WINDOWS 8 (or is it 8.1)

[M_GO_BLUE1]

Please limit your answers to the question below...I am not looking for opinions of what you think about Windows 8.1


Is it easier to use Windows 8.1 with a touchscreen or a non-touchscreen laptop??

[strollin]

Sure, just as there is in 8. There's even a setting that allows you to tell the OS that you are on a metered connection and it will curtail those downloads automatically.

To turn off updating for a single tile, simply right-click on the tile and select "Turn live tile off".

Here's a link to show how to configure a metered connection: How to configure a metered connection

[M_GO_BLUE1]

On Windows 8.1...is there a way of turning off individual tiles from updating so they don't keep sucking from your data plan?

[strollin]

Both Win 8 and 8.1 work fine for me with keyboard/mouse and I don't use any 3rd party Start menu apps.

I typically don't use the Start Screen or any of the Metro apps so there is absolutely no advantage whatsoever to using a touchscreen. On rare occasions when I do use the Start Screen or any of the Metro apps, a mouse can scroll the screen and be used to click on tiles as well if not better (certainly with much greater accuracy) than touching the screen with my fat finger.

[Bumpyroad]

JimM68 wrote:


IMHO, win 8 is purely a touchscreen os, intended mostly for phones.

works fine for me with a standard keyboard.
I added the start menu like others have reported here.
bumpy

[JimM68]

To answer the question asked....

Windows 8 metro is made for a touchscreen. Whenever I use one, I find myself reaching for the screen to touch it...

I run 8.0 on one desktop machine, and a couple laptops. I've made them default to desktop mode, and installed an aftermarket start menu. I initially put 8.0 on my main work desktop machine, 3 days later reinstalled windows 7.

IMHO, win 8 is purely a touchscreen os, intended mostly for phones.

[strollin]

IMO, touchscreen is only useful on small screen devices such as phones and tablets that don't have a mouse/keyboard available. If you are going to be using a computer with a mouse and keyboard or a laptop with touchpad and keyboard than a touchscreen is far less useful.

[M_GO_BLUE1]

All we have now is an Ipad...

[deleted-2]

IMO
It is easier to use Win 8.1 with a non-touchscreen laptop.

Unless you have an ultrabook or other notebook with the foldback keyboard then the touchscreen is good with Win8.

[thestoloffs]

M GO BLUE wrote:
Is it easier to use Windows 8.1 with a touchscreen or a non-touchscreen laptop??

Fellow Wolverine, the answer is the same as it's always been when buying a PC -- It depends on what applications you're using every day!

If you use the common commercial apps (MS, Adobe, etc. - Office, Internet Explorer, Mail, Calendar, People, Messaging, Acrobat, etc.), then they are all available in Metro form (i.e., Windows 8 interface format). You need to try them on a touchscreen to determine whether or not they are easier for you to use, than the older versions were on a non-touchscreen.

If, however, you often use Windows 7 (or older) applications that require a keyboard, a touchscreen laptop will be a PITA to use.

After over 35 years in the Personal Computing industry, I've learned that, when you're buying a new PC, if your salesperson doesn't ask you that question right off the bat, find a new sales critter! If they make the same mistake, run, don't walk, and find a new store.

And, never buy a mail order PC without having taken it for a physical "test drive" in a store first! BUT, never buy a PC in a store without having checked on-line prices, first. If you know what you can buy it for on-line, then you've got the bargaining leverage you need!

[kgarrett9999]

M GO BLUE wrote:
Please limit your answers to the question below...I am not looking for opinions of what you think about Windows 8.1


Is it easier to use Windows 8.1 with a touchscreen or a non-touchscreen laptop??

I use Windows 8 on a non-touch screen laptop. I don't find it any more difficult than Windows 7, but I did download a "Start Button" program and have been changing the default programs to the normal Windows programs instead of the new touchscreen apps.

Used like this it is virtually identical to using a Windows 7 laptop.

[Bill_Satellite]

My computer is using the Beta 8.1 without a touch screen. I have played with the touch screen version of 8 but not 8.1. I find both very easy to deal with but I do like the 8.1 version better on my non-touch screen computer.
Moving in and out of the Metro pages are very easy and I use both the regular desktop (most often) and the Metro pages depending upon the situation.
I think since you are talking about a laptop specifically the answer is you will end up using both if you buy a touchscreen laptop but you would not use the touch screen exclusively.

[Bumpyroad]

I would think that this would largely depend on if you were used to and liked using a tablet, etc. with a touch screen.
bumpy