post765156

 

So whats the verdict on going from 8.1 Preview to 8.1 final?  Have to format/reinstall WIN 8, then put 8.1 on? Or will we be able to upgrade from 8.1 Preview to 8.1 final?

[Ravensky]

You think Microsoft would stop recycling all their old art work for their web sites...  The pictures on the Windows 8.1 preview site are getting a little old Microsoft...  get a camera and take some new pics... FFS!!!

[AnotherITguy]

Glad to see that Ms is taking care of WINDOWS 8, looking forward to this coming down the pipe.

[0sit0]

 

 

Desktop and Start Screen

Improvements have been made to better support users who prefer a mouse and keyboard experience to access applications.

 

Oh well how nice of Microsoft to support most of their users  :rolleyes:

[FaiKee]

So whats the verdict on going from 8.1 Preview to 8.1 final?  Have to format/reinstall WIN 8, then put 8.1 on? Or will we be able to upgrade from 8.1 Preview to 8.1 final?

About preview to RTM we could only took what MJF reported:

 

http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-goes-public-with-windows-8-1-upgrade-policies-7000016419/

Once the final versions of Windows 8.1 are available, after their release to manufacturing, those who have downloaded the preview will get the same Windows Update plus Windows Store notification. While their data and accounts will be preserved if and when they choose to install the free, final 8.1 release, all their apps must be reinstalled, Niehaus said.

 

Even if testers opt instead to roll their devices back to Windows 8 after installing the preview bits, they still will have to reinstall their apps once they move to the RTM version of Windows 8.1.

Update: For those wondering exactly which apps will need to be reinstalled, it depends whether the tester is running Windows on ARM or x86. On Windows RT devices, it's the Windows Store/Metro-Style apps that will have to be reinstalled; for x86-based Windows 8 systems, testers will need to reinstall both their Windows Store/Metro-Style and Desktop apps, a Microsoft spokesperson said.

Windows 8 users who do not install the preview build and opt instead to go straight from Windows 8/Windows RT to Windows 8.1 will not have to reinstall their apps. All settings, data and apps will carry over, a spokesperson said when I asked. Users will be able to decide when and if they want to move from Windows 8 and Windows RT to the 8.1 versions, officials stressed.

 

[George P Global Moderator]

You just have to re-install your apps, that's why on my desktop which is the main PC I use the most I'm going to try the preview in vbox.  But on my Samsung tablet I'll upgrade normally since it has only a few apps installed and isn't really a issue for me to reinstall when the upgrade to RTM happens later.    This way I get to try it out on a main kb+mouse system and a native touch device as well. 

[BoDEAN]

When they say apps, they mean APPS from the app store? Or all my apps/games (dont use any app store apps)

[Studio384]

When they say apps, they mean APPS from the app store? Or all my apps/games (dont use any app store apps)

All your apps and desktop apps. Files will be converted, settings will too (through SkyDrive).

[theyarecomingforyou]

I'm going to install the preview release as soon as it becomes available, then I'll probably do a clean install for the final release (I might as well if I'm going to lose all my applications).

[FaiKee]

Many people had said that win8.1 is just a win8 SP, this is MS's point of view: :)

 

[IanHead]

Clean install for the preview, clean install for the RTM. Putting all my desktop apps the way they were doesn't take me long.

[FaiKee]

  Server 2012 R2 preview up in TechNet, unconfirmed rumor : Windows 8.1 Preview Build 9431(tks to ChrisNT) :)

 

 

[FaiKee]

Now it.s rumor no more, windows 8.1 preview, build 9431.... :)

 

Server edition is:?9431.0.WINMAIN_BLUEMP.130615-1214_X64FRE_SERVER_EN-US-IMP_SSS_X64FRE_EN-US_DV5.ISO

[FaiKee]

Windows 8.1 Preview Build 9431 Screen-shots

 http://bbs.pcbeta.com/viewthread-1359210-1-1.html

[buggingmenot]

Where's the Movie Moments app?

[FaiKee]

Where's the Movie Moments app?

Register in PCBeta and ask the Chinese OEM guy. :)

[Chris123NT]

Where's the Movie Moments app?

In the store.

[FaiKee]

Please note that: 

1. The link is not active atm.

2. It's a forward link, MS might change it.

[Dolan]

They should reskin all icons in Windows. This old icons are from Vista era! I hope we see new icons design in Windows 9.

[majortom1981]

Workplace Join

A Windows 8 PC was either domain joined or not. If it was a member of the domain, the user could access corporate resources (if permissioned) and IT could control the PC through group policy and other mechanisms. This feature allows a middle ground between all or nothing access, allowing a user to work on the device of their choice and still have access to corporate resources With Workplace Join, IT administrators now have the ability to offer finer-grained control to corporate resources. If a user registers their device, IT can grant some access while still enforcing some governance parameters on the device.

RDS Enhancements

Enhanced Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) in Windows Server 2012 R2 with improvements in management, value, and user experience. Session Shadowing allows administrators to view and remotely control active user sessions in an RDSH server. Disk dedupe and storage tiering allow for lower cost storage options. User experience for RemoteApps, network connectivity and multiple displays has been improved. Administrators can now easily support users with session desktops to provide helpdesk style support. Administrators now have even more flexible storage options to support a VDI environment without expensive SAN investments. End users will find RemoteApp behavior is more like local apps, and the experience in low-bandwidth is better, with faster reconnects and improved compression, and support for multiple monitors.

NFC Tap-to-pair Printing

Tap your Windows 8.1 device against an enterprise NFC-enabled printer and you?re all set to print. No more hunting on your network for the correct printer and no need to buy a special printer, just attach a NFC tag to your existing machines. And you don?t need to buy new printers to take advantage of this; you can simply put an NFC tag on your existing printers to enable this functionality.

Auto-triggered VPN

When you select an app or resource that needs access through the inbox VPN ? like a company?s intranet site ? Windows 8.1 will automatically prompt you to sign in with one click. This feature will be available with Microsoft and third-party inbox VPN clients.

Selective Wipe of Corporate Data

Corporations now have more control over corporate content which can be marked as corporate, encrypted, and then be wiped when the relationship between the corporation and user has ended. Corporate data can now be identified as corporate vs. user, encrypted, and wiped on command using EAS or EAS + OMA-DM protocol. This capability is requires implementation in the client application and in the server application (Mail + Exchange Server). The client application determines if the wipe simply makes the data inaccessible or actually deletes it.

Improved Biometrics

All SKUs will include end to end biometric capabilities that enable authenticating with your biometric identity anywhere in Windows (Windows sign-in, remote access, User Account Control, etc.). Blue will be optimized for fingerprint based biometrics and will include a common fingerprint enrollment experience that will work with a variety of readers (touch, swipe). Modern readers are touch based rather than swipe and include liveliness detection that prevents spoofing (e.g.: silicon emulated fingerprints). Access to Windows Store Apps, functions within them, and certificate release can be gated based on verification of a user?s biometric identity.

Device Lockdown

With Assigned Access, a new feature offered in Windows 8.1 RT, Windows 8.1 Pro, and Windows 8.1 Enterprise, you can enable a single Windows Store application experience on the device. This can be things like a learning application for kids in an educational setting or a customer service application at a boutique, Assigned Access can ensure the device is delivering the intended experience. In our Windows Embedded 8.1 industry product, we deliver additional lockdown capabilities to meet the needs of industry devices like point of sale systems, ATMs, and digital signs.

Variable, Continuous Size of Snap Views

You have more ways to see multiple apps on the screen at once. You can resize apps to nearly infinite sized windows, share the screen between two apps, or have up to three apps on each monitor.

Want

As A Network administrator those features rock.