Displaying items by tag: Windows 8

The Windows 8 online store is growing bigger every day and so far they have reached a promising milestone. With all the Windows 8 devices coming out, it was just a matter of time before the apps accumulated; now they have 13,000 applications in their application store. In the past 8 days there was almost three thousand applications added, this means that it grew at a rate of 362 applications per day.

Microsoft is being sued over the ideas behind the company's entire visual identity, which is the base functionality of their new operating systems. The lawsuit is about the "live tiles" on the Windows Phone and Windows 8 interface. Two years ago, while advertising Windows Phone 7, Microsoft introduced the concept of "live tiles" that were used as a building block of the mobile interface of the OS and associated applications. The concept has now been extended to both Windows 8 and Microsoft's entire visual identity is based on the principle of simplicity, promoting "live tiles“.

Cluttered Desktop got you down? You could take a few minutes to temporarily fix your icons by moving them to various corners, or maybe making a folder or two. But making a folder requires an extra click, maybe more if you nest the folder inside another folder. Moving the icons to set areas of the screen can help, but what happens when you install more programs, or move other files there? Your desktop can only hold so many icons before you run out of space!

If Microsoft was expecting a mass of people running out to buy Windows 8 devices or to suddenly feel the need to update their machines to Windows 8 they were let down after the launch. Although Microsoft and their partners were playing up Windows 8 and the new class of “touch first” products they failed to capture the markets imagination. Instead, like the Zune HD they have a nice array of positive reviews, but little sales to show for it. We spoke with a few retailers who have stated that Windows 8 interest was flat this weekend. Instead they had questions about if older Windows 7 based devices were going to go on sale soon now that new models were out.

The tablet wars are going to get very interesting now that Microsoft has pushed out Windows 8 and their “design point” device the Surface RT. Already this morning there are multiple articles about this new OS and hardware from both sides of the argument.  It is interesting to see the comments that range across Facebook and other social networking sites about the new OS, and more importantly about Microsoft’s Surface RT. This last product has created its own subset of fans and haters outside the general argument about Windows 8. So the big question is, where does Windows 8 and Surface RT stand in the market on the day of the launch, and where do they really fit in?

Among HP’s new devices specially designed for Windows 8 (although some of them will not be available during the launch of Windows 8) are three models: the Envy x2, SpectreXT TouchSmart and TouchSmart Envy. The Envy x2 Hybrid is an ultra-thin notebook with an 11.6-inch display, Beats Audio speakers, NFC technology, and basic configuration price of $850.  The Envy x2 will be available on November 14. The “Hybrid” in the name means that this is actually a tablet that connects to docking station with a keyboard and ports.

Microsoft's console, the Xbox 360 has achieved a great milestone. They managed to sell 70 million consoles since the launch back in November 2005. This news comes from Microsoft’s fiscal first quarter (July 2012-September 2012) report and it shows Xbox post total revenue of $1.95 billion. This is just a small decrease of 1% from the last year. They managed to sell 1.7 million Xbox 360s worldwide during the last fiscal quarter, which is 29% lower than the last year, making it around 600,000 units less.

After they announced that they will bring groundbreaking Windows 8 devices in an invitation for their event, Samsung finally revealed what they have made. The new line of so called Smart PCs will include Windows 8 ultrabooks, notebooks, tablet's and all-in-one PC'. This new line will be branded ATIV to separate them from Samsung’s Android based line. The two models are named Pro 700 T and 500 T; they will be a hybrid of tablets and notebooks. “A new category has arisen; the smart PC which is a combination of a PC and a tablet and Windows 8 is the linchpin,” Tim Baxter, Samsung’s American President, stated.

Microsoft has fallen from the position of the biggest technology company on the block. That title now belongs to Apple. As such, they have had to adjust their market strategy. As the PC market has matured, and aged, new technologies have come to replace the desktop, and even the laptop. Tablets, phablets, and smart phones are all the rage, and are good at what they do. To make a bad situation worse (for Microsoft), Apple now has a 12% share of the PC market, up from 3% 10 years ago.

Microsoft revealed in their content legislation that they will not allow any apps that are intended for older audiences. “Apps with a rating over PEGI 16, ESRB MATURE, or that contain content that would warrant such a rating, are not allowed. Metadata and other content you submit to accompany your app may contain only content that would merit a rating of PEGI 12, ESRB EVERYONE, or Windows Store 12+, or lower.”, that's what stands under section 6.2 in Windows 8 app certification requirements. This also includes video-games.