10 ms·

Webcast: Windows 8 Launch (Live)

43 points by vyrotek 14y ago

walru 14y ago
Where's Billy Mays? Seriously though.. this only highlights how much better Apple's presentations are. At least they focus on keeping people on stage who know the ins and outs of the tech they are showing. This lady struggled with the term 1080p.. I'm beginning to warm up to Windows 8, though I still think usability is kind of a mess, and once you scale up to a 20"+ screen the launch pad looks 'confusing'. That said, I'm very impressed with all the different devices they have ready at launch, but something tells me this is the part where they are missing the secret sauce that Apple posses. As a general consumer I'm simply befuddled at all the options - the paradox of choice - and I'm more likely to just go simplify things and go buy that Apple one instead.
- moystard 14y ago
  I don't know if we can still use the Apple keynotes as references as Tuesday one was really painful. It was slow, packed with marketing keywords, and Tim Cook was unable to ramp up the suspense through his speech... PS: I am not watching the Microsoft one right now, so I have no idea if it can compare.
  - walru 14y ago
    I agree.. Tim Cook's presentation was borderline painful to listen to, but Phil Schiller was as toptastc as ever.
- freehunter 14y ago
  They sort of pushed a middle ground between Microsoft and Apple. They have their own tablet, highly engineered and well built. Might not be the best value for the money, but it's solid, looks nice, and isn't a bad option. Then for the Microsoft side of things, they have OEMs doing their own thing, pushing weird and obscure form factors and generally making everything they can to see what sticks.
- Permit 14y ago
  They really need to bring in some of their better product evangelists like Scott Hanselman for these kinds of major launches in my opinion. He's a guy who can speak well to an audience and is certainly technically capable enough to know the ins and outs of the product he's showing off.
- JimmaDaRustla 14y ago
  Who do I want running my presentations, socially awkward IT specialists, or a car salesman? I'll deal with their lack of presentation skills.
dangrossman 14y ago
I'd like to pick up a Windows 8 (Pro, not RT) tablet right now. I wish Microsoft had more control over hardware. This webcast isn't going to end with "and you can buy it right now" since stores won't start selling stuff 'til tomorrow... and I'm not confident stores near me will have any tablets for sale tomorrow either. The nearest Microsoft Store is 4+ hours away.
- mbrubeck 14y ago
  x86 Windows 8 tablets from several manufacturers have been available for pre-order (e.g. on Amazon) for a couple of weeks now, for shipment tomorrow. (Of course, that doesn't help if you want to go into a store to play with different devices before buying one.)
PhrosTT 14y ago
I gotta say they really have a coherent message now.
- simba-hiiipower 14y ago
  absolutely; and i feel it’s because they’ve really pulled everything together nicely and built a very compelling ecosystem. people tend to define the merits of an ecosystem based largely on app counts, the real value (in my opinion) is in the range of services you get on a platform, and how much you can accomplish utilizing them.. connecting to my microsoft account today, i pretty much have access to services that cover nearly everything i need out of a computing device: - email (outlook.com) - messaging (skype) - cloud storage (skydrive) - productivity (office) - collaboration (onenote) - entertainment (xbox music / xbox video) - gaming (xbox live) - social media integration (facebook, twitter, linkedin, ... info pulled-in) - roaming settings (windows, windows phone) - roaming favourites (internet explorer) that makes for a pretty compelling offering to me, and i honestly don’t see any of the others in the market coming close to this. on the development side, while they’re not quite there yet, they also seem to be the closest in offering an ecosystem where a single application can be accessible on the widest variety of devices and form-factors; i'd say that’s pretty damn cool, and as a consumer i'm looking forward to the experiences that will bring..
  - kefs 14y ago
    ..until you have to move internationally. http://owened.co.nz/how-microsoft-might-sink-its-own-ecosystem http://owened.co.nz/how-microsoft-might-sink-its-own-ecosyst...
    - joenathan 14y ago
      Name one provider who offers similar content that doesn't have this issue. With all the legal and localization issues this is a difficult problem to solve.
      - kefs 14y ago
sek 14y ago
Ballmer recites hundreds of features, how long did he take to remember everything, how should a viewer? Some stuff next year, some now... How should i know what are the important ones, he sounds kinda bored. The crazy Ballmer is 10 times better.
- greyboy 14y ago
  I'm not so sure he was recalling all those details from memory. You could see him looking at a prompt of some sort quite often (looking down/up, etc). Of course, that might reinforce your position.
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
fumar 14y ago
Watching Ballmer speak at the end was hard. I wish they simplified their keynotes a little bit. Off-Topic Question... I need to purchase my girlfriend a birthday gift. She "really" wants a tablet. I think a laptop would suit her needs the best. However, "must make g/f happy", is what my brain says. Do you guys think the Surface RT is a solid choice? I asked HN here http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4697945 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4697945 I ask, because I cant seem to pull the trigger on any tablet.
- WayneDB 14y ago
  I think the general consensus is "do not buy" because there are no apps for it and it can't run Windows desktop apps. I would wait for the x86 version at the very least. http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/23/microsoft-surface-rt-review/ http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/23/microsoft-surface-rt-review... http://gizmodo.com/5953866/microsoft-surface-rt-review-this-is-technological-heartbreak http://gizmodo.com/5953866/microsoft-surface-rt-review-this-...
  - dpark 14y ago
    That's hardly the "general consensus". http://www.anandtech.com/show/6385/microsoft-surface-review/12 http://www.anandtech.com/show/6385/microsoft-surface-review/... http://www.zdnet.com/hands-on-with-microsofts-surface-rt-can-it-hit-the-sweet-spot-7000006258/ http://www.zdnet.com/hands-on-with-microsofts-surface-rt-can... Disclosure: I'm pretty biased here, as a Microsoft employee.
    - Karunamon 14y ago
      Those "reviews" offer no conclusions and are basically lists of facts. Fact is, the app store in it's current state is very, very weak. It currently has fewer applications on it than iOS did when its store first launched. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/App_Store_(iOS)#Number_of_launched_applications https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/App_Store_(iOS)#Number_of_laun... Also puzzling was the decision to include every piece of office except the most important one (Outlook) I'm honestly finding it hard to see a use case for this device. While I'm really looking forward to the full fledged version when it launches, the RT looks like a confusing solution in search of a problem.
heyitsnick 14y ago
My big question watching this webcast (and reading reviews of windows 8 online is), how does it all work when you step outside the ecosystem? I want to keep using chrome, not IE; dropbox not skydrive, gtalk not skype. VLC and a third-party media player, not the baked in tools. Will these applications integrate well and can i switch off the defaults? For example, bookmarks on the homescreen, easily accessible play/pause controls etc. Or will i feel like i'm wrestling with the OS because i'm not using the Microsoft tools?
- ConstantineXVI 14y ago
  Just like Windows always has, and then some. Chrome's already got a Metro-friendly build (though the UI is still identical to the desktop); and Dropbox et. al. can hook in via "Contracts" (similar to Android Intents) to other apps and Windows itself.
  - pat2man 14y ago
    Its not quite identical, if you launch it via the desktop its the same but if you launch it via the "metro" launcher its more like a Chromebook.
    - ConstantineXVI 14y ago
      Different styling, but same overall UI. No modifications I'm aware of for touch use or "Metro" restyling has been done so far (and I doubt they're concerned until x86 tablets ship in significant number or if/when Microsoft gives way on alt browsers for WinRT)
  - runjake 14y ago
    Another thing to note: For some reason, Chrome uses a different user profile between the Metro and Desktop environments.
    - sathyabhat 14y ago
      Not any more, they've gotten rid of that ( since M23, IIRC)
xenen 14y ago
I'm really happy with what Microsoft has been doing lately, but this presentation is kind of failing. It's not really getting the audience that excited. This doesn't affect my opinion of the new products, but it's not helping Microsoft's competitive mission, and that makes me cringe a bit.
vyrotek 14y ago
He's absolutely nailing this Surface presentation right now. I think he's doing a great job selling it and I think the audience is finally warming up.
- laacz 14y ago
  Yes, Surface presentor was really good. That's what the presentation should look like.
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
markmm 14y ago
The little bald guy at the start talked far too much without showing anything FAIL.
neya 14y ago
Why isn't Techcrunch or Gizmodo streaming this on their websites like they did for Apple's event?
- fumar 14y ago
  That is a good question. The Surface presentation was solid. Except for their pull quotes at the end..."The best screen ever..." ha
  - meaty 14y ago
    It's not all about pixel count.
- kyriakos 14y ago
  Cause its not apple... they dont even try to hide their pro apple bias anymore. The worst though is silicon valley insider, they posted 5 anti win 8 articles already..

43 points by vyrotek 14y ago

walru 14y ago

Where's Billy Mays? Seriously though.. this only highlights how much better Apple's presentations are. At least they focus on keeping people on stage who know the ins and outs of the tech they are showing. This lady struggled with the term 1080p.. I'm beginning to warm up to Windows 8, though I still think usability is kind of a mess, and once you scale up to a 20"+ screen the launch pad looks 'confusing'. That said, I'm very impressed with all the different devices they have ready at launch, but something tells me this is the part where they are missing the secret sauce that Apple posses. As a general consumer I'm simply befuddled at all the options - the paradox of choice - and I'm more likely to just go simplify things and go buy that Apple one instead.

moystard 14y ago
I don't know if we can still use the Apple keynotes as references as Tuesday one was really painful. It was slow, packed with marketing keywords, and Tim Cook was unable to ramp up the suspense through his speech... PS: I am not watching the Microsoft one right now, so I have no idea if it can compare.
- walru 14y ago
  I agree.. Tim Cook's presentation was borderline painful to listen to, but Phil Schiller was as toptastc as ever.
freehunter 14y ago
They sort of pushed a middle ground between Microsoft and Apple. They have their own tablet, highly engineered and well built. Might not be the best value for the money, but it's solid, looks nice, and isn't a bad option. Then for the Microsoft side of things, they have OEMs doing their own thing, pushing weird and obscure form factors and generally making everything they can to see what sticks.
Permit 14y ago
They really need to bring in some of their better product evangelists like Scott Hanselman for these kinds of major launches in my opinion. He's a guy who can speak well to an audience and is certainly technically capable enough to know the ins and outs of the product he's showing off.
JimmaDaRustla 14y ago
Who do I want running my presentations, socially awkward IT specialists, or a car salesman? I'll deal with their lack of presentation skills.

dangrossman 14y ago

I'd like to pick up a Windows 8 (Pro, not RT) tablet right now. I wish Microsoft had more control over hardware. This webcast isn't going to end with "and you can buy it right now" since stores won't start selling stuff 'til tomorrow... and I'm not confident stores near me will have any tablets for sale tomorrow either. The nearest Microsoft Store is 4+ hours away.

mbrubeck 14y ago
x86 Windows 8 tablets from several manufacturers have been available for pre-order (e.g. on Amazon) for a couple of weeks now, for shipment tomorrow. (Of course, that doesn't help if you want to go into a store to play with different devices before buying one.)

PhrosTT 14y ago

I gotta say they really have a coherent message now.

simba-hiiipower 14y ago
absolutely; and i feel it’s because they’ve really pulled everything together nicely and built a very compelling ecosystem. people tend to define the merits of an ecosystem based largely on app counts, the real value (in my opinion) is in the range of services you get on a platform, and how much you can accomplish utilizing them.. connecting to my microsoft account today, i pretty much have access to services that cover nearly everything i need out of a computing device: - email (outlook.com) - messaging (skype) - cloud storage (skydrive) - productivity (office) - collaboration (onenote) - entertainment (xbox music / xbox video) - gaming (xbox live) - social media integration (facebook, twitter, linkedin, ... info pulled-in) - roaming settings (windows, windows phone) - roaming favourites (internet explorer) that makes for a pretty compelling offering to me, and i honestly don’t see any of the others in the market coming close to this. on the development side, while they’re not quite there yet, they also seem to be the closest in offering an ecosystem where a single application can be accessible on the widest variety of devices and form-factors; i'd say that’s pretty damn cool, and as a consumer i'm looking forward to the experiences that will bring..
- kefs 14y ago
  ..until you have to move internationally. http://owened.co.nz/how-microsoft-might-sink-its-own-ecosystem http://owened.co.nz/how-microsoft-might-sink-its-own-ecosyst...
  - joenathan 14y ago
    Name one provider who offers similar content that doesn't have this issue. With all the legal and localization issues this is a difficult problem to solve.
    - kefs 14y ago

sek 14y ago

Ballmer recites hundreds of features, how long did he take to remember everything, how should a viewer? Some stuff next year, some now... How should i know what are the important ones, he sounds kinda bored. The crazy Ballmer is 10 times better.

greyboy 14y ago
I'm not so sure he was recalling all those details from memory. You could see him looking at a prompt of some sort quite often (looking down/up, etc). Of course, that might reinforce your position.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

fumar 14y ago

Watching Ballmer speak at the end was hard. I wish they simplified their keynotes a little bit. Off-Topic Question... I need to purchase my girlfriend a birthday gift. She "really" wants a tablet. I think a laptop would suit her needs the best. However, "must make g/f happy", is what my brain says. Do you guys think the Surface RT is a solid choice? I asked HN here http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4697945 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4697945 I ask, because I cant seem to pull the trigger on any tablet.

WayneDB 14y ago
I think the general consensus is "do not buy" because there are no apps for it and it can't run Windows desktop apps. I would wait for the x86 version at the very least. http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/23/microsoft-surface-rt-review/ http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/23/microsoft-surface-rt-review... http://gizmodo.com/5953866/microsoft-surface-rt-review-this-is-technological-heartbreak http://gizmodo.com/5953866/microsoft-surface-rt-review-this-...
- dpark 14y ago
  That's hardly the "general consensus". http://www.anandtech.com/show/6385/microsoft-surface-review/12 http://www.anandtech.com/show/6385/microsoft-surface-review/... http://www.zdnet.com/hands-on-with-microsofts-surface-rt-can-it-hit-the-sweet-spot-7000006258/ http://www.zdnet.com/hands-on-with-microsofts-surface-rt-can... Disclosure: I'm pretty biased here, as a Microsoft employee.
  - Karunamon 14y ago
    Those "reviews" offer no conclusions and are basically lists of facts. Fact is, the app store in it's current state is very, very weak. It currently has fewer applications on it than iOS did when its store first launched. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/App_Store_(iOS)#Number_of_launched_applications https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/App_Store_(iOS)#Number_of_laun... Also puzzling was the decision to include every piece of office except the most important one (Outlook) I'm honestly finding it hard to see a use case for this device. While I'm really looking forward to the full fledged version when it launches, the RT looks like a confusing solution in search of a problem.

heyitsnick 14y ago

My big question watching this webcast (and reading reviews of windows 8 online is), how does it all work when you step outside the ecosystem? I want to keep using chrome, not IE; dropbox not skydrive, gtalk not skype. VLC and a third-party media player, not the baked in tools. Will these applications integrate well and can i switch off the defaults? For example, bookmarks on the homescreen, easily accessible play/pause controls etc. Or will i feel like i'm wrestling with the OS because i'm not using the Microsoft tools?

ConstantineXVI 14y ago
Just like Windows always has, and then some. Chrome's already got a Metro-friendly build (though the UI is still identical to the desktop); and Dropbox et. al. can hook in via "Contracts" (similar to Android Intents) to other apps and Windows itself.
- pat2man 14y ago
  Its not quite identical, if you launch it via the desktop its the same but if you launch it via the "metro" launcher its more like a Chromebook.
  - ConstantineXVI 14y ago
    Different styling, but same overall UI. No modifications I'm aware of for touch use or "Metro" restyling has been done so far (and I doubt they're concerned until x86 tablets ship in significant number or if/when Microsoft gives way on alt browsers for WinRT)
- runjake 14y ago
  Another thing to note: For some reason, Chrome uses a different user profile between the Metro and Desktop environments.
  - sathyabhat 14y ago
    Not any more, they've gotten rid of that ( since M23, IIRC)

xenen 14y ago

I'm really happy with what Microsoft has been doing lately, but this presentation is kind of failing. It's not really getting the audience that excited. This doesn't affect my opinion of the new products, but it's not helping Microsoft's competitive mission, and that makes me cringe a bit.

vyrotek 14y ago

He's absolutely nailing this Surface presentation right now. I think he's doing a great job selling it and I think the audience is finally warming up.

laacz 14y ago
Yes, Surface presentor was really good. That's what the presentation should look like.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

markmm 14y ago

The little bald guy at the start talked far too much without showing anything FAIL.

neya 14y ago

Why isn't Techcrunch or Gizmodo streaming this on their websites like they did for Apple's event?

fumar 14y ago
That is a good question. The Surface presentation was solid. Except for their pull quotes at the end..."The best screen ever..." ha
- meaty 14y ago
  It's not all about pixel count.
kyriakos 14y ago
Cause its not apple... they dont even try to hide their pro apple bias anymore. The worst though is silicon valley insider, they posted 5 anti win 8 articles already..