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NVIDIA opens Windows 8 developer program with support for Kal-El tablets

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know Microsoft's Build developer conference is going on right now in Anaheim, California, and Windows 8 is the belle of the ball. Earlier today, Windows chief Steven Sinofsky spilled more details about the OS, touting the minimum requirements and NFC support, while we fessed up to having had some quality hands-on time ourselves. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that the company's hardware partners are also ready to start talking. NVIDIA just opened its Windows 8 developer program, and says it'll embrace not just x86-based PCs, but Tegra-powered tablets as well. Specifically, that means support for its forthcoming quad-core Tegra platform, codenamed Kal-El, along with PCs packing GeForce, Quadro and Tesla cards. Any developers who happen to be hanging around the Anaheim Convention Center can sign up at NVIDIA's booth, though there's also an online registration page for everyone else. Find that at the source link, along with the full PR after the break.

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NVIDIA Helps Transform the PC with Windows 8 Developer Program
ANAHEIM, Calif.-Sept. 13, 2011-NVIDIA announced today its Windows 8 Developer Program to provide developers with tools and resources for building applications for the hundreds of millions of ARM and x86- based devices that will take advantage of Microsoft's operating system, Windows 8.

All four NVIDIA® processor brands will support Windows 8. NVIDIA's next-generation, quad-core Tegra® processor, code-named Project Kal-El, is an ARM-based system on a chip that will power lightweight, energy-efficient tablets and notebooks. NVIDIA will also support Windows 8 on x86 systems with its GeForce® GPUs, which deliver the best gaming experience; Quadro® GPUs, the leading graphics solution for film-makers and other professional workstation users; and Tesla® GPUs, which provide breakthrough performance for scientific research, data centers, and high performance computing.

"With its elegant user interface and support for tablets and notebooks using ARM-based processors, Windows 8 will bring a seismic shift to the industry," said Jeff Fisher, senior vice president of the PC Business Unit at NVIDIA. "Our expertise in both ARM and x86 environments, and our intimate familiarity with the Windows code base, makes us uniquely qualified to support Windows 8 developers."

With more than 15 years of experience supporting Microsoft Corp. and the Windows operating system, NVIDIA has created robust tools, utilities, samples and SDKs specifically designed to assist developers in creating applications that shine on Windows. The Windows 8 Developer Program will provide developers with support and resources for software designed to run on ARM and x86-based solutions, along with access to the latest news, training and education.

"We're incredibly excited about the innovation that NVIDIA is bringing to Windows 8 PCs with their ARM processors, and how this will help reshape the PC industry in ways we're only starting to see," said Mike Angiulo, corporate vice president of Windows planning, hardware and PC ecosystem at Microsoft. "Developers are at the forefront of this transition. Microsoft values NVIDIA's leadership in providing tools to the community."

Tim Sweeney, the founder of Epic Games, said, "For over a decade, Epic and NVIDIA have worked closely together to ensure that Unreal Engine takes advantage of state-of-the-art GPU technologies. From the incredible DirectX 11 and PhysX effects in Epic's Samaritan demo to the eye-popping 3D Vision experience in Bulletstorm, our engineers have always enjoyed collaborating with NVIDIA. NVIDIA's developer support is the gold standard for chip makers. We're excited by the announcement of their developer program and look forward to a continued partnership and to making the best games on the planet."

Developers can register for the NVIDIA Windows 8 Developer Program by going to http://developer.nvidia.com/windows-8 or by visiting the NVIDIA booth at the Microsoft BUILD conference in Anaheim, Calif. Those attending the BUILD conference are invited to visit the NVIDIA booth to see DirectX, DirectCompute, Parallel Computing and HTML5 resources.