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PC users have been speculating on the features that might be offered by Windows 8 for some time. However, thanks to Microsoft planning documents shared with HP and other OEM partners that were leaked online recently, we've been to take a wholly unexpected sneak peak at Windows 8.
Use iPad-like touchscreens
Microsoft is telling partners it will outdo Apple by building a better touch screen for slate PCs. Windows 8 will also support accelerometers and location-awareness for gaming and other functions, while adjusting the screen brightness to changes in light.
"Users are able to hold their slate/tablet PCs in any orientation and Windows will smoothly and automatically change the screen orientation to accommodate," Microsoft says.
"Users never have to think to interact using touch on their slates. Users can type confidently and efficiently on the soft keyboard with touch. The soft keyboard is easily launched, text prediction is more accurate, the UI is more usable, and throughput is increased for everyone. We can adapt to changes in ambient light, so that the display is always easy to see."
Watch HD movies on your wireless TV
Windows 8 will integrate with a variety of technologies to let users pick out TV shows and movies and stream them to any screen. Turn on your laptop, find a movie online or in your hard drive, and with a click of a button you'll be able to watch it on whichever TV screen you choose.
"Users can easily discover and connect to a wide variety of modern displays like wireless televisions and monitors, wireless docking stations, and USB-connected monitors," Microsoft says.
"The user can easily light up displays around him with all his content and media, whether it is online or local. Developers can build modern experiences around display devices by leveraging Windows 8 support for premium media experiences, such as stereoscopic 3D and wireless TVs."
Download apps from the Windows App Store
A new app store based on the model made popular by Apple is mentioned in many of Microsoft's Windows 8 slides. While Microsoft insists that users still need an operating system in the age of the internet, the App Store is one of the ways in which Microsoft is adapting Windows to the web world.
There isn't a lot of information about what types of apps the store will contain, but Microsoft is trying to appeal to developers by letting them create apps in whichever language they prefer. The hope, obviously, is to provide a wide array of applications to rival the offerings of the Apple and Android stores.
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Comments
Incony said: Not mentioned but what if Amish leaves the room for two minutes and his PC powers down How detailed will the face recognition be will someone in a face mask fool itWhat happens if Amish needs a face bandage or has a new scarIf such events require manual logon with a password or worse prevent Amish from loging in then i will stick with passwords the computer is my control not the computer controlling me
tricky said: All I want is an operating system that works well simply quickly and never crashes
John Smith said: Colin Richards I agree Mo money mo money America is Gods Perfect Country America is so great America is the greatest country on the earth Ohh dont make me lol I puke instead Dont make me puke How about getting rid of some of that money and giving it to impoverished peoples and places Puh-lease
seeyouentee said: How far do we need it to go Can wipe my arse No
Colin Richards said: I can see it all now More space on the hard drive slower boot up more crashes endless updates more incompatibility the anticipation of Windows 9101112 etc designed to relieve you of cash with pretty and useless functions
John Smith said: 33Amish Surely they are not refering to AmishThe proximity sensor on his PC detects motion and wakes the PC By the time Amish sits down his PC is powered up It scans his face and logs him in Finally when Amish gets up and leaves his PC notices that hes gone and locks itself and powers downVery futuristicWith the same Windows 8 login across devices a user might start a game on one machine and then finish it on anotherEven better why not use it across machines for better performanceMicrosoft is telling partners it will outdo Apple Oh myEnough with the HD films already 3D I also dont careno relation to me ltSARCASMgtYour last name is JonltSARCASMgt
John Smith said: 13Cyteck No1 All this speculation is fine BUT it is just speculation until you actually have windows 8 in your hands - How do I have software in my hands Its not a physical thingthey brake or go wrong - Microsoftthinks your someone else - How good could it be What if I am an identical twindoes actually manage to loose all - Your job to backupfeatures amp functions going wrong More anger and wasted money and time energyMy guess is that windows 8 will be 64bit ONLY - arent they making 128-bit now May as well just wait and upgrade to that instead of to 64 then to 128 when you have toI wonder who long it will take for virus writers amp hackers to port their malware into true 64bit coded versions - Theyre probably already working on it
John Smith said: 23Ron Graves I havent even installed Win7 yet - Me too Im still on XPsubstantial hardware upgrade - All techNOlogy needs updating and upgrading eventually Seems a real waste of time money effort space energy and etc to me Im not Amish though lol And Im still not really sure what The CloudCloud Computing isare anyway D Wiseman Oh please Continue We all LOVE M here PNMHORBURY lets see some real innovation rather than copying what others are already doing - Agreed M is crap with ideas I sort of remember being tought not actually remember the thing so I may be wrong that M back in the day made a computer with some boost button on to make it go faster why didnt it just go faster anyway Thats not an idea Thats a pointless pain And copying Apples App Store please Get your own ideas And dont steal them from Sci-Fi either
Cyteck said: I wonder who long it will take for virus writers amp hackers to port their malware into true 64bit coded versions
Cyteck said: My guess is that windows 8 will be 64bit ONLY which means you will definitely have to ditch that old copy of windows 7 on 32bit architecture You wont get away with just buying an additional or replacement graphics card Its a whole new machine The only possible upgrade path that MS might make available for windows 8 will be from a true 64bit windows 7 machine but that will be your lot Windows 8 NEW MACHINE end of story
NMHORBURY said: So what is new good I have a Laptop and can log in with my face - easy to fool with a photo working in dark conditionsI dont want the same desktop at home as at work backgrounds of you amp your child after a water fight are great at home but not professionalI have a touch screen and it works great as it did in XPWatch HD movies on wireless TV - sounds like lots of extra hardware expenseDownload Apps more ways for Microsoft to make moneyKilling a virus - I trust my AV provider more than Microsoft keep backing up your dataInstant on - Hah a clean OS on latest hardware anything less and it will take timeTaking more control of your machine you can do this now if you know what you are doing that has always been the beauty of Microsoft you can use it without knowing what you are doing so few users will want thisAs has been said many of these features will change but lets see some real innovation rather than copying what others are already doing
oldcoder said: More features more changes more additions to programming languages - supposedly making for easier coding In reality it is REALLY difficult to keep up to date If you miss learning new technology for even a few months you can end up with a defunct career Im a VB6 programmer and 57 yrs old Im all but done folks
D Wiseman said: Wow it all sounds amazing please excuse my sarcasm
Ron Graves said: Who cares I havent even installed Win7 yetHowever it does look as if 8 is going to require a substantial hardware upgrade and by the way they can shove The Cloud thank you so much
Gordon Braid said: All sounds great until you realise that Microsoft cannot even update its MSE program in Windows 7 without it failing to load on hundreds of thousands of PCs
Cyteck said: More features more complexity more complexity more chances of features amp functions going wrong Yet more features amp functions does NOT always make for a better operating system Vista was a case in point When will Microsoft get it less features amp functionality might even make a much better product
Someone92 said: Hmmm taking all of these feature Microsoft mention with a pinch of salt Kind of reminds me back in 2001 when XP was brand new and Microsoft were going on about all the new initutions in Longhorn but when Vista was finished many of them promised features either didnt make or were cut back horribly So I wouldnt be surprised if the same thing happened with Windows 8
Cyteck said: No1 All this speculation is fine BUT it is just speculation until you actually have windows 8 in your handsNo2 Most people seem to forget that new features amp new technologies are fine until they brake or go wrong Then someone as to know amp fully understand how this technology works fits together and finally find a way to fix it Often not easyFor example- Re windows 8 what happens if your PCs motion censor fails amp your PC doesnt boot up and what if your facial recognition doesnt recognize you thinks your someone else We tech support people have to be able to fix that see where Im coming fromAnother example- What if you press the windows 8 reset to factory defaults but windows 8 does actually manage to loose all your personalization settings or so your supposed saved personal data