Microsoft Event 2014

Hello,

Microsoft will be holding its Microsoft Event 2014 on Wednesday (Tuesday 30th at 4pm American time) to showcase their plans for the future. Within this event, we will see a reveal of the leaked information for Windows 9 and quite possibly Windows Phone 9. Let’s recap on what we know so far before the event.

Windows 9

Talks of a secret codename “Threshold” has been steaming around the web for quite some time now, but it wasn’t “officially” talked about and denied mostly by Microsoft when poked with questions about it.

It was all hush hush until earlier this month when the Chinese Microsoft Division posted the above image. The web went berserk.

Windows 8, despite ACTUALLY being pretty fantastic for many once you ACTUALLY have a go of it and not rely on reviews that are bias to XP or Apple most of the time, had a very rough start and is being labelled as another Vista. As one of our team pointed out, it is a significant trend techies have a hold of for many versions now. The biggest highlight was Windows ME, the most significant “Vista” label that would trend hard onto Vista.

In the days of Windows 98 and 2000, on September 14th, 2000, Windows ME was born. Everybody raged at how crap it was and had many of the same issues as Vista did and even 8. There was a revolt and cry out to make 98 or 2000 better and not worry about a newer OS which then turned into the calling of a new OS that is for the “user”, mainly being advanced users (they do not worry about the average Joe). XP was born (Considered the best OS ever).

As new innovations and technologies came out more and more, the XP theming slowly boring consumers, Microsoft went back to the drawing board and created Vista. The same outcry but with extra features hated and more incompatibility led to Microsoft having no choice but to re-release a version that keeps their statement but also keeps the advanced users happy. The trend here is the executive complaints come from advanced users. Of course, a lot of the big companies and Government sectors we like and/or need that use technology to help us with our lives need to not run into any issues, but it comes down to the visuals, advanced users love technical over visuals. If the visuals shift key elements, its an immediate flop and then consumers, trusting the advanced users, get put off not realizing that most people can actually function with the new look, feel and power and make average Joe users be able to do things better. Windows 7 was born.

We may have furious users pop up from the last statement, but it won’t be hard to find that we are indeed factual in the visuals claims. Most blogs, forums and comments will start or include something got to do with the crappy annoying User Interface one way or the other.

Despite 7 being the XP of ME, it never made it as the “best OS ever” claims that XP had (ok has). It is still unclear on statistics on what OS is used most (due to piracy and no info on when people upgrade or downgrade etc), but as of from Net Applications, Windows 7 has the most users worldwide.

Again, Microsoft have new innovations, new styles to keep people from getting bored (which is very true, many are getting bored with the looks of 7 and you can only do so much), Windows 8 was born.

So after all that, why the web went berserk? Because the “consumer” (being the advanced users) have done it again and convinced Microsoft that they need to rethink Windows and bring back the Desktop users.

Presenting: The Start Menu

Keeping the styling’s of Windows 8/8.1, but twisted to give a lot more function to the Keyboard & Mouse user. Start Screen users who love it don’t fret, you do get the option of a menu or full screen. Touchscreens are staying in the future so keeping them functional will be a must for Microsoft, especially since rumors pop up here and there about Apple bring touch to Mac.

We can keep blabbing on about the start menu, but thanks to WinFuture (who maybe are in big trouble) have posted Windows 9 videos showing off a Tech Preview.

As you can see, it mixes the start menu style with the tiles of Windows 8. Your account options and power options show up on the top, and instead of a favourites list pane on the right, you put tiles, allowing you to keep the live tile updates rolling for your favourite apps. You can do many of the editing as you can on Windows 7 and 8 and the “all programs” ability returns.

For the Start Screen fans and needers with touch devices, you can change the options to have either a menu or screen.

Finally, for the desktop screen lovers who also like the “Metro” apps but not fullscreen, MS is implementing windowed Metro Apps to be used on the desktop.

This next video by WinFuture shows a new Notification Centre to help catch up on missed events. There are mixed messages about it but I don’t understand why it has negative comments, its useful, if not for you, don’t use it, EASY!

One mention, the view size of the message is a bit small causing cut-out but then again, you wont want a window expanding hugely either. Maybe stacked lines? I guess it is to push you to open the app.

Final Video is something that may just win over many, multi-tasking made very interesting.

Rumors suggested Windows 9 will be out around April 2015 but its unclear until the event, IF they announce a date.

Other things to mention, Cortana may make her debut to Windows 9 to work along side Windows Phone, this can be very interesting as the current Windows Speech Recognition is very clumsy. The charms bar is going, going, GONE! but it’s being said that only for non-touch devices due to the amount of “useless” claims. So those who have touch whom need easy navigation, no worries then.

9 will come in the form of x86 and x64 versions, we now know that they will weigh roughly 3.16GB and 4.10GB respectively thanks to (im sure cringing) Microsoft accidently posting a Preview webpage for Windows 9 which immediately got taken down, but not before someone bursting the printscreens.

As you can see, a download button was available to use, so unless someone had super fast internet speeds to download them ASAP, nobody would of had the chance, and Microsoft may of cut all download possibilities anyways. If someone claims to have gotten it and gives you a chance to download it, DON’T!, $10 says people will use it as a way to get to you. It’s unclear if Microsoft does have a downloadable ISO ready to get when you click the link, if so, we could be able to get it during or right after announcement at the event. otherwise expect a week or two.

Windows Phone 9

Or shall we call it just Windows 9? That is the first rumour, where Microsoft decided to make the “threshold” range unified including the removal of the Nokia branding with the Lumia devices. The only big rumour with a “Leak” is Microsoft are implementing the Split-screen multitasking seen on Android and may only work for devices with 4.9 inches or above. Also, a small rumour suggests that they will insert “active Action Centre” whereby allowing you to do more actions with notifications, such as replying to SMS right from the Centre and even from the Lockscreen! We don’t know if this is a good idea if you use password protection so I hope they make you enter your password in first before revealing anything. (They will most likely but sometimes small things can slip)

I wish we had more info but we should hopefully get dozens of information from the event. We will post a summary on Wednesday of the action that took place.