According to the email that they sent, Windows 8 is “Reimagined to be all about you.” Sounds to me like a fancy way to say we’re trying to keep up with the Joneses.
In all seriousness, here are a couple of features Microsoft is touting to address multiple platforms (tablets, smartphone, laptop – touchscreen, desktop).
You can use SkyDrive to store your files on your hard drive and in the cloud so that you can access them no matter where you are. Your files are available on multiple devices; including non-Windows devices as long as the free SkyDrive app is installed on them. In theory, you can start a project on one device and finish it on another.
When you sign in with your Microsoft account to any of your devices running Windows 8 or Windows RT, you will immediately see everything that makes Windows uniquely yours: your background, display & settings. You can even access your apps on as many as five different Win8 devices. If you add a new Windows PC or Windows Phone to the mix, the People app comes to life with info from your social networks.
In short, you aren’t limited by things being stored on any single Win8 device.
The built-in mobile broadband features in Windows support 3G and 4G. So, as you move, your Win8 device should automatically find and use available Wi‑Fi hotspots.
Only time will tell if Microsoft has accomplished their goal of bringing out an operating system that runs on multiple platforms. The thing to watch is how much traction – or not – Microsoft gets with Windows 8 based smartphones and tablets.
Our advice, for businesses, is to wait and see regarding stability. If you want to “test out” Windows 8, buy it for your home PC or get a non-business-critical Windows 8 based smartphone or tablet and check it out. The promise – and hype – from Microsoft are huge but we need to see real evidence of stability and functionality over several months before we’re onboard.
Network 1 Consulting is a 14-year-old, IT Support company in Atlanta, GA. We become – or augment – the IT department for professional services companies: law firms, medical practices and financial services firms. Our IT experts can fix computers – but what our clients really value is the industry-specific best practices we bring to their firm. This is especially important with technology, along with regulations and cyber threats, changing so rapidly. We take a proactive approach to helping our clients use technology to gain and keep their competitive advantage.
