Microsoft reveals radical tablet overhaul for Windows 8

PC Pro on Twitter

Not sure what the following means - "Microsoft copies Apple's attitude: very touchy" - but I'm not seeing much copying going on here?

In fact, I'm quite impressed with MS convergence of different devices with a single, scalable OS. About time too.

I think it'll be Apple and Google doing the copying.

By onegin101 on 2 Jun 2011

@onegin101

Agreed. Seems really clever and a really innovative departure from the traditional desktop OS design.

Looks really interesting.

Certainly haven't seen anything like this from anyone else so no copying here!

By Grunthos on 2 Jun 2011

I wish there was a way to get rid of some of the legacy support rubbish from Windows.

Start from scratch with a leaner, smarter, tighter OS that didn't support any programmes written for XP or before.

Those could be run through an official emulator for a certain period of time but with the declared intention of ending support for them at a certain date.

This could allow software firms to focus on writing for a modern OS and not following the Windows bloat with their own bloat all caused by the legacy issue.

I'm sure if there was demand for ongoing support 3rd party programmers would have their own emulators (like we do now for other long-gone systems) but it would allow MS to focus on moving forward and not worry about dragging its past along with it.

And it might allow them to sort out other problems by building from near-scratch, issues such as security, driver and peripheral problems.

By Phoomeister on 2 Jun 2011

Copying

We weren't suggesting Microsoft was copying Apple's design. It was a flippant jokey aside, typical of the kind that we add to our tweets. It obviously backfired on this occasion. Apologies for any confusion.

Barry Collins
Editor

By Barry_Collins on 2 Jun 2011

@Phoomeister

It looks very much like this is Windows Phone with older programs running in a virtual machine that is hidden from the user.

Don't be too quick to write off Windows 7. It may have some bloat as almost all software does, but it is likely to remain the best way to control programs with a mouse and keyboard for a long time. Operating Photoshop with a touchscreen is possible but painful. The only desktop OS I would rather use is XP.

By tirons1 on 2 Jun 2011

Twitter

You were joking on Twitter? Are you mad?? Remember Paul Chambers..

By pinero50 on 2 Jun 2011

Looks great but...

I really like the phone OS but on tablets, you want more capable software (and obviously on desktops, that's why you're there). So when you go 'under the hood' or if you just open up a more legacy MS product, like office, are we going to be dropped into tiny, 'untouchable' menu's and buttons designed only for use with a mouse and keyboard?

Wait and see I suppose.

By rozman on 2 Jun 2011

Hardware requirements

Apart from thinking it looks like a poster on a pre-school wall, I note from the report that while there are references to backwards compatibility of software, there is little about the likely hardware requirements. Remembering the bloat in spec required from XP to Vista I'd like to know - or will running from the chip make it leaner? (Or will there be heavier requirements of the chip spec?)

By davefaulkner on 2 Jun 2011

What does this mean for business users?

What about business apps and users? I can see it being easy to use for some tasks but what about professionals in IT and other fields? and multitasking with multiple apps visible on screen at once?
Note: I haven't seen the Demo video yet, not allowed in our workplace. :D

By JustUmmar on 2 Jun 2011

@JustUmmar

They said that the classic methods would remain.

It would not be possible to run most current software without the normal keyboard/mouse methodology and quite a lot could not be redesigned to be 'touch.

Horses for courses.

By qpw3141 on 2 Jun 2011

Loving it

I have to admit that the UI is amazing, unique and bound to be copied by everybody else soon.

I do hope that it is customizable(fully) and that for others it can be switched to an alternate UI that they prefer.

By nicomo on 2 Jun 2011

I'm glad I like W7 because I'll be using it for a long time.

This UI will work on tablets but for traditional computers using W8 like this will either be painful and/or expensive (having to buy a touch screen monitor).

By tech3475 on 2 Jun 2011

What are Microsoft trying to achieve? Do they even know?

I get the replacement of the Start Screen, Task Bar etc with the widget screen, that does look better. But will it work on a desktop AND a tablet?

And what's this idea of replacing a desktop with a tablet running the whole OS? That's like equipping an electrician with his entire workshop when he goes to fix a fuse, lightbulb, or fit a new plug: he just doesn't need to lug that much kit around with him.

I'm not surprised that Ballmer and MS don't get that "less is more". Tablets had a renaissance because they WEREN'T powered by a full OS; all the previous attempts by MS failed because they WERE powered by a full OS which required very high specs, costs and low volumes. The high volumes of sales now are because Apple created a NEW sector, kind of like an electronic toolbox rather than a giant backpack full of the whole workshop.

Still, maybe it's just the PR that is giving the wrong picture here.

By SwissMac on 2 Jun 2011

I deliberately watched the video without sound to evade any 'reality distortion fields'. All I saw was a flashy app for integrating your news feeds. About 3 minutes in, Windows 7 is still lurking. This is not a reimagining of the Desktop, this is just an expensive piece of PR. Microsoft: go back to the drawing board and try again.

By c6ten on 2 Jun 2011

@ SwissMac

"
I get the replacement of the Start Screen, Task Bar etc with the widget screen, that does look better. But will it work on a desktop AND a tablet?"

That's why it lets you switch between full-fat Windows 7-alike interface and the tablet-oriented.

"And what's this idea of replacing a desktop with a tablet running the whole OS?"

I know loads of people - myself included - who'd jump at the chance for this. Use a tablet for easy browsing, simple games, train journeys etc, then take it home/work and plug in a dock with keyboard/mouse and get absolute full desktop functionality.

Might I suggest that just because *you* don't seem to see any valid reasons for something doesn't mean that there aren't any that apply to vast proportions of the world at large.

By bioreit on 2 Jun 2011

Have to say I agree with SwissMac (it happens...). One of the things it mentions is that W8 is optimised for touch - why? Look please at the sort of stuff that runs on a power machine - anyone going to give up a mouse? No, thought not. But - it seems as a special favour, these guys will _still_ accommodate mouses. If you're going to have one OS with one UI shell (and it's a moot point) W8 should be optimised for use of BOTH mouse AND touch, not just one.

And if you look at some of there ideas - tiles for each app; switching between apps by swiping each one in from the side - one by one by one by ... oops missed it. It all suggests to me people who have a dozen or so apps at most. Why don't they look at 90% of Windows desktops - they are _full_ of file after file after file. And just watch the guy searching through the photos - he's just sweeping to show how fast things are - he's not actually looking at anything, so it's pointless eye-candy.

By AdrianB on 2 Jun 2011

Finally decided not to get an iPad

I have been considering buying an iPad for some time but thought I would wait until the market matures a bit more. Other tablet devices haven't inspired me either.

Having seen the video on Windows 8, I am blown away and will wait for that.

By ronwatson71 on 2 Jun 2011

Don't Panic!

"If you're going to have one OS with one UI shell (and it's a moot point) W8 should be optimised for use of BOTH mouse AND touch, not just one."

It will not be one UI shell. It already has a UI optimised for mouse and keyboard. That won't go away. There will just be a new optimisation available for touch. In fact there should be at least a couple of optimisations for touch: small screen and large screen.

And once MS get the hang of switchable optimisations they can start doing others - very high definition screens (high DPI), for example.

By qpw3141 on 2 Jun 2011

I think Swissmac is right

Yes, a tablet to carry around, poke at, read the news, then a docking station for when you want to use Office, Photoshop and so forth. The way processor chips are going that should still allow a serious amount of grunt.

By JohnHo1 on 2 Jun 2011

I see nothing here I'd want on a desktop

I've got 36 icons on my desktop. Only seeing 9 at once seems like a step backwards for me. I'm also not sure on giving apps ful access to my computer. That sounds like a security nightmare. Before Vista the first thing I did with any new OS was to strip it of its graphical niceness and make it look as much like 95 as possible. If it's an option then I'm going to reach for the tile off-switch and get back the 7 style desktop.

By ANTIcarr0t on 2 Jun 2011

A little patience required?

I can understand the concerns being raised - but perhaps MS are finally putting themselves in a position to lead the way in the digital home.

Think about it - W8 connected to the cloud with all your documents accessible on all of your devices - a tablet when you just want to browse or play a game, your mobile when you're out and about, your main pc dock when you need a "proper" pc - and your TV when you want to watch a movie, play some music, etc.

This OS looks a perfect fit for your TV, especially when linked to that other MS product - your Kinect and Xbox.

Apple should start to worry (if MS don't shoot themselves in the foot).

By smn1973 on 2 Jun 2011

The future of the television

So imagine - your TV with W8 integrated on a chip and Kinetic built in. You just wave to your TV and it switches on instantly, giving you full access to your digital world. Even better if they finally sort out speech to text

By smn1973 on 2 Jun 2011

Good for touch PC's and Tablets but......

I love the idea of giving a touch PC this interface for most day to day usage and then a full OS when needed.
I like this idea for tablets too but for a normal desktop or laptop this would be useless.
When you do all that swiping with your finger its great but try dragging that swiping window around with a mouse and its horrid.
I hope there would be an option to turn it off like you can turn off IE on Windows 7.

By monotok on 3 Jun 2011

@monotok

Of course there will be the ability to run in normal mouse/keyboard.

Could anyone seriously consider the MS would release their main OS in a form that could not run the billions of copies of software that rely on keyboard/mouse.

Even if you had near faultless speech to text, word processing with just touch would be extremely clumsy.

By qpw3141 on 3 Jun 2011

Resource intensive AND Resource light?

Let's face it, in the past Microsoft OSs have got more and more resource hungry with each iteration. Remember the 'Vista Ready' scandal? Many machines less than six months old would not run full Vista. It's been the same since the first MS OS - new Windows OS requires new PC.

Now look at Tablets: battery life is shorter the more resources they have to drive.

So, how is Windows 8 going to work for both desktops and Tablets? You'll either have a fully featured resource hungry desktop OS that runs great on a PC but is lousy on a Tablet with compromised battery life; or you'll have a lightweight Tablet OS that gives good battery life and speed on a Tablet, but insufficient features on a desktop OS.

You just can't do both identically without making huge compromises.

By SwissMac on 3 Jun 2011

@SwissMac

And OS X isn't like that?

I have a 5 year old 24" iMac, which runs Vista & Windows 7 without any problems, but it is an absolute slug with OS X Snow Leopard - I think he got frost bite on his toes and doesn't really want to run any more.

I have installed Vista on a 2004 vintage laptop and it ran acceptably and my main desktop was 2007 vintage and that runs Windows 7 without any problems.

For me, the way forward for Windows 8 would be to start again, with a lean and clean core, whilst relegating older generation Windows applications to a Windows 7 virtual machine...

By big_D on 3 Jun 2011

@big_D

When I moved up from Leopard to Snow Leopard it saved me about 15 Gb of disk space, so no, OS X isn't like that.

As for your set up, how have you installed Windows? Presumably you had to reserve a certain amount of memory to each OS you installed, and if you only had 4 Gb RAM to begin with and you gave more than half to the Windows installs you may have problems with that.

Also, did you use virtual Windows in one of three virtualisation solutions available? I suspect you're using Boot Camp though from what you've said.

Thirdly, are you using old apps that require Rosetta to translate them from Power PC spec to Intel? Eg MS Office 2007 or previous?

By SwissMac on 3 Jun 2011

@SwissMac

Erm, as you only boot one OS at a time (bootcamp), they all get 100% of the memory.

And I only have iLife, Apeture, Office 2011, Firefox and Tweetdeck installed.

I'm going to try doing another format and re-install... I have had more problems with OS X slowing down and grinding to a halt than I ever did with Windows. :-(

By big_D on 3 Jun 2011