“Microsoft on Wednesday launched its latest effort to reverse the fortunes of its Windows platform, showing off a line of new devices and unveiling Windows 8.1, a new build designed to boost interest in the company’s underperforming Windows 8,” Kevin Bostic reports for AppleInsider.
“At its Build developer conference at San Francisco’s Moscone Center, Microsoft looked to woo developers and win over customers who have been reluctant to upgrade to its newest operating system,” Bostic reports. “As the company confirmed in the past, Windows 8.1 will feature the return of the Start Menu, as well as the option to bypass the touch-centric Modern UI and boot directly to the desktop.”
Bostic reports, “The changes represent possibly the biggest about-face in the history of the software giant, which rolled out Windows 8 last year with the intention of reversing a trend that has seen consumers increasingly opting for smartphones and tablets while the PC market struggles… Ballmer in his initial address took the time to show a range of devices running Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8 software. Wednesday’s presentation, though, focused little on Microsoft’s struggling smartphone OS. Instead, Ballmer simply mentioned and showed off several new handsets — including Nokia’s Lumia 925 and several low-cost handsets — before moving on to Windows 8.1.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Windows 8.1sta.
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Start…Like painting a smile on a Pinto after all the gas tank fires.
Consumers have a Loooong memory.
MSFT: Oh you want the Start Menu Back?
Windows 8.1: Here’s where the Start Menu use to be, icon. Not only can’t you delete it, it takes you back to Metro, which you never wanted to see in the first place.
User: Starting my new computer, I am in Hell. Oh what’s this? Aaaahhh the desktop…. Oh and even the start button, but…., IT TAKES ME BACK TO HELL!!!!!
Remember my 72 Pinto fondly.
That would be 1-3-4-2, reminiscent of Robot Odyssey
And your still alive?
I think he’s still living off his settlement checks after he was burned on 86% of his body. Poor guy.
What a f$@kin joke. I am soooooo glad I dumped the windows pc 7 years ago, I love my 2003 power Mac. Yes I would rather use an old outdated Mac running 10.5 than a new winblows machine. I do see a new Mac mini in my near future though.
Ten years with a Mac desktop and still going with a relatively recent version of OS X. That’s another Mac success story!
My WinPC using friends go through at least two to three machines in the same timeframe.
By which time they realise the argument against Apples prices is baseless. I’m still using my ‘vintage’ 2006 macbook pro.
I’m also still using a computer from 2004. But it doesn’t run an outdated and out-of-support OS. I don’t need to run out and buy a new machine to install software only supported on the new OS.
Yes, my 2004 machine runs windows 8. Smoothly. Actually, it runs better under windows 8 then it used to run under the XP it shipped with.
You could actually sync your 2013 iOs7 iphone on this thing. Can you on your 2004 mac? Last time I checked, you need sync software that will not run on that machine. Because apple decided that you need a new mac.
Meanwhile, that same iphone has no problems syncing with XP. An OS released in 2001.
That windows pc’s need replacing every 2 years is a myth.
No not a myth, you may be the rare exception to the rule. Just because someone survives standing near the mouth of a volcano during an eruption does not mean its a good idea in general.
“No not a myth, you may be the rare exception to the rule” You are joking right? where do morons like you get this idea that macs outlast PCs? If you want to to throw your apple flavoured dick around the room that’s fine but stop being dillusional.
So this proves macs last longer than PCs? seriously people like you irritate me. Its fine you use a mac, but don’t pretend they are better than PCs. Its all dependent on what you use it for. Your friends must be retards because ive had my windows PC for 6 years and no issues. Grow a brain you arrogant misguided moron.
Go, run, walk, fly to the nearest Apple storse to buy a new iMac, Mac Pro, iPhone, iPad, iPod asap to supporting AAPL please, don’t use Mac for so long that’s not help Apple’s business. 🙂
Oh, my wife and I both have iPhones and a few iPods too. I’m kinda torn between the Mac mini or an iPad. The iPad would probably be adequate for our computing usage.
Screen size and what you do on it should help you make the choice. I have one 4 year old iMac running Mountain Lion, one ’06 first gen Intel MacBook Pro that can only run Snow Leopard, one Retina iPad, and 2 iPhone 5’s (soon to be 3 now that the step-son believes me that Android sucks after owning one). These cover all bases no matter what I want to do. I like a big screen when creating movies, using iPhoto to make books or working in InDesign & Photoshop. My step-son plays 2nd Life and likes the big screen of an iMac. I need my laptop to multitask watching TV and designing, or when I can’t use the iMac because the kid is on it, or other away from home needs (though the old laptop runs very hot if I try to use my 2nd Life account or if a Flash Video is running on it). Love the iPad for light travel and casual web sofa-surfing and my zillions of time wasting iPad games. ! I just find a need for every Mac and iSomethings. Next purchase will probably be a new iMac. I’m kinda attached to the laptop even though it’s old, it’s been SO reliable and 100% problem free I can’t part with it until it dies. Kinda curious how long it will last.
Do you work for Apple?
Possibly you do and your cheerleading explains why backwards compatibily is now 2-3 years and just WONDERFUL.
FEED THE PIG!
Apple has more than enough money in the bank (idle cash). @Scottr post was about consumer choice and longevity of Apple products, not throwing more money out the window for NO reason. The hip up to date users are entitled to buy a new computer every six months if they wish. When you get older, you may see it differently.
I too have a 2003 Mac that works great and use everday because of legacy software that was bought out by another company and terminated for upgrades. But it just WORKS.
That said, I also bought a new iMac with different software requirements (need) last year.
My point is to not DISCOUNT legacy users. Apple computers are bullet proof and my MacIIfx still works like a charm. That said, my software needs and ability to connect to the internet moved on …
“… your cheerleading explains why backwards compatibily is now 2-3 years and just WONDERFUL.”
Huh? From everything I’ve read, my 2009 MacBook Pro should be able to use Mavericks just fine. That’s a bit more than 3 years.
And my 7300 still works like a charm too, but I like the advantages of using newer hardware and newer software.
I think that I get what you’re saying, and yeah, it’d be great to be able to support backwards compatibility for everything back to the beginning of computers, but what a limiting experience. Just look at how MS had to keep extending support for XP and how much that has hobbled them.
I don’t like being forced to buy new stuff before I want to – but I’ve also enjoyed the benefits of Apple pushing us to stay more current.
IT JUST WORKS.
http://archive.macfixitforums.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/cfrm
WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT THEN?
Jesus Christ I tire of morons like you. The only reason people think this is because most consumers buy a PC preloaded with manufacturer bloatware and don’t have half the brain to remove it.
Stupid is as stupid does, but keep repeating “it just works”.
One of us. One of us.
Grow a brain,
The Mac mini is a great choice. Actually for most people who aren’t using a computer professionally it’s more than enough. iMacs are great but certainly more expensive. If you were to buy the upcoming Apple Cinema Display it would last you through several Mac Minis to be sure. And it looks to be retina. Cheaper in the long run than iMacs.
Wow GM. I’m in total agreement. My Mac Mini with my cheap but lovely 3rd party flatscreen monitor is excellent. It ended up replacing my Apple TV!
I do use a mac mini for app development professionally. I use it on the same monitor as my business pc my company provided me. Works just fine this way. Just needs some extra RAM.
Would the new retina cinema display be compatible with a 2010 Mac Pro with DVI connection? That would be a charm.
One of the reasons why I switched from Windows to OS X was that even with the Start button, using Windows was like taking a hose and spraying water all over your lawn. It’s not very scientific – you don’t measure how much water is going where and what plants need more water than others. OS X is like an automated sprinkler system that comes on at a preset time, akin to the Nest thermostat that dials your temperature automatically. OS X does things in great style and is fun to use as a result. Paraphrasing Steve Jobs, “OS X is the funnest OS since sliced bread.” Yeah, it’s been a sugar rush using OS X. There are not many operating systems in the world that I can say, “I love using it.” OS X is one of them. I have used Windows 7, Ubuntu Linux, Red Hat Linux and a bunch of others but OS X strikes me as the best of the lot, both from a usability perspective and the logical way things are laid out on the desktop.
Windows, on the other hand, is like that slightly mad auntie that comes to your house and lectures you on what girlfriends you should have, etc. – it is slight schizophrenic to use and you’ll be tearing your hair out in next to no time because Windows lacks fluidity. The fluidity of OS X while you stroke your touchpad and the mouse follows your every command.
Bringing back the Start button to Windows is like plugging an bleeding abdominal wound with a couple of Band-Aids. It won’t stem the bleeding because the underlying concept of Windows is schizophrenic and only a schizo like Ballmer could love Windows. Ballmer and Gates are the only two Windows lovers in the world. The rest of the population are locked into cheap and nasty – they use it but don’t love it.
“His Horse Is Spirited.” No wonder you led the Lakota to victory against the pale oppressors in 1876. They had no idea what metaphor was coming next at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
“… Bringing back the Start button to Windows is like plugging an bleeding abdominal wound with a couple of Band-Aids. It won’t stem the bleeding because the underlying concept of Windows is schizophrenic …”
Really agree with what you had to say.
In speaking with Windows people, it generally seems that they use it because they have to, or they don’t know any better (ie, they’ve never actually used a Mac, but they know it sucks – because they’ve heard it somewhere).
I’ve used Windows. I don’t like it. I find it to be unintuitive with needless extra steps and it’s painful to look at.
I use a Mac because It is intuitive for me and works they way that I like to work. Simply put, I find it to be a pleasant computing experience, while Windows is not.
“In speaking with Windows people, it generally seems that they use it because they have to, or they don’t know any better (ie, they’ve never actually used a Mac, but they know it sucks – because they’ve heard it somewhere).”
That’s nice, where did you pull that comment? Out of your elitist ass? You couldn’t sound more stuck up if you sat your pretentious ring around a fucking flagpole.
Its fine you like your mac. Its not a bad machine, but don’t make stupid sweeping generalizations. Is it not just possible, just a LITTLE possible, that some people might use windows because they like it? No? Well fuck me you are a complete fucking idiot then. Thanks for explaining to me that I only like windows because I don’t “know any better”. You fucking degrading piece of shit. Who the fuck do you think you are.
Posted from my ipad. because i’m not a fucking douchebag who thinks he needs to swear his allegiance to a brand.
Sticker on the Win 8.1 box:
“Start Button Inside!”
Next we’ll see the return of Clippy!
But, heh, this was a good Start.
Returning the “Start” button… such innovation… Mind. Can’t. Take. It. Anymore!!!
Yep. Windows “innovation” sucks so they regress backward to sucky OLD “innovation” that people are at least used to being sucky. Familiar suckage is a plus to clueless Winduhz users. They demand their old Start button that never really made sense being named a Start button in the first place.
Stagnation.
So this is their plan to compete against Mavericks and iOS 7?
The Coyote could come up with a better plan.
The Coyote was very ingenious
I wonder what the screwed up this time.
Innovative!
Don’t worry, 8.2 will boot into a friendly black DOS command line
8.3 will come with punch cards and a hand crank.
=:~)
Windows 9: The abacus GUI.
Microsoft Windows 9 marketing slogan: ‘The return of nostalgia’. (0_o)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abacus
I’m prepared to invest in punched tape readers
They should have made it a STOP button.
Nah, the buying public has already pushed the STOP button on Windoze.
You remember the fake wood sides on 1950’s station wagons in rememberance of covered wagons? This rates right up there.
With “Start”, did they get the “Turn Off” function tied to it too? Win8.1 – Totally unintuitive.
Fake wood?
Depends on the year made. Original ‘Woodie’ was REAL wood.
Competitors introduced faux wood years later.
XP +10
From what I’ve read, the “Start Button” is back on the Desktop, but when you click on it, it brings up a Metro “tile” screen. What?
So, Microsoft “listened” to PC users who don’t want to use tablets, and put the Start Button back on the traditional non-Metro desktop, but when the user clicks on it, it takes the user to the Metro interface? Seriously, Is that’s really how it works…? Non-tablet Windows users wanted the Start Button (and its menu) back, so they can avoid the so-called “Modern UI,” right? And Microsoft shoves it right back in the user’s face.
Long-time Windows users… Welcome to Mac OS X, where Windows users will feel “at home.”
…but when you click on it, it brings up a Metro “tile” screen. What?
That is exactly correct. I believe I found four ways Windows 8 victims can access a ‘Start’ button. Gee thanks Microsoft. Click the sucker and what you get is the startup TILE screen. No Start Menu. No such thing. Never to return. So says Microsoft. Click on the tiles. Get used to it. 😛
You will click on the tiles and you will LIKE it.
Startling, but still a non-starter. (Sorry.)
Do you still have to click “start” to shut down?
I guess that does make sense in the Bizarro world of Windows.
Don’t apologize…puns are fun!
Here’s the REAL news that Windows 8 victims want to hear:
How to restore the Start MENU.
Microsoft has clearly stated that the Start Menu is now forever verboten. Apparently, creating a third party hack to recreate the Start Menu is going to be a daunting task. We shall see. Stupid fracking Microsoft. 😛
With that policy decision they doomed themselves. Removing what little ease of use remained in Windows results in an unusable product.
This coming year I’m the secretary at the local PC user’s group. (Great bunch of people, mutual fans, despite the Microsoft). They are NOT interested in Windows 8, are avoiding it, and are highly derisive of MS making the Start Menu verboten. We had a demo of the favorite current hack for restoring the Start Menu. Their current priority for Windows 8.1 is how to hack the Start Menu back again. Will Microsoft ever wake up? – Click the tiles! Get used to it!
Euh… installing a third party app is “hacking” now?
I know of at least 6 third party applications that give you a menu. How’s that “hacking”?
Customizing windows through 3rd party apps is nothing new. People have been doing it ever since windows 3.11
Why is it suddenly a problem?
60% of my collegues had an app-launcher installed on their windows 7. When the pc’s upgraded to 8, first thing they did was reïnstall those tools. They don’t even care how win8 handles launching applications. They just want to use the tool.
Around 20% of my collegues also don’t care about the windows file explorer. They’ve been using Total Commander instead for as long as I can remember. Installing win8, first thing they do? Install Total Commander.
Again, why is this a problem?
Msft sticks to their vision and users who don’t agree with said vision have the opportunity to customize their system to their liking.
This is how it always has been. This is nothing new.
Obviously, since Microsoft provide no Start Menu, has made it verboten, and someone has to hack Windows 8 and 8.1 (maybe?) to create one… It’s a hack. It’s the definition of… a hack. I don’t know what you’re blethering on about. If it’s a semantics problem, enjoy your semantics.
And no, there aren’t any hacks, as of yet, to create a Start Menu for Windows 8.1. Instead, we know the current Windows 8 Start Menu hacks don’t work with Windows 8.1 and there are, possibly paranoid, reports that Microsoft is blocking any such hacks in the future. We shall see.
Funny.
Considering that I’m currently using my shiny Surface Pro in a 3 monitor setup (2x 27″ + the surface screen) through a USB3.0 docking station.
Well, to be honest… not “currently”. “Currently”, I’m sitting outside the office on a bench in the park for my lunch break, surfing the web and posting here while using my surface in tablet mode.
In a minute, I’ll return to my workdesk, plug in my USB3.0 cable and continue being productive on 3 screens writing complex enterprise software using visual studio, sql, cloud services, a myriad of performance tools, office and a bunch of dedicated homebrew tools for internal use only.
Unusable product? In your dreams perhaps…
I’ve been a professional software engineer for over 15 years (on a wide range of platforms) and never before have I been this flexible and efficient.
So have fun buying a desktop, laptop, tablet and phone. Meanwhile, I’ll be doing pretty much everything you do with just a phone and a hybrid device.
I get that you might not like windows 8 or windows in general. Good for you. But your opinions are just your opinions and not facts. Your experiences are not my experiences. Your use cases are not my use cases.
To call windows 8 devices “unusable” is as silly as calling any apple product “unusable”. All have their place in the market and people have a wide variety of reasons to go for one or the other.
You fanboys really should stop dissmissing all products you don’t use or don’t like for the simple fact that they are not the brand you happen to like or because they don’t happen to satisfy the specific use cases you need.
Slow day, huh?
Wait, are you one of Ballmer’s kids? Are you not allowed to use the cool stuff? Sucks to be you!
ow right… I like my windows 8 device… therefor I MUST be related to Ballmer and/or microsoft employees one way or the other, ha?
See, that’s exactly the kind of stupidity I was talking about.
Based on the sales numbers so far, yes :o)
Loosen up! Not everything MS produces is bad. I had a very well functioning Microsoft scroll mouse about 10 years ago.
Your “Surface Pro’s” Spellcheck/Grammer check feature must be broken, I guess…
So great. That’s why sales are through the roof, right? Enjoy.
I buy multiple products because I like having a variety of screen sizes and OS’s for choice, it’s fun.
I could get by with either only an iPad (maybe add a keyboard case) or only a MacBook Pro. At work my single choice would have to be the MBP due to the Adobe Creative Suite needs.
Haaa, the “sales figures” argument. Awesome.
Funny how a couple of years ago, when apple was a hair away from bankrupcy, the low sales figures of macs somehow wasn’t indicative of apple products according to apple fanboys.
Now, it’s all I hear… “surface didn’t sell 100 million units in 2 weeks, therefor it is crap”.
Great.
I’ld like to point out that I haven’t said anything bad about apple products either. Apple is not an option for me for several reasons (mostly missing software and to a lesser extent the platform lock down – and no, I don’t like windows nearing such territory either), but if it works for you – great.
I like a variety of screen sizes as well – and I have them through my docking. I don’t like fragmentation of OS’s, data or even of devices. I think it’s totally awesome that I have my full pc with all my important data and software with me all the time, everywhere I go, in a neat convertible package.
Just reading through the reactions on this site simply because I dared to post a message saying that I own a surface pro, am produductive and efficient with and even like it (ow, the horror!), is pretty entertaining while the build server is compiling and testing my code though 🙂
I do not like the company Microsoft for a variety of reasons, some of them historical. That said, I take no issue to what you chose to do your computing on. If that computer set up works well for you, great. I hope you get a long use from it and make a lot of money using it.
You are clear not a bridge dwelling flame baiting troll, so your comments are welcome here by me. I can’t speak for everyone here of course. It’s kind of like the Wild West in here. You will get all kinds of opinions in here, not all of them friendly or well reasoned.
I can see that you value Microsofts strategy, however I remain unconvinced that it appeals to the mass market. It’s so hard to determine tho, since a large amount of windows sales go straight into high volume business IT purchases. The largest area of Mac sales growth comes from individual purchases by end users. Apple has shown no interest in heavily pursuing large volume sales by businesses other than by schools. So it’s really hard to do a 1:1 comparison of the success of either platform on sales volume alone.
All I can point to is the relative growth of each platform, and while windows maintains a sizable lead, the gap is steadily narrowing as it has been for about 7 years.
A “hair” meaning over $4 Billion, right?
And a “couple of years ago” meaning over 15, right?
Get your facts straight before you troll here, asshole. And your reason for even spending time writing lengthy anti-Apple missives is??
Better yet, why don’t you just FOAD and let us get back to enjoying our site?
Cheers!
Sounds like the Surface is a perfect fit for you. Like the Marines say “The few the proud.”
Apple was going down hill in the 80’s under JS’s rule which was the reason for that. There is also a reason for Microsoft to be going downhill right now. Apple recovered thanks to our Steve. In Microsoft’s case, YOUR Steve is the problem.
Apple also recovered thanks to Microsoft but I expect you will deny that.
Still holding on to that?
“…making the US$150 million dollar amount of the investment largely symbolic….”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Apple_Inc.#Microsoft_deal
The day before the announcement Apple had a market cap of $2.46 billion,[50] and had ended its previous quarter with quarterly revenues of US$1.7 billion and cash reserves of US$1.2 billion,[51] making the US$150 million dollar amount of the investment largely symbolic. Apple CFO Fred Anderson stated that Apple would use the additional funds to invest in its core markets of education and creative content.[48]
@Jim – yes…with both hands…
http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/08/dayintech_0806/
Why do you use Wikipedia anyway for reference?
Yes I do know that Steve had Bill invest back in the ’90’s to bail them out of the John Sculley mess. A clever move on Steve’s part. But the investment was not for long and Apple went far beyond needed help after that as I think you’ve noticed.
Shouldn’t it be “Windows 7.9”?
http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=macs_cant