the traditional desktop, so all they take up
users: You've got a set of tiles, each of
is a little of that extra RAM
which represents an application, and
many of which show information and
notifications that correspond to the app.
The Lock Screen
The tablet-optimized apps are all full
screen and "immersive" and you can
rearrange the icons on the home screen
easily. At any time, you can press Win+D
or click on the Desktop tile to go to the
familiar Windows desktop instead.
Windows 8's lock screen has got a
The Desktop
beautiful picture along with a few little
Once you get to the desktop, you'll be in
widgets full of information, like the time,
much more familiar territory. You've got
how many emails you have, and so on.
your taskbar, your desktop icons, and
You can swipe up to unlock, or press the
your normal windowed applications as
spacebar if you're on a desktop keyboard.
you're used to (though they have a new,
You can then proceed to type your normal
flatter, Aero-less theme). The Start menu,
password, or use one of Windows 8's
however, is gone—instead, you can move
"picture passwords," which let you swipe
your mouse to the bottom left hot corner
or draw an invisible gesture that only you
and click to return to the Start screen, or
know, using your lock screen photo as
press the Windows key as normal. Like
reference.
the old Start menu, you can start typing
The Start Screen
any time you're on the Start screen to
start searching for an app or setting,
giving you quick access to everything on
your computer. Pressing the Windows
button and typing in an app or setting is
faster than browsing the Start menu
anyway, and you can always access a
Once you log in, you're taken to
Windows 8's new Start screen, which
replaces the old Start menu. The screen
should be familiar to Windows Phone
DATUM’13
more
traditional
menu
by
pressing
Win+X—this will bring up a small menu in
the corner that has shortcuts to the
Control Panel, Run, the Command Prompt,
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