The Windows Store

If you’re familiar with the iPad, iPod, or Android devices (not to mention a handful of other types), you’re familiar with the concept of an app (application) store. As you might expect, given Windows 8’s expansion in the tablet and handheld market, Windows 8 adds its own app store, called the Windows Store, shown in Figure 1.6.

FIGURE 1.6 The Windows Store

The great thing about the Windows Store, like its counterparts for other devices and platforms, is quick access to a vast collection of applications from games to productivity tools to multimedia apps. As long as your device is connected to the Internet, you can open the Windows Store, browse for and quickly locate the app you need, and typically, in less than a minute, have the app installed and running on your device. Many apps are free; others have some cost. Many give you the capability to try the app for free before you buy it.