Tech Talk: Windows.8.1 - Windows Store

The Windows Store comes as a first for an operating system in Windows 8 (and Windows Server 2012) first to adopt it. The store introduced metro-style apps as well as desktop apps.

The Windows Store can be launched from the Start Screen, Apps View or, if pinned to the taskbar, desktop. The lives tiles feature allows notification of apps on the Windows Store tile of the Start Screen that are available to download as well as apps that require attention such as if a new update is available to download. A simple tap of click will launch the Windows Store.

Launching the Windows Store, the first thing to pop up is the main page which will contain blocks of apps featured in a particular groups based on general recommendations, featured, top grossing, best rated and recommendations based on the users’ downloads. A bar on top provides navigation around the store with a home button sporting the store’s logo as well as Top Charts, Categories, Collections, Account and a search bar.

In the top charts dropdown, it features top downloads for both games and apps with choices in “top free”, “new and rising”, “top grossing”, “top paid” and “best-rated”.

Under the categories dropdown, it offers refinement in the type of application being sought. The subcategories under this are games, social, entertainment, photo, music and video, sports, news and weather.

The collections tab contains grouped apps that go under a particular theme or particular build such as “Indie Game Spotlight” and “Made by Microsoft”. It currently stands at 40 collections ready to be explored.

The last tab is the Account tab which features “My Account” and “My apps”. The “my account” section allows details of user account login and payment and billing info to be changed. Gift cards or promotional codes can be redeemed here. Managing where the store is on which PC can be managed here which also gives an option to remove any PCs. My apps is the place to go to see all your apps in one go. It gives it an option to sort the apps by date of purchase or by name as well as an option to see if the app is still installed and on what device. One click of the “Clear” button will wipe the slate clean of the selection. The number of apps downloaded is shown as well.

 

The view on the app information page displays who published the app, the category it falls under, the user rating, the price, age rating, permissions, picture, size of app and additional information. It may display if the app is owned or installed in place of where the purchase button is. The store itself features free to apps that have a price tag on them. The installation may prompt a password if it is switched on informing and confirming of the purchase. Once the installation is complete, a notification (with the added chime noise) will pop up informing of the complete install.

The Ratings and Reviews section comes under the app info page, stating the overall rating as well as written reviews by users and the helpfulness of such reviews with a tallied “yes” or “no”. Reviews can be added by users by scrolling on the left-hand-side of the screen until “Rate this App” comes up. A rating out of 5 stars and a review of 1000 characters can be added, which can be later changed and updated at any given moment.

The Charms bar allow changes to preference, access to available app updates and access to "my account".