Ready to Try Out Windows 8?
Windows 8 will enjoy general availability October 26, 2012 but enterprising users can download test versions of the OS from Microsoft's website and try it for free. Here are 20 apps you can already use with these so-called "preview" versions. They should also work with the final edition of Windows 8. Unless Microsoft significantly changes the underlying operation and structure of Windows 8, which is quite improbable.
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Wooooow... didn't see that one coming !!!
The good news (and that's what Microsoft counts on) is that the developing for Win8 is fast and easy if you are already familiar with Visual Studio tools. There is a huge base of MS minded developers on the market that had "difficulties" for adapting themselves to the Android or IOS SDK's, so the Windows 8 Apps library will probably grow very quickly and we'll soon have plenty of very useful and less useful (but in any case ugly) applications to use on what will probably become my OS of choice.
Admit it.. you just wanted to be the First Comment and couldn't come up with a less obvious observation.. water is wet and Android and iOS apps are better..
Windows 8 has not even come out yet, so for now it has an excuse for that.. I will reserve my fair judgement for about two years to give Microsoft a chance to catch up. Talking about competitiveness of Apps that is.. I have little faith in Windows 8 itself..
And the Smartass award goes to.. you guess it.. dthx!
I believe what math1337 meant to say was "Android and i)S apps are better than these... in response to the first post.. a perfectly valid response
As far as a relevant comment - Again. Windows 8. I see it working very nicely for tablets. Map app instead of a website, ok, makes sense, same with GPS. Weather... eh... I still, personally, prefer a gadget I can glance at on the desktop, as a lot of the space *is wasted.* But why do I need an Ebay app?
Most importantly, as Windows 8 *IS NOT JUST A TABLET OS,* why do I need them on the desktop, where they block everything else out when in use and waste a lot of space? I don't need the weather at full desktop resolution - a quick glance to see it's (say) 83 degrees, with a click for an unobtrusive expansion to see a thunderstorm is predicted, is just fine. Why do I need full-screen Telnet? Why, on a desktop, do I need (no offense) a Tom's app and an eBay app when I have a browser?
They're nicely done, don't get me wrong. But... I have a browser. I don't need an app. Especially when it's going to be one (or two, or three, or...) more things cluttering the Metro screen.
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6 million to choose from and no reason to stop using them, because the OS still lets you install and use them
... still, waste of screen space... and what about multi monitor?
They are early apps. The app library on Android and iOS wasn't anything to crow about at first as well.
Once Microsoft start paying or encouraging people to 'port' their apps to Windows 8's App Store? You will see a real 3 way battle between Android, iOS and Windows 8. Especially once Windows 8 PC's start including Retina-class touch screen support.