Mobile spy free download explorer 8 windows 8.1

True Explorer

Windows 8 introduced major changes to the operating system's platform and user interface to improve its user experience on tablets , where Windows was now competing with mobile operating systems , including Android and iOS. Windows 8 added support for USB 3. Additional security features were introduced, such as built-in antivirus software , integration with Microsoft SmartScreen phishing filtering service and support for UEFI Secure Boot on supported devices with UEFI firmware , to prevent malware from infecting the boot process.

Windows 8 was released to a mixed critical reception. Although reaction towards its performance improvements, security enhancements, and improved support for touchscreen devices was positive, the new user interface of the operating system was widely criticized for being potentially confusing and difficult to learn, especially when used with a keyboard and mouse instead of a touchscreen.

Get Camera Shots - Microsoft Store

Despite these shortcomings, 60 million Windows 8 licenses were sold through January , a number that included both upgrades and sales to OEMs for new PCs. On October 17, , Microsoft released Windows 8. It addressed some aspects of Windows 8 that were criticized by reviewers and early adopters and incorporated additional improvements to various aspects of the operating system. Windows 8 development started before Windows 7 had shipped in Windows division president Steven Sinofsky demonstrated an early build of the port on prototype devices, while Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced the company's goal for Windows to be "everywhere on every kind of device without compromise.

Three milestone releases of Windows 8 leaked to the general public. Milestone 1, Build , was leaked on April 12, It was also probably the first appearance of the Metro-style font, and its wallpaper had the text shhh However, its detailed build number reveals that the build was created on September 22, The OS still reads as "Windows 7". Milestone 2, Build , was leaked on April 25, Build , with minor changes but the first bit version, was leaked on May 1, The "Windows 7" logo was temporarily replaced with text displaying "Microsoft Confidential".

On June 17, , build bit edition was leaked. It introduced a new boot screen featuring the same fish as the default Windows 7 Beta wallpaper, which was later scrapped, and the circling dots as featured in the final although the final version comes with smaller circling dots throbber. It also had the text Welcome below them, although this was also scrapped. On June 1, , Microsoft unveiled Windows 8's new user interface, as well as additional features at both Computex Taipei and the D9: All Things Digital conference in California.

The "Building Windows 8" blog launched on August 15, , featuring details surrounding Windows 8's features and its development process. Microsoft unveiled more Windows 8 features and improvements on the first day of the Build conference on September 13, A Samsung tablet running the build was also distributed to conference attendees. The build was released for download later in the day in standard bit and bit versions, plus a special bit version which included SDKs and developer tools Visual Studio Express and Expression Blend for developing Metro-style apps.

On February 19, , Microsoft unveiled a new logo to be adopted for Windows 8. Designed by Pentagram partner Paula Scher , the Windows logo was changed to resemble a set of four window panes. Additionally, the entire logo is now rendered in a single solid color. Alongside other changes, the build removed the Start button from the taskbar for the first time since its debut on Windows 95 ; according to Windows manager Chaitanya Sareen, the Start button was removed to reflect their view that on Windows 8, the desktop was an "app" itself, and not the primary interface of the operating system.

Many other builds were released until the Japan's Developers Day conference, when Steven Sinofsky announced that Windows 8 Release Preview build would be released during the first week of June. On August 1, , Windows 8 build [38] was released to manufacturing with the build number 6. Relatively few changes were made from the Release Preview to the final version; these included updated versions of its pre-loaded apps, the renaming of Windows Explorer to File Explorer, the replacement of the Aero Glass theme from Windows Vista and 7 with a new flat and solid-colored theme, and the addition of new background options for the Start screen, lock screen, and desktop.

Navigation menu

Microsoft indicated that due to improvements to its testing infrastructure, general improvements of this nature are to be released more frequently through Windows Update instead of being relegated to OEMs and service packs only. Microsoft began an advertising campaign centered around Windows 8 and its Surface tablet in October , starting with its first television advertisement premiering on October 14, In an effort to make retail displays of Windows 8 devices more "personal", Microsoft also developed a character known in English-speaking markets as "Allison Brown", whose fictional profile including personal photos, contacts, and emails is also featured on demonstration units of Windows 8 devices.

In May , Microsoft launched a new television campaign for Windows 8 illustrating the capabilities and pricing of Windows 8 tablets in comparison to the iPad , which featured the voice of Siri remarking on the iPad's limitations in a parody of Apple's " Get a Mac " advertisements. New features and functionality in Windows 8 include a faster startup through UEFI integration and the new "Hybrid Boot" mode which hibernates the Windows kernel on shutdown to speed up the subsequent boot , [56] a new lock screen with a clock and notifications, [57] and the ability for enterprise users to create live USB versions of Windows known as Windows To Go.

Windows Explorer , which has been renamed File Explorer, now includes a ribbon in place of the command bar. File operation dialog boxes have been updated to provide more detailed statistics, the ability to pause file transfers, and improvements in the ability to manage conflicts when copying files. Task Manager has been redesigned, including a new processes tab with the option to display fewer or more details of running applications and background processes, a heat map using different colors indicating the level of resource usage, network and disk counters, grouping by process type e.

New security features in Windows 8 include two new authentication methods tailored towards touchscreens PINs and picture passwords , [71] the addition of antivirus capabilities to Windows Defender bringing it in parity with Microsoft Security Essentials. Windows 8 supports a feature of the UEFI specification known as "Secure boot", which uses a public-key infrastructure to verify the integrity of the operating system and prevent unauthorized programs such as bootkits from infecting the device's boot process.

Windows 8 provides heavier integration with online services from Microsoft and others. A user can now log into Windows with a Microsoft account , which can be used to access services and synchronize applications and settings between devices. Windows 8 also ships with a client app for Microsoft's SkyDrive cloud storage service, which also allows apps to save files directly to SkyDrive.

A SkyDrive client for the desktop and File Explorer is not included in Windows 8, and must be downloaded separately. Games can integrate into an Xbox Live hub app, which also allows users to view their profile and gamerscore. Internet Explorer 10 is included as both a desktop program and a touch-optimized app, and includes increased support for HTML5 , CSS3 , and hardware acceleration. The Internet Explorer app does not support plugins or ActiveX components, but includes a version of Adobe Flash Player that is optimized for touch and low power usage.

Initially, Adobe Flash would only work on sites included on a "Compatibility View" whitelist ; however, after feedback from users and additional compatibility tests, an update in March changed this behavior to use a smaller blacklist of sites with known compatibility issues instead, allowing Flash to be used on most sites by default.

Windows 8 also incorporates improved support for mobile broadband ; the operating system can now detect the insertion of a SIM card and automatically configure connection settings including APNs and carrier branding , and reduce its Internet usage in order to conserve bandwidth on metered networks.

Windows 8 also adds an integrated airplane mode setting to globally disable all wireless connectivity as well. Carriers can also offer account management systems through Windows Store apps, which can be automatically installed as a part of the connection process and offer usage statistics on their respective tile. Windows 8 introduces a new style of application, Windows Store apps. According to Microsoft developer Jensen Harris, these apps are to be optimized for touchscreen environments and are more specialized than current desktop applications.

Apps can run either in a full-screen mode, or be snapped to the side of a screen. Apps can use "contracts"; a collection of hooks to provide common functionality that can integrate with other apps, including search and sharing. Components may be compiled as Windows Runtime Components, permitting consumption by all compatible languages. The term "Immersive app" had been used internally by Microsoft developers to refer to the apps prior to the first official presentation of Windows 8, after which they were referred to as "Metro-style apps" in reference to the Metro design language.

The term was phased out in August ; a Microsoft spokesperson denied rumors that the change was related to a potential trademark issue, and stated that "Metro" was only a codename that would be replaced prior to Windows 8's release. In an interview on September 12, , Soma Somasegar vice president of Microsoft's development software division confirmed that "Windows Store apps" would be the official term for the apps. Exceptions to the restrictions faced by Windows Store apps are given to web browsers. The user's default browser can distribute a Metro-style web browser in same package as the desktop version, which has access to functionality unavailable to other apps, such as being able to permanently run in the background, use multiple background processes, and use Windows API code instead of WinRT allowing for code to be re-used with the desktop version, while still taking advantage of features available to Windows Store apps, such as charms.

Microsoft advertises this exception privilege "New experience enabled" formerly "Metro-style enabled". The developers of both Chrome and Firefox committed to developing Metro-style versions of their browsers; while Chrome's "Windows 8 mode" discontinued on Chrome version 49 uses a full-screen version of the existing desktop interface, Firefox's version which was first made available on the "Aurora" release channel in September uses a touch-optimized interface inspired by the Android version of Firefox.

Windows 8 introduces significant changes to the operating system's user interface, many of which are aimed at improving its experience on tablet computers and other touchscreen devices. The new user interface is based on Microsoft's Metro design language , and uses a Start screen similar to that of Windows Phone 7 as the primary means of launching applications.

Description

The Start screen displays a customizable array of tiles linking to various apps and desktop programs, some of which can display constantly updated information and content through "live tiles". It does not include many of the advanced options still accessible from the normal Control Panel. A vertical toolbar known as the charms [] accessed by swiping from the right edge of a touchscreen, or pointing the cursor at hotspots in the right corners of a screen provides access to system and app-related functions, such as search, sharing, device management, settings, and a Start button.

The Start button on the taskbar from previous versions of Windows has been converted into a hotspot in the lower-left corner of the screen, which displays a large tooltip displaying a thumbnail of the Start screen. Pointing the cursor in the top-left corner of the screen and moving down reveals a thumbnail list of active apps. Several notable features have been removed in Windows 8; support for playing DVD-Video was removed from Windows Media Player due to the cost of licensing the necessary decoders especially for devices which do not include optical disc drives at all and the prevalence of online streaming services.

Backup and Restore , the backup component of Windows, is deprecated. It still ships with Windows 8 and continues to work on preset schedules, but is pushed to the background and can only be accessed through a Control Panel applet called "Windows 7 File Recovery". It can only access previous versions of shared files stored on a Windows Server computer. The minimum system requirements for Windows 8 are slightly higher than those of Windows 7. Microsoft's Connected Standby specification, which hardware vendors may optionally comply with, sets new power consumption requirements that extend above the above minimum specifications.

On March 18, , in response to criticism from enterprise customers, Microsoft delayed the end of support and non-critical updates for Skylake systems to July 17, , but stated that they would also continue to receive security updates through the end of extended support.

In January , Microsoft announced that it would no longer support Windows 8. After the deadline, only critical security updates were to be released for users on these platforms. Microsoft released minimum hardware requirements for tablet and laplet devices to be "certified" for Windows 8, and defined a convertible form factor as a standalone device that combines the PC, display and rechargeable power source with a mechanically attached keyboard and pointing device in a single chassis. A convertible can be transformed into a tablet where the attached input devices are hidden or removed leaving the display as the only input mechanism.

The amended requirement is intended to allow "greater design flexibility" for future products.

Surface Pro

If a mobile broadband device is integrated into a tablet or convertible system, then an assisted GPS radio is required. Devices supporting near field communication need to have visual marks to help users locate and use the proximity technology. Updated certification requirements were implemented to coincide with Windows 8. As of , all certified devices with integrated displays must contain a p webcam and higher quality speakers and microphones, while all certified devices that support Wi-Fi must support Bluetooth as well.

As of , all certified devices must contain Trusted Platform Module 2. Windows 8 is available in three different editions, of which the lowest version, branded simply as Windows 8 , and Windows 8 Pro , were sold at retail in most countries, and as pre-loaded software on new computers. Each edition of Windows 8 includes all of the capabilities and features of the edition below it, and add additional features oriented towards their market segments. This license also includes Windows Media Center.

Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows 8 was distributed at retail in "Upgrade" licenses only, which require an existing version of Windows to install. The "full version software" SKU, which was more expensive but could be installed on computers without an eligible OS or none at all, was discontinued. Retail distribution of Windows 8 has since been discontinued in favor of Windows 8. Pricing for these new copies remain identical.

The three desktop editions of Windows 8 support bit and bit architectures; retail copies of Windows 8 include install DVDs for both architectures, while the online installer automatically installs the version corresponding with the architecture of the system's existing Windows installation. Microsoft started moving away from this architecture after Windows The bit version runs on CPUs compatible with x86 8th generation known as x , or x64 or newer, and can run bit and bit programs. Windows RT, the only edition of Windows 8 for systems with ARM processors, only supports applications included with the system such as a special version of Office , supplied through Windows Update, or Windows Store apps, to ensure that the system only runs applications that are optimized for the architecture.

Windows RT does not support running IA or x64 applications. Following the unveiling of Windows 8, Microsoft faced criticism particularly from free software supporters for mandating that devices receiving its optional certification for Windows 8 have secure boot enabled by default using a key provided by Microsoft. Concerns were raised that secure boot could prevent or hinder the use of alternate operating systems such as Linux.

In a post discussing secure boot on the Building Windows 8 blog, Microsoft developer Tony Mangefeste indicated that vendors would provide means to customize secure boot, stating that "At the end of the day, the customer is in control of their PC. Microsoft's philosophy is to provide customers with the best experience first, and allow them to make decisions themselves.

It also revealed that ARM devices Windows RT would be required to have secure boot permanently enabled, with no way for users to disable it. However, Tom Warren of The Verge noted that other vendors have implemented similar hardware restrictions on their own ARM-based tablet and smartphone products including those running Microsoft's own Windows Phone platform , but still argued that Microsoft should "keep a consistent approach across ARM and x86, though, not least because of the number of users who'd love to run Android alongside Windows 8 on their future tablets.

Several notable video game developers criticized Microsoft for making its Windows Store a closed platform subject to its own regulations, as it conflicted with their view of the PC as an open platform. Markus "Notch" Persson creator of the indie game Minecraft , [] Gabe Newell co-founder of Valve Corporation and developer of software distribution platform Steam , [] and Rob Pardo from Activision Blizzard voiced concern about the closed nature of the Windows Store.

Reviews of the various editions of Windows 8 have been mixed to negative. Tom Warren of The Verge said that although Windows 8's emphasis on touch computing was significant and risked alienating desktop users, he felt that Windows 8 tablets "[make] an iPad feel immediately out of date" due to the capabilities of the operating system's hybrid model and increased focus on cloud services.

Find your new PC

Pierce also considered the Start Screen to be a "brilliant innovation for desktop computers" when compared with "folder-littered desktops on every other OS" because it allows users to interact with dynamic information. Other improvements and features such as File History, Storage Spaces, and the updated Task Manager were also regarded as positive changes. Bright also said that Windows 8's duality towards tablets and traditional PCs was an "extremely ambitious" aspect of the platform as well, but criticized Microsoft for emulating Apple 's model of a closed distribution platform when implementing the Windows Store.

The interface of Windows 8 has been the subject of negative reaction. Bright wrote that its system of hot corners and edge swiping "wasn't very obvious" due to the lack of instructions provided by the operating system on the functions accessed through the user interface, even by the video tutorial added on the RTM release which only instructed users to point at corners of the screen or swipe from its sides. Despite this " stumbling block ", Bright said that Windows 8's interface worked well in some places, but began to feel incoherent when switching between the "Metro" and desktop environments, sometimes through inconsistent means.

He noted that while forcing all users to use the new touch-oriented interface was a risky move for Microsoft as a whole, it was necessary in order to push development of apps for the Windows Store. In , Frank X.

Shaw, a Microsoft corporate vice president, said that while many of the negative reviews were extreme, it was a "good thing" that Microsoft was "listening to feedback and improving a product". Microsoft says that 4 million users upgraded to Windows 8 over the weekend after its release, [] [] which CNET says was well below Microsoft's internal projections and was described inside the company as disappointing.

Windows Phone version history

On November 27, , Microsoft announced that it has sold 40 million licenses of Windows 8 in the first month, surpassing the pace of Windows 7. However, according to research firm NPD, sales of devices running Windows in the United States have declined 21 percent compared to the same time period in Windows 8 surpassed Windows Vista in market share with a 5. Windows 8's tablet market share has also been growing steadily, with 7. However, this is still well below Android and iOS , which posted This matched sales of Windows 7 over a similar period.

In January , Hewlett-Packard began a promotion for desktops running Windows 7, saying that it was "back by popular demand". Outside sources have suggested that this might be because HP or its customers thought the Windows 8 platform would be more appropriate for mobile computing than desktop computing, or that they were looking to attract customers forced to switch from XP who wanted a more familiar interface.

Microsoft had similarly cut the price of Windows XP licenses to compete against the early waves of Linux-based netbooks. Some media outlets falsely reported that the SKU associated with this plan, "Windows 8. On the information gathered by Net Applications, adoption rate in March for Windows 8. In May , the Government of China banned the internal purchase of Windows 8-based products under government contracts requiring "energy-efficient" devices.

The story featured an interview with Ni Guangnan, who stated that operating systems could aggregate "sensitive user information" that could be used to "understand the conditions and activities of our national economy and society", and alleged that per documents leaked by Edward Snowden , the U. Yang Min, a computer scientist at Fudan University , also stated that "the security features of Windows 8 are basically to the benefit of Microsoft, allowing them control of the users' data, and that poses a big challenge to the national strategy for information security.

A feature update to Windows 8 known as Windows 8. Windows 8's stock apps were also updated, a new Bing -based unified search system was added, SkyDrive was given deeper integration with the operating system, and a number of new stock apps, along with a tutorial, were added. Microsoft markets Windows 8. This requires an 8. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Features new to Windows 8. List of features removed in Windows 8. Microsoft portal Software portal. Retrieved October 28, Retrieved January 8, Retrieved September 17, Retrieved October 21, Retrieved March 24, Retrieved August 6, Windows 8 Consumer Preview".

Retrieved April 27, Retrieved May 21, Windows to run on ARM chips, says Microsoft". Retrieved November 21, Retrieved January 5, Retrieved March 30, Retrieved December 28, Retrieved February 28, Removed ability to edit Office documents from versions older than Office People tagging in the photos with Skydrive and Facebook sync. Artist picture now displays on lock screen when music is played. UI change of the media controls on the lock screen. Ability to control video aspect ratio during playback.

Single music track repeat without having to pin it on the start screen. Ability to create and save playlists. Marketplace Revamped Marketplace UI and search.

  • nokia sms tracking codes.
  • Screenshots!
  • Windows Phone version history - Wikipedia.
  • Device Cleaner (English)!
  • galaxy s4 cell phone tracker!
  • Get True Explorer - Microsoft Store!
  • best app to spy iphone 8 Plus;

Settings are now saved when the Camera application is closed. Support for front facing camera. This varies according to hardware—some phones will have tap-to-capture but will still automatically center focus. Fast Async for multiplayer games. Support for HTML5 audio and video playback. Background HTML5 audio playback. URL bar is now available in landscape mode. Removal of Find on Page feature [24] Moved the "tabs" button to a menu item under the application bar. Security Voice commands are now disabled when the device is locked. Complex alpha-numeric PIN support.

Other changes Internet sharing [25] Battery saver: Also predicts time remaining on battery. Ringtone manager with custom and downloadable ringtones.

The "People" tile has been reworked and is animated differently than before. Search icon and quick jump list added to the application list. Support for 16 new languages: East Asian handwriting recognition. Support for new languages and emoticons in on-screen keyboard. Hidden WiFi network support.

Programs menu will have alphabetical options similar to the people functionality [26] Power off now requires a swipe down gesture after holding down the power button for a few seconds. Removal of "soft-on" alarm feature [27] Modification of alarm sleep interval [28] Development API changes and additions Third-party application multi-tasking and fast application switching. Expanded live tiles that can be updated without network connection and can have two sides which flip periodically.

Optional 32 bit color support for Silverlight applications with hardware dithering. Raw camera feed access for third-party applications. New sensor API combines compass, gyroscope, and accelerometer. Improved Listbox control with better scrolling performance. Improved WebBrowser control with IE9 rendering engine and system-wide cookies access. Hardware-accelerated video decoding in the MediaPlayer control. Background file transfer agent. Fixed email issue in Microsoft Exchange Server Fixed voicemail notification issue.

Fixes an issue with app purchases in some regions. Changes default sync times for email. New start screen UI with customizable sizes of the tiles, as found in Windows Phone 8 New splash screen at startup, the phone displays the new logo of Windows Phone 8 New logo for basic applications such as Games, Office, Windows Phone Store 20 accent colors one for the manufacturer or the operator , as Windows Phone 8 Improved lock screen similar to Windows Phone 8, presence of dynamic wallpaper Bing notifications and probably third-party applications Volume control problems [37] Data consumption issues with certain apps [37].

Fix for functionality issues with Live Tiles, such as Live Tiles not updating Details of all updates included in this release at http: Messaging improvements - multiple recipients when sending messages, automatically saving unsent drafts, possibility to edit forwarded messages [38] Text replies to incoming calls Internet Explorer improvements - prevent pictures from downloading automatically, possibility to delete selected sites from browsing history Wi-Fi connectivity - option of keeping WiFi alive while screen is off, Wi-Fi network prioritization Other unnamed improvements.

Easier to select, download, and pin music. More accurate metadata and other performance improvements. Not available for all phones. Possible to set a limit based on the data plan already included since initial release for Verizon subscribers Skype. Better browsing experience with improved HTML 5 compatibility. Set favorite Lens so it opens automatically when pressing the camera button. Includes many other improvements to Windows Phone. Support for large displays and start screen with six tiles across instead of four only for supported devices p screen resolution support Support for Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC Quad-core CPU New Driving Mode feature to ignore texts, calls and quick status alerts, plus auto-reply via SMS to people trying to contact you Accessibility improvements for visually impaired Improved Internet Sharing pair over bluetooth with Windows 8.

User Interface Action Center showing either standard or silent toast notifications, accessed by swiping from top to the bottom Quick settings access in action center with four or five on large screens like 6 inch Nokia Lumia [48] configurable shortcuts to: Developer features Background tasks: Change in Boot Logo Some minor bug fixes Battery improvement. Apps New country support for Cortana; China, UK, Canada, India and Australia Support for a store live tile when the tile is medium-sized Store tile size has been standardized for all layouts and some tiles have changed places on the Start screen.

Improved Xbox music app and live tile support. Support for app folders. Enable phone cover apps to launch when a phone cover is closed and specify the default setting for the lock screen's auto unlock setting. Tests Microsoft's ability to distribute a "Critical Update". Note that this update does not actually contain critical fixes - it's just a test.