If you bought a Windows 7 PC on June 2 or later, Microsoft is offering a discount for the upcoming release of Window 8 on October 26th.
By visiting this site, users can apply for a promo code that will grant access to Windows 8 for $14.99. Without the discount, the price stands at $39.
Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc instructs that "You should...have your 25-digit Windows 7 product key that came with the PC handy as you may be required to enter this as part of the registration."
Under the hood, Windows 8 is set to offer a faster boot time and offer "Windows To Go". Window To Go allows users to copy their entire OS and computer settings onto a thumb drive, which can be read by any other PC that has the Windows 8 installed.
On the surface, there are a number of radical interface changes. Gone is the traditional start menu, replaced by an improved search function. If you type anything, you will be directed towards matching results. The interface, now tiles-based and customizable, will update app information in real time. Windows 8 looks to import the best parts of smartphone interfaces into a neat package for home computers.
While you'll have to wait until October 26th for the final release, a Windows 8 preview is currently available for download here.
According to a review by The Guardian, Windows 8 seems to be primarily geared towards tablet usability, but still offers a silkier experience than previous iterations. Regardless of its seeming focus on mobile computing, Windows 8 is set to be a game changer.