Windows 8 Consumer Preview is Out: Download, Poke Around & Share Your Thoughts!

If you haven’t heard so already, Microsoft has released the Windows 8 Consumer Preview for fans, skeptics and neutral parties to download, play with and [hopefully] enjoy.

Recommended Hardware for Windows 8 Consumer Preview

According to Microsoft, the Windows 8 Consumer Preview should run fine on the very same hardware that Windows 7 functions on, but the following specs are recommended:

• 1 GHz or faster processor


• 1 GB RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)


• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)


• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver


• 1024 x 768 minimum screen resolution

Where to Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview

You can take one of two paths to download the Windows 8 Consumer Preview:

• Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup – includes a compatibility report, upgrade assistance & built-in tool for converting an ISO image into installation media (such as a DVD or USB flash drive).


• Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview ISO images – alternative to the Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup; you will need to use a third-party program to convert the ISO to a DVD or USB thumb drive. Available in English, Chinese, French, German and Japanese in:
  
  
  
  • 64-bit (x64) ~3.3GB
  
  
  • 32-bit (x86) ~2.5GB
  
  
  
  

Where to Get Help with Windows 8 Consumer Preview

If you do happen to download the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, keep in mind that it is beta software, so hiccups and bugs are to be expected. No official support is available; however, you can get help by visiting the:

• Windows 8 Consumer Preview forum


• Windows 8 Consumer Preview FAQ

Additionally, Microsoft will be publishing a series of posts focused on Windows 8 on the Windows Experience Blog, so you may want to periodically check in there as well.

Have fun exploring the new Windows OS!

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Windows 8 Will Have Built-in Antivirus Software

Microsoft Windows 8 will come packed with its very own built-in antivirus software.

Previous editions of Windows only came with Windows Defender, which detects and removes spyware from the PC.

Microsoft’s antivirus software, Microsoft Security Essentials, has always been up for [free] grabs, but it requires the users to manually download it.

With Windows 8, Microsoft has decided to roll the protection offered by Microsoft Security Essentials into Windows Defender, giving Windows Defender the power to offer spyware, malware, and virus protection, along with parental controls and a personal firewall.

In short, Windows 8 will come stock with all of the functionality offered in paid antivirus software typically provided by Symantec, ESET, Kaspersky, and others.

While it’s good to see that Microsoft is taking measures to protect its end users right out of the box, there’s concern over what kind of an impact it will have on third-party antivirus software companies. Microsoft has previously caused an uproar already and found themselves being accused of engaging in anti-competitive practices when it offered Microsoft Security Essentials in a Windows Update last year.

Still, one can argue that it's good to see Microsoft take the security of their operating system into their own hands. Despite the availability of third-party antivirus software, PCs continue to get infected at an alarming rate, suggesting that many users don’t even bother installing or keeping up-to-date antivirus software running on their PCs. With Windows 8 – and the new Windows Defender – those users will have the protection whether they like it or not.

Aside from the built-in antivirus software, Windows 8 will also have a nifty feature called Secured Boot, which stops any attempt to boot the PC from an infected USB drive and will display a warning message to the user.

Yet another reason to look forward to the new [more secure] version of Windows!

Do you feel Windows 8 will have any impact on third-party antivirus vendors and their products?

Let the Windows 8 App Development & Tinkering Begin!

Microsoft released the Windows 8 Developer Preview just yesterday (September 14^th) and it’s already been downloaded 500,000 times.

The software giant posted the pre-beta version of their highly-anticipated Windows 8 operating system on their website just shortly after unveiling it at the BUILD Conference in Anaheim.

Although the main focus is to allow developers to get a head-start on building apps for the new Windows 8 prior to its release as a retail product, curiosity is bound to draw non-developers to download the new OS just to check it out.

Windows 8 Developer Preview comes in 3 different flavors, two of which are 64-bit versions and all varying in size. Before installing, an ISO file will need to be downloaded and burned to either a DVD or bootable USB drive.

The three versions of the pre-beta Windows 8 builds are all in English:

• Windows Developer Preview English with developer tools, 64-bit (x64)
  Includes the Windows 8 Developer Preview, Windows SDK for Metro style apps, Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Express for Windows Developer Preview, Microsoft Expression Blend 5 Developer Preview, and 28 Metro style apps including the BUILD conference app.
  


• Windows Developer Preview English, 64-bit (x64)
  Includes a disk image file (.iso) to install the Windows Developer Preview and Metro style apps (64-bit PC).
  


• Windows Developer Preview English, 32-bit (x86)
  Includes a disk image file (.iso) to install the Windows Developer Preview and Metro style apps (32-bit PC).
  

If you decide to download the Windows 8 Developer Preview, keep in mind that it is not a final release and is bound to be a bit buggy. It’s highly recommended to use a spare PC to download and install it, although apparently it’s already been installed on a MacBook Air without any major issues.

Be sure to double-check that your PC meets the system requirements before downloading and installing Windows 8 Developer Preview.

To download Windows 8 Developer Preview, visit the Microsoft website.

Happy Windows 8 Exploring!

Have you already checked Windows 8 out? Share your thoughts so far!

*Screenshot of Windows 8 Developer Preview used with permission from Microsoft.