Lenovo And Pokki To Restore Start Menu To Windows 8

Lenovo will ship PCs that come pre-installed with a third party application that offers similar functionality to the Start button that was controversially omitted from Windows 8.

The Chinese PC manufacturer has agreed a partnership with SweetLabs, creator of Pokki, which offers users quick access to applications, documents and PC functions.

The absence of the start button has been one of the most polarising aspects of Windows 8, which has been seemingly unable to revive flagging PC sales nor expand Microsoft’s share of the lucrative tablet market.

Lenovo Pokki partnership

Pokki also offers users access to apps and games from the Pokki Store, which Sweet Labs says offers developers an alternative to the “crowded” iOS, Android and Facebook marketplaces.

It hopes the expanded reach of Pokki will offer new opportunities to app creators when Lenovo PCs with the software start shipping. Given that Pokki only supported English users until very recently, it is expected English-speaking territories will be among the first to be covered. The software is currently available in 13 languages and SweetLabs has promised to add more in the near future.

Microsoft plans to roll out a major update to users on 18 October in the form of Windows 8.1, which will add a range of improvements, including the restoration of the start button, but crucially not the start menu.

The tech titan says Windows 8.1 was developed in response to consumer feedback, but it stands by many of the features introduced in Windows. 8. Lenovo, which posted record results earlier this year, has obviously listened to criticism form users and will hope its partnership will improve PC sales in a slowing market.

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