WE had covered in detail about the upcoming features in Windows 8.1 This update will bring quite a lot of new features in terms of customizations and also the start button. There are several improvements in Windows 8.1 based on user feedback. This update is being released to address the issues faced by users ever since the release of Windows 8 back in October 2012.
Windows 8.1 will deliver improvements and enhancements in key areas like personalization, search, the built-in apps, Windows Store experience, and cloud connectivity. Windows 8.1 will debut next month at the Microsoft’s BUILD conference as a public preview and the update will be free for all users.
Apart from the customization point of view, Windows 8.1 will also have lot of improvements in networking and security side.
The Windows Blog has detailed about the new features with respect to networking and security in Windows 8.1. The new update will improve mobile productivity for today’s workforce with new networking capabilities that take advantage of NFC-tagged and Wi-Fi connected devices. The new features includes;
- NFC tap-to-pair printing – Tap your Windows 8.1 device against an enterprise NFC-enabled printer and you’re all set to print. No more hunting on your network for the correct printer and no need to buy a special printer; just attach a NFC tag to your existing machines. And you don’t need to buy new printers to take advantage of this; you can simply put an NFC tag on your existing printers to enable this functionality.
- Wi-Fi Direct printing – Connect to Wi-Fi Direct printers without adding additional drivers or software on your Windows 8.1 device, forming a peer-to-peer network between your device and the printer.
- Native Miracast wireless display – Present your work wirelessly without any dongles needed; simply project your content to a Miracast-enabled device by pairing the device through Bluetooth or NFC. Miracast will then use the available Wi-Fi connection to let you lean back and project wire-free.
- Broadband tethering – Turn your Windows 8.1 mobile broadband-enabled PC or tablet into a personal Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing other devices to connect and access the internet.
- Auto-triggered VPN – When you select an app or resource that needs access through the inbox VPN – like a company’s intranet site – Windows 8.1 will automatically prompt you to sign in with one click. This feature will be available with Microsoft and third-party inbox VPN clients.
Security continues to be a top priority for companies across the world, so Windows 8.1 will also make sure to help you protect your corporate data, applications and devices. There are few improvements in security as well, they are;
- Modern Access Controls – Sign in and authenticate devices with new support for fingerprint-based biometrics. Multi-factor authentication using Virtual Smart Cards will also be made even easier in Windows 8.1.
- Malware Resistance –Windows Defender, Microsoft’s free antivirus solution in Windows 8, will include network behavior monitoring to help detect and stop the execution of known and unknown malware. Internet Explorer will scan binary extensions (e.g. ActiveX) using the antimalware solution before potentially harmful code is executed.
We will have detailed information on these aspects when Windows 8.1 launches in public preview in June end.
