Product: Windows 8 Company: Microsoft Website: http://www.microsoft.com MSRP: See Pricing Review By: Andre Da Costa with Byron Hinson, Robert Stein contributing

Not much to see here, Windows 8 builds upon Windows 7, so features like Home Groups, Direct Access and other core networking features are built into it and work just like they would in its predecessor. Windows 8 does add some improvements when using mobile broadband which I was unable to test. For persons who are under a contract with a carrier using a Windows 8 device with built in broadband mobile chip such as 4G or 3G, Windows 8’s new Metered Internet will conveniently help you to manage your band width allotment. The ability to be notified of usage over a period of time is really something I am sure a lot of users will appreciate especially mobile warriors. Windows 8 works intelligently with Metered Internet, for instance, drivers from Windows Update (which tend to be large) are not downloaded when you are using it. Microsoft is working closely with carriers to integrate with the Windows 8 Modern experience to deliver notifications that help users to manage their band width allotments effectively. So, the great thing about this is, you won’t get any surprises when that 5 GB bandwidth cap runs out before the end of the month, easy access to notifications are available through the Network bar when you click on the Notification icon. A feature I have never seen in Windows before called Airplane mode appears in the ‘Change PC Settings’ of Wireless tab, this allows you configure your machine and turn of services that should not be active when on an aero plane.

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