Windows 8 Consumer Preview Apps Listed
Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 Consumer Preview will come packed with pre-installed apps and games.
The Windows 8 Consumer Preview, set to launch sometime within the next few weeks, will come packed with pre-installed Metro-style apps. These will reportedly include Camera, Messaging, Mail, Calendar, SkyDrive, People, Photos, Video and Music. There may also be additional pre-installed apps as well, all updated via the new Windows Store.
Microsoft is reportedly working on enabling SMS support for the Messaging app which is supposedly Windows Live Messenger in disguise, but without the Windows Live branding. Mail, Calendar and People will also be designed as core Windows communication apps, thus tossing out the Windows Live branding.
Sources clam that the Video and Music apps were built by the Xbox team and branded with Zune, but this may be changed to Xbox Live for Windows before the Consumer Preview goes live. Xbox Live for Windows will reportedly be the entertainment brand for Video, Music and Games.
On the gaming front, Pinball and Solitaire are currently slated to be pre-installed in the Windows 8 Consumer Preview. A Metro version of the Xbox Live Companion app, similar to the one currently available on Windows Phone, is also slated as a pre-installed app.
In addition to the pre-installed apps, the Windows Store will offer 11 games at launch. These include Angry Birds, Ms. Splosion Man, Toy Soldiers, Hydro Thunder, Reckless Racing, Ilomilo, Rocket Riot, Full House Poker, Tentacles, Crash Course, and Wordament.
Previous reports claimed that all apps available at the Windows Store launch would be free, and that retail paid apps will be sold once Windows 8 lands on store shelves this fall. Paid apps will cost between $1.49 and $999, with Microsoft initially taking 30-percent of the proceeds, then 20-percent once the app reaches $25,000 in sales. That said, there's a good chance the 11 launch games will be packed with ads, or will be limited demos.

Don't like Metro? Turn it off.
Don't like the OS? No one forcing you to upgrade.
So many crybabies... jebus.
It will not be a hack, there will be an option to turn it off within control panel... unless you have the ARM version which will not have the traditional desktop at all, which kinda sucks. So yes, you will have to deal with Metro for a whole 10 minutes while loading the OS and fixing your settings, after that you can deal with the good 'ol broken and useless start menu, instead of the new crappy Metro UI. But all that being said, I have had no problems using it on my netbook, and my only complaint is the required resolution for Metro is higher than my netbook natively supports... but then again I never use it, so I don't really care, and the rest of the OS is amazingly fast considering it is running on an older Atom and 1GB of ram (2GB of ram on my other netbook and there is no real performance difference between the two).
Cripes!
Don't like Metro? Turn it off.
Don't like the OS? No one forcing you to upgrade.
So many crybabies... jebus.
It's the consumer preview. It wouldn't be much of a preview if there were no apps to show off the new features of the OS. There is nothing said in the article about these apps being part of the final version.
The registry hack wont be available in the final version...
Dont know what you are talking about? Still comments!
It will not be a hack, there will be an option to turn it off within control panel... unless you have the ARM version which will not have the traditional desktop at all, which kinda sucks. So yes, you will have to deal with Metro for a whole 10 minutes while loading the OS and fixing your settings, after that you can deal with the good 'ol broken and useless start menu, instead of the new crappy Metro UI. But all that being said, I have had no problems using it on my netbook, and my only complaint is the required resolution for Metro is higher than my netbook natively supports... but then again I never use it, so I don't really care, and the rest of the OS is amazingly fast considering it is running on an older Atom and 1GB of ram (2GB of ram on my other netbook and there is no real performance difference between the two).
MS position is that the Metro UI is not the default UI, its the mandatory UI.
Research before spewing BS, thank you.
Also, what is the point of an "App store" on a desktop computer? There are already loads of services in place, and I don't think people are going to abandoned Steam or the like for your new service. You are WAY too late to the game. And speaking of games, that list sounds really lame.
Everything points to Windows 8 being a tablet focused OS.
Your username suits you.
The registry "hack" will still exist, but will be pointless, as the ability to disable metro will be done through a GUI (similar to disabling uac)
I still use the last three most recent Windows releases (XP, Vista and 7) and Microsoft believes XP has overstayed it's welcome. I can't say I won't test or preview 8, but I can't see myself using it as my main operating system.
I can't see Windows 8 becoming a desktop OS. With the way Microsoft is taking it, it'll become the standard for Tablets and Touchscreen monitors. Maybe Microsoft should break off Windows 8 into it's own OS for touch-based devices in general while leaving the rest of the Windows line for desktops, kinda like how Windows 2000 Server broke off into the server line.
Where all this ties in, is ms is trying to build a unified platform, so while you may not use the app store for purchases on your pc, you could have access to items you purchased for your win8 tablet, on your pc.
I would say its less "Everything points to Windows 8 being a tablet focused OS." and more "Everything points to metro being a tablet\smartphone focused UI."
Every time an OS feature set changes, or a popular website (youTube, Facebook) changes, everyone complains. "BUT BUT BUT, I like it the way I like it."
Time and technology marches on and wait for no man.
I think the app store is a great idea... why do u think IE is the #1 browser in usage, because it comes pre installed with windows. If the average user is looking for software they are far more likely to use a built in store then surf the web.
unless u are gaming or use microsoft apps why wouldnt u use linux already?
No it wont. It was explicitely stated the Metro is mandatory and there will be no option to turn it off... Until someone comes out with a hack (a week after release, top).
LOL, got any sources?
I have two words for you - enterprise users. That single reason is your guarantee that the Metro UI is optional in the final version. Period.
Now I've got about an hour while he desperatly tries to find some sources and fails.