Microsoft today at the D9 Conference demonstrated Windows 8. It is the first time that Microsoft decided to talk officially about Windows 8 or Windows Next. What it has disclosed is an amazing new UI, which none of the rumor sites had touched upon.
Windows 8 promises to give you a completely new User experience and runs on the new System-on-Chip (SoC) architectures.
Once you logon to your PC, you will be welcomed with a Start Screen which will very personal, mosaic and tiled, just like the Windows Phone 7 tiles.
While you will still see the taskbar, the Start Menu has been replaced with a tile-based Start screen. These Live tiles with notifications, will display up-to-date information at all times,
It will display Windows 8 apps, which are better than icons since they are larger and consequently can display more information. These Windows 8 apps will work on laptops, desktops and tablets. Microsoft has used a new platform based on the standard web technologies & HTML5. These Windows 8 apps are Web-connected and Web-powered and built using HTML5 and JavaScript and have full access to the power of the PC.
These Windows 8 apps are beautiful, full screen and designed for touch but work with the mouse too.
It also introduces a new feature called Snap, which allows you to preview, switch, snap, resize or change apps with a swipe of your finger.
The on-screen keyboard has also been re-designed and now also offers a Thumb View, which make it easier for you to type.
The files and folder system can be accessed in conventional way or through the new Windows 8 apps.
Browsing experience has been optimized for touch and will have all the power of hardware-accelerated Internet Explorer 10.
The new Windows experience will ultimately be powered by application and device developers around the world — one experience across a tremendous variety of PCs. The user interface and new apps will work with or without a keyboard and mouse on a broad range of screen sizes and pixel densities, from small slates to laptops, desktops, all-in-ones, and even classroom-sized displays. Hundreds of millions of PCs will run the new Windows 8 user interface. This breadth of hardware choice is unique to Windows and central to how we see Windows evolving, states Microsoft.
Watch the video. its sure to blow you away.
Windows 8 will not require new hardware.
“We’ve extended the trend we started with Windows 7, of keeping our system requirements either flat or reducing them over time. So Windows 8 will be able to run on a wide range of machines because it will have the same system requirements or lower” as Windows 7″, says Microsoft.
Let me know what you think!
The video gives a good indication of what Windows 8 will be like. I personally like it. Just one thing bothers me though.
Apps seem to be the “IN” thing at he moment. But as with all things that are in “in fashion” they cost more money. What is the proposed pricing costs of these apps? Will this mean that you will have to buy your OS (whether pre-installed on a new PC etc. or as a retail version.
You (might) also have to purchase new software to go onto it (which has been the norm upto now and is part and parcel of a new PC or OS. BUT these Apps? Are they going to be an extra cost? Is MS hoping to make more money buy selling these Apps? Will you have to buy from either MS or one of their “licenced” retailers? (just like Apple for example)
ErnieK
Fine as a media PC but if that what the ‘desktop’ version of Win8 is going to be, I wont be buying it.
Like it VERY MUCH. It´s great for the simplicity, very fluid, and the innovation from the other Windows system please me very well. I think Microsoft is in right line. I ope i can buy one.
So glad we won’t need to double our RAM and hard drive space again <3
I think I’ll buy Apple and short Microsoft if this is what they expect to replace Win 7 on the desktop.
I read your note on Windows 8 and personally I HATE the new UI.
Its like Microsoft did with Office 2007 – changed the UI and it took till
Office 2010 a chance to get it better and its still poor as far as I am
concerned – I now use Office 2003 as the choice! And the reason is the UI
itself.
On a desktop without touch – its something that I hate – having now to go
through multiple actions to get something I can get at immediately on my
desktop!
Whilst I have a touchscreen mobile – I hate the touch screen – it simply
takes longer to do things unless the basic OS and the user want it! And
when using a laptop or desktop – its not what I want
I can see Windows 8 being a game changer in that people and businesses will
either go to Windows 7 or desert Microsoft!
No No No No No No No! Looks like I’ll have to live with an overpriced Mac from now on 🙁
They can launch a lite edition cleaned ok crap aero so that older pc’s can also run it ..