Windows 8 OS, to be released October 26th, comes with a new tiled (Metro) interface omitting the much usual Start Menu but Samsung has made an app which brings it back. It appears that Samsung has listened to the views about the missing Start Menu and have made an app for devices running Windows 8 pro. People either really like the tiled interface or they don’t. But there should have been an option to revert back to the old style if users wanted. Called the S-Launcher it will be available for Series 5 and Series 7 machines. Not having the reassuring presence of the Start Menu is making some device manufacturers ask whether none power users will be comfortable with a new interface that they would need to learn and find their way around. It could mean the some users sticking with the familiarity of ‘normal’ Windows OS designs of Win 7 and Win XP and reluctant to upgrade.

The app from Samsung is an official safe guard to any problems that users may encounter and a move that could differentiate the device to the ones from rival manufacturers. It was to come pre-installed but now people will have to download it from Samsung portal for Windows 8 utilities and drivers. With the app users can get the usual functionality of classic Start Menu, showing installed programs, list of files, system settings and folders, and will have shortcuts that can be dragged onto it for quick access. There are also other 3rd party apps that can achieve the same sort of ability, such as ‘Start8’ from Stardock, developers of ‘skins’ that can customize the look and functionality of the Windows OS interface and this one from Sweet Labs called Pokki.