Despite its age, Windows 10 remains Microsoft's most popular operating system, and by extension the most-installed operating system on the market today. Just a few years ago, Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1 would be a valid comparison for businesses and personal users, but that's no longer the case.

With the general release of Windows 11 in October 2021, Windows 10 fell into the legacy OS category alongside Windows 8.1 and the no-longer supported Windows 7. With that, the discussion moved away from Windows 8.1 as a viable platform.

As of January 10th 2023, Windows 8.1 reached its end-of-life state, meaning it will no longer receive any technical support, software changes, or security updates. In other words, Windows 8.1 is no longer a viable business tool.

Although it's no longer credible to compare the two systems in a business context, you can find our initial findings below on how the two operating systems fare when put side by side. We have also included a comparison between some of the features once offered as part of Windows 8.1, and how these were then tweaked for Windows 10.

Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1

Boot times

There doesn’t seem to be any real difference in the boot times between these two operating systems. This is at least true for the two devices we conducted tests with; the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon and Microsoft Surface Pro. Both devices loaded the login screen in exactly eight seconds with both Windows 10 and Windows 8.1, with only milliseconds between boot times on either machine.

Windows 10’s facial recognition tool, however, served as a means to shave a few seconds booting into the desktop. This biometric layer of security allowed a user to quickly hop into their system by just sitting in front of their PC, given there’s no need to enter a secure password, as required under Windows 8.1.

We should note that this feature isn’t available on all Windows 10 devices, as the device in question will need a special Intel RealSense 3D camera preinstalled. These cameras, alongside fingerprint scanners, are fairly common in business-oriented notebooks, though, giving Windows 10 an advantage over its older counterpart.

Winner: Windows 10, by a whisker, but only if you count the small potential time saving of facial recognition.

Interface

Without doubt, Windows 8's initial insistence on imposing the tiled Start screen on devices that didn't even have a touchscreen ruined any chance of the operating system ever getting widespread business adoption.

Although the error was partially corrected by Windows 8.1, when desktop PC and laptop users could boot straight to the desktop and pretend the Start screen didn't exist, it was still needed for many core functions from launching apps to changing settings.

Windows 10 put that right, albeit with an imperfect hybrid of the Windows 7 Start menu and Windows 8 Start screen. On desktops and laptops, the Start menu emerges from the bottom-left corner of the screen, with most-used programs listed down the left-hand side, along with a link to an A-Z listing of all installed apps, while the right-hand side shows the Live Tiles of the Windows 8 era. On tablets, it works very similarly to the way it did under Windows 8.1, with the Live Tiles expanding to dominate the entire screen.

That said, the tiled section of the Start menu on Windows 10 is far from perfect. With four different tile sizes and an awkward drag-and-drop system, it's too easy to end up with an untidy, gap-strewn mish-mash of tiles.

And once you've got more than a few live tiles activated, your screen can start to look like a Las Vegas casino, with a wall of rotating, scrolling squares each trying to catch your eye. Yet, it's undoubtedly an improvement on what went before for non-touchscreen devices.

Other notable new additions are the Cortana search bar in the bottom left of the Taskbar. We'll talk more about Cortana later, but the search bar lets you enter voice or typed searches for apps or files stored on your PC. You can click the My Stuff button in search results to perform more advanced searches of your own files, which certainly makes it easier to hunt down specific files than with Windows 8.1. However, we still find it easier to instigate advanced searches from within Files Explorer (called Windows Explorer in 8.1). Windows 10 did eventually add the option to search emails through this box, which is a great addition.

Talking of Files Explorer, that's had a refresh too. Aside from a stark new set of icons, Explorer now has a Quick Access view which shows your most frequently opened folders at the top of the window, with a list of recently accessed files just below, making it easier to quickly pick up where you left off on files that are nested deep in folders.

You can still pin your favourite folders to the left-hand pane of Files Explorer, but this does create some duplication with the frequent folders pane just next to it, whilst the Libraries first introduced in Windows 7 are now almost hidden from view. The new Explorer is a modest improvement on Windows 8.1's, but again needs refinement.

One significant new interface element for businesses is virtual desktops. An idea brazenly lifted from the Linux world, Windows 10's virtual desktops let you keep different sets of apps open in different desktops. You might, for example, have one desktop dedicated to communications (with, say, Outlook, Slack and Skype running) and another for work on a particular project (Excel and a web browser). It allows you to compartmentalise your work, and avoid having desktops cluttered with several open windows, but it's frustrating that many apps designed to run full-screen on a touchscreen can only occupy a single desktop.

Winner: Windows 10 corrects most of Windows 8's ills with the Start screen, whilst revamped file management and virtual desktops are potential productivity boosters. An outright victory for desktop and laptop users.

Stability

Even though it was the biggest overhaul of the OS since Windows 95, Windows 8 was remarkably stable and bug-free from the get-go. Indeed, we had it running on everyday work systems six months before launch.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of commonly-encountered problems on Windows 10. Microsoft is regularly issuing updates for the software, but these updates often cause problems. It seems like every few months there are new reports of accidental file deletions, glitches, crashes and other assorted errors. General stability is certainly better than it was, but the fact that these errors persist is frustrating.

There haven't been any bugs that we'd consider serious enough to warrant downgrading to an earlier version of Windows, but it has to be said that reliability isn't Windows 10's strong suit - and it doesn't look like it ever will be. On the other hand, Windows 10 Enterprise users can cut out a lot of this headache - which we'll talk about more in a minute - meaning it's not quite so much of an issue.

Winner: Windows 8.1 (prior to its end-of-life). Businesses could opt to skip many of the issues introduced by Windows 10's rolling updates, but the fact that they had to do this in the first place is hardly encouraging.

Enterprise features

Windows 8.1 actually did a fair amount of spadework for business users. Features such as Secure Boot, Windows To Go (giving you a bootable desktop from a USB stick), and Hyper-V virtualisation of guest OSes were features that were overshadowed by the focus on touchscreen devices.

All of those features remain in Windows 10, and there are others that could have a hugely significant impact on business rollouts. In-place upgrades have been made much smoother, meaning IT managers won't have to wipe and reimage as they may have done before. On our ThinkPad loaded with business-oriented desktop apps (Office 2013, Slack, Creative Suite amongst others), we performed an in-place upgrade to Windows 10 Pro in less than 40 minutes, with all documents, applications and settings perfectly retained.

Microsoft is also making it much easier for IT managers to bring off-the-shelf hardware into businesses, with new runtime configuration tools that can implement VPN settings, e-mail profiles, app installations and security policies without wiping the hardware and starting afresh.

Microsoft has also been commendably wary of forcing businesses to install the same rolling updates to Windows 10 that are now mandatory for consumers, who can no longer opt out of Windows Updates. Enterprise users can opt for a Long Term Servicing Branch of the OS another idea pinched from Linux which allows them to install a stable version of Windows 10 on mission-critical machines, which will only receive essential security updates and not the new features that will be periodically rolled out to regular Windows 10 users. Windows 10 Pro users, meanwhile, can defer updates, giving new features a few months to bed down on consumer systems before they're applied to a business machine.

Winner: Windows 10. Windows 8 didn't get the credit it deserved for enterprise features, but Windows 10 expands them even further and makes rollouts less of a headache for IT departments.

Security

Controversial though it was, because of the way it shut out some Linux distros, Windows 8's Secure Boot eliminated the threat of some of the most harmful types of malware. It was also the first version of Windows to ship with built-in antivirus protection, even if Windows Defender does routinely perform poorly in Dennis Technology Labs' independent tests.

With Windows 10, Microsoft is turning the screw even tighter with Secure Boot, giving PC manufacturers the option to prevent users disabling the feature. That might upset consumers who want to dual-boot OSes, but the vast majority of business machines will only ever boot into the OS the device is shipped with, and this prevents almost any chance of malicious rootkits or other low-level malware infecting the boot process.

The addition of face and iris recognition to the list of user authentication options already within Windows 8 potentially adds extra convenience for both users and IT departments alike (unlike passwords or smartcards, nobody forgets their face). However, both require specialised hardware, and neither is common enough to be a universal standard yet.

Winner: Windows 10 edges ahead of its predecessor, but the new authentication options still haven't fully caught on.

Mobility features

Windows 8.1 was already a pretty decent tablet OS, hampered largely by a poor selection of high-quality apps in the Windows Store. At this stage, it's hard to tell if Microsoft's new Windows 10 plan for Universal Apps apps that run across PC, tablet and eventually phones will bear fruit, but Windows 10 is already a better tablet OS than its predecessor.

One reason for this is Continuum, which automatically adapts the Windows 10 interface to suit the mode it's being used in on hybrid devices. Detach a device such as the Surface from its keyboard, and Windows 10 prompts you to enter Tablet Mode, where the Start menu spans the full screen, the Taskbar disappears, apps run in full screen instead of windows, and you effectively get no access to the desktop.

Reattach the keyboard, and the Start menu shrinks back into its corner, the Taskbar springs back, and apps can be run in whatever size of window you choose, even touchscreen-focussed apps from the Windows Store. It's a brilliant feature, possibly the best Windows 10 has to offer, and a real boon for hybrid devices, making the shifting between modes feel much smoother and making them feel like two distinct devices. Our only gripe is that Windows 10 doesn't always recognise a change of mode if you've, say, detached a keyboard while the device was switched off. However, you can easily activate and deactivate Tablet Mode manually via the new Action Center.

Windows 10 also introduces a Battery Saver mode, dimming the screen and cutting down on needless notifications to preserve battery life. It automatically kicks in when the battery dips below 20%, but you can apply the mode manually, too. It's not going to add hours to your laptop's/tablet's run time, but every little helps.

Winner: An emphatic victory for Windows 10, which finally makes sense of hybrid devices, and adds limited battery-saving benefits.

Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1: Which was the better operating system?

It's not perfect and it's now a permanent work in progress, but Windows 10 showed that Microsoft could pull off what many thought impossible: an operating system that sat comfortably on desktops, laptops and tablets.

It's the reason that the vast majority of Windows installs are still using Windows 10 today. Windows 8 and 8.1 were seen by many as prototype operating systems, which was perhaps necessary given that the company was starting to experiment with harmonising user experiences across multiple devices - it's just a shame the end-user had to be the guinea pig.

Users never really quite took to Windows 8, and today's market shares reflect that. Windows 7, now having reached end of life, retains quite a healthy chunk of the market, naturally only beaten by Windows 10 and Windows 11. In fact, as of Q1 2023, Windows 7 still holds almost 4% of the market share, almost four times that of Windows 8.1.

Windows 8 was arguably a failure, particularly given the huge leap that Windows 10 provided. The start menu on Windows 10 is far less jarring, providing modern tools and layouts sprinkled with enough familiarity that users won't feel alienated. There's a host of new security and productivity features, with more being added all the time, and the migration to Windows 10 is far smoother than anything experienced in the past.

Windows 10 remains Microsoft's most popular operating system, despite having been superseded by Windows 11 in October 2021. The success of the software has prompted many to look back on previous iterations, comparing Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1 vs Windows 7.

However, only Windows 10 and Windows 11 are currently receiving official support from Microsoft, with Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 now retired and no longer suitable for business use.

That means that while we have compared Microsoft's various operating systems against each other, any verdicts that lean towards Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 are purely academic and should not be taken as recommendations.

Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1 vs Windows 7

User interface for desktops and laptops

Windows 7 certainly set the benchmark for a relatively consistent and understandable user interface, although its key strength now is its familiarity. You know where to find things, you know what sort of results you're going to get from the Start Menu search bar and you understand the oddities of Windows Explorer, Task Manager and Control Panel.

This familiarity is an asset compared to Windows 8.1. Microsoft's huge push for touchscreen devices and tablets left desktop users feeling not only abandoned, but hugely confused. Hitting the Start button to search for an app or file left you with a massive full-screen Start screen that made little sense when it was first introduced in Windows 8 in 2012 and it still feels jarring today.

Windows 10 strikes a better balance here, with its Continuum mode neatly morphing the compact Start menu into a bigger, touch-friendly Start screen as needed. The Start menu's links to the newly tweaked File Explorer as well as lists of recently used apps and your pinned folders are all huge plus points.

The Start menu in Windows 10 has undergone a few changes since its own release. With the advent of the Anniversary update, it has three columns in the Start Menu with All Apps always visible. The interactive Start Menu also allows you to change the Live Tile apps for apps you use more frequently, and the new clean, square icons lend a simplified look.

Windows 10 holds a small advantage up to this point, then, and that's before you even consider the hugely improved window management system. If you're someone who likes to multitask, Windows 10 has you covered.

Windows 8.1 has better multi-monitor support than Windows 7. Unlike 7, 8.1 has a taskbar on each screen showing only those apps running on that screen. Plus each monitor can have its own distinct wallpaper. and each screen given its own customisable wallpaper.

Windows 10 builds on this foundation, adding an improved version of Windows Snap so you can easily organise your windows in just a couple of clicks. Answering the prayers of those of us with multiple monitors running at different resolutions, there are now settings for scaling text and the UI on a per-monitor basis.

Even if you only have one display, such as when you're using a laptop on the move, Windows 10 now has built-in multiple desktops (like Ubuntu and Mac OS X), so juggling lots of windows and tasks is still easier than ever.

Winner: Windows 10

There's no question Windows 10 needed to make some serious improvements for desktop and laptop users, and Microsoft has delivered. Multitasking has never been easier, meaning it's by far the best choice.

User interface for tablets

Windows 7 only has the most basic interface elements and optimisations for touchscreens, which allowed the iPad and iOS to dominate the market for tablets. This led to the radically improved touchscreen interface in Windows 8, but it alienated a lot of people as it had so few accommodations for keyboard and mouse users.

Windows 8.1 added a few tweaks, nips and tucks, such as the ability to run Modern UI apps in a resizable window, but its display scaling problems made usable high-resolution Windows 8.1 tablets a near impossibility.

Windows 10, while not perfect, is a big improvement. An improved touchscreen gesture allows you to flick between applications quickly and easily than before. If you have a hybrid device and dock it to a keyboard, Windows 10 should recognise this change of state and switch back to its touchpad-friendly desktop mode thanks to Continuum mode, although whether this will work on your device will depend on whether its manufacturers has released drivers that support this.

Windows 10 Anniversary Update features a new Ink Workspace that puts pen-based apps in their own panel at the bottom-right corner. The new apps boast Screen Sketch, Sketchpad and Sticky Notes. The latter integrating with its cloud services. Pen devices should work well with Windows 10 with great Ink support.

Winner: Windows 10

If you have a tablet or a tablet/laptop hybrid, Windows 10 is your best bet. With features catering well for both, you'll work more efficiently that you could on Windows 8.1 or Windows 7.

Security

Windows 7 and 8.1 are by no means insecure operating systems; but Windows 10 has moved both home and enterprise security along significantly, both in terms of local device security and the security of your online services, too.

First of all, there's Windows Hello, which lets you use biometric log-in with a fingerprint, face or iris scan instead of a password. While computers with the necessary biometric scanning hardware built-in are currently uncommon, we're helpful that more will become available quickly given that Hello is built into Windows 10 from the very start.

There's also Passport, a single sign-in service for consumers that allows Windows to authenticate with websites on your behalf without you having to type in a password. This service hooks into Windows Hello, using your biometric scan or a PIN code to verify that you are the person you claim to be. This means you'll use your password less, meaning it'll become much more difficult for hackers to compromise online accounts with stolen passwords. It's not currently supported that widely, but if it takes off, Passport could massively boost security on your online services. As yet, though, Passport and Hello are unproven and very much fledgling technologies.

IT managers will appreciate the ability to organise Enterprise-licenced PCs into circles and choose when updates are applied - great for making sure you don't disrupt your users' work. This also means that Microsoft's new strategy of releasing frequent, individual updates instead of bundling them into Patch Tuesdays or Service Packs won't have a big impact on your office's productivity, as you can delay non-critical updates for up to 90 days if you're on Microsoft's Current Business Branch of support.

You also get Enterprise Data Protection, the ability to sign in with an Azure ID and the ability to set up a company-wide app store.

Winner: Windows 10

Unsurprisingly, Microsoft's latest operating system has the most advanced security features of the operating systems here. It's good for both consumers and IT managers.

Performance

Microsoft cautions that Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 have limited support when running on new processes and chipsets from manufacturers like Intel, AMD, NVidia, and Qualcomm. Users should be aware of the original equipment manufacturer's (OEM) support period, as this can hinder performance.

While anecdotally we have heard of PCs running a lot quicker having been upgraded from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10, actual performance benchmarks on our test PC with 8GB of memory and an Intel Core i5 4690K processor show no difference.

What's more important is the addition of DirectX 12 support, a low-level graphics API designed to increase 3D graphics performance with lower overheads while giving developers more control over how hardware is used. This is most important for gamers though as most professional 3D graphics software relies on the competing OpenGL API instead. Although it's still very early days for DirectX 12 with few titles currently taking advantage of it, if you're looking for the best 3D gaming performance available the Windows 10 is likely your best bet as DirectX 12 won't be available for Windows 8.1 or 7.

Winner: Windows 10

Again, no surprises here; with no penalty in performance and DirectX 12, Windows 10 is an easy choice

Searching for files and folders

Search has become ever more important in operating systems, as file and folder hierarchies have become less important and searching for a specific filename has become a popular way of finding important files especially amidst messy desktops and haphazardly organised Documents folders.

Windows 7 had a terrific search function built in the Start Menu, finding files and folders on network shares as well as those stored locally. It wasn't perfect, especially if you needed to refine your search results, but it was useful enough that we were surprised that Windows 8 abandoned this simultaneous search ability. It also adopted a more fiddly Start screen-based search interface and integrated web search results from Bing and app store suggestions. These superfluous additions were far of an annoyance than a convenience.

Windows 10 searches still hook into the Bing search engine and also look for apps in the Windows Store. Even more annoyingly these results are placed ahead of search results for installed apps, files and folders with no option to change this order. Amazingly, the ability to search your computer and network shares simultaneously is still missing.

However, you can at least easily perform more advanced searches from the Start Menu by clicking on the My Stuff button. This lets you filter by relevance or date, and can also narrow down your search to specific file types including documents, photos, music and settings.

Windows 10 also includes Cortana, the personal assistant feature from Windows Phone. This has become a major part of Windows 10 doing double duty as a web search and a Start Menu/Windows search. Plus the ability to search by voice is both impressive in its accurate transcription and in its usefulness for the differently abled.

Winner: Tie

The improved advanced search features in Windows 10 are very welcome, but its insistence on prioritising web search and app store results isn't. Windows 7 still holds a place in our hearts for its quick, simple search results and network integration.

Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1 vs Windows 7: Which version is right for you?

Windows 8 had the unintended side effect of making people significantly more attached to Windows 7 than ever before. It was a happy medium sitting between the Vista mess and the Windows 8 Start screen nightmare.

Prior to the operating systems reaching end of life, we would have said to skip over Windows 8.1 if you were still on Windows 7, given that you could safely upgrade without losing the things you loved most about that OS.

However, now that official support is only available for Windows 10, we cannot recommend using any Microsoft operating systems that predate this version. Not only do the operating systems feel quite dated at this point, the lack of security updates will put you and your data at unnecessary risk.

Windows 10 will reach its own end of life in October 2025, at which point you should have already migrated to Windows 11. If you're wondering how these two operating systems stack up, it's worth reading our Windows 10 vs Windows 11 comparison article.

While the iPad Pro and some Android tablets have excellent build quality, they're not specifically designed for use in freezing tundras or burning deserts. That's where specialised tablets like the Dell Latitude Rugged Tablet 12 come in.

Durability and casing

The Rugged Tablet 12 is constructed to military-grade durability specifications, to ensure that it can cope in a variety of harsh environments. Specifically, it has been tested against the MIL-STD-810G standard, which includes testing its resistance to heat, cold, vibrations and drops.

It also has an IEC 60529 ingress protection rating, certifying it against dust, water, humidity and more. In short, the Rugged 12 claims to be able to shrug off exposure to basically any climate on Earth.

In our more sedate testing, it comfortably coped with immersion in six inches of water for two minutes. The rigid, reinforced chassis showed no ill-effects when dropped from a height of a metre and a half.

However, this sadly did not extend to a face-down drop. Here, the rugged' tablet's screen shattered badly, rendering it unusable. The reinforced screen of the admittedly much smaller Moto X Force smartphone survived the same drop test unscathed.

This is not ideal for a tablet that's supposed to be able to cope with anything. It's hard to make something indestructible, which is an understatement, but the level of damage sustained by the screen is still disappointing.

This protection also means that the tablet's weight and bulk is substantial to say the least. At over 1.6kg, it's heavier than most enterprise-grade workstation laptops.

It's also definitely not something you'd want to carry around in a rucksack for any length of time. It quickly becomes tiring to hold, even with two hands. The Latitude Rugged Tablet 12 is 24mm thick which, for visualisation purposes, is the same thickness as three iPad Pros stacked on top of each other with space to spare.

Performance, battery life and display

The Rugged Tablet 12 fared reasonably well in our benchmarks thanks to 8GB of memory and an Intel Core M-5Y71 processor. Although the 128GB M2 SSD connects via SATA3 rather than a much faster PCI connection, the Rugged 12 was still speedy enough to tackle most of the real world multi-tasking tasks we threw at it. Even so, we were disappointed to see that Dell has only included a first generation Core M processor rather than one of the newest Skylake-class Core m3, m5 or m7 chips which have improved power efficiency and performance.

The Rugged Tablet 12 allegedly has cooling technologies designed to keep it from overheating, even in extreme temperatures. Despite this, however, we noticed it getting warm to the touch even with moderate workloads, which is worrying.

The 11.6in display has a 1366x768 pixel resolution and a matte finish for reducing glare caused by reflected light. It's also specially calibrated for use with gloves, a feature that worked exactly as promised.

The screen is sharp and clear, due in part to the high levels of contrast. You'll want to pump the brightness settings up to max in direct sunlight though, as it can be very hard to read otherwise.

Battery life was very respectable, lasting 9 hours and 10 minutes in our tests. Dell has cheated slightly by using two removable batteries to achieve this lengthy battery life, but this design choice does have its advantages. Both are hot-swappable, so you could keep a few spares in your carry case or vehicle in case you run out of charge.

Ports & stylus

Unsurprisingly for such a chunky Windows tablet, there is a full size USB 3.0 port, a micro HDMI port, a MicroSD card reader, as well as 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC. The ports are protected by snug-fitting rubberised flaps.

A series of optional peripherals are available for the Rugged Tablet 12, allowing you to augment it with a range of extra features. Available peripherals include an all-in-one barcode and mag-stripe reader unit, an extended I/O module for extra USB and Ethernet connectors, as well as accessories like a kickstand, keyboard and desk dock.

The included stylus is tethered to the tablet, so it's unlikely you'll lose it. It slides into a slot in the tablet's housing when not in use. Unfortunately, it's very basic. It's not nearly as accurate or as precise as superior styli such as the Apple Pencil or Surface Pen.

If the Rugged Tablet 12 has built-in palm rejection technology, then it's not very good as the screen frequently registered touch inputs from a resting palm. It can't really be used for writing or drawing, apart for rudimentary scribbles.

Security

Dell is offering a whole host of security features with the Rugged Tablet 12, including a smart card reader and a fingerprint reader.

Unfortunately, setting up the fingerprint reader proved to be nigh on impossible. We spent the best part of an hour trying to register a print, but had to give up after repeated failures and errors.

While it could be down to problems with the device's Windows 8.1 Pro operating system, it's nevertheless disappointing considering that many smartphone fingerprint readers now have consistently high-quality fingerprint authentication.

Conclusions

There's no doubting that the Dell Latitude Rugged Tablet 12 is built to survive environments that could seriously damage other tablets. This is all the more laudable as Dell has still managed to squeeze in many of the comparatively niche software and hardware features that field workers in vertical industries expect and need. Dell has done this without compromising on battery life and most of the things that make for a good quality screen.

Having said that, tablets heavily ruggedized for extreme environments have been around for years. This might be an unrealistic expectation on our part, but it's disappointing that ruggedisation still can't be achieved without compromising on weight and thickness to such an uncomfortably noticeable extent.

Still, for now, if you need a tablet that take a bit of a pummelling, there are few better choices than the Rugged Tablet 12.

Verdict

The Dell Latitude Rugged Tablet 12 is built to withstand the elements, but it's not invincible and you pay a high price for this durability both in terms of cost and usability

Numerous laptop and tablet manufacturers have been trying to make the perfect hybrid of both for years, with countless detachable and convertible portable computers flooding the market since the arrival of Windows 8. None have gotten the balance quite right, struggling with the competing and often contradictory design choices needed to make both a good laptop and a good tablet.

Toshiba gets tantalisingly close with the Portege Z20T, a Windows 8.1 hybrid aimed at businesses, but it's let down by a few niggling flaws.

The Z20T is available in a variety of configurations - versions with faster processors and more RAM and SSD space unsurprisingly cost more. All of the configurations use Intel Core M processors - the Z20T-B-107 reviewed here has a 1.1GHz Core M 5Y51, 4GB of memory and a 128GB SSD.

Toshiba Portege Z20T-B-107: tablet

As a tablet, the Z20T weighs 730g which is about average for a tablet with a 12.5in screen. It's around a third thicker than the slender 10in iPad Air 2 at 9mm. It looks and feels chunky, but Toshiba has used this extra space to squeeze in some useful connections - a micro SD slot, a micro HDMI port and a micro USB2 connector. You can connect all your peripherals with full-sized USB plugs using cheap and widely available USB-On-The-Go adapters.

Oddly, the proprietary power socket is on the keyboard dock and not on the tablet, so you'll need to drag the keyboard dock along to charge the battery - even if you only want to use it as a tablet while out and about.

Although the 730g weight is hefty compared to much lighter 10in tablets, it's not too much of a strain unless you want to hold and use it single-handed for long periods of time. An even more noticeable problem is the 12.5in screen's resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. This pixel density of 176ppi is relatively low compared to both iPads and many Android tablets and the resulting coarseness in text is noticeable when reading.

This pixel density is still relatively high compared to most Windows tablets and laptops though. Windows 8.1 still struggles with it on occasion, especially when running older software, resulting in incredibly small text that's hard to read. This is far less common a problem with newer programs and almost non-existent with apps downloaded from Microsoft's app store.

A stylus is included for note taking and drawing. Toshiba claims it's pressure sensitive, although we found this to be crude at best. We were also disappointed to find that there's no built-in way of attaching the stylus to the tablet to ensure you don't lose it. It's still handy to have though, especially with neat touches such as the ability to assign a different brush stroke or other function to the eraser end of the stylus.

Core M processors are not only fast enough to run any of the tablets apps currently available in Microsoft's app store, they're also power-efficient enough that they don't need cooling fans or vents, unlike Intel's other Core chips. They instead rely on passive cooling which can lead to the Z20T's metal back becoming uncomfortably warm to the touch. Although this can be mitigated by fiddling with Windows' power settings, this is hardly in the spirit of the hassle-free post-PC ethos that tablets are supposed to represent.

At least the power efficiency of the 1.1GHz Core M 5Y51 pays dividends when it comes to battery life. The big battery lasted 12 hours and 5 minutes in our light usage test and eight and a half hours when playing H.264 video.

We also had no complaints about the thick bezels surrounding the 12.5in screen. Although these will look antiquated to some, this is a superficial complaint as they also make it far easier to hold and use the tablet without inadvertently touching an onscreen control. This is a common mishap on most tablets with far narrower bezels. It's a shame the tablet's casing isn't more sturdy - despite the metal backing most of it is actually plastic with so-so rigidity, but it's not too flimsy.

Toshiba Portege Z20T-B-107: laptop

Connect the tablet portion of the Z20T to its included keyboard dock and it becomes a reasonably stylish-looking laptop. You can flip the tablet around and connect it backwards so that the keyboard dock becomes nothing more than a glorified tablet stand. It's not really designed to be used that way though, if only because the latch for releasing the docking mechanism is located on the hinge facing towards the keyboard and the keyboard itself is still active so you will have to take care to avoid inadvertently tapping the keys.

We did have some initial problems getting the docked tablet to recognise the keyboard dock - keyboard and touchpad input would frequently stop working inexplicably. This was very frustrating, but was almost completely resolved by installing a BIOS update via Toshiba's own software update utility. Although eventually fixed, we'd expect a higher degree of polish at this price.

Although the hinge only tilts back approximately 120 degrees, we didn't have any trouble getting a comfortable viewing angle, when used either on a desk or on our laps, apart from in the most cramped of conditions. This was due, in large part, to the relatively tall height of the 12.5in screen.

Although contrast and colour accuracy aren't quite as good as the very best laptop and tablet screens, it's good enough for all but colour-critical tasks. Plus, it's very bright and has a matte finish too which reduces glare caused by overhead lights reflecting off the screen. This occurs particularly frequently in offices with fluorescent lighting strips, so the matte finish is a very welcome feature. It's a shame matte finishes aren't more common, in hybrids as well as standalone laptops and tablets.

Squeezing 1920x1080 pixels into a 12.5in screen sometimes makes text a little too small to read comfortably though, especially as Windows continues to struggle with text scaling on such relatively high DPI screens.

We're used to seeing shonky, poorly designed keyboards accompanying tablets, but that's not the case here. The large keys have plenty of travel and feedback so typing was fast and comfortable. The hinge props the keyboard up at a slight angle, which makes typing more comfortable for some. The keyboard here is far superior to its counterparts on many of Toshiba's other laptops and hybrids.

Sadly, the touchpad wasn't as good. The touchpad's jerky motion meant it wasn't very smooth or accurate, while the buttons built into the bottom of the pad often require a firm, precise press. Gestures were often quite juddery too, especially swiping two fingers to scroll up and down. This is hardly surprising though; iffy touchpads are distressingly common on Windows laptops.

There is an alternative, aside from using the touchscreen, in the form of the touchstick. It'll be familiar to long-time Portege and ThinkPad users, but it won't suit everyone - like Marmite, you'll either love it or hate it. Even if you love touchsticks, its spongy buttons need improvement.

The keyboard dock adds more than just a selection of input devices. Its second battery almost doubled the Z20T's battery life in our light usage test, adding another 11 hours and 35 minutes and added almost nine extra hours of H.264 playback. Cleverly, Windows uses power from the keyboard's battery first so you can still use the Z20T as a tablet once the keyboard battery is depleted.

The big battery also adds some welcome heft to the keyboard dock so that the docked computer doesn't feel too top-heavy, a problem which afflicts many other detachable hybrids. The keyboard dock also adds a pair of USB3 ports, a full-size HDMI port, Gigabit Ethernet and even a VGA socket. The latter might seem antiquated, but is useful for connecting to the legion of old projectors that you're likely to encounter in conference centres and meeting rooms, while Gigabit Ethernet is a useful and faster fallback alternative to the built-in 802.11ac.

Toshiba Portege Z20T-B-107: business features

Although the Z20T is aimed at businesses, it oddly doesn't support vPro so you don't get the benefit of the Intel AMT-based way of managing your deployed Z20Ts even if they're turned off. Windows 8.1 Pro is pre-installed and, unsurprisingly for a touchscreen hybrid, there aren't any Windows 7 downgrade options.

Toshiba offers its own cloud-based MDM service, Toshiba Cloud Client Manager, for the asset and patch management of all your Windows-based devices. It requires a one year minimum contract and pricing is bespoke depending on your needs. If you already use a MDM product, then Toshiba Cloud Client Manager is unlikely to tempt you. If you don't already use MDM, then Toshiba's three month free trial is worth trying.

For physical security, there's a standard Kensington security slot on the keyboard dock. If you flip the separate lock switch to prevent the tablet from being disconnected, then attaching a Kensington security lock will not only secure the keyboard dock but also prevent would-be thieves from simply flipping the lock switch and removing the tablet portion.

Toshiba Portege Z20T-B-107: conclusions

The Toshiba Portege Z20T-B-107 comes close to getting right as a hybrid that's both a good tablet and a good laptop. But as tablet it's let down by its relatively heavy weight, heat issues and its inevitable reliance on Windows which has both benefits and disadvantages, such as extensive peripheral compatibility but a continuing paucity of touchscreen apps. Meanwhile, as a laptop, it's let down by its poor touchpad.

We might have been able to stomach these niggles if it wasn't for its steep price of 1000 ex VAT. At such a high price, we'd expect a great deal more finesse.

Verdict

Close, but no cigar.

CPU: 1.1GHz Intel Core M 5Y51

RAM: 4GB

Display: 1920x1200 12.5in IPS panel

Storage: 128GB

Dimensions: 9x309x200mm (HxWxD, 21x309x215mm with dock)

Weight: 730g (1.5kg with dock)

Part Number: PT15AE-00D006EN

Designed to be equally useful on a tablet as on a PC or laptop, Windows 8.1 is the first operating system to truly make use of apps outside of smartphones and other portable devices. So we've rounded up ten of the most popular and essential apps for your Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 computer, all of which you can download today.

1. Google Drive Explorer

URL: http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/app/12e1a89a-6d6d-4dd4-940a-2ee4685adc3c

App Category: Business

Price: 3.49

Description: Store all of your important files, photos and documents safely in the cloud with Google Drive Explorer, and then access them from any device on-the-move.

Details: Get Google Drive Explorer for Windows 8.1 and save all important work files and documents for easy access when away from home or the office. With files stored safely in the cloud, editing and sharing become so much easier and more convenient, with collaborative work made simple and seamless.

2. Skype

URL: http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-gb/app/5e19cc61-8994-4797-bdc7-c21263f6282b

App Category: Communications

Price: Free

Description: Skype is one of the most popular viode, video and instant messaging apps on the planey.

Details: Hundreds of millions of people use Skype everyday to talk to friends, family and colleagues for free. This internet service is more than just a replacement for a phone call. It also offers video calls and instant messages as well. On the horizon is real-time language translation for anyone that speaks English, Spanish, Italian and Chinese.

3. Mobile Document Scanner

URL: http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-gb/app/43d45a0d-81d7-48e7-8533-4f86e6f8a663

App Category: Business

Price: 3.49

Description: What it says on the tin, Mobile Document Scanner lets you scan notes, documents or images and convert them to PDF format.

Details: The app works best for hybrid computers, designed to turn your Windows tablet into a portable scanner capable of turning pretty much anything into a PDF file you can share, store and edit to your heart's content. You can upload to cloud services, share via social media or simply edit and crop images.

4. CatchupTV

URL: http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-gb/app/tvcatchup/7d3a9c06-a804-4df2-8f9c-04acfa1803be

App Category: Leisure

Price: Free

Description: Watch TV over the internet on your laptop or tablet with this handy app.

Details: This app allows Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 users to watch live TV over the internet. It features most of the popular free-to-air channels in the UK and sports a TV guide as well. Users can create their own personal channel list and pin favourite channels to the start page as tiles.

5. Drawboard PDF

URL: http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-gb/app/6d65bcd8-8390-4533-af58-307d2e1ec1dd

App Category: Productivity

Price: 5.99

Description: Get rid of the notepad and edit and annotate your PDFs directly with Drawboard PDF.

Details: There's no need to make notes the old fashioned way when there's an app that can do it for you Drawboard PDF allows you to edit and annotate PDF files directly on your PC, with a huge collection of tools and options that make it the best way to amend and add to documents in a meeting or at your desk.

6. Gotomeeting

URL: http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-gb/app/346bf3d4-6423-44d1-8d43-82c14b7819e1

App Category: Business

Price: FREE

Description: A free app to make setting up impromptu meetings a little simpler.

Details: Gotomeeting allows you to organise meetings in a more cohesive way, using it to either start a pre-planned meeting or set up a new one last minute. Share presentations and images on-screen for everyone in the group to see, display your browser or quickly send files, all to enhance team meetings and get-togethers.

7. Splashtop Personal Remote Desktop

URL: http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-gb/app/3523093b-4869-4076-8c93-c1629c74b861

App Category: Business

Price: FREE

Description: Get remote access to your PC desktop on your Windows tablet.

Details: The only remote desktop app with HD video streaming and full audio, Splashtop Personal Remote Desktop gives you the option of working from your desktop even when you're away from your PC or laptop. Access files over Wi-Fi or 3G/4G on your device, working seamlessly from wherever you are.

8. PowerPoint Templates

URL: http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-gb/app/2a21c399-c036-4c01-a081-082d0db8b484

App Category: Productivity

Price: 5.99

Description: Enhance work presentations with new templates and animated backgrounds.

Details: An add-on for users who already have Microsoft Office 2008 or later, PowerPoint Templates offers lots of HQ designs for you to create your presentations with. This includes templates with animated backgrounds, video backgrounds or more subtle, professional-looking themes.

9. Mail, Calendar and People

URL: http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-gb/app/64a79953-cf0b-44f9-b5c4-ee5df3a15c63

App Category: Productivity

Price: FREE

Description: Everything you need to stay organised and in contact with the right people.

Details: Organise your inbox with Mail, keep on top of your schedule with Calendar and stay in touch with contacts and colleagues with People. This is the best free app collection for professionals looking for a simple and easy way to communicate and manage their time in the most efficient way.

10. Trello

URL: http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-gb/app/trello/bd4fa6c1-0994-4caa-b0e1-04eec135667b

App Category: Productivity

Price: Free

Description: This digital Kanbanboard can make your projects easier to complete.

Details: Trello billed itself as the "easiest way to organise anything". You can create boards to organise the things you are working on. You can also invite friends, family or colleagues to work together on tasks. Everyone working on a project can l add cards, make changes, upload attachments, and more.

Update - Windows 10 is on the way. This latest iteration of Microsoft's desktop OS looks set to leave both Windows 7 and Windows 8 in the dust, and we can't wait for the full release. It's sporting some seriously cool features, too - the ability to flick between separate desktop environments, integration of Microsoft'sdigital assistant 'Cortana' and the return of the traditional start menu all have us pretty excited.

To find out when you can expect to get your hands on the full RTM version of Windows 10, click here.

Check out how it stacks up against the previous OS in our full comparison: Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1.

Or, to find out what's in the latest technical preview build, take a look at our expert analysis.

Support for Windows XP came to an end in April 2014, and Microsoft has set a date of January 2015 for the withdrawal of mainstream Windows 7 support. This doesn't mean Windows 8's predecessor is out of the game, however, and remains a popular option for consumers and business users alike.

In fact, recent market share statistics revealed that users choosing to move on from Windows XP are actually opting for Windows 7 rather than Windows 8 or 8.1, with Microsoft's latest operating system not being welcomed as quickly as had been hoped. Until Microsoft stops support for Windows 7, people will continue to choose it over the alternative.

What, then, is the best option for your PC? Following XP's demise, the upgrade candidates were Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, and we have broken down the key features to help you decide which is the better choice (fast forward to our verdict).

1. Boot time

Windows 8 machines only take 10-15 seconds to boot up, with some switching on even faster depending on the SSD. Gone are the days when you have to distract yourself by going to make a cup of tea while your system wakes up.

But how have we gotten to this point? Microsoft engineers combined the hibernation and shutdown modes into one for Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 uses a hybrid boot mode that allows the PC to start up much more quickly. The kernel lets it hibernate instead of shutting down completely, and the use of cores makes it possible to start-up in seconds.

Winner: Windows 8 The faster the machine boots up, the more time you are able to spend on doing more productive things. By the end of the multiple year lifespan of your PC, this can add up to hours of reclaimed time.

2. Enterprise features

Windows 8.1 has more enterprise features than Windows 7, with Windows to Go featured on the Enterprise edition allowing users to start a personalised version of Windows from a USB or any other machine running Windows 7 or 8. It also means that the Windows Store is enabled by default, allowing users to access apps across multiple machines.

IT admins can virtually run Windows without any third-party software. Adding in the optional Hyper-V support for your copy of 8.1 allows you to connect to a server.

Windows 8.1 also has better support for managing mobile devices, with tap-to-print support via NFC and enhanced biometrics, malware resistance and encryption also included.

But IT departments around the world have given Windows 8.1 the cold shoulder in favour of its older siblings. In fact, HP told IT Pro that Windows 7 is the most popular choice for companies upgrading from XP.

"[Businesses] are ignoring Windows 8," said HP project manager Jeff Wood.

What enterprise customers prize over everything is stability, and Windows 7 has time, familiarity, extensive testing and total peripheral compatibility on its side.

Those upgrading from Windows 8 to 8.1 have also run into problems, with users complaining the update broke simple things such as the ability to print.

Winner: Draw Although Windows 8 has more enterprise features as a default, Windows 7 has the benefit of being tried and tested. Then again, further updates for 8.1 have fixed many of the biggest problems inherent to previous iterations of the OS.

3. Performance

Microsoft used Windows 8 as a guise under which to revamp the engine, and the results is a much faster system that consumes fewer resources than before. This makes it a better choice than Windows 7 for low-end PCs.

The redesign opts for simple colours and fewer visual effects, also contributing to the increased speed due to resources saved compared to the Aero Glass effect of Windows 7.

Overall, Windows 8.1 is better for everyday use and benchmarks than Windows 7, and extensive testing has revealed improvements such as PCMark Vantage and Sunspider. The difference, however, are minimal.

Winner: Windows 8 It's faster and less resource intensive.

4. Interface

The front-facing user interface that characterises Windows 8 has been a huge talking point since it was revealed, and there are several reasons for that. For some, the radical redesign has always felt more like two operating systems meshed together, and it has become the most discussed element of Windows' latest operating system.

When switching on the computer, users are greeted with the now-familiar Start screen a page of apps and live tiles. This Metro interface includes everything in the form of apps, including the classic desktop mode that has proven to be the preferred view for so many. In addition, apps like IE 11 are great for touch screen web browsing, but not much else.

But even the desktop looks a little different on Windows 8, despite the fact that Windows 8.1 did feature the long-awaited return of the start button. This doesn't, however, come with the return of the Start menu (thankfully confirmed for Windows 9 in 2015), instead simply switching users between screens.

To say the revised interface has had a polarising effect is an understatement, and there is no shortage of people who have complained about Metro since it was released. Among their arguments an interface designed for touch doesn't make sense on a desktop computer.

Windows 8.1 has gone some way towards fixing the problem, however, as users can now choose to avoid Metro entirely and boot directly to desktop. Spend a little time setting up the OS, and you can get a comparable, if not slightly better, experience.

There are real UI improvements with 8.1. You can add Start bars to dual monitors with separate wallpapers on each. There's also a fast universal search tight there on the Start screen, which you can access by hitting the Windows key and typing to search local files, OneDrive files, apps, settings and the internet. You can even browse OneDrive files through File Explorer (aka Windows Explorer).

Winner: Windows 7 The classic, familiar desktop remains popular for a reason, and thus wins the day. Windows 8 simply tries to do too much too quickly and, even though the 8.1 update allows users the option of booting straight to desktop, Metro still has a nasty habit of popping up when it's not welcome.

5. Security

Security is a massive issue for both individual users and businesses and, as the most popular desktop operating system, Windows is sadly the primary target for malware and viruses.

Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 share many security features, both of them using BitLocker Drive encryption, but 8.1 goes one step further by enabling them by default. You can always download Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows 7, and it's free, but its younger brother has it already built into the system.

Secure booting on UEFI systems is also included with 8.1, making it much harder for rogue malware to infect the bootloader. PCs running Windows 8.1 can also automatically connect to VPNs.

Winner: Windows 8 The latest version of Windows smartly has more security features set as default.

6. Task Manager

The Task Manager for Windows 8 displays more information in a visual form, with coloured charts for heat, CPU, memory, disk, Ethernet and wireless consumption. There's even a breakdown of how each program effects boot time.

Winner: Windows 8 Who doesn't want more informative graphs and charts?

7. USB 3.0 support

Windows 8.1 sports OS-level support for USB 3 devices. Instead of relying on manufacturers or updates to add support for devices, any Windows 8-enabled device can now enjoy faster speeds of up to 5 Gbit/s.

Winner: Windows 8 Getting faster transfer speeds is always a positive thing.

8. Data transfers done right

Copying and moving data on Windows 7 was handled in the wrong way. When encountering a name collision between two files, for example, the transfer was interrupted with a prompt asking how to proceed, stacking individual windows for each transfer.

This has thankfully been cleaned up with Windows 8, putting all transfers into one window and pushing name collision dialogues to the end of the process. Windows even tried to make the time estimations on transfer more accurate.

Winner: Windows 8 Not only does it transfer data faster, but Windows 8 ensures less interruptions and more accurate time estimations.

9. Daemon Tools is obsolete

Windows 8 finally added support for native mounting of ISO, IMG and VHD disk images. We can now access the content of virtual disk files and write them to physical CDs without any third-party programs like the now-obsolete Daemon Tools.

Winner: Windows 8 - Finally helps to put the nail in the coffin ofphysical media.

10. 3D printing support

Microsoft added native support for 3D printing in Windows 8.1, allowing you send files to a MakerBot Printer straight from the Charms bar.

Winner: Windows 8 - It's not a necessity yet but, in the future, the ability to print 3D prototypes could be invaluable to businesses.

Verdict - Which version of Windows is right for you?

Windows 8 hasreceived a lot of flack for the Metro interface, but this shouldn'tovershadow the number of improvements Microsoft has made to the OS since.

In this way, think of Windows 8.1 as just Windows 7 with four additional years of development. The downside is that updates can break the system simple because it isn't as tried and tested as its predecessor, but this changes with time.

The latest OS has a faster boot time and better performance along with a superior task manager and security features. It also has native support for USB 3, 3D, ISO, IMG and VHD.

However, Windows 7 did manage to win in the interface category, also salvaging a draw when it came to judging enterprise features.

If you're buying a Windows machine for personal use, then, it seems that Windows 8.1 is the way to go as long as you ignore Metro for productivity and use it only for web browsing.

Businesses looking to deploy machines will most likely want the familiarity and stability of Windows 7, however, and this is something OEMs such as Dell and HP have recognised now selling Windows 8 machines to enterprises with the option to downgrade to Windows 7 if they desire.

This article was first published on 26/03/14 and has been updated multiple times (most recently on 15/08/14) to reflect new information that has become available since its original publication.

Microsoft is ending mainstream support for Windows 7 at midnight tonight, potentially affecting 56 per cent of PC users.

Redmond will no longer issue improvements to the Windows 7 operating system, but will continue to provide security patches for another five years.

The expiration comes just nine months after Microsoft killed software updates and security patches for its XP operating system, and only six months before it ends support for Windows Server 2003.

Microsoft had wanted XP users to consider Windows 8 when migrating, but Windows 7 proved a more popular destination.

The latest NetMarketShare figures show that 56 per cent of all PC users were on the Windows 7 OS last month, up from 49 per cent of users back in April 2014, when XP support expired.

Windows XP still accounts for 18 per cent of all PC operating systems, but the much-maligned Windows 8 holds just four per cent of the market.

It was widely criticised for trying to act as both a desktop OS and a touchscreen OS.

Nearly 10 per cent of PC users run Windows 8.1, the improved successor to Windows 8.

Microsoft is now pushing its Windows 10 operating system, with a big announcement scheduled for January 21.

The OS is currently in Technical Preview, but a leak reveals a future version could include a Cortana search bar, a new Xbox app and an updated interface.

The market share for Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 saw a significant rise between September and October 2014, indicating that users may finally be coming round to the operating system's charms.

In September, Windows 7 was in the lead with 53 per cent, with the stubborn Windows XP hanging around with 24 per cent and Windows 8.x coming in third with 12 per cent combined market share. Mac OS X and Vista were next with 4 per cent and 3 per cent, respectively.

The surprise news comes with the difference between these numbers and those reported by NetMarketShare for October, then.

Though Windows 7 actually saw some growth, Windows XP fell to 17 per cent and Windows 8.x rose by around 5 per cent to almost 17 per cent combined market share. Most of this comes from the Windows 8.1 update, but new adopters don't seem to have dented the numbers of the standard version of Windows 8 too much.

The surge in Windows 8.1 adoption could continue now Microsoft has ceased sales of Windows 7 and 8 in preparation for the release of Windows 10 in 2015.

Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium and Ultimate will no longer be sold, starting from 31 October, and Windows 8.1 will be the default operating system pre-installed on new PCs.

The last-minute success of Windows 8 and 8.1 is good news for Microsoft, who has had trouble luring consumers away from older operating systems like Windows XP, despite withdrawing support for the OS in April 2014.

(Images courtesy of Netmarketshare)

The Windows 10 (previously known as Windows 9) Technical Preview has now been released for laptop and desktop users, with the server version due to follow shortly.

This technical preview is very much aimed at developers to experience before the OS's general release, and is heavily geared towards enterprise customers in terms of its various new and updated features.

Earlier this week, Beta News flagged a page on the Microsoft website with download links to both the 32-bit and 64-bit Windows Technical Preview for Enterprise, so one presumes this will be the place to go to get hold of a copy tomorrow. At the time of writing, the links included on the page were not live.

A statement on the page reads: "The next version of the Windows client operating system will enable IT professionals to provide users with a familiar experience across multiple devices while enhancing security and manageability. It will also offer new and improved features that enable businesses to: Defend against modern security threats, Elevate employee productivity, Embrace the mobile and cloud era, Enable upgrade without upheaval."

Some additional details were revealed, however, and we now know that the next iterations of Windows will be 3.16GB and 4.10GB respectively.

It has also been rumoured that Windows 10 may be available for free to existing Windows 8.1 users in an effort to coax people into upgrading and avoid the ongoing problems Microsoft has had with getting people to move off Windows XP.

However, Microsoft refused to be drawn on how it plans to encourage users to upgrade to Windows 10 during a Q&A at the launch event in San Francisco on 30 September, and kept schtum about how much it could potentially cost.

Windows 8 has had plenty of detractors since it arrived back in 2012, with the unpopular disappearance of the start button and Metro menu view confusing users at best and alienating them at worst.

Microsoft shared some details about the enterprise-friendly features Windows 10 will sport, as it strives to distance itself from the previous OS, which is widely considered to have been a disaster.

At the time of writing, Microsoft was offering a "later in 2015" release date for the operating system, and has promised to shed more light on how consumers will benefit from the new-look Windows at next year's Build conference in April.

On the new Preview programme also launching today, Terry Myerson said: "We have never done this before. We'll be using a variety of tools: like survey tools on features. There'll be forums for insiders and engineering will take part in these. We're going to learn too how to run a programme like this. We're jumping off before we have all the answers."

In light of the new features Microsoft showcased at the event, here's our list of features we were hoping the software giant would include, and what we're most looking forward to in Windows 10.

1. Lower price

Microsoft needs a carrot to dangle in front of consumers and businesses to convince them to invest in Windows 10 machines. The firm might even have to go so far as to offer users the chance to upgrade to the next-iteration of Windows for free.

Reducing the cost of upgrading will help people finally part with Windows XP - the aged operating system that entered end of life in April 2014.

Microsoft's updates have long been priced higher than Apple's, and this is yet another factor deterring consumers from upgrading.

If the rumours that Windows 10 will be offered to Windows 8.1 users for free turn out to be true, then this should encourage many people to upgrade more quickly. Windows 8 users could also be offering the new OS at a discounted price, and those still using XP may be offered additional incentives to switch.

2. Better Battery Life

Intel's 2013 Haswell chips provided a big jump in battery life, which can be seen in the latest crop of Ultrabooks. Windows machines have long been known to burn through battery power quicker than their Mac OS X counterparts.

Ars Technica gave a detailed breakdown of how OS X Mavericks saves power. The system schedules tasks to run in clumps to maximise processor idle time and minimise power consumption. The latest version of Apple's OS was so efficient, it even added an extra 60 minutes of battery life to older hardware which upgraded to this operating system.

Microsoft needs to better implement power-saving features into Windows 10 or risk being left further behind next-gen Mac products.

3. Universal apps

Microsoft has been vocal about wanting to create a more unified experience across PCs, phones, tablets and its other platforms, and Windows 10 indeed looks set to take this concept a step further.

For example, it was announced that Windows apps will run in a traditional-style desktop window on the new OS, rather than taking over the entire screen as had been the case with Windows 8. This gives the apps more of a place for users who wish only to use the desktop.

The idea of universal apps will indeed unify Windows 10 across all of Microsoft's devices, which could in turn make the OS more inviting to developers who had previously opted for iOS and Android instead.

The move could even put Microsoft ahead of Apple, as iOS and Mac OS still requires developers to build separate apps for both.

This was first reported along with Microsoft's fourth quarter 2014 results, when the firm's CEO Satya Nadella announced a renewed focus on devices in general.

He said: "We will streamline the next version of Windows from three operating systems into one single converged operating system for screens of all sizes. We will unify our stores, commerce and developer platforms to drive a more coherent user experience and a broader developer opportunity.

"In the past we had multiple teams working on difference versions of Windows," he added. "Now we have one team with a common architecture. This allows us to scale, create universal Windows Apps."

4. Downplayed Metro UI

The Metro UI has alienated many loyal Windows users and the firm is going to have to work hard to appease them. Windows 8.1 went some way towards making things better with the option to boot straight to desktop.

The option to switch Metro off entirely, for example, would be very welcome for many users. This would mean that when you turn on the desktop-only mode, images should open in Windows Gallery instead of the Metro Preview app.

With Windows 10 mobile devices, it had previously been reported that Microsoft was planning to ditch the desktop entirely, and additional rumours suggested that PCs running the OS may be sold with the Metro view disabled as a default.

Desktop-only mode would let users work in peace and placate some of Microsoft's critics, while allowing the company to keep experimenting with Metro for consumers.

The Charms bar - another unpopular element of Windows 8's redesign - was also rumoured to have been dropped, with the search, share, devices and settings options previously housed there moving to new title bars on modern Windows 10 apps, but that appears not to be the case.

Instead, a different version of the Charms bar will appear as part of the new operating system, though specific details are thin on the ground.

At Microsoft's event, Joe Belfiore said: "The way we're going to evolve this touch UI, I expect the Charms bar to change."

5. Virtual desktops and Task View

OS X and Linux have had virtual desktops for years. They allow you to keep multiple sets of windows open on one computer, to improve productivity when juggling multiple projects.

Microsoft has announced that virtual desktops will indeed be part of Windows 10, allowing users to enjoy multiple desktop displays with individual settings, making it easier to separate work and home activities on the same device.

Another feature aimed at improving productivity is Task View, which has been introduced to show the user which apps are currently running on their system, thus allowing them to more easily organise activity and multi-task more efficiently.

6. The return of the real Start button

It's amazing how so many people can miss such a small feature. Microsoft gave into popular demand when it put a Start button in Windows 8.1, but this just brings you back to the Start screen.

As demonstrated at Microsoft's event, we will indeed see the real start button return with Windows 10, and it is described by Microsoft as an "expanded" version of the Windows 7 start menu "experience" with no necessary learning curve.

Previous reports that the new-look Start Menu would include both the classic layout of previous iterations and a new Metro panel with live tiles for Windows Store apps turned out to be more or less correct. Users can also drag programs between the two columns, depending on whether they want it to display as a live tile or a traditional shortcut.

The search function of the Start menu will now also search the web for results in addition to the contents of the PC or device, and the menu will sport a power button (which had been very confusingly relocated on Windows 8.)

It had been rumoured for some time the Start Button would return with Windows 8.1 Update 2, but it then emerged that the feature would likely be delayed until the full release of Windows 9 (now revealed to be called Windows 10) the following year.

7. Over-the-air system recovery

Microsoft could also make it easier to restore Windows in the event of a malfunction. Mac devices can reinstall OS X by simply downloading files from the internet.

A similar system would make it easier to recover Windows computers, as it is much simpler than digging through BIOS boot settings and trying to find your recovery USB.

Keeping so many system-specific files would be difficult, but it's possible. Microsoft could convince hardware manufacturers to contribute the necessary files so users could recover their systems over-the-air.

8. Better display scaling

Windows has not been able to cope with the high-resolution devices manufacturers have started pumping out. As screen resolutions climb north of 1920 x 1080, programs such as Adobe Premiere and Vegas Pro can be rendered unusable in some cases as icons can appear tiny and pixellated.

Howtogeek put up a useful guide explaining how to change the compatibility settings for troublesome Windows apps in order to make the text readable again, but this shouldn't even be necessary.

Microsoft needs to add better support for Retina-quality displays to make sure the new version of its OS still looks good on devices like the Surface Pro 3.

9. Improved security

Windows is a primary target for viruses, if only by virtue of its dominant market share. Redmond's OS attracts the lion's share of malware, while OS X and Linux aren't as vulnerable.

Microsoft releases regular security patches and has built Microsoft Security Essentials into Windows 8 - but this has been critically panned. In Dennis Publishing tests, it missed 39 per cent of malware thrown at it.

In a blog post detailing the improvements in Windows 10 for business users, Microsoft has highlighted security advancements, claiming that the OS has beefed up "resistance to breach, theft or phishing."

Windows 10 promises to provide additional protection through the use of containers and data separation for application and files. This means that sensitive data inherent to many businesses' use of Windows will be protected even after it is transferred away from the device (such as a tablet, USB drive or the cloud).

We might see things improve with Windows 10 as Intel has rebranded the McAfee software suite and could provide comprehensive protection. But Microsoft has to up its game too.

10. Fixed Windows Update

Updating Windows software has driven many people to the brink of insanity. If ignored for too long, Windows may reboot your PC at the worst moment possible and then you can be trapped in what seems like a never-ending cycle of updating and rebooting.

Refreshing drivers is the same. PC users shouldn't have to dig through a manufacturer's website in 2014, looking for the latest version of a driver for their laptop's graphics card.

Windows 10 thankfully looks to be making moves to rectify these problems with Windows 10, with single click updates rumoured to be introduced. The feature is a part of the Windows 10 Technical Preview, which makes its inclusion in the final operating system likely though not confirmed.

This would finally make Windows updates more efficient and less annoying to apply, thus encouraging users to keep their operating system up to date.

This article was first published on 29/01/14 and has been updated multiple times (most recently on 01/10/14) to reflect new information that has become available since its original publication.

The adoption rate for Windows 8.1 is reportedly rising, prompting Microsoft to recommend targeting the latest operating system to developers via a recent blog post detailing current trends.

According to the blog, around 70 per cent of downloads from the Windows app store came from users on PCs running Windows 8.1.

Adoption is also growing for Windows Phone, and it was the primary operating system source for apps in September. At the same time, downloads coming from devices running iOS 7 have dropped to just 5 per cent.

In terms of making money from apps, Microsoft has informed developers that revenue from advertising and in-app purchases far outweighs money made from paid apps.

For Windows apps, advertising is the top revenue source, while this switches to in-app purchasing for Windows Phone users. Developers seemingly have more success with free apps that offer additional extras than if they charge users outright for buying the app.

In-app purchasing is also the fastest-growing source of revenue for Windows app developers, and those using the model are quickly rising to the top of the app store.

The monthly blog is aimed at informing developers of ongoing trends for both Windows and Windows Phone apps, with data relating to markets and categories also detailed.

Earlier in the month IT Pro reported the compared share of Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 stands at 13.37 per cent of computers worldwide for September, with Windows 7 and Windows XP still in the lead with 51.21 per cent and 23.89 per cent respectively.

No one would argue that the two most maligned operating systems ever to be released by Microsoft are Windows Vista and Windows 8, but it might surprise some to know that Vista was actually more popular in its heyday than Windows 8 is now.

As it stands in September 2014, according to stats available from NetMarketShare, Windows 7 is still the most popular OS with 51.21 per cent worldwide market share, followed by Windows XP in second position at 23.89 per cent.

This leaves Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows Vista to make up the rest of Microsoft's share (Windows 2000 and Windows NT also make up 0.09 per cent).

The combined share of Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 stands at 13.37 per cent for September, with Windows Vista falling to 3.02 per cent, behind Apple's top offering, the Mac OS X 10.9. Windows 8.1 is just about topping its immediate predecessor.

When Vista was released in 2007, it must be noted Microsoft accounted for a higher percentage of the PCs used, at the same point in its lifespan as we are currently in for Windows 8, Vista enjoyed a larger percentage of users at 14.3 per cent.

This brings to light a smaller yet still significant problem for Microsoft, with previous concerns centring on the continued prominence of Windows 7 over the company's newer operating systems. The silver lining is that August 2014 saw Windows 7's share stick at 51.2 per cent, staying in place for the first time in months.

But Windows XP is also still clinging on, despite a steady decline as users opt for operating systems that still enjoy Microsoft support. Its second place position is not a good indication of Windows 8 and Windows 8.1's success, with the next iteration just around the corner.

Windows 9 is expected to be announced at an event on 30 September, with a technical preview launched in early October.

Early rumours and leaks indicate the operating system will attempt to correct some of the less popular features of Windows 8, such as the removal of the start menu and the tablet-geared Metro UI which is considered unfriendly to desktop users.

Microsoft is reportedly dropping the price of its Surface 2 tablets for customers in the US, temporarily lowering the regular price by $100 to $349 for the 32GB tablet, according to Small Business Trends.

The larger 64GB tablet will now be priced at $449, and the 64GB with 4G LTE at $579.

This is a temporary price reduction similar to the one for the Surface Pro 2 in July ahead of the Surface Pro 3 release.

There has been speculation this latest move is a sign that Microsoft will be discontinuing the Surface 2 in the near future, with the price reduction indicating that Microsoft are ready to move on with newer devices.

The tablet, which launched in October, runs the Windows 8 RT operating system, which has been widely unpopular with users. The discount only applies until September 27, and is available from both physical and online outlets.

Meanwhile, sales of the Surface Pro 3 in the UK have been huge, with every shop reportedly sold out of the tablet.

The device was only launched on Thursday 29 August but, according to WinBeta, stores have been unable to keep up with demand.

In response, Microsoft told the site: "People's response to Surface Pro 3 has been positive. Our primary goal is and will remain to get Surface into the hands of all productive people who want a tablet that matches their unique productivity needs. For those eager to buy, we recommend they go to JLP, Dixons and Argos."

Microsoft has posted nine bulletins in its August Patch Tuesday update, covering Internet Explorer, Windows, Office, SQL Server, and Sharepoint.

Two of its bulletins are rated critical and the updates should be applied immediately because they relate to Remote Code Execution vulnerabilities, while the others are ranked important.

Bulletin #1 relates to all versions of Internet Explorer - from IE 6 up to IE 11 on both Windows RT and Windows 8.1. It fixes bugs that could allow hackers to use Remote Code Execution through malicious web pages opened using the browser.

Wolfgang Kandek CTO of Qualys said: "These pages can be on sites that are either set up specifically for this purpose, requiring him or her to attract your users to the site or are on sites that are already under control of the attacker with an established user community, such as blogs and forums."

Bulletin #2 is a critical update for Windows affecting Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 plus the Media Center TV pack for Windows Vista. The update will fix bugs relating to the graphics processing pipeline that could allow a hacker to trick users into opening a malicious file.

Bulletin #3 affects OneNote in Office 2007 and targets a vulnerability relating to the file format and Remote Code Execution. Not applying the update could result in an attacker leading you to open a malicious file sent via Outlook. Newer versions of OneNote are not affected.

Bulletin #4 addresses vulnerabilities in SQL Server 2008, 2012 and 2014. It's ranked important because although it could mean a hacker could elevate their privileges, they would already need to have an account on the machine to exploit the vulnerability.

Bulletins #5 and Bulletin #6 relate to the Windows core operating system and like Bulletin #4, involve elevation of privilege vulnerabilities for existing users on the machine. A hacker could use the local network to achieve code execution remotely.

Kandek added: "Exploits for these types of vulnerabilities are part of the toolkit of any attacker as they are extremely useful, when the attackers gets an account on the machine, say through stolen credentials."

Bulletins #7 is a vulnerability in SharePoint Server 2013, while Bulletin #8 and Bulletin #9 are Security Feature Bypass bugs in .NET and newer versions of Windows.

Microsoft's Patch Tuesday update will be rolled out on August 12 (Tuesday). Anyone using the software and systems affected are advised to run Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), Systems Management Server (SMS), and System Center Configuration Manager to detect and install the updates.

Windows 9 is likely to ship without the Charms bar, according to reports.

The Charms bar the side bar on the right of the screen that houses the search, share, devices and settings options will be missing from Threshold, with the buttons previously placed there moving to new title bars at the top of modern Windows 9 apps.

The Charms bar makes more sense for tablet users than desktop but, with Microsoft addressing many of the concerns users have had with Windows 8 and 8.1 with the new OS, its banishment - as first reported by WinBeta - isn't too surprising.

The new version of Windows will also introduce virtual desktops, which have been a feature of OS X for years, with users able to switch between multiple desktops with individual settings. Having one desktop for work and one for personal use will be entirely possible - perfect for multi-purpose devices and laptops.

The increased productivity promised by more than one desktop on Windows 9 should be an extra selling point for the operating system, which has the unenviable job of winning back trust among consumers burned by their experience with Windows 8.

It was previously rumoured that Windows 9 would also do away with the desktop entirely for phones and tablets, while at the same time downplaying the Metro interface on PCs.

Apps will still be available to desktop users, with the returning Start menu expected to house the live tiles and modern apps previously situated in the Metro view.

Some further light has been shed on the reworked Start Menu Microsoft may be planning to introduce in the "next version" of Windows, with evidence strongly suggesting it will appear in Windows 9.

New leaked screenshots, reportedly taken from Windows 9 ahead of its official unveiling, have revealed a Start menu consisting of two columns: one that functions much like the old menu and the other a Metro-style home for Live Tiles and modern apps.

The shots also reveal the Windows Store in windowed mode, which suggest a move away from the full-screen view for all modern apps introduced from Windows 8 onwards.

Tony Prophet, corporate vice president of Windows Marketing, recently said at the company's Worldwide Partner Conference that the firm has been "hard at work" on the next version of Windows.

During his time on stage, he described the new iteration of the Start Menu as better for its inclusion of Live Tiles and modern apps.

"The second feature we're thinking about is enabling modern apps to run windowed on the desktop versus only running in the immersive full-screen mode," he continued.

"This will enable you to run multiple modern apps side-by-side or layered or a combination of modern apps and desktop programs side-by-side or layered."

It is still unclear whether users will find this new generation Start menu on Windows 8.1 Update 3, or have to wait until Windows 9 is unleashed later next year, but this latest leak suggests the latter.

Start Menu rumours

Microsoft has been teasing Windows 8 users for some time now with the imminent return of the Start Button, but it seems the software giant's plans to bring it back are unlikely to reach fruition until even later next year.

Sources claim the Start Menu has now been delayed from April to June 2015, with Microsoft going back on reported plans to reinstate it with the second update to Windows 8.1 this summer. Windows 8.1 Update 2 will arrive next month.

Apparently now, the Start Menu is being kept back until the next "major" version of Windows, codenamed Threshold or Windows 9, which was rumoured to drop in spring 2015 but was thought to be pushed back to summer in favour of a third upgrade to Windows 8.1.

Recent rumblings have negated this rumour, however, with sources claiming that Windows 8.1 Update 3 has been scrapped so that Microsoft can concentrate on Windows 9. The report comes from Mary Jo Foley, who has said that, while a third update for Windows 8.1 is now unlikely, smaller updates and fixes to be released monthly could see users through until the arrival of Windows 9/Threshold.

According to the same source, Windows 8.1 Update 2 will arrive on August 12, but will be much more low-key than Update 1 in that it won't be mandatory for users to download it. Rather than the larger update it had been pegged as, the "August update" will instead include just a few minor changes to design.

When it does arrive, the next Start Menu will likely be similar to that of Windows 7, with a list of apps and folders and a search bar included alongside another column of Live Tiles for Windows Store apps. This will address a major problem experienced by users, with the disappearance of the menu confusing many and proving hugely unpopular among Windows' fan base.

While the Windows 8.1 update did bring back the Start button, this merely took users back to the Start screen and did not reintroduce the much-missed menu itself. But even with Microsoft teasing its return with Windows 9 in 2015, there's no word on how much the Threshold update might set users back.

Back in April, commenters told IT Pro of their annoyance with Microsoft's decision to ditch the button, with one revealing that some users have resorted to installing unofficial replacements such as Windows 7 Shell' in order to restore the feature.

Many enterprise customers have reportedly shunned Windows 8, though the company's decision to include the Start Menu in their next update could go some way towards encouraging those hesitant users to upgrade after all.

This article was first published on 03/06/14 and has been updated multiple times (most recently on 04/08/14) to reflect new rumours regarding Windows 8.1 Update 3.

A former Microsoft employee has been given a three-month prison sentence for leaking trade secrets about Windows 8 to a French blogger.

Alex Kibkalo, who worked at the software giant for seven years, pleaded guilty to uploading pre-release updates of Windows 8 RT and the Microsoft Activation Server Software Development Kit (SDK) to his personal OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive) account.

He then reportedly leaked details of the release to an anonymous blogger, after Microsoft refused to amend an unfavourable performance review about Kikbalo from 2012.

At the time, he threatened to resign if Microsoft refused to amend the document. When the company refused, it is claimed this prompted him to start leaking trade secrets.

He was given a three-month prison term for the theft of trade secrets, but has served most of his sentence already as he's been incarcerated since 19 March.

He initially agreed to repay Microsoft $22,500 in damages, but court records release this week state: "The court finds the defendant is financially unable and is unlikely to become able to pay a fine and, accordingly, the imposition of a fine is waived."

As such, it's expected he'll be released within a week and deported back to Russia straight after.

IT Pro contacted Microsoft for comment on Kibkalo's sentencing, but had not received a response at the time of writing.

The case caused quite a furore when details of it first emerged in March 2014, as Kibkalo was brought to justice after Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing Investigations division tracked him down by wading through the blogger's Hotmail account and MSN chat records.

The move caused outrage among privacy campaigners, despite its actions being well within the rights of the terms and conditions of use for its webmail service.

In response, the vendor released a statement at the time, saying it would not peek into anyone's Microsoft-owned email accounts unless a separate legal team decrees there is "evidence of a crime that would be sufficient to justify a court order, if one were applicable."

Windows 8.1 users are being urged to install Update 1 as soon as possible, as from 10 June they will no longer receive patches and fixes from Microsoft for their systems unless they do.

Moved from the original date of 13 May, the extended deadline of 10 June was imposed by Microsoft for Windows 8.1 users who had not yet installed the operating system's first update.

Business users, however, have until 12 August to update their systems to allow for those using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), Windows Intune or System Centre Configuration to get their IT estate up-to-date.

Though the deadline is designed to prompt users to update quickly, those with Automatic Updates turned on do not need to take action as the update will have already been installed. Those running Windows 8, rather than Windows 8.1, are also exempt from this warning, with support from Microsoft continuing until January 2016.

The Update has been created with mouse and keyboard users in mind, and is designed to make the experience more pleasant for those wishing to use standard navigation and typing methods, with a significant security update also included. It is also cumulative and so contains all previous updates.

Users will also be able to boot straight into the desktop view, rather than the Windows start menu as was standard before. This can be changed manually, though.

The Windows Server 2012 R2 Update also needs to be installed now, if users want to continue to receive updates from Microsoft. This includes many bug and security fixes, and the deadline for it was also 10 June.

Windows 8 is more than an operating system; it opens the door to a plethora of new devices that can change the way you and your company do business. Whatever device you're using - desktop PC, laptop or tablet, Windows 8 provides all the power and applications to get the job done. Whether you're researching a lesson plan for your students, or examining a patient's records after a major operation, there's a Windows 8 device that fits the bill.

China has said that it will forbid the use of Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system in new government computers.

Under the new measure, all desktops, laptops and tablet PCs bought by state organisations will have to feature operating systems other than Windows' current flagship OS.

The Central Government Procurement Center has issued the ban as part of a notice on improving the use of energy-saving products and shoring up the government's security.

It was not explained how the banning of Windows 8 affects the use of energy-saving products, or how it would improve security in Chinese governmental departments.

The news will be unwelcome for Microsoft, which has repeatedly failed to gain a strong foothold in the country. Former CEO Steve Ballmer reportedly once told employees in 2011 that, due to piracy in the country, Microsoft makes more money in Holland than in China.

In April, with the end-of-life date for the geriatric OS Windows XP approaching, the Chinese government opted to pay Microsoft for support rather than upgrade to newer systems. The cost of switching to Windows 8, according to Chinese officials, was the reason for their reluctance to migrate.

"Windows 8 is fairly expensive (around 888 yuan, or 84) and will increase government procurement costs," said Yan Xiaohong from China's National Copyright Administration.

The ban on Windows 8 arrives soon after the US indictment of five Chinese army officers for cyber-espionage. The US claimed that industry secrets had been stolen to further Chinese companies' interests. This then resulted in China suspending the China-US Cyber Working Group in retaliation.

Microsoft has not responded to a request for comment.

The business world is going increasingly mobile. Laptops have long outsold desktop computers, and by 2015, IDC predicts that sales of tablets will have overtaken desktop PCs, too. For the IT manager this is both a blessing and a curse.

It's a blessing in the sense that staff can work more flexibly than ever before, reading emails on a compact tablet whilst travelling between meetings or using a touchscreen laptop to literally flick through presentations at a client's office; it's a curse because your business data is now stored on more devices than ever before, providing greater opportunity for thieves to get their hands on it.

That not only carries the risk of financial loss, but of a customer backlash and even regulatory action if your security was found to be inadequate. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) routinely fines organisations five- or six-figure sums for data breaches resulting from lost or stolen devices.

Here, we're going to show you how to secure the critical data stored on your mobile Windows devices, and how you can track and remotely wipe devices that have been stolen or mislaid.

Secure sign-in

It goes without saying that employees must be forced to log in to their device with some form of user authentication, whether that be the traditional password, fingerprint reader, smartcard solution or one of the new Windows 8 options aimed at mobile devices.

Many companies deploying PCs, laptops and tablets to their workforce will have a password policy mandated by Group Policy. This, for example, may mean that users are forced to renew their password every 90 days or use a minimum number of characters in their passwords.

Organisations deploying Windows 8 tablet devices may want to review their password policy to ensure it covers new sign-in solutions, such as Picture Passwords, especially on devices without access to a physical keyboard, where entering a strong password could be cumbersome using the onscreen keyboard. Picture Passwords allow users to access the device by tapping or swiping gestures on a digital photo of their choosing. They could, for example, have a photo of their family, and tap on each child in alphabetical order to unlock their device.

According to Microsoft's research, a Picture Password with only three gestures offers equivalent security to a conventional five or six character password, and has the added benefits of being far easier to remember and quicker to enter for users with touchscreen devices.

Windows 8 also introduces the concept of virtual smartcards, where instead of carrying around a physical smartcard, the user's credentials are stored on the laptop's Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip. Users still have to enter a PIN to access the device, as they would with an ordinary smartcard reader, but should they lose the device, they can contact their IT administrator and have the virtual smartcard revoked immediately, preventing any unauthorised access to the device.

Data encryption

Preventing unauthorised access to a device requires more than a good password policy. Even without the user's password, thieves can still access data on stolen devices by physically removing hard disks or solid-state drives and accessing their contents on another computer unless those drives are encrypted.

There are many third-party encryption solutions available, including those provided by HP and its partners. Windows 7 and 8 both have their own built-in encryption technology, BitLocker, which can be used to protect system drives and external disks that are plugged into the company's PCs.

IT administrators can apply Group Policy to BitLocker to ensure, for example, that employees can't copy data to USB thumb drives without first ensuring the drive is encrypted, preventing one of the most common and costly methods of accidental data loss. Administrators have access to recovery keys, should the user forget their password. BitLocker can also be used in conjunction with other security measures, such as smartcards, to ensure that unauthorised users don't get access to sensitive data.

Tracking and recovering stolen devices

If a device is lost, there's no need to write it off immediately if it's fitted with tracking technology. HP's Tracking and Recovery Service uses a combination of Wi-Fi and GPS receivers (on compatible devices) to locate missing devices. IT administrators can track devices using an online map and view current and historical location data, providing information that could allow the employee/company to retrieve the missing equipment, or provide accurate location data to the police in the event of a suspected theft.

If the device cannot be recovered immediately, HP Tracking and Recovery allows the IT department to remotely wipe the device, ensuring that sensitive data cannot be accessed by thieves. IT administrators can choose to wipe individual files, directories, user data or the entire disk, providing the flexibility to manage the risk of each situation.

Advanced optional features include geofencing, which sends alerts to IT administrators if a company laptop is detected outside of a predefined boundary, such as leaving the office or even the country. This allows companies to react proactively to unauthorised movements, rather than waiting for a theft to be reported.

Tracking and data deletion commands are handled by a software agent installed on each PC. HP recommends that the agent is preloaded within the "Persistence Module" on the BIOS. This ensures that the software agent is restored, even if thieves attempt to delete the software.

The HP Tracking and Recovery Service is not only useful for anti-theft measures, it can also help with asset management. The agent can collect information on the laptop's hardware and the software installed on the machine, alerting administrators if any unauthorised or unlicensed software is found on the PC.

With all these features combined, companies minimise their risk of suffering from the theft of critical information, have a full audit log to prove to regulators that they took the necessary steps to secure stolen devices, and greatly reduce the risk of fines for unlicensed software being installed on company PCs by employees.

The right balance

With the appropriate security measures in place, there's no reason why companies can't reap the full benefits of the new wave of mobile devices. Touchscreen laptops, tablets and hybrid devices provide all manner of opportunities for employees to find creative new ways of working. Companies need not fear having their sensitive data scattered across a vast range of mobile devices, provided that those devices are secured, encrypted and able to be wiped the moment that something goes wrong.

For more advice on transforming your business, visit HP BusinessNow

Microsoft's bi-annual Security Intelligence Report (SIR) has revealed the Windows 7 and Windows Vista operating systems are more at risk of being infected by malware that Windows XP.

Windows XP computers were prone to infections at a rate of 2.42 per cent, while Windows Vista and Windows 7 had an infection rate of 3.24 per cent and 2.59 per cent, figures from the last quarter of 2013 showed.

Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 computers are least likely to be infected by malware, with a 1.3 per cent and 0.08 per cent infection rate respectively.

The reason why Windows 7 and Vista are more likely to be affected by malicious software is because of the Rotbrow' malware targeting browsers.

The Rotbrow program pretends to be a browser add-on, supposedly used to protect your computer against malware. However, it then starts downloading malicious browser extensions that can attack your computer and give access to personal details.

The vulnerability was discovered by Microsoft, which then alerted security companies who blocked the extensions.

The Rotbrow malware isn't problem on newer versions of Windows because security improvements in Windows 8 and 8.1 such as ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomisation) and DEP (Data Execution Prevention) mean it's harder to exploit the vulnerability and therefore attackers are less likely to spend time finding the holes and embedding malware.

However, Microsoft's Tim Rains, director of the company's Trustworthy Computing division explained that just because the platforms are harder to crack, it doesn't mean they are safe.

He said attackers are more likely to bundle malware with legitimate programs or music rather than installing it remotely onto computers using vulnerabilities in the operating system itself.

The Chinese government has said it will not upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 8 until Microsoft agrees on an upgrade price.

The country's government confirmed it will investigate upgrading its Windows XP system security though, now the aged operating system has entered end of life.

Yan Xiaohong, National Copyright Administration deputy director told the official Xinhua news agency: "Security problems could arise because of a lack of technical support after Microsoft stopped providing services, making computers with XP vulnerable to hackers."

Microsoft withdrew support for Windows XP on 8 April and, although the UK government has negotiated an extended support period with the company this has been done at a cost of 5.5 million.

The Chinese government is not averse to upgrading to Windows 8, but said it considers the costs involved to be too expensive.

Yan explained the government began clamping down on pirated software in government in 2010 and spent hundreds of millions of pounds on upgrading all government operations to legal software. He said: "Windows 8 is fairly expensive and will increase government procurement costs."

It was found in 2013 the 200,000 computers running XP in China's government could cost 1.5 billion to migrate to Windows 8.

A quarter of all PCs in China are said to be running the antiquated Windows XP operating system and, although many companies said they would offer third-party support to users, this is likely to only last a couple of years and will culminate in everyone having to make the switch to at least Windows 7.

Microsoft will provide some security support to XP users, in order to help with migrations to newer versions of its operating system. The company wrote, "Microsoft will continue to provide updates to our anti-malware signatures and engine for Windows XP users through July 14, 2015."

University NHS Foundation Trust (L&D) is a typical acute hospital: a regional hub, busy, multidisciplinary and concerned with costs and productivity. The NHS deals with over one million patients every 36 hours and with the UK population projected to rise from 62m to 71m by 2030 the NHS has been tasked to increase efficiency in dealing with patients.

With clinical staff having to log on to multiple applications across numerous devices, resulting in a complex and time-consuming user experience and one that impacted on time spent with patients; L&D wanted to simplify the process while creating a follow-me desktop that would transform workplace flexibility and deliver more effective care at the bedside.

acceSSOnce, OCSL's clinical desktop solution has delivered a clinical desktop solution that reduces log-on times, cuts calls to the IT helpdesk and empowers clinical staff.

Click the link below to download the full case study.

BT needed to replace field service engineers' aging Windows XP laptops. It deployed Panasonic Toughbook CF-C1 convertible tablets running the Windows 8 operating system and saw increased productivity, reduced costs, and improved customer service within the first six months.

The company is boosting the value of its mobile computing platform by using Windows Store apps to improve mobile engineers' work experience and drive customer satisfaction.

Each day, BT helps millions of people communicate, do business, entertain themselves, and be informed. To support its customers, more than 6,000 OpenReach field engineers work in the field to provide critical provisioning and repair services for BT.

However, these engineers worked with outdated Windows XP laptops that hindered customer service. The laptops took a long time to start and were cumbersome. Establishing Internet connectivity was a recurring problem as engineers went from job to job in different London neighborhoods.Click the link below to download the full case study.

First responder teams at Tube Lines work all day, every day, to ensure safe and timely travel on the London Underground. Tube Lines is re-architecting an iPad app to run as a touch-enabled app on Windows 8 tablets. With emergency data at their fingertips, responders work faster to protect passengers. Engineers also carry the tablets to securely access maintenance data, expediting fault resolution on the lines from days to hours.

A subsidiary of London Transport, Tube Lines maintains and upgrades 320 kilometers of track, 255 trains, and 100 stations for the London Underground. More than 3,000 Tube Lines employees work around the clock to ensure the safety of passengers, who take more than 500 million journeys every year.

"Our task is daunting: the London Underground has been running for more than 150 years and some of the infrastructure is that old," says Adrian Davey, Head of IT for Tube Lines. "To keep the system running on time, our crews require the latest technology to access the information that they need to prevent passenger delays. However, information exchange primarily occurred on paper. It could take up to 10 days to identify a system fault and fix it."

Click the link below to download the full case study.

A deal between the UK government and Microsoft has secured a further 12 months of Windows XP support for the public sector.

This last minute arrangement, worth 5.548m to Microsoft, sees the software giant agree to support systems running Windows XP, Office 2003 and Exchange 2003 across the breadth of central and local government organisations. This includes the reported 1 million devices running Windows XP throughout the NHS in England.

Analysts predict many UK organisations still use Windows XP and are not likely to cease doing so when Microsoft stops supporting it on 8 April.

Gartner vice-president and distinguished analyst Michael Silver said: "Almost every organisation will have some XP left - there's lots of Windows 95 running in hospitals, for example. But overall, when support ends, we estimate that 20-25 per cent of enterprise systems will still run XP and one third of enterprises will have more than 10 per cent of their systems remaining on XP."

However, the Government's deal stipulates its organisations must have a robust plan to migrate away from Microsoft's end of life software within a year. This means a flurry of upgrade activity can be expected throughout the public sector over the coming months.

Analyst house TechMarketView claims the UK Government has done well to secure extended support after its US counterparts failed to negotiate a similar agreement with Microsoft.

However, the market watcher also wants to know why the Government left it so late.

"UK government organisations will have known about the April 2014 deadline for more than six years," said Georgina O'Toole, research director at TechMarketView.

"The need for such a deal calls into question why so many government organisations have failed to act at a time when cyber threats are on the increase. Budget cut pressures? Poor IT management? Problems due to bespoke software being built for XP? The clock has started ticking all over again."

Public sector organisations will now have the option to upgrade to Windows 8.1, the latest Microsoft desktop operating system.

So far adoption of Windows 8 and 8.1 has not been prolific in both the public and private sectors.

IBM company Fibrelink extracted data from over 1 million desktops and laptops and found that less than 1 per cent use Windows 8. Meanwhile, a recent Spiceworks survey of IT professionals revealed only seven per cent plan to upgrade their current operating systems to Windows 8.

Spiceworks also found that 76 per cent of IT professionals currently run Windows XP on some devices and of those, 36% will leave Windows XP on at least one device when it enters end of life.

Just before the IT community starts to "consciously uncouple" from their workplaces after tiring week at the grindstone, here's a round-up what they've had to say about some of tech scene's biggest stories.

Unsurprisingly, given the Windows XP end of support deadline is now just over a week away, the vast majority of comments IT Pro's received are Microsoft-focused.

The Information Commissioner's Office's decision to fine Kent Police 100,000 for breaching the Data Protection Act, also raised some eyebrows among readers.

Windows 8 experiences

After years of scaremongering about support for Windows XP ending, Microsoft will finally pull the plug on the software on 8 April 2014.

In preparation for this, IT Pro drew up a head-to-head guide between Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 to help business users decide which one to upgrade to once deadline day arrives.

Unfortunately, rather than inspire a debate about Windows migration strategies, the comments sections turned into something resembling a support group for those who've tried to get on with Windows 8 and failed.

"Windows 8.1 is a complete nightmare to try and explain to a basic user how to navigate," said Homer.

"In trying to make an operating system that is consistent across all platforms they have totally alienated the desktop market. The lack of intuitive [design] based on a person's previous PC experience is unforgivable."

The simply named Justme also waded into the debate to share their experiences of Windows 8, too.

"I used Windows 8 for nearly a year, and went back to Windows 7," they confided. "Sorry - but until they fix the Wi-Fi issue, the mouse issue in games, and treat desktop users with a little respect, I'll stay with Windows 7. There is no reason to go to Windows 8," he signed off.

Not everyone who read the article had a downer on Windows 8, though, as the curiously named Bob Dillon is clearly a big fan.

"Windows 8.1 is far better and faster. It's my favourite Windows version to datePerfect for online gaming, too," he said.

So, that clears that up then.

Kent Police caution

Kent Police recently became the latest organisation to feel the full force of the Information Commissioner's Data Protection Act enforcement activities after a number of confidential items, including interview tapes, were left behind in a disused office.

The force was fined 100,000, with the Information Commissioner's head of enforcement warning, if the data fell into the wrong hand, the impact could have been "enormous and damaging."

However, several IT Pro readers queried the wisdom in fining a public sector organisation so much money, particularly if that impacts on its frontline resources.

"How does fining a public service make sense? It just means the service is degraded or tax has to be raised. They need to fire and fine the individuals responsible," said Vixra.

Meanwhile, Anteaus said the Commissioner would be better served clamping down on nuisance callers.

"Far more use if they fined the illegal telesales callers, especially the solar panel ones," they said.

For the record, the Information Commissioner's Office does regularly take enforcement action against nuisance callers, but as far as we can tell solar panel salesmen haven't been targeted yet.

Former Microsoft employee Alex Kibkalo has been charged with leaking trade secrets to a blogger.

Kibkalo uploaded proprietary software, including pre-release updates of Windows 8 RT and the Microsoft Activation Server Software Development Kit (SDK) to a computer in Washington and his personal Skydrive account.

The employee had worked for Microsoft for seven years, but had received a bad performance review in 2012 and threatened to resign if the company refused to amend the document.

When Microsoft wouldn't change it, Kikbalo decided to take revenge by leaking secrets to a blogger.

The blogger has remained anonymous, but he is allegedly known in the online community as someone who has leaked screenshots of pre-release version of Windows.

A Microsoft spokesperson told Reuters: "We take protection of our intellectual property very seriously, including cooperating with law-enforcement agencies who are investigating potential criminal actions by our employees or others."

Christian Toon, head of information risk at Iron Mountain, a company that has been investigating how people take revenge against employers, said: "This particular incident is a classic example of an employee taking confidential information in revenge for feeling wronged by the company they work for."

Toon said this incident highlights that companies need to address the security issues posed by disgruntled employees.

Toon added: "Our research has shown that a worrying 11 per cent of employees in Europe would deliberately remove confidential or sensitive information from the office when feeling wronged.

"In fact, the study of office workers across the UK shows a surprising number are motivated to lash out against employers when either they've been held responsible for something they believe wasn't their fault (21 per cent) or treated unkindly (19 per cent)."

Dell's Precision M3800 aims make workstation laptops desirable by doing away with bulky, ugly chassis in favour of thin and light designs.

The firm hasn't compromised on performance either with its beautiful 15.6in (3,200 x 1,880) squeezing a 2.2GHz Intel Core i7 processor into a 19mm carbon fibre reinforced chassis.

Taking inspiration from Apple's MacBook Pro range, has Dell managed to make the best Windows workstation laptop on the market?

Pin sharp

The 15.6in IPS touchscreen has a native resolution of 3,200 x 1,880, which offers a dazzling 238ppi. This is higher than the 220ppi found on the 15.4in MacBook Pro (2,880 x 1,800). But not quite on the same level as the 275ppi of the samller 13.3in Lenovo Yoga Pro 2.

It's the sharpest 15in screen we've seen on any laptop to-date. Text, Live tiles and pictures are crisper than anything a MacBook can manage. Dell upscales the taskbar, icons and OS features to make this machine mimic a 1080p panel. It works well but you'll hit issues when using apps not optimised for these extra pixel. Logos and pictures on most websites will also appear low-res - it's annoying but this the price to pay for being an early adopter whilst you wait for the software to catch up.

The measured brightness of 436cd/m2 bests the MacBook's 350cd/m2. The black level of 0.39cd/m2 guides the M3800 to a stunning 1,131:1 contrast ratio. This allows the panel to replicate deep, inky blacks, bright whites, and deliver punchy colours.

The measured colour temperature of 6,632K sits just on the cool side of the 6,500K ideal, the 4.9 Delta E is decent, and the panel covered 92.5 per cent of the sRGB gamut a good laptop result. There's no backlight bleed, IPS technology means good viewing angles, and the panel is made from Corning Gorilla Glass. It's glossy but there's little room between the panel and the glass, which reduces reflections.

The black level could be lower, and the 92.5 per cent sRGB coverage isn't ideal as the panel can't handle the deepest reds. This might dissuade serious creatives who need better gamut coverage, but make no mistake: this screen matches the MacBook.

High-quality design

The Precision shares its aesthetic with high-end XPS machines. Dell has used Aluminium for the lid, edges and underlying frame, with soft-touch carbon fibre filling the gaps. The Precision exudes clean lines and curves, and it looks just as good as Apple's offering.

We love the five-stage battery indicator on the left-hand edge and the smart metal logo plate on the underside.

The carbon fibre weave is visible across the base and the edges. Build quality is good with 4mm-thin screen exhibited slight weakness.

Dell has shrunk the chassis to 17mm thin, with another two millimeters added by the rubber feet. The Precision weighs in at 1.88kg so it's comparable to the MacBook Pro (18mm, 2kg).

Key benchmarks

The Core i7-4702HQ is one of Intel's best mobile chips. It packs Haswell architecture, four Hyper-Threaded cores, and a 2.2GHz stock speed capable of hitting 3.2GHz with Turbo Boost. The specification is rounded off by a whopping 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. It's one of the best performing laptops we've seen - only bettered by the HP zBook 15.

Graphics grunt comes from an Nvidia Quadro K1100M. The mobile workstation part packs ISV certification, so it's guaranteed to work with business orientated software. It's a mid-range GPU based on the consumer GTX 650 card, which has become the GTX 750M.

The Quadro and GTX 750M will have similar performance but the K1100M has tough competition from Intel's Iris Pro GPU, which is found inside other MacBooks.

We ran the Dell through Unigine's Heaven benchmark, and it averaged 24.9fps six frames slower than Iris. Despite this, the Dell has enough speed to outrun older integrated cores as well as both low- and mid-range discrete GPUs. The best feature is the ISV certification.

There's a downside to these components. After minutes of stress-testing, the Dell's processor hit 96C four degrees short of its thermal limit. It's not an issue unless the processor runs at 100 per cent for prolonged periods, but benchmarks did make the Dell's fans spin up to an irritating whine. The Precision's vents are on the base so the bottom gets uncomfortably hot.

Power hungry

The six-cell battery lasted for 3hrs 42mins in our video playback benchmark with the screen at 75 per cent brightness. This is better than the HP zBook 15, but it's nowhere near the MacBook its OS X Mavericks optimisations saw it last over 10 hours.

The SSD's sequential read and write results of 490MB/sec and 401MB/sec are good, but can't match the MacBook's PCIe drive which has read speeds around the 700MB/sec mark. The Precision's 11 second boot time is superb four seconds faster than Apple. There's a 500GB hard disk, but this will get taken up quickly with video or RAW photography files.

There's no Gigabit Ethernet port, but a USB adapter is included. The presence of dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi is a sensible bit of future-proofing, and there's Bluetooth 4. There's no room for mobile broadband.

The speakers are loud enough to fill a living room, and quality is reasonable: a snappy high-end that doesn't overwhelm the rest, and meaty treble. Bass is present, but the sound could be louder.

Ergonomics

Dell has clearly been inspired by Apple for the Precision's backlit keyboard: both laptops have Scrabble-tile units in the middle of the wrist-rest between wide bands of empty space.

The keyboard has a good action, with a solid base alongside responsive, consistent keys. The forgiving action soon saw us up to speed. Dell's smooth, wide trackpad is a match for the Apple equivalent, too, thanks to gesture support and a pair of snappy buttons.

The omission of a numberpad is unusual on a workstation designed for work, but there's no need for such small Return and cursor keys on a laptop of this size.

Options and upgrades

Our sample was priced at 1,865 but this drops to 1,738 if you're willing to forego the ProSupport warranty.

The top spec will set you back 1,974 model and it comes with a spacious 512GB SSD.

An entry-level model with a 1,920 x 1,080 screen, 8GB of RAM and a 500GB hard disk is also available priced at 1,506. None of the specifications can be customised.

Each system can be augmented by basic and ProSupport warranties lasting between one and five years priced from 102 to 511. Various security options including anti-theft tagging, data protection and tracing options are available too.

The BIOS can be customised with boot settings and other tweaks for a small fee, and a 157 docking station adds USB ports, extra display outputs and a Gigabit Ethernet socket.

Overall

The Dell excels in key categories of the display, processor and has an ISV-certified discrete GPU. It's all inside a stunning, sturdy chassis which gives Apple's MacBook a run for its money.

However, Apple devices have faster storage, superior battery life, and Intel Iris graphics can even outpace the Nvidia GPU in some tests. The Retina Display might not have as many pixels as the Dell, but it's a brilliant screen in its own right.

The Dell is 150 more expensive than the MacBook Pro, but only the screen justifies this price. The M3800 is the best Windows workstation we've seen for some time, and it's a great buy if you need the best screen possible but the MacBook is a better all-rounder.

Verdict

A brilliant workstation laptops which balances great design with power. However, it could have better battery life and it is expensive.

Processor: 2.2GHz Intel Core i7-4702HQ GPU: Nvidia Quadro K1100M with 2GB GDDR5 Memory: 16GB DDR3 Storage: 256GB Lite-On SSD; 500GB hard disk Optical: n/a Connectivity: Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 4 Ports: 3 x USB 3, 1 x USB 2, HDMI, mini-DisplayPort, SD card reader, 1 x headphone Dimensions: 372 x 254 x 19mm (WxDxH) Weight: 1.88kg

The Satellite W30t isn't Toshiba's first detachable Windows 8 device. It enters the market where devices such as the HP EliteBook Revolve 810 and the Lenovo Yoga Pro 2 are already available. The former has a screen rotating screen which turns the device into a tablet, and the latter panel flips through 180 in order to work without the keyboard. Does the W30t have anything which can help it to stand out for the right reasons?

A tricky separation

Toshiba's inclusion of a detachable screen is the W30t's defining feature, and it's an easy mechanism to use. The screen sits inside a caddy and is held in place with two arms. Pushing a button to the side releases those arms so the panel can be removed. The caddy is hinged, and it's a sensible bit of design, although it doesn't look as smart as the HP or Lenovo mechanisms. Plus it adds thickness and weight.

Toshiba hasn't taken risks with the W30t's aesthetics. The lid is covered with a thin layer of brushed aluminium, the base is silver-coloured plastic, and there's no sign of clever design elsewhere. The plain base and bulky hinge dominates the top half of this machine. It's not an ugly system but it is bland.

Build quality varies. The screen contains all of the Toshiba's components and it feels strong, standing up to the rigours of touch operation - the rear barely moves when pressed. The base feels cheaper. The two front corners are flimsy, and the underside is worse we easily distorted the keyboard by pushing up from the base. It's a far cry from HP and Lenovo machines, which use solid metal chassis.

The screen might be sturdy, but its size and the hinge mechanism mean its one of the biggest and bulkiest hybrids we've seen. It tips the scales at 2.1kg, with the weight divided down the middle between two sections, and it's 24.6mm thick. This makes the W30t half a kilo heavier than both its rivals and also means that this machine is several times heavier than conventional tablets even when they've got a keyboard case added.

The W30t is also marked down for lack of ports. Toshiba has included 1 x USB 3 and 1 x USB 2 ports, microSD and micro-HDMI connections, and a micro-USB connector. It's standard for a tablet, but anyone who planning to use this machine as a fully-fledged laptop will bemoan the lack of connections.

Mediocre display

Toshiba's panel uses IPS technology, which means good viewing angles. But this is where the positives finish. It uses a 1,366 x 768 resolution, which matches the HP Elitebook but can't compete with the Lenovo Yoga's mighty 3,200 x 1,800 pixel count. It's not as sharp as the Yoga, and it's a little disappointing given the increasing prominence of high-resolution screens elsewhere.

The measured brightness level of 266cd/m2 is in the middle of the pack, and does little to stand out the Lenovo brighter with a 317cd/m2 screen. The Toshiba's 777:1 contrast ratio improves on the Yoga's 634:1 result, but not enough to make a big difference. The higher resolution and brightness figures mean the Lenovo is the more satisfying screen by a large distance.

The Toshiba fall behind in colour accuracy tests. The average Delta E of 4.7 is mediocre, and colours aren't accurate. The screen renders 60.7 per cent of the sRGB colour gamut, with red, pink and purple shades suffering.

The screen is fine for browsing the web and using basic software, but it doesn't have the quality or pixel density to be worthwhile for specialised image work.

Sub-par performance

The Core i3-4020Y processor used in the W30t is one of the weakest Haswell parts Intel offers. It's an ultra-low-power processor with a Therman design power (TDP) draw of 11.5W. However, it isn't built for performance. The chip has two Hyper-Threaded cores, a stock speed of 1.5GHz, and no Turbo Boost.

The processor, accompanied by an lacklustre 4GB of RAM, disappointed in tests. It scored a total of 54/100 in our real-world benchmarks which tested multitasking, audio and video encoding. This places it second bottom in our list of Windows and Mac devices.

The low-end GPU isn't cut out for a bit of after-hours gaming, either. We loaded BioShock Infinite at 1,366 x 768, but only hit a playable 33fps at the game's low quality settings.

The 500GB hard disk provides more space than SSD-based machine, but speed suffers. The disk's read and write results of 104MB/sec and 99MB/sec are average for hard disks. A boot time of 46s is three or four times slower than SSD-based systems.

It all make for a dissatisfying experience. There is an occasional stutter before the Start screen opens, Metro UI apps are sometimes afflicted with poor loading times even though they run smoothly once opened and we are frequently left waiting when booting software in desktop mode. Don't bother trying to run demanding desktop apps because the Toshiba won't be able to handle them.

The Toshiba used its two batteries to last for 5hrs 37mins in our video playback test with the screen set at 75 per cent brightness and with Wi-Fi deactivated. It's a decent result, and better than the HP, although it's still a long way short of the Lenovo and nowhere near the MacBook Pro.

Ergonomics

The Toshiba's heavyweight design and mixed build quality prove detrimental during use. It's unusual for a laptop's screen to be as heavy as its base, and it meant the Satellite feels top-heavy throughout it's easy to tip the laptop forward when prodding the screen.

The screen's weight also makes it tricky to use this machine as a conventional tablet: its 1.05kg bulk, 14mm thickness and 13.3in screen makes it uncomfortable to hold for any length of time. It's the same problem faced by the Lenovo, which also has a 13.3in panel.

The poor base build quality has a detrimental impact on the keyboard. The lack of strength makes the Scrabble-tile unit feel uncomfortably bouncy, and the keys don't improve matters they have little travel, feel cheap, inconsistent and too light when pressed. Typing is comfortable.

The trackpad is a little better thanks to a pair responsive buttons, but the surface area is smaller than competing machines.

Verdict

It's these kinds of ergonomic issues that prevent the W30t from succeeding as a hybrid device.The processor can only handle low-end tasks, the screen has a mid-range resolution and mediocre quality levels, and the storage is slow. The W30t just can't cut the mustard.

The dual batteries provide good longevity and this machine is cheaper than rivals, but the sluggish and clunky user experience means this is tricky to recommend.

Verdict

It's hard to recommend the W30t. If money is tight, buy another tablet and a good-quality keyboard – if not, spend a little more on a higher-quality machine like the Lenovo.

Processor: Intel Core i3-4020Y 1.5GHz

GPU: Intel HD Graphics 4200

Memory: 4GB DDR3

Storage: 500GB hard disk

Display: 13.3in 1,366 x 768 IPS touchscreen

Optical: n/a

Connectivity: Dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0

Ports: 1 x USB 3, 1 x USB 2, micro-HDMI, microSD card reader, 1 x headphone

Dimensions: 331 x 230 x 24.6mm

Weight: 2.1kg

Retailers today are faced with unprecedented challenges as any visit to the high street will confirm. Empty outlets are common and many will often only be occupied by charity shops or the same old familiar coffee shops as buyers turn to the internet for lowest-possible prices or out-of-town megastores for maximum convenience. Stores that don't have a strong online presence or app struggle against rivals that have a more advanced virtual store-front. Big-name stores have entered bankruptcy or are desperately reinventing themselves to stay relevant. It's a bleak picture but one that is redeemed by opportunity. Supply chains and distribution are now global and the web makes it possible to market and sell to a global audience and scale in line with demand. There are more channels than ever before for consumers and the old virtues of delivering value and great service are as relevant as ever before. Brand and marketing excellence remain powerful differentiators, operational efficiency is a necessity and understanding the dynamics of store layout is persuasive.

It's a buyer's market: armed with product information, pricing comparisons and even knowledge of inventory levels and product refresh cycles, a new breed of super-consumer is emerging. The retailer has to adapt to meet this keen-eyed buyer and somehow resist the race to the bottom' of competing on price alone. Joining up multiple channels to address different types of buyer will be critical and the ultimate aim of delighting consumers remains as relevant as ever.

Click the link below to download the full case study.

Windows 8 and its app ecosystem is already having a big impact on manufacturing verticals. Not only does the array of devices and touch interface make Windows 8 a far more flexible environment within vertical markets, but the ability to create bespoke Windows 8 apps across platforms improves usability and efficiency.

The UK education system has seen dramatic changes in its adoption and use of ICT over the past ten years. These changes have been shaped by government curriculum and fiscal boundaries, socio-economic factors, such as the consumerisation of IT, and increasing pressure to deliver technology that not only engages pupils in the classroom, but equips them for 21st century careers. While these factors represent great opportunities for schools to adapt teaching methods and enhance our education system, they also represent unprecedented challenges for schools. For example, securing the network is no longer just about connecting and ensuring the security of the school's own devices, but enabling pupils to connect with their own technology when and where possible. Lessons are no longer just in a classroom, but span other educational facilities on and off site as well as homeworking, and technology must adapt to these new scenarios.

Expectations from teachers, pupils and parents around technology have also changed. Just ten years ago pupils and parents may not have assumed integrated technology to be essential across the curriculum, let alone an element of the school infrastructure and teaching methodology, accessible to pupils and teachers inside and outside of the school. Technology is part of everyday life for all pupils and so needs to integrate seamlessly into their lives at school, as it does at home. Two-thirds of five-to seven-year-olds use the internet at home, rising to 82 per cent for 8- to 11-year-olds and 90 per cent for 12- to 15-year-olds. Over a third of 12- to 15-year-olds own a smartphone and typically use the internet (on any device) for 15.6 hours every week. Children are increasingly embracing technology at a younger age: for example, 23 per cent of five- to seven-year-olds now use social networking sites.

Click the link below to download the full case study.

Google has overhauled its web browser software so Windows 8 users can take advantage of features found in the search giant's Chrome OS.

Chrome 32, the latest version of its web browser treats Windows 8 users to a slightly reworked version of the software that takes some design cues from the Chrome OS.

When launched as a Windows 8 app, Chrome morphs the Metro interface to resemble Chrome OS. For example, there is even the same roll call of web app icons in the bottom left hand side of the screen.

That's not the only notable new feature. Chrome 32 also alerts users that have lots of browser windows open at once, to tabs that are playing music, to make them easier to pin point and switch off.

Furthermore, the software has also received a couple of internet safety tweaks, including measures to flag malicious downloads to users, and a beta preview of its Supervised Users feature that allows restrictions on the type of content certain users can see.

The offering was first released to developers in October, but has now been made available to Windows, Linux and Mac users.

And it's not just desktop users that will feel the benefit. Google has also announced some improvements to the iOS and Android versions of Chrome, too.

The first of these is designed to reduce the amount of data mobile users go through when browsing the web. This feature, Google claims, can cut data usage by up to 50 per cent.

Google Translate will also be made available to iOS Chrome users in the coming days, the company has announced, but is already accessible to Android users.

While much of the tech industry talk of 2013 centred on the hype surrounding big data, wearable technology and the internet of things, it was news of surveillance scandals, failed products, web censorship and vendor spats that kept IT Pro readers riveted over the past 12 months.

Here we take a look back over 10 of the year's biggest stories. If there are any you think we've missed, feel free to list them in the comments box below.

1) BlackBerry crumbles

It has certainly been an eventful 12 months for ailing smartphone maker BlackBerry, with the low points outnumbering the high ones by some quite considerable margin.

The year started off well enough for the vendor, as it geared up for the launch of its highly-anticipated and much-delayed Z10 and Q10 smartphones by undergoing a major corporate rebrand that saw it ditch the name RIM in favour of BlackBerry.

Sadly, despite its new crop of smartphones garnering favourable reviews (with IT Pro awarding both the Z10 and Q10 devices four stars), sales of the devices failed to live up to the hype.

So much so, the firm was forced to swallow a $934 million inventory charge over unsold Z10 devices in September. It also had to delay its BBM software for Android and iOS users after an unofficial version was leaked in the run up to its official release.

Even so, the software was a hit for the firm, chalking up 20 million downloads during its first few weeks of release.

Earlier in the month, BlackBerry's largest shareholder Fairfax Financial Holdings set out plans to acquire the firm for $4.7 billion, a move the analyst community had been broadly supportive of.

Unfortunately, the deal fell through at the 11th hour in November, with reports at the time suggesting Fairfax had struggled to secure funding for the deal because of concerns BlackBerry was beyond saving.

Shortly afterwards, it was confirmed that CEO Thorsten Heins was stepping down as an alternative means of securing its future is pursued.

2) Microsoft CEO says cya later

Thorsten Heins wasn't the only high-profile CEO to head for the exit doors this year, as Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer announced his retirement in August after 13 years in charge.

Industry watchers have been quick to blame Ballmer for Microsoft's relatively slow response to the tablet and smartphone revolutions of recent years, and for the downbeat reaction Windows 8 received (more on that later). So much so, shares in the company shot up by around nine per cent in the aftermath of his retirement news.

At the time of writing, the hunt for Ballmer's successor was still ongoing, with former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop and Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford Motor Company, widely tipped to takeover.

3) Windows hate

Even before Windows 8 dropped in October 2012, market watchers expressed concerns over how the operating system's radically different user interface would be greeted by end users.

And they were right to be wary, with figures released in the wake of its release suggesting sales of the operating system were lagging behind Windows 7, while user complaints about the lack of Start button started to gather pace.

As result, hopes the release of Windows 8 might give PC sales a well needed boost were quickly dashed.

In February 2013, rumours about an update to the operating system (codenamed Windows Blue) started to surface, and - in the months that followed - gave way to concrete information from Microsoft about forthcoming improvements it was planning to introduce.

Microsoft's declarations about Windows 8.1 (as the update went on to become) bordered on the contrite, as it promised to make good the mistakes made with Windows 8.

The free update was released in October 2013 and saw Microsoft bring back the Start Button, and make it easier for users to re-size the software's flagship live tiles. To boost its enterprise appeal, its security and collaboration features were also much improved.

However, recent figures from Net Applications seem to suggest the release of Windows 8.1 has had little impact on the combined market share of Windows 8.x.

4) Dell goes public with plans to go private

No-one ever claimed it would be easy to take a publicly listed company as well known as Dell private, but it's unlikely anyone would have predicted just how long and drawn out this process ended up being.

Back in February, the company's chairmen and CEO Michael Dell set out plans to take the company private in a $24.4 billion deal (initially) involving Microsoft and private equity house Silver Lake. And that's when the fun really started.

The months that followed saw a series of shareholder disputes take place, with quibbles about the company's market value and shareholder voting procedures regularly being aired.

Activist investor Carl Icahn also sought to have Michael Dell's bid blocked, on the grounds he felt it undervalued the company, delaying the process even further.

Finally, on 12 September, Michael Dell won shareholder approval for his privatisation plans, allowing the PC vendor to complete its transformation into a provider of enterprise IT services away from prying eyes. And not before time.

5) BDUK bashing

The Government's Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) scheme, which aims to bring superfast internet services to rural communities, has been a surprisingly contentious topic this year.

MPs have repeatedly slammed the initiative, with both the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee taking issue with the costs involved and time take to deliver on its aims.

For example, an NAO report on the project claimed in July the Government was 22 months behind on its goal of providing 90 per cent of premises in the UK with superfast broadband services by 2015.

Fujitsu excused itself from bidding for BDUK projects in March 2013, leaving BT as the last remaining bidder. This prompted further concerns about the BDUK procurement process being uncompetitive and poor value for money.

BT has done an admirable job of hitting back at its BDUK detractors during 2013, but - with each deployment undertaken through the scheme having its own coverage target and deadline - there is unlikely to be much let up for the telco on this issue in 2014.

6) Banking on IT

The financial services sector is often cited as a highly regulated industry that has to invest huge amounts in IT systems for compliance, security and resilience purposes.

However, the last 12 months has brought with it numerous headlines about banking systems going down, leaving customers out of pocket and with no access to the funds.

Nationwide and Natwest have both been blighted in this way in 2013, while Barclays and Santander have both found themselves as the centre of security breaches in recent months.

Criminals attempted to gain remote access to computer systems in London-based branches of both banking firms with the intention of stealing millions of pounds.

The ruse was made possible through the use of a Keyboard Video Mouse device, which is thought to have been installed in both branches by someone posing as an IT engineer.

In the Barclays case, 1.3 million was stolen from customer accounts, although it was later returned and several arrests made. Thankfully, the Santander plot was foiled before any money was taken.

7) Google Glass safety fears

For a product that's not gone on general release yet, Google Glass has clocked up an impressive number of headlines and column inches in 2013.

For the uninitiated, Google Glass is essentially a pair of spectacles featuring a built-in Android computer that users can draw on to take pictures, record videos, search the web and find directions.

Since news of the devices first emerged, concerns have been raised - most noticeably by the Information Commissioner's Office - about the privacy implications of Google Glass.

Particularly, as the nature of the devices could make it easy for users to furtively record the actions of others without their knowledge and permission.

For this reason, a restaurant in Seattle announced an outright ban on the devices, while safety fears recently prompted the UK's Department for Transport to announce plans to ban the technology from being used while driving.

8) Nobody likes smart watches

Wearable technology has been hyped as one of the trends to watch in 2013, with the likes of Samsung, Qualcomm and Sony all taking steps to beef up their offerings in this area by releasing smart watches.

The devices are being positioned as companion devices to smartphones and tablets, and can be used to receive messages, calls and even take pictures.

Now, just because a vendor says their product is going to be the next big thing, doesn't always guarantee its success, and that certainly seems true of smart watch sales at the moment.

Market watcher Gartner released a scathing report in November that claimed sales of the devices will continue to stall while they remain so expensive and ugly to look at.

With Apple rumoured to be entering this space sometime next year, all this could be set to change. But - as it stands right now it will be interesting to see if they make it on to many Christmas lists in 2014.

9) Edward Snowden reveals all

The summer of 2013 was dominated by headlines about government surveillance programmes, thanks to (the now infamous) National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden.

His revelations were exclusively revealed by the Guardian newspaper, and began in June with Snowden's admission that the US government had forced telco Verizon to hand over the phone records of millions of Americans.

Shortly after, details of the PRISM surveillance programme came to light, which allegedly provided the NSA with direct access to user data held by Google, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft. This claim was later disputed by the tech firms.

The months that followed saw further leaks and revelations about GCHQ's involvement with the PRISM programme, as well as claims it set up the Tempora scheme to monitor the traffic passing through undersea fibre optic cables.

In fact, it's probably fair to say stories about the NSA, Prism or Tempora have been featured on IT Pro at a rate of about one a week since the Guardian started publishing Snowden's claims.

Furthermore, privacy campaigners and civil rights groups (as you would expect) have regularly voiced their concerns about the impact of these surveillance activities in recent months.

So much so, Privacy International made formal complaints against several of the UK's largest telcos back in November for allegedly assisting GCHQ with its Tempora activities.

10) Web porn clampdown

One issue that riled IT Pro readers like no other in 2013 were the Government's plans to introduce online pornography blocks in every internet-connected home in the UK.

The measures were announced in July with the intention of making it harder for children to access adult content online. However, industry watchers widely panned the initiative, and claimed it could pave the way for wider censorship of the UK web space.

Then, in November, both Google and Microsoft confirmed plans to tweak the algorithms of their search sites to make images depicting child abuse harder to uncover online.

Once again, the reaction to this news wasn't wholly positive, as critics pointed out that very few criminals use the searchable web to look for and distribute illegal content.

Like a classic superhero, Windows 8 is as deeply misunderstood as it is colourfully dressed, particularly in the corporate world. Where Windows 7, Vista, XP, and 2000 provided incremental usability upgrades to the WIMP interface introduced with Windows 95 and NT 4, Windows 8 is a much more drastic shift of culture, and many of its business benefits can remain hidden until you understand the sea change it represents. For many professional users, the modern tiled interface has led them to believe that Windows 8 is entirely consumer-focused, and therefore of no interest at all.

Windows 8 isn't meant just to improve the kind of business you are already engaged in, but help you develop entirely new ways of enhancing your activities. "Some organisations are moving onto Windows 8 because of its mobility offering," explains Ashley Rolfe, Senior Products Manager at Lenovo. "For example, a retailer is using Windows 8 tablets for queue busting, for meeting and greeting customers. Similarly, in the finance world, retail banks are using tablet devices so that clerks in the main lobby can have timetables for managers readily to hand to book customer appointments.

Aircraft pilots have famously been swapping the wheeled suitcases required to carry their jet airliner manuals for tablets containing the same manuals in digital form. Utility companies can empower engineers with mobile devices that put technical information at their fingertips. Mobile devices can pay dividends in business logistics, too, with tablets being installed onto forklift trucks, and provided to delivery drivers." However, "logistics companies have often used custom-designed, very expensive devices, which are very slow," argues Rolfe. "With a Lenovo Tablet 2 running Windows 8, they can have a very good experience that they integrate into their business systems at a very low price."

The adoption of mobile technology hasn't always been smooth for business users, in stark contrast to the consumer experience. "Companies have spent a lot trying to implement alternative devices, such as iPads," adds David Rodgers, Windows Business Group, UK Commercial Lead. "There is an issue keeping iOS in your secure network and management systems. It's very difficult to implement. The advantage of a Windows tablet is that it is Windows." This means that it can be managed and configured like any other Windows device, using the same tools as for regular notebooks and desktops. "You can manage heterogeneous devices from the same platform," continues Rodgers. "Tablets with Windows 8 can be treated like any laptop, using the same asset tracking and management as any laptop. Windows 8, Windows 8 RT and Windows Phone use the same core, so for example you can implement BitLocker across all devices, encryptable to industry standards."

The single back-end infrastructure allows much more cost-effective system management, with much greater automation. An update can be sent to all devices in a certain class at the push of a button. Microsoft System Center 2012 provides unified management across devices, in a similar fashion to the way Windows 8 provides a unified interface. There are similar implications, too, with the focus shifting from a device-centric to a user-centric mode. The management system can define what the user can do from any device they operate, and what resources they can access. In this way, the devices merely provide different modes of accessing the same set of applications and data, with each device optimised for a particular context.

Windows 8 has some inherent security benefits as well. It can boot in legacy BIOS or Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) mode, but enabling the latter is a prerequisite for official Windows 8 certification. UEFI mode allows the implementation of Secure Boot. With this implemented, the Windows 8 boot loader will be signed with a key, which will be burned into the Trusted Platform Module in the UEFI chipset. This signature will be checked at boot time, to ensure the Windows 8 boot loader has not been tampered with, which in turn means that a whole genre of bootkits, rootkits and other malware is prevented from loading before the operating system. Effectively, the machine will start up the way it should every time.

Alongside Secure Boot, Windows 8 also offers Trusted Boot, which checks every component in the startup process prior to loading. Early Launch Anti-Malware (ELAM) similarly checks all drivers, and prevents unapproved drivers from loading. Measured Boot allows the PC's firmware to monitor the boot process, and can send the logs to a trusted server for assessment, so remote monitoring can be performed. Windows 8 also supports a BIOS-level implementation of Absolute Software's Computrace, which certain manufacturers have enabled, including Lenovo. UEFI firmware also enables some features that are not aimed at security, including faster startup times and resuming from hibernation. There's support for drives larger than 2.2TB, and 64-bit firmware device drivers that can address up to 17.2 billion gigabytes of memory.

The most exciting effect of switching to Windows 8, however, comes when manufacturers experiment with concepts and form factors to take advantage of the new abilities provided by Microsoft's latest OS. Instead of companies finding a device to fulfil a need, these devices inspire companies to find new ways of conducting their business. "For example, if you give someone a Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2," says Rolfe, "they start to think about how they can change the dynamics of the way they work, based around the new technology. Similarly with Lenovo's Yoga range of products." Even more conventional notebooks can provide innovations from subtle use of a touch interface, for example the ThinkPad T440 and X240's ability to lay the screen flat so you can use them on a desk like a tablet.

The Windows 8 interface has deflected attention from many of the underlying innovations in the operating system. For businesses concerned that users won't be able to acclimatise, the boot to desktop facility introduced with Windows 8.1 means office workers don't need to learn the tile-based environment if they don't want to. Your company can then benefit from the greater security and faster boot times version 8 offers over previous versions of Windows. But embracing the touch-based interface and new form factors can potentially bring even more profitable innovation in business practices to your company.

If you'd like to learn more about Lenovo products for your business, click the button below.

Convertible laptops/tablets have come to the fore since the arrival of Windows 8. Lenovo set the bar high with the ingenuiously designed Yoga Pro 2. Can the HP EliteBook Revolve 810 compete?

The Revolve is one of the most expensive hybrids we've tested. Packing 8GB of DDR3 RAM, a third-generation Intel Core i7 2.6GHz CPU and 256GB SSD, our review unit started at a wallet busting 1,642. Is it worth the price?

Revolve

Pitched as a hybrid the 11.6in display on the Revolve swivels on its base and allows users to convert the device into a tablet.

The construction of the Revolve is top draw. It sports an all magnesium alloy chassis and a strong hinge, which will withstand the rigours of enterprise usage and it looks good too.

At 11.6ins the display is smaller than most laptops, and is closer to a netbook. Weighing in at 1.4kg, the Revolve is heavier than the larger 13in MacBook Air (1.3kg) but still portable. However, it is heavy when compared to tablets such as the iPad Air (469g).

The Chiclet-style keyboard feels responsive. Despite the small size, it doesn't feel cramped when in use. Although this reviewers hands are a little on the small size, those with bigger hands may feel their wrists dropping off the side of the machine. The keyboard is as durable as the chassis as it is also spill resistant too.

The mousepad is compact but it reponds to movements and finger presses. It's complemented by the inclusion of the touch screen, which means you don't have to rely on it 100 per cent of the time.

Display and connectivity

The LED-backlit HD UWVA screen is rugeddised with Gorilla Glass, but HP has opted for a bog standard resolution of 1366 x 768. It's not in the same league as the Retina Displays found in MacBooks or the 3200 x 1800 resolution on the Yoga Pro 2.

HP has kitted the Revolve out with a number of ports. It includes 2 x USB 3.0 connections, Gigabit Ethernet and DisplayPort 1.2 ports as well as a docking connector. The Revolve is dockable too via its side-docking connector and there's a slot for a microSD card.

Wi-Fi takes the form of 802.11a/b/g/n and there's Bluetooth connectivity. Underneath the battery is space for a micro-SIM, so you can have connectivity on the move. There are a ton of sensors built in, which are normally not found on hybrids - these include a gyroscope, accelerometer, compass, and NFC.

Security conscious

Where HP majors on for this device is the security measures. Alongside the security features in Windows 8 (and 8.1) there is also HP's BIOS Protection, TPM 1.2 and HP Client Security thrown in for free. When we upgraded the machine to Windows 8.1 we had to uninstall the HP Client Security software before proceeding. We can only hope re-installing it is an easy thing for the IT department to do.

There is also the option to install LANDesk Management Suite on the device allowing IT departments to manage whole fleets of devices.

HP also bundles in the following software: HP ePrint, Cyberlink Media Suite, Evernote, Skitch, a 60-day trial of Microsoft Office 2010.

Performance & battery life

The Revolve boots in 10 seconds and it's zippy in everyday use. Despite running on the 2012 Ivy Bridge architecture, the Revolve outperfomed the Yoga Pro 2, which runs on the latest Haswell part. This can be explained by the inclusion of the high-end Core i7 processor and double the RAM. But the reliance on the integrated Intel HD Graphics 4400 and lack of discrete graphics means the Revolve is not for those who want to render heavy duty 3D applications.

The use of the powerful Core i7 processor has a negative impact on battery life. The Revolve comes with a six-cell 44WHr polymer cell. In our tests, simple day-to-day working (emails, office productivity, web-surfing) yielded nearly six hours of battery life. In our video tests, battery life became even shorter. Continuous looping of an HD movie got us four hours and thirty minutes of battery life.

Upgradeability

The Revolve isn't the most upgradeable device in HP's fleet, but there is scope to improve specifications after purchase. The battery is straightforward to replace, and but RAM requires a screwdriver to access. HP has soldered in 4GB onto the board and left 1 x SODIMM slot user accessible. This can accept 4GB or 8GB modules, bringing the maximum capacity to 12GB.

However, to maximise dual-channel performance, HP recommends the size of the memory in both SODIMMs should be the same - so you might not see any real performance boost after 8GB.

Overall

HP hopes its EliteBook Revolve 810 will stand out from the crowd, but with prices from 1,642 (including VAT), it doesn't offer value for money. We think many businesses would rather pay less money for a brand new Yoga Pro 2 or MacBook Pro, which will have longer battery life and better display.

Verdict

The HP Revolve is a reasonable attempt at a hybrid with the stand out feature being the performance. However, it is let down key areas including the display and battery life, something which cannot be ignored at this price.

OS: Windows 8 Processor: 2.1GHz Core i7-3687U RAM: 8GB DDR3 (configurable up to 12GB) Storage: 256GB mSATA SDD Screen: 11.6in, (1366 x 768) Connectivity: 802.11ac Wi‑Fi IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible, Bluetooth 4.0 Ports: 2 x USB 3, Ethernet, DisplayPort 1.2, micro SD card reader, Docking port, micro SIM Dimensions: 212 x 2185 x 22.5mm (WxDxH) Weight: 1.5kg Warranty: 2yr minimum via EU Consumer laws

As another busy week in the technology world draws to a close, we take a look at some of the stories that have captured the imagination of our readers.

This week's hot topics include Amazon's drone delivery plans, the controversial Broadband Delivery UK scheme and the sluggish take-up of Windows 8.

Hi robot

One of the biggest stories of the week was Amazon's revelation that it wants to use unmanned drones in the future to deliver items to customers.

The story prompted one reader to ask if April Fools' Day had come early (or late), but it seems Jeff Bezos and his team at Amazon are intent on using these devices to deliver good within the next four-to-five years.

This was followed later in the week by an equally sci-fi-tastic story about Google's 10-year mission to build robots that could be used to automate manufacturing processes and deliver goods.

Both stories have prompted fears from readers these technological developments could pave the way for a dystopian future where we're left answering to some evil robot overlords.

"Maybe at its heart Google is really an alien robot intelligence hell-bent on human domination," squealed regular IT Pro commentator John Hodgson Artist.

Meanwhile, Panoaction said the human race is doomed because we've not watched enough Matt Damon or Arnold Schwarzenegger films or something.

"The poor humans are creating their own end and obviously have not watched films like Terminator and Elysium," he laughed.

Blasting BDUK

BT's involvement in the Broadband Delivery UK scheme came under fire again recently, with the CEO of the Independent Networks Co-Operative Association labelling the telco a "grant junkie" when it comes to securing funding for superfast broadband projects.

As you can probably imagine, BT gave as good as it got in its retort to the claim, but it seems the firm (and the BDUK scheme itself) still has some work to do to win over IT Pro readers.

Terry Barnaby said the internet is an important part of the UK infrastructure, which means schemes like BDUK need to be funded and managed better.

"The Government [needs] to wake up to this fact and properly focus on it and fund it. It is handled by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport with no business angle at all," fumed Barnaby.

Fellow IT Pro reader Andy took issue with BT's response that the payback period for the projects it undertakes through BDUK stretches well over a decade.

"BT must think we are naive to believe they won't be making money sooner rather than later on their BDUK projects. The whole reason they are pushing it forward is because subscribers need faster connections and to access over the top services such as BT Sport...Keep up the pressure, INCA," said Andy.

Windows hate

The operating system market share figures from Net Applications painted a rather bleak picture of how well (or not) Windows 8 is going down with computer users across the globe.

Its findings suggest Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 combined only increased their market share by 0.05 per cent between October and November, which considering Windows 8.1 only came out last month isn't great going.

Thankfully, some IT Pro readers were on hand to share their thoughts on why they think Windows 8 doesn't seem to be all that popular.

"When you already have Windows 7, Windows 8 is a downgrade," remarked Sam101200.

"Why would anyone want that?"

Sigfridii also contested Microsoft's claim that end user feedback has helped to shape the features and functionality Windows 8.1 offers uses.

"Microsoft has not listened to the criticisms of Windows 8. Users don't want the kindergarten UI designed for tablets on their desktop/laptop computers," he said. "Sack the idiots who designed it and return to the familiar pathways on Windows 7."

Windows 7 continues to be the king of Microsoft operating systems, with the latest market share stats suggesting end user adoption of Windows 8 remains sluggish.

According to Net Applications' monthly update of operating system market share, the number of people using Windows 7 and the soon-to-be retired Windows XP remained largely unchanged between October and November.

For example, 46.64 per cent of desktop users were running Windows 7 last month, up from 46.24 per cent in October.

Meanwhile, over the same time frame, Windows XP use increased slightly from 31.22 per cent to 31.24 per cent.

October saw Microsoft release its Windows 8.1 update, and since then use of the OS has increased from 1.72 per cent to 2.64 per cent.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given that many users are likely to have upgraded to Windows 8.1, the percentage of people using the previous version of Windows decreased between October and November, from 7.53 per cent to 6.6 per cent.

Taken together, this means the market share of both versions of Windows 8.x combined increased between October and November by just 0.05 per cent.

This finding is surprising, given how much Microsoft has been pushing Windows 8.1 since the update dropped in mid-October, although it is a situation it could turn around over the impending Christmas shopping period.

Windows RT could be heading for the dumper, after a Microsoft senior executive hinted that a rationalisation of its OS line-up is on the cards.

Speaking at the UBS Seminar, Julie Larson-Green, executive vice president of Devices and Studios at Microsoft, explained Windows RT was the software giant's attempt to ape the more simplified users experience offered by the likes of Apple's iPad.

"Windows RT was our first go at creating that more closed, turnkey experience, where it doesn't have all the flexibility of Windows, but it has the power of Office and then all the new style applications," she said.

"The goal was to deliver two kinds of experiences to the market: the full power of your Windows PC [with Windows 8], and the simplicity of a tablet experience that can also be productive [Windows RT]."

However, the differences between the two operating systems may not have been explained very well, she admits, or the differences between the two devices they featured most prominently on. These include the Surface RT and the Surface Pro.

"I think we didn't differentiate the devices well enough. They looked similar. Using them is similar. It just didn't do everything that you expected Windows to do," Larson-Green explained.

"So there's been a lot of talk about [how] it should have been a rebranding. We should not have called it Windows...I think over time you'll see us continue to differentiate more."

That being said, she then goes on to suggest the firm is planning to curtail the number of different versions of Windows it offers in future.

"We have the Windows Phone OS. We have Windows RT and we have full Windows. We're not going to have three. We do think there's a world where there is a more mobile operating system that doesn't have the risks to battery life, or the risks to security," she added.

"But it also comes at the cost of flexibility. So we believe in that vision and that direction and we're continuing down that path."

The future of Windows RT has been at the centre of speculation since Microsoft dropped any mention of the operating system from the name of its second generation tablet, the Surface 2.

The Scottish Government is looking for ways to overhaul the way it delivers public services to citizens and has hit on the idea of rolling out several brands of Windows 8 tablets to its staff.

It is hoped the Windows 8 devices, which include the Samsung Series 7 Slate, Dell Latitude 10 and Samsung ATIV, will enable civil servants to take greater advantage of mobile and flexible working patterns.

The deployment follows on from a successful proof of concept (POC) project, carried out by York-based IT provider Trustmarque, involving a fully-customised version of Windows 8.

Andy McClintock, chief technology officer at the Scottish Government, said the move to Windows 8 has been prompted by the need to help staff become more mobile during their working day.

"Our long-term ambition is to transform the way the Scottish Government employees and our shared services customers can collaborate, access and use information applications with mobile access, both online and offline, from virtually anywhere in the UK," he explained.

"Greater mobility provides staff with the capability to work beyond the traditional boundaries of Government buildings and engage with stakeholders and the public which is incredibly important to us."

The devices will be centrally managed using Microsoft System Centre 2012 Configuration manager, while the POC also featured the use of Microsoft's User Experience Virtualisation offering.

The latter allows device users to have roaming profiles, meaning they can log into any computer on the same network and access their documents.

IT Pro asked Microsoft and the Scottish Government for clarification about how the findings of the POC will be used, and was informed that an initial pilot project is now in the works.

The pilot will be carried out within the Scottish Government's internal IT division, which is responsible for providing shared services to 10,000 users across 130 sites in Scotland.

"It's for an initial 100 devices, but this is part of a pilot and if successful will be extended to reduce the laptop and desktop estate by a corresponding amount over time," a spokesperson told IT Pro.

Chris Forrest, director of Microsoft Scotland, said the project has the potential to make a massive difference to the way services are both accessed and made available to end users.

"The Scottish Government has recognised the importance of being able to empower staff to work flexibly and in the community," said Forrest.

"By improving information access to employees whilst on the move, the Scottish Government can get closer to citizens, wherever they are, and deliver stronger, more effective public services."

With six months to go until Microsoft pulls the plug on support for Windows XP, enterprises are being urged once more to ditch the aged operating system.

The software giant will cease extended support for Windows XP on 8 April 2014, which means users will no longer receive technical and security updates for the OS.

The deadline has been well publicised by Microsoft, with the firm repeatedly warning about the security and performance issues users face by continuing to use XP passsed this date.

Data from NetMarketShare suggest over 30 per cent of desktop devices still run XP, while 46.4 per cent have Windows 7. Nearly a year on from its launch, Windows 8 is used on just over eight per cent of desktop PCs.

With so many people still running Windows XP on their desktop PCs, pressure is growing on enterprises that are yet to make the move to a more up-to-date OS.

Adrian Foxall, chief executive of application management software firm Camwood, said businesses need to start preparing to dump XP as a matter of urgency.

"Microsoft recommends an 18-to-30 month transition period [to migrate off XP], but with only six months to go, it could be too late for many organisations," he warned.

"Our independent research six months ago, which marked one year to end of the XP, found that at that point over half of UK businesses had yet to start migration.

"Our concern is that many of these organisations have still not actually started the process, and are now really reaching crisis point," he added.

Earlier this year, Microsoft warned XP users that if they continue to use the software once support ends they will be saddled with a zero-day vulnerability "forever".

However, Clive Longbottom, service director at market watcher Quocirca, said XP users are already on the back foot when it comes to security, because of the age of the OS.

"The platform is essentially 15 years old and the world was a far different place back then. Attack vectors for Black Hats have changed, and whereas Windows 7 and Windows 8 have adapted to provide better built-in security, Windows XP is a security nightmare," he told IT Pro.

The software's age means enterprise users won't be able to use some modern applications, because of compatibility issues, which could affect their competitive edge.

"I also doubt many people have consumer machines running XP (or anything earlier)... and XP will just look and feel old and nasty to them," added Longbottom.

"They will be more likely to phone the helpdesk with a question along the lines of Why doesn't XP do this my home computer does?' than ask how something should be done under a newer OS."

Taken together, all these issues are putting firms' business-critical data at risk, added Foxall.

"With all the potential compatibility and security issues looming from legacy systems, businesses need to understand migration is a necessary step to secure their valuable data," he said.

"The clock is ticking, and companies need to take action today," he added.

Dell's helping hand

To help ease the transition from Windows XP to later versions of the operating system, hardware giant Dell has launched a migration service to guide users through the change.

Dubbed Windows Migration Fast Forward Service, the offering is aimed at people with up to 5,000 PCs to upgrade and uses pre-packaged modules to address every stage of the migration.

The service is aimed at users that have made no attempt to ditch the operating system, as well as those that might already be part of the way through a migration project.

Kevin Jones, vice president and general manager of infrastructure and cloud computing services at Dell, said the XP end of support deadline was an "industry-wide issue" many of his customers are being forced to try and deal with now.

"Our goal is to provide organisations of all sizes with an efficient migration solution. The Windows Migration Fast Forward Service adds to Dell's complete suite of migration offerings that make upgrading to Windows 7 or Windows 8 fast, simple and affordable," he said.

However, while making it cheaper and easier for users to move off XP is important, Longbottom said companies that do not could be limiting their future growth potential.

"The removal of support should not be a driver to move. What should be is the capacity to actually support the organisation, to secure its intellectual property, to provide a flexible platform for the future, and to demonstrate that as IT, you are not responsible for constraining the business, but are responsible for liberating it," he concluded.

The majority of HP customers will shun Windows 8 and stick with Windows 7, as they are happy with the operating system's stability and have only just made the move off Windows XP.

The vendor warned that enterprise adoption of Windows 8 will remain very slow for years to come.

According to Jim Zafarana, VP and GM for the HP Workstations global business unit, about 90 per cent of his customers select Windows on their workstations. Most have migrated from Windows XP to Windows 7 and plan to stay on this platform.

"Almost every customer I've talked to plans to remain on Windows 7 for quite a while because they want the stability, they've got a large install base of applications and tools," he told IT Pro.

With the current batch of ZBooks expected to have a lifecycle of at least three years, Zafarana still expects the uptake to Windows 8 to be "very small" when it comes time to refresh.

Two of HP's customers, including content creation firm Chimney and specialist car maker Morgan Motor Company, confirmed to IT Pro that they both plan to use the option to downgrade to Windows 7 Professional when they purchase new Workstations. This is due to application support issues.

Jeff Wood, project manager for the Workstation business, told IT Pro the firm even lured a couple of big [manufacturing] customers away from competitors, because they wanted to continue using XP.

"The customers weren't ready to move off XP to Windows 7 or 8 and we told them we would support it," he said.

"The new ZBooks and Z230 Workstation will not [support XP], so we are slowly weaning customers off XP."

Wood suggested that Windows 8 is by no means guarenteed to be accepted by the enterprise and could go the same way at Vista.

"Since x86 workstations began in 1996, there have only been three major OS releases enterprises that have been accepted. Windows NT 4.0 was the first, Windows XP and now Windows 7. They are ignoring Windows 8."

Dell has refreshed its Latitude range, but it's the 7000 Series Ultrabooks that are the most tantalising business class machines on offer.

The Latitude 7000 range aims to take all the best bits from a regular laptop and condense them into an Ultrabook form factor. Early hands-on suggests Dell might have finally nailed the balance between making a powerful, portable Ultrabook without having to strip out all the connectivity business users rely on. We took the Latitude 7240 for a quick test run to see what it has to offer.

Connectivity and build quality

Connectivity and build quality are the two standout features of the 7000 range. You'll struggle to find any other Ultrabooks that are as portable as the Dell 7240 and retain the myriad of connectivity options.

Along the back edge of the Ultrabook are 2 x USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI output and a desirable RJ-45 jack. Another USB port is placed on the side together with an SD card reader and mini Displayport. Although the inclusion of these makes the Dell 7000 slightly thicker than its competitors, it's still 20mm at its thinnest point and most users will be thankful for the extra ports. Anyone who's ever used an Ultrabook such as the Lenovo X1 Carbon, which has sacrificed connectivity in favour of a thin chassis, will appreciate the lengths Dell has gone to in this area.

Build quality is uniquely correlated to the inclusion of the touch screen. Perhaps in an attempt to encourage users to opt for the touch screen panel, users will be rewarded with not only a sturdy and attractive Carbon fibre chassis but also Gorilla Glass protection.

For an extra 80, this appears good value. Not only does this give the 7000 series look beautiful but helps to reduce the overall weight of the device. The 12in model registers 1.36kg on the scale and the larger 14in version is 1.63kg.

Display

There are a number of configuration options when it comes to the display users can choose between screen sizes and also the resolution depending on the budget. The device we looked at featured a 12.5in (1920 x 1080) full HD touch screen display. The screen is a couple of inches bigger than other Windows-based devices such as the Microsoft Surface Pro but it's still good for word processing and web browsing once you've adjusted the display to increase the font size.

Dell does offer a 14in model if you need extra real estate space on the move. Most users should find this comfortable enough to use when out and about, but you may still struggle if you need to carry out photo or video editing-type activities.

In an office environment, the small screen is mitigated by the inclusion of the docking port on the base of the device. This is compatible with Dell's existing E-Series range of monitors and is a massive boost for users who want to use this as their primary machine when at the office.

Performance

As with all Dell machines the components are configurable depending on user requirements. Dell offers the choice between Intel's latest Core i (Haswell) processors, varying amounts of RAM, a choice between Windows 7/8 or Linux Ubuntu and either a 256 GB SSD or Hybrid drive. These specifications should be more than enough for the majority of users.

Dell has taken a step away from the Chiclet-style keyboard opting instead for the more traditional style. In our brief play on the keyboard, the letters appeared reasonably springy, but more testing is needed to see if it's as comfortable a typing experience as Lenovo provides, especially given the cut-down chassis.

The 7000 series supports vPro chipsets out-of-the-box allowing IT admins to manage devices - an attractive feature for those considering a widescale deployment.

Dell also touts its 3-factor security on the device, which it claims makes it the "most secure Ultrabook" on the market. The 7000 series is preloaded with Dell Data Protection (DDP) software aimed specifically at countering malware. The Ultrabook is also certified to the highest level of disk encryption Level 3 on the FIPS 140 -2 standard. This protects the device from physical tampering. Finally, Dell also provides options when it comes to authentication - giving users the choice to use smartcard and fingerprint readers.

Battery life, price and release date

Dell is quoting a battery life of 8.6 hours based on normal usage and if the 7000 series can get anywhere near this figure it will satisfy the needs of the majority of users. It's always possible to opt for a larger 4-cell battery pack, should you want more juice on the move.

The 7000 Series starts at 789 for a non-touch model. The touch functionality pushes the price up to 869. Overall price will vary depending on the configuration of the other parts.

Dell will make the touch version of the 7000 series available on the 12 September.

Lenovo has partnered with start-up SweetLabs to reinstate the much-missed Start Menu in Windows 8 and restore its full functionality.

Microsoft's decision to ditch the Start Menu has been a recurring complaint of Windows 8 users, and is something the software giant looks set to rectify on October 17 when the Windows 8.1 update drops.

However, the Windows 8.1 Start Menu will not feature the same functionality Windows fans have come to expect from earlier iterations of the OS.

As demonstrated in this video from IT Pro technical editor Khidr Suleman, pressing the Start button will no longer pull up a programme list or search box as it previously did.

Instead, a left click of the mouse on the Start button will allow users to switch between the operating system's Live Tile interface and desktop mode. Meanwhile, a right click will bring up shortcuts to the system control panel.

Rather than settle for this, Lenovo appears to have taken matters into its own hands by rolling out PCs pre-installed with SweetLabs' Pokki software, which restores the full Start Menu functionality to all new Windows 8 machines.

According to a report on Bloomberg, Lenovo machines featuring the software will go on sale over the next several weeks, with English-speaking countries set to be the first to benefit.

Chester Ng, co-founder and chief marketing officer at SweetLabs, said in the report that all of the computers Lenovo sells will eventually ship with its software pre-installed.

He also told the publication that SweetLabs is in talks with other PC manufacturers that are interested in bundling its software with their Windows 8 machines.

The Pokki software is also available for users to download from its website, with the company claiming that three million Windows 8 users have already done so.

Once installed, it also offers users access to the SweetLab app store, which features a range of consumer content, including Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, YouTube and Spotify.

The German government has claimed Windows 8 could, when combined with a particular piece of hardware, provide spy agencies with a way into users' machines.

The allegations have been made on German website Zeit Online, which claims to have received a copy of internal documents from the German Ministry of Economic Affairs that voice concern over version 2.0 of the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) that is being developed by the Trusted Computing Group (TCG).

TPM is a specification for a secure cryptoprocessor that can store cryptographic keys and is also used to refer to the chips the specification applies to.

According to Zeit Online, version two of the processor is being built into a growing number of Windows 8 PCs and tablets, meaning it may soon be unavoidable for users not to get a PC with both elements present.

TPM was first introduced in 2006 and is primarily intended to protect against external threats such as hacking, and also provides full disk encryption, as well as password protection.

However, for some time there have been concerns about its privacy protection procedures, particularly from the University of Cambridge.

It is also alleged TPM can be used as a method of digital rights management (DRM) and software license protection and enforcement.

The concerns raised in Zeit Online around TPM 2.0 flag the fact the Trusted Computing functions it delivers are no longer an opt-in, meaning it is no longer possible to disable the TPM, should users wish.

It is also feared the TMP can be used to give the owner of the operating system, in this case Microsoft, control over the machine.

It would appear that the German government's concerns arise not only from the fact this back door exists, but that all choices regarding the way the TMP operates have been taken away from the user.

The documents from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, which date back to 2012, also reportedly suggest the German government attempted to influence the future standards of TPM, but were "simply rebuffed".

However, the NSA was allegedly more successful. Zeit reports that at the last meeting of the TCG and other stakeholders before the document was written, the participants "should be as the NSA agrees'".

Zeit quotes a cryptography expert who has "dealt with trusted computing for many years", who said that, given these revelations, the new TPM standard made computer systems operating under TCG specifications vulnerable on at least three levels.

He also said that given the information brought to light in the Snowden papers "one must assume the NSA could easily compromise the computer ... as could the Chinese if the TPM chips were made in China".

A Microsoft spokesperson told IT Pro: "Since the adoption of the Trustworthy Computing Initiative over 10 years ago, Microsoft has focused relentlessly on the security and privacy of IT users. In (sic) is also important to remember that one cannot have privacy without good security.

"In support of these efforts, Windows has made a fundamental bet on trustworthy hardware and TPM 2.0 is a key component. Based in no small part on lessons learned in the TPM 1.2 timeframe, TPM 2.0 is designed to be on by default with no user interaction required. Since most users accept defaults, requiring the user to enable the TPM will lead to IT users being less secure by default and increase the risk that their privacy will be violated. We believe that government policies promoting this result are ill-advised."

The software giant added that it was also important to note that concerns users have about TPM 2.0 can be addressed. "The first concern, generally expressed as lack of user control,' is not correct as OEMs have the ability to turn off the TPM in x86 machines; thus, purchasers can purchase machines with TPMs disabled (of course, they will also be unable to utilize the security features enabled by the technology). The second concern, generally expressed as lack of user control over choice of operating system, is also incorrect.

"In fact, Windows has been designed so that users can clear/reset the TPM for ownership by another OS of they wish. Many TPM functions can also be used by multiple OSes (including Linux) concurrently," the spokesperson added.

IT Pro was also pointed in the direction of a blog post by Brad Smith, general counsel and executive vice president of the corporate and legal affairs division of Microsoft, by the spokesperson.

The post states: "Microsoft does not provide any government with direct and unfettered access to our customer's data. Microsoft only pulls and then provides the specific data mandated by the relevant legal demand."

IT Pro approached the German Federal Government for comment but had received no response at the time of publication.

Microsoft continues to urge Windows XP users to upgrade to either Windows 7 or Windows 8 before support for the older operating system ends in 2014.

When support for Windows XP ends in April 2014, systems running the OS will effectively have a 'zero date' vulnerability forever, warned Tim Rains, a director of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing group.

"When Microsoft releases a security update, security researchers and criminals will often times reverse engineer the security update in short order in an effort to identify the specific section of code that contains the vulnerability addressed by the update," Rains noted in a blog post entitledThe risk of running Windows XP after support ends April 2014'.

"But after April 8, 2014, organizations that continue to run Windows XP won't have this advantage over attackers any longer."

Rains claimed hackers will reverse engineer updates in the first security package released after XP is no longer supported as soon as it is issued and attempt to apply them to the older operating system.

"Since a security update will never become available for Windows XP to address these vulnerabilities, Windows XP will essentially have a 'zero day' vulnerability forever," he said.

"As for the security mitigations that Windows XP Service Pack 3 has, they were state of the art when they were developed many years ago. But ... the security mitigations built into Windows XP are no longer sufficient to blunt many of the modern day attacks we currently see," Rains added.

Microsoft began a countdown for the end of Windows XP support in July 2011. With one year to go before the end of support, on 8 April 2013, the company also warned 600 million PC users would be at serious risk if they did not upgrade to a more recent operating system.

However analyst house Ovum said in users should not feel pressured to upgrade to Windows 7 or 8.

"If we assume that Windows XP systems have the latest patches, fixes and up-to-date security software installed ... there is no reason to believe that life after [April 2014] will be any different than before," Richard Edwards, principal analyst at Ovum said.

Nevertheless, Rains concluded his blog post by warning "organisations need a level of certainty about the integrity of their systems. Minimising the number of systems running unsupported operating systems is helpful in achieving that".

The battle between Windows and OS X is one of the fiercest in technology, with advocates from both sides insisting their OS is superior.

Both have their advantages, and we aim to help you find out which is best suited to your needs. We've used Windows 8 and Mac OS X Mountain Lion as the basis for our comparison. With upgrades including Windows 8.1 and OS X Mavericks due to land later this year, we've also included features you can expect in the forthcoming releases.

User Interface

Most PC users have grown up with the classic Windows desktop UI, including the Start menu, taskbar and windows. That's all changed with Windows 8: the desktop is hidden behind the touch-focussed Start screen, and the Start button was scrapped in the initial release.

Windows 8 is one of the biggest changes in the history of the OS, and a clear indication of Microsoft's intentions to try and modernise the UI. The focus is on the large finger-friendly Live Tiles and finger-friendly menus.

The desktop remains largely unchanged, to the relief of power users. Microsoft's changes mean the new OS works well with touchscreen devices but, for business users without touch functionality, it's awkward: the Start screen is tricky to use with a mouse and keyboard, the Start screen's full-screen apps aren't conducive to multi-monitor working, and we're no fans of switching between the Start screen and the desktop.

Thankfully, Microsoft has listened to some of the scathing feedback and changes will be released in the autumn via a Windows 8.1 update.

The free update will allow Windows 8 to boot directly to the desktop, which bypasses the Start screen entirely. A Start button has been added, although it's still impotent compared to the original. A left-click allows users to jumps back between the Start screen and desktop. A more useful right-click brings up a set of shortcuts to access features such as the Control Panel or Task Manager. However, the list of programs appears gone for good.

The Start screen itself hasn't been left alone, with more versatile split-screen options to aid multitasking, more Live Tile sizes and better search.

The end result should be an OS that's a more comfortable mix between traditional Windows and the touch-focussed future, even if it's more of a compromise than Microsoft would like. That means Windows 8.1 will be much easier to use for office workers who use keyboard and mouse, prefer multiple monitors and like to work with several applications at once.

Apple doesn't make sweeping changes to OS X, instead introducing incremental upgrades every year. The latest version retains the familiar taskbar full of icons at the bottom of the screen, and the OS remains based on a traditional desktop full of windows. The Finder app is used to navigate documents, applications and the file system, and a bar at the top of the screen houses notifications, networking information and menus unique to each application. Ironically, some Windows users may feel more at home with OS X than Windows 8, at least initially.

The current version, Mountain Lion, introduced the Notification Center, Messages app and automatic application updates. MobileMe was replaced by iCloud, which handles storage and synchronisation of email, contacts, photos across OS X and the iOS platforms.

Mavericks is the next version of OS X and it will be the first to be named after Californian places rather than big cats. Multiple display will support be upgraded, the Mission Control app supports multiple workspaces, and Finder now works with tabs. Mavericks will also add iBooks and iMaps apps to the desktop, and brings several other tweaks including interactive notifications and an encrypted iCloud Keychain. The latter aims to encrypt passwords, save them and then automatically populate them.

It's no coincidence that many of OS X's latest features have been borrowed from iOS, but OS X's UI is firmly rooted to keyboards and mice. Concessions to touch have been made, but they've sensibly been left on trackpads: slick gestures can be used to scroll, zoom and open the Mission Control app.

If Microsoft wasn't introducing the upgrades with Windows 8.1 then Apple would be taking home the prize in this category. But Microsoft's changes including boot-to-desktop, more Start screen versatility and the return of a Start button give Redmond the edge. Just.

WINNER: Microsoft

Software

Windows and OS X come bundled with a range of basic software to handle email, media and tasks such as word processing.

Both systems have email clients that support Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, Yahoo, Gmail and Hotmail, but Apple's software edges ahead due to its versatility. It's got better tools for organising email into different folders and categories and, unlike Windows 8's Mail app, Apple's software supports POP3 mailboxes. Windows 8.1 will improve the native Mail app, but we're not sure that it'll be enough to overhaul the native OS X client.

Several Apple applications are wrapped in to its iLife package. The iMovie utility is more versatile than Microsoft's pre-packaged Movie Maker, and Windows 8 offers no serious rival to the GarageBand audio recording app. Windows 8's photo app can't compete with iPhoto either. Apple's software includes better editing options, but we do expect the gap close in Windows 8.1 thanks to an editing app with Android-style radial controls.

OS X also includes the program everyone loves to hate - iTunes. This hosts the biggest media store on the planet while Microsoft's selection of media is still up and coming. Microsoft has done itself no favours by removing DVD codecs from Windows 8. If you want to watch DVDs you'll have to download a third-party app or spend 7 on Windows Media Center. While Apple is removing optical drives from many of its computers they can currently still play DVDs if you hook up a drive.

Windows 8 and OS X have equally competent contact-management tools. Microsoft's acquisition and integration of Skype allows it to counter Apple's Messages tool. Neither operating systems have a true advantage when it comes to office tasks: both have basic word processing software installed, so you'll have to pay for the good stuff.

Both systems also place plenty of stock in cloud integration. A Microsoft account syncs contacts and docs across devices to SkyDrive and 7GB of free storage is available as standard. It's also available as an app for Windows Phone 8, Android and iOS. Apple's iCloud only works with fruit-themed devices, but it handles contacts, calendars, mail, photos, music, bookmarks, apps and documents. The Mavericks update will include password storage and encryption.

Web browsing is handled by Internet Explorer 10 and Safari, respectively. The former's Modern UI version is clunky to use and the desktop version has a built-in Adobe Flash player, while the latter provides synchronised browsing across OS X and iOS devices and improved privacy features. Windows 8.1 is expected to introduce Internet Explorer 11 but, aside from development changes, nothing's known about the new browser. The next version of Safari promises performance together with improved integration with social networks.

To install Windows 8's Modern UI apps you'll have to head to the Windows Store. At the moment it's not a pretty sight due to a dearth of high-quality software, and it pales in comparison to Apple's Mac App Store, which has better content and is also used by Apple to distribute updates. Windows 8.1 will see a redesigned Windows Store launched, but that won't immediately fix the lack of quality.

Both operating systems have the tools to get going on day one, but it's Apple that takes the victory in this category. Its Mail app and much of its media software is better than Windows 8's equivalents at least at the moment and it's got a better app store.

WINNER: Apple

Different editions

There's no doubt OS X is easier to understand when it comes to the different versions because there aren't any. Mountain Lion is version 10.8, and it costs 14 to upgrade as long as your device runs OS X 10.6 or later.

It's a different story when it comes to Windows 8. Microsoft sells four versions: a standard edition, Pro and Enterprise releases, and an ARM-based RT variant. None are cheap: the standard version costs 70, Pro software is 108 for an OEM version, and the Enterprise edition is only available by talking to Microsoft directly. Volume licensing options are available, but at least you don't have to buy an expensive Apple machine in order to run the software.

The basic version of Windows 8 is designed for home users, the Pro variant adds Remote Desktop, Windows Server options, encryption tools and BitLocker, and the Enterprise edition installs Windows To Go, virtualisation utilities and several tools designed for bigger businesses.

Windows 8 RT is a cut-down version of the OS designed for devices powered by ARM processors. It only comes pre-installed on tablets and hybrid machines, and includes touch-optimised versions of Office 2013's Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote applications. The downside is that RT only runs apps installed from the Windows Store, so desktop apps won't work.

Apple takes the crown on simplicity, upgrade price is cheaper than Microsoft's current offerings. There's no chance of getting confused by different OS X versions that pack in different features and work on different hardware.

WINNER: Apple

Business features

Microsoft has its roots in business, so it's no surprise that the Pro and Enterprise versions are packed with features design to thrive in the office.

Pro users get Remote Desktop for both client and host, BitLocker and EFS, partial app sideloading, VHD booting, domain and group policy tools and Hyper-V. Enterprise users get a little more: AppLocker, Windows To Go, BranchCache and virtualisation tools are all included.

The standard version of Microsoft's OS has multi-monitor support, an improved Task Manager and Exchange ActiveSync support not strictly business features but ones that help end users.

It's a good start, and Windows 8.1 will add even more. There's support for wireless secondary displays, auto-triggered VPNs, NFC pairing with printers and the ability for devices with mobile broadband to function as wireless hotspots. IT departments will also be able to standardise Start screen apps across swathes of corporate computers.

Apple used to differentiate its consumer and enterprise software with separate OS X Server releases but this stopped with the release of Mountain Lion. Instead, the tools and administration utilities included in the OS are now rolled in to a 20 management app called Server. It's the same situation for Mavericks, which will feature improved networking options and performance tweaks.

Apple's lack of different OS X versions means it's not quite as stacked with business features as Windows 8, so it's Microsoft that still takes the crown in business.

WINNER: Microsoft

Performance

Apple designs and makes all its own hardware and is more ruthless when it comes to cutting off hardware support compared to Microsoft. Only devices that run OS X 10.6 or above can upgrade to Mountain Lion, which means nothing released before 2007 can officially use the latest OS. The forthcoming Mavericks release will be compatible with the same hardware.

This approach theoretically guarantees a base-level of performance when running OS X, and we've never experienced sluggishness when using Apple gear. The latest MacBooks and iMacs have all been beefy enough to handle intensive applications, and OS X has been consistently smooth.

Battery life depends on hardware, but MacBook owners should take longevity into account if they're planning on dual-booting a machine with OS X and Windows using Boot Camp. While battery life is about what we'd expect in OS X, it drops dramatically in Windows: our last MacBook Pro review saw an OS X battery life of 10hrs 34mins drop to 4hrs 32mins when running Windows on it.

Mavericks won't be released until the Autumn, but we've no doubt it'll run as smoothly as Mountain Lion. Features already announced include the ability to "sleep" apps that aren't being used and compress RAM data from inactive apps to free up memory for use elsewhere.

Microsoft has worked hard to make Windows 8 run at acceptable levels on a huge variety of devices, and the versatility of the new OS is commendable. However, the sheer number of products with varying specs using Windows 8 means that it's not always a smooth experience. The Start screen judders when it's using weak processors, and low memory makes search and navigation feel slow.

It's a close-run thing between operating systems that are designed with different performance goals in mind: Windows 8 is built to work on everything from low-powered ARM and Intel's Atom chips to the beefed up Core i7s and for the most part it works well, despite occasional performance hiccups. OS X is only allowed near the fastest Core i5 and Core i7 parts and is often given a helping hand by high-end graphics cards and SSDs.

Apple's software is slick and responsive, but Microsoft should be equally applauded for building a system able to run across such a wide variety of devices. It's a draw.

WINNER: Draw

Security features

Security is a sore point for Windows fans and a weakness which Apple devotees use to claim OS X is superior. Apple's OS is rarely subjected to attacks because of its UNIX underpinnings and smaller user base.

However, the growing popularity of Apple hardware means hackers are trying harder than ever to find vulnerabilities in OS X. Cupertino has responded with Gatekeeper, which is a system that checks the unique codes in each application you install to your Mac in order to prevent malicious software from sneaking in.

Elsewhere, Apple uses its App Sandbox to filter out malicious code, runtime protection, encryption options, parental controls and privacy and phishing tools in Safari. There's also iCloud, which can be used to track down stolen or lost hardware.

Microsoft is trying to beef up security too. It's built in Defender app works in the background to protect against spyware and malware, but its free Security Essentials antivirus tool returned "dire" results when tested by our sister title PC Pro it's simply not good enough to protect your PC.

Options included in the standard version of Windows 8 are understandably designed for consumers. Secure boot prevents malicious software from accessing the PC before Windows even loads, picture passwords can be used with gestures to log in, and PIN numbers can also be used. There are parental controls, too.

Other security features are only available to those who use Pro and Enterprise versions of Windows 8. Encryption, Group Policy and domain options are only supported by Windows 8 Pro, and AppLocker, Network File System tools and Group Policy options are only available to Enterprise-level users.

OS X is the more secure of the two operating systems, but Apple hasn't rested on its laurels and has introduced several security tools and features. Microsoft has plenty of its own tools as well as several business utilities, but the awful performance of its Security Essentials package means that this round goes to the Mac.

WINNER: Apple

The Future

Equipping an office with computers means it's worth considering the future for your OS of choice. If you've bought Windows 8 then you're in luck: Microsoft won't be ending mainstream support until January 2018, and extended support won't run out until all the way in 2023 so you can safely use Windows 8 even though it will have been superseded by newer versions of the OS.

Apple will likely support Mountain Lion and Mavericks for many years to come, but Cupertino's locked-down approach means that you'll only be able to upgrade to later versions of OS X if your hardware's good enough. So when your colleagues are running a fully supported version of Windows 8 at the start of 2018 it's extremely unlikely that you'll be able to upgrade to the latest version of OS X.

Apple's software will continue to run smoothly on high-end hardware, but it also means that OS X-based machines will lag behind in just a few years. Microsoft's approach wins for business thanks to machines that can be maintained and supported for over a decade.

WINNER: Microsoft

Verdict

So it's 4 - 4 in the categories, but which OS do we pick as the overall winner?

Apple OS X has better apps, tighter security and works well on high-end hardware, so it's ideal for smaller businesses, sole traders, creative types and those don't need the corporate features served up by Microsoft. Windows still has the better UI, more versatility, enhanced business features, and longevity making it better for bigger medium and larger businesses.

We're quite capable of installing our own security software so we don't have to suffer with Microsoft Security Essentials and, when it comes to productivity, a copy of Office running on Windows is superior to the Mac alternative.

Windows pulls ahead in other important areas, too. Its business features lead the way, and Windows 8.1 irons out several of the issues we initially had with the UI while making the controversial Start screen more versatile and less intrusive.

OVERALL WINNER: Microsoft

With Apple tablets flying off the shelves at breakneck speeds and PC shipments continuing to fall off a cliff, OEMs are trying desperately to come up with unique form factors to attract users.

Lenovo is one of a long line of vendors hoping to generate cash fromWindows 8 hybrid tablets in the form of the ThinkPad Helix - a convertible Ultrabook. But hybridtablets are a questionable breed and in our experience provide a subpar experience overall. Can the ThinkPad Helix change that?Dock and flip

You cannot complain about the build quality and looks of the ThinkPad Helix. After Apple's gorgeous MacBook range, the Lenovo is the next best thing.

As it is more of a tablet than an Ultrabook, virtually all of the guts of the machine sit behind the display. This gives the feeling the machine is top heavy. However,the whole thing weighs in at 1.70kg with the tablet accounting for 0.835kg, so the tablet is just under half the weight of the whole machine.

The dock fastens to the display via six different connections and snaps shut reassuringly. You can pick it up by the display when docked and it won't fall apart. But we're not entirely convinced by one part of the design. At the back of the hinge is a flap that covers the fan. This flap, according to manufacturer, redirects air from the fans to keep the machine cool.

We don't really see why it's needed though and it doesn't do anything - much like everyone's appendix. We also have the feeling that after prolonged usage it will snap off at some point in its lifetime.

The design allows for the display to face the keyboard or to face away, presumably for that presentation or a bit of movie watching in the hotel room, post conference. When in the latter mode, the flap can cover the start button at certain angles.

When the tablet is not docked, the hinge is rather hard to move. It's easier to move when docked, but there have been a few times when testing that you want to close the hinge flat but have to put in quite a bit of effort to do so when the tablet is undocked.

Keyboard and Trackpad

Lenovo has a history of providing excellent keyboards and trackpads and we're pleased to report the Helix continues this high standard. The Chiclet-style keyboard is easy to type on with and most buttons replicating a laptop experience. In order to squeeze a decent size keyboard into a small 11in machine trade-offs have to be made. In this case, it comes in the form of smaller function keys, but this is something we can live with.

The trackpad feels responsive and is larger than most laptop trackpads. This is because Lenovo has ditched mouse buttons in favour of extra real estate for the pad. The buttons are hidden underneath the trackpad and pressing down on one of the bottom corners reveals its use.

Sight and Sound

The display is one of the best we have seen on a Windows 8 machine. The 11.6in IPS panel sports a full HD 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. There is also a digitizer for pressure-sensitive pen input. The viewing angles are exceptional with only a minor amount of glare in strong sunlight conditions. Contrast and colour range remained decent at all angles.

The device has a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel camera above the display. In good lighting conditions the front camera takes detailed shots with a good colour rendering. But we did notice graining in images that got notably worse in dark conditions.

The rear camera produced better shots, but with brightness in some areas saturating parts of the picture. Video was OK but lagged a bit with some image stutter.

The Helix has relatively few ports on the tablet chassis. One USB 2 and one slot for a SIM card. There is also a mini-display port as well as a couple of USB 3 ports on the docking station. Strangely lacking was an Ethernet port and an SD card slot, but Lenovo aims to mitigate the former by providing a USB-to-Ethernet adaptor.

Performance and battery life

Various specifications of the Helix can be ordered depending on how powerful you want the machine to be (see specifications). Our Lenovo Helix came with a mid-range 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-3427U processor backed up by 4GB of RAM and a 180GB SSD. This allows it to cope admirably with business applications without any noticeable slowness. The Helix will happily run multiple browser tabs and video playback without any problems.

It also boots up to a usable state in under 10 seconds and in day-to-day use, when the lid of the device is flipped up, it comes back to life instantly.

The Helix sports batteries in both the tablet and in the dock to help give it longer life than a standard Ultrabook. In our battery test running an HD video continuously we got 5 hours 21 minutes of life with just the tablet, and a total of 7 hours and 44 minutes when we had the dock connected.

Overall

This is a good stab at a convertible Ultrabook and the best we've seen on the market. It's not to say that it doesn't have problems. The flap on the back detracts from its looks and for 1,300, it is all too tempting to go out and buy a MacBook Air with is cheaper and sports a Haswell Intel processor too.

Verdict

One of the best Windows 8 hybrids on the market, but it comes at a high price. The ThinkPad Helix performs provides good performance with the x86 architecture without sacrificing battery life. Coupled with the excellent keyboard from the trusted ThinkPad range, it's a well crafted all-round machine.

Display: 11.6in Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS (400 NITS) Processor: Intel Core i5 5-3427U (2.8GHz) or Intel Core i7-3667U (3.2GHz) Memory: Up to 8GB DD3 Operating System: Windows 8 (64-bit) or Windows 8 Pro (64-bit) Storage: 128GB/180GB/256GB SSD Wireless: WANN Ericsson C5621 TFF (with GPS), Wi-Fi (Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235) Ports: 1x USB 2, 2 x USB 3, 2x Mini DP, Sim, audio jack Camera: 720p HD face-tracking technology, low light sensitive Dimensions: 297 x 185 x 12.7mm Weight: 816g (Tablet only) 1.72kg (Clamshell) Battery: 4-cell battery in keyboard dock and 3-cell battery in tablet.

HP's ElitePad 900 aims to catch the eyes of CIOs and IT managers looking to deploy a tablet that can be managed as easily as a PC. The Windows 8 device also sets out to offer end-users a robust chassis sits in-between the ruggedised Panasonic ToughPad and the delicate iPad.

Not so pleased would be the road warriors who have to use it though. Its performance doesn't quite match that of an iPad or one of the multiple high-end Android devices available.

Starting at 547, the ElitePad 900 sports an Intel Atom processor at its heart. While this means you get the full-strength Windows operating system running atop of it (rather than the lack-lustre Windows RT an OS only Microsoft could love), the Atom chip means that performance is that of a netbook sans keyboard.

The 1.8GHz Intel Atom Z2760 processor is supported by 2GB of RAM and up to 64GB of storage in the form of an SSD. Our test model had 64GB, which it needs as the OS appears to take up a lot of space. HP has also included features such as BIOS Protection and LANDesk to make it attractive for enterprise deployment.

Design and Ports

Externally, the styling is iPad-like with brushed aluminium and a black bezel around the screen but with added black plastic to ensure enough clear water between the two design-wise. There are volume buttons and a rotational lock and display lock. At 261 x 178 x 9.2mm the tablet is not as wide as the full-sized iPad but a tad longer. There is no questioning that the tablet feels sturdy enough for most business uses.

On its own, the ElitePad 900 has little in the way of I/O ports. There is simply a docking connector, reminiscent of the old-style iPad and iPod connectors, and a headphone jack. Hidden away under a tiny pin-open panel are also a micro SD card slot and SIM card slot for mobile broadband. The SD card slot will be needed to ensure for future storage needs given have much space is taken up with the OS.

The ElitePad is usable with one hand but you'll feel the weight of the 680g chassis after long periods, more so when teamed with the expansion jacket and its extra battery. The build quality is stand-out. The brushed aluminium and Gorilla Glass looks the part business-wise. The display delivers a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, lower than a lot of other Windows tablets and far below the 2048 x 1536 of the latest Apple iPad Retina display. The resolution is below the minimum required for Windows 8's Snap feature, so running two Metro apps at the same time appears to be out of the question.

Optional expansion comes in the form of a set of "jackets". There is an Expansion Jacket that comes with HDMI and USB ports, plus room for an extra battery, and a docking station, sporting multiple video and data ports. In time this will be added to with what HP calls a "Productivity Jacket" which is a keyboard case with adjustable screen angles.

Performance

The ElitePad 900 is powered by Intel Atom range - so performance is modest.

In tablet mode, the ElitePad was responsive. Using the device in desktop mode shows up the limitations. Whilst the device doesn't appear slow, it's not build to handle strenuous applications, such as a large spreadsheet or PDFs. Another imitation is that this system is 32-bit, meaning that memory limits rule out demanding applications. A few too many open windows using Google's Chrome browser seemed to make using the tablet a drag.

Productivity decreases markedly without laptop peripherals too and the jackets don't sport a trackpad. To make full use of desktop applications, we had to connect an external mouse to the machine and you'll need a physical keyboard too.

Battery

The Atom chip excels when it comes to battery life. The Atom Z2760 system-on-a-chip (SoC) is more efficient than Intel's Core i range and allows for full-fat Windows to run (with all the apps that run on that platform too). In our HD video battery drain test, the ElitePad 900 managed around seven hours and 25 minutes from full charge.

The device does not allow you to swap out battery like the Dell Latitude 10. However, it is possible to add in a second battery using the Expansion Jacket and extend time away from the mains by 80 per cent.

Overall

There is a lot to commend the ElitePad for. It is certainly built with business in mind with its semi-rugged construction, its Client Security Suite (HP Bios Protection, Security Manager and HP Drive Encryption), Computrace and HP Support Assistant. But it is underpowered for the price and its design necessitates that you have to buy most of the accessories in order to get the most out of the machine. The performance means that while light productivity apps should work fine, more demanding workloads can be ruled out.

For the price, other tablets may offer much more value for money and productivity. If your IT department insists on having a Windows-based tablet, the Dell Latitude looks a better bet.

Verdict

For the price, other tablets may offer more value and productivity. If your IT department insists on having a Windows 8 tablet, the Dell Latitude looks a better bet.

Display: 10.1in, 1280 x 800 Gorilla Glass Processor: Intel Atom Z2760 1.8GHz Memory: 2GB LPDDR2 SDRAM Operating System: Windows 8 Pro (32-bit) Storage: 64GB eMMC SSD (32GB optional) Wireless: 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth, 3G/HSPA+, NFC Ports: microSD, dock, headset jack, USB 2.0 with supplied dongle Camera: 8MP rear, 2MP front-facing Dimensions: 261 x 178 x 9.2mm Weight: 680g Battery: 2-cell 25WHr lithium polymer