Skip to main content

Microsoft reveals more Windows 8.1 wonders: NFC printing and Wi-Fi hotspot

Windows81_Start-screen-small tiles
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Excitement is building around the Windows 8.1 update that is expected to right some of the wrongs of Windows 8 – such as bringing back the Start button. But home users aren’t the only ones looking toward to 8.1 for a new and improved operating system. Business users and IT departments thinking of migrating to the new OS are also looking at the enhancements the new update will bring to them. At the TechEd Conference in New Orleans, Microsoft gave enterprise users a taste of what they can expect in Windows 8.1. Let’s face it: for Microsoft’s nascent OS to succeed longterm, it’s going to need enterprise users to adopt it and make it their own. 

Recommended Videos

Many of Microsoft’s enhancements are focused on mobile productivity and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) features and policies. Mobile users with NFC-capable Windows 8.1 devices will be able to print wirelessly to existing printers once they add an NFC tag to the printer. If NFC is too fancy, Wi-Fi direct printing, which creates a peer-to-peer network between a device and printer, will also be available. Native Miracast wireless display support is also included, allowing users to project a presentation through a Bluetooth or NFC connection.

Devices connected to the Internet via mobile broadband will be able to share the connection wealth with peers and their devices thanks to personal Wi-Fi hotspot support. Anyone who’s been stuck on a work trip with the one guy who has broadband-enabled laptop while everyone else remains disconnected from the outside world will surely appreciate this new feature. 

Another pet peeve that Microsoft has rectified is that clicking on a program that requires a VPN connection to work properly will automatically prompt you to sign in with one click. We’ve spent lots of time stuck with spinning wheels and Task Manager shut downs, so a quick reminder to actually connect to the VPN first is welcome. 

Among the BYOD features the company is adding, Workplace Join allows for better control over a device’s access to a workplace network. Instead of an all-or-nothing affair, Windows 8.1 gives IT departments the ability to control what parts of a company’s network may be accessed by a particular device. There are also enhancements so that employees’ work folders on their device will sync with their folders on the company network automatically. Lastly, IT departments will be able to wipe just the relevant parts of an employee’s device, leaving the employee’s personal data alone and eliminating the need to completely wipe a device. 

With Microsoft’s Build conference a few weeks away, we’re sure to hear more details about the upcoming Windows 8 update. 

Meghan McDonough
Former Contributor
Meghan J. McDonough is a Chicago-based purveyor of consumer technology and music. She previously wrote for LAPTOP Magazine…
This compact HP Omen gaming PC is on sale at 39% off today
The HP Omen 16L gaming desktop sitting on a desk.

For those who want a proper gaming desktop but don't have enough space for a big and bulky machine, the HP Omen 16L could be what you need. You're in luck because it's on sale from the gaming PC deals of HP right now, with this configuration featuring the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card available at 39% off. You'll only have to pay $800 instead of its original price of $1,330, but you need to push through with your purchase immediately if you want to make sure you pocket the savings of $530.

Why you should buy the HP Omen 16L gaming PC

Read more
SpaceX’s Starlink rival is about to launch more internet satellites — here’s how to watch
Amazon's KA-01 mission for Project Kuiper gets underway from the Space Coast.

[UPDATE: A technical issue with the rocket has caused the launch to be postponed. We'll update this article with the new launch schedule just as soon as it becomes available.]

Amazon is preparing to launch its second batch of Project Kuiper internet satellites to orbit as it seeks to build out a constellation to take on SpaceX’s Starlink service.

Read more
Weird Mac mini issue prompts Apple to take action
A top-down view of the Mac Mini.

Following multiple reports of specific Mac mini computers failing to power on, Apple has launched a global repair program to sort the problem out.

Apple launched the  M2 Mac mini in January 2023, though the affected units were made between June 16 and November 23 of 2024, according to a notice about the repair program that was first spotted by MacRumors.

Read more