A first look: Windows 8 consumer preview

Although the desktop user interface is not greatly changed, some key utilities have significant changes. An updated task manager shows information in a clear Metro-style layout with richer graphics than before. Explorer has an Office-style ribbon interface which makes its features more visible. Since you can minimise the ribbon, and right-click context menus work as before, this feature is an easy one for users migrating. The Copy dialog has been reworked, with a new graphical progress meter.

Storage Spaces is a new approach to managing disk drives which has come to the Windows 8 client as well as Server 8, enabling you to pool multiple drives and then create resilient disk volumes on that pool