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Microsoft Previews Windows 8 for Tablets and PCs

Just got done playing with the x86-32bit version in Parallels 7, being that I really do like Windows 7, here are my initial impressions.

The Metro UI reminded me of the old school AOL start/home page of old, lots of banner-like buttons that seemed to appear more like advertising than real features of the UI. This wasn't a good impression as I didn't like AOL so to be reminded of it...

First I can see that the Metro UI is very useful for a tablet, the graphical movement was jittery in my VM due to not having proper graphics acceleration but at least I got to see the purpose behind it. On a mobile device or any computer with a touch interface, Metro may be the way to go about things. The larger tiles are easier to deal with than standard icons and it's very customizable. It didn't take me long to rearrange the tiles to suit my preference. The tiles looked boring and plain at first until I moused over active tiles and saw that it's much more. What made Windows 7's taskbar better than OS X's dock is improved upon within the Metro UI. It wasn't long before I realized that the Metro UI is also a significant improvement over the need to have a Taskbar, instead it's much better.

However for the normal Desktop environment, I feel the "standard" non-Metro interface is better if you plan on using a typical mouse and keyboard. Since I'm accustomed to a standard desktop with icons, taskbar and Start menu, I can open apps and utilities with simple keyboard shortcuts. Speaking only for myself I'm an old dog accustomed to doing things pretty much the same way so I'm reluctant to alter methods that have worked well for me in the past with new processes and procedures.

The ribbon look for Explorer is a hit and miss. For a novice it can be useful if you haven't learned CTRL-C/CTRL-V for example but it's nice that I can hide it. So it doesn't hurt anyone to have ribbon available but it offers the option to not use it, both sides win.

If I owned one of those machines with a touch-based screen, Win8 is definitely something I'd like to try on it. However on my Macbook in a VM, I really don't find much of anything in Windows 8 that's a better choice than XP or Windows 7. I do want to see what makes IE10 better than IE9 though, but more research on that later today.
 
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I'm gonna definitely keep my eye on windows 8, for my main computer it's got to be a mac, I mean I just love my air so much and mac OSX is a great os IMO.

However if samsung make a tablet that has a full OS on it, that is as fast as the iPad ( at opening apps, fluid touch screen interface etc) as well has a 6-10 hour battery, then jesus christ i would get one instantly.

I know people think this is a post-pc world, but My dream is to basically have an iPad with a true, full computer experience.

until now there has been many who have tried, but most have failed due to various reasons ( one being windows isn't truly made for touch screen devices).


So will windows 8 be true touch screen compatible?
 
This thread is so funny - some ppl really think they can turn Windows 8 on tablets into a success just by merely stating their opinions. Precious.
 
*LTD* said:
Especially ones that are that lame.

That UI is just bad. Metro? The Zune didn't sell it. WP7 isn't selling it.

Solution? Force it upon everyone. Yeah, that'll work.

MS still doesn't get it.
Click to expand...

Well we all knew you'd disapprove. Your opinion is anecdotal anyway. Windows 8 has secured Microsoft's market share in PC's and Tablets.
 
Way to go Microsoft!

Can't wait.

Finally a full desktop OS in a tablet and with a beautiful fluid touch based interface and all this running in with less than 300MB!:D

Way to go Microsoft!
 
Claefer said:
That depends. If the iPad 3 is anything like the iPad 2 it will most certainly be a failure. In a world without competition the iPad would continue to sell and sell well. But after seeing this early preview of Windows 8, oh man, I almost feel sorry for Apple.
Click to expand...

Oh man. This is going to be fun to look back on. Some people never learn.
 
Claefer said:
That depends. If the iPad 3 is anything like the iPad 2 it will most certainly be a failure. In a world without competition the iPad would continue to sell and sell well. But after seeing this early preview of Windows 8, oh man, I almost feel sorry for Apple.
Click to expand...

You might be right about iPad 4 VS Windows 8

But the Win8 tablets won't have enough time to make an impression to compete with the iPad 3.


I get what your saying though, and you might be right. The iPad is what it is and most of the people who want one .....Have one already
 
Peace said:
" The company has "reimagined" the software to allow a single operating system to run on a variety of systems from tablets to desktops and Intel to ARM."

Sounds familier for some reason. hmmm

Who has done that before..
Click to expand...


doesn't samsung own a pattent on the word "reimagine"

on topic though, this looks great, although i'll be sticking with OSX, but this realy looks great, still need to see it in action!
 
This does look quite good, MS could have something here especially in a years time when tablets are probably 2x more powerful.

I do think though that Microsoft need to change their pricing/upgrade policy, an entire new OS so soon after W7 is not good in my book, if they release it with a lower price though I could forgive them and go buy a copy myself to play around with.

Im sure Apple will be watching closely and this could affect the future of iOS devices which is also surely a good thing, leads to better hardware/software for us all down the line.

Go Go MS, show us the future!
 
Peace said:
" The company has "reimagined" the software to allow a single operating system to run on a variety of systems from tablets to desktops and Intel to ARM."

Sounds familier for some reason. hmmm
Click to expand...

Grrrr... Apple should be the only company in the world to reimagine things. GRrrrrrrrr. Grrrrrrr. MIAO!

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Mattsasa said:
I really hate having to use windows, but I think this interface is a step in the right direction.

I also believe windows 8 will kill android tablets,

and damage ipad sales.

this will also probably lead to windows phone 8, which will probably also eventually overtake android.

I am really curious to see how the average consumer reacts to this, some will love it, some will be scared to death.



they really pushed touch on laptops and desktops, but no one will want to hold there arm in that position.. even if it feels nice

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k cool... price?
Click to expand...

I thought so too, until i tried it standing, operating a tilted screen. Sure, i wouldnt want to do it all day, but then again - why do i need to? Its about having the option to do so when making sense, not about being forced.
 
bpaluzzi said:
Oh man. This is going to be fun to look back on. Some people never learn.
Click to expand...

Learn what? Here's what's going to happen: millions of people will continue to enjoy their iPad until Windows 8 is released. And then all those iPad owners will look at their iPad and then look at a Windows 8 tablet and then back to their iPad and say, "Why can't you do that!"

Because the iPad is not a tablet. It's a big iPod touch. If Apple wants to be innovative they have to actually be innovative. They have to address the flaws in the iPad: (a) change the embarrassing name, (b) stereo speakers, (c) change the aspect ratio to widescreen, (d) at least three USB ports, (e) HDMI, (f) Flash, (g) SD card slot, (h) new OS, (i) at least 4 GB RAM, (j) reduce the bezel thickness, (k) removable battery, (l) stylus.

I could add a couple of more things but I don't want to nitpick.
 
*LTD* said:
It is intensely satisfying to see that Apple's tremendous successes have driven certain types of people absolutely bat-**** insane.
Click to expand...

That would clearly be true of Apple fans as well, like yourself. Funny how that works both ways, huh?

As for UI and Specs - they go hand in hand. You can have an amazing UI experience - but without the power behind it to actually get your work done - it's just pretty bells and whistles.

You can have amazing specs - but if the UI is cludgy - it can ruin the experience and take more effort to get anything done than one wants.

They aren't islands in the equation.

I love so many things about the iPhone4 and iPad - but there are definitely "misses" when it comes to the UI/native Apps and as of now - the specs (ipad) wouldn't for a second mean I could ditch the laptop or iMac. Not that it's supposed to - but it's not even close.

But feel free to post comments about customer satisfaction, altered lines of press releases and keynotes and the like to counter. That is, after all, your modus operandi.
 
By the way, it's not completely necessary that Microsoft has to port Windows 8 to the ARM architecture CPU platform.

Remember, Intel is aggressively developing lower and lower power x86 CPU's, and do not be surprised by the time Windows 8 finally arrives on the retail market we'll see tablets powered by the newest super-low power Intel Atom CPU with dual cores and a generous 3-4 MB of on-CPU die cache memory.
 
Im having more fun on this and getting more excited than when Lion was announced. However, it seems like microsoft is focusing more and more on touchscreens, kinda neglecting those that do not use touch screen.
 
I think the operation mode differentiation of W8 - Desktop&Mobile mode - is better than the mode mixture of Lion.
 
I hate to disagree :rolleyes:

I see Windows 8 on tablets being a 2013 attack on the iPad - if only because the just announced Haswell processor could give the windows 8 tablets more of a competitive edge against the iPad 4. Agreed on the sales predictions.

Bernard SG said:
I'll quote John Gruber who accurately sums up what Microsoft's gesticulating inspires me:



Let's talk again one year from now: then we'll see what kind of traction Windows 8 tablets are getting on the market; most probably as iOS6 is being prepared to launch and iPad 3 hits more than 50 million units sales (and that's a conservative prediction).
Click to expand...
 
Claefer said:
Learn what? Here's what's going to happen: millions of people will continue to enjoy their iPad until Windows 8 is released. And then all those iPad owners will look at their iPad and then look at a Windows 8 tablet and then back to their iPad and say, "Why can't you do that!"

Because the iPad is not a tablet. It's a big iPod touch. If Apple wants to be innovative they have to actually be innovative. They have to address the flaws in the iPad: (a) change the embarrassing name, (b) stereo speakers, (c) change the aspect ratio to widescreen, (d) at least three USB ports, (e) HDMI, (f) Flash, (g) SD card slot, (h) new OS, (i) at least 4 GB RAM, (j) reduce the bezel thickness, (k) removable battery, (l) stylus.

I could add a couple of more things but I don't want to nitpick.
Click to expand...

The aspect ratio of the iPad is fine as it is. Why would I want to restrict myself on a portable device to a screen format which is only suited to watch movies? How about looking at pictures? Webpages? Using the Tablet as an ebook reader? Exactly. Widescreen would suck for that. Jesus people :rolleyes: so if you watch a movie on your tablet, you have black bars on a black device. Big deal.

A lot of the features you mentioned above were available in tablets for ages. Guess what... Nobody bought them, because as a package they didn't work.
 
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