Monday, August 29, 2011

Windows 8 New Explorer Looks and Features

"Building Windows 8" has been releasing all the updates about the Windows 8, new update is about Windows Explorer in Windows 8 using Ribbon UI. Here are some of looks and features of new Explorer.


Steven Sinofsky posted in Windows 8 blog about the new Windows 8 Explorer. He wrote "Windows Explorer is a foundation of the user experience of the Windows desktop and has undergone several design changes over the years, but has not seen a substantial change in quite some time. Windows 8 is about reimagining Windows, so we took on the challenge to improve the most widely used desktop tool (except maybe for Solitaire) in Windows."

They also showed the how Windows Explorer transited from Explorer 1.0 to the one which will be released with Windows 8 said to be called Windows Explorer 11 according to a rumor.

Some Track back to earlier Explorers:




Over the years, Explorer has grown to support a number of different scenarios, many unrelated to file management – launching programs, viewing photos, playing videos, and playing music, to name just a few.

According to the development team goals of the new Windows Explorer are:

1. Optimize Explorer for file management tasks.
Return Explorer to its roots as an efficient file manager and expose some hidden gems, those file management commands already in Explorer that many customers might not even know exist.

2. Create a streamlined command experience.
Put the most used commands in the most prominent parts of the UI so they are easy to find, in places that make sense and are reliable. Organize the commands in predictable places and logical groupings according to context, and present relevant information right where you need it.

3. Respect Explorer’s heritage.
Maintain the power and richness of Explorer and bring back the most relevant and requested features from the Windows XP era when the current architecture and security model of Windows permits.

Team also said "These strengths fit well with our three goals – the ribbon would allow us to create an optimized file manager where commands would have reliable, logical locations in a streamlined experience."

The new Explorer will be having three main tabs: Home, Share, and View, plus a File menu and a variety of contextual tabs.

The New Home Tab
The new Home tab has all the major file management commands: Copy, Paste, Delete, Rename, Cut, and Properties. Two new features added are, Move to and Copy to, along with Copy path.


New Share Tab
The Share tab is for sharing files by typical methods like zipping them up and emailing them to a friend, or burning them to optical media.


The New View tab
The View tab provides one click access for turning on/off the Navigation pane, Preview pane, and Details pane.



Other Main features include:

File Menu - Includes commands like new explorer windows, command prompt.

New improved Search tab

New improved context tabs

New details pane for images

More functions for power user

And there are many more features that will be added to new Windows 8 Explorer.

A quick demo is also released for the same explaining the main features of he new Windows Explorer.
Watch the video here:



We are witnessing some new features coming out regularly from the Windows 8 team. The New Explorer too looks good and provides some of the best new features especially keeping power users in the mind.

New tabs introduced in the new explorer seems to be innovative and meeting the new trends that the current user is used to and enjoys more and more functionality provided that the friendliness has been kept in the mind.

So far according to us everything looks very pretty from the user point of view.
Lets see how it shapes later.

What do you feel about the new explorer is it worth a try?
Do share your views as comments with us.
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Cheers,
Team