Mostly complete 'release preview' of Windows 8 coming in June

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Microsoft has said it will issue a "release preview" of Windows 8 in the first week of June as it prepares to launch the desktop operating system update later this year.

Windows boss Steven Sinofsky revealed the plans at a developers at an event in Japan, All Things D reports. Microsoft released a developer preview last year and a consumer preview in February.

The Redmond, Wash., software maker has yet to commit to a launch window for its next-generation of Windows, but recent indications have pointed to October as the likely release month. Bloomberg reported last month that, according to sources familiar with Microsoft's 2012 roadmap, the company is aiming to complete work on Windows 8 by summer.

The new Windows will sport a redesigned interface, as well as new Windows Store and digital delivery features that follow a lead set by Apple last year with the release of OS X 10.7 Lion.

Windows 8
Windows 8 Consumer Preview. | Source: Microsoft


An official blog post from the company last week announced that Windows 8 will come in three forms: Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro and Windows RT. The "RT" branding is reserved for the version of Windows that runs on the ARM architecture. Windows RT represents a key component of Microsoft's tablet strategy, though the company faces an uphill climb in attracting developers to Windows on ARM since x86/64 and desktop software will not run on it.

In February, rival OS maker Apple also released a preview of its upcoming software release. OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion is scheduled for release this summer and will bring Apple's desktop OS in closer alignment with iOS.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 54
    tylerk36tylerk36 Posts: 1,037member


    Oh goody I can quit playing with myself.

  • Reply 2 of 54
    mj webmj web Posts: 918member


    The visual equivalent of a Gateway 2000.

  • Reply 3 of 54
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,192member


    Microsoft... just waiting for Apple to announce WWDC before announcing the precise date for... wait for it!... W8.


     


    Anybody looked to see what dates Moscone is reserved in June? Or has WWDC completely outgrown that venue?

  • Reply 4 of 54


    I can quit playing with myself.avatar1.jpg

  • Reply 5 of 54
    maecvsmaecvs Posts: 129member
    This new format takes some getting used to.....

    As a bit of an aside, is anyone checking out the big ass Microsloth store opening in a couple days. The one right beside the Stanford Apple store?
  • Reply 6 of 54
    Vista ....

    Windows 7 ....

    Windows 8 ....

    And, I understand, Windows 9 is just around the corner ....

    Who. The. Heck. CARES .....
  • Reply 7 of 54


    Fugly.

  • Reply 8 of 54


    I'll believe they've actually got anything near release when all 6 versions are on sale.

  • Reply 9 of 54
    kotatsukotatsu Posts: 1,010member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BoxMacCary View Post



    Vista ....

    Windows 7 ....

    Windows 8 ....

    And, I understand, Windows 9 is just around the corner ....

    Who. The. Heck. CARES .....


     


    I'd say a lot of people care, as virtually all computers around the world run Windows. 


     


    Or didn't you know that?

  • Reply 10 of 54
    tylerk36tylerk36 Posts: 1,037member


    Rub a dub dub.  Can you guess what body part I am rubbing the Windows 8 start screen with?  As in how I feel bout it.  It's like having one big finger.

  • Reply 11 of 54


    I actually agree. Windows 8 is a bigger deal than some on here think for a few reasons.


     


    I'm considering overhauling my current PC hardware and installing Windows 8, but for sure I am adding a new Apple desktop as well. Just waiting for the Sandy Bridge refresh with the biggest and baddest graphics you can get.

  • Reply 12 of 54
    eksodoseksodos Posts: 186member


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Technarchy View Post


    I actually agree. Windows 8 is a bigger deal than some on here think for a few reasons.


     


    I'm considering overhauling my current PC hardware and installing Windows 8, but for sure I am adding a new Apple desktop as well. Just waiting for the Sandy Bridge refresh with the biggest and baddest graphics you can get.



     


    Care to list any of those few reasons? I've played with Windows 8 a bit. I think it's a horrible mess of conflicting user interfaces. FYI I love Windows 7 and actually run it as the only OS on my iMac since Lion is such a POS in terms of stability and performance. 

  • Reply 13 of 54
    bocboc Posts: 72member


    "This new format takes some getting used to....."


     


    I think it is worse than you imply...but the following is only my opinion, not some scientific study.


     


    I think that W8 tiles, though modern looking, do not match what the human mind sees as instinctly "organized" and "easily grasped".  Hence, the learning curve is going to put people off...again.  For corporate users, that can be a killer.


     


    People for at least about 10,000 years have put ideas/character information in multiple rows down a papyrus or clay slab.


     


    A 2 dimensional surface of patterned squares and rectangles has a disorienting visual effect on me.  I am not sure I can get over it, but it would most likely be by just staying with Win7 or turning off the so called "tiles" (or staying on Macs which I also use).  I detect "Prettyfication" at work inside MS.


     


    "Tiles":  The visual disorientation of W8 is something like I feel when looking at complex tiled wall surfaces (which as art is ok, as we don't look to "use" or "find" individual tiles).  There is no one way for the user to psychologically "see" organization as it is all just a mass of different size visuals.


     


    A different form of the same effect is what I personally experience with users who don't want to use Windows Explorer to organize data into folders. They put up a full desktop mass of disorienting icons which are damn near useless for quickly finding any but the half dozen most used icons and those are usually in a row or column starting at a corner of the screen.


     


    I think Microsoft is making a mistake of using Apple's brainstorming term "Think Different" as being equal to "Distort Different" or some other similar invented iconic term used in internal MS speak.


     


    Working where I feel visual distortion detracts me from getting things done fast.  Photo backgrounds, flighty colored menu bars, translucency, gobs of artistic icons and moving items are detriments to clarity and ease of use.


     


    iOS actually moves in close to visual confusion with grids of app icons.  The saving grace on an iPhone is that you can limit the icons on the first & subsequent pages to just the few you need.  I have seen users flipping pages to find an App and they just don't know how to find it easily.

  • Reply 14 of 54
    sermonsermon Posts: 6member


    "Mostly complete 'release preview' of Windows 8 coming in June" - that's Microsoft-speak for 'retail version', right?

  • Reply 15 of 54
    jnjnjnjnjnjn Posts: 588member


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by kotatsu View Post


     


    I'd say a lot of people care, as virtually all computers around the world run Windows. 


     


    Or didn't you know that?



     


    Depends on what you call a computer.


    If you include the iPad (and a few other tablets) and all smartphones, Windows is just a small percentage.


     


    J.

  • Reply 16 of 54
    jnjnjnjnjnjn Posts: 588member


     


    Quote:


    Originally Posted by BoC View Post

    ...


     


    "Tiles":  The visual disorientation of W8 is something like I feel when looking at complex tiled wall surfaces (which as art is ok, as we don't look to "use" or "find" individual tiles).  There is no one way for the user to psychologically "see" organization as it is all just a mass of different size visuals.


     


    ...


     


    Working where I feel visual distortion detracts me from getting things done fast.  Photo backgrounds, flighty colored menu bars, translucency, gobs of artistic icons and moving items are detriments to clarity and ease of use.


     


    iOS actually moves in close to visual confusion with grids of app icons.  The saving grace on an iPhone is that you can limit the icons on the first & subsequent pages to just the few you need.  I have seen users flipping pages to find an App and they just don't know how to find it easily.



     


    Its important I think, to be able to organize the icons in an effective way.


    iOS makes it easy to place the icons of similar apps next (or near) to each other or make a subfolder of similar apps.


    This makes it easy to find a specific app.


    I noticed that the apps on each page form a pattern thats very easy to find.


    The pattern is a combination of the relative location and color of the app icons.


    When the pattern of a page is changed (because I added an app) its harder to find an app on it.


    It could be that you have to be visually oriented to have use of 'pattern memory', but I your not, it's also easy (and fast) to search the app via text.


     


    J. 

  • Reply 17 of 54
    mauszmausz Posts: 243member


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jnjnjn View Post


     


     


    Depends on what you call a computer.


    If you include the iPad (and a few other tablets) and all smartphones, Windows is just a small percentage.


     


    J.



     


    http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-12-06/tech/30481049_1_android-apps-ios


     



    • 1.25 billion Windows PCs running today. (That includes all versions of Windows.)


     



    • 234 million Android phones and 13 million Android tablets (as per IDC), for a total of 247 million Android devices.



    • 112 million iPhones and 40 million iPads, leading to 152 million iOS devices.


     


    76%... no details about mac's (less than 10% I still think?)...


     


    So no small percentage.


     

  • Reply 18 of 54
    kkqd1337kkqd1337 Posts: 424member


    Brilliant news.. Can't wait. I still think Mac needs to sort it's OS out to make itself a proper workhorse OS like Windows

  • Reply 19 of 54


    Why does this matter? This is an apple site? The only reason I can see this being posted here is to insight flames and a big fight in the comments.

  • Reply 20 of 54
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Technarchy View Post


    I actually agree. Windows 8 is a bigger deal than some on here think for a few reasons.


     


    I'm considering overhauling my current PC hardware and installing Windows 8, but for sure I am adding a new Apple desktop as well. Just waiting for the Sandy Bridge refresh with the biggest and baddest graphics you can get.



     


    I think you're trying to enforce past behavior on the present.



    At one time, Windows was so bad that there was pent-up demand for a newer version all the time. Everyone was constantly waiting for an upgrade so that they could finally have a system that (hopefully) worked. Similarly, at one time, there was a huge demand for new processors since computers always felt slow.



    Today, both the hardware and software have gotten good enough that new computer purchase cycles have lengthened (which is why PC sales growth has largely disappeared) and you won't see long lines waiting to upgrade like you saw for Windows 95 or Windows 7. Windows 7 is good enough for most people and I don't anticipate a huge number planning to upgrade. Obviously, Windows 8 will eventually end up on most new computers, but I just don't see it as a big deal for upgrading existing computers.




    In fact, I fully expect to see Microsoft continuing to offer Windows 7 as an option for new computer buyers as they did with one of their previous lemons (was it Vista?).

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