Yesterday Microsoft accidentally let the cat out the of the bag that it would be releasing the Windows 8 Release Preview today, May 31. As a result, we weren't to surprised to get a press release from Microsoft announcing the launch of Release Preview. Included in this version of Windows 8 are several new apps, including ones for travel, news, and sports, as well as some more general tweaks throughout the platform.
If you're a Consumer Preview user, be sure to look for changes to Mail, Photo and People as well as more personalization options for the Start screen, improved multi-monitor support (which we talked about here), a fine-tuned approach to downloading apps through the Windows Store, new family safety features, along with enhanced privacy and security controls for online browsing.
"This is our final pre-release, and includes Windows 8, Internet Explorer 10, new Windows 8 apps for connecting to Hotmail, SkyDrive, and Messenger (and many more), and hundreds of new and updated apps in the Windows Store," said Microsoft's Steven Sinofsky, adding that user feedback helps contribute to the development of the product.
"Since our first preview release last September, millions of people now use the pre-release product on a daily basis and millions more have been taking it through its paces, totaling hundreds of millions of hours of testing," Sinofsky said. "We genuinely appreciate the effort that so many have put into pre-release testing, and of course, we appreciate the feedback too. Direct feedback and feedback through usage contributed to hundreds of visible changes in the product and tens of thousands of under-the-hood changes."
Today's Windows 8 Release Preview brings us one step closer to RTM and then an actual physical launch. Microsoft says they should be in the final stages of RTM in about two months' time.
The Windows 8 Release Preview is available for download in 14 languages. Check out the download links below:
Windows 8 Release Preview 32-Bit
