Tag Archives: Windows Blue

Windows Blue may help, but Microsoft still faces hurdles

Microsoft’s failure thus far to significantly spark PC and tablet sales with Windows 8 has put high expectations on an expected 2013 refresh of the OS, dubbed “Blue.”

But changes to the operating system’s feature set, tweaks to its user interface (UI) and modifications to some of its subcomponents are actually solutions to minor problems, analysts said. They point to more important issues like pricing and positioning, app shortages, and enterprise reluctance as beyond the scope of an upgrade. (See also “Windows Blue wish list: 15 must-see improvements.”)

Few Blue hints

Microsoft has said little of Blue, the code name for the first Windows 8 upgrade, reportedly to ship this summer or fall, as well as the moniker for the company’s faster-paced development and release schedule. It’s only acknowledged the code name and touted what it’s called a new “continuous” update strategy for Windows on desktops, tablets, servers, and smartphones.

For example, last week Microsoft’s CFO Peter Klein used the “Windows Blue” label, and added, “With Windows 8, we are setting a new, accelerated pace for updates and innovations.”

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

Microsoft says small Windows touch devices are in the works

Microsoft may be busy making changes to the Windows technical requirements and licensing terms to pave the way for smaller Windows tablets. For the most part, however, the company has only hinted that sub 10-inch tablets could be in the works. That changed recently after the company came awfully close to confirming a 7-inch Windows tablet was on the way.

“We…are working closely with OEMs on a new suite of small touch devices powered by Windows,” said outgoing chief financial officer Peter Klein during Microsoft’s third quarter earnings call Thursday.

Klein offered few details about the upcoming devices other than to say they will be priced competitively and available in the coming months. He didn’t mention anything about display sizes, form factors, specific manufacturers, or branding for the upcoming devices. So while it’s tempting to assume Microsoft was talking about a 7-inch Windows tablet, we can’t say for sure that’s what he was referencing.

Nevertheless, a lot of rumors floating around out there suggest that 7-inch Windows 8 slates are coming. Most recently, Microsoft dropped its minimum allowable screen resolution for Windows tablets to 1024-by-768, making it easier for small and low-priced tablets to make the cut. A leaked copy of Windows Blue, an upcoming Windows 8 revamp, allows you to use the Windows 8 Snap feature with 1024-by-768 resolutions. Current versions of Windows 8 cap the Snap feature at 1366-by-768. Snap lets you view two modern UI apps (or the desktop and one modern UI app) at once. The feature would be a key differentiator for a 7-inch Windows tablet as Android and iOS slates don’t have a similar feature to view apps simultaneously—and no, Android widgets don’t count.

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From: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2035757/microsoft-says-small-windows-touch-devices-are-in-the-works.html#tk.rss_all

Why the Start button is Microsoft's 'New Coke' moment

Companies make bad decisions all the time. Some of those decisions do irreparable harm, but others—like forcing users to boot to the new Modern interface in Windows 8, and taking away the Start button—can be reversed. Microsoft needs to ask whether it makes sense to backpedal.

There is new speculation that Windows 8.1, known as Windows “Blue,” will allow users to bypass the Modern interface and boot straight to desktop mode, complete with the Start button.

Retronaut

Once upon a time in 1985, a carbonated beverage called Coca-Cola was by far the dominant leader of its market. However, Coca-Cola’s corporate geniuses decided to scrap the guarded, secret recipe to launch something called New Coke.

It was one of the most spectacular debacles in the history of product marketing. (New Coke makes Microsoft Bob, 10 years later, seem brilliant.) After a customer backlash, Coca-Cola brought back the original recipe under the new name of Coke Classic, but stubbornly hung on to New Coke for awhile, even rebranding it as Coke II. Many credit the return to Coke Classic for saving the brand from complete meltdown.

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From: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2035384/why-the-start-button-is-microsofts-new-coke-moment.html#tk.rss_all

Windows Blue wish list: 15 must-see improvements

For all the grief it gets, Windows 8 brought a wealth of welcome improvements to Microsoft’s seminal operating system. In fact, once you stop worrying and learn to love (or at least ignore) the Live Tiles, the Windows 8 desktop is nothing short of the best Windows desktop ever—fast, useful, and all-around awesome.

But the devil is in the details, and Windows 8’s brand-new modern interface gets a lot of those details wrong.

Usually, we’d have to wait for an infrequent service pack to fix the little mistakes, but Microsoft’s new focus on continuous improvement gives the company an opportunity to slap bandages in hurting areas much more quickly than it ever did before. In fact, a major update dubbed Windows Blue (or Windows 8.1, if you’re being pedantic) is barreling down the pipeline, bringing a bevy of changes to make Windows 8 much more palatable.

An early leak of Windows Blue revealed several much-needed enhancements, including beefed-up syncing options, deeper Start screen personalization, and some simple yet effective interface tweaks.

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From: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2035460/windows-blue-wish-list-15-must-see-improvements.html#tk.rss_all

New Windows 8 Blue leak shows more refinements

Microsoft just can’t seem to keep a lid on it: A new development version of Windows 8.1, aka Windows Blue, was leaked this week on P2P sites, showing some new tweaks and improvements.

Build 9369 does not bring any significant changes over the previous leak, but Microsoft seems to be working on refinements of the multi-tasking interface, as well as a new Apps List and a new file explorer for SkyDrive.

In the first Windows 8.1 leak, we saw a new mode for snapping two apps on the screen in 50/50 ratio (compared to the 75/25 ratio currently available). The new build adds a splash screen for new apps you want to snap side by side—you simply swipe it left or right to choose which side of the screen it goes to. The app then opens.

There’s also a new touch-friendly Files app carrying the SkyDrive logo, which allows you to navigate files stored either on your hard drive or on the cloud-storage service, although it’s unclear whether this app will replace the SkyDrive app. In settings, some new additions include the ability to save files to SkyDrive by default and a new option to connect to a wireless display.

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From: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2035409/new-windows-8-blue-leak-shows-more-refinements.html#tk.rss_all

Windows Blue Rumored to be the Return of the Start Button

Microsoft’s next update to its flagship operating system is codenamed “Windows Blue,” or “Windows 8.1,” and is anticipated for release later this year. Rumors began circulating today that Windows Blue will reintroduce the classic Start Button that every version of the OS prior to Windows 8 featured.

With the release of Windows 8, Microsoft gambled on a drastically altered interface. The tiled start screen of Windows 8 is optimized for touchscreens, a response to the proliferation of mobile devices and the decline in desktop PC sales. Since the release of Windows 8, dozens of smartphones and tablets carrying the OS have been launched, including models from HTC, Samsung, and Nokia. Backed by cutting-edge hardware including Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, these Windows 8 mobile devices have gained market share over the past months, particularly in some international markets.Supposedly, Windows Blue will offer a dual-boot-up option, where one can bypass the Windows 8 tiled interface and go directly to the Start Button homescreen that legacy Windows users are more familiar with. If this ends up being the case, this update may be particularly attractive to enterprise users or others who aren’t typically using Windows on touchscreen devices.

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From: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2034761/windows-blue-rumored-to-be-the-return-of-the-start-button.html#tk.rss_all

Windows Blue may bring back boot-to-desktop, Start button

With Windows Blue, Microsoft may concede that not everyone wants or needs the new modern-style Start screen.

Citing unnamed sources, both ZDNet and The Verge say that Microsoft is considering a boot-to-desktop option in Windows Blue, an update to Windows 8 that’s expected to arrive this summer. This option, disabled by default, would allow users to bypass Windows 8’s modern-style Start screen when turning the computer on.

Signs of a boot-to-desktop option were also spotted earlier this week in one of the operating system files in a leaked version of Windows Blue. Presumably this option would be simpler than the existing workaround, which involves using Task Schedule to open Explorer on startup.

However, reports conflict on whether Microsoft will bring back the Start button. ZDNet says that Microsoft has considered it, while The Verge says Microsoft will retain the “hot corners” that bring up the modern-style Start menu and the Charms bar.

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From: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2034727/windows-blue-may-bring-back-boot-to-desktop-start-button.html#tk.rss_all

Microsoft's Raising the Bar on Smartphones

By Chris Neiger, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

The latest word on the street was that Microsoft will issue an update to its Windows Phone software later this year that brings 1080p compatibility and support for new quad-core processors. 

The Verge first reported on the possible changes, along with the rumor that Microsoft will introduce a 5-inch displays or greater, which would push the Windows Phone OS into the phablet realm. Surprisingly, the current version of Windows Phone only supports 720p HD and doesn’t work with high-end quad-core processors.

Adding these two enhancements would be a big plus for handset makers selling phones with the Windows Phone OS. Apple‘s iPhone and many Android phones are compatible with quad-core processors, which is where the future of smartphone processors is going. Qualcomm and NVIDIA are two of the biggest names in the quad-core processor game, and both companies recently announced the latest versions of their high-end processors over the past few months. 

The shift to quad-core means that smartphones can work on more tasks at once, making apps and calculations much faster. Samsung’s new Galaxy S4 has the company’s own Exynos 5 Octa processor, and is sold as a quad-core phone in some locations and 8-core in others.  Qualcomm is the only chip maker licensed to provide processors for Windows Phones, and with the company continually building faster quad-core processors, Windows Phones need to catch up.

Adding quad-core capability may help Windows Phones compete against rival smartphone software from Apple  (iOS) and Google  (Android). The most important play for Windows Phone OS, though, is to try to take the third spot away from BlackBerry . Here’s a breakdown of the current OS market share in the United States:

Source: Kantar Worldpanel. 

Obviously Apple and Android dominate the OS market, but Windows Phone and BlackBerry seem to be on a back-and-forth path to take the No. 3 spot. Updates to Windows Phone would certainly make it a stronger competitor, but it’s still unclear if it will rise up and beat the BlackBerry OS. BB10 hasn’t been on the market as long as Windows Phone has, so investors will need to wait a little longer to see how it all plays out. 

Better late than never
It’s good to see Microsoft updating its OS to keep up with the fast-paced changes of the mobile environment, but I can’t help but feel that the OS is just playing catch-up with iOS and Android. With an upcoming release of Windows “Blue” coming later this year or in 2014, maybe Microsoft will launch an OS that truly is ahead, or at least on par, with high-end smartphones. But until then, the company is making a step in the right direction, even if it’s been slow to make it.

It’s been a frustrating path for Microsoft investors, who’ve watched the company fail to capitalize on the incredible growth in mobile over the past decade. However, with the release of its own tablet, along with the widely anticipated Windows 8 operating system, the company is …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Windows 8.1 part of game where name matters

The more information that leaks about Windows 8’s expected summer upgrade, dubbed “Blue” by Microsoft, the more questions that pop up, analysts say.

And with very few exceptions, customers don’t have answers.

The latest tidbit about Windows Bluedisclosed earlier this week — was that the upgrade would be named “Windows 8.1,” a convention reminiscent of rival Apple’s system of numbering its versions of OS X as, for example, 10.7 for Lion, 10.8 for Mountain Lion.

Apple then adds a third number to signal each update. Mountain Lion, for instance, is currently at 10.8.3, meaning it has been updated three times since its July 2012 debut.

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…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

Is Microsoft Laying Groundwork for a Smaller Surface?

By Evan Niu, CFA, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

With the very obvious consumer trend toward smaller tablets, Microsoft  has little choice but to release a smaller version of its Surface if it has any hopes of success. Apple  recently launched its iPad Mini in an admission that there is a market for smaller devices. Google‘s Nexus 7 has a hot seller among Android enthusiasts, and Amazon.com  was easily the first company to see major success with its 7-inch Kindle Fire. Windows Blue, which may be officially dubbed Windows 8.1, will lay the groundwork for smaller Windows tablets.

In the video below, Fool contributor Evan Niu, CFA, lays it out for investors.

It’s been a frustrating path for Microsoft investors, who’ve watched the company fail to capitalize on the incredible growth in mobile over the past decade. However, with the release of its own tablet, along with the widely anticipated Windows 8 operating system, the company is looking to make a splash in this booming market. In this brand-new premium report on Microsoft, our analyst explains that while the opportunity is huge, the challenges are many. He’s also providing regular updates as key events occur, so make sure to claim a copy of this report now by clicking here.

var FoolAnalyticsData = FoolAnalyticsData || []; FoolAnalyticsData.push({ eventType: “TickerReportPitch”, contentByline: “Evan Niu, CFA“, contentId: “cms.29176”, contentTickers: “NASDAQ:AAPL, NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:AMZN, NASDAQ:MSFT”, contentTitle: “Is Microsoft Laying Groundwork for a Smaller Surface?”, hasVideo: “True”, …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

4 things Microsoft Office 'Gemini' needs to succeed

Whether talking about the constellation in the night sky or the sign of the zodiac, the word “Gemini” is synonymous with twins. It’s no coincidence that Gemini is reportedly the code name for an upcoming Microsoft Office build that could be the twin project to Windows Blue. Together, the two efforts represent a complete shift in the way Microsoft develops and rolls out software.

According to Mary Jo Foley, a respected authority on Microsoft with reliable inside sources,  Gemini will be released inititally this fall alongside Windows Blue, with new versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.

For Office, Gemini could have multiple meanings. It could even be an altogether new Microsoft Office suite, a fraternal twin to the existing Office 2013. Perhaps instead of replacing Office 2013, Gemini will be a suite of Office MX apps designed for the Windows 8 Modern interface, following in the style of the current OneNote MX.

What does Microsoft have in store for Office Gemini? Here are four things Redmond should consider:

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…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

Even more secretive Windows Blue features revealed

The leaked development version of Windows Blue, an upcoming version of Windows 8 expected later this year, has shed light on even more improvements coming to the operating system. Windows Bluewhose leak prompted Microsoft to admit its existence—won’t be a whole new OS, but rather an update or service pack to Windows 8, packed with incremental updates and features while maintaining the same overall user experience.

Our first look at the Windows Blue leak revealed some useful changes. The leaked build includes the ability to snap two apps on the screen in 50/50 ratio (compared to the only 75/25 ratio currently available), additional Live Tile sizing options, easier screenshot sharing, new gesture controls, and better access to critical system settings from the modern-style interface.

Paul Thurrott of the Windows Supersite dug a bit deeper and unearthed a feature that will make your life easier if you use multiple Windows 8 devices: a greatly enhanced Start screen sync.

Although the interface for managing the feature is broken in the test version, he was able to sync his start screen by simply signing in to two different Windows Blue-equipped PCs with the same Microsoft account. While Windows 8 allows for the syncing of basic settings and your wallpaper, Thurrott reports that Windows Blue ups the ante by syncing your modern Start screen’s color scheme and pinned tiles, including said tiles’ colors and layout.

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…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

Office "Gemini:" Dragging Microsoft's productivity suite into the modern Windows UI

A recent leak of Windows Blue, an impending update for Windows 8, persuaded some observers to argue that Microsoft is laying the groundwork needed to take the windows out of Windows by transferring several traditional desktop lynchpins to the touch-centric modern UI.

Right now, however, the idea is laughable for one simple reason: Microsoft can’t ditch the traditional desktop interface without having a modern UI version of Microsoft Office waiting in the wings. Along with Windows, the Office productivity suite is a key pillar of Microsoft’s consumer-facing business, and neither early reports nor Microsoft’s recent public admission that Blue exists ever linked Office with a modern UI makeover.

A new report does.

Gemini: Rethinking Microsoft Office

ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley claims that a Blue-like rapid update cycle for Office exists, code-named “Gemini.” The first wave of updates is allegedly due to arrive this fall, followed by a follow-up sometime next year. Foley expects the first fall wave to introduce modern UI versions of Office’s various apps, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

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…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

Microsoft Prepares to Go Blue

By Evan Niu, CFA, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

For months, investors have been hearing about a mysterious internal project within Microsoft code-named “Blue.” The initiative represents a major shift in the way that Microsoft strategically approaches software updates — one that’s reminiscent of how its rival from Cupertino does things.

Two peas in a pod
For decades, Microsoft’s flagship Windows business has seen major upgrades typically every two years, and each time consumers looking for the latest and greatest (without upgrading their hardware) could potentially have to pay over a hundred dollars to get the newest version of Windows. In contrast, Apple pushes out smaller, more incremental upgrades at much lower price points.

The big difference there is that Microsoft is a software business, so the company has always wanted to keep prices as high as possible, whereas the Mac maker sells integrated packages of hardware and software so it could generate its margin elsewhere.

Save the date
Yesterday, the software giant set official dates for its Build developer conference, which will take place in June at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Microsoft is bringing the battle right to Apple’s doorstep, since the Mac maker’s own developer conference, WWDC, usually takes place at the Moscone Center in June each year.

Last year’s Build conference took place on Microsoft’s home turf in Redmond, but the year before was in Anaheim, Calif. Build 2011 was a particularly notable conference, since that was when Microsoft officially unveiled Windows 8 for the first time, giving developers a sneak peek ahead of public release.

The company also finally acknowledged the existence of Blue yesterday, simply referring to the project as a set of plans to advance its devices and services. To date, that’s as much official detail that investors have gotten regarding Blue outside of speculation and rumors.

And speaking of speculation and rumors…

Blue incoming
The Verge reports that Microsoft is indeed preparing to show off a public preview version of the next iteration of Windows, with sources calling it a “milestone preview” of Blue.

There have been some early leaks on some of the tweaks in Windows Blue (which won’t officially be named Blue once it’s released), and Microsoft is also building up a handful of new first-party apps. Blue is also expected to implement tighter integration with some of Microsoft’s cloud services such as Skydrive. Search will also play a larger role, with the Bing team pitching in.

The price is right?
The biggest unknown and most important aspect for investors will be pricing. The whole idea if incremental upgrades is that they shouldn’t cost as much, but Microsoft could make up for this with frequency.

Ahead of the Windows 8 launch, Microsoft had detailed an upgrade promotion for $40 (that has since ended). Buyers of relatively new PCs could get the new operating system for just $15. The company had also reportedly been offering discounts to OEMs to incentivize smaller touchscreen form factors. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Microsoft officially acknowledges Windows Blue

Microsoft has finally broken its silence on Windows Blue, the long-rumored but never-announced update for Windows 8.

Whispers about Windows Blue started up months ago, egged on by slip-ups in Microsoft job postings and interviews that mentioned the update by name. Speculation reached a fever pitch this weekend when an early build of Windows Blue hit file-sharing sites, complete with a cornucopia of fresh features that make the modern-style Start screen more handy-dandy than ever before.

On Tuesday, Frank X. Shaw, the corporate vice president of corporate communications at Microsoft, made the first official mention of Windows Blue in a TechNet blog post:

Now, the look ahead. With a remarkable foundation of products in market and a clear view of how we will evolve the company, product leaders across Microsoft are working together on plans to advance our devices and services, a set of plans referred to internally as “Blue.”

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…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

Microsoft Sets Dates for Build Developer Conference

By Evan Niu, CFA, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Software giant Microsoft has now announced official dates for its Build developer conference, which will take place June 26-28 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Tech giants frequently use developer conferences for major product announcements, such as Apple‘s WWDC or Google I/O, so investors should mark these dates on their calendars. 

The company will provide updates and discuss the future of some of its most important products, including Windows. Registration begins on April 2. 

In 2011, Microsoft publicly unveiled Windows 8, which has been one of the biggest overhauls of Windows in years, at the Build conference.

Microsoft has been focusing heavily on developers recently to bolster its ecosystem, as third-party content has become increasingly important to competition in recent years. In a separate post, Microsoft for the first time officially acknowledged Windows “Blue,” which has been rumored as a new upgrade for Windows that may include more regular software updates.

The article Microsoft Sets Dates for Build Developer Conference originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Evan Niu, CFA, owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool recommends Apple and Google and owns shares of Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don’t all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Why Windows Blue heralds the death of the desktop

Brace yourselves, faithful PC enthusiasts. You aren’t going to like what I’m about to say. Heck, I don’t really like what I’m about to say. In fact, I’m almost terrified to lay out my case in black and white. But that doesn’t change the fact that it needs to be said.

There’s a very good chance that Microsoft will kill the desktop in Windows 9. No more Task Manager. No more File Explorer. No more legacy compatibility. It’ll be 100 percent Live Tiles, 100 percent of the time.

That day is still on the distant horizon, but it is coming. Indeed, if Windows Blue, the just-leaked update to Windows 8, shows us anything, it’s that Microsoft is willing to de-emphasize desktop functionality in deference to the modern UI.

A finger-friendly Windows

By now, everyone knows that Windows 8 (and its dumbed-down cousin, Windows RT) is Microsoft’s answer to the massive success of smartphones and tablets. A touch-friendly interface! An app store! Bing Maps! Even an airplane mode! How mobile.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld