Approaching The Threshold

Two days ago Microsoft unveiled the first draft of the successor to Windows 8, once codenamed "Threshold", now officially dubbed "Windows 10". Yesterday, the company released the first draft of Windows 10 in the form of a Technical Preview for businesses and other partners. With this new version of Windows, Microsoft has two major objectives: correct the strategic mistakes of Windows 8, and migrate all current Windows users (be they on XP, Vista, 7 or 8/8.1) to Windows 10.

But Microsoft is also pursuing secondary goals, beginning with the unification of its underlying systems. Windows 10 will be on PCs, tablets, smartphones, the XBox One console and other connected devices — only the user interface will vary between platforms.

The Return Of The Start Menu

The Start menu is back, folks! This is perhaps the most iconic feature of Windows 10. It epitomizes how Microsoft is finally reacting to the opinions of the majority of its user base: that removing the Start menu was a mistake, and the idea that a single touch-based interface would be appropriate for the typical desktop or laptop was absurd.

Meanwhile, the company hasn't abandoned some of the few good ideas introduced by the Windows 8 Start screen, such as Live Tiles. Like the Taskbar of Windows 8, the color of the Start menu automatically adapts to the dominant color of the desktop wallpaper.

The newly revived Start menu retains the classic list of programs, but it can now be resized at will, and it incorporates the iconic Live Tiles of Windows 8. The tile still scroll through information without having expand the associated applications just like they did in the Start screen. However, you aren’t obligated to pin any Windows Store apps to the Start menu. If you don’t, they will appear in the master list of applications just like any other.

Windows Store Apps Run In A Window

In Windows 10, the desktop can rule once again! On a typical PC, the Desktop regains its role as the primary user interface. Windows 8 users who want to continue using the Start screen still can, but may find that it's been disabled by default. What's more, when Windows Store apps are launched from the Start menu, the Taskbar or the Desktop, they open as regular windowed Desktop apps by default. Windows Store apps will, however, be displayed in full screen view if launched from the Start screen.

The Charms Bar, Redesigned

In Windows 8 and 8.1, the Charms Bar had essentially no use on the desktop whatsoever. In Windows 10, it disappears completely in this environment and will now only be available on tablets and other touchscreen-enabled PCs. The features of the Charms Bar are now located inside a new menu that appears on the titlebar of Windows Store app windows.

Virtual Desktops

Now that the desktop regains supremacy, Microsoft needed to add some serious innovations to its traditional user interface. Sometimes you can't have more than one monitor (like on a laptop), and some apps are simply better off maximized than they are snapped (such as Photoshop). Hence, the introduction of a longstanding feature of Linux and OS X: virtual desktops.

In this UI paradigm, the user has several desktops which they can organize as they see fit, and switch between them at will. With the Windows 10 virtual desktop system, it’s pretty easy to create desktops and close apps wherever they are via a redesigned Task Switcher (former Alt+Tab) which is now incorporated into the Desktop Switcher.

Unfortunately, moving apps between desktops is an unwieldy right-click affair, and repositioning desktops appears to be impossible in the Technical Preview. If OS X’s Mission Control, or even some of the Linux solutions are the benchmark, Microsoft still has a ways to go with its virtual desktop implementation.

The Desktop, Refined

The Desktop may be given a slight makeover, but this hasn't materialized too far in the Technical Preview. One change that is noticeable is the new File Explorer icon and the additional Share entry in the ribbon, which as its name implies, let's you more easily share files and folders with friends and colleagues.

To 4K And Beyond

Microsoft is also working towards better native management for high-density screens. True 4K UHD screens are starting to appear on the market, and some manufacturers are already working on 8K panels. Already improved under Windows 8.1, the dynamic management of font size by pixel density should be even easier and more natural in Windows 10.

Start Screen, Enhanced

Despite the return of the desktop and Start menu, the Start screen of Windows 8 does not entirely disappear. It will remain the primary user interface for tablets and smartphones. Microsoft also intends to further enrich the user interface formerly known as Metro by introducing even more interactivity to the Live Tiles in the form of action buttons.

Notification Center

Born in version 8.1 of Windows Phone, the centralized Notifications Center will also appear in Windows 10. It will house all alerts, reminders and notifications issued by the system and by applications. Operation will be very similar to Windows Phone 8.1, with notifications grouped by app.

Storage Sense

Budget Windows tablets generally come equipped with the bare minimum amount of flash storage (16GB or even 8GB). Therefore, it should be possible to install the Windows Store apps on external media such as microSD cards (as is the case with Windows Phone 8.1). The upcoming "Storage Sense" function is designed to help you better understand your disk usage, and if desired, move items to and from external storage.

Wi-Fi Sense

Windows 10 will also inherit the "Wi-Fi Sense" feature of Windows Phone. It allows you to connect automatically whenever a Wi-Fi hotspot is detected, and to authenticate and accept any required terms of use. The feature also allows you to share Wi-Fi access with your friends without having to actually disclose the password to your home network.

Cortana

Cortana is truly one of Microsoft’s best efforts on the mobile front, and she’s coming to Windows 10! An intelligent personal assistant that understands who you are, where you are and what you are doing, Cortana can assist when called upon, either by providing key information, suggesting actions and sometimes even performing them for you if granted the appropriate permissions.

Internet Explorer 12

Microsoft hasn’t given up on its browser either. On the contrary, Windows 10 will be sporting a version of Internet Explorer (12) which will finally be able to accommodate extensions ­— like Chrome and Firefox. We do not yet know where these extensions will come from, nor what they will do, but it is likely that Microsoft will pay particular attention to the enterprise, given the renewed focus on business users.  

Compliance with the latest web standards, already greatly improved in Windows 8.1, should also be further refined in IE12.

Back To Business

Businesses were particularly neglected by Windows 8 and 8.1, as most of the new features were feared towards the consumer market. With Windows 10, Microsoft definitely wants to see all businesses, including all those remaining Windows XP installations, adopt the new system. Not only is yesterday’s the first Technical Preview intended for these folks, but all new BYOD features and remote administration are also expected to be incorporated along with improvements to Hyper-V.

Windows Update, Redesigned

So far, Windows Update has been distributing the same updates to all Windows users. Windows 10 introduces the concept of continuous delivery, where new features will still be regularly offered, but only up to the allowable specifications of the machine and the type of user.

This principle is essential to the Technical Preview. Though still very incomplete, and very unstable, it will allow users to receive patches and new features as soon as they’re finalized by the developers. Moreover, many of the features shown here (such as Cortana, Storage Sense and Wi-Fi Sense) are not present in yesterday’s Technical Preview. Instead, they will be gradually installed by early 2015 via Windows Update.

Windows Insider Program

Microsoft also introduced a new Windows Insider Program in which users who volunteer will frequently receive new features to test. A mechanism for feedback is integrated to allow them to tell Microsoft what they like, what they dislike, suggest improvements, chat with other “insiders" about what's new. Microsoft seems more interested than ever in listening to its users. Perhaps it wants to avoid another Windows 8 fiasco.

The Consumer Preview

The Windows 10 Technical Preview, which became available for download yesterday afternoon, is not without bugs. This is still a very incomplete draft, intended for engineers, developers and enthusiasts, and aimed primarily at IT departments. However, Microsoft plans to release a Consumer Preview around the New Year, and that should better reflect the final version. The Consumer Preview should also be offered on the ARM-based Surface RT and Surface 2, which the Technical Preview is not (x86-only).

Unnamed sources recently informed The Verge that Microsoft plans to reveal Windows 9 "Threshold" at a special press event on September 30. These sources indicated that Microsoft will release a technical preview of the upcoming OS to developers on that date, or shortly thereafter. The sources did not mention the rumored customer preview.

According to the report, the technical preview will include the new Start Menu, which will have both standard links and animated Start Screen tiles. The preview will also see the removal of the Charms bar on the desktop, and possibly an early version of Cortana, which in recently leaked builds materialized as a Start Screen app.

News of the technical preview surfaced last week, reporting that the Windows 9 end user will be required to accept automatic monthly updates if they choose to install the preview build. Rumors also indicated that the technical preview would be open to the public. However, Microsoft customers will likely be encouraged to wait for a consumer preview that may or may not launch in December or early 2015.

In addition to the new Start Menu and the removal of the desktop Charms bar, Windows 9 "Threshold" is also expected to introduce floating, resizable, windowed Modern UI apps on the desktop. Windows 9 will also boot directly into the desktop if the customer doesn't have a touch screen, or boot into the Start Screen if a touch screen is detected. Based on leaked builds, Windows 9 "Threshold" will also provide virtual desktops.

So far, rumors claim that Windows 9 may not cost a dime for customers upgrading from Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1. That sounds a bit far-fetched, but it could make sense for Microsoft to release the rumored "barebones" version for free (Windows with Bing?), and a premium version that can be bought outright or consumed as a monthly subscription, similar to what Microsoft does with Office 2013.

Currently, Windows 9 "Threshold" is expected to go retail in Q2 or Q3 2015. Rumors have pointed to Spring 2015, but that could change if Microsoft runs into a snafu caused by developer and consumer feedback. Still, all the rumors and reports seem to point to a familiar pattern that Microsoft followed with the original Windows 8 platform: The developer preview (Sept. 2011), the consumer preview (Feb. 2012), and the RTM version (Aug. 2012).

Using that timeline, Windows 9 may not see a consumer preview until March 2015, and the RTM somewhere around July or August 2015, which fits into previous rumors that the updated OS may not launch until Q2 or Q3 2015.

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As expected, unnamed sources are now reporting that Microsoft will launch a preview of Windows 9 “Threshold” in early October 2014, or perhaps even in late September 2014. This release will be labeled as a “technology preview” and will require users to accept automatic monthly updates.

Microsoft is expected to launch Windows 9 “Threshold” to the masses in Spring 2015 and bring a set of improvements that should make life a bit easier for desktop customers. These include placing the Start Menu back where it belongs, windowed Modern UI apps on the desktop, virtual desktops, the removal of the charms bar and more. Heck, there’s even talk that Windows 9 may be free for those upgrading from Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8.

Previous rumors indicated that the Windows 9 platform will load in two separate ways. If the customer has a touch screen or tablet, Windows will boot to the Start Screen. Otherwise, Windows will boot to the desktop when there is no touchscreen connected and a keyboard and mouse is detected.

Although the Start Menu will supposedly return to the taskbar, leaks of recent Windows 9 builds have shown that the Menu will be quite different, containing both familiar Windows 7-style links and Modern UI apps in one list on the left and a list of live tiles on the right. The main taskbar aligned at the bottom appears to be unchanged.

Just last week, we reported that Cortana will be integrated into Windows 9. However, in one of the current leaked builds, Cortana is a standalone app that customers click to open. Unlike the Windows Phone 8.1 version, this desktop app merely takes up around 25 percent of the screen and resides in the middle. Users can type out a question to the virtual assistant, or if a microphone is installed, verbally ask the question.

Will Microsoft launch more than one preview of Windows 9? As previously stated, the version making its debut in September/October is labeled as a “technology preview,” which will be open to the public to use. There may also be another “consumer preview” for the not-so-adventurous customer at the end of 2014. As a point of reference, Microsoft distributed three “milestones” before taking Windows 8 to retail: the developer preview (Sept. 2011), the consumer preview (Feb. 2012), and the RTM version (Aug. 2012).

Microsoft seems eager to distance itself from the original Windows 8. The launch of Windows 8.1 and Update (1) made a vast improvement for the desktop user and seems to have invigorated the PC market. We can’t wait to see what Windows 9 will officially bring.

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Microsoft is being attacked on all sides lately. Its biggest threat in recent years has been the growth of mobile devices, which also brought the rise in popularity of competing operating systems like iOS and Android. Even if those two are not “desktop operating systems”, they still represent a huge threat to Microsoft, because people spend more time on them and therefore less time on Windows PCs.

If Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android evolve into much more functional and more productive “desktop-like” operating systems, then they will turn into real problems for Microsoft, even on the PC side of the business. By then, billions of people will already be used to those operating systems, so when the more productive tools and apps arrive, it will feel perfectly natural for users to continue using those operating systems for more advanced tasks. That’s why, if that happens, it will be too late for Microsoft to react.

Platform war

Microsoft is ultimately fighting a platform war, even if the platforms aren’t completely interchangeable right now. Platform wars are usually decided at the low-end of the market, because that’s where the volume is and where a platform player can get most of the market share. It’s basically how Microsoft won the war against Mac OS on PCs, too, but this time they're on the receiving end.

The stagnation in PC sales over the past few years and the slow adoption of Windows 8 have also made old problems worse for Microsoft - problems like the “naked PC”. IDC research manager Handoko Andi says that up to 60 percent of the PCs being sold in emerging markets of Asia, are “naked PCs” - PC’s that don’t come with Windows pre-installed (which means Microsoft doesn’t get any revenue on them), but with some open source Linux distribution.

In such markets, where people tend to buy cheaper PC’s, the cost of a Windows license, even a bundled one from the OEM, can be pretty significant compared to the total cost of the PC. So people prefer the versions of the PCs or laptops that come with a free OS. After that, if they actually need Windows, they pirate it.

That’s how, despite the emerging markets accounting for 56 percent of Windows installations, Microsoft only made over a billion dollars from China, Russia and Brazil combined, out of the $77.8 billion that it made last year (with 56 percent of that revenue and 78 percent operating profit coming from Windows and Office). That revenue is insignificant compared to the total installations in these markets.

Free Windows 9 upgrade?

There has recently been a rumor that Microsoft might offer Windows 9 as a free upgrade for Windows XP and Windows 7 users, in a move to get almost everyone on the latest version of Windows.

From a platform war point of view, that makes sense, especially in these emerging markets, where they are either going to use a different (free) operating system, or they are going to pirate it. Microsoft still has to try and win the platform war somehow, but at the same time, is it really “winning” if they end up giving their operating system for free?

If Microsoft thinks it can recover the money through other means, such as getting the people who use Windows to buy some other products from Microsoft, then it could work, but only if Microsoft is committed to this “free Windows 9” strategy in emerging markets, at least.

But there are still some questions that need to be answered and some potential problems with this strategy, too.  One question would be: How long is Microsoft going to update this free version of Windows 9?. If they’re only going to update it for a year, it’s doubtful the strategy will work in convincing people who weren’t paying before for Windows to pay now. Some would pay, but likely not most.

Another question would be, is Microsoft really giving Windows 9 to all Windows XP and Windows 7 users, or only the licensed ones? Because if it's the latter, then that won't change adoption too much in these markets where piracy is very high, either. Microsoft would just be giving a free upgrade to people who were already paying customers.

The potential problem with the free Windows 9 strategy is that they may not be able to give it for free only in emerging markets and then charge those in developed countries. These customers could end up feeling cheated and decide to boycott Windows 9, which also wouldn’t be great for Microsoft’s revenues.

Right now, the free Windows 9 upgrade is still mainly a rumor, perhaps started by Microsoft to see people’s reaction to it, so it may or may not turn into reality. But if it does, while potentially a good solution in Microsoft’s platform fight, especially in emerging markets, it also poses great risks to Microsoft’s business model for Windows. Microsoft needs to tread very carefully with this strategy.

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We’ve seen in quite a number of reports that Microsoft is eager to put Windows 8 behind it and move forward with Windows 9. The release of Windows 8.1 and Update 1 shows that the company is trying to make amends, especially for the desktop user who may or may not have a touch screen. Because of this, the public beta of Windows 9 is expected to make an appearance in 4Q 2014 followed by a full release in Q2/Q3 2015.

Over the weekend, Windows Build 6.4.9788 hit the internet, showing that Microsoft will indeed return the Start Menu back to where it belongs. As previously reported, the Menu will contain both your standard Windows 7-style links and Modern UI apps in one list on the left, and a list of live tiles on the right. The main taskbar aligned at the bottom appears to be unchanged.

Neowin points out that this particular screen reads Windows 8.1 Pro, not Windows 9. Neowin's sources allege that the screenshot is legitimate, and that Microsoft is still using the Windows 8.1 branding for now (this isn’t unusual). If it weren’t for the leaked build, we would have assumed that the screen came from Windows 8.1 Update 2, which is expected next month.

Keep in mind that because the leaked platform is an early build of the next-generation Windows operating system, features will naturally change before the platform officially goes public. Mashable reports that the new Start Menu showed in the leaked 9788 OS looks similar to what was demonstrated during BUILD 2014 back in May. However, the tiles are different, leading to the assumption that this release is indeed an early version of Windows 9.

Another screenshot pulled from Build 9788 shows a Modern UI PC Settings window lingering on the desktop screen. This backs up previous reports that users can open Modern UI apps either on the Start Screen or within the desktop.

As previously reported, Windows 9 will cater to the desktop user as well as those with touch panels. If Windows determines that the user has a non-touch screen and a keyboard and mouse attached, then it will automatically boot up the desktop. If the platform detects a touch screen and no attached peripherals, then it will boot into the Start Screen.

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Just days ago, document leaker FaiKee revealed that the preview version of Windows 9 would arrive either on February 3, 2015 or March 2, 2015. That seemed to coincide with the release schedule of Windows 8, which saw the current OS in a Consumer Preview build back in February 2012.

MyCE now adds to that report, using the same leaked document, but fewer edits. According to the info, Windows 9 is actually in an alpha state, and a Preview build will be released in Q2 or Q3 2015, not in February or March. The cloud-based Windows 365 is also supposedly in alpha and based on the Windows Core.

Office 2015 is listed as Alpha-TP-CP1 on the document, meaning Technical Preview and Consumer Preview 1, which indicates that the next Office could soon appear as a public preview. Also possibly appearing soon is Office 2013 Gemini, the Modern UI touch-based apps for the Office suite. These are listed as RTM and may launch in Summer 2014.

Also on the leaked document are "update items". These include changes to the modern UI interface, Windows Defender, Windows Activation, OneDrive and Cortana, the Digital Assistant making her debut on Windows Phone 8.1. Cortana will likely be embedded in Windows 9 as well, as Microsoft is currently looking for a software development engineer to help develop the next generation of Microsoft's Digital Assistant.

The leak also reveals that Windows 8.1 Update 2 is in the preview stage, meaning that customers could see the update in mid-2014. Previous reports have pegged the window between August and October: it's anyone's guess at this point (save for Microsoft). This update may bring back the Start Menu, which will combine the old-school listing with flashy new live tiles.

Finally, the leak shows that Windows Phone 8.1 has gone RTM (Release to Manufacturing). The document also shows that Windows Phone 9 will make an appearance in Q2 to Q3 2015. However, as always, take all this as rumor and speculation.

The latest tidbit of news coming from the Windows rumor mill is that Microsoft plans to release a preview version of Windows 9 "Threshold" on February 3, 2015. There's no indication that this will be a developer preview or a public one, but given that Windows 9 is expected to ship in April 2015, the latter option seems more likely.

For Windows 8, Microsoft launched the Developer Preview in September 2011 during the BUILD 2011 event. The company then released Windows 8 Consumer Preview at the end of February 2012. Windows 8 went RTM in August 2012 and hit consumer PCs in October 2012. The public beta of Windows 8.1 wasn't released until June 23, 2013, followed by the full release in October. Windows 8.1 Update (8.1.1) arrived in April 2014.

Using this release schedule as a reference, Microsoft is expected to launch Windows 8.1 Update 2 (Windows 8.1.2) sometime this fall, bringing a host of new features like the revised (and beloved) Start Menu, and the ability to run windowed apps on the desktop. This may also be the time period when Microsoft releases the Developer Preview of Windows 9 "Threshold."

The news arrives by way of FaiKee who claims to have obtained a screenshot of Microsoft's plans and posted it on My Digital Life. The tiny smidgen of a schedule reads "Preview Release @ 2015-02-03." That could either mean February 3 or March 2…. you decide.

"OK, seems WZor's "5/15 win9 trial version" is not going to happen..... so here's the part below my last screen-shot," FaiKee writes. "If it's real (couldn't see why it isn't), then you could scrap all previous win9 release speculations."

We know very little about Windows 9; all eyes are glued to Windows 8.1.2 arriving this fall. However, there's speculation that Microsoft will make the platform more desktop friendly. By this October, we should know more about Threshold, especially if the Developer Preview begins to leak onto the Internet.

For now, consider everything about Windows 9 and Windows 8.1.2 to be mere rumor and speculation. Of course, we know they'll eventually make an appearance, but until then, everything is just dips into the rumor pool.

Website Myce has acquired a screenshot from well-known Microsoft leaker Faikee that confirms recent rumors of a second update that will take place later this year, and Windows 9 sometime around April 2015. There's also mention of Office 2015 and another platform called Windows 365. Could this latter option be the cloud-based platform we've heard so much about?

According to the Windows 365 status, the platform is in alpha and based on the Windows core. Unfortunately, that's it for details, but speculation points to a monthly subscription like Microsoft's current Office 2013 suite, with an option to pay every three months, six months or annually. This scenario would mean customers have a limited number of seats (like three per license), and will receive constant updates and new releases automatically.

The screenshot, which looks to be a scan of an internal schedule sheet, reveals that Microsoft is currently building Windows 9, Windows Server 2015 and Windows Phone 9, and presumably trying to keep the experience across all three unified. There's also mention of the "Gemini" Office 2013 Modern UI-based apps, which may be in RTM mode as of this article, as well as Windows Phone 8.1.

There's talk that Windows 9 would be free to customers, but that's unlikely given that Microsoft has bills to pay and needs that income. If anything, the Redmond company may follow its Windows 8.1 plans and offer customers with Windows 8.1 Update 2 a huge discount, while Windows 7 and Windows 8 customers will have to pay for the full upgrade.

Windows 8.1 Update 2 will likely pounce on customers this fall, bearing many requested gifts like the Start Menu for easy navigation for desktop customers. This addition won't be an exact replica we've grown fond of on Windows of old, but a mixture of live tiles and classic elements to make the menu come alive. The Start Menu will also have a search box and power options.

"I previewed some work we are doing for the next iteration of Windows, which builds on the journey we began with Windows 8 just over a year ago as well as the releases we've done since then," said OS department head Terry Myerson during BUILD in April. "In particular, I showed some early thinking on how the user experience in Windows will evolve in a way that will help developers' apps make their way to users across devices and form factors."

Cortana, the virtual assistant residing on Windows Phone 8.1, will likely make an appearance on Windows 9 next Spring. But don't worry; she won't converse with your kids aged 12 and under thanks to the U.S. government's Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

As always, take all of this as a mere rumor and speculation -- except for the existence of Update 2, which was confirmed during the BUILD conference.

Although it appears that we may not see the beloved Start Menu until Windows 9 (if at all), at least Microsoft is making an effort to merge the desktop with the Start Screen. As seen with the release of Windows 8.1, customers can now use the same wallpaper image on the desktop and Start Screen background. Now leaked images show that Microsoft is taking the merge one step further in Windows 8.1 GDR1 (or Windows 8.1.1?).

Screenshots leaked by Russian website WZOR show the icon for the green Windows Store app firmly planted on the desktop taskbar next to the File Explorer icon. The shots also reveal a "Show Store apps on the taskbar" selectable option on the "Taskbar and Navigation" properties window. This gives customers the freedom to load the "Metro" apps from the desktop or keep the two interfaces separate.

This leak swings back to previous rumors reporting that "Metro" apps will be able to float in windowed mode, just like desktop applications. Unfortunately, the screens don't reveal whether "Metro" apps will actually run in windowed mode on the desktop, or if the taskbar shortcut takes the user back to the Start screen to load the app.

Running "Metro" apps on the desktop isn't slated to be a feature until Windows 9. So far we've seen two dates for that particular release: this fall around the same time Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 were released, or sometime in Spring 2015. Either date could be possible, although there has been more talk regarding the Spring 2015 release than the Fall 2014 rumor.

Windows 9, codenamed "Threshold," is rumored to be released alongside Windows Phone 9, the first major Xbox One update, and a unified store. By then, Windows RT is expected to be rolled up into Windows Phone, leaving Microsoft with one desktop platform, one mobile platform, and one console platform, all bound together by the same core components and services.

What's quite possible is that Windows 8.1 GDR 2 will appear this fall, preparing the platform for the "Threshold" Windows 9 update next spring. Right now all of this is speculation and rumor. However, the roadmap should become clearer once BUILD 2014 hits this April.

It's official; Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 8.1 will be released no later than October 18 in all parts of the world. With international time zone differences, 12:00 a.m. in New Zealand means that North Americans will see the release at 4:00 a.m. pacific and 7:00 a.m. eastern on October 17.

Microsoft also confirmed that Windows 8.1 will also be appearing at retail and on new devices on that very same day.

Want to know more on what to expect from this next version of Windows? Check out our Windows 8.1 preview in pictures here.

We're on location in San Francisco to bring you all the details from Microsoft Build 2013. This year, Microsoft brings its premiere developer event to the Moscone Center. Yesterday we saw the unveiling of the public beta of Windows 8.1 along with some other neat demos.

For day 2 today, we're expecting news about Microsoft's push to the cloud.

All the action kicks off at 9 a.m. PDT / 12 p.m. EDT, so be sure to kept your browsers open on our live blog link below to follow along.

Click here to open our live blog of Microsoft Build Day 2 Keynote.

If you missed yesterday's live blog and you want to catch up, you can find it at the link below:

Click here to open our live blog of Microsoft Build Day 1 Keynote.

If you've been using Windows 8 and have been pining for some refinements, then today is your day. Microsoft today officially released a preview version of Windows 8.1, which is a free download for all the adventurous types. The final version doesn't ship until later this year, so this is your chance to see it early. Of course, Microsoft cautions that this preview version is just for "experienced PC users," which we're sure you all are. Nonetheless, check out the FAQ first to be sure it's for you.

New features include better Bing integration, much improved Maps and a better implementation of the start screen and start button. Check out all the new features in the product guide (PDF)

If all systems are go, then click here to get to the Windows 8.1 Preview.

For more from Microsoft Build 2013, check out our keynote live blog from today!

Nokia is ensuring its new Lumia is the worst kept secret in the phone industry. Between rogue print ads and videos showing up on its own website, Nokia is probably hoping its 'strategic' leaks will build up some hype for its next phone and Vodafone is jumping on the bandwagon. The UK carrier wants people to know it will be carrying Nokia's new Lumia when it does become available.

Vodafone UK has published a blog post talking about 'something big, bold and beautiful' coming and stating that it's on board. Though its lips are "firmly sealed" on the finer details (such as, oh, a product name), the company said it's 'proud' to be stocking the next chapter in the Lumia story.

"We love the Nokia Lumia range, so this is a no brainer – the unique colours, the solid build and brilliant designs marry up perfectly with the slickness of Windows Phone 8," the carrier gushed. "We currently stock the Nokia Lumia 920, 820, 520 and 620, and we can’t wait to bring any new members of the Lumia family into the fold."

Little is known about the Lumia 928's specs; however, Nokia has shown off the device's camera and audio recording capabilities. The unveiling is set for Tuesday, May 14, so stay tuned.

Microsoft first acknowledged the existence of Windows Blue back in later March. The company's VP of Corporate Communications, Frank X. Shaw, talked about the next incremental release of Windows 8 on the official Microsoft blog. The reveal wasn't surprising, considering the build had already been leaked and exposed for all to see. Still, it was nice to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. Now, Microsoft is talking about Blue again.

In a Q&A post regarding the first six months of Windows 8, Microsoft's Tami Reller described Windows Blue as part of a broader effort to advance devices and services for Microsoft. She also revealed that the update will be available later this year, will continue on Windows 8's path toward the next generation of PC and incorporate customer feedback.

"It will deliver the latest new innovations across an increasingly broad array of form factors of all sizes, display, battery life and performance, while creating new opportunities for our ecosystem," Reller said. "It will provide more options for businesses, and give consumers more options for work and play. The Windows Blue update is also an opportunity for us to respond to the customer feedback that we’ve been closely listening to since the launch of Windows 8 and Windows RT." 

Unfortunately, Reller offered no information on when we can expect an official version of Windows Blue to be released. In the mean time, why not check out our article on the leaked versions to see what Microsoft has in store for us?

eWeek has published a story based on info from an "enthusiast" at Taiwanese online forum PCBeta who claims to be an alpha tester of the new version of Windows. This person reports that Microsoft will be sticking with the Modern UI overlay, but is also borrowing a few tricks from Windows Phone 8, seemingly blurring the line between the two screens.

According to this source, codenamed "Maxy", the next Windows release will offer more customization options than before, one of which is the ability to re-size the Live Tiles on the Modern UI interface. This means consumers will be able to expand their favorite tiles, giving them more virtual real estate than those less frequently used.

Unfortunately, that's it for anything fresh and new. As previously reported, Microsoft is shooting for yearly Windows updates for a low price rather than wait every three or four years to release an upgrade. The company has already shown that it's willing to take on this low-priced model by testing the $40 waters with the latest Windows 8 Pro upgrade.

Microsoft's "Windows Blue" scheme will reportedly begin late summer / early fall 2013 with the next desktop and mobile OS release. It will either be offered at a very low price point, or completely free to ensure that all Microsoft customers upgrade to the latest platform. Keep in mind that offering a cheap or free upgrade means most consumers may jump at the chance, thus making the overall Windows platform more secure and less fragmented.

As for the upgrade numbering system, there are reports that the next big release will be Windows 9. But there's a good chance Microsoft will revert back to the days of Windows 3.x and make the desktop release Windows 8.1 and the mobile release Windows Phone 8.1. Regardless, consumers will need a legitimate copy of both before upgrading to the 2013 release – those updating from a pirated copy will see their apps and the Windows Store itself cease functioning.

For the record, eWeek's source claims to be alpha testing "Windows 9 dev" so maybe Microsoft will stick to whole numbers for each yearly release while possible service packs will bump the current platform up a decimal – who knows at this point. This source also reports that the desktop will remain intact in the next release (yay), but will be "flattened" to better mesh with the Modern UI overlay. A new kernel (6.3) will also be used, the source said.

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