Tom's Guide: Hands-on Leaked Builds of Windows Blue 8.1
Check out Tom's Guide's latest article on Windows 8.1!
With Windows 8 almost six months old, it's time to take a look at what Microsoft has got planned for the future of its Windows operating system. Windows 8.1, or Windows Blue, isn't exactly the best kept secret in the industry. Not only has there been numerous rumors regarding features that may or may not be a part of the OS, there's also been some leaked builds of the operating system. The Tom's Guide team took Windows Blue for a test drive. Be sure to check out what they found in "Hands-on with Leaked Builds of Windows 8.1."
With several leaked builds for Windows Blue hitting the web in rapid succession, it seems as though Microsoft is as leaky as a sieve these days. A leak for build 9364 made its way to the internet last March, and two more leaked builds (9369 & 9374) have hit the Internet in the weeks since. Considering Windows 8 is just five months old, there are still a lot of questions as to whether Windows 8.1 or 'Windows Blue' is going to be a free Service Pack, a standalone OS release, or the first in a line of subscription OS models, but we can at least take a look at how the builds themselves run.

They need to roll-back Windows 8, admit they made a huge mistake, and then build the next Windows version on the huge success of Windows 7. Till then, I'll stick with 7.
I wonder if the Metro File Explorer will support file paths longer than 255 characters in lenght, and if the Windows Explorer will support it as well?
I know the Windows 8 Explorer does not, so I have to use Total Commander to manipulate files in deeply nested folders. Come on, support 255+ character paths already.
1. Charms bar stops you from clicking a full screen close box. FALSE. Charms bar doesn't keep you from clicking on anything. The first charm (the search magnifying glass is half way down the screen) and the charms bar itself is transparent and doesn't prevent clicking on anything.
2. You can't play DVD's without paying. FALSE. VLC is free along with most other programs that can play DVD's. I never bought this on my install and play DVD's all the time for FREE. Btw Windows Media Player is a piece of crap on Windows 7 why would you want to use this?
3. All programs list is alphabetized. TRUE. However the Win7 start menu is organized by programs install order, then programs that are considered 'for all users' and then by network apps etc.. I have 4 PC's with Win7 and my start menus are littered with more crap than you can imagine. Menu items with no icons, menu items with hlp files that aren't supported in Win7, menu items that are from programs that I uninstalled but couldn't remove the start group. (btw Win8.1 allows the same sorts as Win7)
4. You have to reorganize your start screen. TRUE but you don't move icons around on your desktop? Menu's around in your start menu for Win7? In your quick launch bar? Win8 you do it in one place rather than 3. (quick launch bar and desktop icons are identical to Win7 btw)
1. Charms bar stops you from clicking a full screen close box. FALSE. Charms bar doesn't keep you from clicking on anything. The first charm (the search magnifying glass is half way down the screen) and the charms bar itself is transparent and doesn't prevent clicking on anything.
2. You can't play DVD's without paying. FALSE. VLC is free along with most other programs that can play DVD's. I never bought this on my install and play DVD's all the time for FREE. Btw Windows Media Player is a piece of crap on Windows 7 why would you want to use this?
3. All programs list is alphabetized. TRUE. However the Win7 start menu is organized by programs install order, then programs that are considered 'for all users' and then by network apps etc.. I have 4 PC's with Win7 and my start menus are littered with more crap than you can imagine. Menu items with no icons, menu items with hlp files that aren't supported in Win7, menu items that are from programs that I uninstalled but couldn't remove the start group. (btw Win8.1 allows the same sorts as Win7)
4. You have to reorganize your start screen. TRUE but you don't move icons around on your desktop? Menu's around in your start menu for Win7? In your quick launch bar? Win8 you do it in one place rather than 3. (quick launch bar and desktop icons are identical to Win7 btw)
Lets have a look back in time, XP was hated *MORE* then 8 is today, and look at how that went? Or do all you haters forget that?
8 is a good OS.