Windows 8 going rogue (kind of)
(CBS) - Building a new operating system from the ground up is a daunting task, but it seems like Microsoft is rolling the dice with Windows 8.
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Our friends at CNET brought up an interesting point that Windows 8 is not trying to copy OSX or iOS. Just a brief look at Microsoft's new operating system is enough to see that the company is going its own way.
An important thing to note is that Windows 8 will run on desktops, laptops, tablets and mobile devices, while Apple has OSX for desktops and laptops and iOS for tablets and mobile devices.
"Windows 8 is Microsoft's big answer to that broadening landscape: a product that can power nearly all machines, with an interface that can adapt along the way. That right there is one of the biggest differences between Microsoft's vision of computing and Apple's," CNET staff writer Josh Lowensohn said.
Keep in mind, Microsoft's new operating system is still in the midst of development and most likely won't launch until 2012. Windows 8 will go through changes and improvements before the official release.
Featuring a more tablet-friendly design, Windows 8 is a complete departure from previous versions. Icons are now large tiles. There is full touch screen support and a multi-touch on-screen keyboard.
Only time will tell if Microsoft's gamble will pay off. In the
meanwhile, the first impressions are trickling in from developers and
tech journalists who attended Microsoft's BUILD conference.
USA Today's Edward C. Baig was "jazzed" with the Samsung tablet loaded given attendees of BUILD. His first impression was so "favorable that even Apple should be on alert."
TechRadar's Mary Branscombe is optimistic about the new operating system. "At this stage there are certainly rough edges, but the Windows 8 experience is also extremely compelling and genuinely innovative," Branscome said. "Windows 8 is on target to give you a tablet experience that's very like Windows Phone on a bigger screen, with the same fluid and responsive and very personal experience, plus the same sort of smart integration between different applications."
ZDNet's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is skeptical of claims that Windows 8 could be an iPad killer. "The way I see it, the iPad stands alone. Apple doesn't even call it a tablet. Sure, it is a tablet but I think that when people are buying an iPad they're not thinking 'oh, I'm buying a tablet,' they're thinking 'oh, I'm buying an iPad!' Big difference," Kingsley-Hughes said.
While first impressions didn't sell everyone, most people are impressed with the Windows 8. Our main concern is that the desktop users will be left in the dust. Not everyone has or wants a tablet. And some of us like our wallpaper.
BUILD is a new conference running from September 13 to 16. The event is meant to help developers create new and innovative apps for Microsoft products.
