Windows 8 Release Preview Dated For June
The new public release of Windows 8 is slated for early June before it officially lands on store shelves in October.
Steven Sinofsky, president of Microsoft’s Windows Division in Japan, said on Tuesday at a Windows developer event in Tokyo that the company plans to release its Windows 8 Release Preview to the public in early June. This near-finished version will be the last public release of the boxy new Windows installment until it goes retail later this year.
Microsoft's release schedule for Windows 8 is similar to the one seen with Windows 7 even though officials have claimed that the newer OS isn't following the same timeline. Back in July 2009, Microsoft released the Windows 7 Beta and then reached the Release Candidate status in May. The RTM version was ready by July, leading up to the official Windows 7 retail launch in October 2009.
So far Windows 8 is following in the same footsteps. The public Windows 8 beta (Consumer Preview) was released in February 2012, and now Microsoft plans to follow up with the Windows 8 Release Candidate (Release Preview) in early June. The new touchy Metro-themed OS is expected to go RTM in July or August, and land on store shelves this October. Naturally the last two dates are mere speculation.
Just last week Microsoft revealed that Windows 8 will come in only four flavors after much speculation about the eventual SKUs: Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, Windows RT for ARM-based SoCs, and Windows Server 2012 for businesses and enterprises.
A chart provided by Microsoft here shows the difference between the three consumer versions, revealing that Windows RT -- formerly Windows on ARM -- lacks the ability to install x86/64 and desktop software, but provides device encryption. Yet it's extremely similar in features when compared to the standard Windows 8 although it won't support Storage Spaces and Windows Media Player.
Unfortunately, Sinofsky didn't go into details regarding the upcoming Release Preview or anything taking place thereafter. However the company previously said that it plans to share much more information about Windows 8 in the coming months, "including details on pricing and limited-time programs and promotions that we will make available to customers."
Last week during its earnings report, Microsoft said that it delivered a strong third quarter thanks to its enterprise software. The company reported earnings of $5.11 billion on revenue of $17.41 billion, or rather 60 cents a share. Wall Street was actually expecting Microsoft to report of earning 57 cents a share on revenue of $17.18 billion.
I tried Win8 and hated it. Microsoft took a touchscreen based mobile OS and dumped it onto personal computer... and it failed, IMO. Granted in a side-by-side comparison, Win8 actually loaded/ran games faster than Win7, the overall UI is painful to use.
I don't need buttons all over my desktop to access programs. If I wanted that, I would've created shortcut icons.
Most haters never even tried win8. And if they did they weren't willing to learn something new. If anything I hope they spend a min and learn how to use win 7...
I tried Win8 and hated it. Microsoft took a touchscreen based mobile OS and dumped it onto personal computer... and it failed, IMO. Granted in a side-by-side comparison, Win8 actually loaded/ran games faster than Win7, the overall UI is painful to use.
I don't need buttons all over my desktop to access programs. If I wanted that, I would've created shortcut icons.
Just look at GFWL. They thought console standards would apply to PC. They were wrong. And yet, Windows has been the de facto OS for gaming since Win '95.
How could Microsoft ever lose to companies like Valve and EA with Steam and Origin?
The fact that GFWL failed so miserably is proof alone that they can't make decisions, or rather, that they are trying too hard. It is the same reason why Apple has the consumer appeal aesthetic down pat.
Microsoft really needs to split into two or even 3 separate companies. A company geared for general consumers, a company geared towards enthusiasts, and a company (what we know now) for business.
Why? Because a business company doesn't understand the average consumer, nor do they understand the enthusiast.
If we could get a version of Windows for general home use, a version of windows for high performance computing at home (geared towards gaming preferably because that is what will really win over the crowd), and a version of windows for businesses (profession, with enterprise not being listed when announced by still available as always) then they could probably really make a difference in those markets.
Right now they are trying to cram all of their audiences into one OS, when really we just need a couple exceedingly different versions for each group.
Of course that is all easier said than done, and Microsoft needs to hire the right people for the job too. However I think there is still potential for them to really untie themselves from the image they have earned lately.
I feel sorry for programmers who will have to decide whether to embrace this metro interface or continue to do things the old way, or god help them be locked into doing both.
He is not a PC "geek" in any way... and he hated it.
He loves his "iphone" which I hate, but not even with his "iphone training" he couldn't find the programs.
Bottom line: PC's should be simple PC's and phones should be phones.
(I prefer my phones without the "i") the same way that Y rather take pictures with my DLSR camera than with a phone "pretending" to be a camera.
also why Toms not have a simple edit function?
It does on the forums, so why not here?
windows 8, dx12 exclusive.
i would rather use xp than win 7, but i got an ssd and 8gb of ram, xp64 wanst an option for me...
i already dont like much of the new functionality in win 8 and miss what they didnt bring over from xp.