Microsoft Gears Up For Global Windows 8 Launch On October 26

Just a reminder to all of you Windows users out there: Windows 8 launches tomorrow at 12:01 AM local time all around the world. Microsoft is gearing up for this global launch with the opening of a ton of temporarily retail locations, and today the company held a launch event for the new OS in New York City. Sadly, we didn't get many new details at the event, but it did its part to ramp up anticipation for the all-new OS.

So, is Windows 8 worth it? We think it is, as the new OS offers a number of improvements over previous versions of Windows. It's true that the changes to the Start menu and the UI will take some getting used to, but once you're familiar with them, it's easy to like Windows 8. Of course, we can't make decision of whether or not to buy for you, but luckily the upgrade to Windows 8 starts at $39.99 (if you're upgrading from XP, Vista, or Windows 7 before the end of January), so if you do decide to take the plunge, it won't require a hefty investment.

If you already know that you want Windows 8, there are a few ways to go about buying it. You can pick it up at various retailers all around the world, including Best Buy and Staples here in the US, or you can order directly from Microsoft. You can also download the new OS if you aren't interested in waiting for a boxed copy to arrive, so you have a few options when it comes to buying Windows 8.

Windows 8 is just one part of Microsoft's full-on Windows assault. In addition to a new version of Windows, Microsoft is also launching Surface, a new tablet running Windows RT. The company isn't stopping there though, as it will be launching Windows Phone 8 next week. It's certainly an exciting time to be a Microsoft fan (as long as you dig the new Modern UI), so tell us – will you be picking up Windows 8 when it launches tomorrow?