Complete List of Windows 8 New Features

Microsoft claims that Windows 8 is the “most feature-rich operating system made so far.” Still after so much praise about its latest operating system by the Redmond-based software giant, for most users, Windows 8 is nothing more than just Windows 7 in a new look. That’s not true entirely, after you go through the complete list of Windows 8 new features, released by Microsoft, you will get a clearer picture.

Windows 8 does have a modern new user interface but beneath that you will find a very good number of impressive new features. Most users had a mixed feeling about the new Windows 8 Start Menu, oops, now which is called the new Start Screen, Charms Bar, the way Windows 8 now shuts down or restarts and a few other things. But what about the changes which were made under the hood? Do you want to know about it? windows-8-features

Oliver Niehus, Principal Application development manager and member of the Application Experience SWAT team, said in a blog post that “looking at how many powerful features inside Windows 8 are, we can definitely call it an impressive operating system which hadn’t been seen by the world before. It’s the most feature rich client operating system so far (Windows Server 2012 has much more than the client)”.

“First of all, Windows itself benefits from these features and therefore reaches a new dimension concerning security, manageability, usability, performance and much more. Furthermore it is extremely energy-saving so even with older hardware battery life has been raised a lot,” he continued.

Although PC manufacturers and market analysts says otherwise about all these claims made by Microsoft.

Complete List of Windows 8 New Features (Official)

So, what new features are available in Windows 8? If you are really interested to find out, you can go through the long list of Windows 8 new features below.

  • User Account Control changes
  • Hyper-V on Client (almost the same as Server 2012 Hyper-V)
  • Internet Explorer 10 with Enhanced Protected Mode
  • Virtual Network Switch
  • Powershell v3 In-Box, Powershell Intellisense, Powershell API Help- and Command Generator, New Powershell ISE
  • Virtual Fibre Channel
  • SMB 3.0 Attached Storage
  • Explorer VHD/ISO mount
  • Guest NUMA Direct
  • Direct Attached FC HBA
  • Dynamic Memory
  • 64 TB Dynamic Virtual Disk
  • 64 Logical CPU
  • VM 10-finger Touch
  • Extensible Virtual Switch
  • New Performance Tools
  • Fast and Fluid UI
  • Low Power Busses
  • VM NIC VMQ
  • VM NIC Teaming
  • OS BuilIn Smart Screen Filter (Has blocked >1.5B malware and >150M phishing attacks)
  • New Explorer with Ribbon
  • IIS 8.0
  • Do Not Track (DNT) capability
  • SmartScreen Filter protects third-party browsers
  • IE10 ASLR Support for none-ASLR aware AddIns
  • Secure Boot
  • New Task Manager
  • Powershell Web Interface
  • Trusted Boot
  • Windows to go
  • New MDT, WAIK, MDOP
  • Measured Boot
  • Offline Domain Join
  • WMI 2.0
  • Remote Attestation Service
  • New Activation Model
  • New App Certification
  • Remote Applications
  • Connected Standby
  • Virtual Smartcards
  • Windows RT (Windows on ARM)
  • BuiltIn USB 3.0 Support
  • Direct Access improvements
  • TPM 2.0
  • BuiltIn Bluetooth 4.0 Support
  • Branch Cache Improvements
  • UEFI 2.3.1
  • New Driver Model (WDM 1.2)
  • DaRT 8.0
  • Storage Spaces – Thin/Thick Provisioning
  • Hunderte neuer Powershell CMDLets (z.B. 162 für Hyper-V)
  • New VDI
  • New Windows Defender (Forefront Scan Engine)
  • New Firewall with Packet Filtering
  • Internet Explorer 10 64-Bit with 32-Bit Support
  • Fast Boot
  • PS ISE integrated CMD List
  • .Net Framework 4.5 SP1
  • Hybrid Shutdown
  • Improved, comprehensive Compiler Defenses (GS, ASLR, DEP, SAFESEH, SEHOP, Heap Spray, robust, etc.)
  • Async APIs (85% of WinRT APIs and included in .Net 4.5)
  • High Contrast Mode changes
  • Office 2013 RT (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote included in Windows RT edition)
  • Windows RT APIs and new Kernel Services (e.g. Background Tasks, Suspended Apps)
  • Maintenance Tasks
  • Suspended Desktop Application (Windows RT)
  • Suspended Apps
  • Shared Kernel – Phone, Tablet, Notebook, PC
  • Offloaded File/Folder Operation (ODX Protocol)
  • New Application Model – Platform neutral (Intel/AMD/ARM)
  • Windows to go parse-through VM
  • Windows Store App Resource Protection
  • OPP Brokered API Isolation
  • Live Tiles
  • App Contracts – Secure App Data exchange (Search, Share, FilePicker, PlayTo)
  • Office 2013 Student (Windows RT)
  • RICH Touch Support
  • 10-finger Touch Support
  • Secure Device Access – App Capabilities
  • Process Isolation – Low Integrity App container
  • VM 3D graphic support
  • Sidebar Removal
  • HTML 5 Support
  • Search throughout apps
  • New Windows 8 OS Switch Point via App Manifest
  • StartScreen Mouse- and Keyboard Support
  • File History
  • Windows Refresh / Reset
  • Windows 7 Backup included but deprecated
  • Optical Disk Power Management
  • Windows Store App Forward Compatibility
  • Flat Desktop Design and Improvements
  • Windows Store (Link to certified Desktop Apps possible)
  • Windows Store Apps using JavaScript and HTML
  • Device Encryption and Bitlocker
  • Windows Store Installer
  • Sideloading Installation
  • Windows Intune Support
  • WACK, WADK, WSDK, WDK
  • ACT 6.0
  • New Compatibility Assistant
  • New Windows Update – Less Reboots
  • Startup Application Diagnostics
  • Enhanced Cloud Integration – Linked Microsoft Account
  • Surface RT Ports for HDMI, USB, Bluetooth 4.0, SDCard
  • Convertible Devices Support
  • Support for almost infinite number of Hardware Formfactors
  • > 385 Shims
  • Automatic Compat. Mitigations (>7.500 Applications)
  • PowerShell Web Service Interface
  • Remote Attestation Service
  • Settings Roaming
  • Huge number of different Device-Formfactors
  • Start Button replaced by link to new Start-Screen
  • Technical Start Menu
  • Windows Style UI – New Start Screen

Source: Oliver’s Blog

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