1. Half-screen app snapping

Windows 8's ability to "Snap" an app to the side of the screen while another runs beside it gives the OS multitasking chops that Android and iOS just can't match—buuuuut the only snapping option available in Windows 8 slaps one app across 75 percent of the screen, while the second app is relegated to a miserly 25 percent of the display. That particular design decision was, in a word, bone-headed.

Fortunately, the Windows Blue leak adds a 50/50 snapping option that should've been available from the get-go. Being able to dedicate half your screen to two separate apps makes the Snap feature much more useful for day-to-day app-based activities. (The old 75/25 split is still available if you prefer it, though.)