So
far, there have been not much things heard or seen about Windows 8 tablets.
Jared Newman and Melissa Perenson search where they are and what will come out in
the future.
The latest version of
Windows 8, the next version of Microsoft OS, has been planned to launch in the
end of this year. There is a lot of news about expected features, but there are
not many details about necessary hardware to run Windows 8 – especially related
to the tablet. It’s quite strange because Microsoft performed this operating
system on a Samsung tablet in Build conference in September.
We also waited for
CES exhibition in January that would be full of Windows 8 tablets; but it was
also quiet about that.
Three companies which
displayed Windows 8 running on ARM processor in Build were also erratic in CES.
nVidia demonstrated Windows 8 that ran smoothly on a reference platform;
Qualcomm tablet which had been seen in Build appeared, and Texas Instruments
exhibited a Windows 8 reference platform.
Some Chinese
manufacturers demonstrated popular tablets running Windows 7, but there was
only a company telling about Windows 8 plan in detail: Kupa ran Windows 8
Developer Preview on X11 - the tablet is currently running Windows 7 on Intel
Atom Z670 processor. The company said they were ready for Windows 8, because of
16:9 screen, 1366x768 (which was suitable for the best goal of Microsoft for
Windows 8) that was the specification on a par with Samsung Series 7 tablets
shown by Microsoft in Build.
Besides this 1366x768
resolution, Microsoft said tablets needed at least 1 GB of memory, 720p camera
and the support of Direct 3D 10.
Moreover, all Windows
8 tablets and tablet-laptop must have at least 5 hard buttons for power,
rotation key, up and down volume and a Windows key. Tablets have to support 5
simultaneous touch points, and include an ambient light sensor (which may be
used to automatically adjust brightness), a magnetometer (for compass applications),
accelerometer and gyroscope (for motion control).
Microsoft has not
announced the requirement about system memory and minimal processor yet, but
they said all Windows 7 computers were able to run Windows 8. Windows 8
Developer Preview has listed requirements composed of 1 GHz processor, along
with 1GB or 2GB of RAM and 32 and 64bit operating systems.
Not ready to talk
Apart from few
illustrations we have mentioned, there is a small number tablet manufacturers
which are willing to talk about their Windows 8 plan; they even don’t discuss
what we can expect to see in that shape factor. Even Samsung has nothing to add
into information we’ve already had.
Paul Moore, director
of development products of Fujitsu, implied that Microsoft was encouraging a brand
new image of tablets running the fresh operating system. But “it’s remained
vague till now”, he admitted.
Stylistic Q550 tablet
of Fujitsu runs Windows 7 on Atom CPU but they plan to pronounce some updates
for its specifications in the middle of 2012. It is expected to increase
performance to play videos better. “It seems to be biggest challenge on Atom”,
Moore confessed. “And it’s the biggest complaint of customers: videos are a bit
lagged.”
CPU question
It’s not obvious to
see whether Microsoft has any advantages in the tablet market when Windows 8 is
launched. It’s partly because Microsoft hasn’t said clearly if Windows
applications worked on ARM processors and how they worked. ARM tablets will
have pros of weight, power and may be price compared with tablets running x86
processor, which makes the space of ARM tablets attractive to see.
Waiting for a violent
attack of tablets based on ARM, Intel is ready for a two-side defense. Single
core “Mefield” platform which is designed for Android is expected to launch in
the second quarter of this year, while “Clover Trail”, which designed only for
Windows 8, will be released in the end of 2012. Clover Trail will replace Atom
chip which is using in most Windows tablets now – just Samsung, with Series 7
based on Core i5, has released a Windows tablet using CPU which is more
powerful than laptops.
Activities are always
on
Qualcomm introduced a
second sample of reference system Windows 8 in CES, this time the company
showed it with the enable feature which was standby to connect (connected
standy). It was the state that the system was off but it could continue
immediately to help Windows 8 save energy and prolong battery life.
“Microsoft has
discussed the concept which was always on and connected. We consider it as a
combination of smartphone function and computing,” Steve Horton, the director
managing software and product of Qualcomm commented.
While tablet
manufactures are still reserved when they are asked about how ARM platforms
affect their tablet designs, using ARM processors will be certainly noticeable.
In a conversation in Build, Horton noted that there was no limit on ARM tablet
designs, except for 16:9 screens. Image contrast ratio allows the screen to
align the best screen size for Metro interface of Windows 8.
When being asked
about Windows 8 tablets running on ARM processors, Junghwan Hong – a senior
designer and Sangwon Yoon – a chief designer, who took part in creating
ultra-thin Samsung Series 9, avoided particular details. However, they admitted
the potential of ARM processors that makes opportunities and challenges for new
designs.
“As designers, we are
doing research on ARM”, Yoon said. “We have many different shape factors for
ARM devices. ARM doesn’t have a fan (for cooling), so it’s a good feature”.
Yun explained a
logical problem designers were facing: the low price of ARM tablets restricted
using “interesting” materials, but the computer had to be good-looking.
There was no thorny
matter in CES, 2012 is expected to become an amazing year for tablets running
the next operating system of Microsoft.
