[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Windows Store versus the world: How do Microsoft's offerings really stack up? here

[BlueBugle]

This was definitely as expected. It's awful to see how many fart apps there are. I suppose Microsoft is not even monitoring the app submissions. Quite horrible indeed.

[hasmis]

Thanks, that was a lot of work.

[audzk]

ok im one of the NAYSAYERS. lets talk about quantity and quality.

games. ( warcraft,angrybirds, and all games with 3 graphics)
video (what the heck, why need those slim down apps , install powerdvd)
music (install winamp idiot)
social (who needs an app, access it through their website , this is a full blown OS)

my point is, even if theres zero app in win8 apps store, win8 OS will blow away IOS or android when it comes to usefulness , either in tablet mode or desktop/laptop mode

[txfeinbergs]

Quote

ok im one of the NAYSAYERS. lets talk about quantity and quality. games. ( warcraft,angrybirds, and all games with 3 graphics) video (what the heck, why need those slim down apps , install powerdvd) music (install winamp idiot) social (who needs an app, access it through their website , this is a full blown OS) my point is, even if theres zero app in win8 apps store, win8 OS will blow away IOS or android when it comes to usefulness , either in tablet mode or desktop/laptop mode

So in other words, I can stick with my browser in Windows 7 and I am not missing anything? Thanks!

[newyorkcitymale]

I'm a big fan of the "Windows 8 vision," but I have to agree with the author that the app store still has a ways to go... if not in reality, then in perception. Meaning, when someone goes to buy a tablet, they want to know that they'll be able to use their tablet for whatever they want... so a lack of apps can matter when someone's making their decision. And since most of the staff at Big Box stores are poorly informed, they're going to sell what's easiest.

Microsoft really needs to put more effort (and money) in getting developers to create key apps... or to create them themselves. I mean, seriously, no Facebook app? They need to get one.

[berock212]

You should compare the Windows store to the Mac or Linux store. I don't think it's fair to compare the desktop app store to mobile app stores. Also you should compare the Windows phone app store to android or ios app store.

[orlbuckeye]

Quote

I'm a big fan of the "Windows 8 vision," but I have to agree with the author that the app store still has a ways to go... if not in reality, then in perception. Meaning, when someone goes to buy a tablet, they want to know that they'll be able to use their tablet for whatever they want... so a lack of apps can matter when someone's making their decision. And since most of the staff at Big Box stores are poorly informed, they're going to sell what's easiest. Microsoft really needs to put more effort (and money) in getting developers to create key apps... or to create them themselves. I mean, seriously, no Facebook app? They need to get one.

I think the Facebook app is very limited for Android. I only use it for checking in on my Android. I prefer login on through a web browser to do anything else besides checking in.

[JimH443]

Considering how new the OS is, this isn't a terrible showing. Is there a free turn-by-turn navigation app? If not, there needs to be one. Even better would be one that can communicate to the same app in Android and iOS that lets two people find each other (when both want to be found, that is).

[jtucker14]

This article is quite wrong, there is YouTube app which is quite excellent, as for facebook there is an official app and MANY great third party apps. Get your facts straight.

[John2jio]

Quote

ok im one of the NAYSAYERS. lets talk about quantity and quality. games. ( warcraft,angrybirds, and all games with 3 graphics) video (what the heck, why need those slim down apps , install powerdvd) music (install winamp idiot) social (who needs an app, access it through their website , this is a full blown OS) my point is, even if theres zero app in win8 apps store, win8 OS will blow away IOS or android when it comes to usefulness , either in tablet mode or desktop/laptop mode

Tell me how turning both my Laptop or Desktop into a Smartphone, which is what Win8 does, Is "Useful" but from your post it is obvious that all you have ever done with a Computer is play. Or you are just another Microsoft Marketing Troll.

[EinoAnttila]

Ín my experience as a bootcamp Windows 8 MacBook and Nexus 7 user I've noticed that Wndows 8 actually offers a much more compelling, immersive and all around fun, focused social app experience. For Twitter, MetroTwit, Gleek and Rowi among others are just awesome apps you won't find on Android or iOS that to me actually made me "get" Twitter. I really don't enjoy using Twitter on the messy renditions on Android. Twitter's official app on Android is the best on out there, but that still makes me wish I was using People, Rowi, Gleek or others that I absolutely love to use on Window 8.

For Facebook, there are so many more variations to add up to the life over on that side and to spice up the old and dusty Facebook-look that makes me feel like using Excel. MINE for Facebook and the People app are my absolute go-to apps for news reading with Facebook.

I never use Facebook on Android if I don't absolutely have to just cause there's no viable alternatives. Absolutely none, nada, zippo.

Also, same with YouTube. There are so many awesome YouTube apps for Windows 8 that offer so much more compelling, and all around more usable experience than for example Android does.

On Android, if you search for YouTube, you get... well, YouTube. Which is a horrible rendition of YouTube itself, if you've "stepped out of the cave" and seen how enjoyable using the dusty, normally all-around-dull-looking can actually be with a more minimal, all around more usable approach.

YouTubeRT and YouTube+ are my absolute go-to apps for YouTube usage nowadays and everytime I use YT on Android, I kinda can't help but to feel underwhelmed.

Basically all the YouTube apps on Windows 8 for some reason show the videos sharper and stream much quicker than YouTube itself or any kind of Android rendition. You can even scroll through the video with live images which is something you can never do on the website nor on other platforms.

Not sure about iOS though, but wouldn't be surprised if the YouTube state of things is just as bad as Android.

Then for the music side, sure there's no official Spotify, Rdio or other apps yet, and this sure is shame. There are though a lot of great apps that at least Android doesn't.

Where's the Android renditions of Windows 8 apps Vinyle, YouTube DJ or MusicTube that I so much love? Again, if these things are on iOS, great stuff. I wouldn't know cause I don't have an iPad (or iPhone). All of these are YouTube based music & video players that offer full collections of artists along with their albums, songs and their matching music videos.

Meaning, I just listened Radiohead's Bends with Vinyle with matching music videos for each song that has them. You can even check out all the live videos on each song which the app keeps the album's tracklist organized. You have the whole catalogue of Beatles and Metallica along with their videos streaming and full album collections in good quality straight from YouTube. I can't do that with any Android app, for free and working fantastic. Or if I can, lemme know, cause I AM definitely interested to.

With games, well RT is nowhere near the vast and expressive collection of iOS or Android. This is what I actually bought the Nexus 7 for. To play games. A lot of games. All my PS1 and SNES games, and of course all those fun touch-oriented games.

But, things aren't all that bad for Windows 8 either. Windows 8 seems to have gotten "the best of" selection of the touch-based games and some others. I've noticed with my Nexus 7 that 3D based games aren't really fun with touch and especially games that try to be like console games aren't really engaging. Games like Chimpact, Shark Dash, 4 Elements and Skulls of Shogun are just the types of games that to me are AWE-SOME on a mobile device and these are getting a good amount of attention with the Windows 8 or RT space.

Of course, for a proper Windows 8 i5 or i7 powered tablet like Acer Iconia W700 or the Surface Pro, the emulator space is just awesome. I can easily make images of my PS1, PS2, Dreamcast, GameCube and Wii games right with the tablet and hook them up with an emulator. Playing Shenmue on long train trip, hell yes. For Android I haven't found anything that needs more power than PS1.

I do wish the Windows Store would fill up with more Windows 8 orientated emulators though, so you didn't have to hook up external touch controllers.

All around and as a wrap-up, using my Nexus 7 compared to my MacBook with Windows 8 makes me wish I had a proper Windows 8 tablet. They're not perfect either, since they're quite heavy.

But neither are the Nexus 7 nor Android perfect, not by a long shot. My experience with the Nexus 7 is a hellishly laggy, constantly stuttering and un-recognizing experience and I find it ridiculous that I have to have a "kill all tasks" app right there on my start screen, cause the OS doesn't know how to kill tasks and apps itself. There's constantly like 30 games and other apps running on the background that I've launched once. Sonic 4 and all the rest, why do you keep taking all my memory?

What I love about the Nexus 7 is that with a 15£ keyboard cover from eBay, I can easily fit it in my trouser pocket and pull it up in seconds.

What I pretty enthusiasticly dislike about the Nexus 7 is that when I pull it up from my pocket, it reminds me of how laggy it is. There's no feedback from the OS apps (home button etc), and they usually take seconds to even recognise a button press. Which leads to an all around chaotic experience with the OS where I usually have no idea whether I really hit the button right, or if it's just lagging like hell, like it usually does.

On Nexus 7 the apps are constantly crashing and freezing. I get that selection of if I want to "wait" or "close" the app, cause it's not doing anything countless times a day.

All this, and the lack of the Windows 8 apps that I love so dearly, leave me with the Nexus 7 and very little will to actually touch it, cause I KNOW it'll be an unpleasant experience of trying to find any kind of apps that I actually like.

Okay, sure there's Flipboard that I love, but gosh that's not enough. To me, Windows Store wins in every aspect other than gaming. And, overall the smoothness and chicness of Windows 8 or Windows Phone 8 OS and apps feel like stepping into heaven after the chaotic, cluttered mess of Android.

[GaryOConnor]

@EinoAnttila
Great review mate.

Your very balance comment made this whole review worth reading.

Maybe you should be working for PCWorld.

[thewebblogger]

There are some apps that cannot be found on other platform but few and far between. For example in the book section which the author did not touch, there is a bunch of classic collections by Review Horizon (just search for the two words in the store) that offer great value in my opinion...

[MacNewton]

Windows RT should be renamed "Windows 8 for Tablets" or something similar. Windows RT is not consumer friendly. Non-tech savvy consumers will be confused by this. I sure I read someplace that the RT stands for Redundant Technology (just kidding)

My question is this, for most companies it's not the number of Games you are offering but what type of good quality business apps you can provide right along side said games.

I understand that Microsoft Office is proved free, but it can't run in "Touch Screen Mode". It will run but only is a compromised format. It's just a Win7 app pushed over to run on ARM.

If MS was need to have this computer taken seriously , why did they send it off to market half baked. Is this why Steve Baller fired Microsoft exec Steven Sinofsky the Windows Division President?

Back to the fart apps, I know why theres such a lot of them made, the programmers just follow Steve Ballmer all day long, with a digital recorder taped to his butt.

I'm sure the full story will be told one day...