Tablet and Desktop Support

Windows 8 will feature an interface that has been developed to support both desktop and touch screen interfaces, such as tablets. Because of this flexibility, users will have the freedom to choose which device to use to suit their needs. They will not be essentially required to obtain a specific device just to match the utilities of the new operating system. For instance, if the user is more at ease or frequently requires the use of the mouse to finish their tasks then they can opt for the desktop mode. If the user wants to work exclusively with a certain interface, they can do so. Small businesses can use and incorporate Windows 8 into their systems along with its applications without spending extra money on new devices or hardware updates.

Faster Boot-up

Small businesses will also find it helpful that the new Windows 8 system has also addressed boot-up time. The new operating system has been designed to provide faster boot-up time compared to the previous operating systems. As it was demonstrated, Microsoft has already increased the speed of the boot-up time from the SSDs and their recent hardware. This is further enhanced with the development of the new Windows 8. According to estimates, the duration between turning the computer on to the loading of the interface takes only around eight seconds. This was highly impossible for Windows 7. While boot-up may also be affected by the kind of device the user has, still, an eight-second boot-up period is very useful for software updates, the application of patches and similar tasks that need a system restart. Small businesses can save a lot of time using this operating system. Less time means less energy used and lower costs.

Compatible with Existing Hardware

One very good piece of news is that just like other operating systems from Microsoft, Windows 8 may be installed on existing hardware. There is no need to sign for or to pay for upgrades or even send out a purchase order for new computer systems. Users and business units can stick with their “Windows 7 hardware” for the new Windows 8. In fact, Microsoft claims that hardware predating Windows 7 can also accommodate the Windows 8. The new operating system is focusing on memory efficiency, thus, its compatibility with existing or older hardware.

There is also an App Store where users can look into and get additional applications based on their needs. Small businesses should be able to find helpful tools in the App Store along with their new interface.

Citing “sources close to Microsoft,” TNW pointed to February for the beta’s debut but said the release date for the final version of Windows 8 remains a mystery, though it’s expected to ship next year.

Mary Jo Foley of CNET sister site ZDNet said she’s heard that the beta would appear after next month’s Consumer Electronics Show, which runs from January 10 to 13, but Foley said she isn’t aware of any specific dates.

If the February timeframe holds true for the beta, the RTM (release-to-manufacturing) version of Windows 8 could hit the market as early as June. The final shipping version would then see the light of day in the third quarter, just in time to land on PCs and mobile devices for the 2012 holiday season.

This past June, Dan’l Lewin, Microsoft corporate vice president for Strategic and Emerging Business Development, hinted at a fall 2012 release date for the new OS, though that was predicated on the beta already being out by now.

TNW’s sources didn’t reveal which features would be in the beta, but they did say the feature set is not yet nailed down.

Microsoft released its Developer Preview Edition in mid September, offering a peek at Windows 8 as it was then. But the company has confirmed that the Developer Preview was a work in progress, and that a fair number of changes and new features are due for the beta and final versions.

In particular, Microsoft has heard a fair amount of concern and criticism over the new Metro interface that will pop up in Windows 8. Though the traditional Windows desktop will remain an option, Microsoft has been touting Metro as the wave of the future. But users haven’t been shy about pointing out the perceived limitations and drawbacks of the touch-based Metro UI, especially on desktops and laptops.

Responding to the current gripes about Metro, Microsoft has reminded users that certain things aren’t yet finished in the Developer Preview and has promised to make the UI friendlier toward mice and keyboards.

In a concession to some of the concerns, Microsoft recently revealed that it was cooking up a new Windows 8 Apps screen that would better mimic the design of the current All Programs menu. Such a screen would let people more easily find and launch specific applications by name or category.

It’s a safe bet that we’ll see even more tweaks between the Developer Preview and the beta, even if the latter is released as early as February.

Whenever Windows 8 finally launches, one change that may be destined for the OS is a new file system. Leaked by tech enthusiast site WinUnleaked, the new file system would be known as ReFS (Resilient File System).

Though not much is known about ReFS at this point, WinRumors speculates that it could be an offshoot of Microsoft’s WinFS (Windows Future Storage). Originally intended for Windows Vistabut dropped before the OS came to the market, WinFS was supposed to be a new way for the operating system to manage data by means of a database. The new file system would have enhanced searching and the sharing of data between applications.

But even if ReFS does appear in Windows 8, it may pop up just in the server edition. Citing its own sources, WinRumors says that only Windows 8 Server would use the new file system, as a way to improve reliability against hardware and software issues. The client versions of the new OS would not be able to tap into ReFS and would presumably stick with the current NTFS file system.

A Microsoft representative told CNET that the company had nothing to share about ReFS at this point.

As long as the software, or app, has made at least $25,000 in revenue, Microsoft plans to give developers an 80 percent cut. Apple now gives developers 70 percent of the revenue that apps bring in. If a Windows app hasn’t reached the threshold yet, Microsoft will share 70 percent as well.

The bigger cut to successful developers is the latest sign that Microsoft is trying to compete with Apple – and with phones running Google’s Android – on the app front by luring developers with financial incentives.

“We intend to offer the industry’s best terms, so that the best apps make developers a lot more money on Windows than on any other platform,” Ted Dworkin, partner program manager for the Windows Store, said in a blog post Tuesday.

The success of Apple’s iPhones and iPads partly comes from the fact that its app store has a larger selection than any of its rivals. That means more games, entertainment guides and other apps available from outside developers to extend the functionality of the devices.

Through iTunes, Apple has also made it easy to buy and sell apps through its App Store, something other companies have been playing catch-up on.

Citi Investment Research analyst Walter H. Pritchard said it’s not surprising that the company is giving more lucrative financial terms for developers. That’s because he doesn’t consider Windows Store revenue as important for Microsoft, because the company’s business focuses on the Windows platform itself.

In other words, Microsoft makes more money by getting people to buy devices running Windows software – even if it means sacrificing some of the app revenue to make that happen.

The Windows Store will be available on PCs, laptops and tablets running Windows 8. The company didn’t disclose plans for mobile devices.

Microsoft, which is based in Redmond, Wash., plans to include apps in its Bing search engine results to make them easier to find.

It also plans to open the store to customers when it releases a “beta” test version of Windows 8 in late February. Pritchard said the February beta launch suggests a late October launch for the general market. Microsoft has not said when it’s launching Windows 8 for everyone.

Microsoft’s stock fell 26 cents, or 1 percent, to $25.40 in late morning trading Wednesday.

The Microsoft team showed off a neat new password system to unlock Windows 8 computers. When your computer is locked, normally you have to type in a text password to regain access to the system; Windows 8 gives the user an option to unlock via a combination of touches and swipes, which might sound familiar to Android users.

When setting up your password, you choose a picture, and you select where on the picture you want to tap and swipe in order to unlock the screen. For example, at the Windows Build conference, Windows Corporate Vice President Julie Larson-Green showed off her picture-password: a photo of her daughter (above) standing on a pier holding a glass of lemonade appeared, and Larson-Green tapped on her daughter’s nose, then on the glass of lemonade, then drew a line from the edge of the pier to the edge of the glass of lemonade. Voila! The screen was unlocked.

Although Windows 7 has done exceptionally well since its release, Microsoft has been constantly working to make the next version of Windows a better one by further improving upon the existing features, and have added new impressive Windows 8 features along with a stunning UI.

Microsoft released the early version of Windows 8 on a prototype tablet last week. Those of you who would like to taste and experience the all new Windows 8, you can download the Developer Preview, which is currently in pre-beta version. The developer version shows off the current stage of the OS. It is available for free download, and comes in three different packages:

• (1) 64-bit version – Only the OS
• (2) 32-bit version – Only the OS
• (3) 64-bit version with developer tools

Windows 8 Features

Windows 8 offers a number of new Windows 8 features from its all new UI to Windows App Store and improvised security features. Here’s a list of new features and improvements which will arrive with Windows 8:

Support for both x86 PCs and ARM tablets

Windows 8 is the first edition of Windows which will work on both ARM based tablets and traditional x86 (as well as x32 and x64) PCs based on ARM processors from Intel and AMD.

“Support for ARM-based chipsets, touch, and sensors makes Windows 8 work beautifully on your choice of a full spectrum of devices, such as 10-inch slates with all-day battery life, ultra-lightweight laptops, and powerful all-in-ones with 27-inch high-definition screens,” Microsoft contends, in a Windows 8 Guide distributed with Windows Developer Preview

Windows To Go

The “Windows To Go” seems to be an exciting feature that basically allows Windows 8 to boot from a USB device (called as Live USB), including user’s programs, settings and files. The feature is designed to work with both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, and on both legacy NIOS and UDFI firmware. However, Microsoft says that a user will not be able to “Hibernate” with this feature.

“Windows To Go is a new feature in Windows 8 that enables enterprise administrators to create USB drives containing complete, managed Windows images that users can use to boot and run Windows on any Windows 7 or Windows 8 capable computer. Windows To Go makes it possible for employees to use a managed device whether they work from home, a client office or in a free seating environment. This session will discuss Windows To Go, its hardware requirements and building compatible and complementary software.”

Another interesting thing about this feature is that, if the USB drive is removed, Windows will automatically freeze, but will continue to operate if the USB drive is inserted back in the next 60 seconds after removal.

Windows Store

To compete with Apple, Windows has confirmed the introduction of a Windows Store, similar to Mac App Store, which allows users to browse through Windows applications, while developers can publish their Metro-style apps on Windows 8 devices.

Few days back, Microsoft gave a strategic view of its app store, and gave a quick demo on how it works. Microsoft revealed that the Windows App Store will be the only place where users can access the Metro-styled apps.

Windows 8 User Interface

Speaking about the UI, Windows 8 certainly has got a mind blowing interactive UI, which has been extensively redesigned to a “Metro-style” design, which shows the most important information to you, embodies simplicity, and gives you full control over it. The UI is designed to provide a fluid and intuitive interaction and navigation with touch, or a mouse and keyboard.

Julie Larson-Green, Corporate Vice President, Windows who stated: “Everything that’s great about Windows 7, is better in Windows 8,” gave a quick hands on look at the Windows 8 user-interface. Here are some of the screenshots she released:

Windows Logon Screen – Unlike the traditional way of entering a password to unlock the screen, Windows 8 can be unlocked by just tapping on the right areas of the screen.

Windows 8 Start Screen – The Start screen is yet another impressive UI. The screen basically groups all your applications together, which you can easily drag and drop, or add new things.

Windows 8 Task Manager

Improved Windows Defender

The Windows Defender which was first released with Windows Vista is getting a security upgrade with the upcoming Windows 8. This would probably edge-our third-party antivirus and anti-malware programs. Windows Defender will become a full-fledged anti-malware solution for Windows 8. This will include protection against all types of malware such as virus, worms, trojans and rootkits.

In addition to that, Windows Defender will provide real-time detection and protection from malware threats using a file system filter, and will interface with Windows secured boot, which is another security feature.

Internet Explorer 10

The developer preview of Windows 8 comes with a Metro version of Internet Explore (IE) 10. Since it is a preview version, it does not support any browser plugins and extension – including Adobe Flash and Microsoft Silverlight. However, it will feature full screen browsing mode by default, implements several new HTML5 capabilities, turbocharges HTML5 performance, and adds some security options for Web applications.

Windows 8 Minimum System Requirements

It is reported that Windows 8 is expected to have the same system requirements as Windows 7, and will run on existing PCs/laptops that run Windows 7. Here are the following minimum system requirements to run Windows 8:

Processor: 1GHz or faster 32-bit or 64-bit processor
RAM: 1GB (32-bit) or 2GB (64-bit)
HD Space: 16GB for 32-bit (or 20GB for 64-bit)

Windows 8 Release Date

We can expect Windows 8 to be launched sometime in mid-late 2012, however, it’s too early to predict the Windows 8 release date, since it is still under development. Nevertheless, the only question that haunts each and every one of us – Will Windows 8 win the battle against Apple which it had lost several years back?

Windows 8 running on a desktop, just as it can run on a tablet or a notebook PC.

This week saw the latest step towards the release of Windows 8, the next major version of Microsoft’s operating system that represents one of the biggest changes in the history of the platform.

At its Build conference on Tuesday, Microsoft spent more than two hours on stage detailing its next OS. While the software isn’t expected to make it into consumer hands until sometime next year, we now have a clearer picture of how Microsoft is positioning it to an industry that’s shifted its purchases (and affections) from desktops to notebooks, and now portable devices like tablets and smartphones.

In short, 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, which created a separate OS to power its portables, while keeping the desktop OS for its Intel-based machines.

However that separation has led to a massive difference in the way consumers look at operating systems, particularly with how often that software is updated, bringing new features to hardware months and years after a purchase. By splitting up the two OSes, Apple was able to iterate quickly, rolling out major releases on an annual basis, while continuing to offer Mac OS X updates at their usual rate. Now the big question is how that will work with Windows 8 with regards to Metro, Microsoft’s touch-friendly UI that’s been designed for tablets running Windows 8.

Microsoft has traditionally released a new version of Windows every few years, but tablet users are now accustomed to more frequent feature updates. For proof of that, you can look at the iPad, which launched without multitasking and a number of other features the iPhone had, only to get it later with a software update. Android users face a similar future, with the promise of additional software updates.

Comparatively, Microsoft has saved those big feature updates for major releases, and charged for them too. This has created a cycle where developers in the Apple camp can depend software updates to build on top of: Mac OS X developers have come to expect a major update every few years, with iOS getting updates every year.

What does that mean for Windows 8 though? Will the lucrative tradition of releasing a major update every few years continue, while the Metro interface is left untouched, or does Microsoft intend to update it more often to keep up with the Joneses? Therein lies one of the potential drawback of trying to provide everything in one package. It’s also something to watch considering how closely connected Windows 8′s Metro interface is tied to Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 software, which so far has followed the speedier update trend.

The major thing Microsoft has going for it with Windows 8 is how much more open it is to letting third-parties make adjustments to the operating system itself. On the non-Metro side of Windows this is unchanged, with backwards compatibility for apps, a bevy of third-party plug-ins, and software that can run behind the scenes to custom-tailor your computing experience. What’s unclear is how that will shape up on the Metro side of Windows 8.

During the Build keynote, we saw that users could extend what can be done from within an app based on other applications you had installed. In that case, it was a sharing app letting a user share the Web page they were on in IE10. But how much deeper Microsoft will let third-parties go with that customization? That wasn’t shown off at Build.

 

The software store in Microsoft’s Windows 8.

One other big question that remains is whether Microsoft can woo developers to its platform with the promise of scale. Windows president Steven Sinofsky pitched the 5,000 developers who were at the Build keynote on the merits of building on Windows 8, based on the fact that there “could be 400 million people when this product launches.”

Yet, even at 400 million, that could be a splintered group for developers to target. For instance, an application built for touchscreen tablets will only be aimed at those with the newer portables, which represents a smaller group (read: less revenue potential) and one with potentially different buying habits than desktop users (read: they might not pay as much per app). Then there are high-end games, which would be unplayable on the newer tablets for lack of a beefy CPU and graphics card. Yet those two things can sit side by side on Windows 8, Microsoft says.

So what are developers to do? If they want the money, they go with the bigger platform, which is traditional desktop users, or a competitor like Apple or Google. That, or they can bet on the future and hope it takes off, with them being on the ground floor.

To sweeten the deal, Microsoft’s tried to remove any barriers to entry. That includes letting apps with different requirements sit side by side in its store, as well as offering developers a way to offer free trials of their software–both things Apple does not. It’s also shown off more of its vision about where it wants to be, well ahead of when the actual software is ready for end users.

These bets could very well pay off for both users and developers in the long run, with applications that can tailor themselves to run on just about any hardware, and change the very deepest parts of Windows to a user’s exact liking. If Microsoft can deliver that with Windows 8, it will be treading ground that Apple hasn’t.

Windows President Steven Sinofsky gave the first live demo of Windows 8 here at the D9 conference in southern California. At first blush, it seems like the most radical overhaul of the aging OS in its nearly 30-year history. Designed to be as usable on a touchscreen as on a traditional desktop device, it borrows much of the look and feel of Windows Phone 7. (Indeed, the phone team at Redmond was heavily involved in Windows 8′s design.)

“What we tried to do with Windows 8 was reimagine what we want to do with a PC,” Sinofsky said. “We colored outside the lines.”

The homescreen has become a series of tiles, each leading to their own app — just as in Windows Phone 7. The tiles can be customized. One of those tiles leads directly to a more traditional Windows desktop. Another is marked “Store,” suggesting that Microsoft is going to follow Apple down the road of putting an App Store on the desktop (although Sinofsky didn’t confirm that).

A demo by Microsoft VP Julie Larson-Green, which she writes about here, included a number of apps running at once. The apps could be switched by swiping from the left corner and could also be dragged on the same screen in any combination. Swiping from the right brought up a menu bar.

Sinofsky was at pains to point out that despite the unusual look and feel, this was still the same OS at root. “Everything that runs on Windows 7, every peripheral, will run on this,” he said. He wouldn’t say when the launch date was, beyond confirming that it would be 2012 at the earliest.

Here is a video Microsoft just released, walking us through Windows 8. What do you think of the new OS? Is it more than a fancy coat of paint? Let us know in the comments.

We’re talking about 8 seconds from the moment the machine is turned on until it’s fully booted — a vast improvement over most machines running earlier versions of Windows today.

Of course, the boot time won’t be this fast on all machines. Having a fast PC with a lot of RAM and an SSD instead of a HDD will help out tremendously.

Still, it’s nice to see that Microsoft is working to reduce long boot times, which is one of the most annoying aspects of computing for many users. Microsoft’s own data shows that 57% of desktop PC users and 45% of laptop users shut down their machines instead of putting them in sleep mode.

Microsoft provides a very detailed breakdown of how, exactly, the engineers did it — it’s a hybrid between traditional cold boot and resuming from hibernate.

The impatient should probably just check out the video below, which demonstrates this ultra-fast booting sequence in action.

It isn’t the MacBook or Mac OS X Lion that has Microsoft executives worried, though. It’s the sheer dominance of the iPad.

The iPad hasn’t skipped a beat since its debut last year. Thanks to Apple’s ingenuity, a shockingly low startingprice and a strong marketing campaign, the device has sold more than 25 million units in less than a year and a half. More importantly, it has defined a whole new category of consumer devices. And it dominates that category with an iron fist.

iPad competitors have come and gone, but none have been able to make a dent in the iPad’s rapid growth. HP has given up on the TouchPad, the RIM Playbook has underperformed and countless Android tablets have fallen by the wayside. Nothing has emerged as the alternative to the iPad.

Windows 8: One OS to Rule Them All

This presents a dangerous problem and an opportunity for Microsoft. The tech giant cannot let Apple monopolize the tablet market like Microsoft did with the desktop OS. That would seal its fate as a technology power destined to diminish into a shell of its former self.

There is a need for a legitimate alternative to the iPad, though, and the company that gets it right will emerge in a strong position to take a big piece of the fast-growing tablet market. Success in tablets would boost Microsoft’s profits, ease investor concerns about the shrinking PC market and set it up for future growth.

That’s where Windows 8 comes in. The next generation OS, which will be unveiled at the Microsoft Build conference on Tuesday, is not only designed for PCs, but it is also made to work on tablets as well. We got ataste of its touchscreen capabilities at the D9 conference earlier this year, but we expect Microsoft to unveil the first Windows 8 tablet during Tuesday’s keynote. Our sources tell us that the device will be manufactured by Samsung but has been designed meticulously by Microsoft in an attempt to create the iPad alternative.

Will Microsoft’s gamble work? Can the company create an OS that works seamlessly on both tablets and PCs? And most of all, will it be useful enough, different enough and cheap enough to give the iPad a run for its money?

We’ll be closer to knowing the answers to those questions Tuesday morning. The tablet wars are about to begin in earnest.

Microsoft says it is “reinventing the OS” with Windows 8, the company’s next-generation operating system.

Microsoft fired off dozens of announcements and showed off countless features of the new OS at its Build conference in Anaheim, California. Features such as the Metro interface, support for touchscreens, improved performance and a Windows Store for apps are making headlines.

But which Windows 8 features are the most important ones?

We’ve scoured the Windows 8 feature list, played with Windows 8 devices (our first impressions coming soon), and come up with a list of features that we believe define Microsoft’s next-generation OS. Without further ado, here are the top four things you need to know about Windows 8:

1) Windows 8 Works on Tablets, Laptops & Desktops

Perhaps the biggest difference between Windows 8 and its predecessors is that this OS is designed to work on not just laptops and desktops, but on tablets as well. Microsoft is introducing the Metro interface it popularized with Windows Phone into Windows 8. Users can access the Metro view or the familiar desktop view with a simple click or tap.

To work well on tablets, Windows 8 has been designed for touchscreens. More importantly, it has been designed to work on ARM-based processors. ARM technology runs most of the smartphones and tablets in the world. ARM chips are simply better suited for these smaller form factors due to their energy efficiency. Even the Apple A5, the chip that powers the iPad 2, contains a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU.

The result is that Windows 8 will work on almost any device you put it on. It works with keyboards and touchscreens, and it doesn’t matter if a device has an Intel, AMD or ARM processor. This makes Windows 8 a versatile OS in a world where the desktop no longer dominates.

2) Everything Is Faster on Windows 8

Windows 8 boasts vast performance improvements over its predecessors. The memory footprint has been reduced, the boot time has been decreased (Windows 8 boots up in less than eight seconds) and the Metro UI launches apps almost instantly. The OS also supports USB 3.0 and Hyper-V.

The result is a slick OS that’s as fast as iOS and Mac OS X Lion. Most people will be surprised by how quickly Windows 8 starts up or runs apps. We certainly were surprised.

3) Say Hello to the Windows App Store

Windows 8 will have an app store. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anybody. The rise of Apple’s iOS App Store has launched a wave of app store mania across the tech ecosystem. Microsoft also gave away its intent to launch an app store in a leaked slide deck last year.

Still, the inclusion of a Windows Store provides new business opportunities for developers. It creates an incentive for developers to build Metro-style apps that could potentially sell well on the world’s most popular OS. And it’s a clear indication that Microsoft doesn’t intend to give up any ground to Apple and its App Store.

4) Metro & Touch Are the Future of Windows

Windows 8 was designed with touchscreens in mind. And while the OS works just fine with a keyboard and a mouse, Microsoft touted the Metro UI as the future of the OS.

Yes, Windows 8 includes the familiar desktop UI. And yes, you can install your standard desktop apps (the first app I installed on my Windows 8 tablet? Firefox). However, the real magic of the OS occurs when you’re swiping through the tile interface, launching games, launching the Charms bar and interacting with the device via touch.

Microsoft isn’t allowing itself to be stuck in the Stone Age. It knows the future of computing is mobile. It knows less people will be sitting at desktops to do their work and will carry around ultralights or tablets instead.

That’s what Microsoft is betting on. If Apple’s trying to pioneer the touch-based OS with iOS, Microsoft is trying to perfect it. The company is making a radical bet with the next version of Windows. We have to give the company credit: It’s not afraid to take a big risk in order to make a comeback.

The OS will include native drivers for classes of devices that haven’t previously had them, and it will also change how drivers look and behave in the new Metro-style interface you may be familiar with from Windows Phone 7 handsets.

Microsoft has always had built-in device drivers, and their advantage is two-fold.

First, it makes dealing with a new peripheral much easier. If you remember the dawn of USB thumb drives, you probably remember having to install a separate driver for each thumb drive you used. Once Microsoft included native drivers, that hassle was over. Built-in class drivers also (often) provide better performance.

When a technology is new–for example, mobile broadband dongles and USB 3.0–Microsoft usually lags behind before integrating that technology into its operating system. But now mobile broadband and USB 3.0 have been brought into the fold.

Mobile Broadband

If you use a USB dongle to connect to the Web, you’ll no longer need to deal with proprietary, annoying-to-install drivers masquerading as connection managers. Even the controls for turning the wireless radio on and off will be included in the OS. Reconnecting to your mobile network after you’ve been dropped should also be significantly smoother, and Windows will now be able to detect your account’s network usage and block or warn you when you reach your limit.

USB 3.0 Support

Built-in support for USB 3.0 means USB 3.0 devices connected to a Windows 8 machine should havebetter performance than current third-party drivers can provide. It also means that Windows will finally be able to take full advantage of the USB 3.0 spec, giving the system the ability to, for example, spin down external hard drives and save power when they’re not being used.
Jeff Ravencraft, president of the USB Implementers Forum (the industry group that oversees the USB 3.0 specification), notes that it’s not that current USB 3.0 drivers haven’t been able to exert the same control, but that by having the class driver integrated into the operating system, the devices will perform more efficiently.

Windows 8 demos at Microsoft’s BUILD conference did show USB 3.0 transfers that were far faster than USB 2.0 transfers. However, the demos did not compare the performance with that of USB 3.0 devices running on Windows 7 with a third-party driver.

Windows 8 will also include class drivers for other devices, such as printers, sensors, touch-input devices, and displays. A new human-interface device driver will support sensors for heat, light, temperature, pressure, current, and motion, according to Microsoft. This driver could support sensors beyond the norm, too, such as a blood-pressure monitor or a device that can sense when a glass is broken.

Pretty-Looking Drivers?

Much of Microsoft’s pitch for Windows 8 has centered on its new visual style, called Metro, which is also used in Windows Phone 7 phones. That new design will even extend into device drivers. Gone are the drab gray and clunky dialog boxes of yesteryear. App drivers can now become part of the settings “charm,” an icon in the right Windows 8 navigation panel.

Windows-certified devices, such as cameras, TVs, or printers, will launch the appropriate Metro-style app within the charms to allow sharing of data or other actions. This approach makes the driver feel like it’s integrated into the Metro experience and will reportedly change how companies distribute, and how you update, drivers.

If, though, you opt to use the desktop interface and desktop apps, nothing has changed–the dialog boxes remain in all their primitive glory.