Microsoft's Windows 8.1: When will users get the final bits?

Microsoft is closing in on its publicly stated target of the end of August for releasing to manufacturing Windows 8.1.

But many of those waiting for the new release are less interested in the RTM date than the date when they'll be able to grab the final bits. And Microsoft officials still have said nothing about when that will be.

Just this past weekend, a fairly recent build (9471) of the OS leaked to the Web. This is a pre-escrow build (as far as I know), but includes the new tutorial and navigation aids, which Microsoft officials said back in June would be coming to Windows 8.1 by RTM.

(Escrow builds are typically builds that are near-final milestone builds on which development stops while final testing is done. One of my sources said August 5 is when Windows 8.1 actually entered escrow.)

Microsoft execs said last month that the company would deliver Windows 8.1 RTM code to its OEMs by the end of August. I'm still hearing that Microsoft is on track to finalize Windows 8.1 the last week of August.

Unlike the case with Windows 8, however, I'm hearing scuttlebutt that Microsoft is not planning to make available the final Windows 8.1 bits to its MSDN or TechNet subscribers shortly after the release RTMs. In the case of Windows 8, Microsoft RTM'd on August 1 and made the RTM bits available to MSDN and TechNet subscribers in mid-August, even though consumers couldn't get the final version until late October 2012.

The new word, one of my best tipsters tells me, Microsoft is going to hold off on making available the final Windows 8.1 bits until mid-October 2013 or so. That will be both the general availability date, as well as the "launch" date when new hardware running those bits will be available.

I've asked Microsoft if this is the case. I am still waiting to hear back.

I had heard months ago from my sources that Microsoft's plan with Windows 8.1 was to shorten the usual gap between RTM and general availability. The thinking, suposedly, was to provide existing Windows 8.1 users with the final bits very shortly after they RTM'd -- all part of Microsoft's more rapid delivery cadence goal.

Even if Microsoft waits until mid-October to release the Windows 8.1 RTM bits, the company still will have managed to deliver to customers a new release of Windows within almost exactly a year -- instead of three years after the previous release, as was the length of time between the release of Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Holding back the RTM bits immediately could give Microsoft other benefits. It could give the company more time to stamp out bugs remaining at RTM and deliver fixes for them to those with the preview build via regular patches and updates. It also could provide the company with more of a bigger bang launch event. The Windows 8 launch felt to many as though it was anti-climactic, as they had the final bits in hand for a month-plus before it happened.

If Microsoft does end up holding the Windows 8.1 bits close, many of those running the preview build won't be too happy. It's pretty buggy, but Microsoft is expected to do a fairly large update to the post-RTM bits shortly before it is generally available. In the meantime, as long as the company continues to patch and fix the preview on a regular basis, as it has been doing since June, maybe the sting won't be quite so bad....

I'd think Microsoft also will hold to a similar RTM-bit delivery schedule with Windows Server 2012 R2, the "Blue" server complement to Windows 8.1, which is being developed in lockstep with Windows 8.1. If that happens, no customers (not even volume licensees) would get the final bits until mid-October 2013. 

Windows 8 share of the desktop OS market grew slowly

Windows 8 share of the desktop OS market grew slowly last month relative to a surge in new users in June.

Windows 8 gained 0.3 percent market share in July, bringing its share to 5.4 percent overall, according to figures from web analytics company Net Applications. Following the launch of the OS in October last year, Windows 8 market share has been edging up by less than one percent each month, but last month's growth rate is down from June, when its share increased 0.83 percent.

While Windows 8 has only been installed on just over one in 20 PCs and tablets according to the figures, some analysts believe adoption of the OS will grow following the release of Windows 8.1this year.

Desktop OS market share in July 2013. Image: Net Applications

The 8.1 release will address criticisms about the usability of Windows 8 new tile-based interface, which some users of older Windows systems found confusing. The update will bring back the Start Button and make other UI tweaks, as well as introducing the ability to boot to the desktop and Internet Explorer 11.

Microsoft's Surface tablet, its flagship Windows 8 device, generated $853m between its launch and the end of June, less than the $900m writedown Microsoft took due to a Surface RT "inventory adjustment".

Windows 8 predecessor, Windows 7, shows little movement in desktop market share, continuing to hover around 45 percent, where it has been since the beginning of the year.

Share for the venerable but still popular Windows XP is also broadly static, at 37.19 percent, up 0.02 on last month. Vista's share continues to drop, down 0.38 points to 4.24 percent.

Windows is still found on 91.56 percent of desktops, according to the figures, while Linux OS had 1.25 percent share and Mac OS X 7.19 percent. The share for each OS is largely unchanged from June.

The Net Applications figures are based on data collected from 160 million unique website visitors.

Windows 8, one year later: 10 mistakes Microsoft made (and how they plan to fix things)

One year ago this week...

As beta programs go, Windows 8 seemed like a smashing success. The engineers and designers putting the new operating system together hit their deadlines like a finely tuned machine, and the code was ready to release to manufacturing one year ago this week, on August 1, 2012. Hardware partners had three full months to get their new PCs ready for what some hoped would be a big holiday season.

It didn't quite work out that way. The Windows 8 launch in New York City went well enough, but it was followed within days by two damaging events: Hurricane Sandy and the abrupt departure of Windows chief Steven Sinofsky.

Over the next few months it became clear that Windows 8 had arrived at a turning point in the PC industry, with consumers turning away from conventional PCs in favor of smaller tablets and mobile devices. In theory, the new operating system had anticipated this shift. In practice, it didn't quite work out that way.

Microsoft adds child abuse pop-up warnings to Bing

Microsoft's Bing will display warnings when users attempt to search for images of child abuse.

The notification will tell users that child abuse is illegal, and provide a link to the Stop It Now counselling service.

"If someone in the UK tries to use search terms on Bing which can only indicate they are looking for illegal child abuse content, they will activate the Bing notification platform, which will produce an on-screen notification telling them that child abuse content is illegal," a Microsoft spokesperson said.

"The notification will also contain a link to Stopitnow.org who will be able to provide them with counselling."

Yahoo, which uses Bing's technology for its own search engine, has said it will consider a similar move. According to StatCounter, Bing currently has less than a 6% share of the UK's search engine market.

Google, with around 90% of the UK search engine market, has said it won't introduce similar pop-ups. But it is also already working on its own system to make it easier to detect and wipe images of child abuse.

"We use purpose-built technology and work with child safety organisations to find, remove and report it, because we never want this material to appear in our search results. We are working with experts on effective ways to deter anyone tempted to look for this sickening material," a spokesperson told the BBC.

Continued pressure

The move comes after the government placed pressure on tech firms to take a proactive approach to tackling images of child abuse online.

The prime minister has urged search engines to display notifications to anyone looking for illegal content, warning them of dire consequences such as "losing their job, their family, even access to their children".

BT said it would take such steps last month, showing a warning page to those attempting to access images of child abuse.

But it isn't clear how useful pop-up warnings are, with the deputy head of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) commenting that most people don't "stumble across" illegal content via search.

Web firms have until October to implement a block against certain search terms blacklisted by CEOP, or else face legislation, the prime minister has warned.

Finally Microsoft Office comes to the iPhone

Microsoft Office In iPHONE

Microsoft Office is finally on mobile, after upstarts like Evernote and Dropbox took advantage of the gap.

The app, which launched Friday in Apple's (AAPL, Fortune 500) App Store, has a catch. It's available (and free) only for users who subscribe to Office 365, Microsoft's cloud-based Office program that costs $100 per year. That means if you're using Office 2010 or Office 2013, you're out of luck.

In a research note, Nomura analyst Rick Sherlund called the app's release "a very limited first step." He noted that Microsoft is likely keeping Office Mobile off the iPad to give Windows 8 and the Surface tablet "a chance to gain traction."

Still, he said, even a limited Office Mobile release "represents a key strategic step for Microsoft."

Related story: Microsoft and Sony are at each other's throats

Office is currently available on other platforms in a limited way. Windows Phone and Surface users have access to the full version of Office, but those devices have gained little traction. Android and for the iPad owners can use Microsoft's Office Web apps, but their functionality is extremely pared down.

That's not the case in the new Office Mobile for iPhone. Users can view and edit documents in Office programs on their iPhones, and the formatting and layout of the desktop version will be kept intact.

It's Microsoft's (MSFT, Fortune 500) first big push into mobile productivity on a competitor's platform. With devices like smartphones and tablets overtaking the PC, some analysts think it's long overdue.

Evernote and Dropbox, meanwhile, have rushed in to fill the productivity gap on mobile devices, "disenfranchis[ing] Office on the hottest growth platforms," Sherlund noted.

Office Mobile could help fix that problem.

The launch of Office Mobile will keep Microsoft relevant in that world -- and it's a potentially big source of revenue, said Laura DiDio, principal analyst at research firm ITIC. Microsoft needs that right now, given that PC sales are seriously struggling and WIndows Phone is a distant third in the smartphone market.

"The life's blood of any software package is its availability on as many platforms as possible," DiDio said. " And since mobility is a key platform, this can only help Office."

Microsoft Repairs Windows 8 Cracks

Windows 8 has had a bumpy ride since its launch last fall, but this week Microsoft used the Computex stage in Taiwan to try to make amends. Included among its efforts were the announcement that Outlook is coming to Windows RT after all, and the first public demo of its forthcoming Windows 8.1 update. The question now is, will these latest moves be enough?

At this week's Computex trade show in Taiwan, Microsoft applied some polish to its beleaguered Windows platform. That included announcing that its widely used Outlook email software will finally arrive on Windows RT and making the first public demonstration of its forthcoming Windows 8.1 update.

Windows RT, which arrived last fall, has so far been seen as more of a miss than a hit for the company, and Windows 8's revolutionary change may have been too much of a change for some users.

"When you listen to and read the negative comments about Windows 8, this could be seen to address those points," Craig Stice, senior principal analyst for computer platforms at IHS iSuppli, told TechNewsWorld, "but this isn't a desperate move."

'Like Learning a New Language'

Few new operating systems have arrived without the occasional bump in the road, of course. Still, software developers have to realize that computer users like simplicity and don't always want to have to learn how to do something again -- even if it is presented as a superior way of doing things.

"At the end of the day, it is a personal computer, and people get used to their ways," Stice explained. "When you're on the computer a lot, it is second nature to do things a certain way; when that changes, it is a drawback. In many ways, the learning curve was bigger than people were willing to spend on it.

"It is almost like learning a new language, and it can be tedious," Stice added. "The other half of this, however, is that once you get past that learning curve, users are saying that Windows 8 is actually pretty great."

'Clearly a Mistake'

Instead of retreating, Microsoft appears to be digging in and showing that it can fix the broken Windows -- or at least address what people don't like. This new version of Windows 8 -- version 8.1, codenamed "Blue" -- will reportedly go public in a preview build later this month.

"Microsoft's actions at Computex qualify as a sort of collective 'mea culpa' for the company's misbegotten assumptions and practices related to Windows 8," Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT, told TechNewsWorld. "Replacing the Start desktop and menu with the Metro interface was clearly a mistake, as was shipping RT without a fully functional version of Outlook."

The fact is that "Microsoft customers are both financially and emotionally invested in the Windows OS, key applications like Outlook and the larger ecosystem," King explained. "Believing customers would simply follow wherever Microsoft management felt like leading was deeply insensitive and unnecessarily stupid, especially since Vista offered many of the same painful lessons."

8 Isn't Enough

Given that Windows 8 was arguably one of the biggest changes to the operating system since the arrival of Windows 95, however, it is hardly any surprise that there has been a learning curve -- not only for users but also for the company.

In the case of Microsoft, it has been learning what people like and don't like, so it makes perfect sense that a 'point one' upgrade should arrive so soon.

"When they initially launched Windows 8 last October, it was a complete overhaul of their operating system," noted IHS iSuppli's Stice, "so there were changes that were going to need to be made.

"Clearly Microsoft is listening to feedback; coming out with 8.1 is a good move," he added.

The question, of course, is why such usability-focused changes must be made after the fact. Shouldn't developers know from past OS versions what works and doesn't?

"Without a good feel for what works, Microsoft often makes design errors," Roger Kay, principal analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates, told TechNewsWorld. "Perhaps change for change's sake. Engineers gone wild. A desire to move things to create a billable moment."

Readdressing Outlook

Meanwhile, Microsoft also has had to backpedal by providing Outlook to Windows RT after all.

That will address one issue, but RT devices still can't run some earlier versions of Windows-compatible software. Whether the addition of Outlook alone will be enough to sway users still remains to be seen.

"The big problem with Windows RT was that the email client, when compared to Outlook, sucked," Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, told TechNewsWorld. "It was in line with other email clients on other tablets, but it wasn't even on the same planet with Outlook, and it drove those of us using RT nuts.

"If it weren't for Outlook, my carry box would have remained Windows RT, as the battery life is to die for," Enderle added. "This one move could make this product."

App for That

Another issue is whether Microsoft can convince app developers to take a second look at its Windows offerings. That may well be the biggest hurdle of all facing the company now: Without apps, the OS may not be embraced -- yet until there is great adoption, developers will develop elsewhere.

"The app situation is a somewhat different kettle of fish since its success depends largely on developers believing in Windows 8," said King. "Microsoft can stroke a few egos and twist a few arms and thus bump up the number of available apps. But until Windows 8 is widely perceived as a winning, profitable platform, many -- if not most -- innovative developers are likely to stay away."

Start Your Windows 8 Via Microsoft Mouse

Microsoft Mouse for Windows 8

The freshly unveiled Sculpt Comfort mouse has a blue, touch-sensitive button on its flank that bears the familiar Windows 8 logo.

Using your thumb, you'll be swiping around on this button to perform various Windows-themed tasks. Swiping up on the strip cycles through open apps, while swiping down shows you all the programs you have opened in a zoomed-out view.

You can press the button too, catapulting you back to the colourful, tile-centric Windows Start Screen.

If the Sculpt Comfort mouse is more luxurious than you feel your hands deserve, Microsoft is also flogging a cheaper option, dubbed the Sculpt Mobile mouse. This doesn't have the same touch-sensitive features, but still features a bespoke Windows button, nestled right underneath the scroll wheel.

The Sculpt Comfort mouse comes out in June for $40 (roughly £26.50), while the Mobile Mouse hits shelves in May for $30 (about £20). I've contacted Microsoft to check on a UK release date, but I'd be surprised if we didn't see this tiny tech treats worming their way into British shops.

Microsoft's Start button used to be the epicentre of the Windows world, but the software giant removed it in Windows 8, which launched last year. Rumours suggest that Ballmer and pals are primed to backtrack on that move though, and will reintroduce the convenient launcher in an update.

If you're struggling with Windows 8 and wish it looked a bit more familiar, check out our guide on making Windows 8 look like Windows 7.

Eight Years Later Brand new Xbox One

Xbox One 

Microsoft unveiled its long-awaited new game and entertainment console today, the Xbox One.

The third generation of Microsoft's console, the Xbox One integrates an advanced technical architecture with an all-new design meant to give users a personalized experience that responds almost instantly to their voice and gesture commands.

The new console, black and sleek with a horizontal slit across its center and a modern Xbox logo, features 5 billion transistors, 8GB of RAM, USB 3.0, Wi-Fi direct, a Blu-Ray drive, and a native 64-bit architecture. In addition, it has a 1080P HD RGB camera and an all-new game controller.

The Xbox One will not be backward compatible, but Microsoft said it will continue to support the Xbox 360. The new console will be released later this year, but a pricing structure was not disclosed.

Xbox One links the Xbox OS to the Windows kernel in a way meant to enable multitasking. At its core, though, the Xbox One is meant to give users a new level of personalized control over the home entertainment experience, to include games, TV, movies, and music.

For instance, the console has a built-in voice recognition system. Simply telling it, "Xbox On," powers up the console, without a need to log in or wait for software updates.

Users also can direct what they want to do by speaking certain commands. If a user says, "Xbox, go home," the console will return to the home screen. By saying, "Xbox, watch TV," it switches to live TV. Similarly, "Xbox, game," switches to game-play mode, while "Go to music" or "Go to Internet Explorer" will take a user to the music section or to a browser.Users can tell the console what they want to watch by saying, for example, "Watch CBS," or asking it, "What's on HBO?" If a person is undecided about what to watch, the home screen now has a Trending feature, which offers a snapshot of what's popular in entertainment -- both among the users' friends and across the Xbox community.

The console also has a new Kinect sensor to better recognize users' movements -- including recognizing a shift in balance from one foot to the other or even a user's heartbeat. Multiple commands can be executed through gestures. For instance, users can spread their hands and "grab" the screen to return to the home screen.

In addition, the Xbox One features an all-new Snap mode, which runs multiple programs alongside each other -- a multitasker's dream. The new console also makes HD Skype video calls possible.

Naturally, Microsoft has boosted the Xbox Live infrastructure. The company said that when Xbox Live was first unveiled in 2002, it had 500 dedicated servers. When the Xbox 360 was launched in 2005, there were 3,000. Today, the number is 15,000 servers. For Xbox One, there will be more than 300,000 servers dedicated to Xbox Live, a number larger than the world's entire computing power in 1999, according to Microsoft.

Befitting a brand-new console, the Xbox One will have a series of new games to excite hard-core users. Among them are the standard group of Electronic Arts titles: the latest versions of FIFA, Madden NFL, NBA Live, and UFC.

There also will be a new live-action Halo TV series, which will be co-produced by 343 Industries. The companies announced that film director Steven Spielberg will be involved in the series' creation.

Perhaps topping the list of new developments is the exclusive availability of downloadable content for Call of Duty: Ghosts, the latest edition in the mega-hit Call of Duty franchise.

Android has become the worst enemy of Microsoft and Windows

Windows vs Android

HP, in a way, is putting Microsoft and Windows on notice with its new Android offerings.

Hewlett-Packard rolled out another Android device this week. This could become a pattern as PC makers hedge against a world that's less about Microsoft and more about Google.

On Tuesday, the largest PC maker in the world -- a dubious distinction these days -- added a laptop-tablet hybrid to its growing stable of products based on Google operating systems.

The $479 HP SlateBook x2 is an Android first for HP. It's "powered by Android, the world's most popular mobile operating system...100 percent tablet, 100 percent notebook, 100 percent Android," according to the company's ad copy.

The operative phrase is "most popular mobile operating system." HP knows that mobile, not desktop, OSes are where things are headed.

This follows the announcement of an HP Chromebook and the Slate 7 Android tablet in February.
Don't expect HP to stop there. Android is a force of nature that's only going to get bigger and more important.
Asus, another big Windows PC maker, is leaning more on Android these days too. It makes the popular Nexus 7 for Google (second-generation 7 is due soon), its Transformer Pad has been well received, and Asus came out with an Intel-based Android FonePad recently.
And Acer, after whining incessantly about Microsoft's foray into the PC business via Surface, has been busy introducing its share of Android devices, like its most recent entrant, the Iconia A1.
All of the above "PC makers" will continue to make Windows laptops, hybrids, and tablets (HP also announced the Windows 8-based Split x2 this week), but the market momentum is in Android's favor.

Windows 8 sales off to brisk start

Microsoft Windows 8

Microsoft reports selling 40 million Windows 8 licenses, Gmail makes large file transfers easier, and several apps get a holiday makeover.

A Microsoft executive revealed that 40 million licenses of Windows 8 have been sold since it came out last month. These numbers include both consumers and manufacturers, so Windows 8 isn't in 40 million homes. But to compare, Windows 7 hit sales of 60 million the first two months. Some say Windows 8 is off to an awkward start, and there is a learning curve with the new system.

Also in today's tech news roundup:

- Gmail works with Google Drive to let users send 10GB files.

- Vimeo makes it easier to create and share videos on its new iPhone app.

- Skype's updated iOS app lets users connect with a Microsoft account.

- Rdio gave its streaming music player a new look on Android and iOS.

- Xbox has an update to fix issues with SmartGlass and Xbox Music.

- Outlook.com boasts 25 million active users and now has its own Android app.

Gigabytes to go: Choosing the right mobile computer

Gigabytes Mobile Computer

You may own a laptop, but do you really want to lug it very far? To find a device you can actually tote every day, focus on what your new gadget should do best.

HP Envy TouchSmart Ultrabook 4

Cost: $750; 4GB memory, 500GB hard drive 

Size: 9.3 inches tall, 13.4 inches wide 

How it excels: At 0.78-inch thick and less than four pounds, the Envy qualifies as an "ultrabook," the featherweight laptops that now make up 28% of the notebook market, says researcher IHS iSuppli.

The Envy has a seven-hour battery, one HDMI and three USB ports, and, for an extra $20, a backlit keyboard. Windows 8 fans will like its touchscreen, which lets you navigate with the swipe of a finger.

THE BASICS, FAST

Samsung Chromebook

Cost: $249; 2GB memory, 16GB hard drive 

Size: 8.1 inches tall, 11.4 inches wide 

How it excels: The 2.4-pound Chromebook runs only a web browser and apps, keeping it light and zippy, but unlike most Internet-centric devices, it has a full-size keyboard for comfortable typing.

Related: HTC One: An Android phone that works as good as it looks

The device requires a Google account and Wi-Fi for most tasks, though some programs, like word processing, can be used offline. You get 100GB of online storage free for two years, then for $5 a month.

BUSINESS-READY TABLET

Microsoft Surface Pro

Cost: $899 for 64GB 

Size: 6.8 inches tall, 10.8 inches wide 

How it excels: Road warriors like tablets for cramped planes and passing around in meetings, but most slates aren't designed for getting work done. This two-pounder, though, can handle PowerPoint and spreadsheets.

Related: Chromebook could free Google from Microsoft and Apple

Clip on a keyboard ($120 and up) to turn the device into a laptop, or use the stylus to take notes. Like most tablets, it has flash memory rather than a hard drive, but you can add storage with a microSDXC card.

PLAYTIME SPECIALIST

Apple iPad mini

Cost: $329 for 16GB 

Size: 5.3 inches tall, 7.9 inches wide 

How it excels: This 0.7-pound tablet is a star at web browsing, managing music, and playing video and games -- all with up to 10 hours of battery. To add to its 16GB memory, users can store 5GB on iCloud free.

On the downside, the mini is not yet available with a super high-res screen. Miss the crispness? Go with a larger iPad ($499 and up).