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Editorial: Windows on ARM is a big deal, but it's not enough to win at tablets
While "Windows runs on ARM now" is a really easy thing to say, it's an extremely complicated subject, fraught with industry drama, technical accomplishment, and a hint of Microsoft's vision for the future. Microsoft is saying loud and clear that x86 isn't enough (sorry, Intel and AMD), that current Windows form factors aren't sufficient (sorry, netbooks), and that it's still a nimble enough company to respond to changes in the market and consumer frustrations (sorry, Clippy). But what does that actually mean, in the long run? Let's talk things through, after the break.
Intel's been wishin' and hopin' for a Microsoft tablet OS, Windows 8 rumors recommence
We're not going to lie, Microsoft's news on the tablet front here at CES has been quite a disappointment. While it teased that it's working on "the next version of Windows" for ARM, it didn't talk about its plans for a tablet-based OS at all. It's been Windows 7 and more Windows 7. And according to CNET, we're not the only ones that want Microsoft to show some movement on the tablet UI front -- Intel has been pushing Microsoft for a long time. In addition, Intel's marketing chief Tom Kilroy seemed to imply that Microsoft's tablet solution is still a ways off. Now, of course, Microsoft seems to be moving away from Intel and starting to work on some flavor of Windows for ARM chips, and perhaps related to that, ZDNet's Microsoft maven Mary Jo Foley has heard quite a bit about a new "application model" for Windows 8 called Jupiter. Foley has heard that Microsoft is working on a new XAML user interface for Win 8, which will support "smoother animation," more media capabilities, and "immersive apps." It will also be lightweight, and thus, ideal for tablets or slates. Microsoft's Vice President of Microsoft's Developer Division Soma Somasegar actually seemed to confirm the project to Foley, but claims it has changed directions quite a bit. So, what does this all mean? In sum, Microsoft's in no better position on the tablet front than it was a few weeks or months ago. And the wait continues...
Live from Microsoft's CES 2011 keynote
Once again we're on the ground to deliver all the news from Microsoft's much-talked about CES 2011 keynote event! Will we see new Windows Phone 7 devices or software? An appearance of Windows 8? A slew of new tablets? Xbox advancements? Media Center updates? The Courier? We kid. One thing you can count on is that we're delivering everything fresh and as-it-happens -- capturing every minute of Steve Ballmer's rage-filled presentation with the kind of joy only Engadget can deliver. So tune back in at 9:30 EST / 6:30 PST for all the action!
Microsoft confirms ARM support is coming in Windows, will play nice with SoCs too
Looks like the rumors were true: Microsoft has just confirmed that the next major revision of Windows, what we'll call Windows 8 for now, will include ARM support. The company also is throwing a little love to all the system on a chip (SoC) makers out there, indicating they'll be getting support out of the box as well. This is the sort of thing we've come to expect from Windows Embedded, but it's something new for the company's flagship product, and is something of a continued sign that the concept of a "personal computer" is only going to keep changing. Full details are in the release after the break, but be warned those details don't include anything even resembling a date. There are, however, about a zillion quotes from companies like ARM, which says: Windows combined with the scalability of the low-power ARM architecture, the market expertise of ARM silicon partners and the extensive SoC talent within the broad ARM ecosystem will enable innovative platforms to realize the future of computing, ultimately creating new market opportunities and delivering compelling products to consumers. Yep, it's a press release all right. Update: Want some more of that kind of language? Here's a whole second release full of it. Update 2: See that version 6.2.7867? It's what follows 6.1.7600, aka, Windows 7.
Microsoft to announce ARM-based Windows at CES?
We know Windows CE jibes with ARM-based architecture, but full-blown Windows? Looks like everyone and their respective mothers today -- to be specific, Bloomberg, AllThingsD, and the Wall Street Journal -- are reporting "sources" that claim Microsoft is set to announce Windows compatibility with ARM chips, which currently rule the roost in the mobile and embedded scenes, and more importantly dominate the tablet market. So yeah, we get the need for such a merge, and it'd really put Microsoft in a smart position for lower-power devices, but here's the catch: the products aren't expected for some time -- two years according to WSJ -- as drivers need to be written for the hardware. Then again, this may all be for nothing. Cue another well-connected Microsoft reporter, ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, who has a decidedly tamer prediction: a new Windows CE / Embedded Contact -- you'll remember we saw it running on a Tegra 2 tablet back at Computex -- and maybe ARM support for Windows 8 (or Windows 8 "Lite"). In other words, no one has a clear, 100 percent idea of what to expect in January, so as we say, just stay tuned. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Microsoft to demo new slate PCs, Windows 8 tablet functionality at CES?
The CES 2010 Ballmernote has become something of a black mark for Microsoft -- the company's delivered almost nothing in the year after Steve demoed the HP Slate and talked about future Windows 7 Slate PCs -- but as one would assume, Redmond's expected to pick up right where it left off in just a few weeks at CES 2011. According to the New York Times, Microsoft's prepping to explain how it will target the iPad with the help of a number of partners, including Samsung and Dell. While the article is quite vague, it looks like the keynote will include a few new tablet demos, including one of a new Samsung device that sports a "slick" slide out keyboard -- we'd put money on that being the 10.1-inch Gloria. The Times says the Samsung tablet (not to be confused with the Samsung Galaxy Tab) will run some sort of software layer when "the keyboard is hiding and the device is held in portrait mode," but Microsoft's is also reportedly eschewing a central app store for native tablet apps and instead encouraging software companies to build HTML5 -based web apps. That certainly sounds a lot Google's Chrome strategy (and a strategy that could backfire since HTML5 apps will work on Chrome OS devices and iPad equally well), but the Times' source didn't know if these "apps" would be ready for CES as they are "still in production." As far as we can tell, a lot of this is still built upon Windows 7, but it's also rumored that the Redmond gang will tease Windows 8 on stage -- something that sounds extremely plausible to us, since we've heard from numerous sources that Microsoft's real tablet strategy will rely on Windows 8 and a new all-touch interface that the company has been working incredibly hard on. While Windows 8 isn't due out until the later half of 2011 / early 2012, Ballmer would do well to use his CES time to tell us about Microsoft's "riskiest" product bet and finally do something to address Microsoft's notable absence from the modern tablet market. Of course, nothing's for sure, except for the fact that we'll be there, providing live coverage of the entire thing. Update: We've been thinking about it (as well as keeping an ear on our chatty Tweeps) and there's also a chance that Microsoft could show off its own Windows 7 software layer for tablets. Either way, we're hoping to get some major answers.
Windows 8 about two years away, according to Microsoft Netherlands
When will Microsoft bring Windows 8 to market? 2012's looking like a safe bet -- not only was it slated for that date in an allegedly leaked product roadmap, but Microsoft Netherlands hints that the OS is just two years away. Buried at the bottom of a press release celebrating the first birthday of Windows 7, you'll find the above Dutch phrase, which Google Translate returns as "Furthermore, Microsoft is of course the next version of Windows. But it will take about two years before "Windows 8" on the market." There are certainly plenty of reasons why Microsoft's riskiest product bet might not hit its target date, but the machine translation seems clear. Here's hoping the OS will ship with some suitably futuristic hardware.
Ballmer: next release of Windows will be Microsoft's 'riskiest product bet' (video)
Windows 7 might be a massive commercial success and an undeniably rock solid piece of software, but Microsoft is apparently unwilling to rest on those soft and cozy laurels. Asked about the riskiest product bet the Redmond crew is currently developing, its fearless leader Steve Ballmer took no time in answering "the next release of Windows." His interviewers sadly failed to probe any deeper on the subject, but it might be notable that Steve calls it the next release rather than simply Windows 8, while the idea of it being risky also ties in with previous indications that Microsoft is aiming for a revolutionary leap between iterations. We'll have to just be patient and wait for more on that, though if you'd like a peek at Steve dodging question on tablets and the potential for Windows Phone 7 appearing on them, you need only jump past the break for the video. Update: It's also worth noting that Ballmer may not have been talking about revolutionary leaps as much as he's referencing the past issues the company has had when it's issued a major OS update (hello, Vista). The idea that making any big change to the operating system most of the world runs would invite a certain amount of high risk makes sense to us.
Early Windows 8 features to include startup performance boost, visual login, and improved graphics (Update: Windows Store, no more 1394?)
Sure, Microsoft might be selling seven copies of Windows 7 a second, but that doesn't mean Redmond isn't planning for the future: the software giant is purportedly beginning to prep ODMs on Windows 8, if these leaked slides are to be believed. It doesn't look like anything is nailed down just yet, but some interesting larger themes are being discussed, like improving startup and wake-from-sleep times to be nearly instantaneous, the addition of higher-speed interconnects like USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 3.0, hard drive encryption, ambient light sensitivity, and facial recognition login / out. That last is the most interesting, as it hints at some Kinect-style user detection, but then again, PCs from HP, ASUS and others can do this already, so we'd like to see some more of Kinect bleed over as well -- we could definitely see the gestural menu navigation hit Media Player and IE. Unfortunately, there's no dates on any of this, and we can't imagine Microsoft will shift gears from Windows 7 anytime soon, but it's still nice to dream -- hit the read link for the full set of slides. Update: The folks at Microsoft Kitchen have pored through all the slides and come up with some interesting takeaways. First, Microsoft appears to be looking to what it refers to as Apple's "virtuous cycle" of brand loyalty, and the company wants consumers to think of Windows 8 as being just as uncomplicated and high quality. There's also a render of a concept Windows 8 machine (pictured above), which looks like... well, it looks like a remix of the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh from 1997. Microsoft is also tailoring Windows 8 specifically to slates, all-in-ones, and laptops, which suggests a great emphasis on touch to us -- there's a slide of user interacting with something called a "Lap PC" that looks like a convertible tablet. Other interesting notes include a "push button reset" that automatically resets Windows to factory condition while leaving a user's files in place, an August 2010 beta data for IE9, and most interestingly, plans for a "Windows Store" app store, which will allow apps and settings to follow users from machine to machine. However, docs show that not a line of OS code had been written until at least this month, and all of the slides are marked "Windows 8 Discussion -- this is not a plan of record" so it seems like everything is still a bit up in the air. Looks like Microsoft is planning some big moves, though -- we're definitely eager to see what makes the final cut. Update 2: We've had a nice long look through the slides ourselves, and that Windows Store is looking pretty interesting even at this early juncture. Early mockups show a Zune-like interface with content curated not only by Microsoft, but also partners and device manufacturers, and there's even a "Apps your friends love" section. The Store will also apparently recognize which device you're using and display content appropriately -- things that run on a desktop may not play nice with a tablet PC -- and there's a robust-looking developer dashboard so indie devs who intend to monetize the new platform can keep track of the goods. See what the experience might look like in the gallery below.%Gallery-96500% Update 3: While there's no telling what Microsoft will actually do when it starts coding the OS, documents indicate it's currently asking partner OEMs whether Bluetooth 3.0 + HS and IEEE 1394 are important to their customers. Why? Microsoft doesn't plan to support either in Windows 8 if at all possible. Is it finally the end of the road for FireWire?
5 new features we want to see in Windows 8 Media Center
Windows 7 Media Center is done and as much as we love it and think it's the best DVR out there, we also think there is room for improvement. Life as a programmer never stops, as soon as you get one release out, it's time to start planning for the next. So we wanted to make sure we got our wants submitted before things got too far underway. Now we could've just listed the most obvious desires like new Extenders, Softsled, Blu-ray playback or things like that -- or even make up a bug list -- but we're going to try to go off the beaten path here a little. So in addition to our "still waiting" list from our review, here are 5 things we want -- that Microsoft may or may not have already thought of -- in no particular order. Category view of Recorded TV, just like movies or the guide we want to view just comedy, etc. Personalized Recorded TV queues for each member of the home -- high priority shows would always be at the top and internet TV shows and Netflix movies can go here too. Unified search for internet, Netflix and Recorded TV and future TV. A "DVR" mode that runs all the buffers all the time -- if we turn the TV on, we want all the buffers full. HDMI-CEC -- it'd be great if Media Center could turn the TV on/off and adjust the volume of the receiver etc, via HDMI.
Microsoft employee raves about 'Windows.next' in a blog post, blog post quickly disappears
A conspiracy! Perhaps. Recently a loose-lipped Microsoft employee blogged up on MSDN some scattered thoughts on what he's informally calling Windows.next (as opposed to the Windows 8 us know-nothings might assume it might be dubbed). He called the new version "completly [sic] different from what folks usually expect of Windows," and that it draws on user feedback to create something that will "change the way people think about PCs and the way they use them." In interesting contrast to recent words by Dick Brass, the anonymous blogger seems particularly stoked about Steven Sinofsky, the president of the Windows and Windows Live devisions, and his ability to "actually bring together dozens and dozens of teams across Microsoft to come up with a vision for Windows.next." Meanwhile, John Mangelaars, a regional VP at the company, went on record saying "Windows 8 will be mind-blowing." But while John's comment will live on in public record, the MSDN blogger's post is gone without a trace from Microsoft's site. Of course, it's lived on in Google cache for the rest of the internet to enjoy. We're not unfamiliar to Microsoft beating its own drum, but even if it's completely expected to hear these sort of ravings leak out from the Windows crew, we're still happy to hear it.
Microsoft shifting internal focus to Windows 8 in July 2010
Ah, the tormented life of a Microsoft employee. You spend a few years of your life nurturing a product, teaching it some new tricks, and before you know it you have to release it into the wild and start all over again. Coincidentally, Microsoft also seems to do a lot of hiring during that tumultuous switchover period, and its latest round of job postings have offered a few clues as to what we can expect in Windows 8, and when the company plans to focus on it in earnest. That will apparently happen at the start of the company's 2011 fiscal year, which translates to July, 2010 for everyone else. As for Windows 8 itself, it seems that Microsoft is particularly interested in finding a few folks to work on how Windows Update works in the latest iteration of the OS, including things third-party application updating, updating virtual machines when they're turned off, and delivery of full applications -- Windows 8 Server and a "new UX framework" also garnered a brief mention. Hit up the link below for some additional details, and links to the actual postings if you happen to be looking for a job.
Microsoft roadmap pegs Windows 8 release for 2012, or just after the world's end
It's somewhat hard to believe that we're already talking about Windows 8 given that Windows 7 just hit the shelves two months ago, but you know the engineers at Microsoft are already planning ahead. According to a roadmap constructed over at Microsoft Kitchen -- based around whispers heard through the grapevine on the eventual release of the next Windows Server -- the next iteration of Windows is tentatively pegged for release in the year 2012. Of course, a three-year window between Windows 7 and the next version is totally believable, but we wouldn't go planning your end of the world party with the assumption that a new OS will be the main attraction. Or you could, but then you might be disappointed, which would be a sucky way to go out.
