SweetLabs’ Pokki software, which has been downloaded by millions of Windows 8 users frustrated with the lack of a start button/menu, will now be pre-installed on new Lenovo Windows 8 PCs. This new partnership will apparently increase app discovery and open significant app distribution opportunities for developers.
“Our collaboration with SweetLabs strikes the perfect balance between providing our customers great apps, and growing Lenovo’s business around app distribution,” said Peter Gaucher, executive director, Software and Content Services, Lenovo. “The Pokki software suite complements the Windows experience, and we’re excited to work with SweetLabs to open up new distribution opportunities for app developers across our devices worldwide.”
Lenovo’s IdeaPad laptops, ThinkPad laptops, and IdeaCentre desktops will come pre-installed with the software, which provides access to desktop apps, Pokki desktop versions of web and social apps such as Facebook and Gmail, unique Pokki apps, and access to Windows Store apps.
One feature that Pokki is notable and popular for is the addition of a Start button on Windows 8. It appears that Lenovo will be adding the Start button via the Pokki software on the company’s Windows product line. Windows 8 has lacked a start button since the operating system was released in October of 2012 and many users looked towards Pokki and other third-party software developers to provide a Start button/menu fix. Microsoft is set to release Windows 8.1 on October 18th, which brings back the Start button.
For those of you are planning on purchasing a Windows 8 Lenovo PC later this year, are you thrilled to see Pokki’s Start menu and app store pre-installed, or will this just be another bloatware addition?
