Windows 8 is built around vector-based text and graphics -- which can shrink and enlarge on the fly without affecting their quality -- and responsive design, which basically allows the software to instantly reconfigure its layout based on a device's screen size, orientation and resolution. Everything fits without being too small, too large, or out of place.
This means that Microsoft (
MSFT,
Fortune 500) and its development partners didn't have to do much to make Windows 8 functional on small tablets. With the Windows 8.1 release, though, it's apparent they
put a fair amount of thought into tying up some loose ends.
One of Microsoft's explicit goals for Windows 8.1 on mobile devices is to
keep users in its new "Modern" interface as much as possible. The desktop mode is designed for a keyboard and mouse; trying to use it with my finger almost provoked a nervous breakdown.