Microsoft previewed Windows 8 to customers-- First look of Windows 8
Microsoft recently previewed Windows 8 to customers, partners and media at the Computex show in Taipei. Vice President Mike Angiulo ran the system on tablets, notebooks and desktop systems made by Dell Inc, Asustek Computer Inc, and Quanta Computer Inc using chips and technology from ARM Holdings Plc, Qualcomm Inc, Texas Instruments Inc and Nvidia Corp.
Here are --- things you need to know about Windows 8 which Microsoft claims 8 is a reimagining of Windows, from the chip to the interface.
The tile-based Start screen replaces the Windows Start menu with a customizable, scalable full-screen view of apps. The design of the software is similar to the tile interface on Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 mobile handset software. Similar to it, tiles in Windows 8 can be automatically updated to display information from apps on the computer’s start screen, so a weather app can tell the user that it’s forecast to be sunny without requiring them to open the application.
The Windows 8 demo showed that the new OS will run on a range of hardware devices from traditional PCs to laptops and tablets, using both touchscreen and mouse and keyboard commands. The company said that while the new user interface is designed and optimized for touch, it works equally well with a mouse and keyboard.
Underneath the new OS is the old Windows that most users are accustomed to. It will run old Windows apps. If the apps are not optimized for touch, it is just fine as it would run them in the old interface with a keyboard and mouse.
Windows 8 also offers users the ability to snap and resize an app to the side of the screen, so that they can multitask using the capabilities of Windows.
Windows 8 uses a different application programming model -- basically, HTML5 and JavaScript, which are used for Web apps today.
The demo also showed smooth movement between existing Windows programmes and new Windows 8 apps. The full capabilities of Windows will continue to be available to users, including the Windows Explorer and Desktop, as does compatibility with all Windows 7 logo PCs, software and peripherals.
Windows 8 uses a different application programming model -- basically, HTML5 and JavaScript, which are used for Web apps today.
The demo also showed smooth movement between existing Windows programmes and new Windows 8 apps. The full capabilities of Windows will continue to be available to users, including the Windows Explorer and Desktop, as does compatibility with all Windows 7 logo PCs, software and peripherals.
The operating system also will be the first full version of Windows capable of operating on chips made with technology from ARM Holdings. US chip maker Qualcomm Inc too said it would collaborate with Microsoft on the next version of Windows for its Snapdragon family of processors
Microsoft is also said to be working to integrate Internet telephone service Skype into the new system, following its agreement to purchase the company last month. Windows 8 uses Internet Explorer 10 as the Web browser.
Restricts PC vendors
Microsoft has reportedly told chipmakers who want to use Windows 8 for tablets to work with only one manufacturer to speed up the delivery, sparking worries among some PC vendors that they will be left out.
Some Taiwanese vendors are concerned that the reported restrictions mean they would have to be chosen by chipmakers to make tablet PCs for the new Windows operating system. Previously PC vendors could choose their own partners.
Release date
The release date is a "Defense Department secret", joked a Microsoft official, adding that it would not be this year. Analysts believe that Microsoft typically aims for 24 to 36 months between major Windows versions, suggesting a launch date for the next Windows between October 2011 and October 2012
Biggest risk ever
Windows 8 is the biggest operating system change the company has made since Windows 95, said Julie Larson-Green, Microsoft vice president. Late last year, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer termed Windows 8 as Microsoft's riskiest product ever.
Here are --- things you need to know about Windows 8 which Microsoft claims 8 is a reimagining of Windows, from the chip to the interface.
The tile-based Start screen replaces the Windows Start menu with a customizable, scalable full-screen view of apps. The design of the software is similar to the tile interface on Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 mobile handset software. Similar to it, tiles in Windows 8 can be automatically updated to display information from apps on the computer’s start screen, so a weather app can tell the user that it’s forecast to be sunny without requiring them to open the application.
The Windows 8 demo showed that the new OS will run on a range of hardware devices from traditional PCs to laptops and tablets, using both touchscreen and mouse and keyboard commands. The company said that while the new user interface is designed and optimized for touch, it works equally well with a mouse and keyboard.
Underneath the new OS is the old Windows that most users are accustomed to. It will run old Windows apps. If the apps are not optimized for touch, it is just fine as it would run them in the old interface with a keyboard and mouse.
Windows 8 also offers users the ability to snap and resize an app to the side of the screen, so that they can multitask using the capabilities of Windows.
Windows 8 uses a different application programming model -- basically, HTML5 and JavaScript, which are used for Web apps today.
The demo also showed smooth movement between existing Windows programmes and new Windows 8 apps. The full capabilities of Windows will continue to be available to users, including the Windows Explorer and Desktop, as does compatibility with all Windows 7 logo PCs, software and peripherals.
Windows 8 uses a different application programming model -- basically, HTML5 and JavaScript, which are used for Web apps today.
The demo also showed smooth movement between existing Windows programmes and new Windows 8 apps. The full capabilities of Windows will continue to be available to users, including the Windows Explorer and Desktop, as does compatibility with all Windows 7 logo PCs, software and peripherals.
The operating system also will be the first full version of Windows capable of operating on chips made with technology from ARM Holdings. US chip maker Qualcomm Inc too said it would collaborate with Microsoft on the next version of Windows for its Snapdragon family of processors
Microsoft is also said to be working to integrate Internet telephone service Skype into the new system, following its agreement to purchase the company last month. Windows 8 uses Internet Explorer 10 as the Web browser.
Restricts PC vendors
Microsoft has reportedly told chipmakers who want to use Windows 8 for tablets to work with only one manufacturer to speed up the delivery, sparking worries among some PC vendors that they will be left out.
Some Taiwanese vendors are concerned that the reported restrictions mean they would have to be chosen by chipmakers to make tablet PCs for the new Windows operating system. Previously PC vendors could choose their own partners.
Release date
The release date is a "Defense Department secret", joked a Microsoft official, adding that it would not be this year. Analysts believe that Microsoft typically aims for 24 to 36 months between major Windows versions, suggesting a launch date for the next Windows between October 2011 and October 2012
Biggest risk ever
Windows 8 is the biggest operating system change the company has made since Windows 95, said Julie Larson-Green, Microsoft vice president. Late last year, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer termed Windows 8 as Microsoft's riskiest product ever.
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