Best Touch Shortcuts for Windows 8

Windows 8 lets you get around your workspace in myriad ways — via keyboard, mouse, and now through the touchscreen. With a touch-capable, Intel-inspired Ultrabook? like the Sony Vaio Duo 11 Convertible, navigating Windows is easier than ever. Get the most out of your Ultrabook and Windows by learning these shortcuts to some of Windows' most useful functions and features.
Open an App with Options
At the Start screen, you probably know well that tapping on a tile will open the related app immediately. But if you want to run that app with special options — similar to right-clicking on an app in Windows 7 — you can simply tap and hold the tile until the options menu pops up.

Get to System Settings Fast

No need to go hunting for the control panel when you want to make changes to your system. Just swipe from the right edge of the screen toward the middle to bring up the Windows 8 Charms menu, where you'll find the most common computer management options, including the Settings menu, which lets you tweak the way your computer works and looks.

Split the Screen
Want to get two apps on the screen at once so you can more easily multitask? Swipe in from the right or the left side of the screen, slowly. (If you want the new app to appear on the left, swipe from the left, and vice versa.) If you can't get a handle on the speed of this swipe, another shortcut to do this is swiping down from the top of the screen, then right or left, in an "L" shape.

Pin Apps to the Start Screen
Adding your own apps to the Start screen is simple, just browse to the app (or find it through the search system) and tap and hold on its icon or tile. Then, flick your finger down and a menu will pop up. Select "Pin to Start" to attach it to the Start screen. You can even pin websites you frequently visit by tapping "Pin site" from within Internet Explorer and selecting "Pin to Start." Tiles can be rearranged by tapping on them and dragging them to other positions on the Start screen.

Close an App
Not all apps have that familiar "X" button hovering at the top right of the screen — but that doesn't mean you can't close it. Close these apps by tapping and holding somewhere within the app, then dragging down toward the bottom of the screen.

Create Custom Flicks

Flicks are an easy way to get around Windows, and you can create your own flicks to help automate frequently used actions. They work much the same way as keyboard shortcuts. Open the full Control Panel and browse to the Pen and Touch menu. Tap the Flicks tab, then select the option "Use flicks to perform common actions quickly and easily." Tap "Navigational flicks and editing flicks" and tap “Customize” to create your own custom flicks.

Get Extra Options in Internet Explorer
In full-screen mode, Internet Explorer runs without visible menus or toolbars. So where do you find options like refreshing the page or finding text on the screen? Simply flick down from the top of the screen to reveal these options and more in a hidden menu.

Xbox Music Windows 8 app gets a slick redesign

Not much has been said about Microsoft’s Xbox Music, especially with all the attention being given to Apple’s newly unveiled iTunes Radio and Google’s Google Play All Access subscription.

Xbox Music is one part digital music store and one part streaming service. Windows or Xbox users can buy individual tracks or albums like on iTunes, and additionally it can also sign up for a premium subscription that gives them on-demand streaming music that’s similar to Spotify.

Well yesterday, the company leaked screenshots of a Xbox Music Windows 8 app update that should be released along with a handful of other Windows 8.1 apps like Calculator, Scan, Reading List, Movie Moments, and Sound Recorder.

As for the Xbox Music app, the interface now has a two-column design that’s kind of similar to Google Music (except obviously, black because that’s the way Xbox Music rolls). The sidebar/first column contains all the navigation for your music collection, Xbox Radio, and an Explore tab for you to discover new music. Below that there’s an option to view all your playlists or import playlists from elsewhere. The second, main column shows off album artwork, lists of artists, songs, etc. Overall the interface is very clean and seems easier on the eyes.

Microsoft first debuted Xbox Music last year as a replacement to its now dead Zune brand. The Xbox Music service/Store appeared with the release of the Windows 8 operating system.

Check out some screenshots below and let us know what you think in the comments section.

Windows 8 tablets to go smaller

Top gadget makers will soon roll out smaller tablets running on Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system, hoping that the cheaper devices will appeal to buyers who have so far not shown much interest in the larger, expensive 10-inch versions.

The 7-inch segment, which accounts for a bulk of tablet sales in the country, is currently dominated by devices that run on Google's Android. Companies such as Acer, Asus, Dell and HP are expected to launch their versions of the 7-inch Windows tablets in India over the next few weeks.

"The key question is whether Microsoft can convince large organisations to take a look at these tablets," said Faisal Kawoosa, analyst at market research firm Cyber Media Research. "Now, that would be a game-changer."

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft launched Windows 8 last October after realising that traditional PC users — a segment that it monopolises — were increasingly shifting to touch-based portable devices like smartphones and tablets. However, the new operating system has made little headway in the Indian tablet market, where over 70 per cent of the devices sold in 2012 were based on Android. About 2.6 million tablets were shipped within India last year, with South Korean firm Samsung and home-grown company Micromax leading the market, according to IDC.

Among operating systems, Apple's iOS had about a 12 per cent market share, while Windows 8 and Blackberry had close to 2 per cent. Smaller devices from Acer, Asus and HP are expected to be priced in the range of Rs 10,000 - Rs 20,000, compared with 10-inch tablets that typically sell at between Rs 35,000 and Rs 50,000. Low-cost 7-inch tablets made up for close to 78 per cent of total tablets shipments in the final quarter of 2012, IDC data showed.

Though Windows 8 comes with a common touch-based interface designed for tablets, smartphones and laptops, the software has so far seen low penetration in the Indian tablet market. Analysts blamed the high price of Windows-based tablets, compared with those that run on Android and iOS for lacklustre sales. Acer India's marketing head S Rajendran said the company will soon launch the world's first small-sized tablet based on Windows 8 in India. Asus, Dell and HP declined to comment.

Last month Microsoft's chief operating officer Kevin Turner said his company was working on a new range of devices at lower price points. IDC analyst Manasi Yadav said Microsoft may seek new partnerships with Karbonn and Micromax—who price tablets more competitively. "So far,Windows 8 tablets are priced above Rs 30,000, which is a negative in a India, where the starting price of tablets is about Rs 5,000."

Microsoft revives the familiar in Windows 8 update

San Francisco ? Microsoft is trying to fix what it got wrong with its radical makeover of Windows. It’s making the operating system easier to navigate and enabling users to set up the software so it starts in a more familiar format designed for personal computers.

The revisions to Windows 8 will be released later this year. The free update, called Windows 8.1, represents Microsoft’s concessions to long-time customers taken aback by the dramatic changes to an operating system that had become a staple in households and offices around the world during the past 20 years. Research group IDC has blamed Windows 8 for accelerating a decline in PC sales.

With the release of Windows 8 seven months ago, Microsoft introduced a startup screen displaying applications in a mosaic of interactive tiles instead of static icons. The shift agitated many users who wanted the option to launch the operating system in a mode that resembled the old setup. That choice will be provided in Windows 8.1.

However, Microsoft isn’t bringing back the start menu on the lower left corner of the screen. Windows has offered the button for accessing all programs and settings on every previous version of the operating system since 1995. Microsoft believes the startup screen replaces the need for a button, but its omission has ranked among the biggest gripes about Windows 8.

Microsoft is hoping to quiet the critics by resurrecting an omnipresent Windows logo anchored in the lower left corner. Users will also be able to ensure their favorite applications, including Word and Excel, appear in a horizontal tool bar next to the Windows logo. Accessing apps outside the toolbar will still require using the tiles or calling them up in a more comprehensive search engine included in the Windows 8.1 updates.

Microsoft Corp. announced its plans for Windows 8.1 in early May, but it didn’t offer details about what it will include until Thursday. The Redmond, Wash., company will provide a more extensive tour of Windows 8.1 and several new applications built into the upgrade at a conference for programmers in San Francisco, scheduled to begin June 26.

Antoine Leblond, a Microsoft executive who helps oversee the operating system’s program management, said the ability to start PCs in the more familiar format is meant to ease the "cognitive dissonance" caused by Windows 8.

Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi predicted the desktop option will spur more sales of Windows 8 computers.

"Some people were getting fixated" on the desktop issue, Milanesi said. "This may cause more people who felt uncomfortable with Windows 8 to take a second look."

Microsoft made the dramatic overhaul to Windows in an attempt to expand the operating system’s franchise beyond personal computers that rely on keyboards and mice to smartphones and tablet computers controlled by a touch or swipe of the finger. But Windows 8 has been widely panned as a disappointment, even though Microsoft says it has licensed more than 100 million copies so far.

WIndows 8 competes with Mac OS in looks, accessibility

Like a vast number of other tech-minded students, I am a voluntary slave to Apple. Through college, I have been a devoted disciple to the gospel of Steve Jobs while turning my nose up at the site of a Window’s home screen. Don’t get me wrong, Microsoft has made strides in keeping up with its arch-competitor. The ante has been upped once again with the introduction of Windows 8, and it aims to change the game and most notably, their look. The latest operating system from the Bill Gates camp promises users interface changes geared toward accessibility.

When I first heard the news, I instantly remarked at how uncreative the name of the new operating system was, marketing itself in the same vein as the NOW music franchise. Needless to say, I was apprehensive.

After reading numerous reviews and tutorials on the new system, it became clear that Microsoft is using this new OS to provide customers with a fully integrated experience. By giving users the power to sync Window’s phones, tablets and computers on a linear platform, it seems like Windows is finding a new niche in the ever-changing tech world. Along with advancements in touch screen capability, Windows 8 may prove an enjoyable experience for users on all devices, but I had to try for myself.

Putting my personal bias aside, I fired up a Windows machine and navigated the new Microsoft platform – I was intrigued at the layout. When the demo at Best Buy booted, the new look instantly projected a corporation in the midst of transition. “Still keeping up with the Joneses,” I thought when first seeing the layout, but the features seemed to compensate.

For a novice Windows user, the new perpetually updating tile layout may be a breath of fresh air in the wake of the little-evolved Windows home screen. I believe that Microsoft is trying to convey a more visually appealing, interactive layout that gives the user a creative alternative to the normal Start>>All Programs>> Accessories>>Solitaire routine.

I was surprised at the boot time, which makes the new image seem fresh. In comparison to its ancestors, Windows 8 appears more fluid and refined in terms of startup.

While playing around on the new OS, I learned of Windows To Go. This new feature allows users to copy their entire operating system, apps included, to a USB thumb drive. If opened on another computer that runs Windows 8, you can fully boot your operating system to another machine – a pretty savvy feature in my opinion.

Similar to Windows To Go, Windows Live Sync gives customers yet another way to access their personal files when away from their primary devices. This new addition could save the day at presentation time when you need to access that PowerPoint you forgot to load on your flash drive.

Another nuance introduced in the latest wave of Window’s software is the ability to integrate Windows 8 across all devices, including phones. This gives the user a smooth experience when transitioning from different devices and provides users with a congruent feel and little change. My cherished MacBook doesn’t even offer that kind of integration, and considering the subtle differences it has from desktop to touch screen device, it seems that Microsoft may have beaten Apple to the punch on something.

With the new features in mind, I am impressed but not enough to jump the Mac OS ship. However, my eyes have been opened to what Microsoft is doing to change the tech game, and the result is a fresh transformation that is, at the very least, visually appealing. Microsoft is an enduring company, and its past success may be in resurgence. One thing is certain, with these titans of industry battling for tech supremacy, the result can only be evolution in usability and design aimed at customer’s wallets.

Quickflix Launches Free Windows 8 Trial, Amazing Time-Lapse Moon Video, Cancer: The Video Game

Brief news items of note for Lifehacker readers including: Quickflix launches Windows 8 app with free one month trial, get a free cake recipe ebook, what is That Dragon, Cancer and why does it make grown gamers cry?

    The movie/TV streaming service Quickflix has just launched a Windows 8 app in Australia, with a free one-month trial available to Windows 8 users. The service currently has a handful of free classic movies and HBO TV shows, with newer titles available on a pay-per-play basis. You can download the app here. [Via istartedsomething.com]
    Amazon is currently offering the ebook 30 Delicious Family Favorite Cake Recipes for free (get it here). The digital recipe book includes step-by-step instructions on how to bake everything from a Chocolate Eclair Refrigerator Cake to Mini Cheesecakes. Hnngh! [Via OzBargain]
    Most video games are about excitement and escapism, but occasionally a developer reaches for something more. That Dragon, Cancer is an adventure game about “hope in the face of death”. It follows the plight of a married couple and their four-year-old son who was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Players relive memories and follow a path of hope and optimism in the face of inevitable death. Find out why it brought a Kotaku journalist to tears here.
    A keen-eyed photographer in the US has produced a 15-second time lapse video of the moon rising over Los Angeles. The moon’s ascension is quite mesmerising as it paints a glittering arc across the sky. Watch the video here.

The 5 Best Windows 8 Tablets

Tablets have moved from the gimmicky fringe to the mainstream, with multiple new touch-friendly models released by every major manufacturer. Spurred on by the tablet-friendly Windows 8 and new hardware that fits PC power into slimmer and lighter devices, these handy PCs won't be going anywhere. But just because they're the hot new thing doesn't mean that every tablet PC is great, which is why we're here in the first place—to weed out the clunkers and help you know what's best, and why.
We've seen several variations on the Windows tablet, from Atom-powered tablets that last all day long to beefy laptop alternatives with Intel Core processors. We've seen standalone tablets, dock-friendly slates, and a collection of accessories that range from keyboards to gamepads to variations on the simple stylus. The unifying thread that runs through all of these top picks isn't hardware, or even accessories, but software. Setting these tablets apart from all of the iDevices and Androids is Windows 8—and not the hobbled look-alike Windows RT. This is full-blown Windows 8, with x86 support for all of your software.
The switch from laptop to tablet also brings some new features to these handheld PCs. Sensors previously seen in smartphones bring new ways to interact with your PC, with accelerometers, gyroscopes, and e-compasses providing positional awareness both for automatic screen rotation and new immersive applications. And let's not forget touch. With capacitive screens that track 5 or 10 finger-tips at a time, you can pinch, swipe, and tap your way through any task, even those that would have required a keyboard and mouse only a year ago.
It's a brave new tablet-filled world, but it's not without new concerns. The thin confines of a tablet make concerns about heat buildup all the more important—especially when that heat is literally in hand. Touch screens add a new opportunity for frustration when taps and touches won't register properly, and the opportunities offered by docks and accessories also open up the chance to misplace a valuable part of your PC while out and about—say what you will about tablets, but you'll never misplace your keyboard while using a laptop.
We've gone wading through the tablet swamp so you don't have to, testing and comparing dozens of tablet PCs to tell you what works and what doesn't. We've picked the best, but this is far from a complete list, so don't forget to check out all of our reviews to learn more.