Modern productivity—Office on Windows

Today I’m excited to share that the Office Universal apps preview for Windows 10 for phone is expected to be available by the end of the month. With this announcement, we’re rounding out our Office on Windows line-up, and I wanted to take the opportunity to explain our strategy of Universal and Desktop apps.

Office Universal

Our Office Universal apps are designed for on-the-go productivity. They’re touch-first, built for tablets and phones, and optimized for viewing, quick edits, notes and mark-up. On a tablet, the Universal apps are fast, fluid, and streamlined for an immersive, hands-on experience. They’re fantastic for reading and perfect for touch- and pen-based content creation. On a phone, the Universal apps adapt to the smaller form factor. Commands and controls are moved to the bottom of the screen so you can triage your work and make edits one-handed with your thumb. (That may sound like a small thing—but wait until you try it. It makes all the difference!)

Word Universal for Windows 10 for phones

PowerPoint Universal for Windows tablets

Office Desktop

While on-the-go productivity is increasingly important, people haven’t stopped using the Office Desktop applications for their most important creative work—and we expect that to continue for years to come. The upcoming release of our Windows Desktop apps (Office 2016) will offer our richest feature set ever for professional content creation. These apps are tuned for sophisticated authoring, easy collaboration, pixel-perfect layouts and deep analysis—and are designed for the precision and control of a keyboard and mouse. In Office 2016 some of the key investment areas include:

• Modern productivity. Updated look and feel—Office 2016 will deliver a modern look and feel that is visually aligned with Office across platforms and devices. So no matter what form factor you’re using, your Office experience will be familiar, consistent, and intuitive. Cloud connections—With a redesigned Backstage experience, we’re making it easier to use cloud services to create, open, edit and save your files directly from the desktop. In addition, new modern attachments in Outlook make it easy to attach files from OneDrive and automatically configure permission for the recipients—all without leaving Outlook.Intelligent experiences—The new Office apps will learn as you work, taking advantage of subtle cues and clues to help you stay focused on priority work. Tell Me, a new search tool available in Word, PowerPoint and Excel, will enable you to find the commands you need by simply typing what you want to do.

• Business intelligence. Office 2016 will also include a number of valuable business intelligence enhancements built right into Excel. New data visualizations will make sophisticated analysis faster and easier. And Power Query (previously offered as a separate download) will be fully integrated into Excel, giving the app native features for discovering, combining and refining data from different sources.

• IT control and manageability. For the Enterprise, Office 2016 will deliver improved controls and information management. Word, Excel and PowerPoint will include new Data Loss Prevention (DLP) features to manage sensitive information like credit card or social security numbers. Flexible click-to-run deployment options will allow IT admins more control over Office updates. And improved integration with Microsoft SCCM and Azure Active Directory will give organizations powerful controls for managing the Office apps across devices.

With the preview release of the new Universal apps for Windows 10 for phones, we’ll have an exciting line-up of Windows 10 apps across form factors. The Universal apps will deliver tailored tablet and phone experiences for on-the-go productivity, and the Desktop apps will offer our broadest, deepest feature set for professional content creation. To experience them for yourself, I’d encourage you to download the apps and give them a try. The Universal apps for tablets went live in February with the Windows 10 Technical Preview, the Desktop IT Pro and Developer preview for Office 2016 launched last month, and the Universal apps for Windows 10 for phones are expected to be available with the Windows 10 Technical Preview by the end of April. Stay tuned to the Office blog for more updates on our Windows strategy. It’s an exciting time for Windows and Office, and there’s more to come in the next few weeks.

5 features Windows 9 needs to succeed

On Tuesday Microsoft will preview the next-generation Windows operating system – currently codenamed Windows Threshold, but expected to be called Windows 9 – and it will be a keystone to Microsoft's plans over the coming years.

With that in mind, here are five features that Microsoft must add to Windows 9 if it is to have a chance of not only tempting me back into the ecosystem, but also of dissipating the cloud of negativity that Windows 8 currently finds itself engulfed in.

#1 - Hassle-free Windows updates

Here are just some of the changes that need to be made:Microsoft needs to take a long, hard look at the Windows update process. The system as it currently stands is so antiquated that it would be laughable if not for the pain it inflicts on users.

• We need more cumulative updates. Installing updates only for more to appear immediately afterwards is tedious and time-consuming, especially when setting up new systems. Fully updating a system should be a one-click process, and users shouldn't be left wondering if all the patches and updates are correctly installed. Fresh Windows 8 installations can take almost a day to fully patch, which is a wholly inappropriate waste of time.
• Windows Update needs to be more reliable. I'm still coming across updates that just don't want to install, and trying to diagnose the problem can be a long task. Easy, one-click access to a separate installer would help, rather than forcing users to dig through countless knowledgebase articles.
• Rebooting should be kept to a minimum, and when needed it should recover my PC back to the state it was before the reboot, opening up the apps and files I was using prior to the reboot. 

#2 - Over-the-air Windows recovery

If a Mac system suffers a catastrophic disk failure, then the operating system can be recovered over-the-air without the need to dig out discs, USB keys, or rely on a recovery partition. It's a quick, easy, and painless process.

If Apple can do this, then there's no reason why Microsoft can't. And if Microsoft could add a feature that would enable us to download a diagnostics package containing system scan tools, a virus scanner, and fixes for common problems for flatlined Windows system, then that would be awesome.

Having to rely on third-party tools to fix Windows system is quite frankly crazy. Microsoft should be able to do the job much better.

#3 - Separation of OS, applications, and data

It's 2014, and drives are cheap. It should be easy – and by easy, I mean as close to automatic as possible – to make Windows take notice of the fact a system has multiple drives and use one for Windows and programs, and the other for data.

Taking this a step further, I'd like to see Windows isolate all applications from the operating system in such a way that I can, with a click of the mouse, either blitz all the settings of a specific application to default, or even remove that application from the system, deleting all of its setting with it. This would go a long way to eliminating the bitrot and slowdowns that affect Windows as time goes on.

Windows 8 already has a feature that rolls Windows back to an "out of the box" state, but this is a very blunt instrument. Repairing an operating s system should no longer means nuking everything and starting from scratch.

#4 - Pure desktop experience mode

If I have a desktop or notebook PC that isn't touch-enabled, then I don't want to have to suffer through a user experience compromised by features aimed at tablet users. Just give me the Windows Desktop and the Start Menu and let me get on with what I want to do.

#5 - Transparent backup

If there's one trick that Microsoft should learn from Apple, it is how to make backing up easier. The Time Machine mechanism in OS X is simply awesome, and takes all the strain out of backing up a system, and after the initial setup it is a total "fire and forget" system. It's not 100 percent perfect, but it's light years ahead of anything Microsoft has to offer.

Data is the single most important thing that users have on their systems, and giving users of all backgrounds a quick and easy way to ensure that their precious 1s and 0s is safe is a no-brainer.

A few other things I'd like to see changed

Before I close, here are a few more things I'd like to see changed in Windows 9:

• Get rid of all the pointless Start Screen tiles from a default install. If people want to add weather or a search tile or a tile that displays financial info, tell them how to do it, but don't add to the user's cognitive load by throwing a bunch of ever-changing tiles into the mix by default.
• Bring an end to big-bang releases. We don't need to be subjected to huge user interface and paradigm shifts every couple of years. Such a cavalier attitude creates disruption and makes an unavoidable learning curve associated with a new release unnecessarily steep.
• With iOS 8 and OS X 10.10 Yosemite, Apple has taken great steps to integrate the PC and post-PC ecosystems, allowing users to shift from one to the other in a more seamless way. Microsoft has yet to do much to assimilate the two worlds.
• Tone back the animations. I want an operating system, not a Pixar movie.
• When it comes to touch, gestures need to work better. Right now they're a mess, and different sensitivities on different devices make them even trickier to use.
• Microsoft needs to figure out battery life, especially if Windows RT is dead. Windows 8/8.1 is far too much of a power hog compared to OS X, even on cutting-edge hardware.
• Fix the inconsistent user interface. Bolting on a touch UI to the existing Windows UI has made matters much worse.

source link

Magic tricks with OneNote and Surface Pro 3

Nicole Steinbok is a Program Manager on the OneNote team. She loves the color purple, her family, and working on the team that created the magical experiences in this post.

I’m so excited to be writing about OneNote on the new Surface Pro 3 integration. I’ve worked with brilliant people from the Windows, Surface and OneNote teams to create this instant note-taking experience that’s like taking notes on paper–but way better.

In the video below you’ll see how to take a note whenever you want, have your notes with you all the time, clip and write on whatever you see on your screen, and how to customize your note-taking experience using OneNote.

In summary:

• To take a note whenever you want, click the Surface Pen and then write your note. It doesn’t matter if your Surface Pro 3 is locked or unlocked, or if your screen is off or on. Clicking the pen will always let you take a note.
• To take a clip of whatever you see, double-click the Surface Pen, and then select the region you want to clip. The selection is placed in your Quick Notes in OneNote and is ready for you to write on. You also can search for text in the clips you take, which is great if you’re clipping articles and research.
• Your Surface Pro 3 will come with the OneNote Windows Store App. If you prefer, you can use the desktop version, OneNote 2013 – get it free at www.onenote.com. You’ll be prompted to choose if you want to use it. Or you can configure which version to use in OneNote 2013: Click File, click Options, click Advanced, and then select Default OneNote Application.
• To have all of the notes you take on your Surface Pro 3 with you all the time, get OneNote on all your devices for free. We offer Windows, Windows Phone, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android apps. You also can access your notes in your web browser at www.onenote.com.

I’d love to hear about how you plan to use OneNote on your Surface Pro 3—tell us what you think in the comments below.  Happy clicking!

———

Tip: Windows and OneNote recently released updates to add the finishing touches, including the ability to double-click the pen to take a clip. So when you get your Surface Pro 3, make sure you update Windows and OneNote. 

To update Windows: Search on your Surface for Windows Update. Launch it, click Check for updates, and then install all the updates.

To update the OneNote Windows Store App: Launch the Windows Store, and swipe right to see the Charms. Click Settings, click App Updates, click Check for updates, and then install the updates. 

To update OneNote 2013: Start OneNote, then click File, click Account, click Office Updates, and then select Update Now.

Windows 8.1 is FAR more than simply a new and/or improved UI Windows 8.1 "under the covers"

Picking out the differences between Windows XP and Windows 8.1 or even between Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, improvements have been enormous and have remained unnoticed by a lot of people. So here's a glimpse of new features that are all in Windows 8.1. In sum, the following three unsorted (net even complete) lists of new features give an impressive insight into the innovation thrusts of the different versions starting with Windows Vista to Windows 8.1. Naturally, the list would be much longer - especially if we considered Windows Servers as well, which we won't in this article. Windows Server 2012 R2 on its own provides so many new features that an own list would even be more extensive than the ones provided herein.

It is definitely worth to have a look on the documentation since Windows is simply and even more unbeatable regarding security, manageability, automation, feature richness and customization.

New features within Windows Vista

User Account Control	User Interface Privilege Isolation	Live Icons
Restart Manager	Session 0 Isolation	Quick Search
Aero	Credential Providers	Cancelable I/O
Sidebar	Secure Startup	WPF
Network Access Protection	Windows Feedback Services	Presentation Settings
Sync Center	MMC 3.0	Windows Imaging Format (WIM)
Protected Mode IE	Parental Control	High Resolution/High DPI
Mandatory Integrity Control	IPv6 Dual Stack	Desktop Hardware Acceleration
Resource Exhaustion Diagnostics	Shell Property System	Peer Name Resolution Protocol
Stacks	Crypto Next Generation	Search Folders
Single Binary	Glass	Workflow Foundation
Power Management	Windows Display Driver Model	Flip3d
Windows Service Hardening	Transactional Registry	Windows Defender
SuperFetch	Windows Desktop Manager	Windows Filtering Platform
New Explorers	WCF	Writeable SIDs
Winlogon Rearchitcture	Registry/File Virtualization	Bitlocker and MBAM
Monad Scripting Shell	XAML and Segoe UI Font	Enhanced Group Policy Scenarios
Ink Analysis	Info Card	Enhanced Reliability Monitor
Windows Sideshow	Startup Repair Toolkit	Internet Explorer 7-9
Windows Resource Protection	RSS Platform	IE Hardware Accelaration (IE 9)
Ad-hoc Meeting Networks	New Event Viewer	Java-Script native code Jit- Compilation (IE9)
WS-Management	Eventing and Intrumentation	Process Elevation
Windows Installer 4.0/4.5	XML Paper Specification	Protected Processes
Function Discovery API	.Net Framework 3.0	Hidden Per-User-COM (Elevated Processes)
New Open/Save Dialog	Process Dump in Taskmanager	Improved Compiler Defenses (GS, ASLR, DEP, SAFESEH, robust, etc.)
User Mode Driver Framework	Open Package Specification	UI Access Application
Windows Disk Diagnostic	Wizard Framework	TrustInfo - Application Manifest
New Direct Access	New Security Model	> 320 Shims
Directory Junctions	NTFS English language	Separation of OS and MUI
Automatic Compat. Mitigations (>5.500 Applications)	New Firewall (Profiles, etc.)	New Security Center
HotStart
IIS 7.0	Data Protection API	ACT 5.0

New features within Windows 7

User Account Control Slider	New Explorers	Enhanced MBAM
New Taskbar	Scenic Ribbon Control	BuiltIn Touch Platform
Taskbar Thumbnails	Process Cloning for Debugging	BranchCache ™
Pinned Icons	Display Driver Model (WDM 1.1)	DirectAccess ™
Thumbnail Buttons	Customized Troubleshooting	AppLocker ™
Thumbnail Preview,	Sensors and Locations	Sensors and Locations
Thumbnail Jumplists	Desktop Gadgets	New, Richer Support Tools
Thumbnail Overlay Icons	Memory Diagnostics	Shell Rearchitecture – Search, Explorer, CMD-Shell
Preview Pane	Network Location Awareness	Windows Installer 5
Reading Pane	Network Connection Timeout Event	Customized Troubleshooting
Folder/Document Library	VPN Reconnect	Internet Explorer 8-9
Metadata Pane	Bitlocker to go	IE Hardware Accelaration (IE 9)
People Near Me	Powershell BuiltIn	Java-Script native code Jit- Compilation (IE9)
Search Providers	.Net Framework 3.5	Improved Compiler Defenses (GS, ASLR, DEP, SAFESEH, robust, etc.)
Aero Snap / Shaking	IE 9 Smart Screen and Tracking Protection	Event Viewer Tracing capabilities
Compatibility - Application Manifest (OS Switch Points)	Direct Access	RPC changes, Asynchronous I/O changes
Start Menu Search	New Search Engine	New Logo Certification
DaRT 7.0	NUMA	New Task Scheduler
Concurrency Runtime	Background Services	WERR
CPU Multi Processing and Core Parking	Task Parallel Library (TPL)	New Windows Update - Less Reboots
>360 Shims	Automatic Compat. Mitigations (>6.500 Applications)	Visibility of Firewall Port configuration in Resource Monitor
Compatibility Assistant	Boot Performance Improvements	Kernel Changes for Flexibility and Extensibility
New Firewall	New BITS service	Server RemoteFx Support
VHD Boot	XP Mode	Windows Backup
New RDP	Action Center	WERR - Third Party App Update
IIS 7.5	ACT 5.6	New MDT and WAIK
Credential Manager	Security Compliance Manager	High Contrast Mode

New features within Windows 8

User Account Control changes	Hyper-V on Client (almost the same as Server 2012 Hyper-V)	CHKDSK improvements with zero downtime (NTFS health)
Internet Explorer 10 with Enhanced Protected Mode	Virtual Network Switch	Powershell v3 In-Box, Powershell Intellisense, Powershell API Help- and Command Generator, New Powershell ISE
Virtual Fibre Channel	SMB 3.0 Attached Storage	Explorer VHD/ISO mount
Guest NUMA Direct	Direct Attached FC HBA	Dynamic Memory
64 TB Dynamic Virtual Disk	64 Logical CPU	VM 10-finger Touch
Extensible Virtual Switch	New Performance Tools	Fast and Fluid UI
Low Power Busses	VM NIC VMQ	VM NIC Teaming
OS BuilIn Smart Screen Filter (Has blocked >1.5B malware and >150M phishing attacks)	New Explorer with Ribbon	IIS 8.0
Do Not Track (DNT) capability	SmartScreen Filter protects third-party browsers	IE10 ASLR Support for none-ASLR aware AddIns
Secure Boot	New Task Manager	Powershell Web Interface
Trusted Boot	Windows to go	New MDT, WAIK, MDOP
Measured Boot	Offline Domain Join	WMI 2.0
Remote Attestation Service	New Activation Model	New App Certification
Remote Applications	Connected Standby	Virtual Smartcards
Windows RT (Windows on ARM)	BuiltIn USB 3.0 Support	Direct Access improvements
TPM 2.0	BuiltIn Bluetooth 4.0 Support	Branch Cache Improvements
UEFI 2.3.1	New Driver Model (WDM 1.2)	DaRT 8.0
Storage Spaces – Thin/Thick Provisioning	Hunderte neuer Powershell CMDLets (z.B. 162 für Hyper-V)	New VDI
New Windows Defender (Forefront Scan Engine)	New Firewall with Packet Filtering	Internet Explorer 10 64-Bit with 32-Bit Support
Fast Boot	PS ISE integrated CMD List	.Net Framework 4.5 SP1
Hybrid Shutdown	Improved, comprehensive Compiler Defenses (GS, ASLR, DEP, SAFESEH, SEHOP, Heap Spray, robust, etc.)	Async APIs (85% of WinRT APIs and included in .Net 4.5)
High Contrast Mode changes	Office 2013 RT (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote included in Windows RT edition)	Windows RT APIs and new Kernel Services (e.g. Background Tasks, Suspended Apps)
Maintenance Tasks	Suspended Desktop Application (Windows RT)	Suspended Apps
Shared Kernel – Phone, Tablet, Notebook, PC	Offloaded File/Folder Operation (ODX Protocol)	New Application Model – Platform neutral (Intel/AMD/ARM)
Windows to go parse-through VM	Windows Store App Resource Protection	OPP Brokered API Isolation
Live Tiles	App Contracts – Secure App Data exchange (Search, Share, FilePicker, PlayTo)	Office 2013 Student (Windows RT)
RICH Touch Support 10-finger Touch Support	Secure Device Access – App Capabilities	Process Isolation – Low Integrity App container
VM 3D graphic support	Sidebar Removal	HTML 5 Support
Search throughout apps	New Windows 8 OS Switch Point via App Manifest	StartScreen Mouse- and Keyboard Support
File History	Windows Refresh / Reset	Windows 7 Backup included but deprecated
Optical Disk Power Management	Windows Store App Forward Compatibility	Flat Desktop Design and Improvements
Windows Store (Link to certified Desktop Apps possible)	Windows Store Apps using JavaScript and HTML	Device Encryption and Bitlocker
Windows Store Installer	Sideloading Installation	Windows Intune Support
WACK, WADK, WSDK, WDK	ACT 6.0	New Compatibility Assistant
New Windows Update – Less Reboots	Startup Application Diagnostics	Enhanced Cloud Integration – Linked Microsoft Account
Surface RT Ports for HDMI, USB, Bluetooth 4.0, SDCard	Convertible Devices Support	Support for almost infinite number of Hardware Formfactors
> 385 Shims	Automatic Compat. Mitigations (>7.500 Applications)	PowerShell Web Service Interface
Remote Attestation Service	Settings Roaming	Huge number of different Device-Formfactors
Web Setup (ESD)	No Installation without NX (DEP)	Silent (automatic) Activation
UEFI CSM Boot (Class 2)	Connected Account	Automatic Startup Repair UI
Assessment Execution Engine	Compression API	Data Deduplication API
App Packaging and Deployment	DirectComposition	Direct Manipulation
DirectXMath	Help API	iSCSI Software Target API
Operation Recorder	Steps Recorder Changes	SMB Management API
User Access Logging	User State Management API	Web Socket Protocol Component API
Windows Connection Manager	Windows Storage Management API	XAudio2
XInput	Event Tracing	IP Helper changes
MIB changes	Native Wifi changes	Network Management changes
UEFI CSM Boot (Class 2)	Connected Account	Automatic Startup Repair UI
Direct2D changes	DirectWrite changes	Printing changes
UI Automation changes	Windows Sockets changes	Software Input Panel
Assessment Execution Engine	Compression API	Data Deduplication API
Surface Pro with ultra thin digitizer
Start Button replaced by link to new Start-Screen	Technical Start Menu	Windows Style UI – New Start Screen

New features within Windows 8.1

Internet Explorer 11 with Enhanced Protected Mode ON by default	Internet Explorer 11 – automatic AddOn-Handling	IE11 with better touch performance, faster page load times and several other new features
Remote Business Data Removal (Selective Wipe)	Internet Explorer 11 antimalware solution integration	Windows Store in-place upgrade (Click-Click-Done)
3D Printing Support (built-in	Biometrics Support (built-in)	Biometrics liveliness Detection
Biometrics modern reader support (swipe, touch)	Biometrics usage with UAC, Windows Store, Modern UI Apps and more	Common fingerprint enrollment
Workplace Join	Work Folders	Open MDM for BYOD
Mobile Device Management	Web Application Proxy	RDS Enhancements - enhanced VDI
Wi-Fi Direct Printing	NFC Tap-to-pair Printing	Native Miracast Wireless Display
Broadband Tethering	Pervasive Device Encryption	Malware Resistance – Defender with network behavior monitoring and ActiveX support
Device Lockdown	Assigned Access	New Credential Theft Mitigations
New local Groups for hardening capabilities	Hundreds of new Win32 APIs	New Windows Surface 2 RT with new Keyboards
New Windows Surface 2 Pro with new Keyboards	Boot Performance improvements	Network performance improvements
Remote-Apps with faster reconnects and improved compression and multiple monitors support	Wider range of VPN clients	Apps can automatically trigger VPN connections
Embedded wireless radio	Windows To Go - Windows Store enabled by default	Touch to Buy with Biometrics
High DPI improvements	Dynamic DPI Changes	Per-Monitor DPI-Aware Applications
New GPOs (e.g. Start Screen)	New or improved Development Tools	New or improved Deployment and Management Tools
Text to Speak capabilities	In-app commerce support	Automatic App Updates
Hyper-V improvements	New Shims and Compatibility Modes	New Windows SwitchPoint for backward compatibility
Developers: New App Packaging	Developers: New scheduler API for Asynchronous Programming	Developers: Lots of new HTML and JavaScript controls
Developers: Lots of new XAML controls	Developers: New Device APIs (USB, Bluetooth, 3D Printing, Biometrics, Point of Service "POS", Human Interface "HID")	Developers: New DirectX 11.2 support with hundreds of new features
Developers: Enhanced support for in-app file management	Developers: New ways to capture and process media (playback controls, native support for Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) for HTML5 playback.	Developers: Removal of GetVersionEx()
Developers: New HTTP APIs	Developers: New Networking APIs	Developers: Latest authentication techniques support
New Windows Store	Better Mouse and Keyboard Options	Modern UI App Kiosk Mode
Enhanced Device Sync capabilities	Picture Slide Show on Lock Screen	New Touch Keyboard
Explorer SkyDrive integration	Redesigned Photo, Mail, Camera apps and more	Cloud connectivity enhancements (SkyDrive, etc.)
Improved All Apps List	Start Screen configuration by GPO	Start Screen Corporate Identity configuration
Improved Personalization	Variable, Continuous Size of Snap Views	Backgrounds with motions
Two more Live Tile sizes	Improved Search (Web, Bing, SkyDrive, Documents, Apps, etc.)	More colors and backgrounds for Start Screen
New Start Button	Boot to desktop	Modern UI Improvements – New Start Screen look and feel

By the way, Windows 8.1 now has a new Start Button which references to the new Start Screen. If you counted the number of required clicks or keystrokes to start a program in Windows 7, you will see you won't need more rather less clicks when using Windows 8.1. Despite, the Start Button is back most people don't miss it anymore as the Start Screen and the underlying application list became so beautiful, meaningful and useable.

Incidentally, the most important technical features are still accessible in the "Technical Start Menu" with a right mouse click on the new Start Button. This is a massive improvement for Virtual Machine users because on Windows 8 finding the bottom left corner in those machines was a little bit tricky some times.

Just looking at the touch ability of Windows 8.1 in the new Start Screen and in the new Windows Store applications is impressive and for this I'm likely adapting on a new operation system, which is in my opinion to learn easily within a few minutes. On Windows 8.1 a new user will see some useful hints (one time) while navigating through the Start Screen the first time.

In addition, the new type of handling opened an unprecedented comfort. Here a quote of a colleague, who appreciates the new Start Screen as much as I do:

"My personal highlight is the ability to interact in totally new ways compared to other operation systems.

I simply enter a term and Windows 8 lets me know all possible alternatives for it. So it shows you the results Windows 8 finds for the term in "Apps", "Files" and "Settings". What is even more interesting is that Windows 8 tries to process across apps. "Tie" for example is being looked for in Bing and eventually you might see what different types of ties and knots exist. Using an app might lead me to a shop where I find offers. Otherwise I can just search through an auction app for auctions. The "Share" function is just amazing: I may easily share the found ties with my wife and find out, whether she likes the tie as well."

Looking at how many powerful features inside Windows 8.1 are we can definitely call it an impressive operating system which hadn't been seen by the world before. It's the most feature rich client operating system so far (Windows Server 2012 R2 has much more than the client).

First of all, Windows itself benefits from these features and therefore reaches a new dimension concerning security, manageability, usability, performance and much more. Furthermore it is extremely energy saving so even with older hardware battery life has been raised a lot.

Also administrators profit by substantial increases Windows 8.1 had in terms of manageability, automation and security, which results in potential reduction of operating costs.

Additionally, software developer benefit from those features since many of them may directly be addressed or integrated in their own projects and thereby increasing the quality, safety and performance. Also, development costs can substantially be reduced.

Finally, all users profit from the new features – no matter if they use Windows 8.1 at home or at work. If the operating system and related apps are secure, reliable and fast, users are the ones to really make use of it. Not to mention that many features are of course available to the user – if he is aware of them.

There is one question remaining: "Who really knows Windows at all?"

It would be a pity if the entire discussion about Windows 8.1 would be reduced on a new type of user interface or usability.

Therefore, I to highlight my favorite Top-10 features in Windows 8.1 as a separate blog series.