Windows 8 reimagined for tablets

Independent software developers now have copies to begin experimenting with new apps. Innovative typography-based user interface different from anything you have seen before.

Read about the new typography-based Metro design language here and watch a video here (mp4).

Click button to listen to Windows 8 to download

Microsoft previews Windows 8, stresses tablets By Glenn Chapman | AFP

Microsoft pulled back the curtain on new Windows computer operating software designed to power not only personal computers but also rivals to Apple's iPad.

Windows division president Steven Sinofsky stressed touchscreen tablets on Tuesday as he boasted of the diverse types of hardware that Windows 8 will run after its official release.

Mr. Sinofsky was part of a Microsoft team that provided an in-depth look at Windows 8 to software developers at a BUILD conference the US technology giant is holding this week in southern California.

"We re-imagined Windows," Sinofsky said. "From the chipset to the user experience, Windows 8 brings a new range of capabilities without compromise. 

Windows 8 was crafted to allow all kinds of computers to be controlled with taps or swipes of screens, gestures familiar to owners of smartphones or tablet computers.

The operating system was also designed to let separate applications work together and to synchronize files across various Windows 8 devices.

Mr. Sinofsky demonstrated the point by having a picture taken on a camera-enabled desktop computer pop up on a tablet.

"Windows 8 works beautifully across a spectrum of devices, from 10-inch tablets and laptops to all-in-ones with 27-inch high-definition screens," Microsoft said...

...Microsoft was so eager to get independent developers working on applications for Windows 8 that it gave tablet computer prototypes to each of the 5,000 BUILD attendees so they could begin tinkering with the software.

...Software savants unable to attend BUILD will be able to download developer copies of Windows 8 at dev.windows.com beginning at 0300 GMT on Wednesday...

...After next year the line will get massively blurry between laptops and tablets.

(Source: Bangkok Post,  Microsoft previews Windows 8, stresses tablets, 14-09-2011, AFP News agency, Glenn Chapman,  link)

Software Development Vocabulary

Windows 8 - "the codename of the next version of Microsoft Windows, a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, netbooks, tablet PCs, servers, and media center PCs. It adds support for ARM microprocessors in addition to the traditional x86 microprocessors from Intel and AMD. Its user interface has been changed to make it better suitable for touchscreen input in addition to the traditional mouse and keyboard input," uses Microsoft's Metro design language (See Wikipedia)

Metro design language - Microsoft's clean and readable typography-based design language,  features large text that catches the eye and runs off the page, based on the design principles of classic Swiss graphic design, favors text as the primary form of navigation, different from the icon-based interfaces of Android, "it's a bit more daring and informal than the tight, sterile icon grids and Rolodex menus of the iPhone and iPod Touch...excludes superfluous graphics and instead relying on the actual content to also function as the main UI. The resulting interfaces favour larger hubs over smaller buttons and often feature laterally scrolling full bleed canvases. Page titles are usually large and consequently also take advantage of lateral scrolling... Animation plays a large part, with transitions, and user interactions such as presses or swipes recommended to always be acknowledged by some form of natural animation or motion. This is intended to give the user the impression that the UI is alive and responsive, with an added sense of depth" (See Wikipedia)

Operating System (OS) - on a computer the software system that connects computer programs and software to the hardware (See Wikipedia)

tablet computer - a flat computer that looks like a book and is easy to carry and hold (See Wikipedia)

touchscreen - new technology that allows devices such as mobile phones and tablet computers to be operated by touching the screen and selecting things, rather than by pressing keys and buttons with fingers (See Wikipedia)

touchscreen tablets - to emphasize: tablet computers have touchscreens

Microsoft previews Windows 8 - Microsoft shows people what Windows 8 will look like (not finished yet) 
official release - when software is officially made available to the public (stores can sell it, customers can buy it)

curtain - a long piece of cloth that hangs down or covers a window
pulled back the curtain - introduced (letting people see it for the first time)
X powers Y - software or hardware X controls device Y 
rivals - opponents; people you are fighting or competing against คู่อริ

division - one part of a large organisation
Windows division - the part of Microsoft company that is developing Windows 8

X stressed Y - X said or made clear that Y is important
X boasted Y - X had nice feature Y

diverse - many different kinds of things, a wide variety
diverse types of hardware - many different kinds of hardware (desktop computer, laptop, tablet, mobile phone, etc)

depth - the distance from the top of something to the bottom ความลึก
in-depth - with details and covering all parts of something 
in-depth look at Windows 8 - people get to see details of the new OS Windows 8

software development - the work of producing software, writing and testing computer programs, computer programming (See Wikipedia)
software developers - computer programmers, people who write computer programs  (See Wikipedia)

conference - a big meeting lasting many days to bring people together with a common interest (or to discuss and learn about a certain subject) (See Wikipedia)

the BUILD conference - a recent Microsoft conference for software developers (See Wikipedia)
attend BUILD - go to the BUILD conference
BUILD attendees - people who went to the BUILD conference

imagine - form a picture or idea of something in your mind (using your imagination ) จินตนาการ, การวาดภาพในใจ
re-imagined - to imagine the design of something again (re-design with very different design)
chipset - the group of computer chips that work together in a computer (See Wikipedia)

user - the person who "uses" a computer device
user experience - what the user sees and feels when they use a computer device (headache or enjoyment)

range - a number of different things that are of the same general type ขอบข่าย, ประเภท
capabilities - tasks or activities that someone is able to do
compromise - 1. to give up something to complete a project successfully and on time; 2. give up something to reach an agreement ประนีประนอม

new range of capabilities without compromise - can do many new things and didn't have to give up anything

crafted - done with great skill ประดิษฐ์โดยใช้ฝีมือ

tap - hit softly

swipe - move finger or hand across something
swipes of screens - move finger across the screen of your device (tablet, mobile phone, etc)

gestures - moving your hands and body around (in a meaningful way)
familiar - many people know about it, because they have seen or experienced it before

smartphones - mobile phones that offer advanced features so they become a lot like a computer (See Wikipedia)

application - a computer program that helps a used do some useful task, also known as an "app", the popularity of the word has increased recently with the widepspread use of mobile devices such as the iPhone, IPad and Android devices (See Wikipedia)

synchronize files - software or a web service (like Dropbox) that allows you to make sure you have the same files in a folder on every device (See Wikipedia)

demonstrated the point - actually showed people what he was tralking about

camera-enabled desktop - a large desktop computer with a camera on it (installed on it)
works beautifully across a spectrum of devices  - works well with many different kinds of devices

eager - wanting very much to do or have something, especially something interesting or enjoyable กระตือรือร้น
independent - working alone, by yourself; not part of a company or larger organization เป็นอิสระ พึ่งตนเอง
independent developers - computer programmers working alone, not for a company (writing software) 
prototype - a new type of device or machine (made in only small quantities for testing and preview)

tinkering - experimenting and trying new things in order to improve
tinkering with the software - trying new things with software to improve it  

savants - a person of great learning or natural ability

developer copies of Windows 8 - special copies of Windows given to software developers (because Microsoft wants them to write programs for the new OS)

blurry - not clear, fuzzy (cannot see shapes exactly, only in outline)
the line between X and Y - the difference between X and Y
the line between laptops and tablets -  the difference between laptops and tablets
the line between laptops and tablets will get blurry - the difference between laptops and tablets will become unclear
the line between laptops and tablets will get massively blurry - the difference between laptops and tablets will very become unclear