This means that for the time being we will all need to stick with third-party applications to bring back the desktop functionality that many of us want. The good news is that Microsoft seems to be looking into more than just dropping the start menu back into the taskbar. The new start menu will feature the familiar list of applications and also a Metro/Modern UI panel complete with live tiles. These will still update in real-time when the start menu is open.

Another feature that Microsoft is looking to bring to their next OS is the use of windowed ModernUI applications. This will be a HUGE step forward for anyone looking to run Windows in desktop mode. I know that there are multiple companies that make third-party apps capable of doing this, but many of them are buggy and had spotty results. It would be nice to see this feature come directly from Microsoft.

As of this writing we are hearing that Windows 9 will also be a departure from the cloud based OS it was intended to be. If this will be a trend moving forward or if this is just a stopgap to help bolster acceptance and sales were are not 100% sure. Still it is good even if it is just for the short term. We will be keeping our eye and ears open for any other news about Windows 9 that might pop up on the radar…

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