Finally, Microsoft has gotten the message! Windows 8 is soon to be more like Windows 7.

At its Build developers conference in San Francisco on Wednesday, Microsoft announced a trio of new features for Windows 8.1 that had a decidedly "old-school" feel: First, Windows will get a bunch of tweaks that make it easier to use with a keyboard and mouse. Second, Microsoft announced that Windows 8-style "Modern" apps will run in a window in the traditional desktop interface. Third, the Start menu -- the ultimate signifier of "old" Windows -- is eventually coming back.

But the tweaks are less about Microsoft running away from its controversial Windows 8 redesign and more a concession that the company tried to transition traditional PC users over to the radically different design of Windows 8 too quickly.

And if anything, Microsoft's decision to cater to these unconvinced users isn't a step backwards -- it's a ploy to reel them in.

Despite the changes, Microsoft isn't phasing out or decreasing the presence of Windows 8's new design. In fact, these forthcoming features will actually make the Modern design more visible throughout the operating system.

It's a more gentle way of nudging the entrenched Windows 7, Vista and XP users towards change. And catering to these users could help jumpstart Microsoft's lagging ecosystem of Modern apps, which is lagging considerably behind iOS and Android.

One of the most revealing, big-picture moments of Microsoft's latest Windows announcements was that developers can now build a single app that runs on all three major Microsoft platforms - Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox.

Source: CNN Money

Windows 8.1 is now available - new features:

By now, we all know how much Windows 8 sucks. It's quite unfortunate that this is the operating system that every computer now comes standard with. However, if you find yourself having to purchase a new computer, you will enjoy the small changes that have been implemented into Windows 8.1.

Below are a few top features of the new Windows 8.1:

Personalized Start Screen
Lock screen slide show: Set up your lock screen to automatically rotate through pictures that you choose from you local or SkyDrive folder.
Start screen background options: New, broad color palette for the Start screen colors and many more backgrounds including animated options.
Multi-monitor support: Different Windows Store apps can now run on all monitors at the same time. The start screen can stay open on one monitor.
Boot to desktop or all apps: Allows the user to select boot direct to desktop or all apps screen rather than the start screen.

Apps for Everyone
Internet Explorer 11: Many IE improvements including faster page load times, slide by slide browsing of your slides, 3D graphics, live website tiles, enhanced pinned site notifications, synchronized settings across all your windows 8.1 devices.
Windows Store: The new store homepage shows more info than before in detailed lists of top free, new releases, and picks for you. Each app listing is more descriptive and informative.
Skype: Skype enables you to easily switch between chat, audio and video call all in the comfort of one place while not missing what you're already doing.
Multiple windows per app: Open multiple windows for the same app side by side.
Slide down to all apps: Slide down from the start screen to see all of your apps in one view then slide up to switch back to the start screen.

Best User Experience and Familiar Desktop
Improved Windows Defender: Windows Defender adds high performance network behavior monitoring that enables it to detect new and constantly morphing variations of malware based on commonly used ad well known behaviors. *See note below.
Automatic app updates from the store: Your installed apps from the Windows Store automatically update.
Start button on taskbar: The start button is located on the taskbar allowing one click access to the start screen.

*Note: IES still highly recommends additional virus protection. From past experience with clients, we have found eSet NOD32 Antivirus to be the best provider.