Windows 8 brings significant advantages to those who are upgrading existing PCs or purchasing new ones, thanks to features that better take advantage of the new OS's capabilities. The operating system offers improvements in performance, existing capabilities, and is cheaper.

I should mention, however, that there are some cases in which you probably shouldn't make the move. The OS has a new look and requires some adjustment in the way you interact with your PC. If you don't like change or learning new ways of doing things—even if in the long run they turn out to be more efficient—you should probably stick with what you're using. Also, if your PC's specs are extremely outdated—less than 1GHz processor or less than 1GB RAM in particular—you won't be able to upgrade. And obviously, if your PC is for work use, your employer may not allow the upgrade. If these issue don't apply, read on.

                                 Windows 8 : New Start Background

"Tattoos" let you customize your Windows 8 Start screen with artistic backgrounds.

                                                    Windows 8 - SkyDrive

SkyDrive is your Windows cloud storage. Apps can be programmed to access the online storage with your permission.

 
1. Faster startup. On my testscomparing Windows 8 performancewith that of Windows 7 on the same computer, Windows 8 started up more than twice as fast as Windows 7. In a comparison with Mac OS X Mountain Lion, running in Boot Camp on a MacBook, Windows 8 even started up faster than Apple's latest desktop operating system. And it's not just startup time: Windows 8 ran several benchmark performance tests quicker than either Windows 7 or Mountain Lion. Microsoft has clearly put work into improving performance in Windows 8.

                                                            Windows 8 - Store

The Windows Store now features apps for purchase, with prices ranging from $1.49 to $999. Like the Mac App Store, it lets you reinstall apps you've bought on any of your PCs and oversees app updating.

2. A whole new world of apps. Windows 8 gives PC users a whole new world of full-screen, touch-friendly, Web-connected apps to explore. And these new apps can even display relevant information on their Windows Start screen tiles, something impossible in Windows 7 or just about any other operating system around, save Windows Phone. The new Windows Store—analogous to Apple's iTunes App Store—makes discovering and installing these new-style apps a breeze. The update process is simple, and you can install purchased apps on multiple Windows 8 devices without paying again, provided you're signed in. Finally, uninstalling the apps is streamlined by the Store, with no Registry complications as in past Windows versions' apps.

                                                  Windows 8 - SkyDrive

SkyDrive is your Windows cloud storage. Apps can be programmed to access the online storage with your permission.

3. SkyDrive integration. Microsoft's cloud service has become way, way more than just online storage. Sure, it still lets you save and access files to an online space that's accessible from a Web browser or apps that run on not only Windows, but also Mac OS X, iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. But with Windows 8, SkyDrive is accessible to any app that wants to use it, just as though it were a local drive. It also backs up your PC's settings, letting you replicate your environment should you get a new PC.

4. Better Security, Less-intrusive updates.  PC Magazine networking and security analyst Fahmida Rashid considers Windows 8 "the most secureversion of Windows yet." This stems from a couple of things, starting with Secure Boot. ExtremeTech's Sebastian Anthony explains secure bootsuccinctly as follows: "Windows 8 stops a computer from loading an operating system that hasn’t been signed by the publisher (in this case, Microsoft or an OEM)." Another security gain is that all apps in the Windows Store are scrutinized for security issues.  Finally, Windows 8's default Web browser, Internet Explorer 10, was rated best in a recent test by NSS Labs, detecting and blocking over 99 percent of malicious downloads without any help from a third-party antivirus program. This compared with 70.4 percent for Google Chrome, which uses the same Safe Browsing API as Firefox. Opera and Safari only managed to block about 4 percent of the malicious downloads.

5. First-class touch input, but still fine with keyboard and mouse. In some ways, touch-screen input on Windows 8 is superior that of the Apple iPad. For example, you can do everything you need to by swiping with your thumbs, making a tablet easier to use by holding it by the sides. Also topping the iPad interface is Windows 8's ability to snap a sidebar to the side of the screen with a touch gesture, so that you can keep tabs on two apps at the same time.

But mouse and keyboard are hardly forgotten. The full complement of keyboard shortcuts still works, and navigating through the new interface with the mouse and mouse wheel is almost as intuitive as touch gesture input—though there are certainly some actions where touch is a better fit. Using the Windows Key becomes particularly important, as it summons the Start screen and offers key combinations that let you search, share, change settings, access devices, and more.

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As expected, Apple today unveiled a smaller version of its iPad tablet, dubbed the iPad mini.

The 7.9-inch iPad mini includes a 1,024-by-768 display, the same as the iPad 2.

Pricing starts at $329 for the 16GB Wi-Fi version. The 32GB Wi-Fi is $429, while the 64GB will be $529. The Wi-Fi plus cellular versions will be $459 (16GB), $559 (32GB), and $659 (64GB).

Buyers can pre-order the devices starting Oct. 26. The Wi-Fi version will ship on Nov. 2 and the cellular version will ship two weeks later.

The iPad mini comes in at 7.5mm thin and 0.68 pounds, 23 percent thinner and 53 percent lighter than its 9.7-inch counterpart. "It's as thin as a pencil," Apple's Phil Schiller said.

Schiller said the Apple team "worked really hard" thinking about the size of the iPad mini. Cupertino wanted an iPad that was capable of running existing apps, but did not want a device that was so small "that it stops being incredibly usable."

"All the software made for the iPad works on the mini with no change," Schiller said.

Schiller compared the iPad mini to existing Android tablets, criticizing its rivals for using plastic materials, only making the screen 7 inches, and not having as many apps. "There is a gigantic difference in these products," he said. "They have phone applications stretched up, not tablet applications."

The iPad mini runs a dual-core A5 processor from Apple. It supports FaceTime HD and features and 5-megapixel iSight camera. There's LTE connectivity, as well as 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi. Apple promised 10 hours of battery life.

The iPad mini will include the new Lightning connector found on the iPhone 5. Apple is also offering new polyurethane Smart Covers for the iPad mini in pink, green, blue, light gray, dark gray and (PRODUCT) RED for $39.

"It is every inch an iPad," Schiller said.

Speaking of the iPad, Apple also gave its existing 9.7-inch iPad a boost.

Rumors about an iPad mini have been making the rounds for months - even before the launch of the new iPad. But Apple unveiled its Retina display iPad by itself earlier this year, opting to give the iPad mini its own show.

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Is Windows 8 an existential threat to Android tablets?

Nagging questions shadow the impending launch of Windows 8, threatening to scuttle Microsoft's plans to reinvent itself for the age of mobility. Will desktop users graciously accept the redesigned Modern interface? Will the Windows Store have enough apps to entice would-be Surface RT buyers? Can Windows 8 breathe life into sagging PC sales?

Microsoft's future success depends on its ability to make serious, quantifiable, no-nonsense headway in the mobile market, but it’s not the only company with a massive stake in the ultimate fate of Windows 8. The new operating system will also have a major impact on Google. Just look at the list of Microsoft’s Windows 8 tablet and hybrid partners—Samsung, Asus, Toshiba, and the rest. They all make Android tablets, too.

Apple’s position in the tablet market is so dominant that it need not fear encroachment by Windows 8 devices. But most of Google’s hardware partners—especially the ones that make the larger, so-called productivity devices—need to ask themselves a tough question: Will Windows 8 obliterate consumer interest in Android tablets?

Early opportunity squandered

At least one expert thinks that this question isn't hard to answer. Forrester analyst Sarah Rotman Epps sees a bleak future for Android tablets.

The Kindle Fire HD, which emphasizes media consumption, is one of the few Android-based tablets that consumers want.

"No one's buying Android tablets other than Amazon or Barnes & Noble [models] anyway," she says. "If there’s a market for non-Apple tablets, it has been and will be Windows. It’s pretty clear that there just hasn't been any demand for Android tablets other than the niche earlier-adopter market, while Windows has mainstream consumer interest."

Despite being the only major tablet alternative for people who don't want to bite into Apple, Android has clearly had little impact on the tablet market. IDC's second-quarter tablet report shows that more than two-thirds of all tablet shipments originated in Cupertino, and even those numbers don't tell the full story. IDC (which is owned by PCWorld’s parent company IDG) and other top research firms track tablet shipments to retailers, not tablet sales to customers. So when you take into account that some variable proportion of shipped Android tablets languish unsold on retailers' shelves, Android's situation may be even bleaker than IDC's numbers suggest.

In the recent Apple vs. Samsung case, for example, court filings showed that Samsung had managed to sell only 712,000 Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets in the United States since the slate's launch. Those are sad numbers, given that many observers considered the Galaxy Tab 10.1 to be the perfect iPad alternative for much of 2011.

Also troubling for Google's operating system is the fact that the Kindle Fire—Android's brightest tablet star and best tablet seller—is not the droid you're looking for. It runs a proprietary, heavily skinned interface that renders it more of a content delivery system for Amazon than a proper Android tablet.

Ominously, the Kindle Fire accounts for the majority of Google tablet sales. IDC claims that Amazon is the world's third-most-prolific tablet manufacturer, even though Amazon sells its slate only in the United States. And reports from ComScore, Pew Research, and Amazon itself indicate that the Kindle Fire outsells all other Android tablets combined.

In other words, Android owes most of its slim slice of market share on an Android tablet that doesn't look or feel at all like a pure Android tablet. Google's baby is sucking wind, folks.

Cue the Windows 8 tablets.

Windows 8 and its direct Android prey

Finding agreement among tech industry analysts is always a challenge. Nonetheless, all the analysts I consulted agree that Windows 8 tablets will devastate the handful of productivity-focused Android tablets on the market, such as the Asus Eee Pad Slider and the Asus Eee Pad Transformer series. Whereas security concerns have prompted risk-averse corporations to shy away from Android tablets, Microsoft's operating systems sport deep, business-friendly features—including the all-important Microsoft Office.

IMAGE: LOYD CASE

A Windows 8 productivity machine like the Asus Vivo Tab could threaten existing Asus products like the Eee Pad Slider and Transformer series.

"I think [productivity-focused Android tablets] are going to fade away," says Rob Enderle, the principal analyst of the Enderle Group, summing up the group consensus. "I think we'll see Windows convertibles and hybrids pick up that category. The keyboard really goes with Office."

The analysts I contacted also agree that Windows tablets will quickly gobble up Android's market share in the premium-priced tablet segment. Dropping $500 or more on a 10.1-inch Android tablet requires a lot more deliberation than spending $200 on a 7-inch Google Nexus 7. For this reason, analysts believe, consumers will flock toward the more seamless (and less glitchy) Windows experience when going for a big-screen (and non-iPad) tablet.

But will Android tablets vanish entirely? Most of the experts I spoke with don't think so. Excluding Forrester's Rotman Epps, most analysts expect Android tablets to be around for the long haul, albeit in a niche role that focuses on low prices and media playback.

A possible path for Android success

"I think there will be a market for 7- to 10-inch, very inexpensive Android tablets," says Patrick Moorhead, president and principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. "Not from the major makers, but off-brand. Android tablets will be the budget option."

Google's Nexus 7 is squarely focused on consumption, not productivity.

"There’s a reason why Google came out with the Nexus 7," says Gartner's Carolina Milanesi. "It basically was a very loud message to the OEMs saying, 'Stop trying to be Apple, because you're not. And you're not going to be successful competing at that price point or that form factor. Go cheap. Go $199, so it becomes more of an impulse buy, and consumers will get them and watch videos, listen to music and play games.' All of which is very much media-centric and content-centric."

Enderle agrees, calling the Nexus 7 "the quintessential Android tablet, almost entirely focused on consumption, and that's probably where Android is going to continue to shine."

Rotman Epps doesn't buy this analysis, though: "Other than Amazon, [OEMs] just aren't selling any Android tablets. The iPad mini, if that comes out as we expect it to, will be the final nail in the coffin for Android tablets."

The other analysts think that if Android tablets do die off, it will be due to other causes entirely: lawsuits and Google's lackluster OEM support.

Manufacturers fear the reaper

Even if customers suddenly decide to support Android tablets, OEMs may not stay in Google's camp now that Microsoft has joined the fray. The analysts we contacted say Google's reputation for dealing with manufacturers is spotty at best; in contrast, OEMs generally enjoy working with Microsoft, occasional Surface tablet tensions aside.

IMAGE: LOYD CASE

After suffering considerable grief over its Android devices, will Samsung give preferential treatment to its Windows 8 tablets, like this ATIV SmartPC?

Hardware manufacturers jumped on the Android bandwagon primarily because it was the only way for them to join the tablet revolution. In that sense, Apple helped spawn Android tablets, but now Apple might be the hammer that drives manufacturers away from Android for good.

"What really triggered the trend [of manufacturers hedging their bets with Android devices by also developing Windows devices] isn't so much customer satisfaction issues as much as that $1 billion judgment against Samsung," Enderle says, pointing to the sudden ramp-up of Windows Phone development by HTC and Samsung as examples.

"A lot of the OEMs really sweat bullets about being next on that particular list. Apple's actually doing Microsoft one hell of a favor here. That $1 billion judgment made 'free' not so free,” Enderle notes, referring to the ostensible price that Google charges OEMs for Android.

Gartner's Milanesi agrees that the risk of litigation from Apple encourages OEMs to see the value in adopting a Microsoft OS that costs money up-front. When you're in the Microsoft fold, she says, you're protected against Apple lawsuits, and Redmond also chips in with marketing costs and support for the developer community.

Where do manufacturers stand?

What do the companies that have skin in the game think about Android tablets' prospects for long-term survival? On the record, they're decidedly less pessimistic than the analysts are, which should come as no surprise, as they have to be cautious when making comments that might reflect on their roadmaps. Nonetheless, the OEMs do acknowledge the altered role that is likely to define Android's future.

Jay Parker, Lenovo's head of consumer/SMB operations for North America, recently told AllThingsD that the company plans to offer Android tablets "for the foreseeable future," but that it will offer only Android slates built in the Kindle Fire mold: small, cheap, and designed for playing around.

"We see them as pure media-based devices, where people are going to be surfing the Internet, reading books, or watching a movie, and really not a heck of a lot else," Parker said.

Acer makes the W510 Windows 8 tablet, but says that it's definitely not abandoning Android.

When asked whether Acer plans to support both Android and Windows 8 tablets, Paul Tayar, Acer America's director of product marketing for connected devices, unequivocally says "yes."

"The more ecosystems that we can play with and have available, the better we, as OEMs, can come up with developing the right hardware for the right consumer,” Tayar says. “Having options available to us lets us bring fresh solutions, and fresh designs, and fresh technology to the table."

Tayar feels there's enough consumer interest to support “even more than three” distinct operating systems, largely because of the very different user experiences offered by Windows 8 and Android. Windows tablets are more focused on productivity and might be more suitable for stationary office settings, whereas Android tablets tie deeply into Google's cloud-connected vision, and might appeal to people interested in everyday, on-the-run use, thanks to their smaller sizes.

Acer plans to tailor its hardware to take advantage of the specific ecosystem advantages of Windows 8 and Android. "You will not see a Windows 8 tablet, and then see the same tablet two days later with Android," Tayar says. He doesn't think Android will disappear any time soon.

"The Android market space, in both tablets and smartphones, is pretty much vindicated by the number of applications that are out there," he says. "That market has been validated. It's the real thing. It's not something that you're wondering 'Is this space going to exist or not?'"

You thought the Windows Store lacked tablet apps?

Tayar's last comment raises an interesting point: None of the analysts I spoke with think Android as a whole is in danger of dying, as the phone platform remains quite strong. Google Play features an abundance of Android apps—more than 675,000 by Google's last count—and the overwhelming majority of them are designed for smartphones, not tablets.

But that situation, too, is a double-edged sword for Google, as Android phone apps tend to translate poorly to the tablet experience.

IMAGE: ROBERT CARDIN

Ironically, for all its inventory problems, the Windows Store may quickly eclipse Google Play in terms of pure tablet apps.

"Microsoft hasn't even launched the Windows Store yet, and it probably has five times more tablet applications than Android does," Moorhead says. For context, consider that the original 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab kicked off the Android tablet effort nearly two years back.

Despite some blustery talk by Google chairman Eric Schmidt, signs indicate that Google is finally beginning to understand how serious the Windows tablet threat is. Google recently improved its Google Play developer console and finally—finally!—introduced a set of tablet design guidelines for developers. "I think that they'll even give incentives for developers to develop applications," Moorhead says.

Incentives are crucial because Microsoft is gunning for those same developers, with an extensive support system that draws raves from developers. If Google wants an Android future on anything other than smartphones and embedded systems like Google Glass, it must convince some of those developers to create tablet-specific apps for its OS.

Yea or nay: Will Windows 8 tablets kill off Android?

Android tablets won't burst into flames on October 26 in some kind of self-destructive conflagration. Manufacturers won't pack up and leave Google holding the bag just because Microsoft is selling tablets—at least not initially. But serious questions loom over the launch of Microsoft's next-gen operating system, and until the company can allay some of those concerns, partners like Acer, Asus, and Lenovo will probably ride the fence until a clear market winner emerges.

But Microsoft isn't afraid to play the long game or to toss billions of dollars at marketers and manufacturers to ensure that its tablet initiative ultimately pays off. When—not if—Microsoft clears the initial hurdles, Google will have to step up its own game to ensure that Android tablets have a fighting chance, even as budget options.

Sure, Android might be the best choice for inexpensive media slates. But Google needs to get busy to bolster even that path to success, especially if Apple releases a miniature iPad. Google must do more to stimulate app development. It must work more amicably with OEMs. And it must step up to the plate, and protect its partners from Apple's litigious wrath.

If Google doesn’t do all of these things, manufacturers could very well throw up their hands and join the Windows team for good. Then we'd see the classic Apple/Microsoft duopoly all over again, this time in the mobile arena instead of on the desktop.

Will Windows 8 tablets kill Android tablets? Only Google can answer that question

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Apple's poised to unveil its next-generation iPhone and iPod touch devices during its September 12 media event, but those may not be the only products showcased. The tech world fully expects iOS 6—Apple's updated mobile operating system that was first unveiled in June during Apple's June Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC)—to launch the day of the event or shortly afterward.

iOS 6 will be a free download, compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (fourth generation), iPad 2, and new iPad (third generation), but some features aren't available on all devices due to either hardware limitations or being iPhone and iPod touch-centric. That means if you have an incompatible device, you'll either have to stick to the older operating system or upgrade to a new device.

iOS 6's overall feature set isn't quite as game-changing as iOS 5's, which brought iCloud, iMessage, Notification Center, wireless syncing, and more to the iOS platform. But version 6 adds numerous potentially useful features that may make the update essential if you own a compatible iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Apple's iOS 6 Web page lists several features—either new or improved—that are designed to enhance your iOS experience, but we're highlighting the five that are the most attractive.

If you're ready to check out our five most anticipated iOS 6 features, dive into our slideshow that details what you should fire up when the operating system is available for download. Let us know if you agree or disagree with our iOS 6 most anticipated feature selections by leaving a comment below.

Facebook Integration

New to iOS6 is operating system-level Facebook integration, and it works similarly as the Twitter integration that arrived in iOS 5. From the Settings menu, you will be able to enter your Facebook credentials, and the social network will be baked into the operating system. You'll be able to update your update, post links or photos to your wall, and add location-based information. You'll even be able to use Siri to update your Facebook status without touching the virtual keyboard.

iCloud Tabs

Safari's main enhancement looks like it will come in the form of iCloud Tabs, which display links to Web pages that you have open on other Apple mobile devices. If you were reading, for example, PCMag.com on your iPod touch, you will be able to continue where you left off on a different iOS device by launching Safari and tapping the iCloud icon.

Maps

Maps is Apple's in-house replacement for the soon-to-be exiled Google Maps. At first glance, Maps looks very similar to Google's offering with its turn-by-turn navigation, local search, and traffic reports, but it differs in one major area: Flyovers. This new feature renders major cities with photo-realistic 3D models that you will be able to pan, zoom, tilt, and rotate in order to get a better view. Maps' Siri compatibility means that pretty soon you'll be able to plot trips using just your words.

New Call Options

iOS 6 will add new calling options that offer more flexibility over how you handle incoming calls that you don't want to pick up. Instead of simply declining a call, you'll be able to reply to it with a text message or create a callback reminder to notify yourself at a later time to reach out to the person who rang. Apple is also adding a Do Disturb Option that ensures you won't be bothered when you choose to enable it, save for contacts that you've set up as exceptions.

Passbook

Passbook is an iPhone and iPod touch-exclusive app—at least for now—that will act as a tidy central hub for all your passes and tickets. Instead of handing over a paper ticket, coupon, boarding pass, or gift card to be scanned, you'll simply whip put your device, which will display the appropriate item when you stroll into the appropriate store or airport. The success of this app, unlike the others mentioned in this story, will rely heavily on third-party support. The list of companies standing behind the technology is likely to be unveiled September 12, but two are already known: American Airlines and Delta.

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