






Windows 8 Upgarde
Microsoft is currently selling Windows 8 upgrades via pre-order.



HTC Windows Phone 8X



Sources: Microsoft, FT [analyst estimates]

Comments     Threshold


RE: Poor PR and marketing
By Labotomizer on 10/19/2012 1:08:15 PM , Rating: 2
Even a "miss" with Windows 8 will lead to an ecosystem of ~250 million systems for RT apps. Which means there will be no lack of development for it. So if for that reason alone I'm not worried.

As for booting into the desktop, I don't see the big deal. Especially since I only boot when updates install once a month anyway, other than that it's sleep so it goes right back where I was.

RE: Poor PR and marketing
By tayb on 10/19/2012 1:28:04 PM , Rating: 3
Microsoft already has an existing ecosystem, Windows. Most software written today will run on XP, Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. I think your expectations for Metro apps are pretty optimistic. If I choose to develop with WinRT for Metro I give up a lot such as freedom to distribute, MS app approval, lost revenue to MS Store, and no compatibility with prior versions of Windows.

On Windows 8 why would I want to be running Metro apps? I have access to the entire Windows software catalog. What type of Metro app would I want to run? On Windows RT I don't have a choice, it will ONLY run Metro apps, but the Windows RT tablet market share is 0% at the moment. I'll watch the launch and see what happens the first few months but as of right now I don't see many compelling reasons to develop Metro apps.

Hell, I can't even develop a WinRT app unless I'm using Windows 8 because it won't run on anything BUT a version of Windows 8.

RE: Poor PR and marketing
By kattanna on 10/19/2012 2:13:05 PM , Rating: 2
I'm still of the opinion that windows RT is a mistake.

for most people they will assume it is simply a new version of windows and buy the device and once home will try to install their quicken or other such real windows apps and find that they willnt work. then take the device back as being defective.

they really should have called it anything else but windows. its going to cause confusion to the masses

RE: Poor PR and marketing
By Mint on 10/19/2012 2:31:31 PM , Rating: 2
I think Microsoft's biggest marketing failing is avoiding how to show users that the UI is better/faster 90% of the time even if you never touch any Win8 apps. Obviously this shouldn't be a national TV ad, as MS wants the Win8 market to succeed, but some web videos with side by side comparisons would quell a lot of the criticism.

If they advertised the quick access menu, the better task manager, how launching programs takes equal or fewer clicks with a customized start page, and that the whole notion of "leaving the desktop" is entirely psychological, I'm pretty sure these hardcore users wouldn't be so riled up.

RE: Poor PR and marketing
By Jeffk464 on 10/19/2012 4:43:05 PM , Rating: 2
With more and more computing moving to the cloud the underlying OS is becoming less important. If you do everything through chrome browser you have about the same experience on a mac, pc, linux, or chrome OS for that matter. Even if you don't like or can't use google docs, you can now do MS office in the cloud. Cloud computing can really make the compatibility factor of windows basically a non issue.

RE: Poor PR and marketing
By Spuke on 10/19/2012 7:13:30 PM , Rating: 2
See this is where my old man kicks in. :) I don't all or even most of my stuff on the cloud. I want an OS that helps manage my stuff that mostly local. I think the ChromeOS is stupid and is only good for web surfers.

RE: Poor PR and marketing
By Jeffk464 on 10/19/2012 4:47:37 PM , Rating: 2
Windows RT should allow for simpler, cheaper, longer battery life mini laptops and tablets. I personally think its a good idea. Having a wintel tablet automatically puts you behind price wise to an android/arm tablet.

