Microsoft today confirmed that Windows 8 will be released to manufacturing (RTM) the first week of August. It will then hit stores in late October along with the first devices to run the operating system. The announcement came today at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference taking place in Toronto, Canada. It is the most specific timeline Microsoft has given yet for […]
Microsoft
Curved arc soft keyboard coming to Windows Phone 8?
Windows Phone 8 could include a radically different software keyboard when it is launched later this year. The new design, revealed in a leaked Microsoft Research presentation obtained by WMPowerUser is reminiscent of the keyboard layout Microsoft first toyed with for ultramobile PC devices (UMPCs) a few years back. The curved layout is designed for one-handed thumb typing: Other soft […]
HP to skip on ARM-based Windows RT tablets for now
One of Microsoft’s largest partners will not launch any ARM-based Windows RT tablets this year. HP has confirmed plans to focus solely on x86-based Windows 8 tablets. HP spokeswoman Marlene Somsak said: “I can confirm that at HP, we continue to look at using ARM processors in business and consumer products. However, our first Win 8 tablet will be on […]
Rumours of Microsoft-RIM partnership resurface
Research In Motion’s dismal quarter has reignited past rumours that the company could sell off a portion of its assets or partner up with someone else to survive. Citing “three sources familiar with the situation,” Reuters is reporting that RIM could form a partnership with Microsoft similar to the one that the latter has with Nokia. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer […]
Video: A closer look at the Windows Phone 7.8 Start Screen
Microsoft’s Ben Rudolph (better known as Ben The PC Guy) has posted a video that takes a closer look at the new Start Screen coming to Windows Phone 7.8. The demonstration runs on a Nokia Lumia 900 with an early build but it all looks pretty good already: The key feature is the ability to now resize tiles with three […]
Microsoft has no plans to build own Windows Phone devices
After announcing its Microsoft Surface tablet last week, speculation turned to whether Microsoft would extend this strategy to smartphones. In an interview with InformationWeek, Greg Sullivan, senior marketing manager for Windows Phone, confirmed that the company will not build its own smartphones. It will continue to work with its hardware partners. “We have a strong ecosystem of partners that we […]
Rumour: First Canadian Microsoft store coming to Yorkdale Mall in Toronto
It would appear that rumours that Microsoft would open its first international “Microsoft store” in Canada later this year were correct. The Toronto Star has learned that Microsoft will open its first Canadian retail location at the Yorkdale Mall in Toronto. The building permits necessary for the project to go ahead have now been approved. If the Canadian store design […]
Windows Phone 8 devices to use Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus chipset
Qualcomm confirmed back at Computex that its Snapdragon chipsets would continue to be found in Windows Phone devices beyond the current models. The Verge has now learned that Windows Phone 8 devices will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Plus mobile processor. The 28nm Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus comes dual-core Krait processors running as high as 1.7GHz and can be paired to […]