Lenovo plans to install Pokki's Start Menu replacement and app store on PCs

August 22, 2013

While Microsoft may have thought that it had overcome the negative reactions that accompanied Windows 8, the world's top PC manufacturer isn’t necessarily convinced. Lenovo said Thursday that it will ship Sweetlabs’ Pokki, a utility that adds a replacement Start button plus a number of apps and discovery tools, on a number of Lenovo machines. Those will include IdeaPad laptops, ThinkPad laptops, and IdeaCentre desktops, within multiple regions across the world, the company said. Acer made Pokki available on its own PCs in June, meaning that two of the top five OEMs will ship with the Pokki software preinstalled. Lenovo’s choice to include Pokki on its machines doesn’t necessarily mean that users will be forced into using Sweetlabs’ Start Page alternative. But the Pokki Start button has a look and feel reminiscent of Microsoft’s earlier Windows OSes, which still appeal to a vast number of users. Microsoft reworked Windows 8.1—which is available in preview, and in final form in October—to allow more customization in the Start Screen, and to allow users to boot into the desktop if they so choose. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Link: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2047233/lenono-plans-to-install-pokkis-start-menu-replacement-and-app-store-on-pcs.html#tk.rss_reviews