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My Windows 8 Consumer Preview: A Sneak Peek at the Windows 8 Public Beta
- By Katherine Murray
- Published Apr 9, 2012 by Que. Part of the My... series.
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Description
- Copyright 2012
- Edition: 1st
- eBook
- ISBN-10: 0-7897-4982-3
- ISBN-13: 978-0-7897-4982-6
This book gives you a first look at the exciting new features in Windows 8 Consumer Preview, the beta version of the operating system Microsoft released to the public on February 29, 2012. Chances are good that you’ve already heard about the flashy new Metro style of the Windows 8 interface. The new look may be the biggest news item you’ve been hearing about, but the changes in Windows 8 go far beyond the surface design changes. Windows 8 is a new program from the ground up, meaning that the experience it offers you will be much different from any version of Windows you’ve used before.
Windows 8 is fast and fluid, bringing you the updates you need quickly, while providing reliable access to the programs and files you depend on as you go about your daily tasks. Whether you are sharing photos, checking your social media accounts, designing a presentation, or listening to your favorite podcast, Windows 8 gives you the means to move through your tasks smoothly in any order or combination you choose.
Some folks welcome this kind of new energy in technology; others aren’t so sure a complete makeover is a good idea. Whichever camp you find yourself in, this book will help you learn more about what you can expect from Windows 8. Some of the biggest changes we’ll discuss in this book include:
Navigating the new Start screen, customizing Start screen colors, and displaying your favorite apps as you want them to appear
Using live tiles to get the latest information for your favorite apps
Using touch and mouse-based techniques to personalize your Windows 8 experience and work with files, folders, and more
Enhancing the security of your system by changing your Lock Screen, adding a picture password, and creating a PIN logon
Learning to work fluidly with open apps, cycling through open apps, docking apps, and closing or suspending apps you no longer need
Using the Refresh and Reset tools to give your computer a fresh start if you’re having computer problems
Shopping for apps in the Windows Store, installing apps on your computer, and adding ratings and reviews to let other shoppers know what you think
Browsing with the sleek and streamlined Internet Explorer 10
Extras
Related Articles
History Vault for Windows 8: User Friendly Backups
Refresh and Reset Your Windows 8 Computer
Sharing Office Files via SkyDrive
The New Microsoft Account for Windows 8
What to Expect from Microsoft Office 15
Sample Content
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Welcome to Windows 8 Consumer Preview 1
Highlights of Windows 8 2
What You’ll Find in This Book 4
Let’s Begin 5
1 Wow, Windows 8! 7
Getting Started with Windows 8 9
First Look! 9
Using Touch in Windows 8 10
Single Tap 10
Swipe Left 11
Swipe Right 12
Swipe Up and Down 13
Pinch Zoom 14
Getting Around with the Mouse and Keyboard 15
Using Your Mouse 15
Using the (Real) Keyboard 17
Using a Touch Keyboard 18
Exploring the Start Screen 20
Finding What You Need on the Start Screen 20
Displaying Windows 8 Charms 21
Getting to the Windows Desktop 22
Launching Windows Explorer 24
Removing an App from the Start Screen 25
Moving Apps on the Start Screen 27
Shutting Down or Putting Windows 8 to Sleep 27
Putting Windows 8 to Sleep 28
Shutting Down Windows 8 29
Getting the Help You Need 29
Displaying Windows Help and Support 29
Printing Help 31
2 Preparing Your Windows 8 PC 33
Adding Devices in Windows 8 34
Viewing Installed Devices 34
Connecting a Device 35
Removing a Device 37
Setting App Notifications 38
Changing Notifications 38
Connecting to Wireless Networks 39
Connecting to an Available Network 40
Managing Your PC Power 41
Choosing a Power Management Plan 42
Changing Power Options 43
Refreshing or Resetting Your PC 44
Refreshing Your PC 44
When You Need to Start Again: Reset 45
3 Personalizing Windows 8 47
Personalizing Your Lock Screen 48
Choosing a New Lock Screen Picture 48
Adding a New Lock Screen Picture on the Fly 50
Changing Your Account Picture 50
Adding Badges 52
Adjusting the Look of Windows 8 53
Changing the Look of the Start Screen 53
Up the Contrast, Baby 54
Magnifying Your Display 55
Changing the Time 55
Tweaking Your Touch Experience 56
Choosing Your Language 57
4 Securing Your Windows 8 Computer 59
Customizing Your Login 60
Changing a Password 61
Creating a Picture Password 63
Creating a PIN logon 66
Switching to a Local Account 67
Working with User Accounts 69
Add a User 69
Changing User Account Settings 70
Switching Users 72
Maintaining Your Privacy 73
Setting Location Privacy 73
5 Exploring Windows 8 Apps 77
Getting Started with Apps 78
Reviewing Apps 78
Pinning Apps to the Start Menu 79
Creating App Groups 80
Naming App Groups 81
Finding and Starting Apps 82
Locating an App 83
Launching an App from the Start Screen 84
Launching an App on the Desktop 84
Working with Apps 85
Exploring a Program “Window” 86
Checking Out a Metro App 87
Displaying the Apps Panel 88
Moving among Apps 88
Tiling Apps 89
Closing Apps 90
Closing Selected Apps 90
Using the Task Manager 91
Getting New Apps from the Windows Store 92
Introducing the Windows Store 93
Searching for an App 94
Installing an App 95
6 Using Windows Explorer 97
Launching and Navigating Windows Explorer 98
Starting Windows Explorer 98
Exploring the Explorer Screen 99
Navigating Windows Explorer 100
Working with the New Ribbon 101
Learning the Ribbon Layout 101
Displaying and Hiding the Windows Explorer Ribbon 103
Finding and Selecting Files and Folders 104
Finding Files and Folders 105
Selecting Files and Folders 106
Viewing File Information 107
Tagging Files 108
Copying, Pasting, and Sharing Files and Folders 109
Keeping a Close Eye on Your Copying 109
Solving Copy Conflicts 110
Sharing Files 111
7 Using the Seamless Web in Windows 8 113
Exploring Internet Explorer 10 114
Starting Internet Explorer 114
A Look Around the Internet Explorer Screen(s) 115
Browsing and Searching the Web—with Touch and Without 118
Using the Address Bar 119
Navigating the Web 120
Using Navigation Tiles 123
Searching for Information 124
Selecting Your Home Page 126
Working with Tabs 127
Using Tabs the Metro Way 127
Opening a New Tab in Desktop IE10 128
Securing Your Browsing Experience 129
Deleting Cookies 130
8 Photos, Music, Video, and Games! 133
Let There Be Photos! 134
Adding Photo Accounts to Windows 8 134
Viewing and Selecting Your Photos 136
Setting Photo Options 137
Offering Feedback on Photos 138
Displaying a Slideshow 139
Grooving to Your Tunes 140
Getting Started with the Music App 140
Listening to Music Previews 141
Adding Music to Your Collection 142
Purchasing Tunes 143
Watching and Sharing Video in Windows 8 144
Exploring Video 145
Using the Movies Marketplace 146
Don’t Forget Your Favorite Shows 148
Xbox Live Games in Windows 8 148
Customizing Your Avatar 149
Finding and Playing Your Favorite Games 150
Buying or Renting a Game 151