From the Neowin article:

How Do I Get it:

Unlike the Windows 8.1 update, Microsoft will be pushing out this update via Windows Update on April 8th which means that it will get applied to your machine automatically. Seeing as most of the updates are convenience features too, it makes sense to use Windows update to make sure that all users have the features installed on their machines.

Does this mean we can get it either way?

Someone with an ounce of sense was finally consulted - in 8.1 update 1, if you have a touch-enabled device it will boot to the 'modern' environment by default; if no touch interface, it will boot to the desktop by default.  What a concept!

If they had done that with Win8 right out of the gate, things might be much different now.

Looks like Modern Mix will no longer be needed with Update 1 (at least from the aspect of closing a Modern App via the X in upper right corner ).

8.1 nixed the need for Decor8.

It sure would be nice if you crafty folks came up with some good skinning options for the modern ui now. 

It might have, but unfortunately none of us are able to look back in time and see if in fact it would have made any difference.  Of course the other thing, you still would of have to gotten third party software to get back the Start Menu and to be able to have programs not open full screen.  It looks like 8.1 has fixed some of those things.

So we are just a little more then 12 months out from Windows 9. 

FYI

This is available on Technet now if you have a subscription..

FYI - 4 reboots were done during the installs..

It should be noted that:

  "It is important to note that if you are upgrading from Windows 8.1, your previous settings will be honored and will not use the above configurations."

more important question: when does 1.6 come out?

Gotta start somewhere.

They started with 8.1 by giving you the ability to specify which screen you wanted to start at.

Was a figure of speech, but I stand corrected.

Yay! Loving 8 and now I get to love it more............

Here's an eerie thought. I'm running Win7 Home Premium. What if......auto update updates my laptop with it. Probably not though. You'd have to have Win8 to begin with. Stranger things have been known to happen. Lol