Windows 8.1 is available now in Malaysia!

Brings together a unique and personal experience across the broadest range of devices 
Update is a continuation of Microsoft’s commitment to a greater push for rapid and responsive engineering—listening to customer feedback, looking at telemetry and responding to continuously improve the product and customer experience

KUALA LUMPUR. — Oct. 18, 2013 — Microsoft Corp. on Thursday announced the global availability of Windows 8.1, a feature-rich update to its popular Windows 8 operating system, enabling customers to create experiences that keep pace with their lives — at work, at home or on the go. Beginning Oct. 17, consumers with a Windows 8 device in more than 230 markets and 37 languages can download the free update via the online Windows Store. Current Windows 8 users in Malaysia can download the free update beginning today. Windows 8.1 will also be available on new devices and as boxed software starting Oct. 18 at retail locations around the world.

“With Windows 8, we introduced an era of highly mobile, touch-enabled, and always-connected computing,” said Sunny Ooi, Consumer Channels Group Director, Microsoft Malaysia. “Windows 8.1 evolves this vision and brings together everything people do across all their devices whether at home, at work or on the go. Windows is delivering the most personal computing experience out there, making your device a unique extension of you and offering more ways to create an experience that is personal, expressive and keeps pace with your life. It’s our way of helping transform the way you live for the better – enjoying the experiences that are most valuable to you with a single, cohesive platform across multiple devices and screens.”

Windows 8.1 evolves the Windows vision for highly personalized computing while showcasing Microsoft’s continued commitment to rapid and responsive development. It marks a wave of new, innovative devices coming for consumers and businesses — from the convenience and mobility of tablets and 2-in-1s to the productive experience expected from laptops, all-in-ones and specialized industry devices. Many of these new devices are touch-enabled and will deliver advancements in processing power, battery life and design, across a range of price points.

An Operating System That Is Built To Be Uniquely YOU
Windows 8.1 offers a host of increased customization refinements and functional improvements, including the following:

• Highly personal. An improved and more customizable Start screen offers variable tile sizes, more background designs and colors so each Windows device looks unique and personal to the individual. In addition, customers can choose how to start their Windows experience — at the Start screen or directly in the familiar Windows desktop–while all their Windows devices stay in sync with their Microsoft account.

• More familiar and easy to navigate. As an iconic part of the Windows experience, Windows 8.1 brings back the Start button as a familiar point of navigation. An updated apps view lets users see all their apps at once for easy access and new clicks and cues, as well as a Help + Tips app that gets them up to speed quickly.

• Enhanced Search. The new Bing Smart Search provides the easiest way to find what’s needed on the device or on the Web in one beautiful and easy consolidated view that’s built for touch. Simply swipe or type from the Start screen and Smart Search will find it– whether it’s a document on a PC, a photo album on SkyDrive, a favorite app, a song from Xbox Music, or a website.

• Wide range of apps and services from the Start. Windows 8.1 is the most complete out-of-the-box experience. It offers a range of apps and services from the Start screen, allowing customers to quickly and easily do the things they love on Windows, such as catching up with friends and family via Skype, emailing effortlessly in the Mail app, watching movies and TV shows on Xbox Video, finding new recipes with the Bing Food & Drink app, or listening to free streaming music via Xbox Music. Windows 8.1 also comes with the new Internet Explorer 11, which is fast, fluid and perfect for touch. Internet Explorer 11 brings enhanced touch performance, speed boosts, and synchronized browsing history, favorites and settings across all Windows 8.1 devices. Windows 8.1 also provides native support for 3-D printing, meaning it will have plug-and-play support for 3-D printers, enable apps to seamlessly print 3-D jobs and understand 3-D file formats.

• The best for multitasking and productivity. Windows 8.1 includes the display and use of up to four apps side by side, flexible windows sizing for each app on the screen, the ability for one app to launch another app, and improved multi-monitor support so users can view the desktop or apps from the Windows Store on any or all monitors.

• Deep cloud integration with SkyDrive. Windows 8.1 makes it easier than ever to work from anywhere and know that files are always accessible — across devices and locations. With SkyDrive, users can create, edit, save and share files anywhere, anytime, on whatever device they’re using.

• A beautifully redesigned Windows Store. The new design of the Windows Store improves how great apps are showcased and makes it easier for customers to get the apps they want. Fresh layouts and categories, such as New & Rising, make it easier to stay up to date on the hottest new entries to explore. Personalized recommendations use the Bing advanced recommendation and relevance system to help find new favorites. And with Windows 8.1, apps are updated automatically by default, so users always have the newest and best version of any app, such as Fresh Paint, which now includes watercolor, a new graphite pencil set and a new clean, modern user interface for the latest painting or drawing creations. New and updated apps are also continually being delivered to the Store including Evernote, Facebook, , Adobe PhotoShop Express, and eBay.

App and developer momentum continues strongly
The Windows developer community continued to build and add to the quality and breadth of the apps on the Windows Store. In fact, Malaysia’s first Windows 8.1 is the “Kamus Pro 8” app – a joint effort by Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka and local developer, The Name Technology Sdn. Bhd.,  which offers core products such as the Dewan Eja Pro, the leading proofing and reference tool for Malaysian languages.

“Developing Windows 8 applications has been important, given the significance of the Windows platform to date. Now with Windows 8.1, we have more opportunities available to us, from the creativity point of view. There is a lot to consider building a Live Tiles experience, the Modern UI, as well as making our apps support touch, mouse, keyboard and pen. We are pleased to lead the charge right out of the gate as the first Windows 8.1 app made in Malaysia!” said Ruoh Tau Chiew, Chief Technology Officer for The Name Technology Sdn. Bhd.

Microsoft Malaysia will continue working to ensure a healthy growth and diverse ecosystems of apps, taking advantage of the integrated way that updates to apps are delivered through the Windows Store. It will also continue engaging with software developers ranging from entrepreneurs, designers, small and large businesses and students to create apps that help elevate the customer experience.

Availability And Pricing 
Current Malaysian Windows 8 users will enjoy Windows 8.1 as a free upgrade. At the same time, Malaysian consumers who are not currently on Windows 8 will still be able to buy Windows 8.1, either as a download from the online Windows Store or at your local store as a retail packaged DVD product. The estimated retail pricing for the electronic download starts at RM376.00 (US$119.99) for Windows 8.1 and RM628 (US$199.99) for Windows 8.1 Pro, while the retail packaged DVD products start at RM530 (US$169.00) for Windows 8.1 and RM907 (US$289.99). The pricing and editions for Windows 8.1 are similar to what we have today for Windows 8.

Customers can go to http://www.windows.com/shop to learn about the wide variety of new Windows devices available now and throughout the holiday season to find the one that best fits their needs and budgets. More information about Windows 8.1 is at http://blogs.windows.com and http://www.microsoft.com.

Exciting Things To Come
As part of its push towards becoming a “devices and services” company, Microsoft is actively engaging consumers to bring them into a world where great devices are paired with a powerful collection of essential apps and cloud-based services. Immediately following the Windows 8.1 global availability, Microsoft Malaysia will be holding “A Date with Surface” throughout the months of October-December 2013 – where the public will get the opportunity to meet local celebrities who will discuss about technology and how it is relevant in a broad range of industries, and also stand a chance to win Surface tablets! Local personalities include Faizal Tahir, Ixora Chern, Joey Yap, Marina Mahathir, Nazril Idrus and Sazzy Falak.

Event : A Date with Surface
Date : Every Friday (25 Oct, 15 Nov, 29 Nov, 13 Dec & 20 Dec)
Time : 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Venue : Starbucks, Gardens Mall

Join in the conversation! Follow Microsoft Malaysia on Twitter (@MYMicrosoft) and the hashtag #MySurface, or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SurfaceMalaysia)