RUMOUR: Microsoft Planning to Release Windows 9 in April 2015

Let’s face it, Windows 8 was not the grand success the people at Microsoft were hoping for. What people forgot was that it was the first step towards Microsoft’s vision of a hybrid tablet and desktop operating system and it is still an evolving UI/OS (Remember the Android 1.6, 2.0 stock UI?).

Although the company is focused on continued development on Windows 8.1, with an “Windows 8.1 - Update 1” on the cards, Windows watcher Paul Thurrott is reporting that the company has started planning on a release of Windows 9, code-named "Threshold" sometime around April 2015. Allegedly, Microsoft will unveil its ideas/plans/vision for Windows 9 at the company’s Build 2014 developer conference in April later this year.

The move to Windows9 could help Microsoft to move away from the criticism that Windows 8 received. It’s currently unknown what type of changes will be made in Windows 9, but a "Metro 2.0" is being reported, which will focus on improving Microsoft’s new app world and tiles. One of the major things that will supposedly come in between now and April 2015 is a full return of the Start Menu, although it is more likely that Microsoft will include this change in the Update for Windows 8.1 rather than in an entirely new operating system next year.

BUILD 2014 Will Set the Vision for Windows 9

Like it did with Windows 8, Microsoft will use three major milestone development points for Windows 9, but it’s not clear how many of them will be released to the public during the development period.

Windows certainly needs public excitement, more Windows 8-style apps, and in house innovation if it is to succeed with its vision of a hybrid tablet and desktop operating system. Hopefully Build 2014 and Windows 9 will provide the company just that.

One thing is clear, while there will be further modifications to Windows 8.1 in the coming updates, Windows 9 looks to be the next major release.

Source: WinSuperSite

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Microsoft Confirms Forthcoming Windows Blue

It has been known for quite a long time that Windows was planning a low cost annual upgrade cycle to the Windows and Windows Phone OS, with the project supposedly having a code-name of Windows Blue. Now, we have the first official mention of Windows Blue via a job posting on Microsoft’s careers site.

What is Windows Blue?

With Windows 8 released just a couple of month’s back, Microsoft is now preparing the next generation Windows client. Microsoft plans to adopt a standardized approach across Windows and Windows Phone in an effort to provide more regular updates to consumers. This project is known as Windows Blue.

Originally uncovered by ZDNet, the update will bring changes in the UI and alterations to the entire platform and pricing. Microsoft is trying to make Windows Blue the next OS that everyone installs. The approach is a very simplistic one, Microsoft will price its next Windows release at an extremely low cost (maybe even free) to ensure users upgrade. Once Windows Blue is released, the Windows SDK will be updated to support the new release and Microsoft will stop accepting apps that are built specifically for Windows 8, pushing developers to create apps for Blue. Windows 8 apps will continue to run on Blue despite the planned SDK changes.

The Verge also goes on to say that a user will need a genuine copy of Windows to upgrade to Windows Blue. Built-in apps and the Windows Store will cease functioning if a copy is upgraded that is pirated. Sources also point that Microsoft will be likely to keep the Windows 8 name for the foreseeable future, despite the Windows Blue update. A big part of Windows Blue is the push towards yearly updates for Microsoft’s OS. Microsoft will kick off an annual upgrade cycle for Windows that is designed to make it more competitive against rival platforms from Apple and Google.

The job posting is for a software development engineer who will join the "Core Experience Team" to work on "most of what customers touch and see in the OS." The first paragraph of the listing reads -

We’re looking for an excellent, experienced SDET to join the Core Experience team in Windows Sustained Engineering (WinSE). The Core Experience features are the centerpiece of the new Windows UI, representing most of what customers touch and see in the OS, including: the start screen; application lifecycle; windowing; and personalization. Windows Blue promises to build and improve upon these aspects of the OS, enhancing ease of use and the overall user experience on devices and PCs worldwide.

By the sound of the description it looks like Windows Blue will focus mainly on UI and how users interact with their computers rather than under-the-hood changes. Windows Blue is expected to debut in mid-2013, so it is only a matter of time before which we will find out how good the upgrade is at smoothing out any of Windows 8 rough edges.

Apple has enjoyed great success in this annual upgrade arena, gradually adding new features to Mac OS X every year, through its feline-themed updates. Google too is having a good time with the annual Android upgrades, bringing new desserts to the table. Will Microsoft have similar success with Windows Blue? Only time will tell.

Update: The Microsoft Career's website no longer displays the job with a message - This Job is no Longer Available.

Source: ZDNet, Microsoft Careers

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BlueStacks Launches It's Official Android App Player on Windows 8

BlueStacks, the startup bringing Android applications to PCs and Macs, is releasing a version of its App Player for Windows 8 today, with special optimization for Surface Pro.

This release comes at an important time for Microsoft whose Surface device have had a lackluster start to their sale. With other Windows 8 tablets also struggling to break into the market. With BlueStacks, customers can run over 750,000 Android Applications on their Windows 8 computer, which is much greater than the 35,000 apps available on the Windows 8 app store.

BlueStacks has made this app special optimized for the Surface Pro. “The Surface Pro is an innovative device, but it has none of the top apps,” says BlueStacks CEO, Rosen Sharma. “This fixes that and adds a lot of value for buyers.”

BlueStacks now offers the ability to launch the Player from a tile pinned to the Windows 8 Start screen, and it includes a true full-screen mode. In earlier Windows 7 releases, that was not the case, as the software had left room for the BlueStacks control strip at the bottom of the screen. There’s also a new “Charms” menu, available on the right side of the screen, where the Back, Menu, Settings and Home buttons (for Android) are provided.

Bluestacks has now passed 5 million downloads of its mobile software across both Mac and PC, based on numbers from BlueStacks.com’s homepage. More recently it has done tie-ups with Asus, MSI and Lenovo which will see BlueStacks’ software preloaded onto the PCs in 2013, with similar deals expected with Dell and HP.

CEO Rosen Sharma also touted the release as a way for developers to bypass Microsoft's "onerous" submission process to get Android apps onto the x86 Surface Pro, and you can't argue with the price -- it's free, and available for download now.

Source: BlueStacks, TechCrunch

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