We know that Windows 8 is primarily a tablet and touch-first operating system, but -- assuming everything goes to plan -- it will also be used on hundreds of millions of desktop PCs around the world.

In addition, the Windows 8 tablets (such as the Samsung Windows Developer Preview PC) have a dedicated Start button. Laptop and desktop owners will be able to press the Windows button on the ...

Microsoft is expected to release the Windows 8 Consumer Preview on ... Metro,” and it serves as the home base for anyone who’s using Windows 8, whether you’re on a desktop ...

There's a lot to like in Windows 8, and the Release Preview goes a long way towards clearing up many of the lingering doubts. IT departments should certainly start looking at Windows 8 now.

Microsoft released a preview of the upcoming Windows 8.1 Wednesday, loaded with features and fixes that improve and build on the foundation laid by Windows 8. While it's free for anyone to go and ...

Simply, the Windows 8 Consumer Preview feels stitched together. It tries and fails to smoothly integrate a new desktop Windows UI with Metro, the top-layer UI first introduced with Windows Phone 7.

Windows Developer Preview, 64-bit: A 3.6-gigbyte download, this version is made up of just the Windows 8 Developer Preview OS and the 28 preview apps -- no added developer tools ...

Windows RT was largely unmentioned during Microsoft’s Build opening keynote on Wednesday, but the company is also releasing a preview version of Windows RT 8.1 this week.

Because Windows 8 starts up in the Metro interface, not the traditional desktop, our testbed had to boot up, load the Metro interface, and then load the desktop to get to that text file.

The Windows 8.1 preview is available to download and install right away (link at the end of the story), and it will be a free upgrade for Windows 8 users when the final build is released in the fall.

Q:I'm curious about Windows 8, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea to install the preview version of it on my PC. Would it be better to just wait for the final version? A: I might not even bother ...

Windows 8 introduces a new interface, Metro, with an 'immersive' look-and-feel that's designed to scale from smartphones to desktops. It's still pre-beta, but developers now have the tools to ...