InformationWeek posted eight facts about Windows 8.1

Microsoft last week released a preview edition of Windows 8.1 in conjunction with its developer-oriented Build conference in San Francisco. With the update, the final version of which will arrive later this year, Microsoft hopes to rewrite the Win8 narrative, turning what has been perceived as a failure into the foundation for a more diverse Windows landscape.

CEO Steve Ballmer touted the variety of devices that run a version of his company's new OS, from smartphones to PCs to the Xbox to tablets. He emphasized that Windows 8 devices leverage the cloud to connect to and enhance one another -- that is, to form not just products, but an ecosystem.

  Windows 8.1: 8 Essential Facts