Following the release of the Developer Preview version of the Windows 8, Microsoft finally released the Windows 8 Consumer Preview as well, i.e. the final beta version of the operating system, ready for users to try out. The company gave no precise date for when the final version may launch. However, it did demonstrate some awesome new features during the Mobile World Congress 2012.

Windows 8 is now available for download and its inclusion of touchscreen technology makes it best suited for tablet devices, while its new design increases interoperability between desktops and mobile devices.

There are several significant changes compared to the Developer Preview version, both in user interface design and in content. The Consumer Preview manages to better integrate the two faces of Windows 8 - the traditional Windows Desktop interface and the touch-centric Metro interface - and it also comes with some new touch gestures which will come in handy to tablet users.

Notable changes are the inclusion of Windows Store (Microsoft’s rival for Apple’s App Store), a relocation of Windows 8’s main system menu icons called “Charms”, and a new feature called Semantic Zoom. With Semantic Zoom, users will be able to pinch the Metro Start screen more easily and see all of the app tiles. In addition, this feature also allows for better organization, as you can use it to rename and move groups of app tiles.

Windows 8 also comes with a new way to navigate among running apps. The touch screen allows users to swipe from the left edge of the screen and then back out, displaying all running apps in a vertical stack of thumbnails. Another great difference compared to the Developer Preview is that the Consumer Preview makes the Desktop and Metro interfaces work better together, more like a single operating system. Now, the transition from the Metro user interface to the desktop interface feels quicker and smoother, with a simple fade to black transition and the reappearance of the other interface.