Windows 8: History Vault user interface revealed

Windows 8 - History Vault

Microsoft is currently working on a new feature for Windows 8 named History Vault.

The feature will allow Windows 8 users to backup files and data automatically using the Shadow Copies function of Windows. The backup feature will include the ability to restore to a specific time or date on the system. Users will also be able to select files and restore them to different timestamps. WinRumors previously revealed the existence of the feature last month. Fresh screenshots are now emerging thanks to a recent leak of Windows 8 build 7955. The new screenshots show a special interface specifically designed for users to look back at previous files.

Apple’s Mac OS X currently includes a similar feature. Time Machine allows users to turn the clock back in time and retrieve data and files that have been previously edited or deleted. Microsoft’s History Vault is believed to be a rival to Apple’s Time Machine and will include similar functionality. Microsoft has had similar restore capabilities in Windows since Shadow Copies was introduced in Windows Vista. History Vault is set to expand on the underlying services and provide a full GUI for restore and editing purposes.

Windows 8: New Immersive browser Tablet tile UI screenshot emerges

Windows 8 Immersive browser

Microsoft’s Immersive browser user interface has gone on display again this week, following leaks earlier this month.

Rafael Rivera originally unveiled Microsoft’s Immersive browser user interface earlier this month. The UI will be driven by Microsoft’s Metro based design language. Microsoft will include a new application model codenamed “Jupiter” that will allow developers to create Silverlight based applications, deployed as AppX packages (.appx). The packages will be part of a new Windows application store, pre-installed with Windows 8. WinRumors understands the company will be looking to provide an easy way for existing Windows Phone developers to scale their applications for use with Jupiter.

The latest screenshot, leaked on Monday to Neowin.net, shows the tiled user interface in greater detail. The browser utilizes Microsoft’s desktop Internet Explorer 9 rendering engine but looks and performs like the company’s mobile browser. The interface is currently limited to the 640 x 480 resolution and is unable to be resized.

Microsoft is currently working on various Windows 8 features and is expected to deliver an early copy to developers at its Windows Developer Conference (WDC) in September. Here’s a round-up of the latest Windows 8 news:

Microsoft switches to Black Screen Of Death (BSoD) for Windows 8

Microsoft has switched to the color black for it’s system stop error messages in Windows 8.

The software giant’s notorious Blue Screen bug check, or error screen, is now black inside the latest Windows 8 builds. Microsoft has used the Blue Screen of Death since early copies of Windows 1.0. The first Windows error screen composed of code page 437 symbols against a blue background. The first proper Blue Screen was present in Windows 3.x. Microsoft started using a Red Screen of Death inside early Windows Vista builds. The company also used Red Screens inside early beta copies of Windows 98.

The switch to a Black Screen of Death could be a temporary one, similar to the switch in Longhorn build 5112. Microsoft has only ever used a Black Screen of Death in Windows 3.x when DOS-based applications failed to execute correctly. Microsoft typically uses Black screens when its operating systems are attempting to load following the power-on self-test (POST). The switch, noted by MyDigitalLife user canouna, is an interesting one and comes as Microsoft prepares its first beta copy of Windows 8 later this year.

Microsoft is currently working on various Windows 8 features and is expected to deliver an early copy to developers at its Windows Developer Conference (WDC) in September. Here’s a round-up of the latest Windows 8 news: