Windows 8

Maybe, just maybe, Windows 8 will be OK.

There are going to be plenty of devices in the coming weeks that look a lot like the Acer Iconia W510. Whether or not the W510 is the best in its class remains to be seen — for one thing, I'm itching for a slightly larger device like the Asus Transformer Book. But using the W510 has made one thing abundantly clear: the convertible, laptop / tablet hybrid is a perfect fit for Windows 8, and Windows 8 makes this form factor sing in a way Android and other operating systems just can't. We'll be spending time with many other devices like it, but the W510 has certainly whet our appetite for more Windows 8. More at The Verge.

Comments

[Bug Blatter]

For devices with that kind of form-factor it should be great, and I'm certainly tempted to get one of the new convertible W8 tablets.

I think it's unlikely W8 will make it onto my desktop or my laptop.

I don't think there'll be a WP9; W9 RT will go on phones instead. It's the only strategy that makes any sense, and if they'd had time I'm sure they'd have done it with W8 RT.

So if you were thinking of buying a WP8 phone beware; the platform's probably going to go the way of WM.

You heard it here first folks ;o)

[Donald Stidwell]

I'm with Bug on this one. This is what Windows 8 was made for - not desktop machines without touch. From the beginning, I've always had the sense that W8 would be fantastic on tablets and this just seems to confirm that.

As for Windows Phone devices - hard to say. They don't have any real traction now, and I wonder how much traction Windows 8 on non-tablets will get (I think very little). Not sure if there's any possibility of a halo effect from Windows 8. Right now it's hard to conceive of and I agree with Bug that Windows Phone will go the way of Zune or WM.

[elbowz]

I've been using Windows 8 on both hybrid touch-type and regular laptop style devices. I'm struggling to decide whether I love it or hate it. Most telling thing is that despite having this new OS on new hardware I choose to use my MacBook Air greater than 99% of the time...

Windows 8 looks good but has some flaws which make it overly difficult to use. That's going to be another problem for Microsoft.

[Rui Duarte]

It will take some time, because the difference is bigger to what we are used to, but it will conquer the market.