(Part One)
Androids, iPads, and other devices are not really driving me crazy. It’s the users who jump on mobile devices and declare it is the best or the not being able to wait – and the security of mobile devices! Truly we are in the infancy of mobile computing. I’m not a fanboy of Apple or Microsoft or Android. I love them all. Each of the devices are growing and have their flaws. But honestly, Windows 8 is looking really good.
We are currently beginning to use all of these technologies in the classroom and honestly, Windows 8 is a good pre-beta operating system. In a tight economy many CIOs are looking at all of the technology available but many are beginning to pay attention to the network ability and compatibility of products that are coming into the work place.
(above) Cody Chandler uses Windows 8 on a 22″ touchscreen. Although Windows 8 will be made primarily for mobile tablets, when given a choice, students would select Windows 8 over iPads and Androids.
The metro style of Windows 8 has been criticized but it is no different than android or iPad truly and the advanced features of simply pushing the desktop metro icon sends you into a desktop similar to Windows 7. Imagine a majority of your programs still working and your network infrastructure remaining in place without Android’s security issues or iPads/iPhone bandwidth issues (running out to iTunes – see Picture Below). Remember when Steve Jobs could not join the busy wireless network?
iPhone talking to iTunes (12 sessions alone to 12 servers – we see this very often with Apple products)
Here’s some things to remember and things we have done to try to run it the OS into the ground -
- Windows 8 can be used without a touchscreen or tablet or mobile device but touchscreens are recommended
- If the software installed in Windows 7, there is a great chance it will run in Windows 8
- Run AutoCAD software or FeatureCAM software (design software)
- If you want to right click without a keyboard, hold down the icon and it will right click
- Manage is in the same place
- The device manager is in the same place
- Create ODBC connections to SQL servers
- Plug in digital cameras and retrieve or edit pictures
- Run SCADA software with Windows 8
- Run robotic software
- Run PLC software
- The control panel is in the same place
- Enhanced search features of applications or native search of your hard drive
- You basically have two OSs…. the mobile OS that has the metro menu and hit the desktop and you are in Windows 8 (so similar to Windows 7, very little learning curve!)
- Install over 90% of your programs on the computer and use it as a mobile computer or attach it to a keyboard, mouse and monitor and ta-da you have a desktop
- Use your company’s network!
- Use your printer!
- Use your usb flashdrive – no special attachments
- Attach NAS (Network Area Storage to Windows 8)
- Join a domain and enforce policies
- Setup users or administrators restrict users and documents and protect your company’s data
- Low cost of upgrading and replacing computers and get a mobile workforce with compatibility
- Attach storage to Windows 8 with your usb (external drives)
- Use Windows Explorer to copy, cut, paste your files!
- Attach cameras to your computer using Windows 8 or wait for a Windows 8 tablet with cameras
- Use multiple monitors (hey we got it working and that makes it even more awesome!)
- Our test computer uses 2 GB of ram and is very very fast (hardware upgrade is not necessary on most computers today)
- Very little programming of applications that have to be multi-platformed
- Use it as a PRODUCTION tool – a true production tool with very little reinvestment or play with applications that are used mostly for entertainment
- Low network profile
- Low training cost and across the board standardize of your applications and documents (don’t worry about converters and application development with production needs)
- Install Freeware and other software - millions of programs available that worked with Windows 7 or earlier operating systems
- Map a network drive
- Backup to a network drive using Windows backup or freeware
- Backup to a usb device
- Works with Android tablets without adapters
- Everything you are use to…and more
Win + Spacebar : Switch the input language and keyboard layout
Win + C : Open the Charms
Win + D : Show the desktop
Win + E : open Windows Explorer
Win + F : Open the Search panel
Win + H : Open the Share charm
Win + I : Open the Settings charm
Win + K : Open the Connect charm
Win + L : Lock the computer
Win + O : Lock the screen rotation
Win + Q : Open the search pane
Win + R : Open run
Win + V : Cycle through toasts
Win + W : Opens the Settings search panel
Win + Y : Peek at the desktop
Win + Z : open the app bar
Win + Shift + V : Reverse cycle through toasts
Win + Enter : Launch the narrator
Win + PgUp : Move tiles to the left
Win + PgDn : Move tiles to the right
Win + Shift + . : Move the split to the left
Win + . : Move the split to the right
Oh hey don’t tell anyone, but Skydrive gives 25gb of free space in the cloud to store your files for free….
Support for VirtualBox can be seen in the picture below.
Join Windows 8 to a domain, see tips and more
[...] TTC Shelbyville Mobile computing makes me crazy – Sanity out of Windows 8 [...]
Steve,
Very nice review… I can’t wait for Windows 8!
Rick
Rick,
Go back and read what we have added and look for parts two and three when we install everyday applications and production applications on Windows 8.
Steve
[...] Mobile computing makes me crazy – Sanity out of Windows 8 – a review – Androids, iPads, and other devices are not really driving me crazy. It’s the users who jump on mobile devices and declare it is the best or the not being able to wait – and the security of mobile devices! Truly we are in the infancy of mobile computing. I’m not a fanboy of Apple or Microsoft or Android. I love them all. Each of the devices are growing and have their flaws. But honestly, Windows 8 is looking really good. [...]
[...] A post I feel didn’t get the attention it deserved – With all of the criticism of Microsoft over the last year, Installing Windows 8 so we could print and run 99% of our applications on a tablet amazingly this post didn’t catch much attention at all. While Android tablets and iPads continue to grow and the end users whispering to us they really are toys that surf the web and do email and truly aren’t production devices in the enterprise, users saw Windows 8 on a tablet we had and loved it. Mobile computing makes me crazy – Sanity out of Windows 8 – a review [...]