Stewart Wilson / TechGeek
Today Microsoft have officially announced the release date of their highly anticipated update, Windows 8.1. The update will be available on October 17th at 4:00am Redmond time (or 10:00pm Sydney time) worldwide through the Windows Store as a free upgrade for all Windows 8 users. The company has also announced that devices will be on sale with Windows 8.1 pre-installed from October 18th in stores.
Windows 8.1 is the latest update to Microsoft’s Windows 8. The update brings a lot of improvements including better integration with Bing, new built-in applications, Better SkyDrive syncing and stability fixes. Those who are enjoying the Metro UI (or Modern UI) experience have two new sizes to pin applications on the Start screen and the ability to use Windows 8 across multiple monitors at once. Those who prefer the more traditional Windows (or don’t have a touch screen) will be pleased to know that a “Boot to Desktop” option has been included to bypass the Start screen.
I’ve been running the Windows 8.1 Preview on my Surface RT for the past few weeks and can say it’s a huge improvement. The update brings a lot of changes and fixes to the operating system which will make Windows 8 much more appealing to people.
The final copy of Windows 8.1 known as Release to Manufacturing (RTM) is expected to reach PC manufacturers and partners in the coming weeks.
So, make sure you update your Windows 8 devices on October 17th – it’s worth it.
Source: Windows Blog