One of the things that’ll help you ADAPT is knowing all the shortcut keys for Windows 8.  Here’s a list that will help you keep your fingers on your precious keyboard while you manipulate the Graphical Interface.

Windows logo key+spacebar Switch input language and keyboard layout
Windows logo key+O Locks device orientation
Windows logo key+Y Temporarily peeks at the desktop
Windows logo key+V Cycles through toasts
Windows logo key+Shift+V Cycles through toasts in reverse order
Windows logo key+Enter Launches Narrator
Windows logo key+PgUp Moves Metro style apps to the monitor on the left
Windows logo key+PgDown Moves Metro style apps to the monitor on the right
Windows logo key+Shift+. Moves the gutter to the left (snaps an application)
Windows logo key+. Moves the gutter to the right (snaps an application)
Windows logo key+C Opens Charms bar
Windows logo key+I Opens Settings charm
Windows logo key+K Opens Connect charm
Windows logo key+H Opens Share charm
Windows logo key+Q Opens Search pane
Windows logo key+W Opens Settings Search app
Windows logo key+F Opens File Search app
Windows logo key+Tab Cycles through Metro style apps
Windows logo key+Shift+Tab Cycles through Metro style apps in reverse order
Windows logo key+Ctrl+Tab Cycles through Metro style apps and snaps them as they are cycled
Windows logo key+Z Opens App Bar
Windows logo key+M Minimizes all windows

www.surface.com

It’s Different

It’s Windows reimagined and reinvented from a solid core of Windows 7 speed and reliability. It’s going to take some getting used to. Things have been moved. The Start Menu is gone, but is replaced by a Start Screen. The Desktop is now an application that can run in the background while you open full screen apps.

It’s the Same

Windows 8 will be the same look, feel and user experience across all your Windows devices. You’ll have the same interface on your laptop, as your desktop, as your Windows Phone, or Windows Tablet. You’ll find that the next generation of hardware will have touch built into it. Your laptop screen will pop off and become a tablet seamlessly. Your desktop screen will tilt, and you’ll be able to use it as a touch interface.
It’s Tactile

Touch, touch, touch and multi-touch. Windows 8 is embracing the world of touch, and unlike its competitor, it’s building one Operating System that works across them all. Windows 8 will combine the best of both desktops and tablets.

It’s Beautiful

The Metro User Interface is a thing of beauty and simplicity.

It’s Modular

You can arrange your apps however you like, and if you want to pin an app to your desktop, you just drag it to one side. It’ll take up a third of your screen and let you use the desktop in the rest.

It’s Searchable

The easiest way to start up a program from the Start Screen is to just start typing its name. Want to open Word? Just hit the Windows Key (The one to the left of the ALT button that has the Microsoft Logo on it) and type “Word”. Hit enter and it opens. Start Search can also be accessed from charms bar. It contains some pre-defined categories like, Apps, Settings, and Files, along with a list of installed applications to help you quickly find and launch an application.

It’s Right-Clickable

Inside an app, or the Start Screen, the right click button will bring up your menus at the top or bottom of the screen.

It’s Connected

Windows 8 connects to your Social feeds and puts them all in one place. The People App connects you to your email and social accounts, bringing together all your contacts and their updates, in one convenient place.

As Windows 8 rolls into the marketplace, we’ll be available for training and consultation.  Send us a note to set up a time!

I remember very clearly thinking that one day our desktops would BE the computer, and that touch was going to be the wave of the future.

Jeff joined a company called Perceptive Pixel that specializes in large format multitouch displays.  Steve Balmer just announced at WPC 2012 that Perceptive Pixel has been purchased by Microsoft.

My vision is coming.

Most of this week I’ll blog about the WPC.  For the sake of keeping up with the conversation, I’ll have to use point form.  I’d encourage you to post your comments or questions, and I’ll try to get back to everyone.

More after the cut…

John Roskill is on the stage after an exuberant opening from Cirque de Soliel. I’m not sure I’ve ever been that energetic at 9am.

First thing he’s touching on is Microsoft Cloud partners that are “winning” in the marketplace.

Even the big screens are using the Metro UI.

Now Steve Balmer and and Rich Kaarlgard take the stage. Steve is so happy it’s a bit frightening.

Microsoft growing the number of partners that are selling Microsoft Cloud products by 10% per month. That’s no typo. 10% per MONTH.  I can already tell that a huge percentage of this WPC is going to be focused on Office 365 and Windows 8.

Kurt DelBene, President the Microsoft Office group joins the roundtable.

MS Office is on over a BILLION user desktops today.

200,000 Lowes users onboarding with Office 365.  Burger King and Japan Airlines.

Microsoft Office 365 Open program being introduced!  We’ll be able to package Office365 and invoice it ourselves.  No more worrying about billing with Microsoft.

Now some talk about Yammer (yammer.com) which is a recent acquisition from Microsoft.

Some talk about the Office 15 technical preview.  Steve is going coo-coo for cocoa puffs about Windows 8 and Office 15 working together.

A demo of Windows 8 coming up.

- Acer ultrabook with Touch.  Looks like Metro UI is going to bring touch screens to every laptop.
- Asus “System on a chip” systems that convert from Tablet to full laptop.  I gotta admit, having an iPad, it’s not something I can take with me to business meetings because of it’s lack of browser support, and the need for apps.  I can see how Windows 8 is going to drive the hardware market to meet the software use.
- Lenovo A720 will come with 10 point multitouch.  It has a swivel base that allows users to convert it to something like a drawing table.  About the same dimensions as an iMac.

Wow.  Demo of the new “Picture Password” where you use a personalized Lock Screen picture and touching the screen in a specific way is the way you unlock the computer.

Windows RT demo.  It looks very similar to Windows 8.  Looks like a full tablet experience OS.  Release the limitation of the Apple products.

Windows ToGo.  Pack your entire OS on a Thumbdrive and pack it with you.  Very cool.  Doing a demo.  She put a USB stick into a Windows 7 PC and then rebooted into her Windows 8 Desktop.

www.digitalwpc.com

This looks pretty interesting.  Microsoft is taking a risk here manufacturing and releasing under their own name.  I suspect they will be building in some type of Sync with your desktop, much like iCloud has done for Apple.

The Microsoft Tablet

One of the great things about Lync, is the ability to see people’s availability from Outlook and Sharepoint. Here’s a great add-on to Outlook that extends that functionality even further.

The Lync Social Connector

http://www.pcworld.com/article/257599/windows_license_questions_your_faqs_answered.html#tk.hp_new