Windows 8.1 Shipping to Manufacturers in August

Microsoft released a long-awaited preview of Windows 8.1, the first revamp of the Windows 8 operating system, just a couple of weeks ago, and now Microsoft said that PC manufacturers will get the full version in August.

We looked over the preview build rather thoroughly and found that Windows 8.1 was indeed a major improvement over the intriguing though often baffling or frustrating original version. There are a number of improvements, including a new Start Screen, new boot options, quicker shut down and restart, better SkyDrive integration, an improved PC Settings screen, and more.

Windows 8.1 Start Screen

Although the enhancements are nice and will likely please Windows 8 users, if you’re fundamentally not a fan of the OS, Windows 8.1 probably isn’t going to convert you.

Microsoft is hoping that Windows 8.1 will function as a passive mea culpa and encourage more people to spend some money on Windows 8 devices. It remains to be seen if that will happen, but with the update in hand soon, PC makers will be able to crank out Windows 8.1 devices in time for the holidays.