Microsoft Kills the Start Button in Latest Windows 8 Build

SlashGear: The latest build of Windows 8 contains neither the “start” button from earlier versions of Windows or the “orb” from Windows 7. Despite the lack of a visible button, Windows 8 users can still access the start button features by hovering their mouse cursor over a hotspot in the lower left corner of the screen in the desktop interface for the operating system. The Windows 8 Metro interface does not include the hotspot or a start button.

Microsoft has labelled the latest build of Windows 8 a “consumer preview,” meaning that the code for the operating system is nearing completion. However, the company could still return a start button to the interface before the code is finalized.