Microsoft Releases Windows 8.1, Brings Back Start Button

Microsoft released its long-awaited Windows 8.1 upgrade as a free download Thursday. It addresses some of the gripes people have had with Windows 8, the dramatically different operating system that attempts to bridge the divide between tablets and PCs. Devices, including tablets, laptops and desktops, that run the software will be available in stores Friday, Oct. 18. A boxed version of the software will be out then, too.

Perhaps the most talked-about feature of Windows 8.1 is the return of the familiar and popular Windows Start button, which Microsoft temporarily abandoned with the first live-tile interface featured in Windows 8.

Windows 8.1 offers a more customizable Start screen in live-tile mode as well as the option for the old Windows desktop version, syncs all Windows devices with a user's Microsoft account, offers a one-stop App menu and a new Help + Tips app, introduces enhanced Bing Smart Search for Web searching and device discovery, ties more deeply into Microsoft's SkyDrive cloud service, and bundles in Microsoft services and apps like Skype, Mail, and Xbox Video.

Many new additions also make it easier to use the touch-centric operating system with a mouse and keyboard and make it simpler overall to learn how to use the software with on-screen prompts. While the changes might not convince some to adopt Windows, it will improve the experience for those who are using it.

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