My impression about using Windows 8

This post is based on my judgment and impression about using Windows 8 OS on my Dell Studio XPS 1640 laptop. Just few weeks ago I finally agreed to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8 and finally I am excited to try out the new operating system. At first everything was new and different and I had to struggle a little to master the basic commands of the OS especially switching from the metro screen to my desktop. Yet I was determined to keep an open mind about using Windows 8 and finally I want to share my impression so far about using Windows 8.

My impression so far about using Windows 8:

Security: I have been a fan of Microsoft Security essentials for some time now and immediately I finished installing and activating my Windows 8 I tried installing Microsoft Security Essentials and got a warning that I do not need to install Microsoft Security Essentials on my laptop because my version of Windows (Windows 8) already has Windows Defender which provides the same level of protection as Microsoft Security Essentials along with other significant improvements.

I was like wow, this is awesome and I immediately checked it out to see that it is exactly as the Microsoft Security Essentials and provide the same security level as promised, and then my first impression was recorded.

Mastering the User interface: I still find myself pointing the mouse to the lower left hand corner of the screen to click the start button even after days of using Windows 8 OS. The Metro screen overlaying the desktop is so awesome, it provides the shortcuts to my apps and I can pin as much apps as possible on it. I was even able to install my favorite metro apps like Twitter (to keep eye on my Twitter easily), Facebook, Skype etc.  I can even login to my email on the email app and see the number of new mails and even the name of the sender even without opening a browser.

Must Read: Upgrade to Windows 8

The map app is so great I don’t have to check the weather sites to see how the day’s weather is going to look like, you can add your favorite cities and receive their weather reports right there on your metro screen. You can pin and unpin any number of apps by double clicking on the app, drag and drop apps to rearrange them. With this metro screen I will never miss the start menu ever, docking apps on the metro screen makes it easier to access even.

Sharing Internet connections: On my Windows 7, I used Connectify to share my internet connection via Wi-Fi, in Windows 8 I do not need any software to do this. Though the process may seem a little bit advanced for some people but I hope to write a blog post on it soon, so visit my blog always for it. Windows 8 actually came loaded with a Microsoft Virtual Wi-Fi Miniport Adapter and with this adapter I can easily turn my laptop into a Wi-Fi hotspot and connect my other wireless devices to my shared internet connection. I don’t have to worry about purchasing Connectify license anymore, is this not awesome?

Must Read: Asus Reveals a Lineup of Windows 8 Systems

User Experience:  Windows 8 has a great UI though not suitable for my laptop because it is not a touch screen laptop, Windows 8 is best for touch screen devices, I can’t wait to try it on Microsoft Surface when it’s finally out. With thousands of web apps categorized into Spotlight, Games, Social, Entertainment, Photo, Music & Video, Sports, News & Weather, health & Fitness, Lifestyle, Shopping, Travel, Finance, productivity, tools, Security, business, Education and Government, you will find free and paid apps suitable for whatever purpose you have in mind in the Microsoft App Store that came with the Windows 8 OS.

Other features: Windows 8 has a lot of awesome features, I am totally in love with this operating system, the notification method has switched from the little pop up on the lower right hand corner of the screen to a blue colored pop up on the top right hand corner of the screen, the Windows 8 lock screen looks better showing time, day, date battery level, number of mails, chat and Wi-Fi signal strength etc.

Windows 8 also came with Internet Explorer 10, which promised to be a better browser, as much as I have never liked Internet Explorer browser, I have found myself testing out the ie10 a couple of times and I can say it is relatively faster compared to its older versions.

Must Read: Windows 8 Automatic Backups

Have you upgraded to Windows 8 yet? What is your impression about using Windows 8 so far? I will like to know your impression and expectations of this awesome OS, please use the comment form below to share. Remember to subscribe to my RSS feeds.