We are less than one month from the final version of Windows 8 being released to manufacturing, with actual Windows 8 devices set to go on sale in late October. Unfortunately, Windows 8 Mail just didn't improve much between February when the Consumer Preview came out and in late May when the more advanced Windows 8 Release Preview shipped. Whether used on a tablet or desktop, we think Metro Mail in its current form will have users pining for a real desktop application. But Windows 8 is for both tablets and desktops-and the latest version of the Metro mail client is not close to being ready for desktop power users. With the right improvements, it might eventually end up as a good option for tablet users, comparable to the mail client in Apple's iPad. The simplified interface of the Windows 8 e-mail client seemed promising, like the shell of an application that could become very good if given the proper care. Microsoft shipped a few apps to show off the transport-inspired Metro interface that will dominate the next generation of Windows PCs and tablets-but cautioned that none of them were really ready for daily use. When the Windows 8 Consumer Preview landed at the end of February, the Metro-style e-mail client seemed like one of the strongest tools among a sparse and limited set of applications. Ditching Zune for Xbox: a new look at Windows 8 media apps.Like XP or Vista: how will businesses treat Windows 8?.How Windows 8 is shaping next-generation PCs.Windows 8 Mail leaves users pining for the desktop-or even their phones.