Windows 8 Secrets

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With Windows 8, you suddenly have a lot of decisions to make. Fortunately, Microsoft has simplified the product lineup such that there are basically just two retail versions of Windows 8 that upgraders need to think about, plus a third version, called Windows RT, that will be sold only with new ARM-based PCs and devices.

But choosing a Windows version is only the start of the decision-making process. Beyond that, you have various machine types to choose from, including not just stalwart desktop PCs and laptops, but also new leading-edge all-in-ones, Ultrabooks, tablets, and hybrid PCs.

And within those different classes of machines are a variety of new hardware capabilities that work in tandem with Windows 8 to provide the best computing experience yet. Of course, getting there will require you to do a bit of homework first. And that’s where this chapter comes in.

Over the past decade, Microsoft has become involved in a controversy of its own making. And no, we’re not talking about the antitrust issues that also dogged the software giant for much of the past decade. Instead, we’re referring to its predilection for confusing users with too many product editions. That is, rather than make products called Windows and Office, Microsoft makes many product editions of each one, each of which comes with some almost arbitrary set of capabilities and features and, of course, individual price points.

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