Extracted from the Windows 8 final code that leaked last week

Aug 13, 2012 16:41 GMT  ·  By

Soon after being released to manufacturing, Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system leaked online in a final flavor, and some more info on what users should expect from it has emerged.

Unlike the previously available Windows 8 pre-release flavors, the final version of the platform will provide a wider range of personalization options.

[ADMARk=1]Moreover, it will arrive with a new default desktop wallpaper, as well as with a new set of images for the lock screen.

These images made it online courtesy of ItsWindows (which took the leaked Windows 8 code for a spin), and are completely different from all photos that Microsoft has used for the Windows 8 lock screen in the pre-RTM variants.

You can have a look at some of these images at the bottom of this article. You will find more of them on ItsWindows via this link.

The lock screen is not the only thing that Microsoft has changed in the final flavor of Windows 8. The Start Screen has seen a series of changes as well, in terms of personalization options that users can take advantage of.

There are some 20 designs that users will have the possibility to choose from to customize their computers, ItsWindows unveils. More screenshots with these patterns are available on this page.

Windows 8 has been officially confirmed for an October 26th release with all these changes inside, as well as with a set of other graphical modifications.

The platform will be loaded on both x86 and ARM devices at that time, and it is also expected to become available for purchase as a standalone product.

Users who own a Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 license will be able to upgrade to the new OS release at a promotional price of $40 until January next year.

Starting with this week, MSDN and TechEd subscribers will receive access to the final code of the next-gen platform. Other Microsoft partners will be able to download the OS in the coming weeks.

Photo Gallery (6 Images)

Windows 8's start screen patterns
Windows 8's start screen patternsWindows 8's start screen patterns
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