Win an A.C.Ryan Playon!HD2 movie player: tell us what feature you want to see in Windows 8

by William Maher | Friday 17 June 2011

Better graphics? Faster performance? Something else? Tell us how you think Microsoft could blow minds with Windows 8.

[Update: This competition has now ended. See who won here.]

Chances are, you've been using Windows for years. If you're one of these people, even an ex-Windows user who's switched to Mac, you've probably got some opinions about the world's most famous operating system.

Now with a new video below showing our first official glimpse at Windows 8, we want to know how you think Microsoft could blow minds with the new OS.

This Windows 8 preview video shows that the new OS has big, blocky tiles that are easy to touch and swipe with your finger. While clueing us into the new look, the rest of the OS is still a mystery, apart from some key details (read more here).

An tablet OS to rival the iPad is one thing. But what about the desktop? Is there something it can do that would make millions of gamers happier?

With Google boasting 8 second bootup times for its Chrome OS, maybe Microsoft could take a hammer and chisel to Windows too?

And stepping back even further: what about price? Apple's new Lion OS X update will cost a measly $31.99 when it arrives in July. Would Windows be better as a cheaper "feature pack", rather than the once every few years upgrade we've become accustomed to?

Let us know your thoughts, and you could win one of two prizes, supplied by the good people at A.C.Ryan. The main prize is an A.C.Ryan Playon!HD2, valued at $219, which lets you insert your own hard drive to store your video, and operates as a media NAS with Full HD Gigabit streaming, USB 3.0, and support for lots of codecs.

The secondary prize is an A.C.Ryan Playon!HD mini2 valued at $169. Like its bigger cousin, the Playon!HD mini2 plays a variety of codecs, only this box operates as a 1080p media streamer.

All you have to do to win, is

Step 1 - follow us on Twitter, or Like our Facebook page.

Step 2 - In the comments area below this story, add your answer to the following question:

"What feature/s would make you excited about Windows 8, and why?"

Read the competition terms and conditions here.

See more about: competition

Readers of this article also read...

New list of soon-to-be NBN-enabled suburbs released

jamesxv 17 June 2011	i would love to see a better interface i guess like multiple desktops and u can scroll thorugh them like on an iphone panels. Comment made about the PC & Tech Authority article: Win an A.C.Ryan Playon!HD2 movie player: tell us what feature you want to see in Windows 8? Better graphics? Faster performance? Something else? Tell us how you think Microsoft could blow minds with Windows 8. What do you think? Join the discussion.
Literate_Truckie 18 June 2011	I would like to see better management of default programs I am sick of new programs changing default opening programs. I use Windows photo viewer to preview my Raw picture files but I need to open them in Adobe photoshop and it is a mess when some new program takes over everything when I don't want it to.
Sexcite 18 June 2011	Just licence OSX Lion and you'll have all the features you require! Joking ( sort of)
unknown2 18 June 2011	I'd like a system that doesn't require a complete reinstall to improve performance. Improvement on managing components/programs/services so that as the age of the install increases Windows will be able to clean and optimise itself to maintain or even improve performance.
amcmo 19 June 2011	We've all been wanting that since Windows 3.1 (The first useable Windows)!
justphil 20 June 2011	I would like to see better use of explorer. There are plenty of alternatives on the market and I use Directory Opus myself so why can't Microsoft have a look at these and improve on their own product.
jaker1993 20 June 2011	It would be nice to see quicker boot times to rival Mac and Google computers, as well as more control over the operating system for advanced users. More customisation of the OS to suit the user would be appreciated, but overall, a drop in cost for a new copy would be ideal to compete with Mac's cheap upgrade options.
.:Cyb3rGlitch:. 20 June 2011	An option to silence fanboys of any of the main three OS camps would be divine!
camstatic 22 June 2011	I'd like to see a return to a single full-featured product with Windows 8, not different versions with different limitations. (RDP host to return to all versions for a start - Seriously MS, it's not that good, considering the alternatives.)
petergoldsmith 27 June 2011	I would love to see the progression that Microsoft has made in terms of security be continued. I would love to see home folder encryption(bitlocker) optional on all versions of the os (not just Ultimate), DEP and ASLR forced on all third party applications, tweaks to Explorer for file copying, but mostly I would like to see a further evolution of a more touch-friendly system that is adaptive and brings the frequently used options / actions to the surface whilst staying uncluttered. Win 7 / Vista built the foundations for a far more secure OS and an incremental modification to the UX design, now I'm eagerly awaiting a complete overhaul of the Desktop!
dng888 5 July 2011	I'd be very excited if they called it anything else - Windows 8 is a yawn! Make it seamless when connecting the devices together - over cloud? So if i did something on the PC/Laptop at home i can continue while sipping my latte in Gloria Jeans! Take that to Uni and put the notes in as collaboration with my workmates over the cloud so that I can complete the project! What a dream. Then keep this at the lowest cost possible as it's just an upgrade... Free on handsets and say <$50 for other devices. Connect to XBOX and (Smart) TV and voila it's a multi functional OS. Now all it needs is connectivity home appliances so it'll cook for you and do the laundry!
Nato 12 July 2011	I would love to see directx updates added to the windows update system and a system that works out what you need first go and not updates ontop of updates would be fantastic. I would also like the option to choose the type of desktop i use, eg, tiled or like win7 is at the moment.
blockcentre 13 July 2011	Ok, here's my list of what I'd like to see... 1. One version. Forget Home, Pro, Ultimate, or any other suffix and just give us a single version that has installation options. 2. Make it modular. Make the installation process either simple (select from Home, Ultimate, Enterprise, setup) or allow me to choose which features I want installed. Do I need media centre? Internet Explorer? DVD Maker? Fax and Scan? Etc. Let me choose these if I want them and allow me to add them later if I need to. 3. Third party update management. This can't be that hard to put together. Give me a tool (optional that is) which lets me check what updates are available from other developers and hardware vendors so I don't have to hunt them down. Make it easy to keep drivers, codecs and other software up to date. 4. Make it boot faster. It takes too long for my desktop to be ready. My laptop is much older kit than my desktop, yet running Fedora it's ready to go in about 20 seconds. Streamline everything and make it boot faster. Can't be that hard to achieve. 5. Cloud sync. I want a folder, by Microsoft, which gives me access to files no matter where I am or what I'm using. I'm not talking all of my docs, just a location that connects directly to the cloud and can be accessed anywhere. I know there are third party applications that do this, however I want a usable one by Microsoft. 6. Image mounting. It's great that Win 7 will let you burn an ISO by simply double clicking it, but what about an option to mount it so I don't have to use third party software. I'm adding another service to my system and slowing down my boot time to do this when it could just be part of the OS. 7. PDF's. Why do I still need to download 3rd party software to view PDF files? They are pretty common now. In fact just improve file viewing in general. I shouldn't have to hunt down an application to view a file - Microsoft should provide the options to me. Integrate it into Shell. 8. Virtual desktops. Every other platform has had this for years. I've got 3 monitors on my desk. I'm running 3rd party software to give me 2 virtual desktops (when I need it). Win 8 should include this and make it easy to shift between virtual desktops and single desktop. 9. Keep improving security. Forget the 3rd party software vendors. You should know how to protect your system better than any of them. I'm running AVG at the moment because it's light, doesn't choke my system by running 100 services and provides the protection I need. Surely this can't be hard to reproduce and therefore help me save system resources for more important things. 10. Optional UI. Although it's been said that it will include this, just make sure it does. Touch might suit a tablet, however I certainly don't have nor care to purchase a touch capable monitor. I'm quite happy with my 3 Acer 23 inch monitors and like my Razor mouse. I want to keep using them as they are. 11. Better backups. Apple's TimeMachine is kicking your ass. Sure, I've got alternative software that does all TimeMachine does and more, however why isn't there a suitable backup option from Microsoft? Then tie it into the cloud and now we're getting somewhere. 12. Copying files. If you can't give me an accurate length of time for transferring files, then don't do it. Either that for fix it so it's accurate. If you tell me it's going to take 4 minutes, I expect that it will be finished in less than 5 not 7 or 8. 13. Meaningful error messages. I know things go wrong from time to time. I can accept that. But give me a real reason why or point me to somewhere online where I can get a real reason why. Why not tie in error messages to online support forums? I rarely see them in Win 7 but in the few instances that I have, I have "reported this to Microsoft". Why can't that be sent to a support forum so that I can get a real answer for my issue rather than spend the next hour searching online myself? 14. Simplify network sharing. You tried to do this but more can be done. For example... Install new printer. Ask "do you wish to share this on your network?". Answer "yes". Ask "which computers and users do you want to share it with?".... etc. Make it simple for everyone. I think that's it. Sorry for the rant. Although I think Win 7 is the best OS MS has launched and better than the alternatives in so many ways, it can be greatly improved.
micksmum 14 July 2011	External PDF's progs annoy, me so I'm excited about successfully navigating through my squillion pdf's both offline and online with the new embedded PDF reader. Also, Windows 8 with new 'Aero' 'chameleon like' colour schemes 'on the go' have me champing at the bit (or is that byte) :D because even though I'm a little colour blind, the existing style of colour use between backgrounds and windows was a little cumbersome to my eyes. Overall, I'm excited to tryout the latest that Microsoft has to offer. It's the only operating system for me, and the more immersive the experience becomes, the happier I am :):) It looks great!
Yarrago 14 July 2011	Portable profiles: Now days most alot of your profile is stored in the one place, and users can log on and off into different profiles. What would be great if all of the small profile information (not your 200GB photo collection) could be stored on a flash drive, so that when you go to a new computer you plug it in and your profile is the same as you have on your machine at home. This may somewhat be possible now, but it would be great to see it extended, so every user can customise there shell and the program menus just the way they like it and then bam you take it with you where ever you are. This would allow a lot more UI configuration, at the moment users can set up the UI the way they like to some extent, but you still need to remember the default way of doing things if your frequently on other machines. Even better now days this could be also offered over the cloud, but it would be nice to have it on a thumb drive so your not bogged down waiting for your reasonably sized profile from the cloud. Multiple simultaneous sessions: At the moment you can only have one user logged on using the UI at once. But there are so many office PC's out there that are under utilised. Thin client has never really taken off, so this is a sort of hybrid. Most PC's are capable if supporting two or more displays and so if you let multiple users log on with separate totally isolated sessions, using different screens keyboards and mice you could further utilise these wasted resources, 2 - 4 users per PC would be quite reasonable, saving significantly on hardware costs (each new user on the machine would only need a new screen, mouse keyboard and possibly video card). This has the advantage over thin client of still being a full desktop machine with full power there when you needed it, not relying on a central server, but better utilises the hardware that is already there, and with the push to go green it would save a lot of resources world wide. Yarrago
brady206 15 July 2011	I would like to see the "blocky tiles" change in size depending on the frequency of use on screen (because there is so much free space on the screen at a time). It would make the screen a little bit more personal and more convenient for those who only use a few programs when they have several to sort through.