12 blank facilities we’d still adore to see in Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 is Microsoft’s possibility to recover a goodwill mislaid in a quarrelsome recover of a new-look Windows 8 handling system—and by and large, a feature-packed re-do smooths out a OS’s some-more toilsome severe edges. (Boot to desktop, and a improved Windows Store? Yes, please!) Sure, Windows 8.1′s improvements are some-more about excellence than revolution, nonetheless this is an update, not a whole new OS.

While Windows 8.1′s new apps and hidden features should leave we mostly sated if you’ve already bought into Microsoft’s modern-style prophesy of a future, a refurbish still isn’t…quite…perfect. In fact, after spending some-more than a day tinkering with Windows 8.1, we can consider of a dozen additions we’d adore to see.

With a central recover of Windows 8.1 expected still months off, Microsoft has time to supplement these facilities to a update. Fingers crossed!

1. Better UI hints

The elementary lapse of a Start button, even in a bastardized “drop we on a Start screen” form, fixes one of a vital interface woes found in a strange Windows 8.0 release, generally when interconnected with a new All Apps button. But Microsoft shouldn’t stop there.

Windows 8.1 is still crowded of dark menus that seem usually if we know a tip handshake—which dilemma to reason or gesticulate to make. Many of a many essential complement functions are buried in those fugitive screens. Give us pointed visible clues for prohibited corners! Give us a ability to pin a Charms menu open! Drag those essential elements into a light!

2. Make a desktop-friendly facilities some-more obvious

Windows 8.1 goes a prolonged approach toward creation Microsoft’s revamped OS some-more savoury to a desktop fanatics (like me!), nonetheless it does so grudgingly. Sure, we can close down your PC from a new Start button, nonetheless usually if we consider to right-click on it and differentiate by a prolonged list of executive options. Likewise, useful additions like a ability to foot to a desktop or have a Start symbol move we to a All Apps shade are buried underneath a submenu found usually by right-clicking on a taskbar. Really, Windows?

It’d be good to see these options highlighted in a Settings charm’s Personalize options, or maybe even offering as partial of a initial designation process. Don’t reason your breath, though: Since Microsoft has clearly tied a destiny to a complicated UI, a desktop will be propitious if it receives soft neglect, as against to being separated entirely.

3. More cohesive Personalize options

Speaking of which, a Personalize territory unequivocally should have many, many some-more options for users. You’ll find usually preset Start shade backgrounds and background/accent tone options in Windows 8.1′s Personalize screen. Microsoft should seize a event to make it a one-stop DIY shop.

Toss in a aforementioned desktop personalization options, screensaver and lock-screen choices (including a ability to set app notifications), a ability to barter out your form picture, and heck, maybe even a Personalization syncing options found in a new SkyDrive submenu in a complicated PC Settings. Not usually would it make sense, it would make me happy.

4. Reading List bookmarking options in a desktop chronicle of IE11

You know what’s awesome? Read-it-later apps that let we save an online essay to, well, review it later. You know what’s even some-more awesome? Windows 8.1 includes a read-it-later app dubbed Reading List, that is populated by articles sent regulating a Share attract in Internet Explorer 11. You know what’s not so awesome? That Share duty works usually in a complicated chronicle of IE 11—not a desktop counterpart. we can haz bookmarklet?

5. Run complicated IE 11 with another browser set as your desktop default

In Windows 8.1, as with plain-Jane Windows 8 before it, we can’t use a modern-style chronicle of Internet Explorer 11 whatsoever if we have a non-IE browser (like Chrome or Firefox) set as your default. That’s usually clumsy crap. we adore a complicated IE browser on touchscreen devices, nonetheless given Chrome is my desktop default we can’t use complicated IE whatsoever. How does this help, Microsoft?

6. A complicated record path-finder app

I get it, Microsoft. You wish SkyDrive to offer as a beating, cloud-connected heart of a Windows 8.1 experience: “Windows everywhere” and all that. But a world’s not utterly prepared to spend all a time in a sky—especially in a arise of the NSA scandal. A modern-style record path-finder app would save touchscreen Windows users, including all Windows RT users, from carrying to humour a boredom of pecking by a desktop record explorer.

Windows 8.1′s overhauled complicated PC Settings bake in some-more finger-friendliness for a people who have bought into Microsoft’s touchscreen future. A complicated record path-finder would be a cherry on top.

7. DVD playback

Though Windows 8.1 Preview ships with a discretionary $10 Media Center container (and a DVD-playing capabilities) installed, Microsoft has still given no denote that a recover chronicle will revive a ability to play DVDs. And we can’t even implement a Media Center container unless you’re using a $200 Windows 8 Pro, that costs $80 some-more than a vanilla chronicle of Windows 8.

That’s a high cost for optical-disc support. Unfortunately, a contingency of Microsoft’s restoring default DVD playback to Windows 8 are flattering slim, as a association would have to bombard out a few bucks for each singular Windows permit if it wanted to embody that functionality. But hey, here’s anticipating anyway. (Pssst! Try out a totally giveaway VLC media player. A complicated VLC app is on a way, too.)

8. Core communication apps that play good with others

The Windows 8.1 preview accessible Wednesday didn’t embody Mail or Calendar updates, so we can’t be certain what’s in store for those apps, that still need some work before they’re adult to tinge with top-tier communications options. I’m holding out for dual large additions: POP mail support in a Mail app, and CalDAV support in a Calendar app so that it plays good with Google Calendar again. Alas, I’m not confident about saying either.

9. More tile customization options

The new super-big and super-small sizes for Start shade tiles is a tiny tweak that creates a large disproportion to Windows 8.1′s feel, nonetheless again, because stop there? The Start shade still feels so locked down. I’d adore to be means to rename tiles, or change their idol and credentials color. Judging by a emails some of we have sent me, I’m not a usually one.

Another useful underline would be a ability to organisation tiles into “stacks” that fan out during a reason or click. Think of them as modern-style folders. You have a ability to name groups of tiles as-is, nonetheless these supposed stacks would unequivocally assistance make a Start shade some-more efficient—and some-more personal.

10. Touchscreen fingerprint recognition

DO IT.

Now I’m usually removing a bit ridiculous, to be honest. But hey—Windows 8.1 already gave Microsoft’s local biometric support a large shot in a arm, and technology that can review your fingerprint on a touchscreen is out there. It’d be an overwhelming underline on such a touch-focused OS. Just sayin’.

11. Modern apps using in desktop windows

If Stardock’s glorious ModernMix program can run complicated apps in desktop Windows, because can’t Windows 8.1? There would be no improved approach to awaken doctrinaire desktop fanatics out of their shells than to supplement this low-pressure functionality that would capacitate a best of both worlds.

12. A time tile

Because I’m usually not going to close adult about it until there’s a local approach to see a date and time on a Start shade during a peek but carrying to do anything extra. we disgust carrying to open a Charms bar to see a time if I’m on a Start screen. No, seriously: Loathe.

Microsoft had a ideal event to deliver a time to a start shade with Windows 8.1′s new Alarms app. Just make a live tile uncover a time! Did that happen? Nope. Could it happen? Yup, and substantially flattering easily—maybe even “In time for a central Windows 8.1 release” easily. Just sayin’. (You can do it, Microsoft!)

Try it yourself

But for all my griping, Windows 8.1 truly does a decent pursuit of paving over Windows 8′s misfortune flaws. Will it remonstrate haters to stop worrying and adore a Live Tiles? Not during all. But it does make a knowledge distant reduction differing than a initial Windows 8 release.

Don’t take my word for it, though. While a recover date for a final chronicle of a refurbish has nonetheless to be announced, you—yes, you—can try out a preview chronicle of Windows 8.1 today, presumption you’re a brave form who doesn’t mind giving prelaunch handling complement builds a whirl. Check out a beam to installing a Windows 8.1 preview—but prepare your PC for that OS-level tinkering first.