With the final build of Windows 8.1 due to land in the next few days, a leaked version (build 9741) has made its way online -- and with it, a raft of wide-ranging changes that illustrate just how rushed, unfinished, and amateurish the release of Windows 8 was.
The overarching theme in this test build of the RTM (release-to-manufacturing) build is usability. Specifically, first-time usability. You might be surprised to hear this, but it turns out that Windows 8, without a Start button and with most features hidden behind hard-to-discover menus, is hard for first-time users to grok. We're not entirely sure why Microsoft did this -- it breaks one of the most important rules of interface design. Furthermore, thousands of beta testers, and tech writers like myself, warned Microsoft that it simply wouldn't fly. Unperturbed, convinced that it knew something that we didn't, Microsoft pushed ahead with one of the worst interface blunders of all time.
A year later, with lackluster Windows 8 sales and a virtually nonexistent Windows 8 tablet market, it's clear that Microsoft got it wrong -- and now Windows 8.1 hopes to rectify some of those mistakes.
First up, Windows 8.1's built-in Metro apps now have a "three dots" button that reveals the app's context menu -- just like Windows Phone 8. Previously, the only way to find the context menu was to stumble upon it by accident (right clicking the mouse, or swiping up). Presumably other third-party apps will have the option of including this visual prompt, too.
In the same vein, and perhaps more importantly, Microsoft's built-in apps will now remind users to swipe in from the right to reveal the Charms bar and the Start button. Again, the Charms bar was previously only discoverable by random luck, leaving many users to wonder how to get back to the Start screen. Many Metro apps link into Share and Search on the Charms bar, too -- but a fat lot of good that did, if users couldn't find those buttons.
The original Windows 8 "tutorial."
Windows 8.1 actually includes real tutorials.
The test build also includes a "Help + Tips" app, which includes some video tutorials that will help you find your way around all of Windows 8.1's new features. This is a significant step up from the previous "tutorial," which essentially consisted of an animated, noninteractive GIF during the installation process telling you to "move your mouse into any corner." As for why Microsoft didn't includes these video tutorials in the original release of Windows 8, I guess the only answer is hubris.
Rounding out the other changes found in the leaked build, Skype is now pre-installed as a stock app, and Facebook and Flickr photo integration have been dropped in favor of SkyDrive. This is an obvious and fairly obnoxious play for more market/usage share from Microsoft, and really a bit of a slap in the face for any Windows 8 users who upgrade and find that they've lost access to their Flickr and Facebook photos. It's possible that some functionality will be preserved by the introduction of Facebook and Flickr apps, but it still seems like an overzealous move from Microsoft. There are also some new "parallax" Start screen wallpapers that move as you scroll through your tiles, including a robot and a dragon.
There are no further changes on the Desktop side of the equation, as far as we can tell. As per the Windows 8.1 Preview, you can now turn the Start button back on, turn off the hot corners, and boot straight to the Desktop after logging in.
Now read: Windows 8.1 multi-monitor Desktop hands-on review, or check out our complete list of Windows 8.1 feature additions and changes
[Image credit: The Verge(Opens in a new window)]
