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 Engdahl says:
Windows 8 developers urged to ‘lead land grab’
Chicken, meet egg
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/11/windows_8_developer_land_grab/
Microsoft has urged developers to “lead the land grab” by developing Windows 8 apps ASAP.
Developer evangelists Nick Hodge and Andrew Coates told the developer-centric keynote at the Australian incarnation of the company’s TechEd conference that the time to write Windows 8 apps is now, before civilians get their hands on the OS. Doing so, they argued, will ensure apps are there once the hordes arrived, meaning a better chance of colossal sales.
Microsoft Australia has established a competition whereby developers who crank out three apps by an unspecified deadline win unspecified goodies.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 developers urged to ‘lead land grab’
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/11/windows_8_developer_land_grab/
Microsoft has urged developers to “lead the land grab” by developing Windows 8 apps ASAP.
Coates showed off an experimental tool from Microsoft Research called Touchdevelop that allowed the development of Windows Phone apps on a Windows phone. No typing was required: pokes on tiles in The Interface Formerly Known as Metro were the only input required to whip up an app.
Touchdevelop is not just a toy: Coates said the app was created as part of an effort to understand what kind of touch-only interfaces are effective. Developers can therefore use the tool to create apps and learn how to do so effectively when coding for Windows 8 and Windows Phone.
Create apps on your Windows Phone!
https://www.touchdevelop.com/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8? Nah: Win Phone 8 should give Apple the fear
Tiled phone, not PC, could put Redmond on top
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/11/windows_8_phone_can_win_by_not_losing/
Open … and Shut Windows Phone 8 might spell the beginning of a climb to relevance for a desktop vendor breaking out its latest PC operating system at almost the same time.
Why will Windows Phone 8 mean more than Windows 8? Not because Windows Phone 8 is groundbreaking. And not because its user experience compels adoption.
its biggest selling point is that it’s not iOS and not Android.
Intel’s recent earnings call suggests that, if anything, the PC market is going to stutter in the wake of the Windows 8 launch. It’s simply not a compelling upgrade for consumers, and poses serious user experience challenges for enterprise IT departments.
Microsoft will likely maintain its desktop market share, which still hovers at 92 per cent according to NetMarketshare data.
The bigger issue is how much of that market is being cannibalised by the growing tablet and smartphone markets.
And in the smartphone market, Microsoft actually stands a chance.
No, the real Windows Phone 8 advantage is actually that it’s not iOS or Android. A few months ago, this would have been its undoing. Apple dominates mobile profits while Android dominates market share.
Microsoft already has HTC and Samsung announcing WP8 phones, and Nokia, of course, is all in on WP8. Nokia is getting good reviews of its Windows-Phone-8-based Lumia 920, which isn’t enough to declare victory, but it is enough to suggest that Windows Phone 8 increasingly seems like the safe bet against Apple while Android’s legal status is muddied by Apple.
It’s an ugly way to win, but I suspect Microsoft won’t mind. Winning ugly is still winning.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Information is the UI in Windows 8
UI guru makes sense of Metro, says devs need to grok design
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/12/information_is_the_win_8_gui/
The interface formerly known as Metro (TIFKAM) makes the information applications present their UI, and developers need to realise that and stop polluting software with the kind of buttons and icons elements they’ve grown up with.
He also described the initial TIFKAM screen as the “Asian supermarket screen, because everything is yelling at you and you don’t know where to look.”
Which is not to say Morris dislikes TIFKAM,
Developers must therefore strive to “present the information well enough it can form the user interface.” Which is not to say that users are to be left without things to click on, but Microsoft has hidden them in TIFKAM’s Apps Bar and Charm bar, decoupling UI elements from apps.
“A consistent UI and place for people to look for search, share and settings means users don’t have to need to learn a new UI for each app,”
Microsoft has been making content-centric interfaces since the days of Expedia CD-ROMs and has continue to do so with products like Media Centre and Zune.
Mainstream developers will therefore need to come to terms with content-centric interfaces and the elements they offer, one of which is animation. Moving images, he said, even offer the chance to tap into users’ primal instincts as we are attuned to interpreting fast-moving objects in peripheral vision as worthy of attention (if only to avoid being eaten by an approaching predator). Using animation to show users something is worthy of their attention is a new interface tactic he feels will be useful.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8: Life in a post .NET world – speak your brains
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/12/live_chat_windows_8_a_post_dot_net_world_1/
Back in 2000, when Bill Gates launched .NET, he likened the shift to the dramatic move from MS-DOS to Windows, as it ushered in an era of distributed computing – for Windows.
.NET became Microsoft’s desktop and server programming story for a decade.
Windows 8 introduces a brand-new programming framework, WinRT, geared towards touch input instead of mouse, and cloud download rather than CD install.
Is the transition to WinRT as dramatic as the move from Windows?
Is this the end for your .NET skills as Microsoft pushes you towards HTML, Javascript and C++?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft preparing for diskless Windows 8 PCs
But Windows RT can’t be installed wirelessly
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/12/windows_8_install_options/
Microsoft has imagined future computers that don’t include onboard disks, but do boot from external USB 3.0 devices, and has prepared Windows 8 so that it can install and operate in such environments.
Such devices, Niehaus said, will have to be certified to run Windows to Go for two reasons, one of which is that in Microsoft’s tests external storage ran dangerously hot.
The second reason is that external drives can’t be partitioned in the ways Windows 8 requires, thanks to its use of BIOS-replacement Unified Extensible Firmware Interface(UEFI) that is an important contributor to the new OS’ faster boot times. Niehaus explained that UEFI means Windows 8 needs four partitions in a disk.
“USBs report themselves as fixed disk,” Niehaus told the crowd in his session, and therefore cannot be partitioned.
Microsoft has therefore had to work with third parties to create devices capable of making Windows to Go a goer. Super Talent and Kingston Technology have created such devices.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft’s Windows RT signals shift to mobile computing, says Qualcomm
Operating system marks beginning of the end for the PC era
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2204660/microsofts-windows-rt-signals-shift-to-mobile-computing-says-qualcomm
BERLIN: SOFTWARE FIRM Microsoft’s upcoming Windows RT operaing system signals a shift to mobile computing and marks the beginning of the end for the PC era, according to chip maker Qualcomm.
Qualcomm’s COO Steve Mollenkopf claims that in the future, all devices will run using mobile operating systems. He cited the upcoming Microsoft Windows RT operating system as support for his claim.
“In Windows RT we’re seeing a blend of the smartphone world with the PC world… a move from legacy computing to mobile computing,” said Mollenkopf.
“We imagine that in the future all of our devices will be connected together. Our phone will be a remote for life, controlling everything we do,” said Mollenkopf.
Tomi Engdahl says:
One more try: Metro apps are now ‘Windows Store’ apps
Microsoft really means it this time
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/13/metro_apps_are_windows_store_apps/
Another week, another chapter in what must be one of the worst branding and marketing disasters in the history of computing: what to call the blocky, touch-centric apps designed for the new Windows 8 Start Screen, formerly known as Metro-style apps.
What we are meant to call them from now on, it seems, are “Windows Store” apps. And although El Reg has heard whispers of other nomenclature in the past, this time the new term seems likely to stick, as even Microsoft’s partners have started using it.
In our last episode, Microsoft appeared to be leaning toward “Modern” as the replacement for Metro, and a few Redmond websites already seemed to be doing a bit of cut-and-paste to insert the new term.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Visual Studio 2012: Free desktop development tool out today, first update outlined
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/09/visual-studio-2012-free-desktop-development-tool-out-today-first-update-outlined/
Visual Studio 2012 to receive quarterly updates courtesy of new agile approach.
Microsoft has decided that today is the day it will launch Visual Studio 2012. Although it has been available to MSDN subscribers for some weeks already, and although the Express editions for Web and Windows 8 development have been freely downloadable as well, the software goes on sale through retail channels today.
A new Express edition was added to the lineup today.
The full Visual Studio product boasts stronger application lifecycle management features, a contentious new UI, greatly enhanced C++ standards compliance, and, of course, the ability to create all-new Windows 8 Metro-style applications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hate the Windows 8 touch UI? Try Kinect-like finger shaking instead
Game console tech to stop punters fondling the screen
Touch is dead, long live Kinect-like control for Windows 8
Mid-air finger swishing could kill off screen fondling
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/13/gesture_eyesight_windows_8/
Microsoft is pushing hard to promote Windows 8: its first operating system to let you point, swipe and prod your way through desktop applications and actions – quite possibly without the need for a touchscreen or mouse, thanks to gesture-sensing tech.
On the Intel architecture, users will be able to touch the new modern desktop interface as well as use traditional mouse and keyboard to operate the computer. On ARM-powered gadgets, Windows 8 RT is all touch.
Planned Win 8 laptops and folding slabs that feature touchscreens must have sturdy wobble-free displays if they are going to win over punters.
There is another option: mid-air gestures detected by a camera fitted to the machine. Your fingers won’t have to make contact with the screen.
eyeSight
“My gut feeling is most [desktop] Windows 8 users after a while will go with the classic Windows user interface,” chief executive Gideon Shmuel told us at the Touch, Gesture Motion Conference in London on Wednesday. “The new UI is cool, but do I need it all the time? If I’m working on PowerPoint I will go to my familiar PowerPoint.”
Shmuel reckons Windows 8 will actually boost the uptake of finger-waving control – the type of input system Microsoft perfected for the Xbox: its Kinect hands-free controller. “Gesture will help Windows 8 because it will be a great experience to activate it,” Shmuel said.
eyeSight’s gesture and facial recognition software is available to ARM-powered devices
“On some devices, gesture is a must. On the Android set-top box it’s a must: the remote isn’t enough,” he says.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Can Windows 8 developers be ‘the new rock stars’?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/14/windows-8-rock-stars/
One of the odder things to transpire at TechEd Australia this week was Microsoft’s insistence that developers are the new rock stars.
It is possible to shoot down this assertion with two simple tests
But let’s read between the lines instead, as the assumption behind the assertion is that the iOS App Store and its Android equivalent have both made it possible for some very small developers to sell very large quantities of software. The premise behind the rock star statement is therefore that Windows 8 will accrue an enormous audience which means the chance to sell an enormous amount of software in the Windows Store.
How big is that audience? As was explained at TechEd Australia yesterday in a session titled Selling & Deploying Windows 8 Apps, Windows 7 runs on 660 million or so computers. Because the Windows 8 upgrade has been priced so keenly (AUD$14.95 here in the far antipodes), Microsoft thinks there will be a big installed base from day one and lots of enthusiasm for Windows 8 apps to boot.
Yet with Gartner proclaiming Q1 2012 PC sales saw 88.98 million boxes shifted, for an annual PC sales rate of at least 300 million, selling to even one per cent of those punters will mean three million sales. That’s triple platinum for an album in the USA and 10xPlatinum in the UK, sales that would certainly make one a rock star in the music business.
There’s also a new technique, called “sideloading” that allows Windows 8 apps created in-house to be installed on the Windows 8 desktop. Each target device will need to run Windows 8 Enterprise and be domain-attached.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Who’s afraid of Windows 8? Trio leads Microsoft migration pack
Internet Explorer a hurdle for most, says consultant
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/13/camwood_windows_browser_migrations/
Windows 8 isn’t ideal for many big businesses and government users. In fact, the majority of operations running tens of thousands of PCs are only now replacing Windows XP with Windows 7 at any meaningful scale – despite Microsoft’s claims to the contrary. But a few brave businesses are planning on jumping into touch and swipe with Windows 8 in the next 12 months.
Microsoft claims 50 per cent of enterprise PCs are running Windows 7, but browser migration specialist Browsium has disputed these numbers. It reckons just 20 per cent of large companies are running Windows 7 – and that 80 per cent of those with 10,000 PCs or more are still on Windows XP.
The problem is the migration of apps that rely on the browser.
These apps can be something like SAP or Oracle financials – complex software that is used across multiple departments – or pieces of software that have been built in-house and need the original install files. The in-house apps can typically run to hundreds of thousands of users in very large companies.
“The major blocker to Windows 7 is IE6 and IE7,” Gemmel says.
And Microsoft is not helping: its official advice is to re-write the apps – but that costs time and money.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Office to propel Windows tablets past Android in 2015
Apple to stay on top of fondleslab fight says Taiwanese analyst
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/17/windows_tablets_topple_android_2015/
Taiwan-based analyst TrendForce says Windows-based tablets will overtake Android’s market share by 2015, thanks to the presence of Microsoft Office on the devices.
Chiou says “Win8 tablet’s incorporation of business software such as Office will not only differentiate it from most other entertainment-oriented tablets, but also allow it to successfully gain a portion of Apple and Android devices’ market shares.”
Windows 8 tablets will not, however, make much of a dent in Apple’s market share, taking it down from today’s 62 per cent to 59 per cent in 2015.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ballmer trumpets Microsoft’s ‘epic year’
http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2019168601_microsoftballmer16.html
Q and A: Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer discusses new products and services, the state of the company and its future.
This fall, Microsoft is embarking on one of its biggest series of launches ever, with new versions or updates of nearly all its products and services, from Windows to Windows Phone, Office to Windows Server.
On top of that, the company is debuting its first branded computing devices: the Surface tablets.
Q: What is Microsoft’s plan if Windows 8 doesn’t take off?
A: You know, Windows 8 is going to do great.
Q: No doubt at all?
A: I’m not paid to have doubts. (Laughs.) I don’t have any. It’s a fantastic product. …
People talk about: “How healthy is the PC market?” There’s going to be close to 400 million PCs sold in the next year, which makes it a big market. And whether it’s 405 (million) or 395 (million), it’s a big market, and Windows 8 will propel that volume.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ballmer discusses Surface pricing and Microsoft as a devices-and-services company
http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/16/3340668/steve-ballmer-surface-pricing-devices-and-services-interview
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Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has discussed Windows 8 a number of times this year, once describing it as “the rebirth of Microsoft Windows,” but the outspoken chief of Microsoft has switched gears to talk about the company’s upcoming Surface tablet and its future as a devices-and-services company. In an interview with The Seattle Times, Ballmer believes Microsoft has a “very competitive product from the features perspective,” with Microsoft Surface, and that “probably $300 to about $700 or $800″ is the “sweet spot” for pricing.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft confirms October 25 launch for Windows 8
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-confirms-october-25-launch-for-windows-8-7000004365/
Summary: Microsoft officials are now confirming the Windows 8 — and Surface RT — launch will be on October 25 in New York City.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Clover Trail Atoms will give Windows 8 tablets ARM-like battery life
The processor is the least interesting part of the next Atom platform.
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/09/clover-trail-atoms-will-give-windows-8-tablets-arm-like-battery-life/
Intel’s next generation of Atom processors made headlines last week because it will completely eschew Linux support, but that wasn’t the only detail about the new Clover Trail platform that came out of last week’s Intel Developer Forum—the same power usage optimizations that make it incompatible with Linux also make it an interesting choice for Windows 8 tablets, and give us a peek at the power-saving tricks used in Intel’s next-generation Haswell chips to boot.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Asus Windows 8 tablet pricing comes in high; Demand likely low
http://www.zdnet.com/asus-windows-8-tablet-pricing-comes-in-high-demand-likely-low-7000004378/
Summary: Asus’ Windows 8 tablet pricing will start at $599 and run to $1,299. In other words, tablets will be more than laptops in some cases without any enterprise heft to justify a premium.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8: Never mind Office, it’s for GAMING
Metro + playtime = easier-to-swallow?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/18/windows_8_as_a_gaming_platform/
Despite threats to its software hegemony from Apple and others, Microsoft’s stranglehold on enterprise IT has been its saving grace. Yet this advantage has started to fade as Apple and Android increasingly invade the enterprise through smartphone adoption, with IT departments scrambling to devise security policies that plug the holes created by this bring-your-own-device (BYOD) phenomenon. While many expected Microsoft to respond by shoring up its enterprise credentials, arguing that Office will be the big driver of Windows tablet adoption, the software giant has apparently elected to take a much riskier, and gutsier, approach: turn Windows 8 into a serious gaming platform.
Microsoft? That boring purveyor of Windows? Making games the centre of its PC/tablet universe?
Yes, that same Microsoft that blistered the existing gaming competition with the XBox, and subsequently set the standard for interactive gaming with Kinect. Microsoft may have lost its way on the internet and in mobile over the past few years, but it knows games. Windows 8, not surprisingly, is going “all in” on games.
Here’s the key point to Metro apps and games: They’re dirt simple for you, the user.
That matters. It matters a lot. Microsoft’s ideal world isn’t just a unified UI experience, but a frictionless marketplace for the entire platform. You know how Apple makes billions and billions and billions of dollars because its marketplace is so easy to use?
The signs are growing that Microsoft doesn’t see gaming as something that the XBox team focuses on, while the Windows team focuses on serious enterprise computing. For one thing, the company just hatched a London-based gaming studio, focusing on building Windows 8-based tablet games. Meanwhile, Microsoft has also teamed up with Agawi to enable cloud gaming on Windows 8.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft is preparing for its launch of Windows 8
Gets its party hats out for 25 October
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2206151/microsoft-is-preparing-for-it-launch-of-windows-8
SOFTWARE REDEVELOPER Microsoft is already sending out invitations for its launch of Windows 8.
The firm is asking members of the press to join it in New York on 25 October for the launch of the operating system, and perhaps the launch of its Surface tablet too.
Expect to hear everything you ever wanted to know and more about Microsoft’s Windows 8 and Surface tablets late next month.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Win8 tablets may cost MORE than iPads – AND LAPTOPS
Leaked slide shows $599 and up
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/18/windows_tablet_sticker_shock/
Microsoft has predicted that Windows 8 and Windows RT will usher in a new era of touch-based computing, but if leaked pricing from Asus is anything to go by, customers will have to pay a pretty penny to share in Redmond’s vision.
The slide shows three tablet models: two designed for full Windows 8 and one that runs Windows RT, Microsoft’s more limited version of the OS for devices with ARM processors.
The Windows RT model is called the Vivo Tab RT (TF600T).
What we didn’t know is that those specs will cost $599.
That’s sure to be a tough sale. The buy-in for Apple’s most recent iPad is just $499, and older models go for even less.
If you want the full power of Windows 8, you’ll need to step up to the Asus Vivo Tab (TF810C). For those upgrades, however, you’ll pay $799, or $998 with the keyboard dock.
But the most boggling item on Asus’ slide is a device called the Taichi.
For this, you’ll pay $1,299.
Here at El Reg, we think these prices sound a little crazy.
A quick trip over to Dell’s website reveals that an entry-level Windows 7 laptop can be had today for just $399. It comes with an Intel Core processor – not an Atom – a bigger screen, more RAM, a hefty hard disk, and a DVD drive.
The one thing it doesn’t have is a touchscreen. But expecting consumers to pay double the price for an underpowered tablet just to make Windows 8 less of a nuisance seems like a poor sales strategy.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel sets Windows 8 tablet event with HP, Samsung, others
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57515565-75/intel-sets-windows-8-tablet-event-with-hp-samsung-others/
Chip giant will host a coming-out party for Windows 8 tablets using its latest system-on-a-chip.
The September 27 event will highlight products using Intel’s “Clover Trail” Z2760 (PDF) power-efficient system-on-a-chip (SoC) processor.
“A media event to showcase the latest Intel-based tablet and tablet convertibles, and announce details about the next generation Intel Atom processor (formerly code-named ‘Clover Trail’),” Intel said in a note sent out to journalists.
Tomi Engdahl says:
HP marches out an army of Windows 8 consumer and business PCs
http://venturebeat.com/2012/09/19/hp-marches-out-an-army-of-windows-8-consumer-and-business-pcs/
Hewlett-Packard is introducing a dozen new computers and accessories today that represent the core of its line-up for Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system coming on Oct. 26.
Tomi Engdahl says:
John Sheehan: Windows 8 Platform
http://channel9.msdn.com/Blogs/Bytes+by+MSDN/Bytes-by-MSDN-Windows-8-Platform
John Sheehan and Tim Huckaby discuss the developer platform for Windows 8. John covers his biggest challenges and proudest moments, and urges developers to stop watching videos and begin building apps.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Acer, Asustek Windows 8 tablet prices may be to high to attract consumers
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20120919PD223.html
Acer and Asustek Computer’s Windows 8 tablets are reportedly to be priced at above US$800, about the same price as the New iPad with the highest specifications, and market watchers are concerned that the high price may drag down consumer demand and impact the vendors’ performance.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Application development costs for Windows 8 only one-third those for Android, iOS, say Taiwan ISVs
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20120920PD202.html
Total development costs for Windows-based applications, including time and manpower, is only one-third that for applications based on Android or iOS due to strong support by development tools offered by Microsoft, according to Taiwan-based independent software vendors (ISVs) which have developed Windows 8-based applications for the Windows Store.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 and Azure: Microsoft’s legacy escape route
‘We’re not afraid to make hard calls’ – server chief
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/24/windows_8_azure_will_alter_microsoft_forever/
Is Windows so much weighed down by legacy and the need to support existing applications that Microsoft cannot advance its platform?
That is the problem, and attempting to solve it is a key driver behind Windows 8, in which the old desktop and a new tablet-friendly Windows Runtime environment live side by side. “We are saying all applications will work in the desktop while you also want to reinvent and build your applications for a modern runtime and a modern experience,” says Nadella.
He adds that “on the server side the same thing exists, within Azure.” The thinking here is that a modern Azure application is one built on cloud services, so that it is robust and easily scalable.
“We have the ability for you to bring your old code and old data into a VM and start using some of these new services,” Nadella says. “We’re creating a revolution through evolution by giving developers some choice along the way, versus cutting off their ability to run their applications completely.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel’s new Clover Trail chip will support Android & Linux
http://www.zdnet.com/intels-new-clover-trail-chip-will-support-android-and-linux-7000004451/
Summary: There have been rumors that Intel’s new Atom CPU, Clover Trail, would only support Windows 8, but not Android or Linux. We now know that the chip will support these open-source operating systems as well.
In short, “Clover Trail’s target is a future Windows 8 Tablet. … If you expect the Windows tablet to do as well as the Windows 8 smartphones recently released by Nokia and others, you probably aren’t far from wrong. Clover Trail, built with partner Microsoft, might be Intel’s biggest loser since Itanium, built with partner HP.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 Bugs Plaguing Microsoft, Intel CEO Said to Tell Staff
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-25/windows-8-bugs-plaguing-microsoft-intel-ceo-said-to-tell-staff.html
Intel Corp. (INTC) Chief Executive Officer Paul Otellini told employees in Taiwan that Microsoft Corp.’s Windows 8 operating system is being released before it’s fully ready, a person who attended the company event said.
Improvements still need to be made to the software, Otellini told employees at a company meeting in Taipei yesterday, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the meeting was private.
Microsoft is eager to get Windows 8, the first version of its flagship software designed for touch tablets, into computers next month
While Windows is fundamentally sound, the operating system lacks a wide range of robust applications and PC makers haven’t had enough time to work out kinks with so-called drivers
“We are concerned at the level of bugs and fine tuning that appears necessary to get the beta systems we demoed ready for prime time,” Alex Gauna, an analyst at JMP Securities LLC
Technology vendors often release software before it’s completely ready and make adjustments on the fly. Still, the practice can backfire. Vista
Microsoft plans to release Windows 8 on Oct. 26.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Only 2,000? Developer interest in Windows 8 is stagnant, opening a new line of worry for Microsoft
http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2012/09/25/developer-interest-windows-8-appears-subdued-opening-new-line-worry-microsoft/
Windows 8 contains the Windows Store, making it the first edition of Windows to sport such an app store. Platforms are increasingly reliant on strong app ecosystems, as serviced through their app stores, to entertain, amuse, and monetize their users.
The fewer apps that Windows 8 launches with in the Windows Store, and the lower their quality, will cause it to suffer. In short, Windows 8 needs to launch with a strong app portfolio, out of the gate, or the operating system could stumble as consumers take it for a spin, but are underwhelmed with what sort of applications they can quickly download and use.
Thus, despite there being endless desktop apps that Windows 8 can run, if the Windows Store itself isn’t packed as full as the larder of a hobbit, all of Windows will feel a bit empty.
This will harm the operating system’s ability to build tablet market share for Microsoft.
TNW reached out to Microsoft for comment on the 2,000 app figure. The company declined to confirm it
Thus, for Windows 8 to break the five-figure app threshold – in a world in which it’s six figures or bust – by launch, the operating system must undergo a massive burst of developer release before its debut.
Even if you don’t like Windows 8, and that’s a fine view to have, even if I don’t share it, simply ‘because Windows’ it is going to land on hundreds of millions of machines in the coming years. That’s a massive developer opportunity, especially given how barren things are at the moment.
I don’t think that it is a stretch, however, to say that 2,000 apps is a disappointment, and one that Microsoft will need to rectify if Windows 8 is to stand up to something akin to the full height that it expects of it.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system must succeed, or other IT giant to lose its dominant position in the PC market, estimates research firm Gartner.
“Microsoft has taken a risk in order to stay engaged in the development of mobile devices, the latest modern techniques are becoming the norm,” says Gartner analysts Michael A. Silver and Stephen Kleynhans Is Windows 8 in Your Future report.
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/gartner+windows+8+vie+microsoftin+tuomiolle/a842082?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-26092012&
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel denies that its CEO thinks Windows 8 isn’t ready
‘Unsubstantiated news reports’
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/26/intel_denies_otellini_gaffe/
Intel has denied reports that CEO Paul Otellini believes Microsoft is releasing Windows 8 before it’s “fully ready,” saying instead that Chipzilla has the utmost confidence in Redmond’s latest OS.
The statement goes on to say that Otellini is on record as saying, “Windows 8 is one of the best things that ever happened to Intel.”
What it stops just short of saying, however, is that Intel’s CEO never made the comments that were attributed to him by the unknown source.
Tomi Engdahl says:
‘Your app will work on Windows 8 – but please rewrite it anyway’
Microsoft bigwig adds: ‘We’re not afraid to make hard calls’
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/24/windows_8_azure_will_alter_microsoft_forever/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Even Windows 8 Users Prefer Windows 7
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/09/27/1238225/even-windows-8-users-prefer-windows-7
“Windows 8 is not proving an instant hit amongst the early adopters who have got their hands on it. More than half of them prefer Windows 7, according to a survey by a Windows 8 forum. Skeptics cited fears of price and compatibility issues.”
So new users before the old, safe choice they’re familiar with instead of something radically new and different. How does this surprise anyone?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel: Behold the TABLETS of our partners, proof of Win8′s MIGHT
Dell and HP swing both ways on ARM/Clover Trail
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/28/windows_8_intel_show_and_tell/
Windows 8 is ready, and to prove it Intel just listed PC chip partners who are putting Microsoft’s touchy operating system on its silicon.
Yesterday, Chipzilla named nine OEMs that are building Windows 8 tablets and convertibles running its chips.
Acer, Asus, Dell, Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, LG Electronics, Samsung and ZTE will all ship Windows-8 on Intel x86, the company said.
HP, Acer, Asus and Dell are embracing Intel’s “Clover Trail” Atom system-on-a-chip Z2760 processor, which was also formally launched on Thursday.
Tomi Engdahl says:
What’s the deal with counting Windows Store apps?
http://www.winappupdate.com
Windows Store: A second wind
Today, fellow EXMSFT, Charlie Kindel posted on his blog about how important it is that the growth of the Windows 8 Store (or any sustainable ecosystem) be organic, not subsidized.
Finally, I’m introducing a stat that I believe will be interesting, which is how the ARM app count stacks up to the count of x86 and x64 (which are effectively at parity). By calculating
ARM/average(x86/x64) I have a general percentage of apps that are available for Windows RT but are for Windows 8. Today that percentage is 93%.
Tomi Engdahl says:
“Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has called Windows 8 ‘puzzling’ and ‘confusing initially,’ but assured users that they would eventually learn to like the new OS.”
Source: http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/10/03/0355217/microsoft-co-founder-dings-windows-8-as-puzzling-confusing
Tomi Engdahl says:
Paul’s take on Windows 8
http://www.paulallen.com/TemplateGeneric.aspx?contentId=21
The official release of Windows 8 is fast approaching
The new tablet features in Windows 8 are particularly bold and innovative. A few minor issues aside, I’m impressed with its clever integration of a bimodal interface to simultaneously support both desktop and tablet use in the same operating system. I found the gesture navigation on the tablet to be quite satisfying and responsive. And in general, I find Windows 8 to be snappier and more responsive than Windows 7.
I did encounter some puzzling aspects of Windows 8. The bimodal user experience can introduce confusion, especially when two versions of the same application – such as Internet Explorer – can be opened and run simultaneously. Files can also be opened in either of the two available modes.
In summary, I’m excited about Windows 8 and am confident that existing Windows users will feel the same after they have had a chance to use it.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Forget Apple’s AirPlay – it’s Windows 8 you want, says speaker maker
First Windows 8 Play To streaming speaker ships
http://www.reghardware.com/2012/10/04/aperion_ships_aris_speaker_for_windows/
Rather a lot of speakers are touting their support for Apple’s AirPlay Wi-Fi hosted audio streaming technology, but here’s one designed for Windows fans.
The Audio Aris is, says creator Aperion, the first Windows 8 certified speaker. It too operates over Wi-Fi, being fed from a Windows PC, tablet or smartphone using the source’s Play To… command.
Round the back of the 369 x 163mm unit is a slot for the Aris’ wireless card, which also delivers compatibility with a given streaming technology. So if you don’t want to use Windows streaming, you can slot in an AirPlay-compatible card instead.
But since either card also uses DNLA and UPnP, you can always stream that way if you have a Mac, iPad or iPhone to stream from.
Tomi says:
Poor pre-launch showing plagues Windows 8
Now five times less likely to be on a PC than early-adoption benchmark set by Windows 7
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9231900/Poor_pre_launch_showing_plagues_Windows_8
With just weeks before the public launch of Windows 8, users are five times less likely to be running the new OS than they were Windows 7 at the same point in its countdown, an analytics firm said today.
The newest numbers from California-based Net Applications portray a tepid reception so far for Windows 8.
Just 0.33% of all computers running Windows during September relied on Windows 8, Net Applications’ statistics showed Monday. That number represents 33 out of every 10,000 Windows machines.
In fact, Windows 8′s September share of all Microsoft-powered computers was identical to Windows 7′s share six months before that OS’s launch, when users had had the beta for about three months but had yet to see the release candidate, much less finished code.
The poor pre-launch showing doesn’t preclude Windows 8 from flourishing once new systems running it reach stores and the upgrade becomes available. Microsoft has discounted the Windows 8 upgrade to an all-time low of $40 in a deal that starts Oct. 26 and ends Jan. 31, 2013; the price cut could jumpstart Windows 8 adoption.
But many analysts don’t believe it will.
Tomi says:
Nokia Working On A Windows RT Tablet, Currently Used For App Testing
http://wmpoweruser.com/nokia-working-on-a-windows-rt-tablet-currently-used-for-app-testing/
We previously reported in June that Microsoft may be helping Nokia to build its first Windows RT tablet. According to the latest information we got from our sources, we can confirm that Nokia is working on a Windows RT tablet.
Nokia Windows RT tablet is currently used by Microsoft to test ARM based Windows Store apps
Tomi Engdahl says:
It’s Official: Windows Phone 8 Event Set for Oct. 29
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/10/its-official-windows-phone-8-event-coming-october-29/
There’s a lot coming from Microsoft in the coming weeks, including the Windows 8 and Surface launch on Oct. 25 in New York City, and the company’s developer-oriented Build conference on Oct. 30 in Redmond. Now Microsoft has just announced a Windows Phone 8 event on Oct. 29 in San Francisco.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mozilla floats fondleslab-ready Firefox for Win 8
Hopes to beat IE10 at its own game
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10/05/mozilla_win8_firefox/
The Mozilla Foundation has made available a preview release of a version of its Firefox browser that has been re-engineered to run as both a desktop application and a Windows Store app for Windows 8′s new, fondleslab-friendly Start Screen.
So far, the touch-enabled version of the browser can only be downloaded from Mozilla’s nightly builds, meaning the code is still very raw.
In addition to its Windows 8–specific features, the new release also includes a fair amount of rich browser functionality for such a lightweight app, including spell checking, support for Firefox Sync, and even a built-in PDF viewer based on JavaScript.
One thing the Windows Store version doesn’t have yet is Flash support, although Mozilla says it’s working on it. It also can’t use add-ons – that’s right, no AdBlock for now – but Bondy says Mozilla does eventually plan to support them via an SDK (software development kit).
Just because the Mozilla Foundation is readying a version of Firefox that’s custom-tailored for Windows 8, however, don’t expect to see a similar browser running on Windows RT. Mozilla says Microsoft won’t give it access to the APIs it needs on the ARM-based OS. As such, it says it has no plans to build a browser for that platform.
Tomi Engdahl says:
First Windows 8 PCs appear early, crapware included
http://www.zdnet.com/first-windows-8-pcs-appear-early-crapware-included-7000005346/
Summary: Microsoft’s official launch party for Windows 8 is still weeks away, but one well-known retailer has jumped the gun. Cable shopping giant HSN has five Windows 8 PCs for sale on the web. All are, unfortunately, fully loaded.
Windows 8 doesn’t officially go on sale until October 26, but at least one high-volume retailer has jumped the gun on PC sales.
Over the weekend, HSN.com, the online edition of the Home Shopping Network, offered a special on two new Gateway notebook PCs with Windows 8 preinstalled.
That’s actually a little better than the load of junk I found when I looked at a trip of notebooks a year ago (see “On consumer PCs, crapware is still a performance-sapping nuisance”), but the devil’s in the details. That PowerDVD program is probably the stripped-down version stuffed with upsells, and it’s annoying to see those Wild Tangent games, which are a pain to uninstall.
Both the Gateway and Acer units also toss in something called the “PC Essentials 22A Standard Software DVD,” which is a classic collection of shovelware. The 19 included programs are the very antithesis of what one expects in a modern PC, with a bunch of Corel products (Office, PaintShop Pro X4, and PDF Fusion) and a scrapbooking program and My Perfect Wedding Planner and TurboFloorPlan 3D Home & Landscape Deluxe 16 and a whole lot more. That might be exactly what the HSN audience wants. As long as the contents of that DVD aren’t preinstalled, I’d classify the programs as “mostly harmless.”
It’s a shame to see all of that junk show up alongside Windows 8. Microsoft is phasing out the Office 2010 Starter edition and removed the OEM installation files back in June. At that time, a Microsoft spokesperson told Mary Jo Foley, “After Windows 8 becomes available, most new PCs shipped will not have Office Starter.”
I guess no one at Gateway or Acer got the memo.
Meanwhile, come October 26 I’ll be looking carefully at new Windows 8 PCs from other OEMs to see whether they’ve carried over those old, crapware-loving ways.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to replace missing Start button in Windows 8
http://www.itworld.com/data-centerservers/300901/how-replace-missing-start-button-windows-8
Whatever you might think of Windows 8, at startup there is something missing that can vex, or at least perplex, users from the get-go. By default, Windows 8 now boots to a “Start Screen” that displays “tiles” that link to a limited set of programs
The familiar start button went missing in Windows 8 and instead users are left staring at an empty space with no apparent way to access programs and applications. Early testers considered this an alpha or beta glitch, but Microsoft has confirmed that the missing start button will not be making a re-appearance in the release version of Windows 8.
In this review I tested three different Start button replacements (Power8, Start8 and Classic Start Menu).
Both Power8 and Classic Start Menu are open source products, which means you can download and inspect the code before installing it.
If your organization disallows third-party software, you could well be sitting back at the blank screen wondering how to do simple tasks that used to be at your fingertips, such as configuring your printer. Fortunately, there is a feature built in to Windows 8 that you can use in a pinch to restore some basic functions associated with the start button in Windows 7. While not as elegant as the solutions provided in the products I reviewed, if you right click the task bar and open the Taskbar Properties you can choose to display a built-in ‘Desktop Toolbar’. This is a simplified basic start menu that allows you to access some Windows features such as the Windows Explorer, Control Panel and view other computers on the LAN. It does not, however, provide access to applications, which is a very limiting restriction.
network attached storage external hard drive says:
I’ve the WordPress blog with Arras theme. This site oddly shows different on various computers. Upon some computer systems, I see all 3 columsn, upon other Computer, I see only 1. On other PCs, some wiered things. Please somebody help me..
tomi says:
Check the contents of your style sheet (CSS).
It could have errors in it.
When there are errors in CSS definitions, these tend to work differently on different browsers because different browsers handle errors differently.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft rolls out massive Windows 8 update
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33642_7-57529270-292/microsoft-rolls-out-massive-windows-8-update/
As Windows 8′s launch date nears, Microsoft begins to tailor its core apps like Mail and Calendar to clear the high bar set by Apple and Google while also updating the OS itself.
Microsoft’s notorious Patch Tuesday has been replaced by Update Tuesday, at least for today, as the company makes sweeping alterations to Windows 8 and its core apps.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft Surface pricing will be comparable to PCs — analyst
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57529276-75/microsoft-surface-pricing-will-be-comparable-to-pcs-analyst/
A bill-of-materials analysis of upcoming Microsoft Surface devices suggests pricing will be line with low-end PCs and ultrabooks. But that doesn’t include the cost of Microsoft’s snazzy keyboard.
The least expensive Microsoft Surface tablet will be priced more in line with a low-end laptop than a $199 Google Nexus 7, one analyst argues.
Microsoft’s imminent Surface RT tablet will priced between $399 and $499, excluding the smart cover/keyboard, according to Sameer Singh, an analyst with India-based consulting group Finvista Advisors, a mergers and acquisitions consulting group.
And the Pro version — due next year — will fall in the $799 to $899 range, also excluding the smart cover/keyboard.
Surface RT uses an inexpensive Nvidia ARM chip and won’t run older Windows software. The pricier Intel Core i5-based Pro version can run older software.
Singh’s estimates line up, more or less, with comments by CEO Steve Ballmer, who said last month that pricing would fall between $300 and $800. And Microsoft has offered similar official pricing guidance.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kernel crimps make Windows 8 a hacker hassle
The kernel is the new battleground, says ReactOS and iOS co-author Alex Ionescu
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10/09/windws_8_hacker_hassle/
Windows 8 will make hackers’ lives hard, says Windows internals expert, security researcher and co-author of Apple’s iOS and the open source Windows XP clone ReactOS, Alex Ionescu.
Now chief architect at CrowdStrike, a security company focused on nation-state adversaries, Ionescu says Windows 8 builds on the usermode exploit mitigations introduced into Windows Vista and 7 with new approaches to security that attempt to mitigate kernel mode attacks.
He’ll tell the audience that many pathways to exploitation will be sealed off in the latest Windows release.
That Windows will be targeted is hard to doubt, given that in the past hackers have treated security in Microsoft’s flagship as an unmitigated joke. Writing exploits for Windows XP was extremely easy and the resulting boom in malware affecting Windows users was unprecedented. But companies like Microsoft and Adobe have made significant headway in recent years by introducing exploit mitigations to their products.
Regardless of all the mitigations, disastrous exploits affecting Windows 7 still surface from time to time, and that will no doubt continue with Windows 8.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ballmer to Microsoft shareholders: ‘a fundamental shift [is] underway in our business’
http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/9/3480696/steve-ballmer-shareholder-letter-2012-devices-services
In his annual letter, CEO Steve Ballmer says Microsoft’s future is a tight combination of hardware and software
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has hinted at Microsoft’s shift towards a devices and services company previously, but this year’s letter to shareholders spells it out very clearly. Microsoft is only days away from releasing a major hardware product, the Surface RT tablet, to consumers — alongside a new touch-centric Windows 8 operating system. “This is a significant shift,” says Ballmer. “It impacts how we run the company, how we develop new experiences, and how we take products to market for both consumers and businesses.”
Although Ballmer says Microsoft will continue to work with its loyal partners on Windows PCs, tablets, and phones, the software maker is clearly positioning itself as one that can also deliver premium hardware experiences of its own. “There will be times when we build specific devices for specific purposes,” explains Ballmer.