Looks like another employee has accidentally leaked company secrets. Well, not secrets about his own company. It seems one Derek Goode, in possession of slides on Windows 8, posted them online in a public place. Probably by accident, but you never know. An Italian blog then got their hands on the slides and the web has been buzzing ever since. The slideshow covers many details of the new operating system, including information on launch strategy and a Windows App store.
They are not all that specific on Windows 8 features, but offer a unique inside look at at Windows 8 and enough information that they seem pretty authentic. One slide shows that Windows has been eyeing Apple’s swag and looks to duplicate the same type of customer loyalty and ease of use.
Facial recognition is a pretty exciting feature to see coming. Windows 8 users may be able to avoid the hassle of logins and passwords entirely, while still being able to keep up some level of security. Simply sit down in front of your computer and your webcam identifies your face to let you into your system. User accounts can be stored in the cloud, so you can have a roaming profile. Carry your settings around wherever you go. This all creates a user-focused system for managing identities.
Once again, Microsoft appears to be recognizing trends and trying to stay on top of them. The slides show a focus on the customer as an individual, even in the case of enterprise. They repeatedly talk about the ecosystem around their software being an important factor in success. Engagement is also a major focus in choosing their target audiences as well as addressing their developer market.
Form factor is also a concern here. The slides talk about 3 major formats: Slate, Laptop, and All-in-one. Yes, they are discussing Windows Slate devices. Other features mentioned include:
- A push-button reset feature which will do a complete re-install without destroying your personal data
- Better help system so that users can fix things on their own
- A Windows App Store
- Fast startup. This seems to be a way to make boot/shutdown look faster by simply combining logout/login and hibernate.
Microsoft has yet to comment on the slides, but they do look pretty official. Each one has a watermark with a “Microsoft confidential – released to … Under NDA.” Another important point to note is that each slide also says “DISCLAIMER – WINDOWS 8 DISCUSSION, THIS IS NOT A PLAN OF RECORD.” This indicates that, assuming these slides are the real deal, the end strategy could be vastly different. More details at the Microsoft Kitchen.