Windows 8 has certainly received mixed reception up until this point, but Microsoft is hoping to change all of that with Windows Blue, aka Windows 8.1. Microsoft hopes to win folks over to Windows Blue, and has officially confirmed that they will be releasing a preview version just in time for its Build conference this June.

So what’s new in Windows Blue? Essentially, Blue is all about making the learning curve of Windows 8 less harsh. That means making customization and other aspects better in the new Start Screen. While not 100%-confirmed, there is also strong reason to believe that Microsoft is actively considering returning the start button in Windows Blue.

Keep in mind that the Start Button’s return doesn’t mean the Windows 7-style start menu will return, it will still use the full-screen Start menu from Windows 8.

After Windows Blue debuts, Microsoft is also looking to get into the small-screen tablet market with 7 and 8-inch devices.

Can Windows Blue help address some of the concerns surrounding Windows 8? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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Microsoft has been on the hot seat ever since Windows Vista slipped out of Redmond. Windows 7 and 8 made up for the losses with slightly different user interfaces and less bugs. Despite the improvements, Microsoft reportedly has much more up their sleeve codenamed Windows Blue.

A listing on Microsoft’s Careers site for a software development engineer confirms that Windows Blue is in the works:

We’re looking for an excellent, experienced SDET to join the Core Experience team in Windows Sustained Engineering (WinSE). The Core Experience features are the centerpiece of the new Windows UI, representing most of what customers touch and see in the OS, including: the start screen; application lifecycle; windowing; and personalization. Windows Blue promises to build and improve upon these aspects of the OS, enhancing ease of use and the overall user experience on devices and PCs worldwide.

Another job posting excerpt can be found on twitter stating that the Excel Office Mobile team is looking for someone to help develop a quality excel app for Windows Phone Blue. The reference to Windows Phone in this job listing further confirms that Microsoft is preparing either a full update to Windows or a small update comparable to the incremental OS X updates (Snow Leopard, Lion, etc.).

For all of you looking to give Microsoft your résumé, the link now leads to a page stating that “This Job is no longer available”. The job was only spotted 3 days ago. Microsoft either filled the spot very fast or decided to take it down in response to all of the coverage it received.

Do you think that it is about time Microsoft put an improvement plan like Windows Blue into place? Are you excited or anxious to see what comes next? Let us know in the comments below.

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When it comes to operating system updates on a desktop device, there are two major strategies: the Apple strategy and the Microsoft strategy.

For Apple, it’s about yearly updates with a few new features and changes, while keeping the prices of these updates rather low in cost.

For Microsoft, major updates to new versions of Windows aren’t that frequent, instead happening every 2-4 years on average.

Not too long ago, rumors arose claiming that “Windows Blue” will change all this, with Microsoft switching to yearly updates. The idea would be to mimic Apple’s scheme of offering cheap (or even free) upgrades, which would make Windows 8/RT better for tablet owners that are used to quicker paced upgrades with many iOS and Android devices.

The problem is that such a drastic change could also be disastrous in the enterprise world. IT rollouts require planning and organization, testing and more. Having to deal with yearly updates could be an added headache in these environments.

Up until now, we didn’t know much about what features would actually arrive with Blue, though. A new leak/rumor claims that the Metro/Start UI will now be more customizable and the interface will have a more flat design.

The leak also claims that Blue is in Alpha testing right now, with the build number associated with Windows Blue currently at “Build 9622”. Unfortunately no screenshots accompanied the claim, as the leaker said that there are under a non-disclosure agreement with Microsoft and didn’t want to produce anything that could be easily linked back to this leaker.

For the moment, take this all with a grain of salt. The idea of Windows Blue is an interesting one, though it’s hard to say whether a move would be embraced by consumers and businesses, or shunned.

What do you think of the idea of more frequent Windows updates on-the-cheap? Good or bad idea?

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