Some early details for Windows 8 have apparently been discovered by an enthusiastic blogger. The main details involve coming back from sleep mode quickly and using proximity sensors and webcams to sense users.
The era of light computing has begun. Apple’s iPad is only the first among a new class of devices that turns on instantly, and gives the user access to the workflows that they want, writes David Worthington. The industry has been overselling hardware; most people don’t utilize their PC’s full capacity. Surfing the Web, writing an essay, or sending e-mails doesn’t require the latest and greatest hardware. The iPad’s popularity is an indication that people s needs weren’t being met by the traditional PC paradigm.
That is not to say that the PC is going to be unseated any time soon, but its kingdom will be diminished, adds Worthington. So, Microsoft has a challenging problem to solve: It needs to get Windows users to sit at their desks when more and more of their computing activities are happening with smart devices. ‘Always on’ doesn’t fit that criteria; the iPad does that better than Windows can and did it first. The Windows interface also needs some work to work well on ‘slate’ devices that it was not designed for. Don’t give me an elephant and call it a donkey.
Source: PC World