Finally, it’s official! Windows 8 is scheduled to be available on the 26th of October. This news comes after Windows president Steve Sinofsky announced yesterday at Microsoft’s annual sales meeting that consumers will be able to purchase the eagerly awaited operating system on the said date via an upgrade or through buying a new PC.
This latest version of Windows features a new user interface based on Microsoft’s Metro design language designed to suit both touchscreen and mouse and keyboard input. Windows 8 supports x86 microprocessors from Intel, AMD, and VIA while another version of it (Windows RT) adds ARM processors into the list or supported processing chips.
Those who own a machine running Windows XP, Vista, or 7 are qualified to download an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro on the website. Simply follow the instructions for purchasing, downloading and installation given by the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant. The Upgrade Assistant will take care of necessary steps such as checking if your PC is ready for the upgrade as well as look for possible compatibility issues.
If you’re upgrading from any edition of Windows 7, you have the option of bringing all your settings, apps, and personal files. Windows Visa users can bring along their Windows settings and personal files on their upgrade. XP users, however, can only brig their personal files. You can also start with a clean slate should you choose to bring nothing from your previous OS with you upon upgrading.
Once you finish downloading Windows 8 Pro, you have the option to immediately install it to your system or on a later time via your desktop or by creating your own media which allows you to create your own bootable USB or .ISO file which can be burned into a DVD. This way, you can have a copy of the installation files for backup purposes.
Windows 8 Pro will be available worldwide on October 26 with a price tag of $39.99 for an upgrade while a packaged DVD version will cost you $69.99. Those who are planning to build their own PC or install Windows 8 in a virtual machine or a separate partition, Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro System Builder product will also be available for purchase. Prices for these two, however, were not specified.
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