There is hope! Windows 8.1 may bring back the Start button

By Meghan McDonough April 16, 2013

dell-windows-8_dt — Image used with permission by copyright holder

There’s been a lot of mounting evidence that Microsoft will be making many more adjustments to Windows 8 in its forthcoming Windows Blue (aka Windows 8.1) update, and the din is getting even louder today. When a few lines of beta code surfaced on a Russian tech site yesterday, we saw evidence that Microsoft would begin letting users boot directly to the desktop. Today, Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet, who’s often right on the money in terms of Microsoft rumors, is reporting that Microsoft is not only seriously considering letting users boot directly to the desktop (instead of booting to the Metro interface and clicking to the desktop from there, as it is now), but it’s also considering bringing back the Start button that’s been a part of the OS since Windows 95.

The lack of a Start button and immediate access to the desktop have been two of the biggest and most constant complaints Microsoft has received since Windows 8 debuted last fall, so it’s possible the company may change its course on these two interface features. Why the sudden change of heart? Though Microsoft has officially said that users aren’t confused by Windows 8’s interface, the recent drop in PC sales blamed, in part, on Windows 8, seems to be telling a different story.

ZDNet’s sources are saying Microsoft is currently planning on giving users the option to boot to the new Metro start up screen or to the traditional desktop when the Windows 8.1 update is released around August 2013. Those same sources say the company is considering making the Start button optional for users who want their old, familiar Windows interface back, though that doesn’t seem as concrete as the desktop boot option at this point. While we won’t know for sure what will be included in the final version of Windows 8.1, we should have a good indication when the preview version, called Blue Preview, is released this June.

On non-touchscreen computers, we’ve found the Metro interface a pain to navigate. Perhaps, in the future, Microsoft will differentiate versions of Windows 8 for touchscreen and non-touchscreen devices. While that would fragment Windows 8 a bit more, it would also provide non-touchscreen users with a better experience overall.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Meghan McDonough

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Meghan J. McDonough is a Chicago-based purveyor of consumer technology and music. She previously wrote for LAPTOP Magazine…

Computing

Best Adobe Photoshop deals: Get the photo-editing software for free

Close up of Adobe Photoshop app icon being chosen from among other Adobe apps on a laptop screen.

If you're in the creative field at all, then you probably know that Adobe Photoshop is the go-to app for pretty much any sort of graphical design and photo editing, whether at a professional or hobby level. Unfortunately, being at the top of the game means that Adobe can get very expensive, especially depending on the sort of suite of Adobe apps you're aiming for. Luckily, there are a couple of good discounts, especially if you're a student or teacher, and if not, well, there are some pretty great Photoshop alternatives out there if you don't want to pay Adobe's pricing. On the other hand, if you have to have Adobe Photoshop, then we've collected some deals and other bits of information below. You might also want to check out some of these great laptop deals and desktop deals if you're thinking of upgrading your PC to handle Photoshop and other Adobe apps more smoothly.
Adobe Photoshop free 7-day trial

If you've never used the tool before or you just need to do something quick and don't want permanent access, you can always utilize Adobe's free trial offer. You'll get access to Photoshop on desktop and iPad, including Adobe Express, and you can take advantage of free tutorials, fonts, templates, and much more. Plus, for the trial period you'll get up to 100GB of cloud storage. After the trial, it's $23 per month to retain access if you want it -- that's just Photoshop.

Computing

Best HP laptop deals: Get a 17-inch workhorse for $370 and more

An open HP Spectre x360 16 sits on a table, angled so that the screen and keyboard can be seen.

HP is one of the best laptop brands on the market, and if you're thinking of picking up a new laptop, then you may want to consider one of its many varieties of laptops. Not only that, but HP usually has some form of deal going on each of its sub-brans, so whether you're looking for an HP Omen gaming laptop or a Spectre X360 2-in-1 convertible, you'll likely find a good deal on it. Of course, it can be hard to navigate the dozens of different types of laptops HP has, which is why we've gone out and collected some of our favorite deals to help save you the trouble. That said, if you can't find quite what you're looking for below, be sure to check out these other great laptop deals and gaming laptop deals as well.
HP Laptop 15z -- $250, was $500

If you need a budget laptop for basic tasks, you can't go wrong with the HP Laptop 15z. With its AMD Athlon Silver 7120U processor, AMD Radeon Graphics, and 8GB of RAM, it's going to be a dependable device for doing online research and working with productivity apps. The laptop features a 128GB SSD with Windows 11 Home pre-loaded, and a relatively large 15.6-inch HD screen for its low price.

Computing

Some Intel CPUs are about to take a big performance hit, report says

Intel's 14900K CPU socketed in a motherboard.

High-end Intel CPUs are about to lose some significant performance, according to a new report from BenchLife (via VideoCardz). The outlet claims Intel has sent guidance to motherboard partners to implement the Intel Default Settings on Z790 motherboards, following a wave of reports of instability on recent high-end Intel CPUs.

According to the report, these default settings will enforce a PL2 of 188 watts. Intel maintains power limits (PL) for its processors. PL1 is the base power, or the power that the processor can sustain for long periods of time. PL2 is the maximum boost power, which the processor can hit for brief spurts when under a heavy load.