New features of Windows 8 are unveiled

MICROSOFT has officially unveiled some key new features of its forthcoming operating system.

The next-generation Operating System (OS), which may or may not be called “Windows 8” (its “internal code-name”), delivers a completely re-imagined user interface, with a heavy emphasis on touch-based functionality that takes a hefty helping of inspiration from the Windows Phone UI.

One of the first major design changes from previous Windows versions is the completely overhauled Windows Start menu, which has been replaced with a colourful tiled design that evokes the Exposé screen of Firefox, or other similar quick-screen-navigation features found in most new web browsers.