A number of stories about a Windows 8 kill switch have appeared on the Web, each with its own odd and ominous tone. The blogosphere has gone berserk with all sorts of menacing commentary, such as the following from the Vigilent Citizen:
As Microsoft released the Windows 8 Consumer Preview today, it also published a product guide for business users of the operating system. In the guide, it was revealed that the ARM-based version of Windows 8 will lack some of the management features available to the version running on PCs—a limitation that may make the mobile version of the operating system a little less attractive to large enterprises out of the gate.
Microsoft Corp unveils the first widely available test version of Windows 8 on Wednesday, giving the public the first chance to try out the slick, new-look operating system it hopes will restore the company's fading tech supremacy.
Windows 8, as the first Microsoft operating system compatible with low-power microprocessors designed by ARM Holdings Plc, will run on tablets as well as desktops and laptops.
Nokia officially announced the Lumia 610, a budget Windows Phone handset, at Mobile World Congress Sunday. The phone's hardware is pretty bare-bones, but it will lead the charge for the updated, low-end-optimized Windows Phone OS that Microsoft hopes will help it conquer new territory like China.
The Lumia 610 has a 3.7-inch 480×800 screen, only 256MB of RAM, 8GB of storage, and an 800MHz processor. The phone also has a 5-megapixel camera and a shiny plastic bezel, and is set to debut in Europe for only €189 ($254) off-contract in the second quarter of this year.
Nokia wove a convincing story this morning of success for the still-young and well-behind-the-competition Windows Phone platform, but it was one brief product mention that could be the best augur of future success: The arrival of Skype for Windows Phone–in beta form, at least.
Last week, the new Windows 8 logo leaked online. Meanwhile, the logo’s designer, Paula Scher at Pentagram, could only sigh. The dimensions were off, and it wasn’t even in the right color. Her work for one of the world’s largest brands was already being skewered, but it wasn’t even the right work.
Unless you’re feeling nostalgic, you probably won’t want to get Windows Mobile 6.1 running on your HTC HD7. Alas, a YouTube video has appeared courtesy of the Dark Forces Team, showing off the ancient OS prancing around the confines of Windows Phone. Yes, Windows Mobile inside Windows Phone, Inception style.
Microsoft has released technical design details about the new version of Windows for devices that use ARM chips, outlining in a lengthy blog post different ways in which this OS, called WOA and still in the works, will be alike and different from existing versions of Windows.
In Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, the Once-ler manufactures Thneeds, a does-everything garment that "all people need." But a quick glance at the bizarre creation makes it obvious that no one actually needs such a thing. Could Windows 8 be Microsoft's Thneed?
Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) previewed its impressive next version of Windows on Wednesday night. In a YouTube video, the company convincingly demonstrated how its innovative new interface can work on any device, ranging from standard personal computers to large touch screen displays to tablets.
