Microsoft is well on its way to providing a public beta copy of Windows 8, and we got an early hands-on with a pre-beta version of the operating system today. Windows 8 build 8175 is on show at CES 2012, and Microsoft is demonstrating some of the latest features to the crowd of attendees. The most recent build includes a new touch gesture to close Metro apps from view, some keyboard and mouse improvements, and the new video/music Metro app players.
Microsoft also confirmed some recently leaked images that demonstrated a color picker for the Start Screen, and a translucent Charms Bar. Windows 8 build 8175 includes the ability to switch the Start Screen colors, and you'll see from our hands-on pictures that there's a high level of customization available. The software giant has previously promised that a Windows 8 beta will be made available in late February, alongside the new Windows Store, and we'd expect to see these improvements alongside even more changes.
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Want.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:14 PM EST reply Recommend (58) Flag actions
Man I’m loving it right now. I’m running only the DVP on my side netbook and VMwaring it on my main laptop. Can’t wait for the beta!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:53 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Develop FASTER!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:58 AM EST reply Recommend (15) Flag actions
Develop HARDER!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 8:30 AM EST reply Recommend (10) Flag actions
Develop STRONGER!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:02 AM EST reply Recommend (10) Flag actions
Developers!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:11 AM EST reply Recommend (4) Flag actions
Develop DEEPER!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:54 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Develop BETTER!
Oh, wait… ô_ô
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:57 AM EST reply Recommend (4) Flag actions
Develop SEXIER!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:20 PM EST reply Recommend (6) Flag actions
Develop PHOTOS!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:59 PM EST reply Recommend (6) Flag actions
Ooooo F yes!!! man that felt great. thanks guys!
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 1:25 AM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
Developers Song of course..
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 1:01 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
NA NA NA That that don’t kill MS…can only make MS STRONGER!
I need MS to hurry up now…cuz I can’t wait much longer!
Gotta have that tablet RIGHT NOW! You hear what I said to you BALLMER!?!
Man, I been waitin’ all night now…that’s how long I’ve been on ya!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:00 PM EST reply Recommend (4) Flag actions
Yeah, I just want to know how to get back to classic view ? I’m not into the metro look.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:09 AM EST reply Recommend (10) Flag actions
Click the Desktop tile.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:39 AM EST reply Recommend (5) Flag actions
I hope there is a way to just enable regular desktop by default. I really see no need for tiles on my desktop computer. I’m working with a 24" monitor, some have 27" monitors – those tiles would look gargantuan on such screens. Not to mention the fact that I like working with windows, multiple ones on the screen at once, and I don’t want to have to click on a title every time I login to enable, what I consider the default mode of interaction.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:15 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
No, the tiles wouldn’t look “gargantuan”, because microsoft wrote in the “building windows 8”-blog that the tiles will scale to different screen resolutions, so when you have e.g. a full hd monitor, there will a LOT of tiles.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 4:47 AM EST reply Recommend (5) Flag actions
Until you press the Start button in the bottom right and you’re brought back to the tiles.
Although I thought I read somewhere that Microsoft had decided to ditch the desktop “app” (as it were) and stick with tiles only, which is smarter if they intend on releasing this only for tablets.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:35 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
…It’s really just a different Start Menu. Will have to wait for the beta though to determine if it provides any advantage.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 9:50 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
that’s not completely correct, it may be a new start menu but its a lot more, its a new UI that is much more touch friendly and it works with apps differently than the desktop does. we don’t know yet if the metro apps will work in the desktop environment or not. the fact that Microsoft is taking touch so seriously is good because the desktop environment while it may be usable in a touch environment it isn’t designed for it and thus isn’t very friendly to touch.
Posted on Feb 04, 2012 | 3:32 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
the tiles are also great for having information available without having to actually launch an app. i love them on my windows phone. think of the tiles as standardized widgets.
Posted on Feb 04, 2012 | 3:33 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I’m really on the fence about it atm. Metro is a really really nice looking UI and there’s no question that on a tablet it’ll be fantastic, I’m just not so sure about the desktop.
That video makes it look a tad better, but I’ll wait until the Beta comes out to make a proper judgement
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:27 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Siri is better than TellMe and Google Voice put together as MacBook Air is just beautiful.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 3:27 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
This has nothing to do with this thread. Apple hadn’t ever been mentioned. You are a troll. Sorry if you didn’t know.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:11 PM EST reply Recommend (18) Flag actions
Oh good lord, keep your pantyhose on Mary.
I was playing with trollem ipsum.
It apparently works pretty damn well!
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 1:17 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
If you click the Windows Explorer tile, it pulls up a UI which is almost identical to Windows 7, which works well with a mouse and keyboard. Windows 8 is, in fact, the only operating system which is embracing these two mediums at this point. That way, you can run both native Windows applications and metro-style apps.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:30 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Sounds good on paper but I’ve used the dev preview and it’s not really a cohesive and synergistic workflow.
It’s two completely different workflows and thought processes. With the standard Windows desktop you’re able to have multiple windows on the desktop, the task bar shows all of your open programs, you get thumbnail previews of those open windows, the time and date is consistently being displayed, etc.
With the Metro UI you’re only allowed to view two windows at a time and even then you’re restricted to how you view them.
Microsoft may be the only company “embracing” this format but that doesn’t mean they’re doing it correctly.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:43 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
do you really think the final product will work exactly as the developer preview? i really think they will optimize the workflow further…
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 4:48 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Metro is just a replacement for the start menu. Everything else is still there, so you have your traditional Desktop, Explorer and everything else.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 7:33 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
not really, as there are apps that you can run only from the Metro UI (as far as I know)
That’s the problem I have with Win 8 (great tablet UI), but with a mouse and keyboard, I want classic windows.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 7:49 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Exactly the issue I have. MS needs to allow Metro apps to be run on the desktop.
They already have the template for this with the Zune desktop app. MS should just follow that path and apply the standard window buttons to the corner of the app without adding window chrome, exactly as they do with Zune.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:21 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
There is no issue, really. You two just dont understand that you cant run todays windows apps properly on a touch interface. Much like apps that are mean to be used by your fingers instead of mouse and keyboard, will be a pain to use via traditional desktop UI.
It’s up to the developer to provide both, not MS to allow a horrible experience.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:56 AM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
Why would you put the burden on a developer to create two apps. Especially when the Metro apps can be created using languages that aren’t supported by the desktop?
As for horrible experiences, I use Windows 8 Dev preview regularly (on my desktop). I see nothing horrible about using the Metro interface or metro apps with my keyboard and mouse. The video clearly supports this as the Windows rep/dev? is completely open about the fact that they want the experience to feel great when using a mouse.
My point is that the apps already feel great with a mouse and keyboard, buts it’s a bummer that I might find a metro app I really like (maybe a music player, chat client, etc.) that I won’t be able to use during the times that I need the use a classic desktop app.
For example, maybe I need to do something in photoshop. Now I’m in the desktop so I can’t use the awesome MetroChat app to continue an IM conversation I was having.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:48 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
there is a video on youtube, search “windows 8 ces 2012”, that answers the questions you have. The video shows a metro app being used simultaneously with excel
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:58 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
You CAN use desktop app and metro apps at the same time, just snap to the desktop…
You can use Photoshop and metrochat if you want to…this has been explained lots of time
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 6:19 AM EST reply Recommend (4) Flag actions
with one image eins.my ends that argument. that just makes me want to try the consumer preview that much more! especially for my current laptop. and i will be waiting for windows 8 before i get my next laptop
Posted on Feb 04, 2012 | 3:38 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Metro is cool and good looking but its not a good start menu. I really wanted them to allow me to use the 95% of my desktop that is’nt taken up buy icons and use that as live tiles. Like rainmeter for Win7 but better. I also dont like the little things they are doing with 8, they have made the file explorer worse and the whole OS more confusing. I’ll stick with 7.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:09 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
All future apps are going to be developed for Metro, just like MS-DOS the classic Windowed interface is going to become increasingly worthless over time.
Posted on Jan 21, 2012 | 4:17 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Let me get this straight:
People are willing to pay up to $300USD for an “upgrade” that is basically just an added UI layer on top of the old Win7 kernel.
An UI layer, for which very little software even exists.
For an operating system that cannot run on a tablet with a higher battery running time than 5 hours and with a weight less than 1.3kg?
Please excuse me, if I*m a little skeptical.
All the points to the MS PR & Marketing teams though.
They are doing their job very well.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:36 AM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
From the start they have been using the words hydrid kernel, using elements of the linux kernel and their own, it is not a UI upgrade it’s a hole new kernel system.
With the launch of windows 8 an app, i hope these guys pull through (although highly doubtfull that they will finish this fast), by the name off bluestacks will come out, enbaling android apps to be integrated in the windows desktop/touch environement, and by the lack of apps for this platform is the lack of games or something you mean ?
Since you can bet any major software developer is going to be bringing out a “Metro” friendly version of their software, the marketplace will turn bigger and more competitive depending on the way windows is going to handle indie devs..
I can’t wait for the scams involving getting frontpage in market live tiles.
It’ll be like a real market, more advertising everywhere, every big software maker trying to drown the other one out.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 3:39 AM EST reply Recommend (14) Flag actions
don’t
feed
the
troll
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 3:49 AM EST reply Recommend (14) Flag actions
Don’t give a hoot.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 3:55 AM EST reply Recommend (13) Flag actions
For an operating system that cannot run on a tablet with a higher battery running time than 5 hours and with a weight less than 1.3kg?
In theory, Win8 will run on the Transformer Prime. Yes, it will require third party devs and them getting it to work, but at least in theory *as I understand it) Windows 8 will work on that system.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:01 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
nVidia seemed to be talking about Windows 8 running on Tegra so it’s not inconceivable that a Windows 8 install from another officially sanctioned Tegra-based device would provide the raw materials for such an install.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:10 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Uhm, Microsoft said it will be ARM compatible. Thats all you need to know, not basicly the same info from nvidia wrapped into their ARM towel called Tegra.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:59 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Not true – even if you ignore the fact that you need drivers for all the bits of the SoC which aren’t ARM core (graphics, I/O, radios etc) there is the fact that not all ARM cores are created equal – companies like Qualcomm and nVidia (and Microsoft themselves – read into that what you will) have ARM architectural licenses which permit them to modify the core to a much greater extent than a vanilla licensee who must use the core design as provided. Depending on the extent of these modifications more significant code changes may be required to the HAL.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 11:41 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
The kernel has definitely been overhauled, but there’s certainly no Linux elements in there (they’re completely incompatible for a start). The Windows 8 kernel appears to be something approaching the conclusion of the “MinWin” project where the kernel is fully modularised meaning that only the parts that are required are loaded – for example a default install of Windows Server 8 (which shares the same kernel) no longer has any UI support elements at all, but unlike Windows 2008 server core you can reenable it without reinstalling from scratch. The same applies to other parts of the kernel meaning a smaller memory footprint improved security (by means of a smaller attack surface).
Other new non-UI features include Storage Spaces (much like Home Server’s drive extender), significant power management improvements and the small fact that it will run on ARM hardware.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:07 AM EST reply Recommend (11) Flag actions
But see, you are lying vasra.
How would you even possibly know that this is “an added UI layer on top of the old Win7 kernel”? I mean when all the official documents, how-tos, tutorials published by Microsoft on their //build conference, and thousands of developers already developing apps, hell even using the preview build as their daily machine on their tablets for months, how can you even possibly justify your statement?
Where do you come up with stuff like “cannot run on a tablet with … than 5 hours… weight less than 1.3 kg”? I mean, even the developer preview tablets they have given out last more than that, and that is not even a real product, not even ARM tablet, and yet it already does that. How would you know how much Win8 tablets will weigh? You see the future?
To answer you in your own words:
Please excuse me, if I*m a little skeptical.
All the points to the trolls like you, you are doing your badmouthing job very well.
PS. Let me guess? You are a Google employee?
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 3:47 AM EST reply Recommend (13) Flag actions
I agree with you, up until your PS where you troll a troll and ask rhetorically if he’s a Google employee… You just made the same mistake you were criticizing him for… We have no clue who he is…
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:01 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Typical hater FUD.
-If you think Windows 8 is just a UI layer, you haven’t been paying attention at all. As far as price is concerned, are you really going to play the “up to $300” price game?
-Windows 8 allows apps to be written in HTML5 and Javascript as shown in the CES keynote. You can bet there will be thousands of apps in Marketplace on Day 1.
-Your Win8 battery life and weight specs are pure FUD. Windows 8 uses less memory and processes than Windows 7. Needless to say the ARM version will use even less.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 3:54 AM EST reply Recommend (11) Flag actions
Personally, I’m looking forward to the Storage Spaces feature to create a pool of mirrored data on my HTPC/server.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 11:25 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I quite agree strip off the Metro Interface and what you’re left with is a sort of Win 7 service pack 2 and not much of a service pack at that.
I do a lot of video editing on Win 7 and even with two monitors it can be a struggle getting enough screen “real estate” I wouldn’t fancy trying it on Win 8 especially as it seems from comments that the Metro Interface tries to take over at the drop of a hat.
If your ideas on pricing are correct it sounds like a lot of money for very little upgrade on a desktop, which is where most of the real work is done as far as i’m concerned.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 7:54 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
And remove the fukcing start button
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:35 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Someone put this on the Transformer Prime so I can sell my Macbook and iPad.
I’m feeling the urge to consolidate devices…
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:34 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Wish we could port this to Android or webOS tablets.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 8:49 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Microsoft’s banner when Windows 8 launches…
“Cupertino, start your photocopiers.”
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:25 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
pretty sure apple won’t be copying the multi colored 2d rectangles anytime soon.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 1:02 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
I would love to see Windows 8 UI on a TV working with Kinect. Your right hand could functions as a right click, left hand as a left click, and voice search built-in of course.
Posted on Jan 21, 2012 | 4:15 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
For some reason, I prefer the blue background here, but I set my Windows Phone to green tiles. Weird.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:15 PM EST reply Recommend (5) Flag actions
I like the blue better as well, but I figured that’s just because I’m used to Windows Media Center.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:21 PM EST reply Recommend (9) Flag actions
I’m on purple right now, but I cycle through all the colors for at least a little while.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:32 PM EST reply Recommend (4) Flag actions
It’s definitely a more preferable blue. It’s a shame that Windows Phone doesn’t have the same theme options as this beta of Windows 8… why don’t I have a bar of colors and different design options.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:21 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Maybe in wp8, fingers crossed!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:32 AM EST via mobile reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
well nevermind.. it appears that there are only 9 set colors. dang it! At least there is a gray? theme. The choices for windows 8 seem much better than for the phone.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:44 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Yeah but I still don’t get why they limit you. Why not give a full RGB color picker along with some nice defaults.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:03 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I like the Windows Phone options better. Windows 8 lets you pick a few backgrounds for the Start Screen, but Windows Phone lets you pick dark or light background and an accent color that persists throughout most of your apps. Windows 8 doesn’t have any theming options that affect your apps at all, it’s all limited to the background of the Start Screen.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 8:50 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
The Windows Phone blue is too aggressive, especially against a black background.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:04 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
thats why i can’t wait for Nokias phones and their Nokia blue theme
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:11 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
True that. I’ve got a homebrew custom theme changer, but it’s far from perfect (doesn’t work with the white background).
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:46 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Dang, how’d you get that? (Is your phone unlocked?)
Posted on Jan 13, 2012 | 2:36 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Actually, the blue was my favorite part about the Windows Phone OS. Carribbean blue is my favorite color. It’s so energetic, but mellower than orange or lime green. So I’m really hopeful that Windows 8 will have that same blue. _
Posted on Feb 09, 2012 | 11:03 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
For some reason green tiles just work
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:38 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Looks like there are improvements to multitasking too relating to the desktop+metro apps.
A Medfield tablet may be in my future as my new ‘laptop’ (low enough power + the full desktop if I’m docked).
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:20 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Yes, I caught that too. When he pulled his finger down from the top, the UI that showed looked very much like the Windows Phone multitasking UI. Do you think that will also be another way to see all your running apps and easily switch between them?
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:27 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Glad they came to their senses about a way to close Metro apps.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:20 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
I wouldn’t regard this as “closing” apps. Metro doesn’t really need to close them as they will suspend when not in use.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:23 PM EST reply Recommend (7) Flag actions
I mean more of a way to close them from the UI than anything else. Swiping a bunch of times from the left side to get to the app you want can be annoying if you’re done with 3 of the 5 apps or whatever.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:26 PM EST reply Recommend (11) Flag actions
The paranoid person in me doesn’t like hitting the windows button and seeing the start screen pop up. I know that the app isn’t running in the background, but this is a nice way of closing something. It feels very “phone-esque” without this “close” motion.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:36 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
But do you know if this takes them out of the swipe-through rotation?
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:33 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I really, Dont like that idea that much at least you use a lot of programs, In other way is waisting memory, and I already got complainments with the Phones and the Multitasking, please keep it like a necessity even if it don’t
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:53 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
…?
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:05 PM EST reply Recommend (20) Flag actions
Lol
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:27 PM EST via mobile reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
Hmm….
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:47 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Chicken noodle soup and girls.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:28 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Cornbread and crayons.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:22 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Damn it Raphaniac, my phone is multitaking again!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 7:02 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
I don’t think they’re anywhere near done improving. People aren’t giving them enough credit for listening to advice and taking it.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:25 PM EST reply Recommend (17) Flag actions
credit would be to quit insulting me and forcing the metro down my throat as if they know what’s good for me, because their telemetry data is proof, when i want that crap disabled completely. As in I don’t want to have to see it. Period.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:57 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
“Forcing Metro down your throat”? WTF? Things change. You don’t have to buy Windows 8 if you really hate it that much. Did you feel like they were forcing their new design language down your throat when they introduced Windows 95?
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:05 AM EST reply Recommend (10) Flag actions
True, I don’t have to buy it and I probably won’t. I started off on Windows 95 in 1997. Moved to Win98 as soon as my buddies got the leaked copies and have run a bleeding edge windows version since then. ANd for the first time I have not felt excited to install a new version of Windows.
My partner who develops .Net and lives in Windows world with me has been asking what would happen if we moved to Apple. His co-workers got iPhones and are buying Macs, doesn’t appear that any of them like Windows 8 at all.
My hopes for Windows 8 were that it would fix a lot of the issues with windows- mainly the windows crud – with which I’m dealing right this second with a hard drive screetching and OS stuttering using 80% of 4GB ram on just 16 IE tabs opened! That it would address security, like sandboxing programs so we won’t have to deal with security issues. The dreaded registry. Etc
Instead we get a new hodge podge of tiles and desktop, pastel colors and text, a mess of icons to stare at and a crappy tablet-like 1-2 apps on screen at a time
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:28 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
To each his own. Still, your “forcing the new design down my throat” language is ridiculous. And I’m not running it myself, but from everything I’ve seen and heard, Windows 7 is a big improvement on previous versions and I’m sure they will continue working to improve on the core OS even as they introduce a new design language.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:36 AM EST reply Recommend (4) Flag actions
You mean you have 16 tabs opened and you want the computer to act cool?
Try opening as little 6 tabs on of any browser on Mac or PC and see how much memory it consumes
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:00 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
What’s 16 tabs with 4GB ram and msn messenger? Once I hit 85% used ram Windows 7 becomes a pain – hard disk scratching and screetching, going back to explorer involves waiting ~30 while it comes up. Shit that shouldn’t be happening at all.
WHen I tinkered with the page file and brought it down from 10GB+ things ran excellent, until the OS started to squirm about not having enough ram
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 4:04 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
that depends on what browser you are using and how much flash is on each page. i can open 16 tabs with no issue while watching a video and having photoshop open in the background… and all of this is on a 4 year old laptop. WIE 5.5
instead before blaming windows 7 maybe you should look at your hardware and software. there are a multitude of things that cpould be slowing your system down like virus’, slow bus speed…
also if you are going to hate a company for forcing a design down your through you should hate apple even more. with them its their way or the highway.
Posted on Feb 04, 2012 | 3:54 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Throat*
please make edit the next verge feature added.
Posted on Feb 04, 2012 | 3:56 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
you answered the question with your second sentence.
windows 95 in 1997? this isn’t about windows or microsoft at all. you’re just old (no offense). the change bothers you. i imagine that some (old) guy in 1997 was posting the same thing about windows 95 as you are right now – something to the affect of, “how dare windows 95 have… you know… windows in it. I want command line – not stupid windows.”
buying apple products because they are now the rock of constancy isn’t the cure either. this UI will take off – mostly because microsoft is positioned to have it on EVERYTHING next upgrade cycle, and wall street (if no one else) will look for apple’s response. wall street’s initial response to microsoft’s win8 initiative coupled with the nokia transactions are already positive and apple will be forced to respond on the UI end. so there will be change at cupertino as well. and then what?
the irony of course in the complaints that most people have about metro – is that it’s completely customizable – you don’t have to use it. it’s the epitome of crotchety complaining – because the complaint is about a completely avoidable issue. It’s a leaner, tighter OS with a smaller footprint which will run on different hardware architectures – in theory a write once run everywhere paradigm. it’s sweet in theory – and if they pull it off – it will indeed change how people compute on their laptops (and tablets… and phones… AND XBOXES) the way the iphone changed the way people compute on their phones. It’s unified theory across the microsoft ecosystem and that allows one device to presell another (a tablet sells a laptop sells a phone sells an xbox). Again, smart shit.
it’ll probably be much easier for you if you said something like, “you kids and your music….”
-it’s shorter and gets right to the point. it also eliminates the pretense that your rant is about the technology, because it isn’t.Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:40 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Well I used window ’98 and 95.. I was one of the first people to try out win8 developer build when it first came out and I absolutely love it. Age has nothing to do with it. (am still under 27)
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:00 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
he said in his post that he wants to maybe switch to something else (mac etc) it’s not change or age that is the problem it’s awful design.
Your logic that because someone doesn’t like something new it’s because they are old or afraid of change is flawed. Sometimes new products are shit.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 1:05 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
lol
I’m 32 and a few days old and have no kids and won’t have kids, unless of course my boyfriend finds someone with the appropriate equipment to knock up. I guess I’m old.
But young people are ignoring Windows, in droves. And Windows Phone too. Look at the stats and mindshare of Apple. If people are rejecting Windows Phone, they won’t suddenly start loving Windows 8, I think. We’ll have to wait and see.
My 9 year old nephew, he loves siwping my Vibrant to play Angry birds. So I showed him that WP7 online demo… was not phased by it at all. Said “naaah the iPod is better you should see it I want one for Christmas”. Hint, hint.
My gripe is that microsoft is replacing something simpler with something clunkier, the whole integration of tiles and moving from tiles to desktop is just tacky.
That, and the fact that in 2012 we’re still going to be dealing with Windows crud. Something that should’ve been fixed in Vista or Windows 7 at least yet 12 years on it would still persist. Actually, Microsoft did address it, by giving us a reset buton. So now instead of me hunting for a flash drive I can just press a button on my screen!
I’m no fan of Apple at all, and don’t own anything of theirs, but I can appreciate Steve Jobs’ obsessiveness with perfection. And maybe I’m old, and have had enough of Microsoft sloppy way of doing things who knows
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 4:41 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
In the current Windows 8 Developer Preview, it is already possible to disable the Metro UI as well as the redesigned explorer; you’re quite free to use a traditional start menu if you prefer. Of course, if you don’t choose to use these new elements, then you might be happier with saving a bit of money and using Windows 7.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:21 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
I complained about the poor way the mouse works and they seemed to have fixed that. Not saying they read my complaint lol.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:49 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
At least you can say they took the consumer/developer comments to heart when they went from the dev preview to this version. It looks great!
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:25 PM EST reply Recommend (16) Flag actions
Yeah. Out of hundreds of complaints on their blog, they implemented one single gesture that was maybe already planned.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:45 PM EST reply Recommend (7) Flag actions
Yeah, this is the only improvement they’ve made since the dev preview. This 2:18 video shows everything they’ve changed based on feedback.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:28 AM EST reply Recommend (6) Flag actions
We don’t see every improvement that’s for sure. But we can see what they didn’t changed but what so many people asked for.
Here is one little request: A simple elegant Shut Down button in the upper right corner of the Start screen. So that you don’t have to log off or go to the settings Charm before you can shut down or restart your machine with the mouse.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:07 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Charm has to go. I’m not gonna call it that. Noooope.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:28 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
…CHUCK TESTA!
Posted on Feb 09, 2012 | 11:07 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
This week, I started using the WDP as my primary OS, just to try it out, and I like it so far, especially the multiple monitor support. I’m surprised that I’m not hating using it on a laptop.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:26 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
I’ve been using it on a laptop for a little while myself. Not so bad, honestly. It’s windows 7 with a new start screen right now, but there’s nothing wrong with that at all. It’s pretty stable for a preview, no question.
My only problem with it is I just want to touch it sometimes and I just can’t do it. Would also be nice to have gestures that work on the screen work on the touchpad for laptops. A great start, and I can’t wait to see what else new is on the way.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:42 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
I completely agree about the touchpad part. The one thing that Joanna always says in of everyone her Windows 7 notebook reviews is how the touchpad isn’t better than the one on the Macbook Air/Pro. I always thought to myself, “It can’t be that good, can it?”, but I tried it and it is that good. Two-finger scrolling and multi-touch gestures are incredible on the MBA. If they could bring that level of touchpad usability to the laptops running Windows 8 through driver support, Windows 8 would be scary good.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:22 PM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
It’s generally hardware that’s the problem, many cheaper laptops come with ALPS touch pads which are generally pretty terrible.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:31 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Have you seen the conceptual trackpad demo that Synaptics put together? I think this would be awesome.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:13 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Are they gonna charge the WDP users when it’s released to end-users?
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:07 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
For the beta and the possible full-year RTM? No.
For a full, un-timed license after that? Yes.
However, if you buy s computer right after Windows goes RTM, they usually offer you a free upgrade for when the OS is finally released.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:54 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Word.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:59 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
I hope this leads to better apps being developed for WP7! Does anyone think it will?
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:31 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
I’m not seeing the connection. I mean, if there was some kind of integration coming (I hear there is, in code at least with the Apollo release), then it might. I’m fine with the app selection as is, but there’s always room for improvement I suppose.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:44 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Yeah I mean better developed apps also in addition to the catalog (maybe). The connection is that Win8 and WP7 share the same roots (Metro) and they should be integrated after a bit. Windows should turn into one product for all devices, phones, tablets and PCs alike, like Ballmer. Maybe that was just PCs and tablets though…
But I’m expecting easy porting from Win8 to WP7 from the looks of it
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:49 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
So long as they use XNA, porting is supposed to be really simple with around 90% of code reusable between both. Damn impressive, if you ask me. This’ll be more important when Win 8 slates start showing up and touchscreen apps start showing up. I like the whole 3 screens idea, and I’m really looking forward to seeing it in action when windows 8 and windows phone 8 are ready to go later this year.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:54 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I haven’t seen any mention of XNA on Windows 8. It might still be there though.
From what I’ve seen Windows 8 apps are C++/C#/VB with XAML or JavaScript with HTML targeting a subset of the Dot Net Framework and the new Windows runtime (WinRT).
Windows 8 games target the Direct X API.
Windows Phone 7 apps are C#/VB with XAML and target a different subset of the Dot Net Framework and the Silverlight runtime.
Windows Phone 7 games are in XNA (although there is now crossover between XNA and Silverlight).
If I was to make a bet I would say Microsoft will bring the Windows 8 development environment (i.e. C++/C#/VB + XAML or JavaScript + HTML and WinRT) to Windows Phone 7 and then sunset the Silverlight development environment.
I’m not sure about XNA. I hope they bring it to Windows 8 because it’s an easier way to write games than using the Direct X API. The big studios will probably want to stick with C/C++ and Direct X though.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:21 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I think you’re right that WinRT and Javascript + HTML apps will be coming to WP8 backed probably by either a complete or at least larger subset of the .NET framework. I doubt C++ or any unmanaged language will transfer over though.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:27 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
How do they solve the differences in CPU architectures? One OS PC to rule them all? You have ARM and Intel based architectures that require completely different apps be coded. The apps you buy for your arm tablet, won’t work on your Intel laptop and vice versa.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:40 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
.NET is CPU-agnostic, similar to Java.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 3:26 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
All devices except printers. That’s clearly a job for WebOS.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:36 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I’m a Windows Phone developer and I’ve been playing with the Windows 8 SDK and at least for the moment there’s virtually zero possibility of code sharing between the two platforms. The UI needs to be rewritten from scratch (not just tweaked like you can when porting an iPhone app to the iPad) and the majority of the code needs significant refactoring.
Oh, and games can’t be ported at all. As in not even one single line of code. If you want to release a game on Windows 8 and WP7 you have to write it twice because they use completely different programming languages. If you write a game for Windows 8 it’ll be much easier to port it to iPhone and Android than it would be to port it to WP7. Sad but true.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:07 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
So no WP7 to ARM Win8 Tablet apps. No Win8 ARM Tablet apps working from the Intel side, just native ones for Win 8 ARM Metro UI. Is there any real cross platforming of apps between the three device types, because Microsoft seems to be pushing that in the marketing of these devices. It doesn’t seem close to rational what they are doing if this is the case.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:03 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
What language is it then? I’ve just begun to learn how to program for Windows Phone 7 and it’s in C#.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 3:08 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Windows Phone 7 games are written in C# using the XNA framework, but Windows 8 games must be written in C++ to get access to the DirectX libraries.
This is of course referring to games of some significant complexity (action-oriented gameplay or 3D graphics). If you built Tic-Tac-Toe using Silverlight on Windows Phone then you could port it to the C#/XAML framework on Windows 8 without a whole lot of trouble.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 6:57 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
You’re over complicating things. Windows Metro apps are HTMl5/Javascript out the door, but you’re not prohibited from writing binary apps for ARM as far as i know. ARM will include Visual Studio support, it will have .NET runtime and ARM windows 8 does mandate DirectX support so with that being said regarding windows 8, arm is merely just another platform if you’re building binary apps. Windows phone 7 on the other hand Uses XNA for gaming unless you have direct access. There is rumor that MS may open up direct hardware in future SDK. That would be cool. I have no idea if there will be an XNA for Win8/ARM to offer more capability or if XNA will fade as directX/Minwin become the standard base os.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 1:16 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I really, really hope they decide to even things out by bringing XNA to Windows 8 instead of bringing C++ and DirectX to Windows Phone.
I understand why big budget game devs would want to write in C++ and access the DirectX libraries directly, but it’s massive overkill for independent developers who just want to make some touchscreen tablet games. XNA is all about being able to make decent quality games without requiring a lot of resources, which is exactly what I want to see for a tablet environment.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 7:03 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I don’t really care for it. Seems to cluttered.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:33 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
I really like the basic UI, but when all the tiles are different colors than it’s a little too “rainbowy” for me.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:34 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Really? I feel like a lot of people complained that there’s a ton of dead space. Matter of opinion, I guess.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:47 PM EST reply Recommend (4) Flag actions
Far from cluttered for me. One thing I hope they implement for the tiles is for an opaque value.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:33 PM EST reply Recommend (4) Flag actions
Anyone know if the Start screen will be disableable? I just can’t see myself using that with a non-touch desktop computer. Looking forward to all the other Windows 8 features, though!
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:39 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Why not use it? I don’t see how it’s any worse than the existing start menu. The only difference is it’s a lot bigger. It’s very quick when used with a keyboard. start → type what you’re looking for → click it. Exaclty how Windows 7 start menu works
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:41 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
True, but I think what bugs me is that they’re giving people who have a mouse and keyboard a touch interface. I tried Windows 8 a while ago and it just didn’t feel right to me. Maybe I just have to get used to it.
Probably won’t be such a big deal, though. Like you implied, it’s just a quick portal for what you’re really looking for, and I mostly use a browser on my desktop anyway.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:09 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
“I tried Windows 8 a while ago and it just didn’t feel right to me.”
By “it” I’m referring to the new Start screen, not Windows 8.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:11 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Well I am more welcome to the idea, but the developer preview offers a very half-baked version.
Give it a go when it’s done. It seems like they’re listening to feedback.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:17 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Good to hear. I’m planning on buying it right away especially if I can get a student discount similar to the promo they had for Windows 7.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:27 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
I find the new Start screen much easier to navigate than the old Start menu with a mouse (if you’re using a keyboard there is no difference at all).
To find an app to load from the start screen I click the start button and then about 40 app tiles are instantly on my screen. The mouse wheel lets me scroll across if there are more apps not showing up on the initial 40 or so.
Compare this to navigating through menus, especially when you go through several sub-menus and don’t have a steady hand.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:49 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Dude forget it. Just stick with Windows 7.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:14 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
This looks like it would be fun to have on my TouchPad that isn’t doing much in the bottom drawer of my desk right now.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:42 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
I agree. I would love to try Windows 8 on my touchpad too. I just installed android on it. I found that android is a lot faster at booting and doing tasks then webos is. I would like to compare this with Windows 8.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:44 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Wow. Metro looks awesome on the giant screen!
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:43 PM EST reply Recommend (10) Flag actions
I was just thinking this
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:56 PM EST reply Recommend (4) Flag actions
Is this worth switching from a Mac? Or is is still just as poisonous?
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:43 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Why not bootcamp it??
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:44 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Just as poisonous as what? Last I checked, Windows 7 is a fairly poison free OS, save for some of the crap preinstalled by some of the PC OEM’s.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:46 PM EST reply Recommend (12) Flag actions
Just an inside Verge joke. Topolsky feels that it’s a poisonous OS, so I hope he’s not writing the Win 8 review. Rather, maybe it’ll be good enough to change his mind ;)
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:48 PM EST reply Recommend (4) Flag actions
Ah yes, I think I saw that episode. This is the same guy that has an unhealthy obsession with the Galexy Nexus right?
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:55 PM EST reply Recommend (5) Flag actions
Most likely. He does an OK job of hiding his anti-MS sentiments most of the time, but it’s becoming pretty obvious as of late. I would love to hear some legitimate reasons for why he dislikes the latest MS offerings.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:00 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
1. terrible on laptops
2. inescapable legacy support
3. always crashes
.
.
.
i think i’ll stop there lol
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:24 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Josh, is that you?
Oh, no… it’s just a troll.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:56 PM EST reply Recommend (10) Flag actions
1. Ungodly expensive, nearly useless desktop
2. Apple: “that’s a nice program you have there, a shame you cant use it anymore!”
3. 50 bajillion docks/program launchers wasting screen space
And yes, I use BOTH operating systems on a daily basis. Please take your trolling elsewhere.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:06 AM EST reply Recommend (12) Flag actions
Troll a little harder. Just shows you know nothing.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:51 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Nah, his post was pretty accurate.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:43 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Really? Care to explain how?
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:47 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
From personal experience: Apple removed Rosetta from OS X Lion, leaving no virtualization software for programs designed to run on their former PowerPC architecture.
Rosetta was supported by Snow Leopard, optionally, but now there’s nothing.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:05 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
1. Do you have an RTM build that we all don’t? If not, then how can you judge non-existent hardware for the non-existent final build of Windows 8.
2. Who complains about legacy support? Oh, users do. So they please customers unlike… hmm, Apple
3. Always crashes? Probably should learn how to use a computer and stop looking up porn. I’ve had more crashes on my lock-ups on my Mac than Windows in the past 2 years.
4. You’re stupid
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:26 AM EST reply Recommend (11) Flag actions
Windows is great on laptops. Obviously not so great on really low-powered/cheap ones.
Legacy support is a double-edged sword, but it’s hardly a problem for the majority of Windows users.
Windows hardly ever crashes. Anyone who implies that Macs are more stable than a Windows machine is lying or ignorant. Though, of course, since there is no such thing as a cheap/low-end Mac you could argue that Macs are more stable than cheap Windows PCs.
Most of the world’s computing gets done on Windows. It’s not perfect, but it’s closer to perfect than any of the alternatives.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:58 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Even OS X wasn’t decent on laptops till Lion. Lion was the first to be really built for the laptop, and the same goes for Windows 8. It’s built for a portable device.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:52 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Yeah that’s the one :P
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:04 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I think it does
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:56 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Give it a try when it is ready, and later you’ll be able to figure that out by Yourself
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:56 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
If it’s poison then I’d sure hope you try it. One less dumb person commenting is better for everyone
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:40 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Looks very good. Would be nice if they bring the ‘’Zoomed out start screen view’’ to WP7 also.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:46 PM EST reply Recommend (4) Flag actions
Not a bad idea! My start screen isn’t really that full on my phone, but for some of the start screen hoarders, would be a cool feature.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:50 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
That WOULD kick ass if you could put the start screen into landscape mode. Portrait would look funny to me.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:10 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Actually that’d be cool. Maybe something in store for WP8 :o
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:23 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
I may buy one of the new MacBook Airs, then run boot camp to instal Win8 on it….
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:56 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Now I’m starting to like the Metro idea, I really see some good changes on this new view, I’m not saying is much better, But I will try to download the last version to give it a second try, But I really want more changes for the Mouse and Keyboard If I’m expecting to live in a tablet interface
_(like for example Scrolling trough the UI and with a click in the Wheel to see the expanded view)Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:58 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
’Looks ok but have to put bull shit amount to effort to use it.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:03 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Windows 8 will be great on touch devices like tablets, phones or even some of those newer laptops that seem to have that touch functionality (only seen them at CES), but let me tell you Windows 8 is/was a horrible experience for me on a desktop with a keyboard + mouse. It just does not work at all together, everything takes longer to do, the legacy UI & Metro are tacked on to the sides of each other, and yet it feels somewhat disjointed … Nothing is really seamless. It just feels tacky and generally sucks using a keyboard and mouse with Metro UI.
I think on that note, I’ll stick with Win7 for now and see what Win9 turns into.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:04 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Very very true, Not having to see current-running application while switching/taking a glance is just horrible feeling. The Approach here is similar to Windows Media Player UI. Which sucks because in the first use it seems nice because of animations but right from the second use it is so much nagging.
MS sud focus on how to get the work done efficiently than too much bling -bling.
They have screwed the Win Ph-7’s Home-Screen-layout (though once you get inside application its good) and doing similar thing on Windows now.
MS seriously need to fire those guys who are making these UI decisions. Tomorrow the users will say, “uff Windows is so difficult to use”
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:14 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Exactly. Win7 was streamlined, everything just seemed to work really nicely, it’s slick and fast. In Australia, MS used the word streamlined when they were advertising Windows 7, and it was absolutely true. I have no idea what they can call Windows 8 that will attract people who require an OS that is optimal when efficiency is paramount.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:29 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
The fact is, the optimal user experience for Windows 8 is for someone without a mouse; see the new Visio All-In-One: it has a touchpad, instead of a mouse. Microsoft’s betting on touch being the future of computing, and remember: few to no desktops embrace that philosophy today. New, disruptive software requires new hardware.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:19 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Bollocks. I use Windows 8 on a laptop as a desktop (docked monitor, mouse, keyboard), and apart from the Start menu EVERYTHING IS THE SAME AS WINDOWS 7. How much time do you people actually spend launching applications that a different (and in my experience and opinion more efficient) way of launching those apps is a deal breaker?
And if you have a dual monitor setup you can get the best of both worlds and have the start screen permanently open on the 2nd screen.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:03 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I have dual monitor setup. The last thing I want is tiles on my 2nd monitor, that’s not why it’s there
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 7:45 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
have you used a wp7 before making such flimsy comments? I bet you haven’t
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:52 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I have and anyone who has problems with win8 because he claims it isn’t streamlined must be an idiot. You can get from the metro ui to the desktop in minimum one click and that one click can be to open any program you wish, which really is a difference of 0 clicks because you’d have to click on that same program in win7.
Oh, and I also read theverge.
@ andrewcamillo You think josh does a good job hiding his ant-M$ sentiments? get real!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:36 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Or, I could just be at the desktop at all time, saving my time. You know, efficiency? Rather than being forced through metro before I can get back to a functioning, sleek (legacy) desktop.
Kay?
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 3:11 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
These are developer previews. They aren’t meant to be complete products yet. It’s very difficult to judge how it will turn out from a product that is not even a “beta” yet.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:29 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Look at it from amore strategic point of view.. PC sales has started to decline due to products like the iPad and several other android tablets…
You ask yourself how does Microsoft get into the tablet game without running into the same problem they have now with wp8.. Struggling for apps and recognition . Just like Apple and Google did you use one strong product to push new products. By having the metro UI on desktops they get a huge userbase with little effort which is tge number one reason why any developer would want to develop for a particular platform.
I’ve been using the win8 and its actually quite food on the desktop… Especially coming from wp7. One thing they could also do is allow people to decide which desktop they prefer.. Whether metro , normal desktop of the combination of both
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 3:31 AM EST via mobile reply Recommend Flag actions
You can already choose those options with the win8 preview, especially if you have 2 monitors, metro on one and regular desktop on the other.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:39 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
well I mean from the time of first installation.. you get asked if you want the metro desktop or the traditional desktop (so you don’t see the metro desktop)or combination of both as it is now .. I have no problem using the combined option as it is with the developer build.. but I can imagine several people ditching win8 because re uncomfortable running the metro desktop on traditional PCs which doesn’t support touch.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:06 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Microsoft focused on multitouch interaction for the Developer Preview because that’s the biggest new feature for Windows 8. Mouse support is there, but Microsoft kept impressing on us at the Build conference that mouse support wasn’t finished yet. Try the public beta when it comes out to see if mouse support has improved at all before you completely write off Metro as a touch-only UI.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:21 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Even the video in this post shows some of the mouse work that they’ve done.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:52 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
How does the public demo become Exclusive to The Verge ????
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:13 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
I ink it has something to do with the verge being the official tech blog of ces.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:00 AM EST via mobile reply Recommend Flag actions
Dont’ mind him.. he runs a website called microsoft-news and he takes offence every time The Verge puts “Exclusive” on a Microsoft story. I can smell jealousy.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:06 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
if its a public demo why don’t you have it on your microsoft-news website? stop whining like a kid
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 3:55 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Why should I be jealous ?? I’m not running any competing websites to The Verge ! ! microsoft-news is like a personal blog. There are many demos of Windows 8 recorded at CES by various websites. Stop commenting personally and reply to the context of the comment.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:07 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I brought it up because I ’ve seen you raise the issue of exclusivity a few time here on and when Tom was running Winrumors.
True that they are running several win8 demo on win8 but they (the verge) taking their cameras there and having a demo done for them makes it exclusive.. more so when a similar material is not online. If there is a demo video online with the same build of windows 8 as they are showing feel free to show it to me and I will kindly shut up.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:20 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Microsoft isn’t demonstrating all of these features in the “public demo”, hence why it’s exclusive.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 4:00 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
the “windows phone” moniker isn’t doing them ANY favours…
“metro” would be much better, no?
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:25 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Not that it matters, but “Metro” always sounded kind of…well…gay.
I know it’s named after an airport experience, but still….
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:48 PM EST reply Recommend (4) Flag actions
metro is a european term they use for
trains/stations/tubestransit. Metro is also short for “metropolis”. It is only recent popular language that tied “metro” with metro sexuals = gays.Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:32 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I know, man, but real talk….
Android, iOS….Mmmmmmmetrooo.
This comes from a WP7 owner. I mention Live Tiles, I mention social network integration, I mention the great on-screen keyboard. I used to mention Metro. It’s got a weird connotation in the States. Props to Europe for not making cool stuff sound gay.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:00 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Metro sexual is not the same as gay. That’s the whole point. They’re straight guys that act like gays.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:16 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
You mean like… urm… metrosexual?
You don’t think that’s the origin of the ‘Metro name’ to begin with?
Pfft.. ok
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:15 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Of course I that’s not where the term “Metro” came from, but you should see my friends faces when I explain to them what my phone is. It’s pretty funny. 21tiger, you have to remember that you may be part of the technorati, and actually know what Metro means. Other people aren’t quite as savvy, and in America, people hear Metro and think skinny jeans, guyliner, hairgel, whatever. Is Jersey Shore too, terribly off-base? Maybe gay was the wrong word to use, given our levels of education. What’s the word I’m looking for…
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:35 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Windows is one of the most recognised brand names in technology. Most people in the real world aren’t the kind of too-cool hipsters that think it makes them cool to hate Microsoft.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:04 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I hope something changes re; the minumum resolution required for Metro… my netbook (and many others) have a 1024×600 screen, just below the 1024×768 needed for Metro to ‘fully’ work.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:36 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I don’t think the start menu is as accessible as it used to be. The metro UI is really beautiful, but i prefer the old start menu
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:40 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
you can, ahem, go in the registry and turn off Metro to get back the start menu
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:11 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Oh yeah, the demo’s on a tablet.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:47 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
whoops, didn’t watch all.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:47 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I really like what I’ve seen of the Start Screen and I see it as a vast improvement on the Start Menu.
I also really like what I’ve seen of Metro-style apps. Assuming Microsoft provide a better way of app switching I can see how an entire class of "mainstream" users could live completely within the Metro environment whether they use a tablet, laptop or desktop.
What I’m having trouble with is seeing how a user that must use the desktop (like me!) will be able to straddle the two environments. Unless Microsoft enables the capability to run Metro apps in a desktop window I can’t see myself ever really using a combination of Metro apps and traditional desktop apps.
I’ll just end up with a tablet running primarily in the Metro UI and a laptop running primarily in the traditional desktop with very little to no cross-over of applications between the two.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:00 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I agree this is a question they’ll have to answer pretty soon. How do desktop and metro apps coexist? I’d like to see a demo of a scenario in which someone uses both user experiences in a natural, organic way. From what I’ve seen of the developer preview so far, there isn’t a complete user story yet with regards to desktop computing with Windows 8.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:41 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Think w8 was more of a transistor os to get more touchscreen computers out there. Then in w9 they will move into all touch ui and all-metro apps will be standard. I just hope they make touchpad gestures (e.×. 4 finger swipe flipps one page on start screen) in the meantime.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:05 AM EST via mobile reply Recommend Flag actions
If Windows 8 was the transitional phase wouldn’t Windows 8 be the perfect place to have it easier to mix between the two UI’s?
At the moment if you’re the kind of user that requires the traditional desktop it’s going to be hard to include Metro-style apps in your day-to-day PC usage.
That means Microsoft can’t simply remove the traditional desktop from Windows 9 because anyone that was a traditional desktop user during the Windows 8 period wouldn’t have transitioned over to the Metro-UI.
Personally I think if Microsoft allowed Metro apps to run as windowed applications inside the traditional desktop I could see myself using a lot of Metro applications on the desktop, and using a lot of the same apps on the desktop as on the tablet.
That would put me in a far better position to transition over to a Metro-only PC sometime in the future (assuming they had a Metro Hyper-V client app for the irreplaceable legacy applications).
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:20 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
A typical usage would be pinning a Metro app to the side of the desktop for continuous updates (e.g. your social feeds, email, IM).
You could use a tablet or 2nd monitor as a metro screen while working on the desktop in exactly the same way you do now.
You could have a Windows 8 tablet that uses Metro apps when it’s in your hands and switches to the traditional desktop when docked.
Some software will have both Metro and desktop versions co-existing (e.g. the Metro version might be a simplified version with the main features while the desktop version has the full set of features). This will allow you to do most common things with touch and switch to mouse/keyboard for more complex work.
And as touch input advances and more efficient ways are found for working with touch, voice, and gestures, most users will probably not even need to use a desktop computer interface at all.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:09 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
That’s the problem. Windows 8 is a suboptimal experience. Constant switching and being thrown back and forward between two different environments is ridiculous. It’s worse with the control panel, to access it you must go through Metro, and then if you need the advanced options you get thrown back into legacy mode.
It’s an awful tacked on but disjointed experience.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 3:21 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I’m so looking forward to Windows 8. I can’t wait to get rid of the old Start Menu. Metro tiles in the way to go because it organizes all the applications into categories. The Start Menu just seem to dump all the applications into one big pot.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:35 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Man, I love Win7, but i just can’t get on board with this Metro interface.
It looks like a big old mess and it clutters my brain.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:58 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
If you looked at my design (architecture) work, you’d say “wtf, I’m not hiring you! you’re all ova the place!” – but once things are closer to a final product – voila! It’s pretty.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:22 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
I’m enjoying windows 8 dev (I’m using it as my daily driver) but it does have room for work
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:08 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I want to see two things:
1) I want to see the Start area vertical rather than horizontal. The translation makes no sense with a scrollwheel on a mouse. You go down to go right? That’s nonsense. It should be the way it is on their phones.
2) I want to see the traditional desktop gone forever. Having two clashing, completely different user interfaces smashed together is ridiculous, ugly, cluttered, confusing, and most of all, unnecessary.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:14 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I’d like to see the traditional desktop removed, but right now this is their segue in Windows 8 to support the “power functions” if you will. It would be crazy to completely re-introduce every since feature provided by the traditional desktop interface and slap it in the Start experience.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:20 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Yeah, that would make sense. I would just like to see something cleaner/less awkward than the two totally different UIs at once.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:26 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
What they should do is make windowed applications look more like Metro tiles and introduce a way to open them side by side like you would on a traditional desktop, but making as many apps as you have open fill the screen with no overlap between them. This would make them appear like a grid of tiles consistent with the Metro UI.
Think about it- the Win8 start screen already says “Start” on the top left. All that needs to happen is panning the start screen down when you open an app to where “start” is at the bottom, and small tiles for running apps are laid out alongside it. And say you have 4 programs running side-by-side but you don’t feel that 1/4 of your screen is enough space for each one. Windows can introduce a feature that expands windows separately as soon as you mouse over them or tap them, contracting the others as needed.
There are definitely ways to keep windows as a productive OS that allows you to run side-by-side applications while keeping consistent with the look of Metro. I hope they go this route in the future so the start menu and desktop environment don’t feel like a Frankenstein experiment.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:31 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Why are you guys not giggling and mocking it like you did at the Microsoft campus?
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:15 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I see 8 blocks for changing the Start background. Kind of confused, is this going to be hardcoded like the Zune backgrounds or do you think they’d allow users to change? Also why not use a color picker for the background color. The one’s look kind of dull.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:33 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Assuming it’s like Windows Phone the colour selection is fixed to avoid clashes and unreadable text. On Windows Phone there is no yellow theme, and for a good reason – white text is unreadable on a yellow theme.
Though it does make less sense on the desktop where I would prefer total control (though there is already an easy hack on WP7 to get your choice of colours…of course the preloaded options all look much nicer than any custom ones!).
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:16 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I think this looks great. What I’m really excited for are the refined multitouch controls. Hopefully Windows products will get trackpads comparable to Apple products now.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:55 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Totally agree, It looks like this would work great with an Apple style trackpad. As an Apple user I can’t believe how appealing this actually is, good work Windows team :)
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:17 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
this thing is absolutely beautiful. I don’t why some people keep saying Metro is forced on them, for god-sake its just the metro styled startscreen where you’ll be able to launch your desktop programs – just that
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 3:42 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Just that.
Oh, and the apps. And the search. And the network settings. And the Metro IE browser. And the PC settings. And the log in screen. Yeah, just that.
;)
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:18 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
now you are just being silly. If you are desktop user you don’t have to use the Metro apps and metro settings, everything else you mentioned falls under the startsreen- search and launch. Thanks for the log in screen though
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:54 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Have you used it?
We still have to see how you can choose not to use a Metro app. For instance some links may load up in IE 10 Metro view. And search is always Metro. In the Developer Preview, search is still VERY rudimentary and awkward and it seems they will not change it much in the beta. I’m curious how we may search for images and videos and open them with desktop apps.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 6:50 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
If Henry Ford has asked people what they wanted they would have all said “a faster horse”. It’s amazing how many luddites are scared of a new Start screen.
And it’s equally amazing how cleanly the haters and non-haters can be divided into those who haven’t used Windows 8 and those who have.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:19 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Problem for me is not that it is new, but that it will lack some useful features.
If you know how the Windows team made those decisions based on telemetry data, you would realize that Windows 8 is in fact a faster horse based on what people “want”.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 6:53 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Windows 8 is going to be huge. Microsoft is doing everything right by uniting the UI of windows, wp7 and Xbox live. Seriously, well played.
Also, I can’t wait to run this from my laptop/tablet through a 40" hdtv. It’s just…so…pretty.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:20 AM EST via mobile reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
wow .. cant wait to use Windows 8 in my laptop.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:11 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
“…people see Windows 8 as an expression of themselves…” – nice marketing crap. it’s not even out yet.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:41 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Was just about to remark on this. That is some top-quality bullshit! I feel sorry for the guy whose job it is to spout this nonsense: imaging going through life having to consciously resist the urge to punch yourself in the tonsils.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 7:16 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
How do you know it’s 8175 since there’s no indication that it is?
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:55 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
great to have some positive coverage of MS. thanks Tom. also you sound tired!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 7:16 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Tom Warren! \o/
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 7:35 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Think this is great tablet UI, but as a desktop UI, i’m still concerned/crying.
If I have a mouse and keyboard I want a UI optimized for a mouse and keyboard, which is what Classic windows is.
I know I can go back to the desktop, but then again you can’t run metro UI apps from the desktop. All in all, I think it’s going to make for a confusing experience.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 7:54 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Well, I think Microsoft thinks that everyone and their grandma will get a touch screen computer when Win8 comes out.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:32 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Ha! In this economy?
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 2:39 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
This looks great for tablets but I can’t for the life of me see how Metro is going to be useful when I boot up 3D Studio Max or Photoshop. I can see Metro just being turned off permanently on every PC used for anything productive.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 8:13 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I’m not feeling this. I’ll probably stick with Windows 7.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 8:20 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
MS need to commit to either all metro style or all Windows 7 style.
They seem unsure in which direction to go which in turn make me unsure about their product.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 8:31 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I’ve been using the Developers Preview on a Tablet PC. Firstly, of it’s a preview so obviously anything could change.
Everything seems to work fine. There are quite a few niggles. Exiting a metro app requires the keyboard (I see this has been fixed) and accessing some parts of the operating system can be very annoying; especially as the start menu as pretty much gone. While having the Windows key take you to Metro view, on a laptop this is pretty useless and in tablet mode it made getting at say, the control panel a nightmare.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:03 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Sorry forgot to add. To bring up the new ‘Start menu’ (which has been seriously reduced), you have to hover over the very far bottom left of the Windows logo. This is fine for a laptop, but in tablet mode it is nigh on impossible as far as I can tell and even with a active digitizer pen, the screen edge deviation makes it almost impossible.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:08 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I don’t like it as a desktop OS. it’s just wrong!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:09 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
So happy Microsoft finally realized that their “glass” and “transparent” interface look is just cheesy and no one cares for these flashy, eye-candy crap. This is much better! The UI is flat, simple and easy to use.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:31 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Windows 8 is very reminiscent of Vista. They are introducing a new UI/UX without flushing out quirks and finalizing the product.
Switching between Metro and Traditional is jarring to say the least. It is a far, far from seamless transition that Microsoft is very aware of. They are just rolling the dice and refusing to learn from the mistakes of past endeavors (Vista, Kin, WP7).
I’ll pick up a copy of Win9 but I’m fairly certain I’ll skip 8.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:42 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Why don’t you wait until the OS is actually on the market before passing this judgement?
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:32 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Because the head of their UX department has indicated that it’s a pain point and it is something they plan to address in the future, because this is pre-release (as in, things going in from here on out will not dramatically affect UX), because Microsoft has to ensure with legacy app transitions, and because the UX is completely different between the two interfaces.
I’ve tried various flavors of the beta and pre-beta. It’s jarring and there’s really nothing MS can do about it right now. Unless of course they throw their hands in the air and say “Nah, nevermind. We’re going back to the drawing board to flush these issues out”
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 3:09 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Perhaps people should actually try win8 before commenting because all your speculation make you sound like complete idiots.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:48 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
will the windows store be available for Window 7?
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 9:58 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Short answer: No
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 4:00 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
As long the app/software support is there for tablets, I can see myself switching from the iPad to W8 (well, and price, too).
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:16 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Hey Tom, can you ask if there will be a transparency slider for the metro background? I think it would be pretty cool to hit start, and still be able to see some of my work in the background, especially during semantic zoom situations.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 11:09 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
They’re not really discussing any further improvements apart from the ones they demonstrated here. Sorry.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 3:59 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Windows 8 will be a great OS.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 11:13 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Maybe on a phone… but not my PC
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:39 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Hey, If you get time with one of the MS guys could you confirm if the upcoming windows store will also cater for x86/64 apps as well or just metro style apps.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 11:13 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
They have already stated & demo’d the store will have legacy app support.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 1:19 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Decided to install the developer preview on my Mac and was impressed by how snappy it was. The whole tiles thing feels a bit awkward with a keyboard and mouse though to be honest.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 11:24 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I’ve gotten the Developer Preview running on a Latitude ST tablet from Dell. There’s a little bit of obvious bugginess, but overall, I’m impressed and see the potential.
This is a complete tablet, no keyboard, etc. It was previously running Windows 7 and I decided to attempt to put this on there. I’ve gotten all of the drivers working and I’m fairly impressed so far. It certainly works better than 7 on a tablet. By far…
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 11:25 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I think Metro is just Microsoft’s way to further try to control the Windows Eco-System. It looks nice, and certainly more modern but I honestly don’t see it as an improvement.
Microsoft has been doing a great job of marketing products that do “less” as products that “do it better” and in some ways, it’s working, just not for me. I’m not the consumer they are after.
I grow tired of Microsoft’s style-over-substance stance that seems to be prevalent on everything they develop nowadays:
I don’t understand why companies like Microsoft and Twitter feel like we want exactly the same experience, regardless of which device we’re using, and they think that almost exactly the same GUI is ideal for devices of all form-factors.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 11:38 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Yes I agree… I would have prefered if Metro remained on their phones (because I don’t have to buy them, and there are better options). But I’ve been using Windows PCs forever, and this might force me to switch to Linux.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:39 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Yeah, I used to check the marketplace on Xbox every single day, but now its such a hassle. It’s suffered immensely, and I have left games like Limbo, Braid, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, Bastion and several others un-played, even though I own them. I bought them before the update. It’s just horrible.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 2:48 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
“xbox bing limbo” “xbox play” is too hard?
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 1:20 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Yeah because that’s intuitive. Let’s promote our search engine, make someone type stuff in with a controller – not a keyboard – instead of conveniently letting me go right to my games. It’s NOT a controller GUI. At all. It’s a touchscreen GUI.
Posted on Jan 30, 2012 | 12:19 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
looks fantastic, still unsure about the meshing of classic and metro, seems a bit dis-jointed still, the two UI need to become less of two and more of one.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 11:39 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
PLEASE just introduce some Metro to the desktop view. I like the Win7 design but not when mixed with metro.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 11:45 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Okay I don’t know if this sounds crazy but I think what Microsoft is trying to do is slowly get rid of original desktop software. I mean the desktop is dying and slowly laptops are too. Seems like Microsoft is keeping the windows 7 part of it just because they have to. It seems like eventually the world will move to tablets….. but what do I know its just a theory. Thoughts?
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 11:50 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
yeah they stiil need to make it easier i mean even on windows 7 i almost never pess the ctrl alt or fn button
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:44 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I can’t be the only one who thinks that the sharp edges and bold colours of the Metro UI just looks kinda,well, ugly on mos t laptops/monitors. I honestly don’t think it looks very intuitive either. However, I haven’t tried it yet, so until then I’ll reserve my final judgement.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:59 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
You’re not alone… I can’t stand Metro.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:36 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I really hate the Metro UI. Please Microsoft give me the option of turning it off or going old school otherwise I’m switching to Linux or something :(
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:35 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Q1 . Will this run on tablets?
Q2. Will native windows apps run on tablets or there will be apps optimized for tablets?
if its a yes, yes for both, then MS can storm the business world with this.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:52 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Yes and Yes. This will most definitely run on tablets and all apps will be “tablet optimized” there will be no upscaled phone apps because this is not a phone OS (cough android cough)
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 3:59 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
why would I want to upgrade from Windows 7? no. compelling. reason.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:16 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
The question is why wouldn’t you?
(This is sarcasm for those simple minded ones)
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 5:28 PM EST via mobile reply Recommend Flag actions
The Metro UI is something stunning on a tablet but not on a desktop. The Paradigms are different. If you notice Apple – they did with the App Launcher they are not enforcing (though i think they will sooner) that on to Mac.
Similarly, i think Microsoft should land directly to the desktop and when a user clicks on the windows button on the corner – it can take him to the metro screen with any and all apps that can run Tile. along with screens that shows apps that are not metro. Its like combining expose with Metro Homescreen.
So simply put.
Log in – Desktop – Start Button(or windows button) – Metro Screen – Tiles, Desktop tile and desktop apps to the right or left of the metro UI start.
The start button becomes and alternative for alt tab.
On a tablet or phone screen .. the desktop is off and the Back arrow brings the full screen apps. The order is changed.
If microsoft does this, they will absolutely nail it.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 6:02 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
You realize that Metro apps can be used with a mouse and keyboard, right? So far we’ve only seen simple demo apps, but there is no reason that semantically rich applications can’t be built in this UI.
I appreciate the the “classic” Windows desktop is going to remain around forever, but increasingly I think the way forward in software design will be with simpler application models as presented by iOS and by Metro. And this will be true even when people are useing the keyboard and mouse in a “lean-back” experience.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 1:12 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Cool, very curious to see this in my computer. I’m currently out of time to follow this year’s CES new…. SO SAD :/
Guess I’ll have to catch up with the podcast. Thanks for that guys ;)
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 7:10 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
The new Task Manager and Control Panel are looking HOT!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:10 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Microsoft’s banner when Windows 8 launches…
"Cupertino, start your photocopiers."
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:26 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Can anyone shed some light on whether or not there’s improvements under the hood that make this worth it for those of us who think the new UI is horrific looking? I love Windows – I’m not trolling, I just haven’t followed along all that well. With all of that nonsense disabled, is the OS faster? More secure? More accessible? Are there any other perks?
Thanks
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 2:45 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I suggest you start here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 1:07 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Looking through the gallery, I get the impression that the photo with the classic desktop taking up 80% of the screen, and a Metro sidebar taking up the other 20% is probably the way most people will use Metro on a desktop computer. They’ll do most of their work in the classic environment, and use the Metro sidebar as sort of a mega-widget/gadget/whateveryouwanttocallit.
I’m pretty interested to see what people actually end up choosing. Microsoft is essentially conducting a worldwide experiment… giving people the choice between two very different, conflicting UI paradigms. It feels like Windows 8 is really designed to see which people prefer, and then Windows 9 will discard the loser.
I’ll be sticking with OS X, though. For a desktop computer, Lion is damn near perfect for me. If I were to use Windows 8, I get the impression I’d be about as happy with the classic UI as I am with Windows 7 (it’s alright, but I’ll take OS X or Ubuntu over it), and that I’d want to like the Metro UI, but would ultimately find it too limiting for desktop use.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 1:57 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
It looked like they turned windows media center into a full pledged windows desktop. It felt like windows media center on steroids.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 7:05 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
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