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:
Windows Head Steven Sinofsky to Leave Microsoft
http://allthingsd.com/20121112/breaking-windows-head-steven-sinofsky-to-leave-microsoft/?mod=tweet
Windows unit president Steven Sinofsky is leaving the company, effective immediately, AllThingsD has confirmed.
The move comes less than a month after Sinofsky presided over the launch of Windows 8 and Microsoft’s Surface tablet — products seen as key to the future if the PC software pioneer is to retain its position in a market increasingly dominated by phones and tablets.
Sources have said the move came amid growing tension between Sinofsky and other top executives. Sinofsky, though seen as highly talented, was viewed at the top levels as not the kind of team player that the company was looking for.
Sinfosky, who took the reins of Windows in 2006 after a long career in the Office unit, helped restore order and discipline to the operating system following the boondoggle of Windows Vista. In the wake of that widely-panned release, Sinofsky spearheaded the development of the largely praised Windows 7 release before turning his attention to Windows 8 — a far more radical overhaul of the software.
Tomi Engdahl says:
“Pc-sales decline will not stop”
PC sales have gone very sticky. Some people have been waiting for the new Windows would jazz up the situation, but not all are approximate W-potency vitamin faith. Barclays analyst has introduced the PC manufacturers in terms of depressing forecast that sales will shrink from now on, year after year.
What, then, is the market changed for the worse? Reitzes appoint four reasons: “The general economy is weak, there is confusion on Windows 8, tablets cannibalize PC sales and machine life cycles are stretched more for longer.”
Windows 8 and ultrabookit have baffled the market in a way that has exacerbated the plunge.
Source: http://www.tietokone.fi/uutiset/pc_myynnin_alamaki_ei_lopu
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 Euro PC sales SHOCKER: Results actually not bad
‘Real opportunity for MS here’ says gobsmacked analyst
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2012/11/14/bechtle_results/
Windows 8 sent the PC market’s heartbeat up a tick or two in the period either side of launch but the pulse was still far from racing.
Then again no one expected it to be, save maybe for OEMs, which simply crossed fingers and closed their eyes tightly in the hope of an uplift in sales instead of the downward or flatlining curves of recent years.
“Secondly, despite the uncertain economy, PC sales through IT distribution in the two weeks prior to launch and including the week itself actually rose 7.8 per cent [year-on-year],” said Davies.
Roughly four-fifths of the machines shipped included a Windows 8 64-bit version. Less than 1 per cent of the systems sold were made up by Windows Pro. Windows RT made up 2.5 per cent of sales.
Businesses don’t generally adopt a new OS until about 18 months down the line following a period of testing and when the glitches have been ironed out.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Early data shows Surface as most popular Windows 8/RT device
http://www.neowin.net/news/early-data-shows-surface-as-most-popular-windows-8rt-device
Microsoft still won’t reveal how well its own home grown Surface tablet is selling a few weeks after its launch, although third party data shows it’s doing pretty well so far. However, some new information from a online ad network may show that the Windows RT-based device is currently the most popular one among the first users of Microsoft’s two new PC operating systems.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Steve Ballmer: Android Ecosystem Is Wild And Uncontrolled, Apple Is High Priced And Highly Controlled
http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/14/steve-ballmer-android-ecosystem-is-wild-and-uncontrolled-apple-is-high-priced-and-highly-controlled/
Now that Ballmer is talking about his competitors he let out a few bonzo words when it came to Google and Apple and the state of their phone ecosystems, especially when it comes to apps.
- On the Android ecosystem, Ballmer called it: “Wild”, “Uncontrolled”, and susceptible to malware.
- On the Apple ecosystem, Ballmer called it “High priced” and “Highly controlled.”
He truly believes that Microsoft can wedge itself in between the two to be successful with diversity and organization.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ex-Windows Chief Seen as Smart but Abrasive
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/14/technology/at-microsoft-sinofsky-seen-as-smart-but-abrasive.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
On a warm night in late October, Steven Sinofsky stood on a platform in New York’s Times Square, smiling as a huge crowd roared at the unveiling of a Microsoft retail store, where Windows 8 and the company’s new Surface tablet were about to go on sale.
Less than three weeks later, Mr. Sinofsky — who, as the head of Windows, was arguably the second-most important leader at Microsoft — suddenly left the company.
His abrasive style was a source of discord within Microsoft, and he and Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft’s chief executive, agreed that it was time for him to leave, according to a person briefed on the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly about it.
The tipping point that led to Mr. Sinofsky’s departure came after an accumulation of run-ins with Mr. Ballmer and other company leaders, rather than a single incident, according to interviews with several current and former Microsoft executives who declined to be named discussing internal matters.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft updates its Windows Embedded roadmap; Embedded 8 Handheld is alive
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-updates-its-windows-embedded-roadmap-embedded-8-handheld-is-alive-7000007405/
Summary: Microsoft has provided yet another update to its Windows Embedded roadmap. Many products have been renamed. And a new version of Embedded Handheld is coming.
Windows Embedded 8 Handheld — about which “more information will be available in early 2013″ — is going to be based on Windows Phone 8 technologies, says Microsoft’s new press release. This is a product for the ruggedized/enterprise handheld device market.
What else is on the roadmap?
Windows Embedded 8 Standard, which is based on the Windows 8 core code. The release preview available now; general availability is slated for March 2013.
Windows Embedded 8 Pro, which also is based on the Windows 8 core. This is the new name for the product formerly known as Windows Embedded 8 Enterprise. General availability is scheduled for March 2013.
Windows Embedded 8 Industry is the renamed Windows Embedded POSReady (with POS standing for point of sale). There will be both a community technology preview test build and details on timing coming in January 2013.
Windows Embedded Compact 2013 is the new name for the product that until now seemed destined to be known as Windows Embedded 8 Compact. Microsoft is acknowledging publicly that it will be generally available in the second quarter of 2013. (Recently, Microsoft officials indicated the coming Embedded Compact release would ship in the first quarter of 2013, a slip from the previous “latter half of 2012″ ship target. So it seems it has slipped a bit again.)
Windows Embedded 8 Automotive. Microsoft’s not saying much on this beyond “more information will be available in early 2013.” Microsoft is working with “preselected partners” on this product, which will “be based on Windows 8 technologies.”
Until Windows Phone 8, Microsoft had used Windows Embedded Compact (and its predecessor Windows CE) as the core for its mobile operating-system platform. With Windows Phone 8, Microsoft dropped Embedded Compact and replaced it with the Windows NT core.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Empire In Decline?
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/11/14/2220221/the-empire-in-decline
“Pundits continue to weigh in on Steve Sinofsky’s sudden exit from Microsoft (as executive head of Windows Division, he oversaw the development and release of Windows 7 and 8). SemiAccurate’s Charlie Demerjian sees Microsoft headed for a steep decline, with their habit of creating walled gardens deliberately incompatible with competitors’ platforms finally catching up to them.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
U.S. consumers hesitant to make switch to Windows 8
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2012/11/14/poll-shows-us-consumers-hesitant-windows-8/1700585/
Most Windows users in the U.S. know about Windows 8 but few have immediate plans to upgrade to Microsoft’s newest operating system.
What’s more, about one-third of Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP users who are ready to buy a new personal computer say they intend to switch to an Apple product.
Those are the findings of an unusually broad survey of Windows PC users conducted by antivirus company Avast and released exclusively to USA TODAY.
Tomi Engdahl says:
HP’s Todd Bradley: Surface is no competition to us
http://www.citeworld.com/business/21072/todd-bradley?page=3
TB: First, I wouldn’t say there’s competition from them. I’d hardly call Surface competition.
CITEworld: Why not?
TB: One, very limited distribution. It tends to be slow and a little kludgey as you use it. I just don’t think it’s competitive. It’s expensive. Holistically, the press has made a bigger deal out of Surface than what the world has chosen to believe. If you want to go to any of the 30 Microsoft Stores in the United States to buy one, I think you should probably do that.
CITEworld: What would make me buy an HP tablet?
TB: We’re not entering the consumer tablet fray any time soon. We’ll be doing something next year, you won’t see a consumer tablet from HP before Christmas. You’ll see convertibles that are focused on how you use the device, keyboard, clamshell, just like the X2 these guys can show you later on. Whether we go into tablets – there’s a whole litany of ARM-based Android, ARM-based Microsoft, there’s quite a grid. We’ll be judicious about how we deploy against application availability in the enterprise, consumerization, and price points, there’s a whole host of things we’ll look at.
I’m not a big [Windows] RT fan either, by the way.
Tomi Engdahl says:
New Microsoft Windows chief ‘shocked’ by Sinofsky defenestration
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/15/new_windows_chief_shocked/
Microsoft’s new Windows chief Julie Larson-Green has admitted to being “shocked” at her elevation as Windows chief, casting further doubt on the idea that her predecessor Steven Sinofsky’s departure has been an orderly process.
In a Facebook message, Larson-Green thanked people for a tide of congratulations adding:
“Still in a bit of shock”
Microsoft said on Tuesday Larson-Green will lead all Windows hardware and software on the immediate exit of Windows and Windows Live chief Steven Sinofsky.
In the official announcement, Microsoft’s chief executive Steve Ballmer suggested the transition was an orderly one, based on his experience.
Larson-Green is in fact not a full Sinofsky replacement, she takes on just the engineering duties of the president and has not been given control over business.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Device Stats: Surface and Nokia dominate
http://blog.adduplex.com/2012/11/device-stats-surface-and-nokia-dominate.html
Surface is already the most popular single device running Windows 8/RT with 11% of the overall “market”. That said we had hits from almost 3 thousand different devices running Windows 8 (or Windows RT) in a single day.
Even though Surface is the most popular single device, Microsoft is not #1 in the manufacturer charts.
But Microsoft is #2 which is still really impressive.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 Sales Well Below Projections, Plenty of Blame to Go Around
http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-8-sales-well-below-projections-plenty-blame-go-around
Uncertainty could turn Windows 8 into the next Vista
Sales of Windows 8 PCs are well below Microsoft’s internal projections and have been described inside the company as disappointing. But here’s the catch: The software giant blames the slow start on lackluster PC maker designs and availability, further justifying its new Surface strategy. But Windows 8’s market acceptance can be blamed on many factors.
And with all of the drama surrounding Windows 8 and the recent, unexpected departure of Windows chief Steven Sinofsky, rumors are sure to swirl. But looked at logically, some trends emerge.
Microsoft blames the PC makers.
Lingering questions about Sinofsky.
It’s the economy, stupid.
Confusing range of device types.
Windows 8. It’s a floor wax. No, it’s a dessert topping. Microsoft’s new whatever-the-F-it-is operating system is a confusing, Frankenstein’s monster mix of old and new that hides a great desktop upgrade under a crazy Metro front-end.
Windows RT. Imagine Apple announcing a major new version of iOS and then releasing a new tablet that runs Mac OS X instead of that new iOS version.
Surface. And speaking of Surface, it bears repeating that Microsoft is now competing directly with its partners. But even educated consumers are confused by this entry.
Intel. If you’ve decided to skip Windows RT—which I think is wise, for now—you now face a strange choice on the Intel side.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Design guru: Windows 8 is ‘a monster’ and ‘a tortured soul’
Aaagh: ‘Dozens of carnival barkers yelling at you’
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/19/windows_8_disappointment/
US usability guru Jakob Nielsen has rubbished “disappointing” Windows 8, savaging the Microsoft OS’s signature Live Tiles and its complicated gestures.
“Windows 8 encompasses two UI styles within one product,” he said in a post on his useit website.
“Windows 8 on mobile devices and tablets is akin to Dr Jekyll: a tortured soul hoping for redemption.
“On a regular PC, Windows 8 is Mr Hyde: a monster that terrorises poor office workers and strangles their productivity.”
Microsoft’s Live Tiles have “backfired” with “hyper-energised” tiles that have far too much going on, according to Nielsen.
The new more complicated gestures also presented problems, requiring users to be highly accurate and learn a bunch of new sequences off by heart.
“The worst gesture might be the one to reveal the list of currently running applications”
“The slightest mistake in any of these steps gives you a different result,”
“Icons are flat, monochromatic, and coarsely simplified,” Nielsen added. “[W]e often saw users either not relating to the icons or simply not understanding them.”
“The underlying problem is the idea of recycling a single software UI for two very different classes of hardware devices. It would have been much better to have two different designs: one for mobile and tablets, and one for the PC,” Nielsen concluded.
“I understand why Microsoft likes the marketing message of ‘One Windows, Everywhere’. But this strategy is wrong for users.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 ‘Slow Going,’ But 2013 Should Be Better, Top Retailer Says
http://readwrite.com/2012/11/19/newegg-exec-calls-windows-8-launch-slow-predicts-201
A senior executive at popular retailer NewEgg described the Windows 8 launch so far as not the “explosion” that the company originally planned for, but as slow and steadily improving.
From a software perspective, however, Windows 8 will probably not take off until about the second quarter of 2013, said Merle McIntosh, the senior vice president of product management of Newegg North America, in an interview.
“So we planned with our partners to be prepared for an explosion,” McIntosh said. “Did we really believe there was going to be one? Even within our own building, there were some people that thought that this was going to be the next coming of God, and other people were saying, this will be the next coming of God, but not until next year sometime. What we wanted to make sure with our own customers and our own business is that we were ready for any event. So yes, we were prepared for some pretty big upside on the software side of the equation, and the hardware side of the equation, and it is has been steadily improving. But it did not explode, as I think you know, coming out of the gate.”
Windows 8 Hardware: Slow and Steady
Windows 8 OS Sales Expected to Ramp Next Year
Tomi Engdahl says:
Oprah Winfrey too late to save Microsoft’s Windows 8
Signs are that Redmond has produced a turkey this Xmas
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/20/windows_8_sales_dissappointing/
Early signs are showing that hopes for the overnight success of Microsoft’s Windows 8 are unrealistic, although the tech giant appears to have bet the farm on the brand new operating system with the shiny new interface.
Microsoft blogger Paul Thurrott has quoted one unnamed company source as saying early sales of Windows 8 PCs are disappointing and below expectations.
The question is: is this because of unrealistic expectations set by Microsoft, the dynamics of an ailing PC market, the deeper problems of supply and demand, or did Microsoft just get things wrong?
Certainly, Microsoft has been guilty of setting unrealistic expectations on new versions of Windows over the years.
But it’s a question of scale, and whether expectations were initially set too high – either deliberately by Microsoft’s sales managers or using the soft power of PR and gadget-happy news sites and bloggers hungry for something to finally stick to the smugs of Cupertino. This would seem to be the real problem.
Online tech retailer NewEgg yesterday described sales of Windows 8 as “slow going”, but didn’t provide figures. Merle McIntosh, senior vice president of NewEgg product management, said NewEgg had hoped for an “explosion”
With PC makers holding back for CES in January, and with Intel-based Surfaces coming next year, all eyes will now be on the full year’s results for 2013.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft mistakenly gifts Windows 8 pirates with a free activation key
http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/21/3674706/windows-8-activation-key-pirates
Microsoft’s final copy of Windows 8 leaked online back in early August and pirates have been battling to work around Microsoft’s activation technology ever since
Microsoft is giving away a Media Center upgrade to Windows 8 Pro users until January 31st, and pirates have discovered that the key provided will fully activate a copy of Windows 8 that was previously temporarily activated through the KMS workaround.
The blunder means pirates can download an illegitimate copy of Windows 8, temporarily activate it through KMS and then upgrade it fully to an activated copy of Windows 8 thanks to Microsoft’s own Media Center upgrade offer.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 store adds 7,000 apps in two weeks to pass 20,000 mark, almost 18,000 are free
http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2012/11/22/windows-8-store-adds-7000-apps-in-two-weeks-to-pass-20000-mark-almost-18000-are-free/
The Windows Store in Windows 8 has passed 20,000 apps. It’s not clear exactly when it happened, but Win App Update, which keeps track of the totals, posted on Thursday that the milestone was likely reached on Tuesday.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 Tablets On A Plane: Emirates Airlines Takes Microsoft, HP Into Real Clouds
http://www.fastcompany.com/3003286/windows-8-tablets-plane-emirates-airlines-takes-microsoft-hp-real-clouds
Using tablet tech to go way beyond mere beverage service, here Emirates execs discuss flying with open Windows.
PATRICK BRANNELLY: On an Airbus A380, there’s about 25 cabin crew the purser is in charge of. Chances are, the purser’s only flown with three of them before. Then there’s 500 passengers. On a tablet, you can see an instant overview of the entire team, as well as all about the passengers–how many infants are on board; do any passengers have special needs or preferences; is this person’s favorite drink a gin and tonic? Imagine doing all that with paper–which we used to do. You would literally be carrying around a piece of paper about eight feet long. Now, with Windows 8, you can just touch a photograph of the crew and see what languages they speak. You can see who on the crew speaks Swahili, and dispatch the nearest one to the passenger who doesn’t understand English.
KG: At the moment, we’re just announcing the fact that we’ll be giving these to the purser. I think that’s the way the world is going, but there’s no decision yet.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 — Disappointing Usability for Both Novice and Power Users
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/windows-8.html
Summary:
Hidden features, reduced discoverability, cognitive overhead from dual environments, and reduced power from a single-window UI and low information density. Too bad.
Tomi says:
In 2013 Windows 8 will become cyber criminals favorite destination together with Android and iOS. Microsoft developer friendliness will backfire when high-impact minding criminals see the possibilities of the new platform.
Source: http://m.tietoviikko.fi/Uutiset/Windows+8+nousee+ensi+vuonna+k%C3%A4rkeen+-+hakkereiden+maalitauluna
Tomi Engdahl says:
85% of Windows 8 users wield the desktop on day one
40 million W8 licences sold, apps downloaded 1m times, Surface Pro due in Jan
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/28/40_million_windows_8_licences_sold/
“The journey is just beginning, but I am pleased to announce today that we have sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses so far.”
40 million sounds like a lovely big number, what with being more than a million a day since Windows 8′s October 26th launch. And that’s on top of the previously-revealed sale of four million upgrades.
“A number of apps in the Windows Store have crossed the $25,000 revenue mark”
Perhaps the most revealing portion of Reller’s talk offered data on how Windows 8 users are wielding the OS and the Interface formerly known as Metro (TIFKAM), derived from Microsoft’s logs.
85%, she said, use the vestigial desktop on the first day. In the first three weeks, the average user adds 19 tiles to the Windows 8 start screen. 25% have added 30. 90% of customers use Charms on the first day they get the product.
Reller also said Redmond has logged “1.5 billion impressions of customers using the home screen.”
To come back to the 40 million licences sold claim, it seems worthy of further inquiry given IDC’s most recent PC sales data for Q3 2012, suggests about 87 million PCs were sold worldwide in the last quarter, or 29 million a month.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Can supermodel minx Heidi Klum SAVE Windows 8? NOT SO FAST
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/22/win8_channel_plans/
This year’s MTV European Music Awards had everything: slinky supermodel presenter Heidi Klum, swathes of preposterous pop stars, and, er, an enormous Windows 8-powered video wall.
Keen to suck up any excess stardust, Microsoft provided the screen to show what was happening backstage.
The operating system’s appearance at the event this month is part of a glitzy marketing campaign featuring Aussie songbird Lenka and a string of gloss-coated ads revealing gorgeous Americans doing amazing things with Redmond’s new software.
Culture change versus Windows XP loyalists
Part of the pitch to those adopters is that Windows 8 represents a cultural change – a move towards touchscreen computing, which those familiar with iPads and such tablets will embrace readily. Using this logic, and with 80 million iPads shipping a year according to industry analysts Freefrom Dynamics, Windows 8 could enjoy a warm reception.
However, there is also a large installed base of Windows XP, an operating system that is 11 years old and stable. And many companies are still upgrading to Windows 7.
But it’s the mobile element of Windows 8 that many in the channel are relying on to drive sales, particularly business-ready tablets. Zak Verdi, director at Software One, boldly stated: “There is a lot of pent-up demand. People are holding back on hardware refreshes because they want Windows 8.”
‘Microsoft will get it right by the third version and I’m sure they will. By the third version.’
One reseller said: “This is part of a larger shift away from partners. Microsoft has been removing products that we used to sell for some time. Offering Windows 8 as a direct download is just one more step in the direction it wants to go. Of course, Windows 8 offers opportunities in mobile computing, but the company is still moving away from partners.”
Florida Onyeanus says:
One hour’s sleep before midnight is better than two after it. – German Proverb
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 Touchscreen Laptops See Slow Start
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/11/27/windows-8-touchscreen-laptops-see-slow-start/
One month into the launch of Windows 8, sales are sluggish, say some Asian PC makers – even the ones making the most popular products.
“Demand for Windows 8 is not that good right now,” said Asustek Computer Inc. Chief Financial Officer David Chang.
He said the demand ramp-up for Windows 8 touch notebooks was slow and declined to give sales figures for the Asustek Vivobook, even though it’s the top-selling Windows 8 touch notebook on Best Buy’s website.
Analysts say that because of the high price of touch-controlled notebooks, the vast majority of Windows 8 notebooks sold this year will not have a touchscreen. The new operating system, with its large clickable tiles, is optimized for use with a touchscreen.
Blake Loadholt says:
It takes four living men to carry one dead man out of a house. – Italian Proverb
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft Surface Pro to have half the Surface RT’s battery life
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-surface-pro-to-have-half-the-surface-rts-battery-life-7000008113/
Microsoft has shared not only Surface Pro pricing, but also expected battery-life stats for its Intel-based PC/tablets coming in January.
How much does battery life matter to tablet users? Microsoft may soon find out, first-hand.
Surface Pros are going to get about half the battery life of the Surface RTs. Surface RTs get between eight and ten hours of battery life, based on various estimate
Tomi Engdahl says:
DigiTimes says Surface RT orders cut in half
http://techreport.com/news/23976/digitimes-says-surface-rt-orders-cut-in-half
With only one month passing since Windows 8′s launch, it’s really too early to weigh in on whether the OS has been a success. After all, the x86-based tablets and convertibles that play to Win8′s strengths aren’t even out yet. One can, however, buy a number of different ARM-based devices running Windows RT. Microsoft’s own Surface RT tablet has the highest profile among those devices, and its sales appear to be much lower than expected. According to DigiTimes’ sources in the Taiwanese supply chain, Microsoft’s initial order of four million Surface RT tablets has been cut in half.
The Surface isn’t the only Windows RT device that’s supposedly suffering. DigiTimes’ sources claim that demand is also weak for similar systems from Asus, Dell, and Samsung.
If sales of Windows RT devices are weak, consumers could be holding out for tablets and convertibles running the full-fat version of Windows 8. Compatiblity with x86 applications is kind of a big deal for those who need to do real work.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows Next: Just call it ‘Blue’?
http://www.zdnet.com/windows-next-just-call-it-blue-7000002535/
Summary: 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.
I’ve heard the next version of Windows is not going to be Windows 9. Instead, I’ve heard from a couple of my contacts that some kind of an update is coming next year. The Windows release codenamed “Blue” — mentioned by Win8China last week — is likely the codename of this interim release, my contacts claim.
I’m not clear if Blue is simply what we in the Windows world typically call a service pack, which is a rollup of fixes and updates. Or maybe Blue is more of a feature pack, which would/could include be a rollup of fixes plus some new features.
The word seems to be, whichever it is, that Microsoft is moving away from the big-bang Windows release schedule to which it typically has adhered, and is now attempting to move toward something more like what Apple does, with point releases.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows Blue is Microsoft’s future low-cost OS with yearly updates
http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/28/3693368/windows-blue-update-low-cost
Microsoft is busy preparing its next-generation Windows client, shortly after shipping Windows 8 in October. The Verge has learned from several sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans that the company is planning to standardize on an approach, codenamed Blue, across Windows and Windows Phone in an effort to provide more regular updates to consumers.
Originally unveiled by ZDNet, the update on the Windows side, due in mid-2013, will include UI changes and alterations to the entire platform and pricing. We’re told that Microsoft is aiming to make Windows Blue the next OS that everyone installs. The approach is simple, Microsoft will price its next Windows release at a low cost or even free to ensure users upgrade. Once Windows Blue is released, the Windows SDK will be updated to support the new release and Microsoft will stop accepting apps that are built specifically for Windows 8, pushing developers to create apps for Blue. Windows 8 apps will continue to run on Blue despite the planned SDK changes.
We understand that you will need a genuine copy of Windows to upgrade to Windows Blue.
Microsoft will kick off an annual upgrade cycle for Windows that is designed to make it more competitive against rival platforms from Apple and Google.
company spokesperson refused to discuss Windows Blue.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ballmer: We’re all about devices and services now
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57555119-75/ballmer-were-all-about-devices-and-services-now/
Microsoft’s CEO makes the most succinct case yet that the software giant has moved to a new era where it will build devices and produce the services that run on them.
-Microsoft may be best known for Windows. It’s Office productivity suite runs on hundreds of millions of computers around the world. But Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer made it abundantly clear at today’s annual shareholder meeting that the software giant should be thought of as a devices and services company going forward.
“This is really a new era for our company,” Ballmer told shareholders today.
“We will relentlessly focus on delightful, seamless services,” he said.
The company will continue to sell services themselves, such as Office 365, an online version of its productivity software. And it will create devices that provide the best experiences when using those services, such as its new Surface tablet computer that runs Windows RT, the lightweight version of its new operating system.
“We’ve come a long way in the last year. I could not be more excited for what’s ahead,” Ballmer said. “We’ve never had a stronger product line.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 Gets off To a Slow Start, According to The NPD Group
https://www.npd.com/wps/portal/npd/us/news/press-releases/windows-8-gets-off-to-a-slow-start-according-to-the-npd-group/
PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 29, 2012 – The consumer Windows PC and tablet market* didn’t get the boost it needed from the launch of Microsoft’s Windows 8 in the U.S. Since the Windows 8 launch on October 26, Windows device sales have fallen 21 percent versus the same period last year**, according to leading market research company The NPD Group’s Weekly Tracking Service***. Notebooks, which have been weak throughout most of 2012, saw that trend continue as they fell 24 percent. Desktop sales have fared better this year, dropping just 9 percent.
After just four weeks on the market, it’s still early to place blame on Windows 8 for the ongoing weakness in the PC market,” said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD. “We still have the whole holiday selling season ahead of us, but clearly Windows 8 did not prove to be the impetus for a sales turnaround some had hoped for.”
Average selling prices of Windows computing devices have jumped significantly this year.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Is Microsoft’s Surface Pro Tablet DOA on Price?
http://www.wired.com/insights/2012/11/is-microsofts-surface-pro-tablet-doa-on-price/
Microsoft has announced the availability and pricing of its Surface Pro tablet, the Windows 8 pro-packin’ big brother to its Surface RT tablet, and reaction has been tepid given they start at $899 for the 64GB version — without keyboard (but with a stylus). Add 64GB and the price is $999. It will be available in January.
the Surface Pro runs a full-fledged version of Windows 8 Pro on an Intel Core i5 chip. One of the biggest differences: The Surface Pro will run existing Windows 7 applications….
While Microsoft is trying to pitch this Surface as somewhere between a laptop and a tablet, most potential buyers are sure to compare the Surface with Windows 8 Pro against the iPad [$699 for 64Gb version]. And that will make the price hard to swallow.
Microsoft has been hoping to get consumers to buy the Surface, in the same way they buy the iPad, and then bring it to work. The Surface with Windows 8 Pro is definitely more appealing as a device to use at work than the original Surface RT, which doesn’t run full versions of Office or Outlook. But consumers will need a reason to pay more for the Surface with Windows 8 Pro than an iPad and it’s not clear that people know what that reason is.
Fuller-featured Windows 8 convertable/hybrid tablet-laptops like Lenovo’s new Yoga 13, start at $1,099. So it seems Microsoft is not really going after the iPad directly, but instead pushing a new, yet undefined category of device.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Steve Jobs Was Wrong About Touchscreen Laptops
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/12/12/02/025251/steve-jobs-was-wrong-about-touchscreen-laptops
“(Jobs: ‘Touch surfaces don’t want to be vertical.’ Cook: ‘You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but those things are probably not gonna be pleasing to the user.’)”
“Hollister was surprised to discover that Windows 8 touchscreen laptops actually don’t suck and that the dreaded ‘Gorilla Arm Syndrome’ did not materialize. ‘”
“A touchscreen isn’t a replacement for a keyboard or mouse, it’s a complement.’”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Notebook vendors gearing up for touchscreen devices
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20121129PD215.html
Acer, Asustek Computer and Lenovo are gearing up to promote their new touchscreen-based notebooks in 2013. Touchscreen devices are expected to account for 10-15% of overall notebooks shipped in 2013, according to sources at notebook companies.
Panel makers hold a more optimistic view, anticipating that shipments of touchscreen models will contribute more than 20% to total notebook shipments in 2013.
The availability of Microsoft Windows 8 is expected to reshape the PC market, with touch-capable notebooks to become mainstream, industry sources believe.
HP and Dell will see touch-capable devices account for 7-9% and 4-5%, respectively of their notebook shipments in 2013, the sources said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft Steeply Raising Enterprise Licensing Fees
http://slashdot.org/story/12/12/04/0142250/microsoft-steeply-raising-enterprise-licensing-fees
“Microsoft is trying to make up for below expected earnings following Windows 8′s and Surface RT’s lack luster adoption rates by increasing the prices of its products between 8 and 400 per cent.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft Goes after Enterprise Customers, Raises Licensing Prices
http://paritynews.com/business/item/502-microsoft-goes-after-enterprise-customers-raises-licensing-prices
Microsoft is trying to make up for below expected earnings following Windows 8’s and Surface RT’s lack luster adoption rates by increasing the prices of its products by as much as 400 per cent it has been revealed.
The Windows 8 maker has been bleeding chips for quite some time now with increased competition from Apple’s Mac OS X and Linux variants when it comes to desktop operating system and from Red Hat, Cent OS and others for its Windows Server operating system. Redmond has even gone to the extent of blaming OEMs for not-so-good adoption rates of Windows 8. Home and small business users have moved onto to more mobile alternatives and Microsoft hasn’t got anything concrete in this arena with iOS and Android dominating the scenes.
Microsoft has increased user CALs pricing 15 per cent; SharePoint 2013 pricing by 38 per cent; Lync Server 2013 pricing by 400 per cent; Project 2013 Server CAL by 21 per cent. This strategy may very well hurt Microsoft in the current times as it is not in sync with declining economy where companies are offering incentives to its customers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Research Firm Says Windows 8 Had a Rocky Start
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/research-firm-says-windows-8-had-a-rocky-start/
For much of the week, Microsoft has been trumpeting the strong start of Windows 8.
But on Thursday, NPD, the retail sales tracking firm, published data that painted a darker picture of the Windows 8 introduction.
Unit sales of Windows PCs in retail stores in the United States fell 21 percent in the four-week period spanning Oct. 21 to Nov. 17, compared to the same period the previous year, according to the firm.
NPD said sales of Windows 8 tablets had been “almost nonexistent,” accounting for less than 1 percent of all Windows 8 device sales.
The figures suggest that Windows 8 did nothing to arrest the downward trajectory of the PC business, much less lead to a rebound in a market that has been struggling for some time. “It hasn’t made the market any worse, but it hasn’t stimulated things either,” Stephen Baker, an analyst at NPD, said in an interview. “It hasn’t provided the impetus to sales everybody hoped for.”
Microsoft’s 40 million figure, in contrast, represents copies of Windows that Microsoft sells to all of its customers. That includes some consumers but more often it reflects sales to the hardware makers that install Windows on their machines, some of which have not yet been bought by consumers.
The Windows 8 debut looks like it had much less of a positive impact on PC sales than did its predecessor, Windows 7, which went on sale to the general public on Oct. 22, 2009.
The PC business in 2007 had much stronger unit sales than it has now, in large part because of a boom in the low-cost laptops known as netbooks. Fast forward to 2012, and sales of netbooks have nearly vanished, replaced by surging sales of the iPad and other tablets.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Inside Windows 8: Pedro Teixeira – Thread pools
http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/Going+Deep/Inside-Windows-8-Pedro-Teixeira-Thread-pool
Thread pools are thread management subsystems (user mode and kernel mode) where threads are created and queued for any number of arbitrary tasks (work) required by applications and services. As it turns out, there are some significant improvements to the thread pool pattern in Windows 8. Pedro takes the time necessary – at the whiteboard for the entire interview – to dig into the details, beginning with first principles. So, if you don’t really know what a thread pool is, then you will after the first 5 minutes of this interview.
Tomi Engdahl says:
8 of 10 customers choose Windows 7, says PC builder
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9234458/8_of_10_customers_choose_Windows_7_says_PC_builder
Given the choice, Puget Systems’ customers ignore Windows 8 and buy Windows 7 machines instead
Given a choice, customers of a Pacific Northwest PC system builder overwhelming pick Windows 7 over the newer Windows 8, the company’s president said Thursday.
“Windows 7 is known, it has years of solid reputation behind it, but Windows 8 has gotten a mixed reaction in the press and social media, and the lack of a Start menu is a hot-button issue among our customers,” said Jon Bach, president of Puget Systems, an Auburn, Wash. independent PC builder.
Puget Systems is no Dell or Hewlett-Packard, but instead sells high-performance, built-to-order PCs.
Since Windows 8′s launch, between 80% and 90% of the systems sold by Puget were pre-installed with the three-year-old Windows 7.
Bach was surprised by the sales numbers.
“Before we looked at the data, I would have guessed that Windows 8 was 30% to 40%, but it’s just 10% to 20%.”
And it’s not like Puget hasn’t given Windows 8 a shot.
Three years ago, Puget saw no such hesitation to adopt Windows 7, in large part because of the dissatisfaction with Vista
Others have reported similar Windows 8 apathy among PC buyers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia engineer shows how to pirate games from the Windows 8 store
http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/11/3754006/windows-8-games-hack-piracy-in-app-purchases-justin-angel
Justin Angel, a Nokia engineer working on Windows Phone, has detailed how to compromise Windows 8 games revenue through in-app purchases. Angel highlights the Soulcraft Windows 8 game as an example of how Windows 8 users could potentially edit parts of a game to bypass having to pay for in-app purchases.
The process is a little complex for the average Windows 8 user, but the steps show the easy potential for piracy with Microsoft’s Windows Store approach.
Windows games have been affected by keygens and patches for years, but Angel says “storing encrypted data locally, alongside with the algorithm and the algorithm key/hash is a recipe for security incidents.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8: At least it’s better than ‘not very good’
A night on the tiles
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/12/14/something_for_the_weekend_sir_windows_8_better_than_not_very_good/
My own initial experience probably matches yours:
1. You begin by being charmed by the tiles
2. Then you’re frustrated that all your windows are full-screen
3. You discover legacy mode and things get better
4. You wonder what all that tile business was for.
This is very different from a year ago when early demonstrations by Microsoft had something of a ‘wow’ factor compared to today’s ‘whoa’ factor. But then it’s always the same when you demo things that are visually fantastic but that no-one would actually ever want to do.
Even the ability of Windows 8’s tiles to run like self-contained apps by showing information inside them reminds me of Microsoft’s attempts to persuade us in the 1990s to use Internet Explorer – the worst web browser in the world, remember (and given the dreadful shareware I’ve tried over the years, that’s saying something) – to embed its ghastly self into our desktops.
And so this might explain why (roll of drums) I’m starting to warm to Windows 8. My frustrations are melting away and I’ve starting enjoying myself as I use it in anger rather than just playing around on it.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft Has Been Watching, and It Says You’re Getting Used to Windows 8
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/508546/microsoft-has-been-watching-and-it-says-youre-getting-used-to-windows-8/
Data collected from some users of the operating system suggest people are adjusting well to the radical departure from previous designs, says the company.
Despite some of the more scathing reviews of Windows 8, ordinary users are getting along with it just fine, according to Julie Larson-Green, the Microsoft executive who leads Windows product development. Data collected automatically from some Windows users, she says, show they are adjusting to some of the new operating system’s controversial features without problems.
“So far we’re seeing very encouraging things,”
Windows 8 is a radical departure from previous versions of the operating system now used by around 1.3 billion people. Instead of the Start button and menu in use since 1995, it features a “Start screen,” a colorful display of tiles that function as shortcuts to programs and also display notifications—an environment optimized for touch computing. There are also two versions of many software programs—one for the regular desktop interface and one for the new tile-oriented one.
The data collected by Microsoft also show that people are becoming more familiar with the new features over time, says Larson-Green. She previously led a redesign of the Microsoft Office interface that, in 2007, replaced text-based menus with a more visual “ribbon interface,” an initially controversial change that is now widely accepted as an example of good design. “Two days to two weeks is what we used to say in Office, and it’s similar in Windows 8,” she says.
The findings suggest that even those who initially stick to the parts of Windows 8 that resemble previous Windows desktops eventually loosen up, says Larson-Green: “There’s a cutover point, around six weeks in, where you start using the new things more than the things you’re familiar with.”
“We look to see that people are going to stumble forward rather than end up going down the wrong track,” she says. “None of that will come out in a ‘Wow, this looks different’ review.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft urged to ditch Windows brand by Dell
http://www.afr.com/p/technology/microsoft_urged_to_ditch_windows_RLGNOworu4X2EmBJuIzOqI
A top Dell executive warned Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer not to call its new tablet operating system “Windows RT” because the operating system wasn’t compatible with other versions of Windows and the name would only lead to widespread confusion.
Speaking to analysts at the Dell World conference in Austin last week, Dell’s vice-chairman and president of its PC business, Jeffrey Clarke, said he told Mr Ballmer the “Windows” brand was meant to signify that an operating system was compatible with Windows applications. As Windows RT couldn’t run Windows applications, it should be renamed, he said.
Mr Ballmer had replied that the Windows brand was too important a franchise to not be used with Windows RT, Mr Clarke said.
Had Microsoft listened to Dell, it could have avoided one of the major criticisms of its new operating system: that Windows RT looks so much like Windows 8 it’s too easy for a consumer to mistakenly buy a Windows RT device, not realising it’s not a regular Windows device.
Instead, Microsoft has reportedly had to offer relaxed return policies for its own “Surface with Windows RT” tablet, specifically for customers who got the tablet home only to discover their favourite Windows applications wouldn’t run on it.
While Windows 8 and Windows RT can both run so-called “Modern” apps (formerly known as “Metro” apps) designed for touch-sensitive screens, even those apps must be converted, or ported, to Windows RT, and not all Modern apps appearing in the Windows app store have been ported over, compounding compatibility issues.
“Making sure we educate the market place on the differences was going to be a necessary action no matter what. Just calling it something different is not going to solve the problem ,” Mr Hand said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft left ‘surprised’ by Google’s Exchange ActiveSync announcement
http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/17/3776870/microsoft-surprised-by-google-exchange-activesync-announcement
Google announced last week that it plans to drop Exchange ActiveSync support for new devices on personal Gmail accounts from January 30th. While Microsoft has remained quiet on the issue affecting Windows 8, Windows RT, and Windows Phone Gmail setup, the software maker has now responded to Google’s announcement in a blog post. Microsoft’s Dharmesh Mehta admits that the company was “very surprised” by Google’s announcement, indicating that Microsoft does not have immediate steps in place to address potential access problems in the Windows 8-style Mail client and Windows Phone.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia to resume development of 10-inch Windows RT tablet, say Taiwan makers
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20121218PD211.html
Nokia has talked about cooperation with Microsoft, Qualcomm and Compal Electronics to resume development of a 10-inch Windows RT tablet, and is likely to unveil the model at the 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, during February 25-28, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.
Nokia originally planned to develop a 10-inch Windows RT tablet equipped with Qualcomm’s S4 processor in first-quarter 2012, with Compal to undertake ODM production and initial shipments of 200,000 units to test the market, the sources indicated.
Jacquelynn Pitzen says:
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8: The Animated Evaluation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTYet-qf1jo&feature=youtu.be
The thing blows, and in this cartoon illustration, I show exactly why.
Contains naughty words, and graphic employee ID card violence.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows 8 Even Less Popular Than Vista
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/13/01/01/0036253/windows-8-even-less-popular-than-vista
“Windows 8 usage uptake has slipped behind Vista’s in the same point in its release. Windows 8 online usage share is around 1.6% of all Windows PC’s which is a less than the 2.2% share that Windows Vista commanded at the same two month mark after release.”