Windows 8 Release Expected in 2012 article says that Windows 8 will be with us in 2012. Windows 8 Features And Release Date article expect Windows 8 to be launched sometime in mid-late 2012. For details how Windows 8 looks take a look at Building “Windows 8″ – Video #1. For latest details check also Microsoft Newsroom on Windows 8 and Windows-ARM.Com.
The biggest changes in underlying technology is that Windows 8 is supposed to run on either the x86 or ARM architectures. Microsoft is in the process of rebuilding Windows for the post-PC era, by stepping back from its core roots (Intel processors) and embracing ARM. Windows-on-ARM Spells End of Wintel article tells that Brokerage house Nomura Equity Research forecasts that the emerging partnership between Microsoft and ARM will likely end the Windows-Intel duopoly. ARM-based chip vendors that Microsoft is working with (TI, Nvidia, Qualcomm) are now focused on mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.).
Making the Windows to run other platforms than x86 seems to be a big change, but this is not the first time Microsoft has tried that (there has been once Windows NT for DEC Alpha and still Windows Server 2008 for Itanium). ARM is now hot and Microsoft is active pushing Windows 8 to use it. Sinofsky shows off Windows 8 on ARM and Office15 article tells that Windows boss Stephen Sinofsky has ended months of speculation with the first (fairly) detailed drilldown into Windows 8 on ARM (WOA) platform, and says it should be ready for a simultaneous launch with its x86/64 counterpart. WOA includes desktop versions of the new Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. WOA is, as Sinofsky said, “a new member of the Windows family,” but it’s not Windows 8. It’s entirely new, and because it works only on ARM devices. Windows on ARM software will not be sold or distributed independent of a new WOA PC. In other words, WOA is to Windows as iOS is to Mac OS X.
Devices running WOA will come with both a Metro touch-based interface and the more traditional desktop, and will run Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote applications with full document compatibility with x86/64 systems. One thing was made crystal clear by Microsoft: Windows 8 on ARM will not be the same experience as Windows 8 on Intel-AMD.
How the two flavors of Windows 8 will be different article gives some details how Windows 8 on ARM is different from Windows 8 on X86. Windows 8 on ARM will not be the same experience as Windows 8 on Intel-AMD.
Building Windows for the ARM processor architecture article from Building Windows 8 blog is a goldmine to all you who are interested in more details on Windows 8 on ARM (WOA) platform. This post is about the technical foundation of what we call, for the purposes of this post, Windows on ARM, or WOA. WOA is a new member of the Windows family, much like Windows Server, Windows Embedded, or Windows Phone.
WOA builds on the foundation of Windows, has a very high degree of commonality and very significant shared code with Windows 8. Many low level details needed to be rewritten, but there is a significant portion of Windows that is generally built with code that can be made to work on ARM in a technically straightforward manner. These subsystems include the Windows desktop and applets and supporting APIs, though those needed to modified for better resource and power utilization. Enabling Windows to run well on the ARM architecture was a significant engineering task.
Here are my collection of the most important points I found from How the two flavors of Windows 8 will be different and Building Windows for the ARM processor architecture articles.
Windows 8 ARM devices will run on ARM processors from Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, and Nvidia, all running the same Windows OS binaries. WOA PCs use hardware support for offloading specific work from the main processor to integrated hardware subsystems to improve performance and battery life. ARM SoCs for WOA have DirectX capable GPUs (DX) for accelerated graphics in Internet Explorer 10, in the user interface of Windows, and in Metro style apps. WOA PCs are still under development, and thee goal is for PC makers to ship them the same time as PCs designed for Windows 8 on x86/64.
Windows 8 on ARM will not run traditional Windows 7 stuff (WIN32 x86 applications) because the processor is completely different and WOA will not support any type of virtualization or emulation. WOA does not support running, emulating, or porting existing x86/64 desktop apps.
Labeling to “avoid confusion”: When a consumer buys a Windows on ARM PC, it will be “clearly labeled and branded” so as to avoid potential confusion with Windows 8 on x86/64. Device makers work with ARM partners to create a device that is “strictly paired with a specific set of software (and sometimes vice versa), and consumers purchase this complete package, which is then serviced and updated through a single pipeline.”
Windows on ARM devices don’t turn off: You don’t turn off a WOA PC, according to Sinofsky. WOA PCs will not have the traditional hibernate and sleep options. Instead, WOA PCs always operate in the Connected Standby power mode, similar to the way you use a mobile phone today. Read Engineering Windows 8 for mobile networks for more details.
WOA supports the Windows desktop experience including File Explorer, Internet Explorer 10 for the desktop. Out of the box Windows on should ARM will feel like Windows 8 on x86/64. Sign in, app launching, Internet Explorer 10, peripherals, the Windows desktop and Windows Store access are the same. You will have access to the intrinsic capabilities of Windows desktop with tools like Windows File Explorer and desktop Internet Explorer if you want to use your mobile device in this way. Or you can use the Metro style desktop and Metro style apps (like what you see on Windows phone smartphones) if you like that more.
Metro style apps in the Windows Store can support both WOA and Windows 8 on x86/64. Developers wishing to target WOA do so by writing applications for the WinRT (Windows APIs for building Metro style apps) using the new Visual Studio 11 tools in a variety of languages, including C#/VB/XAML and Jscript/ HTML5.
Together talking on launching Windows 8 Microsoft also talks about new Windows Mobile Phone 8 and it’s integration with Windows 8. Windows Phone 8 Detailed article gives some details what integration with Windows 8 means. Windows Phone 8 won’t just share a UI with the next-generation desktop and tablet OS, apparently: it will use many of the same components as Windows 8, allowing developers to “reuse most of their code” when porting an app from desktop to phone. The kernel, networking stacks, security, and multimedia support as areas of heavy overlap.
Windows Phone 8 is the version of the platform currently being referred to by codename “Apollo” (the one scheduled for deployment after the upcoming Tango update). Microsoft insider Paul Thurrott has published a post confirming many of the details.
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Tomi says:
Microsoft is already working on Surface 2 tablets
http://m.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/tablets/microsoft-is-already-working-on-surface-2-tablets-1091358
A dozen job adverts for “the next generation” posted online
The Surface tablets that Microsoft will start selling on 26 October at Microsoft Stores (and in temporary ‘holiday stores’ in twelve US cities including New York) are only the first of a planned family of Windows devices and Surface 2.0 is already under development.
Does the “next generation” of Surface devices mean a new Surface tablet?
Surface team is definitely working on mobile computing devices
We expect Microsoft to keep the details of what’s in the second-generation Surface just as secret, but we anticipate seeing the result of those “fast-paced product development cycles” sooner rather than later.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows Media Center: So Close, And Yet So Far
http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/brians-brain/4391622/Windows-Media-Center–So-Close–And-Yet-So-Far
I actually suspect, though, that Apple’s disregard for the media center is intentional. The market is admittedly a niche, no matter how cool I and other Media Center fanatics think it is, thereby explaining why it’ll be a paid upgrade in Windows 8 versus a bundled default.
As my experience shows, a robust implementation of the concept requires a lot of work
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft reveals Windows RT OEMs
Dell, Lenovo, Samsung and ASUS ARMed for tablets and “RT PCs”
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/14/windows_rt_oems_revealed/
Microsoft reveals Windows RT PC partners Dell, Lenovo, Samsung and ASUS ARMed for “RT PCs” Microsoft has revealed the full roster of Windows RT PC OEMs, and detailed more about the future products’ users interfaces.
The details were revealed in a blog post, as is the case for many such announcements in these socially-oriented days.
The post says Dell, Lenovo and Samsung will all make devices Microsoft is calling “RT PCs”. ASUS had previously let it be known it was aboard. NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments are named as vendors whose ARM CPUs will be supported. The post is careful to point out that Windows RT doesn’t have to be used in a tablet and that the companies mentioned will pack ARM silicon, a keyboard and touch screen into their RT PCs.
In discussion of RT’s likely performance, the post mentions configurations including “tablets and laptops, screen sizes that vary from 10.1” to 11.6”, and battery sizes spanning 25 Whr to 42 Whr” and predicts battery life of between eight and 13 hours when playing HD video.
“PC makers will provide Windows RT PCs as integrated, end-to-end products that include hardware, firmware, and Windows RT software. Windows RT software will not be sold or distributed independent of a new Windows RT PC, just as you would expect from a consumer electronics device that relies on unique and integrated pairings of hardware and software. Over the useful lifetime of the PC, the provided software will be serviced and improved.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Collaborating to deliver Windows RT PCs
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/08/13/collaborating-to-deliver-windows-rt-pcs.aspx
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft working to minimize Surface impact, says Acer chairman
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20120809PD216.html
After publicly urging Microsoft to reconsider its move to launch own-brand tablet PCs recently, Acer chairman JT Wang on August 9, commented that Microsoft is pushing Surface to help Windows 8 succeed and the software giant has already acknowledged the concerns of the brand vendors and is trying to minimize the negative impact created by the launch.
Acer was the first brand vendor to issue a public warning about the software Microsoft’s actions saying that Surface could seriously impact the existing PC ecosystem.
Wang has clarified that the company has no intentions of quitting the Windows-based tablet PC market, and is aggressively developing related devices.
Wang noted that Microsoft is currently looking for solutions such as creating a price gap to minimize the negative impact on other vendors’ product lineups, and he believes if Microsoft launches Surface at a price of US$199, it would have a rather significant impact, but if it is priced at around US$499-599, the effects will be a lot smaller.
Wang pointed out that Microsoft did not communicate with PC brand vendors prior to announcing its Surface project.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows Next: Just call it ‘Blue’?
http://www.zdnet.com/windows-next-just-call-it-blue-7000002535/
Windows 9 might not be Microsoft’s next version of Windows. Instead, ‘Blue’ could be the interim release that shows up first.
It’s not surprising Microsoft already is working on whatever version of Windows follows Windows 8. It’d be way more surprising if the company wasn’t doing this.
But already there “Windows 9″ references, including new ones unearthed by Microsoft Kitchen’s Stephen Chapman and Win8China (as cited by the WinUnleaked site).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Surface-takes-all Windows 8 with for the benefit of Microsoft.
Partner companies, led by Nokia, are suffering.
Nokia has previously revealed plans for Windows 8 tablets and to survive it needs a success story this year. Even Surface-level panel computer is no longer sufficient.
Source: http://m.tietoviikko.fi/Uutiset/Surface+nakertaa+Nokian+taulutietokonehaaveeita
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft Surface RT to cost $199.99? Doubts ensue
http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-surface-rt-to-cost-19999
Get out a pinch of salt as a new rumor from Engadget is stating that the Microsoft Surface for Windows RT will cost a budget friendly $199.00. The source, of course, is anonymous but the price point, which we hope is true, will make the Surface RT an extremely attractive product in the mobile segment.
While we cannot confirm the price point, Engadget states their source learned at Microsoft’s Techready 15 conference all of the launch details for the upcoming product, including the $199 price point. If Microsoft does ship the Surface RT at this price, it will certainly be hard for vendors such as the recently confirmed Dell, Asus, Samsung and Lenovo to compete unless they can find ways to subsidize their own hardware.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Toshiba Cancels Windows RT Devices on Delay in Getting Parts
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-08-13/toshiba-cancels-windows-rt-devices-on-delay-in-getting-parts
Toshiba Corp. (6502) canceled previously announced plans to sell computer and tablet devices based on Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)’s Windows RT operating system because of a delay in getting components.
“Toshiba has decided not to introduce Windows RT models due to delayed components that would make a timely launch impossible,”
Toshiba will concentrate on the alternative Windows 8 software that works on Intel Corp. technology, it said today in an e-mailed statement.
Tomi Engdahl says:
90-day trial version of Windows 8 now available to download
http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/15/3244994/windows-8-trial-download-90-days-enterprise
Microsoft may have just released the final version of Windows 8 to MSDN and TechNet subscribers today, but if you’re feeling a little left out then the company has a trial version available too. The 90-day trial edition of Windows 8 Enterprise is available to download immediately and will give members of the public and developers an easy way to trial the operating system ahead of its debut on October 26th. A number of trial ISO images are available for a variety of languages in x86 and x64 flavors.
Tomi Engdahl says:
HP Is Just Fine With Microsoft’s Surface Tablet, Thank You
http://allthingsd.com/20120815/hp-is-just-fine-with-microsofts-surface-tablet-thank-you/
While some PC manufacturers, like Acer, have bemoaned Microsoft’s Surface initiative in the press, even going so far as to call upon Redmond to “think twice” about entering the hardware business, HP seems largely unfazed by it. Indeed, it seems to have accepted Microsoft’s assertion that Surface is simply a “design point.”
“I believe Microsoft was basically making a leadership statement and showing what’s possible in the tablet space,” Solomon told CRN. “
So, unlike Acer, HP isn’t worried about Microsoft coming between it and its PC customers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 vs. Windows 7 Performance
http://www.techspot.com/review/561-windows8-vs-windows7/
It’s often been the case with new Windows OS releases that it takes some time before performance is up to par or above the level of its predecessor.
Microsoft seemed to hit full stride with Windows 7, developing a fast and efficient operating system. Thankfully it seems Windows 8 continues to build on that pattern as we found it to be on par with and ocassionally faster than 7.
The improvements that have been made to startup and shutdown times are self-evident
Another notable improvement was seen in multimedia performance.
Most of the other tests saw little to no difference between the two operating systems.
Both AMD and Nvidia seem to be on top of their drivers for Windows 8 from day zero, as we were able to achieve the same level of performance in Windows 8 as we did in Windows 7 using the GeForce GTX 670 and the Radeon HD 6570.
From a performance standpoint Windows 8 appears to offer a solid foundation from the get-go. Although there are only a few select areas where it is faster than Windows 7, we are pleased that it’s able to match it everywhere else.
Windows 8 appears more polished than Windows 7, even if you plan to live on the desktop and aren’t too fond of the Start screen
Tomi Engdahl says:
Comment at http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/08/15/2210232/windows-8-rtm-benchmarked says:
Everybody keeps complaining about the interface. Really it’s like it just opens the start menu on bootup. From there you can hang around the desktop all you want. I didn’t like it at first but then once I realized that you could hit the start button and stat typing what you wanted, similar to the current start menu, who cares? PLEASE keep bitching about the same thing thinking it’ll change. Thanks for your valuable input.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 evaluation for developers
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/jj554510.aspx
The Windows 8 Enterprise 90-day evaluation is available to developers to build and test Windows 8 apps on the final version of Windows 8. After installing Windows 8, go to the Windows Dev Center developer downloads page to install Visual Studio 2012 and related tools to build Windows 8 apps.
This evaluation provides a 90-day trial of Windows 8 Enterprise edition. Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions are available as ISO images
In order to use this evaluation, you must register and the product must be activated online with Microsoft-hosted activation and validation services. Microsoft does not provide technical support for this software.
This is intended for developers building Windows 8 apps and IT professionals interested in trying Windows 8 Enterprise on behalf of their organization.
The evaluation edition will expire and cannot be upgraded.
To upgrade, the evaluation must be uninstalled and a non-evaluation version of Windows must be re-installed from your original installation media.
Consider running the evaluation edition in a virtual environment or installing on a separate hard drive or partition. The will allow you to upgrade your original Windows installation to Windows 8.
Back up your files and settings before installing this evaluation and again prior to the 90-day expiration.
Upon installation, you will have 10 days to activate this evaluation online. Windows will prompt you to activate. A product key is not required for this software.
You must complete activation before August 15, 2013, to use this evaluation.
Following the evaluation period, you will need to replace the operating system on your test computer and reinstall all your programs and data. It is not possible to upgrade the evaluation to a licensed working version of Windows 8. A clean installation is required.
Windows 8 works on the same hardware that powers Windows 7:
Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster
RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)
Hard disk space: 20 GB
Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8: Microsoft’s tablet-desktop still painful to swallow
Hey, it could be worse – it’s not Windows ME, OK?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/16/windows_8_rtm_review/
Review Microsoft’s Windows 8 is now in the hands of developers and IT administrators subscribed to MSDN or TechNet. They are the first people other than close partners and fearless torrenters to try the final code.
It is also a moment to take stock. What is this thing that Microsoft has created, and is it to be embraced, avoided, or ignored?
Windows 8, with its dual personality of a classic desktop design and the new touch-friendly Modern User Interface, has been around long enough for some myths to emerge.
Even the on-screen Start button is still there in the classic desktop, it just requires you to move your mouse to the bottom-left corner to make it appear. Then tweak your file-type associations so that traditional desktop programs handle your documents rather than Metro, sorry Modern User Interface, apps; pin your most-used applications to the taskbar; learn that Windows key + I brings up the “Charms” menu; and now you’ll find most things in Windows work pretty much as before, for desktop users.
The perceived overall performance boost on the desktop is perhaps nearer 10 or 15 per cent, but still worthwhile.
There is the touch-driven Modern User Interface with apps that install or remove themselves via a handy tab. This is a user interface that actually works on a tablet unlike all of Microsoft’s previous efforts at touch computing. There is a feature called secure app isolation and can be combined with a mechanism called Contracts for controlled sharing of data between apps, and apps and the operating system.
So why is Windows 8 hated? The problem is that the Modern UI, which via the Start screen Microsoft forces on users whether or not they have tablets, is disorientating while offering little benefit over the old, classic Windows user interface for desktop use.
On top of that, the interaction between the two personalities in Windows 8 can be annoying.
Windows today is better, but not better enough.
Windows 8 does not fix every problem: there is still too much support for legacy stuff and Microsoft has to allow our old but essential software to run. What it does though is provide a platform within Windows on which apps can easily and safely be installed and removed, and on which they are isolated from each other, and from the operating system, through a clever system called Contracts which provides access to shared files and devices under user control.
Windows RT, the ARM version, goes a step further by prohibiting desktop software installation completely. At last, a safe and secure Windows, at least relative to the standards of the past.
Microsoft will not have an easy time getting Windows 8 accepted, and perhaps it will fail.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 hands-on review
While the Windows 8 RTM does not contain many surprises from the pre-release versions, the operating system as a whole introduces a great many new features compared with earlier editions of Windows such as Windows 7.
The Inquirer (http://s.tt/1l4eM)
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lenovo’s Says RT Tablets Up to $300 Cheaper Than Win 8
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-16/lenovo-s-says-rt-tablets-up-to-300-cheaper-than-win-8.html
Lenovo Group Ltd. (992), the world’s second-biggest maker of personal computers, said new devices based on Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)’s Windows RT software will cost $200 to $300 less than competing products using Windows 8 software.
“RT will play in consumer and retail at very aggressive price points,” said David Schmoock, head of Lenovo’s North America operations. “It will do well but it’s going to be more of a consumer price point play to begin with,” he said, in an interview today.
Windows 8 has more compatibility with other Windows software, making it more attractive to corporations, while Windows RT will “be a very good consumer box,” Schmoock said. Windows 8 tablets will cost $600 to $700, he said.
Intel’s Ultrabook
Success of the initiative will depend on how quickly computer makers can bring down the price of the products, he said.
“We think Ultrabook is the best solution for what consumers want.”
Tomi says:
Acer is world’s third biggest PC manufacturer after growth in Q2 earnings
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2199624/acer-is-worlds-third-biggest-pc-manufacturer-after-growth-in-q2-earnings
Many believe OEMs such as Acer will benefit from the launch of Windows 8, due for public release on 26 October.
However, in a conference call, Acer chairman and CEO JT Wang said that due to the “uncertainty of the Windows 8 ecosystem” the big growth expected in the second quarter turned out to be “medium growth”.
Whether Wang was refering to the “uncertainty of the Windows 8″ in terms of people not knowing for sure how well it will perform remains uncertain. Regardless, it doesn’t appear that Acer thinks Microsoft’s next operating system will be greatly beneficial to its bottom line this year.
tomi says:
Windows 8 Changes Host File Blocking
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/08/19/1923210/windows-8-changes-host-file-blocking
“Windows 8 has been confirmed to not only ignore, but also modify the hosts file.”
The hosts file was a popular, cross-platform way of blocking access to certain domains, such as ad-serving websites…
But if you are doing your web filtering on the workstation, you were doing it badly, badly wrong.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Top 10 reasons for and against Windows 8 succeeding in the enterprise
http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2198722/top-10-reasons-for-and-against-windows-8-succeeding-in-the-enterprise
Top 5 reasons Windows 8 could prove a hit
5. Improved touch experience for tablet users
4. Storage spaces
3. Windows 8 will integrate well with Windows Phone 8
2. Better recovery and reset options
1. Windows RT devices will have Office 2013 built-in
Reasons why Windows 8 could struggle in the business world
5. Windows 8 is basically for tablets
4. It introduces too many changes all at once
3. Users may need a lot of retraining
2. Many firms are still in the midst of Windows 7 migration
1. Apple already owns the tablet space
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft to build more than 3 million Surface tablets, says IDC
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57495666-75/microsoft-to-build-more-than-3-million-surface-tablets-says-idc/
Redmond is getting set to build millions of Surface tablets, an IDC analyst tells CNET. And the price? Only Microsoft knows but IDC has some thoughts on the subject.
Production plans are for a few million units for calendar 2012, said IDC analyst Bob O’Donnell in a phone interview. “Probably a little over 3 million, both [Intel] x86 and ARM,” he said.
O’Donnell also had a lot to say about the possibility of an inexpensive Surface RT device, which a report claims may debut at $199.
“There could be two ways to get Surface. Buy it outright for, let’s say, $599. Or $199 for a two-year subscription and you can get X,Y, and Z — which, oh, by the way, works out to more than $599,” he said.
But O’Donnell has serious doubts about a $199 Surface. Even a subscription-based Surface wouldn’t work because he doesn’t think that pricing model would be successful on a PC product, which Surface essentially is.
“MS Office subscription? Any Windows RT product comes with Office. So, that knocks out that theory,” he said. Indeed, Microsoft states this clearly in a blog post.
“But remember what happened to Netbooks and 3G, where you had to pay a monthly fee?”
Tomi Engdahl says:
MSI announces the first Windows 8 certified all-in-one PCs
Wind Top AE2281G and AE2081 awarded Windows Approved status
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2199530/msi-announces-its-first-windows-8-certified-allinone-pcs
PC VENDOR Micro-Star International (MSI) has announced the first all-in-one (AIO) PCs to be officially certified for Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8 operating system (OS).
Though MSI might have grabbed certification for its AIO PCs before any other firms, there will be plenty of other PC OEMs, including HP, Dell, Lenovo, Acer, Asus and Toshiba to name a few, lining up for certifications as they prepare to roll out their lines of ultrabooks and tablets running the OS.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft radically overhauls license agreements for Windows 8
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-radically-overhauls-license-agreements-for-windows-8-7000002866/
For Windows 8, Microsoft has completely rewritten its license agreements, replacing legalese with plain language and for the first time allowing retail customers to legally install cheaper OEM versions. Here’s what’s new.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 Pro to be priced at $199 following $69.99 promotional pricing
http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/21/3257406/windows-8-pro-price-upgrade-price
Microsoft’s Windows 8 Pro software will be priced at $199 after a promotional price of $69.99 expires on January 31st 2013, according to one source familiar with Microsoft’s plans. The software maker will also offer a Windows 8 to Windows 8 Pro upgrade option at retail stores for $69.99 until January 31st when the price reverts to $99.99.
Microsoft previously announced its $39.99 Windows 8 Pro upgrade pricing for existing Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 users — a price available exclusively online for those wishing to download the software without a DVD option
Tomi Engdahl says:
Want a Windows 8 Start Button? Open source to the rescue!
“Classic Shell” can banish Interface Formerly Known As Metro
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/23/classic_shell_gives_windows_8_a_start_button/
Windows 8 user need not do without a Start button, thanks to an open source application titled Classic Shell that can banish the Interface Formerly Known As Metro (TIFKAM).
There’s even an option to load up Windows 8 without ever seeking the TIFKAM screen, while the app also happily disables the “active corners” features that invokes the tiled interface.
Classic Shell’s origins lie in another controversial Microsoft operating system, Windows Vista, which the authors so despised they set to work on an alternative .
Tomi says:
Windows 8 – Why and How?
http://blog.futurice.com/windows-8-why-and-how
How do you create apps for Windows 8?
As has been the case for a long time, Microsoft development tools are top notch and getting up to speed with development is a breeze. Truth be told, there are still a couple of wrinkles left (especially with Expression Blend, which is used to facilitate designing Metro user interfaces)
What’s big about Windows 8 is that it introduces a totally new development paradigm that expands the developer community by hordes: in exposing the system to HTML5 + CSS3 + JS via the new WinRT APIs, Microsoft is giving access to native application development for legions of web developers – and this means real desktop applications in the Metro style, not just web stuff.
Besides the new HTML5 + CSS3 + JS path, you can of course develop your app in the tried and tested VB/C#/C++ and XAML way. One thing to say goodbye to, however, is XNA. Developing games, for example, (or anything with heavy graphics) happens now with DirectX – and you have to do it with C++. This is a nuisance to developers who have spent a lot of time on learning XNA
There are a couple of things to watch out for, though:
You will have to redesign and redevelop for Metro.
If you want to develop for tablets, you will have to be aware of the differences between ARM and x86 hardware. ARM is very lucrative for its better battery life, but the remote management options are far more restricted.
Plain old web stuff might get complicated because of the two different Internet Explorer versions. That’s right, there’s one for the new Metro start screen and one for the legacy Desktop mode, and they’re different. The biggest difference is that the Metro version does not have any plugin support (i.e. flash is probably out, for one).
Tomi says:
Metro on Windows 8 with “Native HTML5”
http://blog.futurice.com/metro-on-windows-8-with-native-html5
As usual, there is a variety of technologies to choose from when creating native applications for Windows 8. When developing Metro apps specifically, there is a newcomer amongst the more traditional technologies: HTML5. It is not a mere half baked attempt to make the platform sound trendy, either.
How they have made it happen in practice is by exposing a set of Windows Runtime system APIs to JavaScript and throwing in a couple of platform specific features. The apps themselves run in the Internet Explorer 10 engine, which supports most of the things you would ever need – and then some. Don’t hold your breath for WebGL, though.
The main problem with the setup is unit testing – or rather, the lack of it. There is currently no proposed solution for running your tests against the real platform. You will have to rely on mocking the Windows Runtime APIs and hoping they work as you expect. This is unfortunate, but reality for now.
There are a number of other surprises, such as custom CSS media queries and the absence of the “alert” function, but overall no dramatic ones. It is perhaps as close to HTML5 as you can get while taking platform needs into consideration; even the operating system settings flyout is a div element.
Tomi Engdahl says:
PCs still slowing, and Windows 8 won’t change that soon, says IDC
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57499556-92/pcs-still-slowing-and-windows-8-wont-change-that-soon-says-idc/
Can Windows 8 save the traditional PC and spur growth again? Maybe — but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen this year, a market-research firm suggests.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Can Windows 8 win over CNET’s Mac reviewer?
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33642_7-57498666-292/can-windows-8-win-over-cnets-mac-reviewer/
There is a lot to like with Windows 8, but by merging a desktop and tablet OS, I think Microsoft made a big mistake that could have been avoided if it followed Apple’s lead.
Apple’s Mountain Lion and Microsoft’s Windows 8 are now out in the real world. And this time more than ever, the two companies are taking the computer into two distinct directions.
After using both of the new operating systems, it’s easy to see that each is more solid, more stable, and filled with more-compelling features than ever before. It’s also true that Microsoft’s radical new operating system is gorgeous, but this is not a beauty contest. Like I pointed out in my review for Mountain Lion, I still think Apple made the better choice in keeping the touch-screen and desktop OS separate. In applying Windows 8 to both tablets and desktops, Microsoft has added a significant learning curve for both devices, and ended up making the OS needlessly difficult and jarring, especially for desktop computer users.
Tomi Engdahl says:
VMware launches with Windows 8 support, Parallels coming September 4th
http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/23/3262447/parallels-desktop-vmware-fusion-update
Tomi Engdahl says:
How the new Windows 8 license terms affect you
http://www.zdnet.com/how-the-new-windows-8-license-terms-affect-you-7000003028/
What’s changed in Microsoft’s radical new license agreements for Windows 8? I’ve got full details about how you can transfer Windows to a new PC, downgrade rights, and who qualifies for upgrades.
In the broadest terms, a license agreement is a contract between you and Microsoft Corporation (if you purchased the software and installed it yourself) or between you and the computer manufacturer or software installer that purchased Windows 8 from Microsoft and then installed it on a computer you purchased. The agreement describes your rights to use the Windows 8 software and any Windows apps that are included with Windows 8.
What are the differences in the license agreement between Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro?
The basic terms of the license agreement are identical between Windows 8 (the base version) and Windows 8 Pro. I found only three substantive differences: Restrictions for Client Hyper-V (a Pro-only feature) are in the Pro agreement and not in the base version. You can run Windows 8 Pro on a PC with two physical processors; Windows 8 is limited to a single CPU (although the number of cores is unlimited). And Windows 8 Pro supports Remote Desktop as a client and server, whereas Windows 8 is a Remote Desktop client only.
Your PC qualifies for an upgrade if it has a valid license for Windows XP, Vista, or 7. If the PC came with any edition of Windows XP or Windows Vista or Windows 7 and has a certificate of authenticity sticker affixed to it, it’s eligible for a discounted upgrade. (From October 26, 2012, through January 31, 2013, the upgrade price for Windows 8 Pro, purchased directly as a download from Microsoft, is $40. That price includes a separate download of the Media Center Pack, which will subsequently be a separate purchase.)
Microsoft has not announced pricing for System Builder editions, nor has it hinted at what the cost of upgrades will be after the initial promotion ends on January 31, 2013.
Can I transfer my copy of Windows 8 to another PC?
That depends.
Does Windows 8 include downgrade rights?
Windows 8 continues in the tradition of previous Windows versions.
Note that Windows XP is not a permitted downgrade.
Can I legally install Windows 8 in a virtual machine?
Yes. You can install any version of Windows 8 in a virtual machine, using virtualization software on any platform. (If the VM is running a properly licensed copy of a recent Windows version, you can use the upgrade edition of Windows 8; in most circumstances, the PUL System Builder edition is the correct choice.)
“If you use virtualization software, including Client Hyper-V, to create one or more virtual computers on a single computer hardware system, each virtual computer, and the physical computer, is considered a separate computer for purposes of this agreement. This license allows you to install only one copy of the software for use on one computer, whether that computer is physical or virtual. If you want to use the software on more than one virtual computer, you must obtain separate copies of the software and a separate license for each copy.”
With a valid license, you may use either 32- or 64-bit Windows, but you may install only one of those versions.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 will be another disaster for Microsoft
Column It can’t force its customers to use PCs like smartphones
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/opinion/2200879/windows-8-will-be-another-disaster-for-microsof
HERE IS WHAT I FORESEE as the likely impact of Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8 operating system release on the PC market later this year and in 2013.
I think that the impending release of Windows 8 will be good for the PC market, in the sense that I predict that it will likely spur increased sales of PCs… ones that are preloaded (or later ‘downgraded’) with Windows 7.
I tend to doubt that it will lead to expansive PC sales growth, however, because large enterprises will sit on their wallets, with no compelling reason to migrate to Windows 8.
Windows 8 promises to become a replay of Microsoft Bob, Windows ME, and Windows Vista all rolled into one. It’s ugly and hard to use, so I believe that a lot of consumers and especially enterprise users will reject it.
There’s so much wrong with Windows 8 usability that a brief column like this can’t even begin to address it in detail, so I’ll just say that I think Microsoft’s ham-handed attempt to force tablet and especially PC users to work within the limited screen space available on smartphone displays is destined to fail.
These are different types of devices, used in different ways, and trying to make people use the same display layouts and modes of working on all of them simply won’t be accepted.
There will be a spike in back to school sales of PCs running Windows 7 soon, but I predict that PC sales will drop sharply shortly after Windows 8 is released and gets preloaded on new PCs.
Tomi Engdahl says:
“Windows 8 is set to notify Microsoft of all for downloading and installing applications, “says data security bloggeri Nadim Kobeissi published a blog post on Friday.
Kobeissi discovered the problem after examining the Windows 8 final version.
A few hours after the release of Kobeissi’s writing another security researcher confirmed the existence of the problem.
After 14 hours from publishing Microsoft SmartScreen server settings were changed…
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/windows+8+lavertelee+microsoftille+kaikista+ohjelmista+joita+edes+yritat+asentaa/a831815?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-27082012&
Tomi Engdahl says:
Early Success of Windows-Based Tablets has Everything to do with Price
http://www.abiresearch.com/press/early-success-of-windows-based-tablets-has-everyth
Media tablets powered by new Microsoft operating systems Windows 8 and Windows RT will have an impact on the overall market; just not this year, according to market intelligence firm ABI Research. Windows-based tablets will commence shipments at the end of October and capture an estimated 1.5% of total tablet shipments for 2012.
Pricing for Windows tablets will be a key consideration for end-user adoption. If priced aggressively towards current Android tablets, Windows tablets could see 2013 shipments increase 10-fold year-over-year; however if priced like Apples iPad offerings, Windows tablets may only double or triple shipments in 2013. Growth in the total available market is expected to come from businesses adopting tablets, which is expected to be a strong area for Windows 8.
One area that Windows 8 might be embraced with open arms is in the enterprise. Neither of the leading tablet OS platforms has squarely addressed the needs of IT organizations and business users, notes enterprise mobility practice director Dan Shey.
Tomi Engdahl says:
NO BOOT FOR YOU ! Will Windows 8 Kill Live CDs and USBs?
http://thehackernews.com/2012/07/no-boot-for-you-will-windows-8-kill.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
What’s missing in Windows 8 apps
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33642_7-57501343-292/whats-missing-in-windows-8-apps/
Come October 26, Microsoft will face two battles for Windows 8. Not only does it have to convince people that the OS is worth upgrading to, but it must land with competitive apps. Here’s what they lack so far.
Windows 8 ships with some absolutely gorgeous apps. Navigating through News, Travel, or Weather, it’s hard to deny the rich and colorful depiction of content. While its four core productivity apps are equally pretty, they’re woefully inadequate in their current state for getting things done.
Microsoft is playing a difficult game with Windows 8, promising a hearty operating system that can serve the masses. But default apps must meet tablet use cases in addition to more traditional workflows, and the lack of full integration and incomplete features will turn people off from day one if they’re not fixed. To its credit, Microsoft has promised ongoing updates to apps that it develops, but that doesn’t negate current problems. Windows 8 itself might be ready to serve, but since the default productivity apps that have yet to approach a common definition for usable that October 26th deadline has never loomed larger.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Visual Studio 2012: 50 Shades of Grey by Microsoft
It’s a good thing looks aren’t that important, right?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/28/visual_studio_2012_review/
Microsoft offended thousands in April with a preview of its next Visual Studio, a John-Major-inspired, grey affair intended to take Microsoft’s all-encompassing IDE loser to the look of Windows 8.
Thousands gave the new look a thumbs-down on the Microsoft UserVoice poll, with people demanding a return to colour.
The day of reckoning has now arrived as, with the release to manufacturing of Windows 8, Microsoft has made Visual Studio 2012 available to subscribers on MSDN – or for free as the Express series.
What do we get? The revamp retains something of the Metro look, and you can choose between Light or Dark themes. Microsoft has kept the changes it added following criticism of the preview, with a few splashes of colour, but the changes are subtle and the IDE still looks grey and washed out.
Microsoft’s goal was to enable developers to focus more on their code, but there were few complaints about distracting colours in earlier versions, whereas the new IDE does tend to make all the icons look the same. It also seems odd that Microsoft puts so much energy into IDE design rather than, for example, implementing more of C++11 in Visual C++.
Visual Studio is an extensible shell, so what you get varies according to which bits you have chosen to install.
Hit New Project and there are hundreds of templates to choose from, including one for Windows Phone 8 which currently trails out with a “Coming soon” message. The nearly-forgotten Silverlight is still supported, while for desktop applications you can choose between several C++ types, and Windows Forms or Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) for .NET.
Web options include ASP.NET Web Forms, MVC (Model – View – Controller) 3 or 4, with sub-options for Internet, Intranet or Web API, and ASP.NET or Razor view engines.
First, Windows 8 development. Microsoft is pushing its new platform hard, and Visual Studio has all you need to build what the IDE calls “Windows Store” apps. Given that the platform is new, the tool support is impressive. You can design the user interface either in XAML, the XML language first used for WPF, or in HTML. XAML has a two-way visual designer, so you can edit either in code or visually and the changes are synchronized. A separate application called Blend provides a design tool for both XAML and HTML.
You can debug a Windows Runtime app either by running it locally, or in a simulator, or on a remote device. The simulator is intriguing because it is actually a remote session into your own machine, providing a way of running not-Metro apps in a window. The simulator lets you adjust resolution, fake multi-touch, and take screenshots. Note though that it is not a safe environment, since it is a real session on your development machine.
Microsoft has made Azure deployment easier in this edition of Visual Studio. Azure apps now take several forms.
Visual Studio 2012 may have a new look that’s hard to love, but it is a rich and capable IDE. It is not the place to come for standard support, whether in C++ or in HTML and JavaScript as seen in Windows Runtime apps, but its purpose is to support Microsoft’s platform, in which context it does an excellent job.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 Storage Spaces: Can you trust it with your delicates?
‘Horrible write speeds’, ‘vanishing storage’… but it IS early in the RC
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/28/windows_8_storage_spaces/
Storage Spaces is a new way to manage disk storage in Windows 8 and Server 2012. It allows you to create a pool from two or more drives, create virtual drives on them with an option for RAID-like resilience, and add or remove physical drives as needed when drives fail or more storage is needed.
It’s a great feature, and particularly since it comes from the server team you would expect it to be solid. Nobody can afford to use storage that is unreliable.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft looks to simplify adding Azure cloud support to Windows 8 apps
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-looks-to-simplify-adding-azure-cloud-support-to-windows-8-apps-7000003323/
A preview of Windows Azure Mobile Services is available to Windows 8 developers, with additional support for iOS, Android and Windows Phone coming soon.
Microsoft is looking to make it easier for developers to add back-end Windows Azure support to their client and mobile applications, starting with those running on Windows 8.
Azure Mobile Services allows developers to “easily store structured data in the cloud that can span both devices and users, integrate it with user authentication, as well as send out updates to clients via push notifications,” explained Scott Guthrie, now Corporate Vice President, Program Management for Server and Tools, in a blog post announcing Windows Azure Mobile Services.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Introduction to Windows Azure Mobile Services
http://channel9.msdn.com/posts/Introduction-to-Windows-Azure-Mobile-Services
Scott Guthrie shows how using Windows Azure Mobile Services one can add a cloud backend to a Windows 8 application in literally minutes.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung to offer Apple Dock style Start Button in Windows? Really?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/29/samsung_restores_windows8_startmenu/
Microsoft’s latest version of its operating system would have been its best yet – but it has one fatal flaw.
In Windows 8, the user is constantly thrown between two shells: the old desktop, which has lost the familiar Start menu, and the new Metro Notro layer, which lacks the depth of functionality of the classic Windows desktop.
The good news? Samsung has become the first manufacturer to re-introduce the classic Start menu on its Windows 8 machines. According to AP, new computers introduced with the 26 October launch of the operating system will include a widget that restores Start menu functionality to the classic desktop.
several add-ons that restore the classic Start menu to Windows 8
The most popular appears to be Classic Shell – but Stardock’s Start8 does the job too. The latter’s Object Dock can be styled to resemble the purported Samsung Start menu
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mark your Microsoft calendars: Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 launch dates revealed
http://www.zdnet.com/mark-your-microsoft-calendars-windows-8-windows-phone-8-launch-dates-revealed-7000003450/
Expect September to be a month of Windows Phone 8 handset reveals, and late October to be the official launch of the coming devices.
We Microsoft watchers already knew October was going to be a crazy month, given Windows 8′s general availability date is October 26.
But until this week, I didn’t realize just how jam-packed that month is really going to be.
October — specifically late October — is when things really ramp up.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung Ativ Tab official, 10.1-inch Windows RT tablet
http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/29/3277059/samsung-ativ-tab-specs-windows-rt-announcement
Samsung has announced a 10.1-inch Windows RT tablet at IFA 2012 in Berlin — the product is officially named the Samsung Ativ Tab.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft Windows 8 review
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/review/2202113/microsoft-windows-8-review?WT.rss_f=Home&WT.rss_a=Microsoft+Windows+8+review
Offers a better experience for tablet users, but many will be put off by the new user interface
WINDOWS 8 is potentially the biggest overhaul of Microsoft’s client operating system ever, introducing a radical change in the user interface accompanied by a new application model, plus numerous technological changes under the hood.
A great deal is riding on the success of Windows 8. This is the first version of the operating system where touchscreen input is ubiquitous, aimed at delivering Microsoft Windows based tablets capable of taking on Apple’s Ipad and stemming the decline in PC sales as buyers favour other devices.
In Short
Windows 8 is the first version of Microsoft’s OS that feels like a natural tablet platform, and adds many useful new features and technologies.
If you can get past the new-style Modern user interface, it is well worth a look, although those used to the traditional Windows desktop may take a long time to adjust to it, and businesses still migrating to Windows 7 will probably not consider Windows 8 for some time. µ
The Good
Touch-optimised UI works well on tablets, wealth of built-in apps, reset and recovery tools.
The Bad
Modern UI a major upheaval, legacy applications are confined to desktop.
The Ugly
No Start Menu for Legacy desktop envronment, Modern style apps run in full-screen mode.
Tomi Engdahl says:
PCs get touchy ahead of Windows 8 launch
http://www.reghardware.com/2012/09/03/pcs_turn_touchscreen_ahead_of_windows_8/
IFA 2012 PC manufacturers have been busy unveiling their touchscreen laptops at IFA this week in hot anticipation of Microsoft’s Windows 8 release.
While several firms have opted for Windows 8 tablets which convert into laptops using peripherals
Acer, Lenovo and Toshiba continued the touchy trend with their respective PC announcements.
Tomi says:
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer predicted that within a year 400 million Windows 8 operating system based phones and other devices are sold.
Ballmer popped up on the stage of Nokia press conference towards the end. He praised the Nokia “phenomenally good work.”
Source: http://www.talouselama.fi/nokialandia/microsoftin+ballmer+uskoo+vuoden+sisalla+myydaan+400+miljoonaa+windows+8+puhelinta+ja+laitetta/a2142433
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel slashes third quarter sales forecast despite Windows 8 launch
Windows 8 fails even before it hits the shelves
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2203946/intel-slashes-third-quarter-sales-forecast-despite-windows-8-launch
With Microsoft releasing Windows 8 to system builders this Autumn it was expected that the third quarter would be a very profitable one for Intel, as demand for its chips would increase as computer OEMs would build desktop and laptop PCs prior to the release of Windows 8. However Intel’s comments suggest the opposite
Tomi Engdahl says:
EU antitrust regulators are investigating whether Microsoft blocks computer makers from installing rival web browsers on its upcoming Windows 8 operating system, following complaints from several companies.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/08/us-microsoft-eu-idUSBRE8870AI20120908
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 to grab iPad market share wrested back from Android
http://www.reghardware.com/2012/09/10/canalys_windows_8_to_grab_ipad_market_share/
market watcher Canalys: Windows 8 will dent Apple’s dominance of the tablet market, but it’s biggest impact will be to hold Android’s growth back.
So says market watcher Canalys, which reckons some 207m tablets will ship in 2016, around half of them iPads of one size or another. In that year, tablets will account for almost a third of all personal computer shipments.
it’ll be Microsoft taking share from Apple, not Google.
tomi says:
Windows 8 gets ‘browser ballot’ amid EU antitrust probe
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33642_7-57509530-292/windows-8-gets-browser-ballot-amid-eu-antitrust-probe/
European user of Windows 8 can now select their choice of browser, amid an European antitrust investigation into Microsoft’s failure to include the software in Windows 7.
Microsoft is pushing out an update to Windows 8 users to enable the “browser ballot” screen, even though the forthcoming operating system’s release date is set for over a month away.
Windows 8 users in Europe are now given the choice of which browser — including Microsoft’s own Internet Explorer — they wish to install.
Windows 8 specifically is also under the antitrust spotlight after allegedly limiting of programming interfaces (APIs, which allow the operating system and other programs to talk to each other) to developers, rival browser makers accuse, while Internet Explorer runs in both “tiled” and “classic” desktop mode.