GeekwithEnvy

windows 8

Featured App: Daily Wallpapers for Windows 8

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Customization has got to be one of our favorite features of anything and Windows 8 is no exception. As always, Microsoft has provided us with some pretty cool themes to choose from and all of them feature stunning photography but sometimes we can’t seem to find a picture that fits us best. Well, now theres an app for that!

Daily Wallpapers, as it’s name suggests, offers up new images everyday for you to use as wallpaper for your Windows lock screen. Check out the daily images, find something specific or check out images that are trending, all within an easy to navigate UI. The app also allows you to preview your lock screen before applying, which is a plus. You can also pull images from your camera or hard drive and now the app offers support for Facebook and SkyDrive.

This app is available through the Windows Store for Free here.

Daily Wallpaper Screen Shot

Do we Really Need Certain Apps for our PC?

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With both OSX and Windows now featuring an app store we can now get many of our favorite applications all in one place and with peace of mind when it comes to security. I have been using Windows 8 for some time now and one of the apps that I use is the Netflix app. The app has been somewhat buggy as of late, but over all it seems to get the job done. I finished watching an episode of Mythbusters and then went off to run some errands. I came home later and jumped onto my Macbook and started working. Square modern app icons.

A hour or so had passed and I decided that I wanted to watch another episode of Mythbusters. I started to head to my web browser when I suddenly stopped and wondered if there was a Netflix app for OSX, something similar to what Windows 8 has. I quickly opened the App Store and searched for Netflix, only to find that it doesn’t exist. I thought that it was kind of strange considering OSX has been around for a while and it seems like it would be useful.

I quickly began to realize that the lack of a OSX Netflix app isn’t actually that big of deal. I only need to click a bookmark in my web browser and I have access to all of the content and features that any app would have. Then I started to question the need for apps like these in the first place, at least for your laptop or desktop. What’s the difference between an app on my desktop vs a link on my desktop that takes me to Netflix? Where is the benefit? With new web browsers that harness the power of our machines more than ever by making use of our GPU and extra processing power, why bother with an app? I am looking for any opportunity that can save disk space and the lifespan of my SSD.

What makes the web based app more appealing is the fact that it’s often more reliable. I mentioned earlier that I have been dealing with quite a few bugs since I have started using the new Netflix app, but when it comes to the website, I have had virtually no issues. Some of this could be due to the website being around much longer than the app and therefore less buggy. Why bother with the app at all when we seem to be moving toward a cloud based world? If we are trying to create a much more seamless experience then why leave the browser that we spend so much time using, just to open an app? The answer isn’t so clear at this point, which is why the pros don’t seem to know either. This is basically the wild west era of the OS and everyone seems to be trying a little bit of everything and then waiting to see what consumers end up doing.

We can always look at things from the other prospective, which seems to be a movement away from the web as we know it today. Maybe we just make everything an app, including all our favorite websites and instead of downloading them, we just launch them from the cloud. Perhaps, we can just get rid of the web address altogether and then just use google to search for apps instead. Who knows how strange things will become and how practical any of this actually is.

One thing is for certain, we are in the middle of a long evolution that will leave us with a much different computer experience than currently we have today. We are stuck in a phase between old and new and it feels weird but I think were headed in the right direction, it’s just going to take another five years or more before we can fully adapt this new way of doing things. It is ultimately up to us, the consumers, to figure out what we want. If we don’t buy it, it won’t continue to exist and so we ultimately decide what works and what doesn’t. So what do you think?

 

A Walk Down Windows Memory Lane

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With all of this talk about Windows 8 and all of it’s new features I can’t help but think about how much Windows has changed over the years. Windows has maintained it’s dominance over the OS market for decades now and it didn’t just happen over night. So, let’s take a look at the evolution of Windows.Windows 3.0 Logo

Here’s something pretty cool. If you don’t feel like popping in a few floppy disks to experience the Windows of the past you can head to this cool website that emulates the Windows 3.1 Desktop.

Windows 1.0 (1982-1985)

 

Windows1.0
Windows1.0

Code named “Interface Manager”, this was the first version of what was later renamed Windows before it was released. It’s important to note that prior to Windows, MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System), was the primary OS used on PC’s. MS-DOS was powerful during its heyday and I used it all of the time to play some of my favorite games, even after Windows was released. Windows aimed to make using your computer much easier by incorporating a GUI (Graphical User Interface).

Some people thought that Windows would never catch on, little did they know what it would become.

 

Windows 2.0 (1987-1990)

Windows 2.0
Windows 2.0

Windows 2.0 aimed to take advantage of newer, more advanced hardware that had greater memory capacity. UI design improvements continued as well.

 

Windows 3.0 (1990-1994)

windows 3.0
Windows 3.0

Computers are getting much faster and graphics are improving as well. Windows 3.0 supported 16 bit graphics and introduces the new file management applications Program Manager and File Manager. Printing was made easier with Print Manager. At this time MS-DOS is still being used along side with Windows as many programmers continued to write for DOS instead of Windows.

Windows 95 (1995-1998)

Windows95
Windows 95

How could we forget Windows 95 and the introduction of the Start Button and taskbar, which offered a great way to organize and easily access all of your programs. At this time the internet was just beginning to take over the world . Windows 95 brought us into 32-bit computing and much faster and better looking graphics. The cd-rom becomes commonplace in computing and Weezer makes an appearance on the Windows 95 installation disc. Programmers begin to embrace Windows more than ever.

Windows 98 , Windows 2000, Windows ME (1998-2000)

Windows 98 brings us the Quick Launch bar and increased performance. USB is becoming extremely popular and Windows 98 takes advantage of this new technology. Windows ME brought us System Restore and Windows 2000 was the upgrade of choice for businesses from all previous versions of Windows. Software developers are taking full advantage of Windows and applications that run on DOS are becoming less prominent.

Windows 98
Windows 98 (Microsoft)

 

Windows 2000
Windows 2000 (Microsoft)

 

Windows ME
Windows ME (Microsoft)

 

 

 

Windows XP

The Windows kernel has forever changed and is now based on Windows NT. 64-bit systems are supported and security enhancements continue to be made. Wireless 802.11 support and remote assistance are added to the mix. Windows XP was hugely popular and is still used even to this day. Windows XP is very stable and extremely fast, it’s one of the best releases of Windows. DOS is starting to fade away and becomes more of a hidden feature that is only used for specific tasks.

Windows XP Desktop
Windows XP Desktop (Microsoft)

 

Windows Vista

Windows gets a cleaner look and UAC or user account control makes it’s debut in order to make Windows more secure. This version of Windows wasn’t well received due to consumers complaining about it’s stability issues.

Windows Vista
Windows Vista (Microsoft)

Windows 7

Windows 7 features live thumbnail previews and new ways to size and control windows. After many, many security updates and patched since Windows Vista, Windows 7 becomes very stable and unlike Vista, gets a thumbs up from consumers.

Windows 7
Windows 7 (Microsoft)

Windows 8 / 8.1

The new Xbox dashboard style desktop makes it’s debut. The Microsoft Store makes finding and buying applications very easy all while keeping your computer safe from malware by having a certification process in place that developers must pass in order be featured in the store. At this time some developers are a bit weary of using the new sandbox type system while others embrace it. The now “old” style desktop is a shell of what it used to be, but is still available in order to run legacy Windows applications.

Win8_1StartScreen
Windows 8.1

 

 

New HP Computers Not designed for Windows 7

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Looking to buy a new PC? Make sure you get one with the operating system you want, already pre-installed.

Windows_7_Horizontal_Logo_Web

HP support mentions that downgrading your new Windows 8 PC may cause hardware issues and you may ultimately have to return to Windows 8 to get things to work again. Besides having major hardware issues, reverting to Windows 7 could be a time consuming task that will require you to modify the BIOS in order to work with previous versions of Windows.

Here is the response from an HP Administrator when asked about downgrading:

“HP does not recommend downgrading on any HP consumer desktop and notebook products. After October 26, 2012, HP consumer desktop and notebook products will ship only with Windows 8. Windows 7 will not be supported on these new platforms, and no drivers, apps, or Windows 7 content will be available through HP. If users choose to downgrade their HP consumer desktop or notebook system, HP will continue to support the hardware but if there is an issue where HP diagnostics are required OR it is determined that the loaded software or upgrade operating system is causing the issue, HP may suggest returning the system to the original Windows 8 OS that shipped with the computer.”

As a Windows 8 user I don’t feel the urge to downgrade. In most cases I have actually spent very little time using the new tile UI, in fact I spend about 90% of my time on the “old desktop”. I don’t purposely avoid the new UI, it’s just that many of the apps I use are either not designed for Windows 8 or have one too many bugs at this point. Only time will tell if users start to drop Windows 8 and go back with Windows 7, but I don’t see why anyone would. Microsoft will obviously be continuing to patch the new OS to ensure things are running smoothly and there are even a few ways to make Windows 8 look and feel more like previous versions.

 

Guide to Windows 8 Shortcuts

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Navigating any operating system can be much easier with the use of keyboard shortcuts. Here is a pretty solid list of shortcuts for Windows 8 that you can use as a reference guide.Keyboard cube

Charms Control:

  • Windows key + C: Access the charms bar
  • Windows key + I: Access the Settings charm
  • Windows key + H: Access the Share charm
  • Windows key + K: Access the Devices charm
  • Esc: Close a charm
 

Window Control:

  • Windows key + M: Minimize all windows
  • Windows key + Shift + M: Restore all minimized windows
  • Windows key + D: Show/Hide Desktop (minimize/restore all windows)
  • Windows key + Up Arrow: Maximize current window
  • Windows key + Down Arrow: Minimize/restore current window
  • Windows key + Home: Minimize all but the current window
  • Windows key + Left Arrow: Tile window on the left side of the screen
  • Windows key + Right Arrow: Tile window on the right side of the screen
  • Windows key + Shift + Up Arrow: Extend current window from the top to the bottom of the screen
  • Windows key + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: Move the current window from one monitor to the next
  • Ctrl + N: Open a new window in Windows Explorer
  • Ctrl + W: Close current window in Windows Explorer
  • Alt + Tab: Cycle forward through open windows
  • Alt + Esc: Cycle between open programs in the order that they were opened
  • Alt + Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through open windows
  • Shift + F6: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box
  • Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box
  • Alt + Spacebar: Access the Shortcut menu for current window
  • Alt + Enter: Open the Properties dialog box of the selected item
  • Esc: Close a dialog box

Search Functionality:

  • Windows key + Q: Access the Apps Search screen
  • Windows key + F: Access the Files Search screen
  • Windows key + W: Access the Settings Search screen

 

Copy/Paste Functions:

  • Ctrl + A: Select all items
  • Ctrl + C: Copy the selected item
  • Ctrl + X: Cut the selected item
  • Ctrl + V: Paste the selected item
  • Ctrl + D: Delete selected item
  • Ctrl + Z: Undo an action
  • Ctrl + Y: Redo an action
  • Alt + PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the active Window and place it in the clipboard
  • Windows key + PrtScn: Takes a screenshot of the screen and automatically saves it in the Pictures folder as Screenshot

 

Function Keys (F1-11)

  • F1: Display Help
  • F2: Rename a file
  • F3: Open Search
  • F4: Display the Address Bar list
  • F5: Refresh display
  • F6: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box
  • F7: Display command history in a Command Prompt
  • F10: Display hidden Menu Bar
  • F11: Toggle full screen display

 

Standard Key Functions:

  • Tab: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box
  • PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the entire screen and place it in the clipboard
  • Home: Move to the top of the active window
  • End: Move to the bottom of the active window
  • Delete: Delete the selected item
  • Backspace: Display the previous folder in Windows Explorer Move up one folder level in Open or Save dialog box

 

Taskbar and Notification Functions:

  • Windows key + 1-10: Launch a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
  • Windows key + Shift + 1-10: Launch a new instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
  • Windows key + Ctrl + 1-10: Access the last active instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
  • Windows key + Alt + 1-10: Access the Jump List of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
  • Windows key + B: Select the first item in the Notification Area and then use the arrow keys to cycle through the items Press Enter to open the selected item
  • Windows key + Ctrl + B: Access the program that is displaying a message in the Notification Area
  • Windows key + Shift + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications in reverse order
  • Windows key + T: Cycle through the items on the Taskbar
  • Windows key + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications
  • Ctrl + Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program as an Administrator
  • Ctrl + Click on a grouped Taskbar button: Cycle through the instances of a program in the group
  • Ctrl + Tab: Move forward through tabs
  • Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Move backward through tabs

 

File and Folder Control:

  • Alt + Up Arrow: Move up one folder level in Windows Explorer (Like the Up Arrow in XP)
  • Alt + Left Arrow: Display the previous folder
  • Alt + Right Arrow: Display the next folder
  • Ctrl + Shift + N: Create new folder
  • Num Lock Enabled + Plus (+): Display the contents of the selected folder
  • Num Lock Enabled + Minus (-): Collapse the selected folder
  • Num Lock Enabled + Asterisk (*): Expand all subfolders under the selected folder
  • Shift + Delete: Permanently delete the item (rather than sending it to the Recycle Bin)
  • Ctrl + Click: Select multiple individual items
  • Ctrl + Click and drag an item: Copies that item in the same folder
  • Ctrl + Shift + Click and drag an item: Creates a shortcut for that item in the same folder
  • Shift + F10: Access the context menu for the selected item
  • Shift + Click: Select a consecutive group of items
  • Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program
  • Shift + Right-click on a Taskbar button: Access the context menu for the selected item

 

Screen Control:

  • Windows key + O: Lock screen orientation
  • Windows key + . : Move the screen split to the right
  • Windows key + Shift + . : Move the screen split to the left
  • Alt + F: Close the current window and Open the Shut Down Windows dialog box from the Desktop
  • Windows key + E: Open Computer
  • Windows key + L: Lock computer

(Formerly Metro) Desktop Control

  • PageUp: Scroll forward on the Modern Desktop Start screen
  • PageDown: Scroll backward on the Modern Desktop Start screen
  • Ctrl + Esc: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application
  • Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel: Activate the Semantic Zoom on the Modern Desktop screen
  • Windows key + Tab: Access the Modern Desktop Taskbar
  • Windows key + P: Access the Second Screen bar
  • Windows key + Z: Brings up the App Bar when you have a Modern Desktop App running

Miscellaneous Functions:

  • Windows key + X: Access the Windows Tools Menu
  • Windows key + Enter: Launch Narrator
  • Windows key + R: Open the Run dialog box
  • Windows key + U: Open Ease of Access Center
  •  Windows key + Pause/Break: Open the System page
  • Windows key + F1: Launch Windows Help and Support
  • Shift + Insert: CD/DVD Load CD/DVD without triggering Auto-play or Auto-run
  • Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open the Windows Task Manager
  • Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Use arrow keys to cycle through open windows
  • Ctrl + Alt + Delete: Access the Windows Security screen