UPDATE: The final copy of this eBook has been released and is now available for download at the following link locations:

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This week, we have released a new FREE preview e-Book for IT professionals: Introducing Windows 8 - An Overview for IT Professionals. Now that Windows 8 is generally available, this book is a great way to get quickly up-to-speed on all the new improvements in this latest Windows release.  In addition to a re-imagined user interface that provides an immersive experience across touch, pen, keyboard and mouse inputs, Windows 8 also includes significant updates across hardware support, management, security, networking, storage, virtualization, deployment, and recovery - all areas that are critically important to IT Pros!  

In this 147-page eBook, you'll find 11 chapters of detailed technical content covering the following key improvements for supporting PCs with Windows 8:

Inside This eBook ..

Hardware Innovations Touch; Long battery life; Thiner, lighter, faster; Sensors and security; New Form Factors   Experiencing Windows 8 Walk-through the new UI and key improvements to Task Manager and File Explorer.   Customizing and Configuring Windows 8 Profile customization, Tile configuration, PC Settings, Redesigned NTFS

• Networking Enhancements
  BranchCache, DirectAccess, Mobile broadband, IPv6
   
• Deploying Windows 8
  Windows 8 SKUs, Application Compatibility, User State Migration, Deployment and Imaging, Windows PE, Volume Activation Management Tool, Windows-to-Go
   
• Delivering Windows Apps
  Windows app lifecycle, Distributing via Windows Store, Distributing with an Enterprise
   
• Windows 8 Recovery
  File History, Refresh and Reset, Windows Recovery Environment, DaRT, Advanced Options
   
• Windows 8 Management
  PowerShell 3.0, Group Policy Improvements, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, Windows Intune
   
• Windows 8 Security
  Secure boot, SmartScreen, Vulnerability mitigation and sandboxing, BitLocker, Virtual smart cards, Dynamic Access Control
   
• Internet Explorer 10
  New features, Group Policies for IE 10
   
• Windows 8 Virtualization
  Client Hyper-V, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, Application virtualization, User state virtualization

Don't have a Twitter Account?

The IT Pro technical community has embraced Twitter and other social media networks as THE way to quickly share technical resources.  If you don't currently have a Twitter account, I'd recommend getting your FREE account setup here and then Follow Me for future IT news and technical resources. 

Still not convinced? ;-)

If you're connected on LinkedIn, feel free to connect with me and request your copy of this eBook.  If not, just email me directly and request your eBook.  Either way, I'll be happy to respond back with a direct download link for you!

Start Your Journey!

Once you start reading this FREE eBook, you'll need these additional resources and tools on your journey in exploring the "Better Together" features of Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012.

• Download the Windows 8 Enterprise installation bits
• Build your Lab with Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8
• Join the Windows Server 2012 "Early Experts" Challenge - a free online peer study group

Is this useful?

Feel free to post comments below to let us know if these resources are useful to you …if so, we'll work to provide more in the future as well!

 Keith