Windows 8 in the pipeline, coming your way in 2012-ish

By on Oct 26, 2010 at 1:49 AM
General October 26, 2010


Windows XP set the bar quite high when it was released back in August 2001. Barring a few security issues, XP was considered a success and is still the OS of choice for some PC users today. Microsoft followed this up with arguably their most criticised offering, Vista. Steve Ballmer, CEO of the Redmond outfit went as far as calling Vista “a work in progress” after its launch. 2009 marked the start of better days for Microsoft, a year in which they released Windows 7, a welcome refresh for PC users. Windows 7 went on to sell an impressive 240 million licences in its first year; a record for Microsoft. Today, in a blog post on Microsoft’s Dutch website, the company explained that it is working on Windows 8, however, the OS will not be due for another two years. Microsoft representatives failed to elaborate further when asked to comment by CNET. According to a leaked presentation earlier this year, Microsoft plans to introduce a native Windows app store akin to Apple’s recently announced Mac app store. Amongst other improvements, Microsoft is purportedly working on improving power efficiency and computer wake times. If you don’t believe in the Mayan calendar, 2012 should be an interesting year for Microsoft. What features are you guys pining to see in Windows 8?

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  • C

    Windows 8 on ARM with instant on and phone support.

    Giving android a run for it’s money with full windows.

    • John

      lame

    • sirpaul

      Instant on would certainly be awesome, even with a very light version of the OS. The thing I really really hate about the iPad is that besides internet and iTunes sync there is no way to input data into it. I can’t connect a USB stick to it, insert an SD card when my camera fills, transfer a PDF to a friend, attach a USB keyboard, and many others. I can’t wait for Windows 8. Windows 7 was certainly a real OS :) No problems so far!

      • Mr.Bill

        Well said. +1

  • Ed

    Please Microsoft ditch the Registry, it’s so messy!

    • Ed Tent

      It’s legacy software. That’s like asking the your tire to ditch its rim.

  • Nissan Leaf

    i wonder if they’ll ever abandon ntfs and actually start to develop WinFS that MSoft has been talking about all these years.

    • Rob

      WinFS is vaporware

  • Rick Daniel Ford III

    I’m a windows fanboy ever since they rolled out 3.1.

    -Redesigned task bar (nicer start button icon/more translucent feel)
    -Multitouch trackpad
    -Full roll-out of the window snap feature (make it come to life perhaps with some gestures)
    -Integrated sleep and standby
    -ENHANCED FIREWALL!!!!

    • ultraseven32

      mr rick… you’re asking for a MAC.

  • Doctor Good Hen

    They are releasing Windows 8 for the sake of keeping up better timing compared to the wait from XP to the great Vista.

  • Mike

    I’m expecting to see a push towards touch based interfaces, as well as seeing some Kinect style log in features such as face recognition and auto log-in. Also I expect to see different naming on the “Shut Down”, “Sleep”, “Hibernate”, and “Restart” options.

    As well as a myriad of other changes. I’m also expecting it to not be very good until the quick fix dubbed “Windows 9″, which will hopefully be enough to appease the pissed of customers.

    • Ed Tent

      how about we push towards a minus.

  • Vin Lorezato DeConteliglio

    How a about a little damn flab creativity. If I take my Delorean to the year 2109 and don’t find Windows 31 I’ll question whether I also crossed dimensions.

  • Sandy S. Schwartz.

    I’m a contract lawyer in NYC and I consider myself a very smart guy and an authority on what would be good.

    WHEREAS I’d like to see:

    1) Camera recognizes me (standard)
    2) Steve Jobs said you dont want to hold your hand up to touch the screen … therefore a screen that ergonomically comes out at you over the keyboard. Believe me we want to touch the screen
    3) Everything copied to the cloud automatically and seamlessly with a free account.
    4) Solution to migrate all info from your iPhone or other phone seamlessly to sync as if its your old computer.
    5) Haptic Feedback on the touch screen.

    • Michael Scott

      I’m not a contract lawyer in NYC, but I consider you a very smug asshole and an authority on S-ing D.

    • Sandy_IS_A_FAKE

      Sandy is a big fake or she/he can’t even use their real name.

      Check it for your self.
      https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/attorney/AttorneySearch

    • Marc

      You’re a lawyer and you don’t see any inherent concerns with handing your sensitive client data over to Microsoft via automatic copying “to the cloud”? Somehow, I doubt this…

  • Al Smoka

    Something as pretty as the MSNBC lead page.

  • Apple Tan Boy

    Get an Apple, and a tan and you get the girl. Forget laundry and the gym. In Lion you have a whole mission control center. Let that worry itself with your laundry. I hope also folds and finds good spaces in my drawers. In place of the gym do your lifting via anything that is not a new Macbook Air or old Sony TX.

  • Brilliant Idea

    How about calling it Windows Ate. Get it? As in it will eat Windows 7 all up and leave nothing left over at all. BUAHAHAHAHAHA.

  • Brilliant Idea II

    How about a Windows 8 that can communicate with Aliens. This would open the door to communication with Aliens that our planet has never had in XP or even Panther.

    • sirpaul

      I can already do that with Windows 7.

  • Brilliant Idea III

    I think they should have twenty-seven versions this time. Windows 8 Ultimate Professional Premium Private Jet Platinum Black Lagoon should be the highest level.

  • matthew poulter

    @Brilliant Idea III,

    hey bro that’s some of the funniest shit I heard in awhile. I started crackin up when I read that one

    Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).

  • PAPINYC

    First of all, in my humble yet honest and unbiased opinion, and sadly, Microsoft is about a decade behind with their system desktop/laptop platform. I am still one of those who [CHOOSE] to still use XP for various reasons, among them: reliability (rarely crashes); efficient and simple (although, I can get as “technical” as the next guy); endless compatibilty with external hardware; compatibility with software installations; on laptops, battery friendly; and, I’m sure if I sit here longer, I can come up with much more. I tried Vista on my desktop (just for the hell of it) and found it disorganized and confused, something XP is not. For the record, I prefer Windows over Mac OS. And, even when Windows reaches a double digit designation in another 10 years, I will still be using XP as I live out my the rest of my existance at Shady Acres. Incedentally, Microsoft is doing an extremely bad job of [trying] to copy Mac.

    • So Official

      I agree. Windows XP Professional is my favorite OS out there. It’s fun bullshitting on my macbook, but when real work needs to get done I head to my desktop.

  • http://twitter.com/maxjcrowley @maxjcrowley

    This time around it will be all about processor efficiency and cutting down on battery drainage. On a Dell Mini 10V I dual boot into Mac OS and Win7.. the Mac OS has double the battery life. It will be important for Microsoft to work towards that into the next batch of OS. That being said, there are a number of features I found much more useful in Win7, and I actually prefer it over Mac OS. The toolbar and window resizing being two features that are superior in Windows. However in Mac OS, boot times, sleep modes and battery life are rock solid. Windows 8 could close the gap. That being said, its also important for Microsoft to work with PC manufacturers, another advantage Apple has being the software developer and manufacturer.

    • http://twitter.com/maxjcrowley @maxjcrowley

      I said that being said twice. First post in the morning, miserable.

  • Rob

    Vista was not all that bad after you spent 2 days turning all the crap off. I runs great if you have the hardware to support it and even then it is a resource hog. M(essed up) E(dition) was even worse than Vista.

  • Jason

    So when Windows 8 comes out with all new amazing and innovative features we in the Linux world will just shake our heads and say “Been there, done that in 2010.”

  • Mr.Bill

    Whether it flies or flops, Good on you MS.

    No time to sleep at the helm now a days.

  • JJFNIGHTS80

    Really M$ stop rushing with all these OS already Vista was bad enough 7 is doing good. DON’T SCREW up 8.

    • Geoff

      You’re kidding right? The wait time between XP being released and Vista was LONG. After that, MS had to get Win 7 out in an attempt to redeem themselves and take away the stigma that Vista created. If you don’t know, don’t post.

  • jfr

    You have to keep up with Apple. They just announced Lion, so you know an announcement from Microsoft had to come shortly, even if they haven’t really started working on it yet.

  • offdayJB

    faster boot time, better graphics, app store, more ready-to-play codecs for WMP..etc. can’t wait tho!! love M$

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