Forum Moderators: open
Microsoft is expected to finalize its Windows 8.1 update in the coming days, but a near-final build has leaked online offering a closer look at some of the improvements. The 9471 build, a test version of the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) build that will be made available later this month, includes some intriguing changes around the usability of Windows 8.1 across touch, the keyboard, and the mouse. Microsoft is changing the way its context menus work in Windows 8.1, and helping users discover how to use the OS.
In the latest leaked build there's now a row of three dots that, like Windows Phone, bring up the application bar with additional settings and options in the Mail, People, Calendar, and other built-in applications. The changes are clearly designed to improve the discoverability of features in Windows 8.1. Alongside the context menu changes, Microsoft also displays tips within the built-in apps that direct users to swipe and access the Charms. None of these changes were present in the Preview version of Windows 8.1, and Microsoft has also created a Help + Tips app that includes a variety of video tutorials for navigating the OS, accessing files, basic actions, and settings.Windows 8.1 Latest Build Takes On Board User Complaints [theverge.com]
Skype
