POZ Community Forums
Off Topic Forums => Off Topic Forum => Topic started by: Joe K on February 08, 2013, 01:31:08 pm
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I'm thinking of upgrading our media computer to W8. It's a decent machine but a little sluggish and from what I read, W8 can breath new life into many PCs. We run IBMC mainly when using the machine.
Anyone have any experience with Windows 8?
Thanks,
Joe
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Make sure you back up your data to an external hard drive. I have had 2 friends upgrade to windows 8 and both lost data. Otherwise, havent heard anything negative.
One of my friends said that if your computer isnt touch screen windows 8 is a little odd using a mouse, but my other friend doesnt agree.
Which system are you using now? Windows 7 is soooo stable that I am hesitant upgrading to 8.
I just noticed Microsoft ended their Windows 8 promotion. Its now $199.00 to upgrade (it was like $39.99). Unless you are expecting major improvements is it really worth the money?
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I just bought this not long ago and I love it .
http://reviews.cnet.com/tablets/asus-vivo-tab-rt/4505-3126_7-35477938.html
It runs Windows 8 and and has a touch screen , I rather like it . I agree with Bugs that it probably isn't the same experience without the touch screen .
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Joe,
I personally don't have experience with windows 8, but I've been curious about it. However, I might suggest to you, that you run the Microsoft Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant.
By downloading this .EXE, it will scan and do a check of your computer, to see what might or might not be compatible with 8.
You can get the tool here:
You will want to click on" Can my PC run windows 8?" It will then ask you to save a file, titled windows 8 upgrade-assistant .exe Once the file is saved open it, and let it do it's thing. You may want to save it to the desktop. It will check all you drivers and peripherals, to make sure all is compatible. Make sure your printers scanners are on. it will give you a report at the end.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/buy?ocid=GA8_O_WOL_Hero_ShopHP_FPP_Null
Ray
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I guess I should have added more information. My bad. I'm a computer tech by trade so I've gone through the Microsoft hoops and I grabbed a few upgrades before the price change. Also, I grabbed 2 upgrade coupons to add Windows Media Center (which is now an option?), so the cost is already covered.
We have 4 computers, all W7 and with only two upgrades I was looking for actual experience with the OS. From what I have read it's not that hard to use W8 with a keyboard/mouse, you just tweak the UI a bit.
I'm more interested in whether the new OS will handle the demands of IBMC. It's just a pig and when it works right, it's great, but not so much on our current machine.
Joe
Forgot to add the PC is a Dell tower, with a decent cpu and 4G of RAM. Video was on the chip, with no HDMI, so I dropped in a old NVIDIA video card from my last gaming PC into it. The audio is pitiful so I swapped in a Creative Xtreme Soundblaster card as well.
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Joe, I use 8 at the office and after a little time I like it. Going from the Start screen to the main screen gets touchy. It's right by the browser. I run office 365 on it and I love it. Get use to running the search to find everything like your control panel. Make sure when you setup you get rid of half the crap you'll never use. Closing screens in neat too put the curser up at the top click pull down and close it. You'll like it. There are some really good tutorials that will make it a breeze for you. If you are running a wireless network it is really simple to setup with window 8. You might want to put a close button on your main page too.
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Thanks Rod for the information. The new GUI doesn't scare me so I might as well do it. Did you upgrade from W7? Any problems? Did you lose any data?
Thanks
Joe
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Yes on one I up graded and the other came with windows 8. I ran the compatibility file to make sure I wouldn't have any problems and I didn't. Once you switch be ready for some updates. All your window 7 programs will run on windows 8 but in compatible mode but when you save them after edit they will be compliant.
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I was curious about getting the new windows phone with windows 8, but I'm not sure i want to go there yet with my phone. This lady at my work loves it, but you don't get the variety of apps and such like you do with Iphone or Android.
I have Samsung galaxy 2 and am about to upgrade I'm thinking to the galaxy note II i know its big, but I love it.
I have a Dell computer and just got a brochure with the new windows 8 touch screen computers. I have to say from the way they look I like it a lot, but would definitely want touch screen
Dell has a store in one of the malls here in Dallas I'm going to 'test drive' it this weekend and see how it is before i shell out the dough.
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It seems pretty similar to Windows 7, although the Start menu takes a bit of getting used to.
I've upgraded 2 PC's and it installed pretty much seamlessly for me. (Yes, I did have a backup just in case!!)
I agree with previous comments that it's intended for touch screen PC's and it IS really nice if you have one (my new laptop has a touch screen). But I don't have any difficulties using the mouse with Windows 8.
I took advantage of the $39.99 deal they had a while back. Not sure if I would've spent $199 for the changes I see. Windows 7 still functions perfectly well.
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I am really interested in the 128gb Microsoft Surface Pro tablet that went on sale today (and quickly sold out).
Huge storage for a tablet, blows away my Ipad. It runs the full version of Windows 8 and can pretty much run any program that you can run on a regular PC. Shows how far behind my Ipad is. AND its $999. Finally a tablet you can actually do some work with instead of just looking at poz.com and playing Angry Birds.
Apple is quickly becoming the new Microsoft.
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I am really interested in the 128gb Microsoft Surface Pro tablet that went on sale today (and quickly sold out).
You might also check out the Lenovo Ideapad Yoga. That's what I bought for a nice laptop/tablet combo.
And it's right around $1000 as well.
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Wow I must be real behind the times, I'm still deciding if I want to upgrade to 7.
My brother told me I would have to backup all my pictures and stuff so I don't lose it, it just seems like more of a hassle then anything ;D
michelle, (apparently the not so computer geek one).
8)
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First off, Im a mac guy and will remain so, but my nerd-side drew me to get an HP W8 touch screen machine for... well... just for?
And after using my HP W8 touch screen for a couple months now, I can state I still know practically nothing when it comes to W8.
From all that I can tell, MS just made stuff harder to find. Harder to do.
I can do the few things I regularly need to do with this HP W8 machine, but beyond that I have not a clue.
Plus... W8 is pretty unnecessary without a touch screen, that is for sure.
With W8, I would like to know how to completely close down an open application, for one thing?
Or know how to determine what applications are still running in the background, so I might totally close them down? No idea on that.
Or how to simply jump between two or more open-active applications?
With the old W7, all your open apps showed in the task bar at the bottom.
Now? No bar.
Just one of my irritating W8 features.
I don't like the idea of any os making things more difficult, and for the why?
Sure, one could google the hows and how-to's for finding all the answers, but really?
Why make that necessary?
As for MCE, W8 does not come with MCE (media-center) any longer.
One can upgrade for another $70 from W8 to W8-Pro, to get MCE.
But there again, if I understand correctly, even after the upgrade to "Pro", one still must pay extra for the MCE add-on app itself.
W8-Pro simply upgrades W8 to the "ability to run" MCE. Pro is not MCE in itself.
I could be wrong here, but that is what I understand.
W8 pro upgrade is one cost, and then adding MCE still another additional cost.
MS was offering the MCE upgrade application for W8 pro machines, for free, but I believe that FREE offer ended as of January 31 2013.
Im not necessarily discouraging anyone from W8, Im just saying W8 is not W7.
For all I know, W8 could be easier than previous windows to operate?
I just haven't seen that the case, having been quite familiar with W7.
I did have an issue with my new HP machine that I contacted HP tech over.
He needed to have remote access to fix the issue.
After agreeing to allow his remote access, he then could fully control my HP machine.
What I noticed as I watched the screen in action from his remote access, this tech was flying around in the W8 environment. Getting into places I never would know how to do myself. Switching between screens and apps.
So obviously, W8 can be quite productive if and when one knows all the tricks.
Which I probably never will.
Or... you could always get one of the new super-thin 27" iMacs.
That is, after taking out a second mortgage or selling your first born. :D
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Ok, this isn't about Windows 8, but I didn't have anywhere to share this. I've discovered Google Goggles. There has been artwork I've taken pix of, that I liked. It can pull up the artist and where to buy. As most know, it can give you info about a lot of things.
I am posting this, because I am so impressed by it. I can't believe I am so excited by an app. I took the pic below off the TV, to share on Facebook. As soon as I took it, Google Goggles immediately recognized the graph, and took me to the Dept of Health and Human Services report on this. I didn't catch what agency that did the study on the news program. They did not give a reference. So, I was going to have to search for it, if not for Goggles. Anyway, I thought it was very cool. I think it is cool how we now have programs that can recognize who is in a photo. So, every time you take a pic, it already knows who the person is, and you can search your photo files by name of the person.
(http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/tedunk/20130222_223704_zps9bc4d6ca.jpg)