Thursday, October 25th 2012
Windows 8 Arrives
Microsoft Corp. today announced the global availability of its popular Windows operating system, Windows 8. Beginning Friday, Oct. 26, consumers and businesses worldwide will be able to experience all that Windows 8 has to offer, including a beautiful new user interface and a wide range of applications with the grand opening of the Windows Store. As a result of close work with hardware partners, more than 1,000 certified PCs and tablets, including Microsoft Surface, will be available for the launch of Windows 8 - making it the best lineup of PCs ever across the Windows 8 and Windows RT ecosystem.
"We have reimagined Windows and the result is a stunning lineup of new PCs," said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. "Windows 8 brings together the best of the PC and the tablet. It works perfect for work and play and it is alive with your world. Every one of our customers will find a PC that they will absolutely love."
Windows 8 will be available for download to upgrade existing PCs in more than 140 markets and 37 languages at www.windows.com/buy beginning at 12:01 a.m. local time and at retail locations around the world. At retail, Windows 8 will be available in two primary versions - Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro - as well as Windows 8 Enterprise for large organizations. Launching at the same time is a new member of the Windows family - Windows RT - designed for ARM-based tablets and available pre-installed on new devices. In addition to Microsoft Office 2013, Windows RT is designed exclusively for apps in the new Windows Store. Windows 8 features the new fast and fluid Start screen that gives people one-click access to the apps and content they care most about. It also features an entirely new Internet Explorer 10 that is perfect for touch, and built-in cloud capabilities with SkyDrive.
Windows 8 can be purchased in a variety of ways from the world's leading retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy and Staples in the U.S., Casas Bahia in Brazil, Future Shop and Staples in Canada, Suning in China, Media Markt across Europe, FNAC in France, Yamada in Japan, Telmex in Mexico, Dixons in the U.K., and many more, which will feature a variety of offers for customers looking for great deals on Windows 8 PCs, devices and software. Consumers can go to www.windows.com/shop to learn about the large array of Windows 8 devices available and find the one that best fits their needs. More information on the great offers around the world is available at www.blogs.windows.com/.
In addition to the range of new Windows-based devices available, consumers can also upgrade their existing PCs. Through the end of January, consumers currently running PCs with Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 are qualified to download an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for an estimated retail price of US$39.99. And eligible Windows 7 PCs purchased between June 2, 2012, and Jan. 31, 2013, in more than 140 markets can download an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for an estimated retail price of US$14.99 with the Windows Upgrade Offer, available at www.windowsupgradeoffer.com/.
"We have reimagined Windows and the result is a stunning lineup of new PCs," said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. "Windows 8 brings together the best of the PC and the tablet. It works perfect for work and play and it is alive with your world. Every one of our customers will find a PC that they will absolutely love."
Windows 8 can be purchased in a variety of ways from the world's leading retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy and Staples in the U.S., Casas Bahia in Brazil, Future Shop and Staples in Canada, Suning in China, Media Markt across Europe, FNAC in France, Yamada in Japan, Telmex in Mexico, Dixons in the U.K., and many more, which will feature a variety of offers for customers looking for great deals on Windows 8 PCs, devices and software. Consumers can go to www.windows.com/shop to learn about the large array of Windows 8 devices available and find the one that best fits their needs. More information on the great offers around the world is available at www.blogs.windows.com/.
In addition to the range of new Windows-based devices available, consumers can also upgrade their existing PCs. Through the end of January, consumers currently running PCs with Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 are qualified to download an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for an estimated retail price of US$39.99. And eligible Windows 7 PCs purchased between June 2, 2012, and Jan. 31, 2013, in more than 140 markets can download an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for an estimated retail price of US$14.99 with the Windows Upgrade Offer, available at www.windowsupgradeoffer.com/.
67 Comments on Windows 8 Arrives
If social networking and globalization were not all the rage, Windows 8 in it's current form would be useless.
All I got out of reading this was it's another attempt at 'let's all hold hands across the world' nonsense...
Now, speaking of social hubs - wireless stream content from computer to a television, use an Ipad as the remote and voila. That seems simply like ease of use and is somewhere we all knew devices would be one day.
Anyhoo, have my copy of Windows 8 downloaded. Maybe I'll get around to installing it today. Just dreading the patch download time for my MMO.
www.stardock.com/products/start8/I do not really agree though it is kind of too early for us to make that judgement either way. Also, 7 was simply what Vista should have been.
I'm just saying that as a fellow citizen of the United States, any perceived rights to privacy and property are mostly fiction, especially since 2001. We have to keep the terrorists from winning! :laugh:
also it seems youre butt hurt because you keep on using this term because people arent moving to 8 like you did. If you look at other tech sites there are still many staying on 7
And not "butthurt" at all; it affects me in no way what OS people run. I just don't hear many valid arguments from the people vocalizing disdain for this OS. If you just don't feel like change right now and reformatting your system while not spending any cash to boot then that's a lot more understandable than a lot of the crap I've been seeing thrown around.
Not a tablet user or any of that shit either. But it can't be denied that's the direction everyhting is heading, for better or worse. Natural progression, really...
The reason I am not getting windows8 is because I can not afford it. Plain and simple. Not looking good for me. I would love to have it bet it would be fun. I bet it is fun.
Fuck My life!
for those that are like:
its the worst POS evar OMG wherez mah winderz 7 errmegerd???
or
omg metroz windowz 8 omg sinovski is god omg colorz tilez best evar drool yeah whoosh woosh!
I lol at
I'm wating for there to be a petition on care2 for MS to bring back the start button.
So your processor would need to support that. I doubt if you can run that on a tablet.
Sure Win 8 may have its advantages for other people; but there isn't a compelling reason for "me" to upgrade to it (the touch screen advantages would be useless for me as I don't own or intend to own such, monitors get dirty enough as it is :shadedshu ).