Windows 8 release date not know yet, but Microsoft shares more at Microsoft's Build conference

Whilst the release date of Windows 8 is still not known at this stage (I’d guess at the end of first quarter 2012 with a possibility of mid 2012), more details of the functionality of Windows 8 have now been released by Microsoft at their Build conference for developers.

Now some people are going to be aghast as Microsoft’s emphasis on their Metro interface (designed for touch screen) with the lessening emphasis on the Windows desktop. Whilst I’m one of those people I can also see Microsoft really have little choice. I was helping a user with their Motorola Xoom Android tablet yesterday and for most of the day, they could easily use their tablet and not touch their Windows based notebook computer.

A lot of people spend most of their time now either in their email client or on the internet. For most people a tablet computer will do a lot of what they need. Ask yourself when was the last time your created a document or a spreadsheet for your own personal needs. For some people due to their job ,they will create documents every day, but for others it may be days or weeks since they’ve really needed a desktop or notebook computer.

As a general rule if you’re a consumer of services you may find a tablet becomes your primary device. Your smartphone is probably used more, keeps you in contact, but isn’t really that great for entering text. I see many people will use their smartphone as their first level of communication, then their tablet and next their desktop or notebook. If you’re a creator of information then you’ll be using your desktop or notebook. It really depends on your role as a user.

If Microsoft provides an operating system which enables a tablet to easily operate as a Windows desktop/notebook by docking with a keyboard, mouse and even a large screen, all of a sudden the need for a desktop or notebook for many is gone. Microsoft can’t miss that boat or they’ll be in real trouble. For me right now an iPad or an Android tablet doesn’t do what I want and need to do, but there’s a good chance Windows 8 will. So the opportunity for Microsoft is still open but if they don’t get this right or at least close, if not, they could be in trouble. Whilst they’ll have the corporate market for a while they’ll have lost the consumer market. At first that won’t appear to matter, but in the long run consumers also have jobs and what they use will leak into the corporate market, as the iPad has done.

Certainly interesting times for Microsoft. For us it is still about using the tools which help us do what we want to do.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if your need assistance with your computer, tablet or mobile phone.