Challenges to be faced by Windows 8
The commercial release of Windows 8 in 2012 is the most anticipated technological event of this year. However, to survive in the market Windows 8 has to face many challenges to demonstrate its compatibility with tablets and convertibles. Let us summarize some of the challenges that will appear in the way of Windows 8 on ARM.
After an overwhelming response at Microsoft BUILD, the developer conference in September last year, Microsoft's Windows 8 Developer's Preview has been finally exposed. The much-awaited operating System promises to showcase Microsoft's technology, commitment to the business with its advance innovation capabilities in new tablet and convertible platforms. In addition, it by now has undoubtedly amazed the developers with speed, compatibility, and quality. Microsoft has put his best foot forward which is seen in their departure from PC Windows Platform and large hardware transformation commitment to support ARM processor Architecture, whose chip architecture commands countless tablets, mobile phones to media players, and set top boxes in the market. In addition, Microsoft's Windows 8 compatibility with existing systems, i.e. no need to upgrade the hardware requirement to install Windows 8 has increased its demand among the users to manifolds.Challenges ahead for Windows 8
But it would not be easy, as these challenges might come out as a nightmare for a user:
With a lot of bicker and arguments on this, Windows 8 with its new Metro User Interface and tablet look, it has done away with our traditional start button. The new start screen is fully loaded with bright app tiles. This mobile oriented appearance looks fabulous on tablets and phones but sadly glooms the traditional desktop or laptop user. You can turn off the new Start screen, but then the completely old style of classic User Interface disappoints again.
ARM is not compatible with X86 Applications. By that, we mean, in simple words that Windows 8 may be accurate enough to be able to install in you already loaded PC, but windows 8 tablets would not run basic windows Apps like Office 2010. It is not that there would be no apps on Windows 8 tablet, there would be, Microsoft allows the developer to create new metro interface based app for it.
Once you start an app, it is difficult to close it in Metro User Interface. The maximum you can do is to suspend it. While, in suspended form, it saves CPU cycles, but it still consumes memory. Therefore, to get rid of that, you might have to keep on launching Task Manager repeatedly.
One of the many powerful features of Windows 8 is UEFI, Unified & Extensible Firmware Interface. With its superb functionality, it protects the OS from any malware attack and RootKits at the time of boot up. However, due to the same utility, it could prevent the dual boot functionality, especially for Linux Platforms.
After RIM, it's time for Windows 8 to prove its mantle in terms of security. To take right off in an enterprise environment like RIM has proved to U.S. Federal Government for its Blackberry Playbook Tablets, similarly Microsoft needs to stand out with its absolute security features for Malware Filtering, Virtual Private Networking Issues, Personalized Software Bugs, etc. After all an enterprise, tablet user would not want to take a chance on its data security.Bottom Line
The primary goal of Microsoft is to handle with the new tablets by making Windows 8 compatible with these devices. The point is that whether Microsoft will be successful in making Windows 8 compatible with the latest devices and supporting PCs too. Software incompatibility is the key issue to be worked out for Microsoft, as it is not possible to convince the app developers to develop new apps for new platform when iOS and Android are already available on tablets and other latest gadgets.
In the end, Microsoft with its new operating system Windows 8 might be bracing itself to head tablet and convertibles market but doing so efficiently without leaving behind personal computer needs is to be tackled gracefully. Windows 8 by far, for sure outshines the older Microsoft tablet contributions to the world but outdoing the market, the competitors like Apple, Samsung, etc. with strong hold in the technology as well as in the market, might not be that easy. Anyways here's wishing all the best to our most admired, Windows.
