Windows 8 Preview Video - I hate it already!

So Microsoft announced a Windows 8 Preview video. I hate it. It's designed with a touch Windows tablet (i.e. iPad) in mind. The Start Menu is replaced by these humongous graphical tiles taking up way too much screen real-estate. All I have to say is Windows Classic Mode is looking good!

Actually, I have more to say. Remember how Microsoft had several flavors of Windows, which they then consolidated? It's obvious to me that Microsoft will eventually consolidate their mobile operating system with their new Windows 8 "touch enabled" operating system. Windows 8 is one more step in that direction, especially with the recent news about Microsoft slates/netbooks supporting ARM chips. It's not far fetched to think Windows Phone 7 is only a temporary measure and Windows 8 will become a universal operating system for Microsoft netbooks, PCs, tablets, and mobile phone devices. If not Windows 8, then certainly Window 8 SP1 or Windows 9. No doubt about it.

In that sense, it makes sense what Microsoft did to Windows 8 where they threw the Start menu and icons into the trash bin in the default mode. I still hate the new Start UI, but I can see how this Start menu would be useful on a mobile phone. I can still switch my desktop to Windows Classic mode, so I don't lose anything, while if I purchase a future Windows 8/9 phone, I'll get the same EXACT operating system and can leverage the touch-enhanced user interface and other features.

This could turn out to be a HUGE advantage for Microsoft as they try and stop Apple's huge momentum in the mobile phone and tablet space. Everyone knows Windows, where the Control Panel is, how to set the wallpaper, screensaver, etc. There is no learning curve. The Apple iPhone & iPad platform, as easy as it is to learn, is still a learning curve. Not to mention, Windows can run all your standard Windows apps from Microsoft Word to Skype. Though, that does bring its own challenges, such as a smaller screen for mobile phones, where mobile-optimized apps design for the smaller screen provide a better UI. Still, a universal binary that detects screen size and adjusts accordingly shouldn't be that hard.

Check out the Windows 8 preview video:


Via AllThingsD

Tags: microsoft, start menu, touch screen, ui, user interface, video, windows 8 Related tags: operating system, preview video, mobile phone, windows preview, smaller screen, windows

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