Windows 8 - An Initial Look - Part 2

The New Task Manager

After almost 20 years, finally Microsoft has updated the look feel and functionality of task manager. The new task manager is simple, elegant easy to use but can still give you all the information you are used to looking for in task manager. By default task manager gives you a very simple overview of what apps are open and in what state they are.

If you are looking for more information click on more details and you get this:

You can see the total CPU, memory, disk and network. and what percentage each task takes. The task icons help you quickly identify which task you are looking for and the cleaner look helps you see the data you need to see.

Now onto the graphs, the task manager has really cleaned up the graphs:

Again, it is cleaner and simpler.

You can also check the history of any task to see how much resources it has used since it was opened.

The highlighting helps you quickly see which app has historically taken the most of what resources.

A new addition to the task manager tab family is the Startup tab.

Finally, a quick and easy way for normal users to check what apps are set to start on startup and disable the ones they don’t want.

Keyboard For Your Thumbs

I do not have a touch screen PC to use Windows 8 with yet, but I hope to have a slate or tablet PC in the near future. One of the downsides to an on screen keyboard on most tablet computers is that the keyboard takes up half the screen and you have to cradle the device in one arm and type with the other hand if you are walking. It is really difficult to do much as far as typing on the go. With Windows 8, you can switch the standard on screen keyboard to a keyboard designed for your thumbs.

This allows you to type with your thumbs even as you walk, this is great for people that like to use their technology on the go.

Part 1 / Part 2