Windows 8 leaked plans: They say an awful lot, and very little ...
Those leaked Windows 8 slides say both an awful lot and very little about Microsoft's plans for the next-generation Windows OS. There are, however, some interesting tidbits of info in them that give us an insight into Microsoft "thinking" and a few clues about what might be in Windows 8.
First question - are they real? Yes, I believe they are. I've seen enough Microsoft documentation (both officially released and leaked) to be confident that this stuff originated from Redmond. While someone might have gone to the trouble of cooking up a few slides containing some flame bait, I really doubt that anyone would go to the bother of creating an entire deck.
So, what's of interest? Well, first, the roadmap is interesting because it gives us a few clues about timelines:
Bottom line, it's very early days and the purpose of this slide deck is really to engage OEMs and get feedback. It's not a roadmap or plan.
However, even at this early stage Microsoft is looking over its shoulder at what Apple is doing ... fire up thise photocopiers!
In this next slide we see Microsoft trying to persuade OEMs that integrated cameras (like Apple already has) will become ubiquitous by the time Windows 8 hits PC ... they'll be ubiquitous because Microsoft will have persuaded OEMs to install them by saying they'll be ubiquitous ... get it?
This next slide shows us that Microsoft is thinking about form factors beyond the desktop ... but sticking to fundamentals (like security!):
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Ladies and gentlemen ... mention of a "slate" ...
(Sexy girl not included!)
If you think Microsoft had all that power saving stuff figured out, think again!
Windows 7 isn't fast enough when it comes to boot up ... here Microsoft is touting PCs that come on almost instantly:
Here's a potentially interesting feature - push button system restore:
Oh, and there's an app store too ... spookily like Apple uses for the iPhone and iPad, even offering updates:
So there you have the highlights. What you've now go to do is realize that there's a gulf between dreams and reality. This gulf is dictated by many elements, such as OEM interest in features (for example, if OEMs don't seem that interested in offering an integrated camera with all systems, then that idea will likely wither). stability, timescale and so on. While this slide deck is interesting, it offers little more than a snapshot into Microsoft thinking. Don't bet on any of the new features outlined here making their way into Windows 8 ...
... after all, remember Longhorn?
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