A quick list of significant changes in Windows 8.1 [Updated]

According to Chinese site WPDang, Microsoft had a pocket-size calibration revealing of new features in Windows 8.1 earlier today in San Francisco.

The not-disclosure agreement they signed with Microsoft just expired a few minutes ago. With legal concern gone, they've decided to make a quick list of things, and relieve anybody some fourth dimension mining into the system update looking for what'due south new when Windows 8.1 beta shows up in the Windows Store. Here is what y'all can wait from the arrangement refreshment:

A new Windows tablet is coming, Acer W3, with a viii" screen. This volition spearhead a whole series of small-scale-sized devices, and even more than mobile feel.
FOUR sizes for dwelling house screen tiles. The "small tile" we have right now is defined as "medium". Employing that every bit the base measurement, the four sizes are: big (2x2), broad (2x1), medium (1x1), and small (ane/2x1/2). The smallest tile is but 1/4 of our current standard tile in size, and it can't be exist blithe into "live tiles", for developers can't possibly show annihilation just an icon on one of those tiny things.
A "read list" choice into your Charm bar. "Read list" is like a clipboard for your business relationship, storing links and pages to read later on on unlike devices. The intended user scenario is: discover a nice commodity on your tablet put it to your read listing, and read later on on your PC'due south huge screen.
Improved text input for English language language. I don't quite understand what WPDang is trying to describe. And then... you guys will have to find it out on yourselves...
Panorama for the default camera app, powered by Photosynth applied science. At present somebody please stash a Pureview photographic camera into one of those Windows tablets?
"Smart Search", not sure if information technology'southward a built-in function or a split up app. This is like universal search, presenting everything the Bone mines out about your keyword and put them all into one identify: local files, internet pictures, websites, Wikipedia entries, etc.
Xbox Music and browser: Windows 8.1 volition recognize playlists fused into spider web pages, and play the list in Xbox Music.
Even deeper SkyDrive integration. Now you will be able to check your SkyDrive usage with a nice pie chart in your PC settings.
More language back up: 139 languages in all.
More than powerful lockscreen wallpaper. You won't be confined to one single lockscreen motion-picture show at one time. The lockscreen is now able to play SERIES of pictures like a slideshow. You lot tin feed the lockscreen with locally saved pictures, and files in your SkyDrive.
Pick upward Skype calls faster, without even needing to unlock your tablet. Do it correct on the lockscreen. This makes Windows tablets the fastest device responding to Skype calls. But I'grand wondering if in that location volition be whatever privacy problem...
Animated groundwork for your Modern dwelling house screen. The new wallpaper will move every bit you slide left or right. And yous are immune to really customize the background color, instead of picking from a few pre-defined options.
One more abode screen gesture: slide from the bottom upward to access your "all apps" screen. This is a lot more than handy than Windows viii'due south electric current solution, but sounds a bit like webOS to me.
More powerful built-in moving-picture show apps: new features for editing pictures, including effect filters.
New app called "Food and Drink". Evidently Microsoft found a great number of users similar to use tablets in the kitchen for quick recipe reference. So come this new pre-loaded app. It shows recipes, and has an egg-timer built in. Handy. Moreover, the app can be controlled by gestures without really touching the screen (motion sensed by the front-facing camera). Don't worry about staining your tablet any more.
Added back up for 3D printers. That's the futurity right?
Halo: Spartan Assault!!!!
Start button coming back, but not working like it used to. You've read quite a lot nearly this in the past calendar month. I won't waste product more of your time.
Improvements for the Mail app: new group for key contact, a brand new "newsletter" category for organizing your inbox. Opening a film zipper in an email volition now show it in a snapped view instead of firing upwards the Motion picture app in full screen. God having mercy, finally.
Faster music search. Search for music while you are in some other app, and play what you lot become right through the search screen, without needing to launch Xbox Music.
New snap view for applications. Windows 8 allows us to snap two apps to the aforementioned screen, in a ratio that looks like 25/75. This mechanism could be frustrating at times, since every at present then we do take two apps snapped, and desire to see detailed stuff in reasonably large fonts in both of them. Windows 8.1 introduces 50/50 app snapping, each taking one-half the pixels.
"Mod" version for the Office productivity suite. Microsoft showcased the Modern version of Powerpoint and Word. Sadly they are all in blastoff stage.
For enterprise: IT guys' life made easier. Install all corporate apps required on 1 Windows tablet, generate a XML specification file, and employ it to all other Windows devices within the organization.
Policy changes for Windows Store: availability in over 200 countries, accepting developer submission from 191 countries, boilerplate review and certification time reduced to 2.2 days, eighty% revenue goes to developers, and now allowing the submission of M rated games. Finally nosotros are going to see some Awesome games in the Store?
Advertising of Windows Store apps through Bing.
The option to automatically update Store apps without user interference.
New payment options: gift card support brought to 41 markets to reduce the reliance on credit cards.
Less limitation for app roaming. Recollect that "you can install an app bought from Windows Shop on 5 computers at most under your Microsoft account" regulation? That ane's plainly gone from Windows 8.1 on. Buy once, and install on whatever estimator, every bit long as you are the possessor.
Opening upwards of new API to developers. This means developers will be able to do many things they were not allowed to previously. The downside is that apps utilizing these new APIs probably won't run on Windows 8. Theoretically all Windows 8 apps should exist able to run well on Windows 8.i. Merely since the latter is nonetheless in review shape, there'south no guarantee for that at this stage.
Special treat for Chinese folks: Alipay support. Microsoft does know credit cards are not household items in Prc, therefore added support to the state's most popular online payment service in Windows 8.1.

Overall, Windows 8.1 is looking like a lot more than uncomplicated arrangement refreshment. With a long listing of new functions and features, I'chiliad confused why Microsoft doesn't merely call it Windows eight.v. Pretty sure the update will be called "Windows ix" if done by Apple...

Windows 8.1 preview volition be available soon in the Windows Store. Get set up to have a bite of the hereafter.

Source: WPDang

Update:

At present I've got Windows RT 8.ane working on my Surface, and here'due south some of my findings.

Swipe up to testify all apps: The new gesture does work, but you lot tin can't slide from OUTSIDE the bottom of the screen, which will only summon a bottom bar. Instead, swipe up from anywhere *within* the screen region.
"Reading list" to share contents between different devices: It'south a separate app coming with Windows eight.1. You probably won't find it inside the Share charm immediately after upgrading. Check your "all apps" screen and brand sure it's properly installed.
The Share Amuse: There's not a driblet down list at the top of the amuse allowing yous to choose what to share, either what you are browing, or a screenshot of information technology.
For some reason, my Windows RT is downgraded subsequently installing 8.1. Before, I was able to switch the display language of the OS at will. At present the Surface is locked to Simplified Chinese, similar the "bones" edition of Windows 8. Hopefully this gets fixed in the final release.
Brandish font replacement across the entire OS. Non sure if English users could experience it, merely the Chinese font is much nicer now.
Only useful to Chinese users: There had been people crying for the return of Wubi input method in Windows RT. With 8.1, the Os now comes with Microsoft Wubi.
50/50 app snapping: More than than that, apparently now you can customize the screen splitting ratio to any you like. Just drag the dividing line and arrange.
Photosynth-based panorama: Works like a charm, and seemingly meliorate than how my Lumia 920 handles information technology. Shame in that location's no camera every bit cool equally 920'due south on Windows tablets.
Tile selection and customizing on the Start Screen: This now works a lot more than similar Windows Telephone. No more dragging vertically and release to select. Just long press the tile you want to select, and wait for it to "float" out of its peers, with available actions showing up in the bottom bar.
Performance improvement: Is it just me, or this Surface RT really did piece of work a bit faster?

Did yous find whatever remarkably good or bad changes? Permit united states know in the annotate field.

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