Another term for what Windows 7 has become, as ZD-Net notes, is Long-Term Support, with Windows XP losing that role at the precise moment Windows 7 took the throne. Now it’ll be several years before Windows 8 takes over 7. With Windows 8 out now and, according to NetMarketShare, appearing to grow in popularity at roughly the same rate Windows 7 did back in 2009, we’ll likely see a business must-use marker in about 3 years.

NetMarketShare currently places each of the top operating systems used at the following market shares – note how Microsoft still essentially dominates the market.

• Windows 7 – 44.73 percent share
• Windows XP – 38.73 percent share
• OS X – 6.9 percent share
• Windows Vista – 4.99 percent share
• Windows 8 – 3.31 percent share
• Linux – 1.2 percent share

Have a peek at other NetMarketShare reports from the past few months and years to see how they’ve tracked not only desktop operating systems, but mobile devices as well. Right this minute, Microsoft is rolling with 91.8 percent of the desktop OS market. It’ll be interesting to see where they are in a few years time – at this rate, they’ll be basically in the same place as they are here – no worries!

The feature that blocks such operating systems is Microsoft’s UEFI Secure Boot, which is there for security purposes on Windows 8 machines during bootup. However, the open source group, known as Hispalinux (get it?), says that the feature makes “Microsoft’s Windows platform less neutral than ever,” and that users have to obtain special license keys from Microsoft in order to install non-Windows operating systems.

Microsoft was fined earlier this month for failing to comply with an antitrust agreement that required the company to allow Windows users the opportunity to use any web browser. They were eventually fined a whopping $731 million for the violation, which is pretty stiff fine no matter how you look at it.

There’s no say if the EU will fine Microsoft again for this latest complaint, but we’re sure that the organization will investigate the situation to see what’s up. Hispalinux says that the UEFI Secure Boot feature “is absolutely anti-competitive,” and that “it’s really bad for the user and for the European software industry.”

[via Reuters]

At the moment you’re not going to be able to get Windows Blue without downloading it illegally or finding your way into a developer build. If you’re an average citizen, you’ll just have to wait – and we’re not sure yet when that wait will be over, but we’re hoping soon. Cross your fingers!

Real half-screen app snap

One of the most interesting discoveries you may have already made in Windows 8 is your ability to “snap” 2 apps at once, allowing yourself the ability to work with both at full-screen essentially simultaneously. The only bad part about it is the instant 75/25 share size – one app takes up most of the screen while the second app is so small you can barely use it. As PC World says so eloquently, “that particular design decision was… bone-headed.”

With Windows Blue, the default is 50/50, a much more realistic half-and-half situation for those of you that love to keep two things open at once. Along with this is the push for more touchscreen-friendly settings.

Computer Settings become touch-friendly

When you’re looking to change the settings on your Windows 8-toting machine, you find it a bit less than intuitive before Windows Blue. When the Windows Blue build comes to you, you’ll find the “modern” user interface to have been brought with a fury to your standard settings galore. Before Blue you had to head back down to your standard desktop mode and tap through (if you had only touch) with teeny-tiny hotspots until you had nothing more than pre-Windows 8 UI never intended for touch at all – fix, yes please.

Live Tile options expansion

As it was with the change-over between Windows Phone 7 and Windows Phone 8, this update to Windows 8 “Blue” will allow you much more control over your Live Tiles. Here you’ll be able to choose between 4×4 size, 4×2, 2×2, and 1×1. You’ll also be able to change the color of your standard tiles, and – believe it or not – one option has been erased from your options altogether. That is the quick-push of a tile from one location to another.

That option has gotten in our way more than it’s ever helped. That’s the option where you hold down on a tile and move it to a different location on your home screen – if you’ve tried to flick between sets of tiles and hold just a bit too long in Windows 8, that tile will fly to the other side of the screen (wherever you leave off with your finger, that is). With Windows Blue, you’ll have to right-click (or otherwise hold down with your finger) on a blank portion of your screen to activate a “Customization” option before you do any flicking – nice touch!

New Built-in Apps

With Windows Blue, as with all great massive operating system updates, there are a few app additions to entice those of us who would otherwise just ask “well yeah, but what do I actually GET when I update?” Here you’ll find some oddities, bits and pieces like a new calculator, alarm clock, and sound recorder – note how these would go great on a tablet or – how about that – a smartphone!

Personalization

For those of you that love to change the look of your user interface, the Personalization options panel has been pushed up to the forefront. Instead of having to dig down deep in the tunnels that are the old UI, here you’ll find this panel – touch-friendly and everything – up above your Tiles option – pull in from the right on your home screen and hit the settings – and go forth!

One of the first notable changes that comes with Windows Blue is a more deeper way to customize your user interface. One of the added features is the option to make your live tiles even smaller or larger than it was possible before. There are also a bunch of new personalization options added in, including a lot of new backgrounds, background colors, and accent colors.

Windows Blue will bring an even deeper SkyDrive integration. There are also a few charms modified in this upcoming update. There is now a new “Play” charm under Devices, and a new screenshot option included in the Share charm. Internet Explorer 11 was also shown off in the leak. It shows an all-in-all smoother user experience and interface and it looks like it may be able to compete with the likes of Firefox and Google Chrome.

Last, but not least, is a huge improvement to the Windows Metro UI multi-tasking interface. With Windows Blue, you are able to run two apps side-by-side. The only caveat is that the apps have to be the same application width. So you can browse the Windows Store, while listening to music, or listen to music while you browse the internet. You’ll have to figure out all of the possible multi-tasking combos. Nonetheless, Windows Blue should be a huge improvement that many current Windows 8 users can look forward to.

[via Neowin]

According to the BBC, this collaboration will be the home of a brand new Ubuntu-based operating system by the name of Ubuntu Kylin, and it’ll be released as soon as April. This is also the timeframe for the next regular version of Ubuntu, which leads us to believe that Canonical may be considering releasing more than one country-centric version of its operating in the future, should the need arise. This deal is also part of a 5-year plan China is inflicting in order to get more of its citizens to use open-source software (believe it or not).

The creation of this operating system will be done in a single laboratory in Beijing filled with engineers from both Canonical and a series of Chinese R&D agencies. There will be more than one version of Kylin, the second being one worked on by Canonical to work on servers for online shops, hosting firms, and webpages of all kinds can use the software both online and off.

The first wide release of Kylin will be pushed to both desktop and laptop computers, with additional devices in mind for the future. In the future, it’s been noted (similar to the US), that Ubuntu Kylin will be released for tablets, smartphones, and everything in-between. This Kylin version of Ubuntu works with Chinese character sets natively and will, according to the BBC:

“Also do more to support the way Chinese people interact with computers as well as reflect China’s date conventions.” – BBC

In the future, Canonical and the Chinese government will be releasing versions of the operating system with connections to Baidu maps, Taobao shopping service, and new versions of image management tools and office apps created specifically for this market.

Have a peek at the timeline below to see other recent China homegrown news to see how odd we find it that the country will be pushing an open source operating system to its citizens, and let us know what you think!

Said Samsung’s Lee Young Hee, “The Tizen phone will be out in August or September, and this will be in the high-end category. The device will be the best product equipped with the best specifications.” Unfortunately, no other details were dropped about the handset, such as what these “best specifications” will be.

This comes at a time when Samsung has seen a huge increase in handset sales, the vast majority of which run the Android mobile operating system. The move to launch a Tizen-based handset will be a step towards reducing its reliance on the Google OS and will provide consumers with another option.

We saw various Tizen rumors crop up throughout 2012, with some going back as far as May, such as the Tizen handset caught on camera that is believed to be a Samsung device (pictured above). In September, we reported that rumor had it Samsung would be releasing a Tizen-based Galaxy smartphone, and then in December sources claimed that a Samsung Tizen device would be arriving in 2013 with Vodafone and DoCoMo.

[via Bloomberg]

Samsung is disregarding Firefox OS because it wants to focus a majority of its efforts into developing the Tizen OS for its devices. Firefox OS and Tizen OS are two newbies looking to shake up the mobile world, and with both operating systems being backed by major manufacturers, we will be seeing a new generation of smartphones as well as a more competitive mobile market place.

The Tizen OS is moving along really well in development. The UI looks polished, and developers have just recently received access to the core features in the OS. Samsung’s gearing to launch multiple Tizen devices by the second half of this year. Firefox OS is also looking pretty good, and being HTML5 based, app development for it should be much easier for developers.

Both mobile operating systems look to have a promising future in the market place, and we’ll see how consumers like them compared to the major players, iOS and Android. With Blackberry 10 gaining traction in the market, and Windows Phone 8 going on a marketing frenzy, we should be seeing a very interesting battle of the mobile OS’s soon. What’s your take on these newcomers?

[via CNET]

Sony’s Xperia Z and Tablet Z are getting a lot of buzz among consumers. Both offer beautiful form-factors alongside great specs, making them very appealing to any type of consumer. Both devices are water-resistant, being able to be submerged in water for up to 30 minutes without any detrimental effects. Sony believes that the Xperia Z and Tablet Z will help make it a major competitor in the Android space.

With the Xperia Z and Tablet Z fighting its Android wars for it, Sony hopes that it can also create devices that will make it the top manufacturer of mobile devices for the Firefox OS. Samsung will not be throwing its hat in the Firefox OS ring because it wants to focus all of its efforts on the Tizen OS. With Samsung out of the way, Sony has a really good chance of dominating the Firefox OS space, with its only real competitor being LG.

Firefox OS looks like it will have a very promising future, especially with all of these great backers. Mozilla says that the Firefox OS will have a great app base, with many popular apps like Facebook and Twitter already available for the platform. Because of the HTML5 platform, it will also be easier for web developers to create apps for the OS. Mozilla promises that the Firefox OS devices will have affordable price tags, making them even more appealing in the eyes of the consumers.

[via The Next Web]

Tizen development has come along pretty well. It was only a week ago when the Tizen SDK 2.0 was released to developers. The SDK showed us how Tizen is looking so far, and it’s looking pretty polished. Developers are now given access to more core aspects of the OS to work on.

Tizen SDK 2.1 should be available for developers around Q2 2013 enabling more features for developers to work upon. Tizen looks like it’s on the right track for a release this year. We already know that Samsung plans on releasing multiple devices running the Tizen OS this year in order for it to lessen its dependence upon Google.

With Samsung’s support, Tizen could be a big deal. Many people already associate the Android name with Samsung’s Galaxy line-up and it’s getting to the point where the average consumer is having a hard time differentiating the two. With Samsung’s marketing and their name behind the product, Tizen could definitely be a new, major competitor in the mobile OS crowd. We also can’t forget that Firefox will be launching it’s own mobile OS, Firefox OS, this year as well. We’ll see if the newbies stand a chance against the likes of iOS and Android.

[via The Verge]

One of the major updates with Windows Blue will be the search function. The Bing team and the Windows Blue team are working closely together to revamp the search feature in Windows 8. Search results will include more in-depth app integration. An example would be when you search for a movie, there will also be apps that show up in the search result that will allow you to play the movie, or watch a trailer of the movie. Another example would be for music search results, where you will see apps that will allow you to stream the music, download it, or buy it. The app integration feature is similar to the one featured in Firefox OS.

Windows Blue will also feature an upgrade to Internet Explorer. Just like how Internet Explorer was upgraded to version 10 on Windows 8, Windows Blue will be offering the new Internet Explorer 11. It will feature a similar design to Internet Explorer 10, but possibly include many fixes and performance boosts. Microsoft is very determined to make Internet Explorer, who is constantly ridiculed by users, into a usable and lovable browser.

Watch out in the next few months for the public preview of Windows Blue. The new upgrade will improve upon the many features users already love about Windows 8. Within this year as well, Microsoft plans on releasing a Windows Blue upgrade to the Windows Phone 8 devices that will offer improved aesthetics, as well as improved Metro UI apps.

[via The Verge]

Firefox OS offers in-depth searching that brings search results from both apps and the web at the same time. For example, when you search for your favorite music artist, you’ll get search results for the artist, as well as places to purchase their music, stream their music, and options to purchase their concert tickets. You can also create a download app from a search term, allowing you to easily and quickly grab the information you want when you want it.

The Firefox Marketplace will offer a good selection of apps at launch. Firefox OS runs HTML5 apps, and there are many apps currently available, ranging from the most popular apps to local/niche apps. There is AccuWeather, Airbnb, Box, Facebook, Twitter, Disney Mobile Games, EA Games, Pulse News, SoundCloud, SporTV, and more. Mozilla believes that having apps built around web technologies will make app developing much more easier, and will enable more innovation, control, and opportunity for both developers and consumers alike.

There isn’t a specific launch date for the Firefox OS devices. Mozilla just says that they will launch “later this year”. However, if you want, you can view the Firefox Marketplace in Firefox for Android Aurora just to get a feel of what apps will be available at launch. The Firefox OS devices will offer good performance, ease-of-use, and personalization at an affordable price tag.

[via Mozilla]

The new Tizen 2.0 Magnolia SDK features a number of enhancements. There is a new web framework that provides “state-of-the-art” HTML5/W3C API support. There is a new Web UI framework that includes full-screen and multi-window support. There are APIs for Bluetooth and NFC support as well as access to the core apps like calendar, contacts, gallery, phone, settings, and the video player. There is a native framework supporting full-featured application development. Enhanced Web IDE providing WYSIWYG design environment, and a native IDE that provides a project wizard. There are many more features included in the SDK’s release notes.

Following Tizen 2.0, Tizen 2.1 will be released in the 2nd quarter of 2013. It’s a minor update, but it will have new features like account management, application installing service, livebox support, performance optimization, and security enhancements. There will also be performance enhancements without API modification or removal.

Tizen 2.0 Magnolia looks good,and could be a start of a new chapter for Samsung. Samsung is already hugely popular in the mobile industry thanks to its high-end Galaxy line, so it may have the pull it needs in order to make Tizen a success. While Tizen does look nice, Samsung also has to make sure that it has a good app selection that includes popular apps like Instagram and Facebook. With a huge app store, and the ability to launch the Tizen OS on a high-end Galaxy-esque device, it looks like there may be another major OS competitor in the mobile market.

[via SamMobile]

In a new Q&A session posted to the Windows Blog, Microsoft Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Financial Officer Tami Reller talks about Windows 8 and how the company feels about it after 90 days. Reller said that Windows 8 sales – 60 million licenses sold as of the beginning of January – are on par with what Microsoft saw in the early days of Windows 7. “We feel good about our start with Windows 8 – and of course there is still much more to do,” Reller added.

Reller also reiterated the fact that the Windows app store recently crossed the 100 million mark, which is an impressive feat indeed. Talking about the rather steep learning curve that has been associated with Windows 8, Reller claimed Microsoft is finding that people are “successfully and quickly learning” the new OS. She said that 50% percent of users “get through the out of box experience in less than 5 minutes,” while nearly everyone finds the desktop, uses an app, and finds the charms on the first day.

Whether or not that’s true (or even really matters), it definitely seems that Microsoft is confident in Windows 8, even if we’ve been hearing reports that say it isn’t living up to the success of its predecessor. If you have a few minutes to spare, be sure to head over to the Windows Blog and read the full Q&A. Just as well, take a look at our review of Windows 8 to see what we thought!

Back in November, a select number of websites were reporting that they were getting a few visitors that were running OS X 10.9, and now it seems that number has jumped quite significantly since then. AppleInsider has reported that the number of users running OS X 10.9 spiked in January, according to their traffic logs, claiming that they’ve gotten “thousands” of hits from OS X 10.9 machines.

Of course, last year Apple announced OS X Mountain Lion 10.8 during the month of February, so it’s very possible that we could officially hear about version 10.9 sometime soon, although we’re keeping the salt by our side as always. While it seems that 10.9 is really close to an unveiling, we won’t officially believe in it until we see it, of course.

However, it’s obvious that Apple will release a major update to OS X at some point in the future, and they’ve been on a yearly release schedule for the past few releases, so it could be as far ahead as this summer before we see 10.9 show up for download. The biggest question remains, however: What cat will Apple give its next major OS X update this time around?

[via AppleInsider]

The team at Gartner spoke up about how they’re seeing more context awareness appearing as an important element for brands appearing on mobile devices. This means that while a webpage is fine for a company that wants to represent themselves in a really basic way, it’s only through apps that can access your smartphone’s hardware features that they can be really, truly engaging. If you’ve got an app that can use your device’s GPS to locate the nearest store instantly, it’s much more convenient than a “find your local store” button in a webpage that comes before several more clicks before completion.

Gartner speaks through their research vice president Van Baker who suggests that their advice “would be to assume the enterprise will have to manage a large and diverse set of mobile applications that will span all major architectures.” He goes on to note that applications should be considered in how they’ll be “enriched or improved by the addition of native device capabilities and evaluate development frameworks that offer the ability to develop native, hybrid and Web applications using the same code base.” It would appear that the next generation of app development will require a solution other than the current method of “get every device on the market and test it out yourself.”

This look at the future appears to be based not just on the fact that many top companies already have app representation on multiple devices, but on the idea that the development of apps must be simplified in order for a truly hybrid environment to exist. If it’s not easy to do, some platforms will miss out – and companies creating these apps will miss out as well. Consider a world where a team of inventors makes an energy drink that some people cannot ingest because they can’t swallow it – everyone loses!

[via Gartner]

According to trend analytics firm Net Applications, Windows 8′s market share continues to rise subtly month after month, but the new operating system has seen very slow adoption overall. Of course, while it may seem that Windows 8 might not be going anywhere, the trend shows that the new OS’s market share isn’t good or bad, but modest.

When Windows 7 first came out, the OS also saw fairly low numbers — granted, not as low as Windows 8, but it saw a market share below 10% after six months. Of course, it’s only been three months for Windows 8, so the only question that remains is if Windows 8 will see a huge jump in market share this year, or if it will begin plateau at a relatively low figure, especially when upgrade prices are now really expensive.

Compared to OS X, Apple‘s latest version, 10.8 Mountain Lion, has 2.44% of the OS market share. That’s only slightly better than Windows 8, but you have to take in account that the last three versions of OS X alone only take up 6.4% of the market share, so technically, OS X Mountain Lion has almost 40% of the OS X market share, a lot better than Windows 8 at this point.

This news comes from a user who is supposedly an alpha tester for Windows Blue. While the Metro UI may not be going away in Windows Blue, it could allow for greater levels of customization. Details on these additional customization options are pretty scarce, but resizable tiles might be one of the features on deck.

The Windows desktop you know and love will be hanging around, but it could get a visual update that makes it mesh better with the Metro theme in Windows Blue. That’s all this particular alpha tester seemed willing to share, but it’s important to keep in mind that none of this has been confirmed by Microsoft. The Metro UI could very well be a major part of Windows Blue, but if the backlash against it doesn’t go away anytime soon, you can bet that Microsoft will want to look at other options.

Microsoft took a pretty big chance with the Metro UI in Windows 8, and while we liked it, there are many users out there who aren’t too happy about this new Windows. We may be stuck with it depending on how hard Microsoft wants to push its highly-publicized changes, but remember that there’s still plenty of time left before the launch of the next Windows version. By that time, Windows Blue could be entirely different from the version we’re hearing about today. Stay tuned.

[via ExtremeTech]

No one’s really sure what Microsoft has planned, but according to ZDNet, several sources are saying that Microsoft will be bringing an interim release sometime mid-2013, and will include UI changes and alterations to the entire Windows platform and pricing. We’re not sure if it’ll be some kind of normal service pack, or if it’s a more rounded service pack that would come with new features, as well as bugfixes.

Either way, Microsoft may be moving toward rapid-release updates of their Windows OS, meaning updates to their operating system every year or so — similar to what Apple is doing with OS X. This means we could see versions of Windows that stick with the “8″ prefix, but with a decimal tacked onto it, like Windows 8.1, Windows 8.2, etc. For now, though, Microsoft is calling it Windows Blue.

The update would be low-cost to ensure that users upgrade, just like OS X, and the upgrade process would be simple. So, once the update is released, the Windows SDK will be updated as well to support the new update, and Microsoft will stop accepting apps for Windows 8, and will begin to push developers to create apps for Windows Blue. It seems like a streamlined process, and one that Apple has had success with already, so we’re interested to see how it works for Microsoft’s platform.

[via ZDNet]

Microsoft’s aim with Windows 8 (it’s aim amongst many, many aims, of course) was to make the upgrade process from Windows 7 to Windows 8 as easy as it could possible be. With news today from Microsoft’s own Tami Reller setting the tone, industry and financial analysts galore sat with their fingernails grinding into their kneecaps at the news at the Credit Suisse 2012 Annual Technology Conference. Reller’s presentation was brief, and let us all know the simplicity of the truth.

“The journey is just beginning, but I am pleased to announce today that we have sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses so far.”” – Reller

It’s worth mentioning that Microsoft’s latest update on the number of Windows 7 operating system licenses sold was over 600 million to-date in June – that more than a few months after the company announced 525 million Windows 7 licenses (in January.) This news was also accompanied (earlier this week) by a tip that Microsoft had sold a whopping 750,000 Xbox 360 gaming consoles over the holiday weekend – impressive for a system that’s more than its fair share of months in the market.

What’s missing from this equation is the sales numbers pushing the rest of the Microsoft made-and-sold products. If you’re thinking we’re going to get the low-down on how many Microsoft Surface tablets have been sold thus far, you might want to think again. With the less than pleasing press those bigs of hardware have received thus far, we wouldn’t be surprised if they keep said numbers under wraps until investors come knocking.

[via Microsoft]

That’s according to Twitter user @Football4PDA, who tweeted the name and the release window earlier today. The Verge added to that initial tweet by saying that Apollo Plus will add, among other things, VPN support to Windows Phone 8. We’re also reportedly looking at a Wi-Fi fix that allows devices to stay connected to a Wi-Fi network at all times, along with some unnamed and nondescript audio tweaks.

There are probably more fixes and features planned as part of Apollo Plus, but at the moment, that’s all the information we have on them. According to The Verge’s sources, this will be the first OTA update for Windows Phone 8 and it will be revealed at MWC 2013 in February. That means we can probably expect it to roll out shortly thereafter, but when exactly is currently up in the air.

So, it seems that Apollo Plus will be adding some of features that got left behind in the rush to launch Windows Phone 8. If Microsoft is going to hold back official world until we’re at MWC next year, then there are probably more noteworthy features and fixes in Apollo Plus than just the ones we’re hearing about today. We’ll be on the lookout for new details as we approach MWC 2013, so keep it here at SlashGear for more information.

With Windows 8, Microsoft has changed from stickers that have the product key that the user has to type in when installing the operating system to new BIOS embedded product keys. The idea is that by eliminating the sticker, you eliminate one of the easier ways for nefarious users to get a legitimate product key. Eliminating the product key sticker also removes any worry that the sticker might get damaged while at the same time eliminating the long and irritating process of typing in various letters and numbers when installing the operating system.

If the user has to reinstall the operating system on a machine that came with Windows 8, the installation process automatically grabs the software product key from the motherboard BIOS with no input from the user. This means that those familiar Windows product key stickers will no longer appear on the Windows 8 computers. However, a key issue has arrived and it’s unclear exactly how Microsoft will deal with this.

If you purchase a notebook computer running the standard version of Windows 8 and you want to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro, you’ll likely run into an issue. Since Windows is going to look in the motherboard BIOS for a product key, it’s going to reactivate your existing version of Windows rather than the new version according to Ghacks. I’m also curious to know how this feature will operate if you’re building your own computer using components and a retail copy of Windows 8 since your motherboard BIOS won’t have a product key.

[via GHacks]

Photo Sphere / Keyboard Gestures

Photo Sphere will allow you to snap photos in every direction, making no less than an amazing Street View sort of situation that you can share with your friends around the world – traveling in space! This update also brings on Gesture Typing – a feature that’s been around with 3rd party apps for some time now, perfected to a new degree by Google itself.

This update also brings on additional dictionary items in your speech-to-text archive and is improved in its anticipatory abilities with keyboard suggestions as well. Photo Sphere may well be used in the future to help Google create one gigantic Street View map of the world – we’ll have to wait and see. Would you participate in something as wild as that?

User Logins

Next and perhaps most important is user logins – this feature is only available on tablets at the moment, but may be expanded to smartphones in the future. With this feature you’re able to have the basics, first: those being your own backgrounds, homescreens, and widgets. You’ll also have your own apps, games, and individual high scores, too! This feature does not require you to shut the device off – only that you go back to your lockscreen: simple!

Wireless Display

Android 4.2 adds wireless display to your device – no longer will you have to rely on your smartphone’s manufacturer to add this as a value-added feature: you’ll have it on every Android device running Android 4.2 or higher. You’ll need a wireless display adapter to your HDMI-enabled TV, but once you do – instant mirroring! This feature also works with another tiny item calls Daydream – this effectively being a screen saver that shows photo albums, news from Google Currents, or weather.

Notifications

Your notifications have been expanded to a degree, now allowing you to take action on each of them with a simple tap. If you’re late for a meeting, this alert will be able to connect you to your contact with a simple call button. You can email everyone in the meeting too – this being just one example of the many different situations you’ll be able to take action on.

Google Now

Google Now has been boosted with several different items and updates, starting with weather. The weather readout wont just tell you what the weather is right in the moment, but as a forecast for your day as well. If you’re at a train platform, it’ll see which train you’re likely taking and will tell you when it’ll be arriving. This update also adds popular photo spots nearby, is able to track your packages, and brings you information on movies, too!

Stick around in our giant Android portal for more in-depth details as they arise with this software update and the devices that carry it. Android 4.2 Jelly Bean will be unleashed on the Nexus 4 as well as the Nexus 10 and will likely be making its way to the rest of the Nexus family soon. As for carrier devices – we just do not know – wait and see!

What Johannson has shown thus far is that he’s been able to do a “messy” dump of Ubuntu to his ARM-based Chromebook thus far, starting with putting the device in devmode. For those of you that wish to enter devmode, you can do it via instructions provided by The Chromium Projects – but KNOW THIS: you could seriously mess up your device if you do anything wrong inside this very fragile state. This mode is made for developers (and hackers) only, not the general public, and Google will most certainly not be apt to give you a new unit if you bust yours up from the inside out.

Johansson moved forward with a tarball Ubuntu filesystem he created himself with the “rootstock” tool – this available in a Ubuntu-distributed Ubuntu-core tarball if you like as well. The process requires a full-sized SD-card (which you’ll be popping in to the device in its handy-dandy full-sized SD card slot), and a few code tappings along the way. Of course it’s much more complicated than that, and you’ll want to check the full instructions over on the Google+ post that Johansson made just last night to make it all work.

It would appear that Johansson is essentially done with his part of the work here, pushing others to continue on at this point. If you’re a lover of the Ubuntu universe or just straight up want to get some other sort of operating system working on your Chromebook, let us know! We’ll be following this hacking project as long as there’s interest, folks!

[via Google+]

To make matters worse, 62% of the respondents who have heard of Windows 8 say that they had “little or no” interest in buying a new computer running the operating system. That’s an interesting way of phrasing the question, as it doesn’t seem to cover simple upgrades – something to consider as the results of this poll paint a seemingly grim picture for Windows 8. The results also claim that 35% of the people who know about Windows 8 think that it will offer improvements over past Windows versions.

It’s true that Windows 8 signals a pretty radical departure from previous Windows installments, but we’re not entirely sure this poll is asking all of the questions it should. The fact that 52% of respondents hadn’t even heard of Windows 8 is definitely surprising, but where’s the question about the intent to upgrade? We know that a significant percentage of those polled have no interest in buying a new computer running Windows 8, but is that disinterest still present when far cheaper upgrades are brought into the equation?

In any case, it’s safe to say that Windows 8 did not fare well in this poll. We liked it quite a bit, but we can understand that many are hesitant to upgrade, given the amount of big changes made in this Windows release. At this point, Windows 8 is only a few days old, so it’ll be a while yet before we get any solid sales numbers. When we get those numbers, we’ll be able to better gauge how Windows 8 is getting along with consumers, so keep it tuned here to SlashGear for more information.

So, is Windows 8 worth it? We think it is, as the new OS offers a number of improvements over previous versions of Windows. It’s true that the changes to the Start menu and the UI will take some getting used to, but once you’re familiar with them, it’s easy to like Windows 8. Of course, we can’t make decision of whether or not to buy for you, but luckily the upgrade to Windows 8 starts at $39.99 (if you’re upgrading from XP, Vista, or Windows 7 before the end of January), so if you do decide to take the plunge, it won’t require a hefty investment.

If you already know that you want Windows 8, there are a few ways to go about buying it. You can pick it up at various retailers all around the world, including Best Buy and Staples here in the US, or you can order directly from Microsoft. You can also download the new OS if you aren’t interested in waiting for a boxed copy to arrive, so you have a few options when it comes to buying Windows 8.

Windows 8 is just one part of Microsoft’s full-on Windows assault. In addition to a new version of Windows, Microsoft is also launching Surface, a new tablet running Windows RT. The company isn’t stopping there though, as it will be launching Windows Phone 8 next week. It’s certainly an exciting time to be a Microsoft fan (as long as you dig the new Modern UI), so tell us – will you be picking up Windows 8 when it launches tomorrow?

Research firm Gartner thinks that the Android operating system will be on more devices than Windows by 2016. They estimate that there will be 2.3 billion devices on Android by the end of 2016, while Windows will claim 2.28 billion devices. It’s not an absurd hypothesis, since Android has already become a dominating figure in the mobile market, and it’s only been four years since the OS first released.

Android controls two-thirds of the smartphone market, and is number 2 in the tablet market behind Apple. Worldwide shipments of PCs dropped 8% in the third quarter, which has been the steepest decline since 2001. Obviously, more and more people are purchasing powerful tablets and smartphones for their basic everyday computing needs.

Of course, Microsoft has dominated the desktop OS market for years, but they’ve been slow to adopt to newer technologies. The company’s smartphone marketshare is only around 3%. However, they’re looking to shake things up with their upcoming launches of Windows RT and Windows Phone 8, both of which will bring the Windows experience to tablets and smartphones.

[via Reuters]

Setup

If you’re upgrading from a now-outdated version of Windows, setup is pretty easy. You pop the disc in the tray and let autorun take over from there. Depending on what version of Windows you’re upgrading from, you’ll be presented with a number of options before the install begins. Coming from Windows 7, I was given the option of keeping my Windows “apps,” settings, and personal files, just my personal stuff (which includes things like your desktop and your documents), or nothing at all.

Obviously, opting to move nothing over to Windows 8 will result in the shortest install and setup times, whereas going with the first option will mean that you’ll be waiting a while as everything is moved over. I chose the first option, not realizing that pretty much everything on my hard drive would be spared. I have around 750GB of stuff stored on my hard drive, but despite that, the total time it took to get Windows 8 ready to go was only around an hour and a half. That doesn’t seem too bad, but then again, I don’t make a habit of installing new operating systems all that often, so I don’t have much to compare it to.

Still, regardless of which option you choose, don’t expect your Windows 8 install to be instantaneous. You’re not required to do much of anything until the install is nearly ready to go, so you’ll want to occupy yourself somehow while Windows 8 works its magic. Once the install is almost finished, you’ll be asked to either log into your Microsoft account or create a new one. As far as I could tell, there isn’t a way around this, but the account creation process is quick and painless, so you may as well get it over with.

After that, you’ll be presented with a number of customization options. You’ll be picking your Windows 8 color scheme here, and there are a bunch of different options to choose from. I chose black as my primary color will blue accents – relatively tame, but there are definitely some wild color choices for the more adventurous types (anyone in the mood for an orange Start page?). Naturally, you can change your color settings at any time, and indeed, you’ll have more options at your disposal once you’re doing this within the Settings panel, so don’t fret too much when it comes to picking your scheme – you’ve got a brand new operating system to dig into, after all.

It isn’t long before you find yourself at the Start page, and I have to say, for someone who has been using Windows all his life, seeing that Start page on the screen for the first time can be pretty jarring. We’ll be talking about the Start page in much more depth in just a minute here, so let’s move on for the moment. I was pretty surprised to see that not only did almost all of my programs survive the transition to Windows 8, but they worked just fine after the switch. There will be a few programs that you’ll need to update after you install Windows 8, and you’ll probably need to update those sound and video drivers before you get everything working perfectly, but for the most part, everything was working as it should.

That is definitely something that deserves some attention. The fact that most everything was working properly without me having to do anything else is a major bonus, and it makes upgrading to Windows 8 as headache-free as possible. Naturally, not everything will be working perfectly, but the majority of it should be, allowing you to jump right in and see everything Windows 8 has to offer. Speaking of which…

Start Page and User Interface

By far, the biggest change in Windows 8 is the introduction of the Start page. Gone is the Start button we’ve had since Windows 95, replaced by a screen that’s packed with tiles just waiting to be touched. That’s part of the problem though – while I have no doubt that the Start page will be excellent on touchscreens, it seems kind of unnecessary with a mouse and keyboard. It certainly looks sleek, but whatever advantages it has overthe Windows 7 desktop are, in some ways, lost on me.

That isn’t to say there aren’t upsides to the Start screen. From the very start, it comes packed with handy apps that are actually quite useful – but we’ll get to those later. In some cases, information will be shown right on the tiles, with apps like the News tile giving you a very brief rundown of the day’s top news stories (this is provided you’re connected to the Internet, of course).

More importantly, the Start screen gives you a way to access the apps you have installed on your computer with a quick click – though clicking on any of the tiles that are for programs as opposed to apps that are made specifically for use with Windows 8 will just take you to the desktop. For apps that are designed for use in Windows 8, however, you’re treated to better visuals; Windows 8 apps match the overall design of the Start screen, which does a lot to tie the whole Windows 8 theme together and make the OS stand out from past iterations.

There’s a lot you can do from within the Start screen too. By right clicking on a tile, you’re presented with a number of options: you can remove the tile from your Start screen, remove the program from your task bar (assuming it was there in the first place), uninstall the program entirely, open it in a new window, run it as an administrator, or open the file location. This is all geared toward ease-of-use. Instead of having to open the “Add or remove programs” menu by going through the Control Panel, for instance, you take care of all of that through the Start page. It’s a nice touch, and these streamlined features give Windows 8 an edge over its older OS brothers.

You can also click and drag tiles to move them around the page, or move entire columns of tiles around at once. Once you get enough tiles to fill up the entire page, the Start page begins to extend past your screen, which places a bar at the bottom that allows you to scroll through and see all of your tiles. I didn’t have enough tiles place on my Start page to see how far the entire Start menu can extend, but it certainly looks like it can go on for a while. All of these features allow for a pretty deep level of customization, and it seems like Microsoft wanted each user to have a Start screen that felt uniquely their own.

Speaking of customization, remember how I said earlier that you’ll have a larger array of Start screen customization options at your disposal once you got Windows 8 up and running? Though you don’t have more color scheme options, you do get to pick from a number of different background images through the PC Settings menu in the broader settings hub. Background images range from tame – a few swirls to add a minimalistic accent, for example – to loud and chaotic, such as one that populates your Start screen with jungle animals that look like they just jumped out of the impressionist era. It’s pretty cool, and it does that much more to make your Start screen feel like your own.

While the Start screen is definitely one of the biggest changes to be found in Windows 8, it’s only one part of a larger User Interface overhaul. Move your cursor to the upper right-hand corner of the screen, and you’ll be presented with a menu bar that pops in. By doing this, the time and date will also appear in the lower left-hand corner of the screen, which make it easy to check the time while you’re on the Start screen, but proves rather unnecessary when you’re on the desktop – the time and date are already displayed in the lower right-hand corner of the desktop, after all, right next to the system tray.

In this menu bar, you have five different options. You can open up search, which is a super-fast way to find programs that are installed on your machine; you can open up a share submenu, which will let you share a link to any app on the Windows 8 store; you can click the Start button to be taken to the start screen; you can click the devices button to check the various devices you may have connected to your computer; and finally, you can open up the settings menu, which changes depending on whether you’re accessing the settings from the desktop, Start page, or within apps.

If you’re on the desktop, you have the option of opening up the Control Panel, the personalization hub, your system information, and the help menu. It’s here that you also have access to volume controls, Internet connections, Windows notifications, and power options like shut down, restart, and sleep mode. If your monitor supports it, you can adjust the brightness from this menu bar, and you can also switch between languages supported by your keyboard. Again, this serves to improve ease-of-use over previous Windows versions, as it means that you don’t have to go searching through the Windows Explorer to find these individual submenus.

If you’re on the Start screen, you don’t have as many options with the settings menu, as it only allows you to change your tile settings and opening up the help menu. You also have access to the power, notifications, Internet, volume, keyboard, and brightness submenus from the settings on the start screen, but you’ll most often be accessing the settings menu on the desktop rather than the Start screen.

The settings menu will also change when you access it inside a Windows 8 app. When you do, you’ll be given individual settings for the app you’re using, which is great. Accessing different settings by carrying out the same action saves a lot of time, and it means that you get one straightforward way to do a lot of different things.

By clicking on the upper left-hand corner of your screen, you can quickly switch between your desktop and any Windows 8 apps you have open, whereas by bringing your cursor to the upper left-hand corner and “swiping” downwards (or upwards from the lower left-hand corner), you can open up another menu bar that shows you thumbnail images of your desktop and the Windows 8 apps that are currently running. Clicking and dragging a thumbnail into the center of the screen provides an alternate way of switching between your desktop and Windows 8 apps. In short, by bringing up the menu bar on the side of the screen, you can jump back to any Windows 8 apps you have running without having to go back to the Start screen first, which definitely comes in handy when you need to quickly switch over to check something.

Right-clicking on one of those thumbnails will let you snap the app to the left or right side of the screen, which is basically a dream for multitaskers. This second app will take up about 20% of the screen, but there’s a bar separating the two apps that you drag over to let it take up the majority of the screen when you need to use it. It’s a nice feature to see, but obviously, you might not want to use it as often if you’re using a lower resolution on your display. Screen real estate will already be at a premium if you are, so it might just be a better idea to only look at one app or program at a time.

If you bring your cursor down to the lower left-hand corner of the screen and click, you can switch between whatever you currently have on-screen and the Start page. This is something that definitely takes some getting used to, especially on the desktop, as you’ll need to get your mouse into the corner of the screen before you can click to switch. Anyone who is used to the traditional Start button will struggle with this at first, since you’ll probably find yourself mindlessly clicking in the general area of where the Start button used to be before remembering that it’s been replaced with a Start screen. More often than not, doing this will open up the first program pinned to your task bar, which can lead to some headaches when you’re just starting out. It won’t be long before you get the hang of it, however, and you’ll be switching between the Start screen and the desktop like you’re a Windows 8 pro in no time.

There’s also a lock screen present in Windows 8, which again is something that makes sense for touchscreens but seems a little out of place on desktop PCs. The lock screen is the first thing you’ll see when you boot up your computer, and through the PC Settings submenu you can assign a new background image and designate a handful of apps that will display information. It’s a fancy touch, but as I said, its use seems somewhat limited if you’re using Windows 8 on a desktop.

Make no mistake, Microsoft has made a lot of changes with Windows 8, but for the most part, the Windows we know and love is still intact. The desktop is more or less the same as it was in Windows 7 (with exception of the now-missing Start button, of course), and you can still delve into the depths of your computer by using Windows Explorer. I’ve found that most of the user interface changes Microsoft has implemented in Windows 8 are for the better, though it would dishonest if I didn’t mention that there were some that left me scratching my head. The necessity of the changes may not be immediately clear at the moment, but I think they will be once we examine Windows 8 apps a little closer.

Windows 8 Apps

Windows 8 comes installed with a number of apps right out of the box, though in order to use most of them, you’ll need to be signed into your Microsoft account. Of course, the Start Page is incredibly customizable in the sense that you’ll be able to add any number of new apps you purchase from the Windows 8 Store, so for the sake of brevity, we’re just going to cover the ones that come pre-installed with Windows 8 so you can get a better idea of their purpose.

The usual suspects are all present and accounted for, including Mail, Calendar, and Messaging. Since I signed up for my Microsoft account with my Gmail address, my Gmail inbox was there the very first time I opened the Mail app, but you can add other accounts easily. The Mail app gave me all of the functionality of my Gmail account, which means that by accessing the Mail app, I save an extra step or two by cutting out the need to open up a browser and sign into my Google account.

The same seamless integration mentality applies to Calendar. Upon opening it for the first time, I was greeted with my Google Calendar, and edits I made in my Google account immediately showed up in my Calendar app. That kind of integration can’t be understated – it’s really, really nice to have Microsoft implement something like this. It means that the amount of setup that falls on the shoulders of users is next to nothing, which will definitely be appreciated, particularly by those who feel a little overwhelmed when seeing all of the changes Microsoft has made in Windows 8.

With the Messaging app, you’ve got MSN (or whatever it’s called these days) integrated from the start, but you have the option of integrating other accounts to turn the Messaging app into one big messaging hub. For instance, I was presented with the option of linking my Facebook account to get Facebook chat right in the app – I didn’t take Microsoft up on that offer though, since I’ve never been a big fan of Facebook chat. Still, that will be an option that a lot of people like, so it’s good to have it around.

Next we come to the People app, which like the Messaging app, serves as another hub. You can link all of your favorite social networks to the People app, which means that you collect all of your contacts across multiple accounts and networks in one place. You don’t get the full functionality of each social network along with the People app – you can download individual apps from the Windows 8 Store for that – but it’s still nice to have all of your contacts collected in one place.

The Weather app is powered by Bing Weather, and naturally gives you forecast information for your area. It gives you a very broad range of data, including a five day forecast, an hourly forecast, more maps that you can shake a stick at, and even historical weather information. The Weather app is especially handy simply due to the fact that it presents you with a plethora of information. After checking it out, I see no reason to visit any of the weather sites I used to.

We also have News, Financial, and Sports apps to take advantage of, with each one offering a ton of information from different sources. The Financial app is particularly impressive, as it not only gives you a collection of financial news from a bunch of different publications, but it also allows you to set and follow individual stocks. Not only that, but the Financial app provides you with a list of “market movers,” as well as information on currencies, commodities, bonds, and mortgage rates. You’ve got an impressive amount of information at your fingertips with the Financial app, and it will prove extremely useful for those who follow the market for one reason or another.

The Sports app is similar to the Financial app, in that it gives users a collection of news stories from a number of different publications and allows them to follow their favorite teams right there in the app. By right clicking anywhere in the app, users can bring up a menu that allows them to view news for different organizations and sports, whether that’s the NFL, NBA, NHL, Golf, the Premiere League, of Formula 1.

The News app is pretty straightforward, as it brings you selections of news stories from the political, entertainment, technology, and business worlds. It’s worth pointing out that the news stories you read in the app aren’t as fully featured as those same news stories on the Web – for instance, if the author of the story posts a video, it won’t appear in the app’s reprinting of the article – but it’s still a good resource to use if you need a quick rundown of the day’s top stories.

Naturally, with Windows 8 being made by Microsoft, you’ve also got a Bing app. The Bing app is pretty basic, as it allows for quick search and an overview of trending topics. This one didn’t see too much use from me, because to be honest, even though the Bing app looks good, I’m still a Google guy. There’s also a Maps app to take advantage of, which is powered by Bing and Nokia. The fact that Nokia is along for the ride makes this app instantly appealing, as Nokia has done a lot of good work in the maps space. This is one app that won’t see too much use on desktop, but you can bet that it will get some heavy use on tablets and laptops.

Next we come to SkyDrive, Music, Movies, and Games. SkyDrive is Microsoft’s own cloud solution, but it’s really like any other cloud app out there – choose files to upload to the cloud, and then you can access them from anywhere after you’ve signed into SkyDrive. Xbox Music, Xbox Movies, and Xbox Games are essentially just stores where you can buy movies, television shows, music, and games but they also display the relevant files you have stored on your computer right there in the app. I have to say, it’s nice to see these three get their own apps, since that means that you won’t have to trudge through a bunch of other app listings just to find the entertainment offerings.

Finally, we come to the Windows 8 Store. The Store reminds me a lot of the Xbox 360 dashboard, and more specifically the Xbox Live Marketplace. There are already a healthy number of apps available for Windows 8, and they’re split up into different sections right from the start, making navigation easy as pie. The Windows 8 Store is one of the most exciting parts of the Windows 8, and I’m really interested to see it become even more fleshed out.

I’m already impressed with the apps that Microsoft has packed in with Windows 8, and I’m sure that once developers are pushing out apps for Windows 8 full-time, I’ll be even more impressed. The Windows 8 Store is one of the operating system’s strongest offerings, and its existence makes Windows 8 even better. It helps draw further distinction between apps and actual Windows programs too, and has convinced me that there is a reason for that distinction – before, I thought it was rather pointless to have “apps” that were separate from regular old programs, but Windows 8 did a good job of winning me over. In short, I’m sold, and I look forward to seeing how Windows 8 grows after release, especially from an apps and marketplace standpoint.

Performance

Before we wrap this up, I want to touch on the performance of Windows 8. When it came time to install Windows 8, my copy of Windows 7 was starting to struggle a bit. This, of course, is due to the fact that over the past two years I’ve packed my hard drive with a lot of stuff (most of it worthless, admittedly) and that my computer was starting to show its age somewhat. Imagine my surprise, then, when I booted up Windows 8 for the first time and discovered that it moves very fast.

Opening up the search panel and looking up a program is incredibly quick – much faster than using the search bar in Windows 7’s Start menu ever was. Just the same, switching between the desktop or open apps and the Start page is seamless and almost instantaneous. The sidebar menus pop up quickly when you get your cursor in the right position, and it only takes a few seconds for an app to load after selecting it.

Boot and shut down times have also been significantly decreased. Whereas it would take 30 seconds to even a full minute to boot and shut down Windows 7 (for me at least), Windows 8 boots in about 15 to 20 seconds, and shuts down in about the same amount of time. Naturally, this is going to change depending on the power of your processor and whether or not you have an SSD installed, but for someone who has been chugging along for almost two years with a nearly full hard drive, those times definitely aren’t bad.

Microsoft has also taken measures to hide the fact that some things may not load as quickly as others. Let me give you an example: I have a lot of stuff on my desktop – or at least I did before I cleaned it up a bit for these screenshots. I had so much stuff that, even after booting Windows 7, it would still take an additional 20 seconds or so for the items on my desktop to fully appear. It still takes the same amount of time for my desktop to load, but that’s something I hardly notice anymore, since the Lock and Start pages load instantly once Windows 8 has been booted. Even though the desktop still doesn’t load as quickly as it once did, it’s not much of an issue these days, thanks to how fast the Start and Lock screens appear.

But speed and fluidity in use make up only a small slice of the larger performance pie. The new features that are present in Windows 8 make it much easier to multitask and get the information you need quickly. At the end of everything, Windows 8 represents a lot of improvements for Microsoft, but are those improvements worth an entirely new version of the Windows OS?

Wrap-Up

By now, you’ve read all about my experience using Windows 8, and as a Windows 7 die-hard who was unwilling to change while the rest of the world was talking about Windows 8, I have to say that I’m impressed. Microsoft has made a lot of really smart changes with Windows 8, and very few (if any) seem frivolous.

That alone is worthy of praise, especially since in the past, Microsoft has known to pack new versions of Windows with unnecessary features. True, the Start screen isn’t quite as useful on desktop as it will be on touchscreens, and Windows 8 in general is clearly geared toward to ease-of-use on tablets and laptops. To be honest, it may have been better if Microsoft had put out a version of Windows 8 that was specifically made with desktop PCs in mind, instead of releasing an operating system that tries to work on multiple levels with all sorts of different devices.

I’m not saying that to undercut the advancements made with Windows 8 though, because there are certainly plenty of them. Windows 8 is beautiful, it’s fast, and most importantly, it’s easy to use (once you get through that initial rough patch of adjusting to the changes, at least). Microsoft only made changes where they would matter, and has left much of the Windows we know and love untouched. The company deserves a pat on the back for that one, because it realized that not everything about Windows needed to be completely revamped in this latest release. Some things have been entirely overhauled, there isn’t any doubt about that, but the fact that some things have been left untouched speaks volumes to the idea that Microsoft really thought this through and didn’t simply change for the sake of offering something totally different.

This is only the beginning too; even though I’m impressed with Windows 8 at this early stage, I know it’s only going to get better as the Windows 8 Store begins to flesh out more. I think having apps made specifically for Windows 8 is going to be a big draw of the OS, especially once people get their hands on the full version and begin using apps on a daily basis.

I know there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the extreme UI changes Microsoft has made in Windows 8, and indeed, those changes take Windows in an entirely different direction. As far as I’m concerned, however, the change in Windows 8 is only a good thing and should be embraced. It may not be the Windows we’re comfortable using right out of the box, but it won’t be long before hesitant users begin to realize the value in Windows 8 – the fact that it makes multitasking easier, the fact that it sports a lovely new Start screen, and the fact that ease-of-use has shot through the roof. For that reason alone, Windows 8 is a worthy successor to Windows 7, and worthy of your attention. Dissenters can keep complaining as often and as loudly as they want, but I’ll be too busy enjoying Windows 8 to notice.

Last year in this quarter, Microsoft reported a $7.2 billion dollar profit. That’s nearly $2 billion more than what they’ve reported here, and certainly has something to do with the same situation that basically every hardware company has reported this year thus far – low PC sales. It’s time for the next page though, Microsoft must hope, with Windows 8 coming out in just about a week from now.

This update has Microsoft setting aside a lovely $1.36 billion in revenue for Windows and Office upgrades, and the real wave must be coming. Once we’re another quarter in, it’ll be the real test – with the release of Windows 8 and Window Phone 8 could come either a brand new high point for the company or a rather unprecedented low. We’re guessing the former, especially considering the pre-sale sell-out status of the Surface tablets the company is placing so much faith in here before their big launch.

Have a peek at the timeline below for some additional insight in to Windows 8 and the next generation that’ll be popping up by the end of the month. Are you ready for Microsoft to open a new page for the PC world? We certainly hope so.

If you’re ready for a web-only experience, the Chromebook might be right up your alley, especially since it’ll only run you $249 USD. The notebook looks and feels rather similar to what you might already be used to with your MacBook or Acer Aspire notebook – if you’ve got one or the other – or any of the recent high-end Samsung notebooks that look rather similar to this model. With this device you will not have the same power as a full-fledged laptop, but physically you’ll feel like you always do.

This device works with one giant heap of Google Cloud services, including Google Drive. With Google Drive you’ve got file storage on the web in Google’s servers, and with a purchase of a Chromebook here, you’ve got 2 free years of 100GB of space on those servers. You’ll be working with Google’s services primarily – or that’s what’ll be easiest – including Gmail, Google Docs, and the like, but you can also work with a variety of Chrome apps as well.

Chrome is not just an operating system, it’s a web browser as well – the same one you use on the computer you’re on right this minute. Chrome has a variety of apps that do all manner of tasks that you’d otherwise do on your desktop, here optimized for the web browser. Have a peek at the Chrome Web Store now to see if you’ve got enough greatness there to do every single task you’d normally do in a day.

The hardware you’re working with on this new Samsung Chromebook announced this week is a dual-core A15-based Samsung Exynos 5 Dual (5250) SoC paired with 2GB of RAM, for starters. That’s not that far away from a high-end smartphone, mind you. That’s the kind of processing power you’re working with. You also get 16GB of built-in flash storage as well as Bluetooth and wi-fi capabilities. The display has a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, it’s got one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 socket, and a headphone/mic jack too. You can boost your storage with the full-sized SD card slot this device works with as well.

Sound find enough to you? You’ll be able to pick this beast up through several online sources and it’ll be out in stores extremely soon – you’ll be able to see it in person at Best Buy likely by the beginning of next week, for example. You’ll also be able to purchase this Chromebook from the Google Play store too. Think about it!

The quasi-announcement/blog post goes on to give some background on recent issues relevant to the topic, including one in Australia where a hacker in Queensland let loose a flood of sewage as revenge for being rejected for a job. Such incidents reveal the vulnerabilities present in many of the infrastructures we depend on, something Kaspersky aims to fix. As if it needed to be stated, the announcement clarified that the upcoming OS will not be used for gaming or “blathering on social media.”

According to the post, the Kaspersky operating system will prevent hackers from performing undeclared activity behind the scenes. Specifically, it will be impossible to execute third-party code, break into the system, or run unauthorized apps. Says Kaspersky, this claim is “provable and testable.”

Little else was said about the operating system. Presently, KL and industrial control system operators and vendors are in talks, prompting needs for confidentiality. The announcement doesn’t state when the OS will be available, only that additional details will be released “when available.”

[via Kaspersky]

This morning we noticed Newegg.com posted up their Windows 8 listings with upgrade versions as well as full OEM versions. The upgrades are priced at $69, which will allow you to seamlessly upgrade your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 PC straight to Windows 8. They offer a version with the disc and all, or you can go for the product key-only, both will cost you $69 each.

Newegg also has Windows 8 and Windows 8 Professional up on their site, both are available in 32-bit or 64-bit flavors. The regular Windows 8 variant will cost $99 for either the 32-bit or 64-bit version, and Windows 8 Professional will cost $139 for either 32-bit or 64-bit. The prices are comparable to past Windows operating systems. However, Newegg is offering a $10 pre-order discount if you buy the OS before it launches.

We decided to peek over to Amazon to see if they had Windows 8 up for pre-order, and indeed they did, but we could only find the Windows 8 Pro upgrade version. We’re not sure when they’ll list the rest, but it should be soon considering Newegg is already up and going.

With this update we learn that Microsoft is confident enough in their products to test them on their own staff – that’s something that not just Microsoft does, but it does instill a sense of confidence and trust no matter who says it. They noted that they also used a forum called “//pointers” for early adopters which thrived due to users who not only wanted to get help working with Windows 8, but wanted to help others in the online community as well. With a release like this based even in part on a community that’s willing to help itself, Microsoft has a winner on its hands.

It was reiterated that some of the most important points that were tested again and again nearly endlessly were Security, User Experience, and Support. The support element appeared to never have been a problem as not just Microsoft was able to work easily with early adopters, but early adopters were able to easily help one another as the software was tested. The user experience was pushed from the installation process to the assurance of software compliance to data migration – and that’s all right at the start of the experience.

Microsoft has been clear that they mean business in security with Windows 8 with Trusted Boot – made in an effort to protect the boot process specifically from malware. DirectAccess has been updated with validation of virtual smart cards using Trusted Platform Module chips – complicated stuff – and Measured Boot for the testing of the health of any Windows 8 machine at startup. BitLocker is also at the center of the security world in Windows 8, with a new feature called Network Key Protector Unlock able to unlock a drive when the machine you’re suing is plugged into your corporate network.

Business owners should here be confident that their adoption of Windows 8 across their network will have a massive amount of support both inside the software and from Microsoft itself right from the start. This news bit was made more to assure IT users that they’ve tasted the food first before they send it to the restaurant, so to speak, and that it’s more than safe – it’s tasty.

[via Microsoft]

According to Gates, “hardware partners are doing great things to take advantage of the features [in Windows 8]” and that “it’ll be a big deal.” With the new version of Windows hitting shelves in late October and press events leading up to that date hitting left and right, everyone in the software and hardware world is getting pumped up about the touch-friendly operating system. Earlier today Intel held a press conference showing off a new processor (ATOM X2760) tuned specifically for Windows 8 devices.

Speaking on how the operating system compares to the previous systems that’ve been released for PCs from Microsoft, Gates let it be known that Windows 8 is indeed “a very exciting new product” and generally appeared to be ready to praise it from top to bottom. This bodes well for the company whose “Windows & Windows Live” division brought in 27 percent ($19 billion USD) of Microsoft’s total $69.9 billion in annual revenue in 2011.

Check out a selection of important Windows 8 stories and important bits we’ve collected recently in the timeline below. Note that Windows 8 will be appearing on a large cross-section of PCs, notebooks, tablets, and cross-overs at the end of October, and that Microsoft already has pre-release builds available for users to try right this minute. Let us know if you’re pumped up to use the next generation in Microsoft wares!

For those who don’t remember the launch of Windows 95 all too well (or weren’t even around, which is strange thought): it was big. Windows 95 was everywhere when it launched, and it did a lot to make Windows a household name – not easy for a computer operating system in the early-to-mid ’90s. Now Ballmer hopes that the launch of Windows 8 can top the historic launch of Windows 95. “You know, Windows 95 was certainly the biggest thing in the last 20 years until now,” he said. “I think Windows 8 certainly surpasses it. It’s a little hard to compare things like the founding (of the company) and the introduction of the first popular PC and the system that popularized it, but it’s at that scale.”

Indeed, we’re seeing Windows 8 make a lot of changes to the classic Windows formula, perhaps most importantly boasting a touch-friendly design. Can it top the obsession of Windows 95? That’s a pretty lofty goal for Microsoft, and it’s going to be hard to pull off. With so many manufacturers going all-in with Windows 8, however, and the fact that Windows 8 signals a departure from Windows installments of the past, it just might.

Ballmer also talked a little bit about the pricing for Surface in his interview with The Seattle Times, saying that the “sweet spot” for pricing will probably range from $300 to $700 or $800. That’s a pretty broad range, to be sure, and it suggests that Microsoft may not be all that interested in having Surface compete with less expensive 7-inch tablets like the Nexus 7 or the Kindle Fire HD 7. We’re still waiting for solid pricing details though, so Ballmer’s estimate could change by the time Surface actually arrives. Stay tuned.

Two possibilities are on the table for Blue. The first may simply be that Microsoft is accelerating its release schedule to match that of mobile operating systems. Android and iOS typically see big updates around once per year, whereas Windows often goes several years without a major update, instead relying on smaller upgrades and service packs to keep the OS up to date.

Blue could be what Microsoft would consider to be a service pack, applying updates and fixes for issues in Windows 8 that the company will no doubt keep track of after the OS has launched in October. It could also be a feature pack, adding new features into the mix on top of fixes. Whatever the case may be, Blue is currently on target for a Summer 2013 release, according to ZDNet’s sources.

Microsoft will officially roll out Windows 8 on October 26th, offering Windows 7 users the chance to upgrade for $39.99. Anyone currently using the test versions of Windows 8 will also be able to upgrade for the same price and carry over some information between installs, although user critical information will be wiped in the process. Microsoft’s Surface tablet will also be released around the same timeframe to tie in with the Windows 8 launch.

One tidbit that surfaced, which is sure to irritate many people, is that Windows 8 will not allow users to boot directly to the desktop. Not allowing users to boot directly to the desktop is a tweak Microsoft made since the last public test build was offered. The last public test build allowed users to boot directly to the desktop using shortcuts. As it is now, all users will have to boot to the Metro screen (or whatever Microsoft changes the Metro screen name to).

On the last Windows public test build, users had the ability to create a shortcut that switches to the Windows 8 desktop. That shortcut could be set up to be activated immediately after a user logs onto the operating system, sending them directly to their desktop. I think this is what most people will want when they boot into Windows 8. Having to hit the Metro screen and then choose desktop will get old very quickly.

I’m rather surprised that Microsoft made a change like this considering that fast boot up is one of the hallmarks of ultrabooks and notebooks and one of the reasons many people switch to SSDs. It’s also worth noting that reports indicate even in an enterprise setting the Metro start up screen will have to be viewed by users. Apparently, system administrators can’t use Group Policy to send users directly to the desktop. I’m betting this causes a significant uproar and Microsoft changes this.

[via ZDNet]

With Newell speaking so negatively about Windows 8 it seems almost inevitable that he’s got a back-up plan set in motion. As it turns out, his move with Steam toward Linux as an operating system of interest is “a hedging strategy” as he describes it. His predictions about Windows 8 certainly don’t place him in the favor of Microsoft on the whole, though their having their own gaming portal too never really added up to a great relationship between the companies in the first place.

“[Windows 8] is a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space. We’ll lose some of the top-tier PC/OEMs, who will exit the market. I think margins will be destroyed for a bunch of people. … It will be good to have alternatives to hedge against that eventuality.” – Newell

This move adds to Newell’s comments that without the open nature of the PC in general, Valve would never have been able to exist. Speaking on the controlled nature of Microsoft’s own Xbox LIVE integration and built-in Windows Store, Newell noted that there’s always a “strong temptation” to close a platform because of the profits that can be gained. Developers, he noted, “look at what they can accomplish when they limit the competitors’ access to the platform, and they say ‘That’s really exciting.’”

Stick around as Newell and his massively popular gaming portal Valve continue to attempt to shape the future of computing on a gaming tip.

[via AllThingsD]

Microsoft has detailed the pricing scheme it will eventually use for the Windows Store, saying in a post on the MSDN Blog that app prices can range from $1.49 all the way up to $999.99. In an apparent attempt to make the Windows Store stand out from all the other app stores, developers won’t have the option of pricing their apps at $0.99, so don’t count on having a seemingly endless supply of dollar deals to browse through on the Windows Store.

The company also says that it will support successful apps by only taking a 20% fee on apps that generate $25,000 or more in sales. Until apps reach that $25,000 milestone, however, Microsoft will be taking an industry-standard cut of 30%.

Additionally, Microsoft is taking a “try before you buy” approach to the Windows Store, letting developers offer a free trial period for their apps. A trial lasts for seven days, and naturally gives users the option of backing out of a full purchase should they decide they don’t like the app during the trial window.

Microsoft is making some smart decisions with the Windows Store. The 20% fee on successful apps will likely have developers giving the Windows Store priority in some cases, and giving users access to a free trial before buying could potentially lead to more downloads (and, by extension, more purchases). We’ll see if Microsoft’s plan for the Windows Store works out when Windows 8 launches on October 26.

[via The Next Web]

This demonstration takes place over the course of four minutes at the conference courtesy of Microsoft Technology Center UK’s David Brown, a fellow who you might also know from his extensive blog on this subject by the name of Dr Dave. There you’ll find expanded a beastload of information on the application you’re about to see here, complete with constellation implementation and development of the gesture controls now made possible with PixelSense and the Windows-rocking Samsung tabletop you see below.

Have a peek at this most advanced demonstration of how Windows 8 working with Microsoft’s PixelSense technology will be bringing the universe to you up close and personal:

As Dr Dave himself notes, key elements demonstrated in the video include:

• Multi-touch to control complex camera motion
• Multi-direction UI consistent with a horizontal display form-factor and multiple concurrent users
• Level-of-Detail rendering for planetary bodies and backgrounds
• Independant control of time and position
• Control selection using just-in-time-chrome
• Satellite model rendering

This talk is part of a series of bits from WPC in 2012 hosted by Microsoft’s Jon Roskill and Steve Clayton. If you were lucky enough to be in Toronto for this event, you saw NUIverse as well as a collection of demonstrations on how Microsoft is putting themselves squarely in the path of next-generation innovation that’ll work great with – you guessed it – Windows 8. Can’t wait for more big ideas!

Not surprisingly, Hurmola points to an already available app that seems to be on just about every device on the planet, Angry Birds, but he went on to recognize the importance of a healthy app store. In addition to releasing details about its upcoming phone, Jolla has pledged to inform the world about the availability of upcoming applications. The phone is currently on track for a release later on in the year, although Hurmola doesn’t guarantee Christmas availability.

Interesting, Jolla doesn’t want the phone to be as open as some Android devices, saying that the kernel will be locked down and that customers won’t be able to flash their own software. Jolla intends the phone to appeal to the mass market, hoping to create a phone “almost everybody would want for themselves.” Good luck to the company: it certainly has a uphill battle ahead, with the likes of iOS, Android, and Windows Phone to compete with.

UPDATE: It looks like something was lost in translation regarding the phone’s hackability. Jolla plans to offer a developer edition of its phone on top of the retail version, allowing developers and hackers to tinker with the system that should spur development for the platform.

[via International Business Times]