Windows 8 includes many new and high tech features but the hardware requirements are almost similar to those with Windows 7. Along with the other basic requisites, a multi touch screen is also required if you want to get the advantage of the touch input. A resolution of 1024×768 or more is a must to get the Metro application.

If you want to check out the early version of Microsoft 8, you can download the developer pre beta version. This version shows you the exact view of the current stage of the OS with Windows 8 and is available for free. The three packages available for download are 64-bit version with developer tools, 32-bit version – Only the OS, and 64-bit version – Only the OS.

In this article I am going to share the keyboard shortcuts for this new release of Microsoft. The new version of the operating system is lovely to work on and is also very comfortable and easy to understand. Some of these shortcuts may also discard the need of a mouse. Different shortcut keys allow you to perform different functions.

1. WIN+Spacebar: This command is used to change the keyboard layout and the language.

2. WIN+f: This command is used to search the files same in the earlier versions of windows.

3. Win+E: This shortcut takes you to the classic desktop from the touch interface. It also opens the explorer.

4. Win+C: This shortcut is used to bring up the time panel and takes out the charm start menu.

5. Win+Shift: This shortcut combination is used to move the split to the left.

6. WIN+Enter: This shortcut command is used to launch the narrator.

7. WIN+Z: If you want to see the application bar in a Metro style, you need to press these shortcut keys. The application bar appears at the bottom of the screen.

8. Win+R: This shortcut combination is used to run the panel.

9. WIN+Shift + (-): This short cut command is used to open the magnifier.

10. Win+ Shift + (.): This shortcut command is used to move the splint to the left.

11. Win+ (.): This command moves the splint to the right.

12. Win + I:  This command is used to open settings charm.

13. Win+ K: This key command is used to open the connect charm.

14. Win+ H: This shortcut combination is used to open the share charm.

15. Win+ Q: This is used to open the search pane.

16. Win+PgUp: This shortcut key combination is used to move the titles to the left.

17. Win+PgDown: This shortcut key combination is used to move the titles to the right.

18. Win+ Y: This shortcut key combination is used to peek at the desktop temporarily.

19. Win+ O: If you want to lock device orientation.

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UAC was implemented for the purpose that users with limited administrator privileges can also be allowed to run programs based on their permission level. This feature was not available in previous versions of Windows, and created problems for many users.

To change your user account control, you will need to go to Control Panel, and then choose the option – User Accounts. From there, you will be able to change your user access control by choosing the option “Change User Account Control Settings”.

This new screen has four options. There is a slider through which you can change into a different option as your needs warrant.

1) At the top, there is the option for ‘always notify’. With this option turned on, you will be prompted every time you run an application, or some program tries to run.

This is for maximum security purpose, but somewhat irritating to have to allow legit programs each and every time. While the user access control checks for any suspicious activity by the application, the screen will darken until it gets approved by the administrator.

2) The second position is the default setting that comes with a new installation of Windows 7. This is recommended as it checks for applications which are marked as trusted, and those applications can be run without any prior notification. This option has enough security, while keeping the hassle down.

3) The third option is a bit more relaxed mode of security, which does not prompt for your permission once it has been granted. Programs will run smoothly until any tries to make changes to your system, in which case it will need to ask for administrator privileges.

4) The last option is the one marked “never notify”. This is not recommended at all, unless you are an experienced user, and have enough knowledge to identify programs which may be harmful for your computer, or you are already using separate software to look after this issue, like an antivirus or firewall. This option will never ask for your permission when running an application.

It is always recommended that you use the default settings, particularly for new users. Some of the actions that will trigger the user access control on default settings are –

1. Running an application.
2. Installing or uninstalling an application.
3. Changing user account control settings.
4. Changing windows firewall or update settings.
5. Installing any device driver.

Some users may feel a problem while using windows with User Access Control turned on. It is mostly because when it checks the program, it will slow down other processes. And on slower computers, you may need to wait up to a full minute till the program starts responding, and the UAC “allow” or “deny” window pops up. So, once you become experienced on how this works, you may choose to disable the User Account Control, and manage the programs on your own.

However the new Windows 8 operating system, which was launched as a beta or preview version only days ago, does have a few extra perks that may finally entice Windows users to download the new operating system before yet another system is released. Although Microsoft has not announced any official date yet for the release, it is believed to be next year (2012).

Key features that every Windows 8 user can look forward to without having to worry about a phone number lookup to track down tech support include:

The Speed

There really isn’t any other way to describe the speed of Windows 8 other than lightning quick. It definitely breaks speed records for Microsoft, and offers fierce competition for iOS and Mac OS X Lion. The new OS is completely up and running in less than 8 seconds, and Metro UI practically launches immediately.

The Connectivity

The cool thing about the new operating system is that it literally works on everything. Instead of only being able to use Windows 8 on desktops and laptops, you can now use it on tablets too allowing for greater connectivity amongst devices – which is awesome considering the growing popularity and use of cloud computing.

The Touch

Windows 8 was predominately created with one thing in mind: touch. While the touchscreen and Metro UI are great, there isn’t anything that really sings about them. That is, until you start uploading games, skipping through screens, and start launching the Charms bar. You’ll be pretty blown away by the touchscreen and Metro UI then, as not only is it different from anything Microsoft has ever done, but it is better than most other touchscreen products available on the market.

The Apps

Another cool feature of Windows 8 is that it will be fully stocked with the creation of the Windows App Store. While the launch of a Windows App Store was no surprise, it should definitely create further competition in the app industry, allowing users the opportunity to see the development of some pretty awesome apps.

Microsoft is hell bent on beating out Apple on every front. They are striving to offer superior operating systems, smart phones, apps, and other products, and they are making several great moves in the right direction. While they may not be the company that first created many of these awesome features, they are definitely trying to perfect them in order to maintain industry prominence.

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Susan D. is a freelance writer who enjoys blogging about business and technology

To start off, the backup feature is not turned on by default. So when you get a new computer, you will have to turn on this option manually to have periodic backups of your data, so as to ensure every important document has a duplicate copy in case the original is damaged.

The steps involved are –

Go to Control Panel and choose the icon that says “Backup and Restore”. From there, the only option available for now is “Set up Backup”, or you can remotely restore any files from an earlier backup made on an external system.

• Once you click on it, Windows will search for a suitable location to store your backup. If it is on your internal hard drive, choose the one with the maximum space left, as the backup will take up quite a lot. And periodic backups will consume even more space. It is advisable that you don’t keep the backed up files on the same hard disk or the same partition as your operating system; if it fails, your backup will also be lost. Some other options are external hard drives or flash drives which can be connected using USB, or writable DVDs, or any secure network location.

• Then you will be prompted to choose the files to backup. The default option will save all documents and files in your library, and will create a system image of your windows. It will also turn on periodic backup after regular intervals, but you can change it later.

• In the manual option, you can choose the particular files to keep, as automatic backup may ignore some of those locations. Check the option to include a system image as it is an important part of the backup.

• Finally, you can review your backup settings. There you can choose to change the regular backup schedule to any appropriate time of your choice. You can set day and time, then get back to the previous screen and choose “Save settings and run backup”.

Once your backup is done, your files are safe, and the backup will be regularly updated.

Now if you want to restore your files – You can go to your restore screen using any of the two methods.

• On the drive you created your backup, there will be a file with your computer name. Double click on it and you will get an option for restore.

• Alternatively, you can go to the Backup and Restore center from your Control Panel and click on “Restore my files”.

At this point, you will be able to search for particular files or folders to restore. Then after clicking on Next, you will be able to choose where you want to restore, either to the original location, or to any new location which you can specify.

Here, we’ll look at some of the steps to install Outlook and sync your email ID with it.

1) The startup screen welcomes you to Outlook 2007 and tells you that it would be helping you to install Outlook and would be guiding you through the entire process of installing and synchronization of your email id with your Outlook 2007.

2) In the next step, Outlook provides you with the options to connect to an Internet email, Microsoft Exchange, or any other email server. If you have access to a mail server, you can click on Yes and proceed to configuring it in the next screen.

3) The next step is the auto account setup. Here we enter the relevant details of our email account in order to sync it with Outlook. First, we enter our name followed by our email address, and then the password for Outlook to save it. The password needs to be reentered for confirmation.

4) In the next step Outlook 2007 establishes the Internet connection and then searches for the email id’s server settings so that it can configure the details and verify its authenticity. Since Outlook establishes the connection with the email address for the first time, it sends a test message to the email id to check the connectivity and to make sure that the user is active and is able to connect with the help of Outlook 2007.

5) As we reach this step, the setup is almost complete and the screen shows how Outlook processes the details, and starts working with the given email id. Once the processing completes, the Outlook 2007 account is ready to be used. However, it will scan for junk mails and ask you on the proper action that it should take.

As the old mails start getting downloaded to the local machine, you can setup your calendar, add notes and tasks as well. Moreover, if old emails and contacts are stored in your local machine, they can be imported too, into your new account.

Outlook 2007 has surely made life easier and a lot more hassle free for people who need their email IDs to be at their fingertips throughout the day, and who also need to manage their days according the emails they receive and send.

Moreover, there is the added incentive that these gadgets add a ‘cool’ look to the desktop too. Let us look at the seven most popular desktop gadgets for Windows 7, which can be downloaded from the Windows Live Gallery – for free!

1. All CPU Meter: A carry over from the Vista edition of Windows, the all CPU meter is an excellent gadget that can monitor the performance specifications of all your processors. Considering the fact that most systems employ dual or quad core processors now, this gadget can monitor the individual performance of all the processors, along with the memory usage as well as the CPU temperature. With color co-ordination options for different cores, this gadget definitely packs a punch in a limited space.

2. The Clipboard Manager: Another improvement over the Vista edition, this Clipboard Manager allows users to save up to 999 clips, delete clips and send them over to your clipboard or your Favorites folder with just a right click. Customization features allow the background to blend with your desktop, and the ability to support images also gives it a boost. Another important improvement is the facility to include timestamps in every clip.

3. The Facebook Explorer: This is targeted at Facebook junkies. People who conform to this philosophy will definitely find this gadget to be an absolute delight. A handy explorer with adjustable height to fit in according to your demands, the configuration is easy and simple. You can decide on how frequently you want updates. The compact nature of the gadget allows you to view your status and the updates from your friends in a single view. You can also update your status on the move.

4. iPhone Battery Gadget: This gadget, true to its name, is a battery level indicator, and it mimics the iPhone battery indicator quite faithfully. Apart from looking good on the desktop, it is a handy feature for users who abhor peering down into the taskbar to find the battery icon. The battery indicator can also be set to look like an antique meter, a Duracell or several other interesting options.

5. DriveInfo Gadget: The perfect gadget for those who want to keep a tab on the memory available on their systems at all times. For download freaks, this gadget is the perfect way to keep a tab on the available space on your hard drives. With an easy and intuitive configuration, it can display both the percentage as well as the bytes available on your hard disk. You can even configure it to display the available space on different partitions on your hard drive.

6. Xirrus Wi-Fi Monitor Gadget: Another “cool” gadget that packs in a lot of information in a limited space is the Xirrus Wi-Fi Monitor gadget. Designed to mimic a radar display running all the time, this gadget is useful for monitoring wireless network connections. Its advanced interface allows monitoring of several other wireless parameters, such as verification of network coverage. Available as a free download from the Windows Live Gallery, this gadget is a must for laptops that frequently log in to the Internet through wireless connections.

7. App Launch Gadget: For Windows loyalists, the Quick Launch toolbar had always been a favorite feature. However, with this feature omitted from Windows7, the App Launch Gadget is the closest option you can have to getting the Quick Launch back. It can be stationed anywhere on the desktop, according to the preference of the user. Just about any program can be added to the gadget by dragging and dropping.