Getting Started with Windows 8

Windows 8 is reportedly due to arrive by this year-end. For those who can't wait to try out Microsoft's newest "reimagined" Windows operating system, there are preview releases - the latest one is called Windows Release Preview.

If you don't have spare hardware to experiment with the new OS, you can try out Windows Release Preview with free Virtual Machine software like VMWare Player or Oracle's VirtualBox. Unlike VirtualBox, VMWare Player requires registration but it is worth the effort as it provides a better experience.

Step-by-step guides for installing Windows 8 Preview in VirtualBox and VMWare Player are available.

So what's new in Windows 8?

• Start screen - the Start button is no more the focal point.
• Faster startup - 30 to 70% faster than Windows 7
• Metro style UI - clean typography and animations, touch-optimized interface, Metro style apps fill entire screen
• Works on a variety of devices - x86 and x64 PCs, ARM devices
• IE 10 - touch-first browsing experience, supports HTML5. 2 flavors - Desktop IE, Metro style IE
• Touch keyboard 
• Windows Store - screened apps, you can install your purchased apps on up to five Windows 8 PCs.
• Connected Microsoft account - you can sign in to a Win 8 PC with a local account or use a connected Microsoft account.  When you sign in with your connected Microsoft account to another PC running Windows 8, your Metro style apps and settings go with you. 
• Windows To Go -  bootable USB storage devices containing a copy of Windows 8, along with their business apps, data, and settings - no need to carry a laptop or tablet
• Client Hyper-V -  run multiple operating system instances simultaneously on their Windows 8 computer.
• Native PDF Reader

work in progress...

References -
Windows 8 Guide (PDF)