The Verge - Windows 8: everything you need to know

Microsoft responds to Windows 8 criticism, defends upcoming changes as 'a good thing'

2013-05-10T23:38:23Z

Windows 8 has had its share of detractors since its launch, and today Microsoft's vice president of corporate communications responded to recent reports that paint the operating system as a failure. In a blog post Frank X. Shaw points to two pieces in particular — one by the Financial Times and the other by The Economist — that use the likely return of the Start button as evidence that the company is backtracking on its initial vision. Stating that the articles are examples of "sensationalism" and "hyperbole" intended to drive traffic rather than provide "nuanced analysis," Shaw writes that Microsoft's reaction to user complaints is actually a positive for the company.

"In the center, listening to feedback and improving a product...

New Samsung CEO says there is 'lackluster demand' for Windows tablets and phones

2013-03-15T04:38:41Z

JK Shin, the Samsung Mobile Communications president who just received a promotion to co-CEO of Samsung Electronics, had some harsh words for Microsoft tonight as his company launched the Galaxy S4. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Shin downplayed a question about Samsung's relationship with Microsoft, instead highlighting the poor performance of the company's Windows Phone, Windows 8, and Windows RT devices next to Android.

Samsung exec says Windows 8 is 'no better than' Windows Vista

2013-03-08T22:20:32Z

There's plenty of evidence that Windows 8 isn't the rousing success that Microsoft might have hoped for, but a Samsung executive has taken his criticism a step further than that. "I think the Windows 8 system is no better than the previous Windows Vista platform," Dong-Soo Jun, head of Samsung's memory business, told The Korea Times today. While Fujitsu had previously blamed Windows 8 for its own declining PC sales, this may be the first time a Microsoft partner has dared to compare Windows 8 to Vista — well known as one of Microsoft's failures.

However, if you take Dong-Soo's statement in context, the memory executive may not be speaking out of turn. The quote recorded by The Korea Times came as part of a conversation about the...

100 days of Windows 8: Microsoft claims a 'solid start,' but there's a lot to prove

2013-02-04T17:00:04Z

Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system launched back on October 26th to a lavish ceremony in Times Square and a marketing effort worth millions. After months of sales, Microsoft's Windows CFO, Tami Reller, sat down with The Verge to reflect on the launch and reveal what the company has learned in the 100 days Windows 8 has been available.

Thus far, Microsoft has revealed 60 million Windows 8 license sales for its new operating system, which is broadly in line with similar stats around the launch Windows 7. The figure doesn't tell the whole story though, as the Windows 8 upgrade cost is significantly lower and it's not clear how many are simply licenses sold to OEMs and businesses that aren't actively in use. However, Reller feels that...

Microsoft's Windows 8 upgrade discount ends today

2013-01-31T11:00:01Z

All good things have to come to an end, and today marks the last opportunity for Windows users to upgrade to Windows 8 at a discounted rate. Since Microsoft's next-generation OS released back in October, a Windows 8 Pro upgrade has been available for $39.99, but from tomorrow onwards the same upgrade will set you back $199.99. If you've been dithering over whether to upgrade, now would be a good time to make a decision.

Assuming you're interested in Windows 8 at all, it's worth noting that you wouldn't have to install it right away. As long as you have enough hard drive space, you can buy it, download the image file, and save it for a later date.

As well as the $199.99 Windows 8 Pro license, Microsoft is offering a regular Windows 8...

Windows 8 and Surface tablet have done 'well,' says Bill Gates

2013-01-26T02:28:07Z

Is Windows 8 succeeding? We still don't know for sure, but at least part-time Microsoft chairman Bill Gates seems pleased with the progress of the new operating system. When CNBC asked him whether he'd ever return to Microsoft as CEO — not so subtly implying that the company could use more of his help — Gates said that both Windows 8 and the Surface tablet were doing "well," and without his full-time input.

Microsoft says it's sold 60 million licenses for Windows 8 so far, but it's not clear whether that translates to human beings actually buying the OS. Market research firm NPD suggests that Windows 8 isn't helping a declining trend in PC sales, at least one partner (Fujitsu) isn't happy with its performance, and sales are...

The best all-in-one PC: we review the new touchscreen Windows 8 desktops

2012-12-20T17:09:03Z

It's an interesting time to buy an all-in-one PC, that's for sure. The iMac is thinner and more powerful than ever, and Windows machines finally have touchscreens that appeal to an average user. Now that Windows 8 is on the market, all-in-one computers aren't just a way to save space: now, you can theoretically have a giant touchscreen tablet in your office, kitchen, bedroom or dorm that doubles as a desktop computer... and with high-definition screens, HDMI inputs and optical drives, many of them can triple as a small TV.

Are any of these new Windows 8 touchscreen all-on-ones any good, though? We decided to find out by trying them for ourselves. Today, you'll find reviews of the HP Envy 23 TouchSmart, the Dell XPS 27, the Sony VAIO L,...

Microsoft's new Windows chief discusses Sinofsky, the iPad, and a transition to touch

2012-12-14T08:35:55Z

In an interview with MIT Technology Review, Microsoft's new head of Windows, Julie Larson-Green, has shared some thoughts on Windows 8 after her early experiences leading a post-Sinofsky Windows team. Larson-Green reveals that she first saw an iPad after Microsoft had its Windows 8 design "ready to go." After starting work on Windows 8 in June 2009, ahead of the Windows 7 release, Larson-Green admits Microsoft was excited by Apple's approach to the iPad. "A lot of things they were doing about mobile and touch were similar to what we’d been thinking."

It's fair to say that Windows 8 has split opinions for end users. "We’re going for the over time impression rather than the first 20 minutes out of the box," says Larson-Green....