Online leak of the first update to Windows 8.1 shows a series of changes in its Metro style UI making it easier for keyboard and mouse users.
Microsoft is readying for a March release of its first major update for Windows 8.1 but online leaks show what to expect from the upcoming game-changer. According to The Verge, several file-sharing websites leaked a copy of Windows 8.1 Update 1, which include a series of changes for the betterment of keyboard and mouse users. The Update 1 brings meaningful tweaks on the Start Menu screen as well as minor changes for quick navigation.
The initial release of Windows 8 did not get a warm welcome from the audience due to the lack of a Start menu. Over time, users found the convenience of the new OS on touch PCs, but the usual non-touch desktop users had a hard time. The first update for Windows 8.1, scheduled to arrive in March, looks to impress the non-touch PC users.
According to The Verge, the leaked screenshots of the upcoming update show a new title bar for Windows 8-style apps, which lets users "close, minimize, and snap apps side-by-side with a mouse." It takes a small portion of the "Metro" apps on the top, making it easier for mouse user to quickly get into apps. Other improvements include a few tweaks to the Start Screen.
The Update 1 will let users right click on Live Tiles to choose from functions such as resize, unpin, pin to toolbar and even uninstall. The Start Screen will also be added with two new functions, search and shutdown, on the top right hand corner. The Search option will bring the Windows 8-style sidebar interface and the Shutdown option will display a dropdown, giving options for restart, shutdown and sleep. Currently, users must go to the extreme right and select settings in order to access the shut down functions.
Microsoft will also bring some additional minor changes such as a new link to access Control Panel directly from PC Settings. The latest leak builds on the earlier reported speculations on Microsoft's next move for Windows 8.1. The unannounced update is three-week old in beta testing and is expected to arrive March 11, before the Build developers' conference of the company in April.
