Windows 8 tries to provide the best of both worlds by merging the new touch-first Metro UI and the classic desktop shell. However, this approach requires perfect harmony between the various element. Does Windows 8 succeed in pulling it off?

Windows 8 provides a platform to create a new generation of full-screen apps that are based on modern web standards and provide an immersive experience. These Metro style apps are tailored to users’ needs and to the device they run on.

Windows 8 introduces sweeping changes in the Windows user interface. If you feel uncomfortable with the new user interface, you can disable most of the new features in Windows 8.

Security has always been a challenge to Microsoft. Being the most used Operating System; Windows also holds the position of being the most targeted Operating System. With Vista and Windows 7, Microsoft had done an excellent job in improving the system security by adding features such as the UAC, Windows Defender, Bit locker drive encryption etc. Now they have gone one step further to improve upon the existing features and have added new ones. Here are some of the major security improvements in Windows 8.

Microsoft reveals the next version of its operating system tomorrow at //build/. Here is a background on Windows 8 and some unanswered questions.

The news that Windows 8 Explorer will feature a Ribbon interface has been met with overwhelming negativity. However, the Ribbon UI helps Windows stay true to its tradition by enhancing both functionality and flexibility..

Microsoft has published a new video demonstrating the enhanced Explorer with Ribbon user interface that will be included in Windows 8.

My thoughts on the three tenants of the Windows Everywhere vision: Brand, Technology, and Ecosystem.

The need to integrate social networking activity scenarios is a key design point in Windows Phone 7. Does stronger social network integration within Windows, maybe in Windows 8, make sense?

Yes, yes, I know, there are a zillion leaked screenshots already and a small peek by Microsoft at the recent D9 conference. However, I’m not really dissecting them or adding my few cents to the reams of paper and megs of bytes already devoted to the same.

Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper is a system rescue disk creator that can be used for removing nasty virus and other malware infections by running an offline scan.

Windows 8 will feature “Roaming Profiles” that will store profile data in the cloud, and allow you to logon from any Windows 8 system.

An overview of all the new features discovered so far in Windows 8, including brand new screenshots of the history vault, immersive browser, and black screen of death.

Download the leaked build of Windows 8 M2 (Build 7955).

Windows 8 will feature an Android like pattern logon screen targeted at touchscreen (tablet) users.