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[perkiset]

This looks pretty cool: http://www.9to5mac.com/70139/wow-windows-8-is-tiled-and-touch-video/

There's a pretty big hiccup between their touch interface and their standard interface at the moment - it doesn't look as deeply integrated all the way through as I think it could be. But one really interesting thing is the lack of scroll bars, and the reversed scrolling when they show up. This was a big hullabaloo when people first started seeing this in Lion (OS-X 10.7) but I think it's spot on. And given Windows is pushing the touch interface every bit as hard I think it's appropriate.

A big question to me is, just how "touch" will all these new OSs be? Apple has an interesting patent on an iMac looking machine that kind of reclines into a position under your hands, but I don't know what everyone else is going to do (and there's no indication at the moment that Apple is doing anything different either). I've sat and played with a couple touch computers at the local hardware store and I do not like it. It feels awkward, stupid and uncomfortable to leave the keyboard/mouse area of my desk to point at a screen and do something that I could have done with my mouse or track pad more easily. It's perfect on tablets and phones, but I don't see how the existing desktop structure will make touch attractive.

All that said, it's nice to see what the Windows boys are thinking about with their new OS. The large icon tiles that can change data are obviously reminiscent of the main screen on Windows phones - that's actually a pretty cool feature.

[nutballs]

The advantage win8 has is that they are trying to make it the same experience across devices.

A few things that I saw that look smart and functional.

Thumb board. I wondered from the first iPad, why apple doesn't have a split thumb board that I can hold the pad, and type with thumbs without having to do finger gymnastics. My guess is patent reasons.

The interface, actions, interactions, and display are mergin into one concept. Currently, there so much Separation that it causes confusion with older folks. Come to my house to explain to my mom and dad what the difference is between a browser and a webpage. Good luck...

The execution of the merge concept seems the right direction to me. Panels for everything, instead of screen elements. Split screening built in and jointed, instead of separate and allowing overlapping. Smart expansions and shrinks of those split screens. The idea that all apps are always seeming like they are open, and there is no difference.

They focused on the UI. FINALLY. I don't mean pretty-wise, though that is important. I mean that looks are an integral part of the functionality. True interface design requires the art of a graphic designer to work hand in hand with functionality, and industrial design make the functionality disappear. Then keep looping until it works well. Seems they are doing this finally, based on the concept and direction wall they have in the demo video. Feels like it in the interface as well.

I gotta say, I am a little excited about where they are heading. They made some very smart and functional improvements with win7, which I use all the time, but were not quite polished out. It seems they have continued in the right direction. Should be an interesting next few years.

[perkiset]

They focused on the UI. FINALLY. I don't mean pretty-wise, though that is important. I mean that looks are an integral part of the functionality. True interface design requires the art of a graphic designer to work hand in hand with functionality, and industrial design make the functionality disappear. Then keep looping until it works well. Seems they are doing this finally, based on the concept and direction wall they have in the demo video. Feels like it in the interface as well.

Agree - it really looks like they are efforting here. My only comment is that the inner guts workings don't seem nearly as friendly and fleshed out as the surface stuff. I hope it doesn't give users (like moms and dads) split brain. I also hope that they've reduced complexity of the inner workings, which has always been one of their bugaboos.

[daviator]

I have absolutely ZERO interest in having my computer screen constantly covered in fingerprints.  It's bad enough to have to peer through the smeared surface of my iPad between cleanings.  So for that reason alone – not to mention the others Perks has already mentioned – it's a non-starter for me.  I think it's a solution in search of a problem.  As has always been the case, PC vendors are frantic to differentiate their products and not be caught asleep when the next paradigm shift occurs.  As a result, they often jump the gun and implement technologies in a non-useful way or before they are really ready for prime time.

[kurdt]

There's one huge problem with Win8 UI - it loses completely 1x1 precision of mouse cursor. If you look at iOS standards, finger precision is about 40x40. So now that Win8 is going to first present a desktop with nice big tiles that you can easily use with finger, it makes it impossible to do consistent user experience for programs that actually require precision and big screen. Trust me, I know this problem, I have been fighting with it for the past year. There's a huge difference between finger precision UI and mouse precision UI. You can go with finger design because it works with mouse also but you lose A LOT of efficiency mouse can bring. You have to tap thru million different icons to get what you want and so on. You could do nice little shortcuts but that introduces problem of inconsistent experience - just think how many people will never find out that you can scroll divs with two finger wipe on MobileSafari.

If MS can pull this off, I will stand up and applaud. Otherwise it will be very awkward wannabe Win phone UI on top of old Windows 7.

P.S. Interesting thing is that I realized few days ago that Xbox 360 Kinect has exactly similar type of design than Win7 phones and now 8. So I wonder if Kinect UI team is actually the root of this new trend rather than Win7 phone UI team...

[Alejandro]

I am been anxiously waiting for the new operating system of Microsoft i.e. windows 8.
I am excited to know that it ill be having all new features in it that have not been seen before.

[OwensFisher]

Metro style interface will be an added advantage that is designed for touchscreen input.

[daviator]

I smell a 

[perkiset]

True dat. I ditched the sig but let it stand since this thread seems to be exciting to them. Might as well let them have it