Living with Windows 8: A month down the line

So its been about a month since I excitedly installed Windows 8 and whilst it's by no means been a nightmare, it's not been revolutionary.

Let me clarify that: I really like Windows 8. I love the interface and the OS is quick and intuitive but I just can't say that Windows 8 has changed the way I compute in the way I thought (and strangely hoped) it would. I just find myself using the very practical and familiar 'Windows 7 face' of Windows 8.
     The apps (People, Messaging etc) all work, and have lost the lag I was concerned about in my first review, but I honestly never use them. When I use them - they're great but I'm too stuck in my ways and they haven't really offered me enough of a reason to change. I also appear to have a subconscious resentment towards the apps for pushing me towards Windows Live, which I just don't use.

Now all of this needs to be understood alongside the fact that 90% of my laptop use is for work - where I can't afford the time to play around with new features. If I'd had the time to engrain the new features into my psyche then things may be different but my concern is that most people are like me and don't have the time to 'teach themselves new tricks'. I've loved exploring the new interface and I will continue to do so, but it hasn't immediately made my computing use obviously easier and for the everyday user I believe my experience will only be amplified.

In a few years time we shall see the first generation of those growing up with Windows 8 and that will be the telling time for the success for Microsoft. I will be intrigued to see how that generation use the Windows 8 face in conjunction with the Windows 7 face. As a hardened Windows XP - Windows 7 user (not Vista because that was the biggest joke of an OS and I made sure of avoiding that nightmare) it is always going to take longer to change my mindset. I understand that and won't be giving up on learning more about Windows 8 but as we are in a rapid technologically advancing time - I am impatient :)

Comments and thoughts welcome. If you like what you read I would love a follow!

The good and bad from the UK launch of Google's Nexus range

So Google's new Nexus range went on sale in the UK on Tuesday and within 20mins - they'd sold out of the Nexus 4. Great yeh? Not so fast, it was a bit of a Google Play Store cock-up. However, the items went out on sale again and this time they did sell out - properly. Now obviously we don't know exact figures as yet but it certainly is a good start and a good piece of PR for Google.

Should we be surprised by this? I don't think so. I blogged before about the quality and potential of the range and without gloating too much - it seems I was right. Consumers are being offered a brilliant, high-end phone at an extremely aggressive pricing - where's the decision? The projected flaw (over-analysed by the likes of TechCrunch) was the lack of 4G in the Nexus 4, however, with 4G still young in penetrating the UK market most are happy to continue at current internet speeds.

Don't forget that it is not just the Nexus 4 that has sold out. Unsurprisingly the 3G Nexus 7 and other Nexus 7 models at the reduced price sold out inside 24hrs. Perhaps more surprisingly the Nexus 10 has also sold out, again inside 24 hours. This is brilliant news for Android and suggests there is a positive word of mouth around the Nexus 7. Importantly for Android it seems we could be seeing the Android OS finally gain traction in the tablet market and against the might of the iPad don't they need it! Whilst Apple have put up little fight to the Nexus 7 with the iPad Mini, it will still sell and this is by no means the beginning of the end for the iPad.

It's a shame Google couldn't get it spot on with a smooth launch but that doesn't hide the fact that the Nexus now appears, for the first time, to be in the mass-consumer range. The timing couldn't be better either, and with Christmas fast approaching we could be in for some monstrous sales figures.

Thanks for reading. All thoughts welcome. Considering buying any of the Nexus range? Already have done? Or no interest at all?
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