Windows 8 Wishlist

Filed Under: Builds, News

Windows 8: Wish List of Features

[10] April 19, 2011 | George

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With wild anticipation, let’s say that after the success of Windows 7, why would so many people expect more from Windows 8? Any why should Windows 8 come out so soon after Windows 7. After all, many companies, believe it or not, have not moved to Windows 7. They are either stuck on Vista, or on XP. It may come as a shock, but a lot of companies are not with the cutting edge of technology. They don’t have the money to upgrade the software and or hardware, or the money to upgrade the skills of their IT staff. So they are stuck behind an ancient Operating System, which makes do.
But we’ve been hearing rumors about Windows 8 coming out in 2012. Maybe, maybe not. But what do people want from such a new Operating system. Well, here is a Windows 8 wish list.

A New Beginning

New Welcome screen

A new User Interface similar to the Windows phone 7 has been seen in the latest builds of Windows 8; this would mark a distinct introduction to the computer’s use.

‘Modern’ Task Manager

A colleague wrote about this yesterday. So let me just add, with new screen features and statistics about usage, it should be a different utility vehicle.
Portable Workspaces
You may be able to put Windows 8 OS on a USB stick. This would be a portable development.
Aero auto-colorization
A new feature that reacts to the most prominent color of the Windows wallpaper.

Hybrid Booting

Core operating system files are ‘put to sleep’ which enables the startup time to be significantly reduced.

Simple system ‘reset’

When needed, you can reset the OS to it’s default settings.
Ribbons in Windows Explorer
Ribbons which are prominent in Office 2010, will change the interface look
ARM processor ‘tablet support’
ARM is a a low-power processor which allows devices to run longer on batteries and it will be available on Win8.

Genuine center
You will now be able to organize  your Windows licences with this center.

Cloud-based roaming profiles

With cloud operations becoming more frequent, it would only stand to reason that they would be available in the Windows 8.

Push notifications

This is similar to or is expected to be similar to the Windows Phone 7 push notification.
Improved disk cleanup
Cleaning your disk or Operating system by removing junk files will be easier and automatic.
‘Modern Reader’ PDF support
PDF files will have a new reader, and perhaps editor functionality.

Internet Explorer 10

Continue to enhance IE with a new version that competes easier with Chrome, and Firefox.

Internet Explorer ‘Immersive’

A slimmed down version of the browser will feel and look like the phone version.
SmartScreen file filter
SmartScreen filters out spam or bad links based on community responses.

Windows App Store

Get files, updates, and Apps from the Windows App Store.

History Vault

This will replace the Backup and Restore feature in Windows 7

Step-by-step install

The install wizard will be made easier to use for novices to work with.

ISO mounting

Users will be able to use ISO images and burn them as needed.

Native wake on LAN

Even if your PC is hibernating or turned off, a network push through will be able to turn it back on.

Webcam application

Users will be able to use their web cam with the new User Interface. They will be able start and stop videos, capture images immediately or after a short delay.
Summary
Windows 8 comes at a time when there is a lot of push for implementing many new technologies into an old system. Operating Systems still control the computer and interface with the CPU. But with the advent of apps, and how they changed the mobile technology, the impact is now felt on PC’s and OS’s to break from the past and enter a new era of PC and user interaction. One thing is for sure, the next generation of Operating Systems will not look like the last generation.

Read more »

Intel says Cloverview platform will launch in time for Windows 8

Intel didn't provide much indication of a release timeframe when it first teased its tablet-minded Cloverview platform back in April, but it's now finally starting to dish a few more details (though still not many specifics, unfortunately). Speaking with This is my next, Intel's Director of Product and Technology Media Relations, Bill Kircos, said that the chipmaker is looking to deliver a "nice one-two chip-software punch," and roll out the Cloverview platform and accompanying Clover Trail processor around the same time as Windows 8 -- possibly before, but seemingly no later. Of course, exactly when Windows 8 itself will launch still remains a bit of a mystery, although ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley notes that the latest rumor of a release to manufacturing in April of next year is not so crazy, and that "April sounds better than July

Read more »

Sony Vaio Z Ultraportable Laptop

Now that we've seen Sony's new VAIO Z in its luscious press shots, it's time to face reality and lay our itchy hands on this 13-inch ultraportable laptop, along with its eccentric expansion dock that packs both a Blu-ray drive and an AMD Radeon HD 6650M graphics chip (with 1GB of video RAM). Just as we were told by our little birdie, said dock is connected to the notebook via Light Peak -- a first for Sony -- but there's a catch: Sony's only implementing the architecture and not the connector, so for the time being, this sweet high speed connection is only compatible with the docking unit and nothing else.

Anyhow, here's a quick recap: what we have here is a 1.18kg feather-light machine packing a 256GB SSD and 1.3 megapixel webcam, plus a matte LCD display with resolution at 1600 x 900 or an optional 1920 x 1080. Oh yes, for an extra cost, you get some sweet full HD action at just 13 inches. This upgraded display performed well in the relatively dark confines of the press event, but how it fares under direct sunlight remains to be seen. Read on for more hands-on impression.

Sony VAIO Z hands-on

Sony VAIO Z components

At first glance, the VAIO Z looks very much like the VAIO X, and some of its technologies are actually ported over from the latter: a single sided motherboard, and a fold out RJ-45 port design, in order to reduce the machine's thickness to a mere 16.65mm. Like the VAIO X, the flap is plastic, but it doesn't feel flimsy. The rest of the VAIO Z feels solid all around, with carbon fiber used to reinforce the screen and chassis, along with a layer of aluminum for the palm rest. The hinge is hidden behind the back of the machine, and upon opening the lid upright, the machine is lifted up slightly by a couple of feet beneath the display -- much like the hinge on the ASUS Transformer's keyboard dock.

As with most ultraportables, the VAIO Z only packs a grand total of two USB ports, and only one of them is USB 3.0-compatible. But here's a surprise: the latter port is also where Light Peak is implemented: the fiber optic cables feed data to and from the media dock, which we will touch on later. Naturally, plugging in the dock will leave you with only one usable USB port, and the close proximity of the USB ports could also be a problem for wider USB plugs. As for the remaining sockets we have HDMI and VGA output on each side of the machine, an SD card slot plus a dedicated MemoryStick reader (yes, it's still around), as well as a lone headphone port on the right hand side.

Don't worry, we haven't forgotten the Power Media Dock. Obviously, this add-on is designed to stay at home while the VAIO Z is out and about with you road warriors. Aside from providing a Blu-ray drive and discrete graphics, the dock also adds an additional USB 3.0 port and two USB 2.0 ports, along with the ability to connect two more monitors. The VAIO Z's chief designer confirmed to us that this allows the VAIO Z to output video up to four monitors simultaneously! Understandably, the dock must be powered externally, but it does pass on power to the notebook for recharging.

The keyboard is pretty standard Sony stuff, and those who are into chiclet keyboards should feel right at home. To shave some thickness off the machine, the keys aren't raised as high as their predecessors, but the travel is still deep and satisfactory. Under dim lighting, the keys are equipped with a pale green backlight -- a welcoming diversion from the over-used blue and white backlighting often seen on laptops.

Another feature worth noting is this new VAIO Z's twin-fan design. By sharing the load of cooling between the two spinners, Sony managed to reduce both thickness and noise. The entire chassis remained cool to the touch even after running for about 30 minutes, and fan noise was minimal. As for battery life, Sony claims 6.5 hours of usage with the standard, non-user replaceable battery, though you can extend that to 13 with the optional slice battery pack.

Read more »

ASUS G74 - The Ultimate Gaming Laptop

We're pretty sure someone out there is snapping up gaming laptops with spray-painted red dragons and speaker grilles that look like belt buckles, but we suspect plenty of you just crave something that isn't going to embarrass you at your next LAN party. Grown-ups, meet the ASUS G74, that buttoned-up fellow you see there. So far, we've found two configurations, both of which include a quad-core Core i7-2630QM CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M graphics with 3GB of video memory, 12GB DDR3 RAM (out of 16GB), dual 750GB 7200RPM drives, a 1080p display, Blu-ray player, backlit keyboard, and a USB 3.0. socket (along with three of the 2.0 variety). That's what the G74SX-A1 (R12,215) looks like, and there's also a R13,853 version with a 3D display, dubbed the G74SX-3DE. That generally matches what the new R13,293 Qosmio X770 has to offer, though the G74 is the clear winner in the memory department and, well, you can't put a price on taste, right? Hit the source links to pre-order, and find some fancy press shots below that promise not to incinerate your eyeballs with tackiness.

Read more »

Sony Vaio - VPCSB19GG/B

Operating System

Operating System	Genuine Windows® 7 Professional 64-bit (English Version)

Language Pack	Hong Kong Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Arabic, Thai

Language Interface Pack	Vietnamese

Architecture

Processor Name	Intel® Core™ i7-2620M Processor 2.70 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 3.40 GHz*1

Chipset	Intel® HM67 Express Chipset

Cache Memory	4 MB (L3 Cache)

Main Memory

Pre-installed/Max	4 GB (4 GB x 1) DDR3 SDRAM*2 (upgradeable up to 8 GB*3)

SO-DIMM Slots	DDR3 SO-DIMM slots (Unused Memory slot 1)

Memory Speed	1333 MT/s

Flash Memory

Flash Memory	256 GB*4 (128 GB x 2(RAID 0)*5, Serial ATA)

Optical Disc Drive

Drive	DVD SuperMulti Drive

Maximum Reading Speed	DVD+R: 8x(SL), 8x(DL) / DVD-R: 8x(SL), 8x(DL) / DVD+RW: 8x / DVD-RW: 8x / DVD-ROM: 8x / DVD-RAM: 5x / CD-ROM: 24x / CD-R: 24x / CD-RW: 24x

Maximum Writing Speed	DVD+R: 8x(SL), 4x(DL) / DVD-R: 8x(SL), 4x(DL) / DVD+RW: 8x / DVD-RW: 6x / DVD-RAM: 5x / CD-R: 24x / CD-RW: 10x

Graphics

Graphics Accelerator	AMD Radeon™ HD 6630M (SPEED MODE) / Intel® HD Graphics 3000 (STAMINA MODE)

Dedicated Video Memory	1 GB DDR3 (SPEED MODE)

Display

Type	13.3 inch wide (WXGA: 1366x768) TFT colour display (VAIO Display Plus, LED backlight)

Read more »

A New Beginning - Windows 8

With wild anticipation, let’s say that after the success of Windows 7, why would so many people expect more from Windows 8? why should Windows 8 come out so soon after Windows 7. After all, many companies, believe it or not, have not moved to Windows 7. They are either stuck on Vista, or on XP. It may come as a shock, but a lot of companies are not with the cutting edge of technology. They don’t have the money to upgrade the software and or hardware, or the money to upgrade the skills of their IT staff. So they are stuck behind an ancient Operating System, which makes do.
But we’ve been hearing rumors about Windows 8 coming out in 2012. Maybe, maybe not. But what do people want from such a new Operating system. Well, here is a Windows 8 wish list.

A New Beginning

New Welcome screen

A new User Interface similar to the Windows phone 7 has been seen in the latest builds of Windows 8; this would mark a distinct introduction to the computer’s use.

‘Modern’ Task Manager

A colleague wrote about this yesterday. So let me just add, with new screen features and statistics about usage, it should be a different utility vehicle.
Portable Workspaces
You may be able to put Windows 8 OS on a USB stick. This would be a portable development.
Aero auto-colorization
A new feature that reacts to the most prominent color of the Windows wallpaper.

Hybrid Booting

Core operating system files are ‘put to sleep’ which enables the startup time to be significantly reduced.

Simple system ‘reset’

When needed, you can reset the OS to it’s default settings.
Ribbons in Windows Explorer
Ribbons which are prominent in Office 2010, will change the interface look
ARM processor ‘tablet support’
ARM is a a low-power processor which allows devices to run longer on batteries and it will be available on Win8.

Genuine center
You will now be able to organize  your Windows licences with this center.

Cloud-based roaming profiles

With cloud operations becoming more frequent, it would only stand to reason that they would be available in the Windows 8.

Push notifications

This is similar to or is expected to be similar to the Windows Phone 7 push notification.
Improved disk cleanup
Cleaning your disk or Operating system by removing junk files will be easier and automatic.
‘Modern Reader’ PDF support
PDF files will have a new reader, and perhaps editor functionality.

Internet Explorer 10

Continue to enhance IE with a new version that competes easier with Chrome, and Firefox.

Internet Explorer ‘Immersive’

A slimmed down version of the browser will feel and look like the phone version.
SmartScreen file filter
SmartScreen filters out spam or bad links based on community responses.

Windows App Store

Get files, updates, and Apps from the Windows App Store.

History Vault

This will replace the Backup and Restore feature in Windows 7

Step-by-step install

The install wizard will be made easier to use for novices to work with.

ISO mounting

Users will be able to use ISO images and burn them as needed.

Native wake on LAN

Even if your PC is hibernating or turned off, a network push through will be able to turn it back on.

Webcam application

Users will be able to use their web cam with the new User Interface. They will be able start and stop videos, capture images immediately or after a short delay.
Summary
Windows 8 comes at a time when there is a lot of push for implementing many new technologies into an old system. Operating Systems still control the computer and interface with the CPU. But with the advent of apps, and how they changed the mobile technology, the impact is now felt on PC’s and OS’s to break from the past and enter a new era of PC and user interaction. One thing is for sure, the next generation of Operating Systems will not look like the last generation.

Read more »