Technical information

Windows 8 For Dummies, Dell Pocket Edition
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scratch in an attempt to please two camps of com-
puter owners.
Some people are mostly consumers. They read e-mail,
watch videos, listen to music, and browse the web,
often while away from their desktop PC. Whether on
the go or on the couch, they’re consuming media
(and popcorn).
Other people are mostly creators. They write papers,
prepare tax returns, update blogs, edit videos, or,
quite often, tap whichever keys their boss requires
that day.
To please both markets, Microsoft broke Windows 8
into two very different modes:
✓ Start screen: For the on-the-go information grab-
bers, the Windows 8 Start screen fills the entire
screen with large, colorful tiles that constantly
update to show the latest stock prices, weather,
e-mail, Facebook updates, and other tidbits.
That information now appears before you touch
a button. And touch is the keyword here: The
Start screen is designed for touchscreens —
those screens controlled with your fingertip.
But the Start screen now also appears on your
desktop PC, not just on your phone or tablet
computer (see Figure 1-1). Be prepared for some
initial mouse awkwardness as you try to mimic
a fingertip with your mouse pointer.
✓ Desktop tile: When it’s time for work, head for
the Start screen’s desktop tile. The traditional
Windows desktop appears, shown in Figure 1-2,
bringing all its power — as well as its detailed,
cumbersome menus.
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