ARTICLE SUMMARY
Windows 8 is set to launch in October with a redesigned look and feel based around the Metro user interface (UI). Here are five of the most exciting Metro apps with the most impressive capabilities.
Cut the Rope
Microsoft has made Cut the Rope its own in recent months, with a major tie-in between this previously mobile game and its Internet Explorer 9 software.
However, it began life as a title designed for Apple’s iOS devices, which means that its availability on Microsoft’s products is something of a coup.
It will be a key app when Windows 8 arrives, allowing you to enjoy casual desktop gameplay which will have you swiping with your mouse or – if you buy a Surface tablet – your finger in order to feed a hungry green imp at the bottom of the screen.
This app should really show off the power of Metro since it will harness gameplay features involving physics and puzzle solving while also attracting those who are familiar with it from other devices. Perhaps the next thing Microsoft should do is to get Angry Birds on board courtesy of Rovio.
Evernote
Although we are deep in the digital age, most people still need to take notes on a regular basis for work or study or to keep track of their social lives.
The Metro iteration of Evernote, a popular online service, will let you write short memos to yourself, as well as add descriptions and allow you to set up alerts. You could remind yourself to find out how to get a PAYG dongle or note down some creative thought that came to you in an inspired moment.
Because Evernote has cross-platform compatibility, you can set up a note on your PC and then access it via your smartphone or tablet and vice versa. This should prove extremely useful for anyone with Windows 8 and the Metro UI.
AccuWeather
The popularity of weather apps has been driven by the smartphone and tablet market, with many people looking for predictions on their portable devices.
It is unsurprising, therefore, that a similar service will be coming to the Metro UI thanks to the team at AccuWeather.
It looks as if the app will take full advantage of the aesthetic styling of Metro, which means that it will be minimalist without sacrificing information and will operate smoothly and effectively, just like its equivalent on Windows Phone 7.
Getting up-to-date weather forecasts delivered direct to your desktop will be a practical benefit as well.
Ashampoo ImageFX
This Metro app merits a special mention because it is being specifically designed in order to operate in tandem with Windows 8 and is not an adaption of an existing service that has already been on the market in some shape or form.
It is essentially an image-editing tool which comes with a variety of integrated features, following in the footsteps of mobile apps which have popularised things such as adding filters and effects to photographs after you have taken them.
While it may not become the next Instagram, which could also get its own Metro app, this program will definitely find an audience in the early days of Windows 8.
Skethbook Express
This is another creatively oriented Windows 8 Metro UI app which began life on an iOS device. It is basically a program which lets you draw and sketch in real time using your mouse or a stylus and some kind of tablet device.
This might be even better once Microsoft’s first batch of Surface tablets have launched, since this will allow for a more precise user experience.
As the Windows 8 launch date draws closer, there are sure to be many more Metro apps which emerge as developers explore the new software and come up with new and exciting ideas. The possibilities are almost endless once Microsoft starts shipping its latest operating system.
AUTHOR BIO
Shannen Doherty is a writer who regularly contributes to blogs and websites about technology, particularly tablets and home-computing hardware. Her recommendations are useful if you want to find out how to get a PAYG dongle or work out which smartphone is the best choice for your next upgrade.
