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Microsoft

How To Boot to the Desktop in Windows 8.1

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Windows8DesktopBoot

The new Windows 8 Start screen is great but it’s not for everyone and having to click to get to the desktop just a waste of time if you never use it. Thankfully, there is a way to get past this and it’s built right into Windows 8.1. Yes, there are no secret codes, buttons or hacks necessary to accomplish this.

Just follow these steps:

  • Boot up your computer and click the “Desktop Tile” to enter “Desktop Mode”
  • Right-Click on the “Task Bar”
  • Select “Properties”
  • Select the “Navigation Tab”
  • Place a check in the checkbox next to “Go to the desktop instead of Start when I sign in”
  • Click “OK”

That’s it, it really is that simple. Next time you reboot your computer it will take you right to the desktop, no questions asked.

Don’t have the Windows 8.1 Preview and you want to try it out? Microsoft has you covered on their Windows 8.1 Preview page.

 

 

Xbox One Offline Gaming Only 24 Hours

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xbox one

If there was any uncertainty about whether or not Xbox One would be an always-on console, it’s pretty much clear now.

It’s not technically online “all of the time” but Xbox One will only allow you 24 hours of offline gaming and anything after that you will only be able to watch movies and television. If you are on another console besides your own, you will only get one hour of offline gameplay. This will likely rub gamers the wrong way and many who are already on the fence may choose the Wii U or Playstation 4 instead, based on this feature alone.

With Xbox One you can game offline for up to 24 hours on your primary console, or one hour if you are logged on to a separate console accessing your library. Offline gaming is not possible after these prescribed times until you re-establish a connection, but you can still watch live TV and enjoy Blu-ray and DVD movies.  ” -Microsoft

Xbox One games will be tied to your console but you will be able to trade in disc based games, that is, if the publisher allows it and they are likely to charge you a fee. You will also be able to give disc based games to your friends as a gift but they must be on your friend list for at least thirty days and you can only do it once.

One plus about the console is that you will be able to buy games online or in-store on day one of a game’s release. I’m hoping that this particular feature becomes the standard for all consoles.

It’s also important to note that Microsoft may change things up in the future, especially if things go sour with sales or complaints. So remember it’s still early and we have yet to see how this all plays out.

You can get full details on Xbox One game licensing here and you can also see the online requirements here.

Microsoft Gives Us a Glimpse of Windows 8.1

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Win8_1StartScreen
Screenshot of the new, more customizable, Window 8.1 Start Screen. (Credit: Microsoft)

Windows 8.1 will be here soon and it will add much needed improvements to the currently somewhat broken and fragmented experience.

To keep us excited about the release of Windows 8.1 Microsoft has created a blog post detailing some of the features of the new update. Here is a very brief summary of that update, you can read the full blog post from Microsoft for complete details.

Some of the features include:

  • Deeper customization of the Start Screen, which will allow you to have more choice in backgrounds, some even have motion.
  • Improved search functionality from the charms search feature which will now see the integration of Bing.
  • PC settings will now be fully integrated into the new UI so you will no longer need to access the control panel on the desktop to change your PC’s settings.
  • Internet Explorer 11, which will work better with touch and offer faster browsing.
  • Overall better support and features for mouse and keyboard users. Microsoft has said many times that Windows 8 is a touch-first OS but this should hopefully smooth out a lot of the desktop unfriendly issues that Windows 8 has.

 

 

Microsoft Introduces New Sculpt Mouse

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With Windows 8 beginning  to really settle in, it seems that Microsoft has decided to launch a new mouse to make the whole experience feel better. The Microsoft Sculpt Comfort Mouse is designed to work Windows and it also has some features that are specifically for Windows 8.

MSScluptMouse1
Sculpt Comfort Mouse

 

The most obvious feature on the mouse is the Windows Touch Tab, which is the big blue strip on the side mouse that allows you to quickly return to the Start Screen when pressed in the center. With Windows 8, if you swipe up on the blue strip you can switch between open apps, if you swipe down it will show you all open apps. The stripe can also be used to open the Start menu on older versions of Windows.

MSSculptMouse2

The wheel offers up four way scrolling and the mouse movement is captured using Microsoft’s BlueTrack technology. This mouse is wireless and uses bluetooth which will also allow you to connect it to a tablet. You can also get a mobile version of this mouse which boasts many of the same features except that it lacks the blue Windows strip on the side.

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Sculpt Mobile Mouse

 

The Sculpt Comfort is selling for $39.95 and the mobile version is selling for $29.95. You can read the full hardware specifications on Microsoft’s hardware page.