Windows 8 Release Preview is out, download now

Julio Franco

Julio Franco

Posts: 9,097   +2,048
Staff member

Microsoft accidentally leaked yesterday that Windows 8 Release Preview would become available today and indeed, it's now here, download links are below. Windows 8's development has been considerably more open than on previous releases, we believe in part so Microsoft could introduce and tweak the new Metro interface, which has become the new face of the Windows operating system.

The combination of the new Metro-based Start screen and the traditional desktop has been criticized by many, but at this point it's become apparent there's no turning back. Microsoft is betting heavily on a new paradigm that has the traditional PC and upcoming tablets sharing a common user interface, which also resembles Windows Phone OS’ latest efforts.

We’ll bring you more details on Windows 8 Release Preview changes and new features shortly.

Download: Windows 8 Release Preview 32-bit, 64-bit or Upgrade Assistant

Product Key: TK8TP-9JN6P-7X7WW-RFFTV-B7QPF

Also available: Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate  |  Windows 8 Driver Kit

Key Features and Changes

  • It delivers new Bing apps, including ones for Travel, News and Sports
  • Improvements to Mail, Photos and People apps since the Consumer Preview
  • Increased personalization options for the Start screen
  • Improved multi-monitor support
  • Refinements to the way people find and download apps through the Windows Store
  • New Family safety features and enriched privacy and security controls when browsing online, including Do Not Track capabilities being turned on by default with Internet Explorer 10
  • Enriched support for touch with Internet Explorer 10, including a new capability with the Release Preview called “flip ahead” that allows users the option to flip between pages with the swipe of a finger, as well as a touch-friendly  Adobe Flash Player now fully integrated into IE10; IE10 is also the first browser to enable Do Not Track “on” by default, giving customers more choice and control over their privacy

Here's a handy list of relevant Windows 8 stories, so you can catch up while you download:

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/48837-windows-8-release-preview-is-out-download-now.html

 
Found it...

[LEFT][FONT=segoe ui]TK8TP-9JN6P-7X7WW-RFFTV-B7QPF[/FONT][/LEFT]
 
Yeah awesome!!.. I'm gonna' download and use this right after I raid the CDC and give myself Ebola.
 
psycros said:
That makes sense, because its defiantly nothing but a toy.
Click to expand...

I dunno, have to wait and see. Unless it does something amazing for me I'll pass on it. I'll probably wait and see until the tablets come out and see how they work in sync together. I've found a tablet very useful in school, but my main annoyance is transferring files from Android to Windows. I have many ways of doing it, but none are really that smooth. If MS comes up with anything approaching Apple's ecosystem, I may give one of their tablets a shot.
 
I'll probably keep one system on Win7 and change the second to Win8 if MS offer a discount for pre-order (as per Win7). Then I get shot of an older system and add some value by bundling the Win7 with it.
 
Is it just me or is this the ugliest of windows? They took a cellphone OS and expanded it to look like a desktop, this has fail written all over it... maybe it's just me and people not tech enough will end up loving it for being so simple... maybe it's just me.
 
I see no new "features" that would compel me to update to Win8. Unless you have a touch screen, the new UI, to me, is butt ugly. Win7 works perfect.
 
"I see no new "features" that would compel me to update to Win8"
Google/Bing is your friend:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_8#New_features

"maybe it's just me and people not tech enough will end up loving it for being so simple... maybe it's just me."

Well me and my kids think it's cool. Are you having problems learning to use it? I can send my kids over to teach you? They're both under 10. They learned that once you stay under classic desktop, metro doesn't come up UNLESS YOU WANT IT TO.

In that case you can hover over the lower left corner and click it, or even easier, click the "windows" key once to bring up metro, one more time to recede it.

Maybe this tune will help you, my kids learned it. To the the tune of the kid's song "it's a small world"

chorus:

If you want start, click the key!

if you want start, click the key!

if you want start, click the key!

click the key to bring up start!

La La La La, La La La!
 
Can one of you simpletons out there who think tablets are the craze explain to me why I would want to download and install this? I have no interest in sitting 12" away from my 21.5" monitor for hours at a time just so I can swipe the screen like a chimpanzee would do. One thing is for sure. Windows 8 should increase the demand for alcohol wipes to constantly clean the fingerprints off the screen.

Can somebody say "PASS!". Or should I say "FAIL!".

Microsoft, get your head out of your XXX and realize that you cannot develop a single OS for all devices.You lazy programmers. Shame on you.

Let the people speak as they did with Vista. DO NOT install and use this native tablet OS on your desktop. Wait for Windows 9. I am.
 
The writing is on the wall for Ballmer's scalp. One-size-fits-all does not work for hardware across computing and mobile segments, so why should it for the Operating System? Because Apple is making an equally poor attempt at IOS-izing OSX too? Microsofties can hate on the haters all they like, but time will prove whether Metro is a productivity killer for those who need to work rather than just play.
 
Guest said:
Well me and my kids think it's cool. Are you having problems learning to use it? I can send my kids over to teach you? They're both under 10. They learned that once you stay under classic desktop, metro doesn't come up UNLESS YOU WANT IT TO
Click to expand...

I kind of said that maybe people not techie enough would love it for being so simple, if you have no idea how to read you might ask one of your under 10 kids to teach you some reading comprehension.

EDIT: And letting you know that typing in caps is considered rude... just saying.
 
I have just installed it, my first experiment with Windows 8. So far I love it. I don't understand why people were complaining about switching between Metro and Desktop modes - it seems so easy to me, very intuitive. You either press Windows button, or use left-bottom corner of the window.

I didn't need to read anything to discover everything very quickly myself.
 
My quick review is they have added a few tweaks however they are still keeping the Metro interface. Metro is a deal breaker, I will either stay on Windows 7 and/or go to Linux (Ubuntu 12.04, Mint 13, etc).
 
I love how some people think that it is either Windows 8 or not Windows... -_-
 
For those of you who must have the start button, you can install this open source freeware which will bring start menu back (works with windows 8)

"classic start menu for windows 8"

When you reboot it will still bring up metro, but hit the windows key or click "desktop" tile, and once you're in classic shell, you pretty much stay there with access to the start menu.

It won't remove metro hot corners (so you still have compatibility with metro task manager and such). But you will have an even better version of the old start menu. Check out the classic shells options, there's a ton.

Again myself I've moved beyond the start button, but this freeware makes it great for people used to one paradigm.

Hope this helps,
 
Using the 'Upgrade Assistant", the only option I have for what to keep is "nothing". I have the consumer preview installed, but why can't I keep my stuff if I want to upgrade?
 
Windows 8 is pointless, it's just an overgrown mobile OS, not as good as 2000, XP, 7, or (for pity's sake!) Vista.
 
I'm inclined to agree with the general vibe here - I can't work out what it's for; OS for a giant's smartphone? A skin for people who hate the look of Windows 7, but want the same basic functionality? :confused:
 
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