KPH tech blog

You’ve had your laptop or computer for years, it’s working perfectly and then something goes wrong. Do you spend money on getting it repaired, or do you fork out for a new computer?

It’s a really hard question to answer. If you get a new computer, it’s most likely going to come with Windows 8 or even Windows 8.1. Both of these offer a smoother and faster platform than its predecessors (e.g. Windows 7, Vista, XP), but at its core you’re loosing a lot of the functionality that’s been carried through the Windows platform for the last 20 years.

Before purchasing my own new laptop, I’d already been playing around with Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 OS on my phone, which made things easier when making the switch.

Okay, so my laptop doesn’t make phone calls, but I did learn how Microsoft is changing the way we use our computers.

Windows 8 is a sort of clean-up operation, and a lot is at stake; the increasing popularity of smartphones that can handle most of the tasks you do on your computer pretty much spells the end for the home PC. Microsoft’s ambition is to reflect the simplicity of their mobile OS in Windows 8 and 8.1.

One major feature that seems non-existent, however, is the ability to play DVDs in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1. While I can still use the optical drive to play music CDs, I’ve found I cannot play DVDs without purchasing an app or downloading free playback software like VLC media player.

While I agree that downloading and streaming movies is the future, and that it’s already happening right now, I don’t agree with Microsoft’s decision to no longer support DVD functionality.

Alternatively, you can purchase or download Windows 8.1 Pro which gives you Windows Media Center and the ability to play DVDs, but if DVD playback by default is a big thing for you, maybe you ought to think twice before reaching for your wallet!

Getting Start-ed with Windows 8.1

If you’ve been using XP, Vista or Windows 7, things will seem strange when turning on your new PC or laptop for the first time.

As the system loads you’ll be shown a handy walkthrough video to get you started with Search, Charms, the Start Screen and how to close apps, but then it’s pretty much up to you to work out where you need to go to do what you’ve always done.

The Start Screen itself is a reinvention of the classic Windows start menu, but personally I’ve hardly used it apart from accessing the Search feature, and I’ve continued to use all of my usual programs (Word, PowerPoint, Google Chrome) in desktop mode.

Apart from the confusing and rather long name, Windows 8.1 Update 1 also brings some new features to Windows 8.1.

Although, when I say new, I really mean old features that seemed to be non-existent in Windows 8 after Microsoft’s design overhaul; such as the ability to click the ‘-‘ or ‘X’ in the upper right-hand corner of the screen to respectively minimize or close the program window.

Microsoft brought these back after realising that not many users have touchscreen monitors and are therefore still using mouse and keyboard.

Conclusion

Microsoft has tried to keep up with the pressures of the new generation of computing, and I’m pleased to see that Microsoft are tackling the problem rather than trying to ignore it, but I can’t help but feel that Windows 8 was the wrong way to go.

When I log on, I feel like I’m using a Beta testing app for Windows 9 or, at the very least, the next Windows OS.

The Windows 8.1 update (for existing Windows 8 users) seems like a step in the right direction, but I still find myself wanting more…

– Chris JK.