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    Windows 8 UI revealed! Borrows WP7’s metro UI

    Windows 8
    Image source: Engadget

    President of the Windows division at Microsoft, Steven Sinofsky has just revealed a new touch interface for Windows 8. At the D9 conference in the US, Sinofsky showcased Windows 8 features for the first time. The interview with Walt Mossberg revealed many interesting new developments for the Windows platform.

    Windows 8
    Image source: All Things D

    Windows 8 will feature a new touchscreen interface, drawing heavily from the much loved tile interface and Metro UI used in Windows Phone. There’s certainly an element of Windows Media Center as well. These tiles are live tiles, just like in WP7, applications can surface information to the user. Current weather, social network updates, email, calendar appointment are just a few examples.

    Taskbar lovers, don’t freak out, underneath Windows 8 is still Windows. If you have a device that supports keyboard and mouse input, it will convert to a normal laptop.

    “Your finger doesn’t have the resolution to manipulate, say, Photoshop. There are a number of applications that require the greater precision offered by the mouse….So I think that one of the things that’s intriguing is that if you have a Windows tablet and then you plug a keyboard into it it becomes a Windows laptop.” – Sinofsky

    Windows 8

    Windows 8 will feature an App Store – clearly a response to the Mac App store. Windows 8 will support two types of apps — the first being classic Windows programs and the new HTML + Javascript apps. No news as to whether Silverlight will be supported, but it doesn’t look good right now.

    Windows 8

    Windows 8 will ship with Internet Explorer 10 which is currently at platform preview (no UI) stage. Expect it to get all touch-friendly, performance improvements, better support for HTML5 etc.

    Amazingly, Windows 8 will have the same hardware requirements as Windows 7. Impressive given it will ship 3 years after Win7. New in Windows 8 is the ability to run on not only Intel, AMD but also ARM processors.

    Check out Windows 8 touch UI in the video below which shows off applications, video, mutli-tasking, split on-screen keyboard. The video also demonstrates how launching a standard Windows app takes you back to the normal Windows desktop you know and love.

    Jason Cartwright
    Jason Cartwrighthttps://techau.com.au/author/jason/
    Creator of techAU, Jason has spent the dozen+ years covering technology in Australia and around the world. Bringing a background in multimedia and passion for technology to the job, Cartwright delivers detailed product reviews, event coverage and industry news on a daily basis. Disclaimer: Tesla Shareholder from 20/01/2021

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