Microsoft intends to take a 30 percent cut of sales for apps developed for its touchy-feely Metro user interface in Windows 8, making it impossible not to draw comparisons with Apple's App Store business model. Apple makes a killing from user-developed apps by also helping themselves to nearly a third of all revenue, and Microsoft is setting itself up to similarly profit from Windows apps.
Perhaps you've heard that Windows 8 will ship with built-in antivirus software. Don't fret if you're just now learning this, Microsoft did a great job bombarding the media with information about its next major OS at its BUILD conference, and retaining it all on first pass is asking a lot. Nevertheless, this is a big announcement, and one that can't be sitting well with third-party AV vendors. Security firm Sophos has a message for them: "Too bad, sucka!"
All eyes have been on Microsoft ever since its BUILD conference got underway in Anaheim, California on Tuesday. While Redmond is using the new event primarily to acquaint developers with Windows 8, it’s also giving just about everyone else a glimpse of the operating system’s future in the process. Talking about the future, there seems to be an emerging consensus around the tech world that it’s going to be pretty bleak for plugins like Flash and Silverlight.
The verdict is still out on Windows 8, as it should be considering it will be about a year before Microsoft's fancy new OS goes gold. That's when we'll really find out if Microsoft designed a worthy successor to Windows 7, or made a terrible blunder in gambling on the new Metro user interface. Some half a million anxious Windows users went in search of answers well ahead of Windows 8's release.
Good news for the haters, when Microsoft said it reimagined Windows, it also reimagined what the Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) should look like, which means Windows 8 isn't immune to crashing. If you think about it, it's kind of comforting in a way. After all, what would Windows be without a BSoD revealing what went wrong? You could answer "Linux," or even "Mac OS X" if you're trying to start a flame war, but we won't go there.
If you've been itching to try out Windows 8 and get a first-hand look at the overhauled user interface, your window of opportunity just arrived. Microsoft unveiled its next major OS yesterday at its Build conference in Anaheim, California, and then made the developer preview available for download.
Today, Microsoft announced the Developer Preview of Windows 8 at their BUILD conference for developers in Anaheim, CA. They also showed off a new toy for developers, a powerful Samsung-made Windows 8 tablet.
Maybe you shut down your work PC at the end of each day but leave your home machine running 24/7, only shutting down during lightning storms and other rare occasions. Regardless of how you approach shutting down and starting up, Microsoft is making efforts to ensure that when you do perform a cold boot in Windows 8, you'll be up and running faster than ever before.
Waiting anxiously for Windows 8? We could tell you to mark your calendars for Fall 2012, except for two things. First and foremost, there hasn't been any official word from Redmond regarding Windows 8's release date. And secondly, you're likely to run out of ink filling in all the blanks on your calendar that comprise Fall. Nevertheless, it appears Windows 8 is destined for desktops around this time next year.
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